*Wring- Wring*. The sound of my alarm rings through the living room. Waking up on the floor always feels weird. Looking to my side, Chris is already gone. I get ready and within 30 minutes I leave my home. On the way to work, I grab a black coffee and some food. On my way to work I encounter the nightshift people from my firm, slumping tired through the street.
"Poor people, I hope I don't get demoted to nightshift."
Entering "Inserted Villains Inc." I can feel instant pressure. No more relaxed feeling like the night before. Gone. In mere seconds. I walk through the stairs and halls to my desk. It is located in a big room with multiple workspaces. Mine is just one of them. We are called the "IVs" or "Inserted Villains". Never really liked that name, but it fits.
On my desk I find the latest reports from my world. First the view count.
"Like Annelise said, they went up by 16% from the day before. I guess my acting in my fight with the Heroes was good."
I can feel myself grin a little. The "Flowchart for Basic Hero Growth" outlines a few key moments that every good fantasy story needs to hit, in order to become popular. Checking the first off many key moments, my gaze hits the clock. "07:30am". Alright, time to get evil. I make my way to the changing room. Walking through, I can quickly see my reflection in a mirror. Horns, although one broken. Green glowing eyes and pale white bones.
"Yep, that's me and I still don't know what Chris sees in me, but I won't complain!"
I pack my belongings in one of the many lockers, and make my way over to the "Way Stones". Stepping on to one activates it, and with my keycard it knows where to send me. A bright light flashes, and I find myself sitting before the big brown desk with the scrolls again. I start to unpack, and flatten them. Reading through, most of them are just updates on ongoing affairs. Construction, reconstruction, bills and other utilities. The last one is new, and must have come in when I wasn't working.
"Emergency".
Big on top of the scroll.
"Great. That's how I like to start my day…"
Ren: "Scrags! Get in here. NOW!"
I wait a few seconds, then I can hear some rustling behind the door, which finally opens. Scrags, already frightened, enters with his head bowed and his whole body in a "please forgive me" pose.
Scrags: "Y-Yes Sire! Y-You called?
Ren: "What is this 'Emergency' about? And if it really is one, why haven't you used your 'Emergency' communication stone.
Scrags stiffens up even more. He dares not move even a single muscle.
Scrags: "Sire, I did not dare interrupt your unholy slumber. Also an on-site employee called this incident an emergency, not myself.
Ren: "Please… elaborate… on what… exactly… happened?
Scrags: "Sire, I even think this is good news. The Hero Party was investigating one of your early dungeons we set up. Remember? To test them.
Ren: "Yeeess?"
Scrags: "In it they came across the flood puzzle, where water constantly poured into the sealed chamber.
I move uncomfortably in my chair a few inches forward.
Ren: "And? How is that good news?"
Scrags: "Well, they did find a solution for quite some time. So… the Ranger died! Drowned! Before the Knight was able to solve the puzzle.
A few moments pass. I can't muster up any words. My gaze wanders upwards from Scrags away.
"Man, I am getting so demoted!"
My heart starts beating fast, if I could sweat I am sure I would. My mind races through different scenarios with Annelise. None of them have happy endings. I start pacing around the room. Eyes darting randomly. Catching glimpses of Scrags, I can tell he is confused.
"Dam, I need to get it together right now!"
Ren: "Zah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha"
I fling my back as far back as I can. Lifting my arms high.
Ren: "Most excellent news so early in the morning!"
"How can I spin this as a good thing for Annelise?"
Scrags starts to relax a little after hearing that.
Ren: "Did you have the on-site personnel already clean the room?"
Scrags: "Y-Yes Sire. Of course I did."
"Nooo!"
Ren: "Splendid. Now let me be, should something like that occur again, you WILL call me with that 'Sending Stone' I gave to you! Do you understand?"
Scrags nods. Leaving the room right after. I wander back to my seat. My body slumps down.
"What do I do now? I-I have to figure something out before I have to report today.
My face would be pale right now, if it wasn't already bone. Bringing my hand to my face into a thinking pose.
"I could say that it was intentional. That the Ranger was a bad addition to the Heroes group to begin with? No. Annelise would never let that slide. Maybe talk to the Knight? Also no. Okay lets start with finding Ranger's body. Till then I should have come up with an idea on how to fix things.
I stand and start to move. Unsure where to.
"Scrags should know where I can find Ranger's body."
Leaving the room I can see Scrags standing a few feet away from the door. Talking into a "Sending Stone". Although not mine for emergencies. Coming closer he notices and turns towards me, stopping his talk and bows.
Scrags: "Sire, how may I help you?"
Ren: "Tell me where I can find the body of that Ranger. I want to inspect her."
Scrags: "Certainly Sire.
Scrags told me where she can be found now. The Ranger has been transported to the compost room. Well… more like a body storage for later use. I arrive five minutes later, and can find the body rather easily. No wounds. Turning her over you can see some liquid water running out. I guess Scrags said the truth. I cast "Identify" on her body. Usually this spell is for retrieving information from a magical item but maybe I can get something anyway.
"Come on! Give me something."
The spell activates.
Nothing.
"Fuck!"
I wander around the room. Then it hits me. Resurrection magic. Although I can not cast holy spells, for I am what I am, but what I have in mind should be possible. I pause. Maybe not here. Casting a "Teleport" spell, I bring myself and the body of the Ranger to a remote place outside my stronghold. A clearing in a forest I have been to before. Looking around I can't see anyone. I kneel down and start casting "Create Undead". It lets me turn up to three dead bodies into "Ghouls". Veins start flowing from my hand into the ground. Glowing a dark green colour. Snaking towards the lifeless body before me. Slivering up and around the Ranger and eventually piercing her skin.
The body starts to move. Cracking of bones can be heard.
Violent movement. Nothing.
I watch in awe, as I have never seen this reaction before.
"Maybe it's because she was close to the Hero?"
She sits up. Eyes darting around. They focus on me.
Ranger: "Master! How may I be of service?"
"YES! Now I see a good ending for this tragedy"