text: [Themes: grimdark fantasy, grimdark, fantasy, serious]
  
  Running from the undead, only to die of starvation and the cold in the mountains isn't your idea of survival. You're sticking to familiar terrain. You travel further away from civilization and ultimately deeper into a large forest. You're not exactly sure of where you're at, but you know you've left the Zalan borders. You're probably in the unclaimed area north of the Retlad province. You never patrolled that far when you were stationed there, so you're unsure of what to expect. You'll certainly have to be alert though.
  
  A few weeks pass and you've got the hang of it. A few close calls with an Eberaw Hunter, but you've managed to make somewhat of a home for yourself. You mainly sleep in the trees. You get water from springs and small streams and as for food, well you always were good at hunting.
  
  You pass the time playing your mandolin and just basically keeping watch. As the days pass by though, you get the impression that someone is watching YOU.
  
  It's not any undead though. You haven't seen any in weeks. You haven't come across any living creatures of higher intelligence either, but then again that doesn't mean they aren't around...
  
  "Hello stranger. Do you like our forest?" you hear a small voice say.
  
  You look around, but see nothing. You guess who ever it is, is invisible, and you nearly go for your weapon.
  
  "Please, no need for that. You are among friends here, musical one." The voice says and then you see your unseen host appears before you. She's very small and probably only comes up to ankle. You've heard of fairies before, but you've never seen one.
  
  "Are you a fairy?" you ask.
  "We go by many different names. Technically I am a pixie, but if you prefer, fairy will do. We heard you playing over the weeks and I thought it was about time we told you our appreciation for it. We didn't know you big people had gifts for it. You are human are you not?"
  "Yes, and thanks."
  "So, what brings you out here? Are you a ranger perhaps? You seem to have skills about you that are useful in this environment."
  "No, not a ranger. Just trying to escape death like everyone else I suppose."
  "Hmm, you realize as beautiful as this forest is, it's not without its dangers. Death is here as well, but I'm sure you know that."
  "Yes, but its at least reasonable. There aren't zombies and wraiths terrorizing the place...well at least not yet..."
  "What are you talking about stranger?" the pixie asks quizzically, you look a little surprised yourself.
  
  "The Great Lich Lord of course. He's destroying everything, and I dunno how he's going to be stopped. I don't think he can."
  
  Your words immediately make the pixie's cheerful demeanor change immediately.
  
  "...he's returned?! But he was killed centuries ago! My clan has told the stories for generations!"
  "Well, he's back, or someone like him...you really didn't know? I mean this war with him has been going on for years now. Ten to be precise. Don't you leave this forest?"
  "You must understand stranger, we have everything we want here. There is no need to leave. We also live in illusions, what you see now, is not necessarily what is. We remain hidden in our illusions so nobody may ever harm us and we can live our lives in relative isolation. It is only on rare occasions that we reveal ourselves."
  "But I've heard stories about your kind being elsewhere or even in cities." You say.
  "Well we are not the only fairy folk you know! Perhaps the others you heard of were sprites, or brownies or even a different clan of pixies. I can only speak for my clan and as far as I know we are the only fairy folk that live in this particular forest. There are other denizens of course, but thanks to our illusions we stay safely hidden. Even the occasional human or goblinoid that has wandered in here has not disturbed us. Quite frankly, you'd be the first person in centuries that we've revealed ourselves to."
  "There aren't any elves in this forest?" you ask, sort of figuring that some might have retreated or made a home here, forests being their natural homes and all. Your question is met with slight annoyance.
  
  "Most certainly not! This place has been elf free for millennia and hopefully stays that way! I'll speak no more of this elven nonsense!"
  
  You don't press the issue, but up until now you figured fairy folk and elves were all friends, guess not. The pixie changes the subject since she wants to know more about this Great Lich Lord business and says her name is Qweet. Qweet tells you that she will return with the rest of her clan, as she will not reveal their home of course. In a somewhat playful yet firm tone she also warns you not to try to follow her, though as good of a tracker you are you doubt if you could anyway since she turns invisible again.
  
  While you wait, you still can't believe she and the rest of her clan don't know anything about what's going on; you almost envy them for living in blissful ignorance for the last ten years. You also feel like you've ruined things for them.
  
  Eventually more pixies return and you tell them what's been going on. They are saddened, but maintain a confident demeanor. They are certain that they will survive this plague due to their illusions. They explain that if need be they can hide the entire forest, which with the new grim information you gave them they are very inclined to do. They still have to discuss it.
  
