As soon as Alexis landed it was clear that the spell that she had used to keep Alistaira alive was only barely sufficient. In fact, it was painfully obvious to the imperial vampiress that had she taken any longer in her battle with the Hero then Alistaira would not be as lively as she was right now. Although, calling a person on the edge of death by hypothermia lively was certainly a stretch, but she was certainly livelier than a frost-covered corpse. Alexis now had to make the call whether to retreat and save the life of her new ‘friend’ or to remain and try to continue the war effort at the cost of Alistaira’s life.

Weighing the pros and cons of the situation was easier than she expected. In total, of the ten armies that they had brought with them on the mission to conquer Anglond, only 3 units of Zombies, 1 unit of Dire Wolves and half a unit of Fel Bats remained. To try and conquer the nation with so few troops was just inviting a disaster worse than what had already occurred. The Hero had more than proven his worth in the short time he had been upon the field and had completely obliterated the vast majority of the forces that had remained. To even think of continuing with the invasion was utter lunacy. As painful and humiliating as the decision was, retreat was the only way to avoid further losses.

Alexis spat curse after curse into the air, both infused with magic and not. She had wanted to deliver a glorious victory unto her beloved and come back home a victorious conqueror. Now, she would have to crawl home with her tail between her legs and her head hung in shame. The only good thing about this whole damn mess was that one of those shitty scumbag interlopers from another world had been put down like the filthy, mangy, flea-bitten mongrels that they were. She had her last remaining unit of Dire Wolves wade out into the snow drifts that covered the battlefield and dig up the corpse of the Hero. How he had managed to stay alive all these years without getting old and decrepit was something his undead corpse would have to inform her of, but right now the priority was taking care of Alistaira.

A few more Fire Magic spells helped to warm up the near frozen necromancer and Alexis took care to heat up her ‘friend’ slowly, so as not to cause even more damage to her tissues. The gradual buildup of heat slowly brought the young woman back from the brink, and as she slowly left the grip of the reaper and fully came back to the embrace of life, she could still only keep herself awake for a few scant moments before slipping back into dreamland. In one of her brief moments of lucidity she was able to turn her head to face the ancient empress and mouth out the words ‘Thank you’ before falling back into slumber.

The eldest of the undead kept up the cycle of casting more and more spells to slowly nudge the deathly chill from her ward. This was the first time that she had actually acted in such a way and to the ages-old predator it felt like she was acting in a way that was completely counter to what she was. She was a being that should view the living as slaves at best and livestock at worst, and yet here she was taking the utmost care to keep a mere mortal of all things from succumbing to death! And yet, the motherly act of taking care of something so weak and helpless felt bizarrely natural, while also feeling completely alien to her.

She had already commandeered the Zombies from the control of Alistaira and had them move the body of the fallen Hero back towards the Darksol Empire and now she merely waited for Alistaira to finally regain enough of her strength to stay awake. Alexis never really cared for the humanoid undead, relating more to the more ferocious and predatory types that she had made into the backbone of her forces. Now that she was forced to control the rotting remains of humans, she only felt even more strongly that the damn Hero was going to have to be broken in with great cruelty and force when he was raised into undeath.

…

Alistaira finally regained consciousness a month later and realized she was no longer in the snow-covered and burnt-out hovel she had passed out in. She had been warmed up enough that Alexis had felt it acceptable to move her into the empire itself and she now lay in a makeshift hospital with more scientifically minded doctors taking care of her. With no Light Mages in the Darksol Empire to heal wounds and illness, those who sought to further the art of healing without magic had found an most unusual and interesting home amongst the undeath-filled nation of Darksol.

True, Disease Magic could cure most illnesses, and in the direst of cases this was done, but the Abominable King of Darksol had invested heavily in furthering knowledge of all kinds that weren’t magical (and of course that which was). The chance to escape the dogma and oppression of ideas that plagued the rest of the world was, in many cases, too good an opportunity to pass up and many less magically inclined and more accepting minds ended up making their way across the border illegally.

It was not just the doctors who were taking care of Alistaira either, a lone being of immense age and power was among the first to arrive at her bedside. The tall and beautiful woman with immense... assets… and hair and skin as pure white as the driven snow made her way to the reclining Arch Necromancer with a look of relief.

“You… you came to mock me for my weakness, right?”

Alistaira could barely speak but was able to ask a simple question.

“Little fool. Can you not be grateful that I kept you from being forced to become a lich? Or were you lying when you claimed that you did not wish to become one until you had reached your limit in this life?”

Alexis let out a small laugh and leaned over the weakened Alistaira.

“Do not speak. I shall stay at your side until you are fit enough to leave. Then we shall go together to face the fury of our Emperor for our failings. I will not leave you to suffer his wrath alone, nor will I let you take the fall for our loss. Worry not, whatever punishment he will inflict he will have to inflict it upon both of us. Despite being within our own borders, we are not out of the woods yet as we are still on the very edge of our nation. Be at ease, for no harm shall come to you.”

Alistaira was shocked. What had caused such an abrupt shift in the personality of this person? Was she even the same Alexis that had gone with her to that field? Or perhaps she was dead and in some odd version of heaven?

Alexis turned and slowly walked out of the room before looking over her shoulder and saying several simple words that convinced Alistaira that she was very much alive.

“You’re welcome, by the way.”