text: [Themes: grimdark fantasy, grimdark, female protagonist]
  
  You're letting yourself get too attached. You did this before with Miss Olga. You're not making that mistake again.
  
  Right or not, you have to do what's best for you and getting involved in a war isn't part of it.
  
  You think about where you're going to actually go and the best place you can think of is the Drozz Wasteland. If war breaks out, it's going to involve the powerful nations of the world, so it's best to stay away from those areas.
  
  You'll find a secluded spot and make your home there. Will it be permanent? You don't know, but you can figure things out. Maybe a change of scenery away from civilization is just what you need anyway.
  
  Of course the Drozz Wasteland is full of a lot of savage orc tribes and such, but those lot tend to give a wide berth to difficult targets with little reward and that's exactly what you'll be.
  
  Best way to do this is to just do it as quickly as possible. You go to your quarters and start packing your stuff. When you think you have what you need, you take your leave.
  
  Before you get off the campus, you have think, you're going to get stopped by Mr. Demar or someone else, but that doesn't happen. Doesn't happen when you're actually leaving Nuro either.
  
  It isn't long after you've left Nuro though when you stop and realize that this is the first time you've been out of the city. This is a completely new experience for you.
  
  You have to stop a few times trying to calm yourself down about how anxious you feel.
  
  "Get a hold of yourself Cat. It's just like a large park. You're a wizard of considerable skill. There isn't any danger that you won't be able to face." You tell yourself.
  
  Eventually you believe it and travel is much easier.
  
  Easier is a bit of a relative term since this is the first time you've ever travelled outside of a city or anywhere for that matter.
  
  You aren't exactly sure how far you're going to go into the Drozz Wasteland. You figure you'll know when you get there.
  
  A few days pass and there's still no sign of anyone coming for you like you half expect there to be. Maybe you weren't really that important in the grand scheme. Just another potential soldier.
  
  A minor part of you is a little insulted at this idea, though if that is the case, you also believe it was a good idea you left.
  
  Eventually you do start to run into trouble from the inhabitants of Drozz which unsurprisingly are of the orcish variety. You don't have much issue with them though as they don't employ very complex tactics. It isn't killing a few that causes them to start leaving you alone though, its raising them back from the dead that causes them to give pause. You don't have much issue with the greenskins after that.
  
  With attacks dying down, you finally decided to put down roots and build a simple home (With the assistance of your newly raised orc corpses) not far from a water source.
  
  Your knowledge of nature magic comes in handy as far as growing food. Good thing since there isn't much in the way of food that's easy to come by in this place that doesn't rely on hunting. Fortunately magic makes that a little easier too.
  
  Doesn't take long before you're settled in pretty well. The odd thing is you've probably brought a bit more "life" to your surrounding area of the Drozz wasteland thanks to your use of magic to make your own more comfortable.
  
  Of course you haven't completely abandoned your necromantic practices. For one, you still have undead orcs patrolling your personal grove. Though you also spend a lot of time practicing odd new spells using a combination of necromantic and nature magic. You perfect your "Death vines" that you were working on during your time in the Dark Order.
  
  Gravewings are drawn to your grove which you enjoy as you've always found them to be pretty.
  
  A few weeks pass and you settle into a routine of keeping yourself busy. You don't particularly miss having to be social. You lived in the abandoned library for a few years by yourself so being alone isn't really new to you.
  
  And yet, you'd be lying if you didn't sometimes wish there was someone else to speak to. Not with mobs of people of course, just one would suit you just fine.
  
  You briefly think if you shouldn't have asked Sebastian to come with you. He probably would have followed. You then shake your head.
  
  "No. Too meek. Mr. Demar on the other hand..." you say to yourself and just end your statement with a minor chuckle.
  
  Besides the weakness of faint biological urges you didn't really get a chance to participate in, you also miss music a bit. You try to fill that void somewhat though by humming the odd tune to yourself. Sometimes it's from a song you remember. Other times you're just making it up.
  
  It's during one of these uneventful nights that you suddenly sense a strong deathly presence and it's not the same as the one you've created as your home...
  