  In the meantime they say they hope you'll stick around for awhile as they still enjoy your playing and you aren't destroying the forest. You're just glad you've met some friendly people that aren't trying to kill you. It's a nice change and after what you've been through recently, you welcome it.
  
  One year passes...
  
  Your time in the pixie forest has been relatively safe. Other than the occasional aggressive forest beasts, you haven't had to do much combat. It's been a relief. You've enjoyed the company of the pixies as well.
  
  However, your natural curiosity has gotten the better of you on occasion and you have made a few trips outside of the forest.
  
  You travel as far as the Retlad province and the first obscure village you stumble across is completely decimated, with undead roaming around. The scary part about it is this is very recent looking, which means they're starting to head your way.
  
  It'll start with the occasional zombie or skeleton wandering in. Then more will come. How long before an army arrives? Again due to your information, Qweet and the rest of her clan have made the final decision to hide their forest entirely. They tell you that they would like you to stay. You would even be allowed to see their true home. The only stipulation is that you would not be able to leave. The illusion wouldn't just hide the forest, but it would create a barrier preventing entry or exit. You can't imagine how it would look to those on the outside of the forest.
  
  Appealing to be sure, but as much as you like the company of the pixies, you don't think it will be safe to dwell in their forest for too much longer, illusions or not. The Gnomes back in the Garwold Confederacy had some excellent illusionists as well, and it didn't help them.
  
  > Leave
  The pixies have almost made you forget about what's really going on in the rest of the world...but you still know it's going on. Perhaps it's easier for them, as they have not had to experience the tragedies you've faced, but you know the destruction that's eventually going to come. You don't see any hope in their plan and if you stayed, and you still would never be able to completely relax. You could possibly be trapped as well.
  
  However, you have no wish to bring more despair to these people. Let them live in illusions for as long as they can,
  
  You wish you could.
  
  It is with great regret that you tell them that you cannot stay. They attempt to convince you to do otherwise, but you've already made up your mind. Finally they accept your decision, but insist on repaying you for all your musical entertainment. They give you a small magical amulet. They tell you it can make you invisible for short periods of time.
  
  You thank them and assure them that it will most definitely come in handy.
  
  You leave the forest and head further away from the undead plague.
  
  Nine years pass...
  
  Twenty years of surviving this living hell.
  
  Living in a cave in the mountains isn't as easy as it was in the Pixie forest, but it's probably a lot safer as far as undead are concerned. The biggest threats you've had to face are a few Cragmaws and Mountain Trolls. Once you ran into a couple of dwarves, so you assume that there may be an underground settlement somewhere in the area. You attempted to speak, but they just shot at you with their crossbows and told you to go away, saying that humans were the cause of the problem going on right now.
  
  Your use your amulet when you can as it seems that the living have been just as willing to kill you as the undead. Then again, that's nothing new.
  
  Every now and then you travel and scout around the area taking in the untainted countryside. You figure you should do it now before it's claimed eventually. The living exist here, which means death can only eventually follow. You just wonder how long it will take.
  
  Sometimes you walk along the shore that's nearby. You look out past the vast blue and begin to wonder if there are any other places out there. You briefly entertain the idea of building a boat. You know that the globe was thoroughly charted centuries ago and that this is the only continent, but still you wonder if something wasn't missed. Of course you're probably just holding on to the false hope that you could theoretically go someplace else where death wasn't everywhere.
  
  But there isn't such a place.
  
  Lately something very odd has been happening and you have no idea what it is. You could swear that the landscape has been subtlety altering itself from time to time. Not permanently, but it seems to look "wavy" or "warped" briefly.
  
  You initially chalk it up to your prolonged isolation and seeing things because of it, however you soon find out that it's more than just your mind playing tricks on you.
  
  One day after you've done some hunting and bringing your catch back to your cave, you start noticing a severe slow down in your actions.
  
  "What the fuck..." you say to yourself, except it comes out a lot slower. You don't experience for long, but the worst is yet to come.
  
  A portal opens up in the sky and you immediately feel ill. You see a creature that you've never seen before and it's huge but it feels incredibly unnatural and it definitely isn't of this world. The dead animal that you're carrying suddenly melts into a black goo like substance. You jump back and nearly fall off the side of the mountain, which now feels like jelly under your feet rather than sturdy rock.
  
  You don't know what's going here and you don't want to know. All you know is reality is starting to be seriously warped and you're ready to puke.
  
  The tentacled creature doesn't seem to notice you, it's just surveying and floating in the air as the area around and beneath it changes. That still doesn't mean it won't attack eventually when it does notice you.
  
  You immediately attempt to use your amulet, but nothing is happening. The creature or something else is nullifying your magic item.
  
