The necromancer stood atop the highest tower of the ruined castle. One wall had been rent open by cannon fire and the grey stone collapsed hundreds of years previously. The cold and the rain barely affected the undead woman who stood rigidly still as she stared out into the night lost in thought. Shadows exaggerated her sunken features and her damp stringy hair grew tangled as the wind ravaged the area. She glanced behind her at a strangely warped and mostly translucent figure who sat on the corner of her bed. Morgan required neither food nor rest but Luthias and his men had insisted on her having furniture.

She didn't need to guess what the ghost of Daichi Mizushima was thinking or if he would speak to her. She never thought she would miss the jolly ghost’s ramblings about their former home or the crazy notion that they were once a happy family. Since their assault on Rhaegora he had changed. Now she could rarely banish the poltergeist who merely followed her around, rocking back and forth. “How could you?” He mumbled, “Your own daughter.”

Morgan grew weary of his company and spoke in a hoarse whisper, “I’m going for a walk.” She turned to cross the room, her worn out joints popping and cracking as she walked. The corpse descended the winding stone staircase each step ringing out through the chamber as small clouds of dust rose up into the air. She hadn't realized how long it had been since she had ventured outside.

Luthias walked down the damp stone halls of the old castle.  He barely noticed the chill or the echo of his own footsteps anymore.  He paused to remind himself of all of the good that had come since they had over the castle.  His people could live a relatively peaceful existence.  They were all still bandits and thieves, so no one truly let their guard down, but this was working.  It had been a difficult day, dealing with petty disputes among the men.  These things took much of time now and it was certainly not as glamorous as the stories his mother had told him as a child.  Kings and nobles and knights had seemed exciting but the day to day was tiresome.

He liked to walk at night, remember the times before the castle and how much nicer it was to have a roof over his head.  This particular night he had wanted to avoid people so he wandered the halls moving toward the north tower, Morgan's tower.  He smiled as he thought about it.  Luthias knew that Morgan could be dangerous, deadly even, but so could most of the people in the castle.  They had no problem eating and sleeping next to each other, but somehow the Morgan was the threat.  At any rate, it meant he could be sure that he wouldn't be disturbed.  There was no other place in the castle where that could be said.  He heard something in the tower, more than just the rain.  He wondered what could have brought Morgan out of her sanctuary.  He decided to wait, he would let her approach if she felt the desire for company.

Morgan reached the end of the staircase and moved to push open the musty wooden door. It was heavy for the skeletal corpse whose shoulder made an uncomfortable popping sound as she pushed against it. The door gave way and she stepped wobbly out into the deserted hallway, the short train of her dark evening gown just barely sliding through before the heavy door swung closed behind her. The necromancer turned to walk towards the courtyard and out into the night. As she made her way slowly across the stone floor she noticed the hallway was not so deserted as she had originally thought.

Luthias waited in the shadows nearby and one corner of her painted lips curled up into a weak smirk. He wasn't the King of Thieves for nothing. She had almost forgotten how easily this man could go unnoticed, even in his own castle. She considered walking past without acknowledging him. However, just then a messenger boy came running down the hallway. She recognized his face but had never spoken to him. The boy stopped near Luthias and leaned up against the wall struggling to speak while he caught his breath, "My Lord... an intruder... captured." He looked up and his face went pale white as he noticed Morgan, "it's one of those..." He gulped and looked back at Luthias, "necromancers."