  You hear your undead orcs spring into action outside your home and you open the door just in time to see a man in his twenties making quick work of them with his sword.
  
  He looks human, but given how fast he moved and the unnatural aura you're sensing, he clearly isn't. You've heard of these before.
  
  A vampire.
  
  You've heard a few things about them over the years and even more during your time in the Dark Order. Mr. Demar said they were to be allies when the time comes.
  
  Now you're wondering if this one has been sent to come find you and potentially drag you back to the Dark Order.
  
  Or just kill you. In fact, you're betting it's that one. You stay in your home and attempt to hold him in place.
  
  "Um, you know that's not going to work on me right? I'm a vampire, not some dumb ass zombie." The vampire says, realizing what you're attempting to do.
  
  You'd cast fire at him, but you can't risk setting your grove on fire if he dodges and given how quick he is, he probably will. Staying in your home is you safest immediate move since he can't enter it.
  
  "Catalina isn't it? My name is Alec! Look I'm not here to hurt you! I'm just here to talk!" the vampire shouts.
  "I highly doubt that." You exclaim.
  "Understandable that you don't trust me, but at least hear me out! I don't want to be out here than you want me out here."
  "Better hurry up."
  
  Alec seems relieved that you're willing to listen, but really you're just stalling for time and hoping to catch him off guard for something you have in mind. You also tell him to stay where he is because you're not going to let him attempt to hypnotize you. You turn a bit to the side so you're not looking straight at him and remember to not stare at his face for too long.
  
  "Wow, not taking chances huh? Okay, well like I said I'm not here to hurt you. In fact I'm here to offer you a way out of your situation with your life." Alec says.
  "I'm not going back to the Dark Order. I'm just not aligned with their goals." You answer.
  "Heh, well you're not alone. The vampire clans haven't exactly been completely thrilled with the Dark Order's plans. I mean it's still up for debate on if we're going to really be allies or not and from what I've heard Lord Rostov is heavily leaning in the direction of not allying. Potentially maybe even opposing when this all goes down."
  "Great. So why tell me?"
  "I was sent to Nuro a few months ago to sort of keep an eye on you lot and gather as much information as I could, but I sort of got sidetracked with the college parties making for easy prey and all. In any case, to my surprise I found out that the Dark Order had lost one of it's flock. The one I knew the least about too seeing as you were a newer member and you really never left the confines of the Dark Order's quarters. In fact, you're not even officially a student at the college and there are no records of you. Hell, there's not even any city records of you. You're a bit of a mystery."
  "And you still haven't gotten to the point."
  "I'm getting there. Anyway after learning about how pissed your former mentor is and this situation has caused a bit of stir, I reported back to my own superior and was told to go try to find you. Took me a bit, but fortunately you eventually stopped moving around and...alright I better just get to the point. The vampire clans wanted to know what your intentions were, and now that you stated them quite clearly, I have another offer from them."
  "Oh?"
  "Yes. An offer to join."
  "To join?"
  "Not as surprising as it might appear. While not a lot is known about your background, I do know you are considered one of the more promising necromancers that the Dark Order had. You obviously aren't afraid of death. Why not take the next logical step?"
  "Become a vampire. Really?"
  "Yes really, you would be a valuable asset to us. You're obviously very skilled and we would find a place for you."
  "A place. Right. As what? Vampire sex slave? I've heard enough about how vampires treat their new acquisitions."
  "What?! Is that what the Dark Order has been saying about us? No, it wouldn't be like that and the clans just don't pick anyone! True as a new vampire you wouldn't have the most authority, but isn't that just like with anything? When you were in the Dark Order, you weren't near the top immediately right? However as a vampire you'd have more authority than you would ever have as a mere human. Even as a necromancer. Better yet, you would live in the shadows of society and free to pursue what desires you want without fear of exposure. Now, I'd think someone like you would appreciate something like that."
  
  There is some appeal to what he's proposing and perhaps what you've heard about vampires from demons and Mr. Demar haven't been completely true. Becoming a vampire would make "life" a lot easier too. You'd certainly have plenty of time to do whatever ultimately tickled your fancy.
  