  Right now you're caught out in the open, your cave is close, but you're still not sure if you can get there in time and even if you do, would you be any safer? The other alternative is to make you way back down the mountain and try to escape that way. The problem with that plan is that everything is very wobbly right now and you're not feeling very steady.
  
  > run to your cave
  The creature is too big to fit in the cave if it tries to attack and you need to hide as soon as possible.
  
  You make a run for it, gagging and stumbling the whole time. Eventually you do get to the cave. You don't think the creature even saw you.
  
  You continue to fumble around in the dark cave that you call home. You can still hear weird noises coming from outside and you're desperate to drown them out as you feel like its doing something to your mind. In fact, you're feeling a little deranged.
  
  "WHAT?! WHAT?! UNDEAD WEREN'T ENOUGH?! NOW THIS?! HAHAHAHA! YOU CAN'T KILL ME! I'LL SURVIVE! I SURVIVE EVERYTHING! Who am I here? Who goes there?"
  
  You look around the cave and start seeing the rocky walls transform into writhing masses of worms. You grab your sword and start hacking away, only to fall to the ground half laughing and half crying.
  
  "You don't understand...I've lost it all...(sob) why? WHERE ARE THE GODS? WHY HAVEN'T YOU STOPPED THIS?! DAMN YOU FUCKING ALL! Ha ha ha ha!"
  
  You look into the small fire that lights your cave and see it change into a blue color. You begin to think you see faces in it.
  
  "Randi? Is that you? I'm sorry...I could still save..."
  
  You burn your hand badly when you shove it into the flames in some misguided attempt to save your sister who is not there. It's at this point; you realize you're losing your mind. You didn't survive this long just to lose that. You start trying to block out the sounds, but it's relentless.
  
  And that's when you see your mandolin on the floor nearby. Music. It always takes you to another place. A better place. You can't play it right now with your burned hand, but your music is always with you. In your mind.
  
  You begin to focus on one particular song in your head. You close your eyes think of yourself playing. The tune is nearly drowned out by the noise, but eventually the music gets louder and the creature's noise is getting quieter, until finally that's all you can hear.
  
  You have no idea how long you do this for, but eventually you open your eyes again, and everything is normal. The walls are rock, the fire is red. Your hand still hurts, but it will heal.
  
  You stay in the cave for days, unsure of what to make of all this. Ultimately you leave to explore cautiously, and everything outside seems normal as well. There is no sign that the creature was ever around. You don't know if it moved on, disappeared, or what.
  
  Did you go temporarily insane? Did all of this really happen? You do know you burned your hand, so you're pretty sure it did on some level. In any event, you never want to encounter anything like that ever again. Death almost seems preferable than complete madness.
  
  You're still shaken up by the experience for months to come but eventually you get over it. Just like you have with every other hardship you've faced.
  
  Twenty years pass...
  
  Forty years have passed and you feel death closer than ever. Old age has been taking its toll and while you're somewhat fit for your age you can't stop the ravages of time.
  
  Still, it's not just that. It's the world in general. The place has slowly become a dead world, quite literally from what you've seen during your travels.
  
  Eventually you abandoned your cave in the mountain when the dead began to congregate in the area. The dwarven settlement was probably attacked. You don't know, you didn't stick around. You continued to stay on the move.
  
  After a few years of wandering, you noticed dead trees. Not unusual in the lands of the Great Lich Lord, but you were sticking to places at least on the outskirts of his domain. But it didn't seem to matter. His influence was obviously extending. The magic in your amulet no longer works, and you briefly thought of the pixies. You know they didn't survive.
  
  Soon grass was no longer growing. Hunting was becoming scarce. Animals were dying out. It almost reminded you of when the farm was going through a rough patch, but this time there would be no recovery. You walked along another shoreline and saw fish and other sea creatures washed up dead in massive quantities.
  
  You've had to fight undead monsters at almost every turn, always having to stay one step ahead before you're overwhelmed.
  
  Even the air itself feels like it's harder to breathe no matter where you go.
  
  Right now you're very far north, where nothing ever existed save ice and snow. You're living in yet another cave, but you're pretty sure this one is going to be your tomb. You haven't eaten in days, as you haven't spotted a living creature in days. You haven't seen another intelligent living creature in years.
  
  It's very cold, and all you want to do is sleep now. You think you might have one or two more days left tops.
  
  However, you're not allowed to leave just yet...
  
  While you're drifting in and out of consciousness in your weakened state, you suddenly see a dark hooded figure by the fire. You know who it is.
  
  "So...you've come for me personally? I didn't think I was important enough." you ask.
  "You aren't really. Let's just say that I have a lot of free time and with less and less living now, I take a more personal approach whenever I can. Besides, given how remote this place is, I doubt if any of my necromancers could've found you anyway. That is if I hadn't killed them all."
  
  The Great Lich Lord's voice doesn't sound anything like you thought it might. It's actually not very scary at all. Almost calm.
  
  "Heh. I killed a necromancer once..." you say.
  "You have my thanks then, one less treacherous fool that I didn't have to deal with."
  "You didn't really need to come all this way you know, I think I was dying before you got here."
  
  At this point the Great Lich Lord begins walking around your cave looking at your meager possessions. He immediately notices your very worn mandolin and picks it up.
  
  "Please feel free to take it. I won't be needing it anymore." You say.
  "Not sure what I'd do with it. I'm not musically inclined at all. I'm pretty much only good at killing things as you can tell."
  "Yeah, you're great at that."
  "My mistress Catalina likes music though; perhaps she might find it interesting. This looks very old, where did you get it?"
  "Oh in a town that the demons destroyed when they lost their leader Velzix."
  "Hah. Demons. I think everyone was glad when I got rid of those assholes." The Great Lich Lord remarks.
  "That thing probably saved my life when I found it. Some weird ass vampire called Warnov wanted me to play for him. Said you were after him or something..."
  "Yes. Vampires weren't my favorite people. Arrogant creatures. Well they're dead now. Excuse me, but did you say Warnov?"
  "That was his name. Yes."
  
  The Great Lich Lord is silent for a moment and then speaks again.
  
  "I know who you are. I can't believe it's you, but I know who you are. I remember before I tracked down and killed old Warnov, he stated that he was glad he heard you play before he died. He also said that if I ever encountered you that I should insist that you play for me before I killed you. Something about your playing being beautiful or something. You also served in the Zalan Empire army. Weren't you supposed to be a hero or something?"
  
  You laugh weakly.
  
  "Mostly or something." You reply.
  "Hm. I wonder if you ever met..." the Great Lich Lord then pauses for a moment. "...nevermind. It's the past and that no longer matters. So can you still play this thing?"
  "Well of course, but..."
  "Good. We're leaving this place then, got a job for you."
  Before you can speak another word, you feel yourself teleported.
  
  > One last song...
  You find yourself in a very ornate yet definitely dark chamber. All manner of symbols related to death exist here. You could only be in the Great Lich Lord's tower in Nuro. You never thought you'd ever be here. The last time you were anywhere near Nuro was forty years ago and things were much different.
  
  "Welcome to Aftermath, my musical guest. As I said, I'm not much for music, but Catalina is and I'm sure she would love to hear you play. She..." The Great Lich Lord pauses again. "She hasn't been feeling well lately and I think this would help out. Just take seat in that chair over there. Here's your mandolin."
  
  This almost surreal. You didn't expect your last moments on this world to be like this. Lacking any other ideas you slowly go over to sit on the chair, while the Great Lich Lord goes to get his mistress Catalina. They better hurry up because you feel like you've done more than knocking on death's door; you're quite literally in his home. The proximity of being so close to the Great Lich Lord is speeding up your death.
  
  The Great Lich Lord soon arrives with Catalina and you look upon her. She's very beautiful. You had heard stories about her before decades ago when you were still serving in the army. She looks young, though she has to be much older. However, you can tell she's not exactly moving very fast and taking her time. It's apparent that despite her skill in necromancy that she's suffering from the effects of the Great Lich Lord's death aura. She must be powerful indeed to be able to withstand his proximity everyday. She must also love him very much to do it.
  
  You briefly think of how someone could ever love such a being, or how such a being is even capable of love. But given how you see them interact, there it is.
  
  This also starts to make you angry. Why are they allowed such a thing? They're the bad guys here. You never did anything wrong and you lost everyone you ever loved or cared about. You begin to tear up, but it's in frustration rather than sadness. All the past pain and suffering that you've ever experienced has come back to hurt you one last time.
  
  "Okay, start playing." The Great Lich Lord says.
  "No." you remark.
  "What?"
  "You heard me. No."
  "I don't think you're in any position to defy me."
  "Oh I think I'm in every position. What the hell are you going to do to me? I'm fuckin' dead already! You've already taken everything away from me! My friends and acquaintances died because of you! I lost my home because of you! My family and loved ones died because of you! I had to kill my own mother because she became one of your undead minions! My siblings, all fuckin' dead! All I have left is my music! And now you want me to give that away to you too? NO! I'll DIE with it!"
  
  After this outburst the Great Lich Lord replies in kind.
  