  There's also the idea of being closer to death. And that idea is what intrigues you the most. It's one thing to see death with living eyes, would you appreciate its beauty even more if you were one with it?
  
  Still though, you'd be taking a big risk.
  
  "So, if I say yes. Who turns me? Your Lord Rostov?" you ask.
  "Oh, um. No, I was tasked with doing that. Someone like Lord Rostov is a little busy to turn everyone that's picked. Don't worry though I'll be filling you in on everything you need to know." Alec says.
  "You?"
  "What's wrong with me?"
  "Well forgive me for saying so, but seeing as you just said I would be a valuable asset to the clans, I'd think if not Lord Rostov then at least one of royalty or whatever you got ruling you lot would be turning me."
  
  Alec shows a little annoyance.
  
  "Hey, you'd be glad to get me! You said you were worried about being as sex slave, well if one of the nobility turned you, you'd be at their complete whims and they get bored very often. I wouldn't do that though. You'd be under my protection." Alec says.
  "Wait. YOU just said the vampire clans don't do that sort of thing." You reply.
  "What sort of thing?"
  "Have sex slaves."
  "I mean yeah they generally don't, but yeah there's unfortunately some bad apples. Like I said, you wouldn't have to worry about that though since you'd be..."
  "Yeah, yeah under your protection. You said that already. But this brings up the question of why the hell should I believe that YOU wouldn't turn me into your sex slave?"
  "What? I would never! I...I don't even like girls! You'd be safe from me!"
  "And even if that's the case, what about YOUR superiors or any vampire that's more powerful than YOU? Surely you can't protect me from them, and if they decide they want to command me, then I'm fucked in more ways than one."
  "I assure you that wouldn't happen!"
  "Shit, how do I know you have no intention on turning me and you're just looking for a free meal?"
  "Catalina! I'm not going to do that! Look I'm trying to give you a way out, because after the Dark Order inevitably fails there will be sweeping repercussions, like renewed fanatical hunts for practitioners of such arts. And while you may believe you're safe out here and can scare the dumb greenskins away. That isn't going to work with everyone. Not to mention there are other things out here that you might not be prepared for. I'm the only option if you want to survive all this."
  
  It hasn't gone unnoticed that Alec has been inching closer toward your position, probably hoping to distract you with arguing and catching you with his own gaze, but you haven't been distracted at all, however his recents answers and demeanor have confirmed your suspicions.
  
  You finally look at him directly.
  
  "Very well come..." You say.
  
  Alec smiles believing he's won, but when you wave your hands motioning him to enter your home, he looks very shocked by the impact of something hitting him from behind. He looks down sees a thorny piece of dead vegetation sticking out his chest. He realizes it's also gone through his heart.
  
  "...inside." You finish saying and then he explodes into a pile bloody gore.
  
  You soon see several gravewings descend from wherever they were to feast on the remains. Having dispatched Alec, you shut the door to your home.
  
  While you may be safe for now, you wonder if you shouldn't move just in case you get more vampire visitors. You hate the idea of having to rebuild all over again, but you might have to. Of course Alec did say he had to find you and you didn't exactly give him a chance to report back, so it's still a case of nobody of any importance really knows you're out here.
  
  > stay put
  You're not moving, at least not yet. You're fairly certain you're safe from further vampire attacks. The clans might even think the Dark Order killed Alec and that's assuming he told the complete truth about everything.
  
  If he did, there's a brief part of you that wants to warn Mr. Demar about potential treachery of the vampire clans, but that's impossible now.
  
  As far as anyone else disturbing you, that's not likely given how far you are into the Drozz Wasteland. The only ones remotely nearby are orc tribes and they stay away. Still, there's no reason to not be a little cautious so you make your grove a little more defensible.
  
  About a month passes and there's been no sign of any other intruders. You maintain your solitude and work on perfecting and experimenting with new spells. It's a simple life.
  
  Or at least it is for a while; you aren't sure how much time passes really, but there comes the day that you get visitors again. And it's a real eye opener.
  