  "Insolent mortal! Do you forget who I am? You think dying will save you? Think again! I will kill you and raise you as a fucking zombie and MAKE you play for us in a pink dress if it so amuses me! Now play and perhaps that won't be your fate!"
  
  The Great Lich Lord's voice now sounds more menacing. More like what you thought, but you don't care, you've got nothing to lose at this juncture. It is at this point Catalina steps in.
  
  "I don't think that will be necessary dear. You just let me handle this. You go in the next room and cool off or something."
  
  The Great Lich Lord agrees to this and hugs Catalina, before walking off. Catalina now walks towards you.
  
  "You'll have to forgive my beloved's outburst. He goes a little over the top when it comes to me. Especially now. So much has happened. He's changed so much and continues to change even now. He doesn't express it, but I think it's always gotten to him."
  "I don't have to forgive shit. Am I supposed to feel sympathy? He's caused all this...and you too! How can you stand by him? You're still alive! You could probably kill him and stop this before the entire world is dead!"
  "Oh I doubt if I could, even if I so desired, which I don't. My feelings for him and the reasons...well the heart wants, what the heart wants. I sometimes worry about what he will do after I'm gone though. He's in great denial. He knows I cannot fight off his overwhelming aura forever. I suppose in some ways, bringing you here to play for me was some vain hope of making me feel better. And it will, in its own way..."
  
  You still can't believe that she's trying to make them out to be the victims.
  
  "Look I don't care about what the hell you two death freaks want, I know what the hell I've gone through and it's all your fault. Fuck the both of you. You haven't had to deal with the pain I've gone through."
  "Perhaps not. But do you think you are the only one on this world who's suffered? What makes your life and those close to you so special? Nothing. You and everyone else whoever lived on this dying world are equal. You, your family, even me. The only person who isn't equal, is in the next room. We've all lost those close to us at some point. Yes, even my beloved and he'll lose another when I'm gone. We'll all be long dead and he'll probably still be on this world by himself with nothing to do. And that, I'm convinced will be the greatest suffering of all. Life without end? No thank you. When my time comes, I will embrace it."
  
  You're very surprised to hear a necromancer say that.
  
  "My beloved cannot help what he is. For whatever reason, he was gifted with the art of death. He's become it. It's his nature. You can't be angry with a force of nature. It has to simply be."
  
  You want to argue, you want to fight, you want to bring up every moral debate you can think of, but to be quite honest you can't. Part of it is it wouldn't make any difference. Part of it is you're tired of fighting, you can't do it anymore and you don't have strength at this point. The other part is that in a way what she's said makes some sense and is correct.
  
  It also makes you think about your "nature". It was to play music. You never got to live the life you wanted, but during your lifetime, music always seeped in somehow. It always found a way.
  
  Catalina continues to speak.
  
  "Now you certainly don't have to play. That's your choice. I will make sure that my beloved does not turn you into dress wearing zombie though. It would be a shame though. You are not completely unfamiliar to me. I do have some knowledge of who you are and I have heard stories of your playing. I would like to hear it played while you still had the passion and energy behind it. The living spark that can only invoke such things."
  "...I'll play..." you say with a heavy breath that took some effort for you.
  "You will?"
  "Yes...what did you want to hear?"
  
  Catalina smiles.
  
  "I don't know, whatever you like I suppose. Just as long as it has a nice soothing melody."
  "Okay then."
  "Hold on, I must get my beloved before you start. I must ask though, what changed your mind to play?"
  "Nothing. It's my nature."
  
  Catalina soon returns with the Great Lich Lord and they both sit in their respective thrones. Catalina tells you to play, which you do so.
  
  You watch the pair of them look at each other as you play. You would appear that Catalina is pleased with her "gift". You don't know about the Great Lich Lord, since you can't see his face, but you assume that if she's happy, then he's happy.
  
  You see them hold hands and look at each other as you enter the second verse of the song. At this point you begin to close your eyes and just let the music and instinct guide your fingers. You can feel your life slip away, but it doesn't matter. You've been taken to a different place. A better place.
  
  You smile and wave to your family. You can see them all so clearly. All of them are there. You're getting closer. They're ready to accept you with open arms.
  
  Last verse. Not much energy left, but you're nearly there. You won't have to worry about anything anymore. Heart slowing down. You're with them now. Everything will be so good again. Your music has saved you one last time.
  
  One last note.
  One last breath.
  You're home.
  
  "Well, he certainly looked happier than he did earlier."
  "Yes, yes he did. Set his body on fire dear."
  "You don't want him around to play for you later?"
  "No, I don't think that performance could ever be replicated."