  You've been out here cut off from most of civilized world, not really paying attention to anything other than your immediate surroundings. Now your immediate surroundings include at least a dozen hunters and monk types advancing on your position.
  
  You can only guess that the Dark Order attempted their take over and failed. It looks like Alec was right about something years ago and that's the rest of the world isn't going to take any chances on any potential necromancers lurking about.
  
  It would be pretty meaningless to wonder how they found you out here given that they obviously did. All that matters now is defending yourself against this group of crusaders.
  
  The opening of the battle doesn't go too well as they play it pretty safe and just unleash a mixture of fire related spells and explosives. Such things are pretty devastating to your grove full of vegetation (Living and dead), granted it's not too good for your corpses either.
  
  You haven't been idle however in your necromantic endeavors and you proceed to summon the spirits of long dead warriors to aid you. Seeing as the Drozz Wasteland is home to several forgotten battlefields, your spell is successful and while your ghosts engage the crusaders, you proceed to try to put out the fires.
  
  By the time you put out the fires, half of your grove has been burnt to ash. The magical monks and a few of the hunters have survived their ordeal with your ghosts and you can only guess they banished them with whatever spells they have at their disposal.
  
  They advance a bit more towards your home which appears to be less fortified now, but not completely defenseless. You raise up choking black plants that release a toxic cloud catching several of the monks.
  
  They clutch their throats and cough up blood as their flesh begins to rot off their bones.
  
  This causes the remainder of the group to spread out and hasten their approach. Several of the hunters begin firing their pistols at you. You take cover back inside your home and unleash death bolts at several of them. The hunters however seem to be equipped with some sort of anti-magic protection.
  
  The corpses the recently dead monks rise up from the death magic brought on by the plants and manage to catch a couple of the hunters who weren't paying attention.
  
  Eventually there's one hunter left, and he's not deterred. He strikes down his newly raised comrades before turning his attention back to you. With one more explosive, he throws it directly into your home. You quickly cast a personal shield just before it goes off, completely destroying your home and blowing you back with the debris until you hit a tree. Fortunately your shield holds and you're none the worse for wear.
  
  The hunter fires upon you as you're attempting to recover, catching you in arm. He quickly follows up by throwing several daggers at you. You feel two of them sink into your body and you fall back to the ground.
  
  It's not ending like this.
  
  As the hunter approaches with a blade in his hand to finish you off. You pull one of the daggers out of your side and use your blood to cast a spell that is most certainly going to get past his anti-magic protection.
  
  You summon a Blood Specter, one of the more powerful forms of undead and not one for an amateur necromancer to summon. You're of course no amateur, but your weakened state makes it risky. Still, you're desperate.
  
  The blood specter appears and wastes no time in approaching the hunter who stops stops in his tracks. Before he can react with a more appropriate weapon, the malevolent spirit shrieks causing the hunter to immediately clutch his face. He screams as he begins bleeding from his eyes, his ears, his nose and probably other areas as well.
  
  Even you experience a little of the spirit's shriek and your nose starts to bleed, but you've protected yourself though you're struggling to do so.
  
  With the hunter writhing on the ground in agony, you can take it from here and attempt to dispel the blood specter before you can't control it. It makes one last shriek before oblivion takes it.
  
  You then grab the sword that the hunter dropped and bring it down on the hunter's head several times until it's just a collection of broken skull with brains and blood spilling out.
  
  You're exhausted and severely wounded, but victorious.
  
  Then you hear a loud crack and feel a sting to your chest. You look down and see blood pour out from the wound. You never see your assailant from afar. You just slowly fall to the ground and everything goes black.
  
  You look around and find yourself back in the present, whatever that means in a place like this.
  
  Well that wouldn't have been a good fate. Then again most aren't, but that didn't happen anyway. You're having a hard time even remembering some vampire by the name of Alec. You're guessing maybe you knew him? His face was clear enough anyway.
  
  As for the Drozz Wasteland, you never did go there. Your beloved most certainly did though.
  
  After a bit of reflection on what just happened, you realize you'll have to try again to reconnect later. When will that be? You never can tell.
  
  But it'll happen again. You'll reunite with your beloved.
  
  It's only a matter of time.