Ichor Cell-Chapter 16: The First of Us

“Did it just…?” Elara hesitantly raised a finger.
The corpse twitched again.
Her eyes widened as she took a step back. “Alex, why is that thing moving?”
“Well, that’s what I’m trying to figure out here.” He replied, briefly glancing in her direction. “I’ve had a suspicion for a while, and I’m here to test it out.”
A dry, shuddering breath escaped the dead man’s lips. His fingers flexed, dirt crumbling between them. His eyes, dull and unfocused, rolled in their sockets as he began convulsing on the ground.
“What the-?!?” Elara didn’t even finish her sentence before leaping back and whipping her arm up, her bracelet already glowing with the beginnings of a spell.
“Wait!” Alex quickly jumped into the line of fire, his hands raised in an attempt to placate the terrified mage. “Please just hear me out!”
“What do you mean hear you out?!” She shouted, shifting her aim from the corpse directly to him. “I give you five seconds to explain yourself or I’m hitting you with the strongest spell I know; believe me, what you saw in the alleyway was not it!”
“Okay, okay!” The young man quickly wracked his mind for an explanation. “It’s my magic! It’s how I make myself stronger! Since it works through some sort of body enhancement, I guessed it could maybe extend to others if done right!”
He braced himself for an attack but, surprisingly, none came.
When he lifted his head, Elara had a look of hesitation on her face, her magic no longer crackling quite as intensely. She opened her mouth. “I…”
She didn’t get the opportunity to finish before the man started thrashing, his arms jerking in sharp, uncoordinated bursts as if he had never moved them before. His mouth opened, lips pulling back in a choked, panicked wheeze.
“HOLD!” Alex shouted, preemptively covering himself against any knee jerk attack Elara might unleash from the surprise. When the blast didn’t come, he shot her a grateful look before quickly turning around to tend to his creation.
The man’s limbs jolted, fingers clawing at the ground like he was trying to grab onto something—anything—to steady himself. His breath rattled and uneven, lips trembling as he tried to form words that wouldn’t come.
Alex quickly knelt beside the man, grabbing him by the shoulder. “Hey! Can you hear me?”
The man’s head snapped toward him so fast it looked painful. The previously dull, unfocused eyes suddenly locking onto Alex’s face, wide with something between confusion and terror. His lips parted again, throat working, but all that came out was a rasping, garbled noise—like he was choking on air.
Or forgetting how to breathe entirely.
Elara hovered behind him, tense and ready to strike at a moment’s notice. “Alex, I really hope you know what you’re doing.”
He didn’t.
But that wasn’t important right now.
The man spasmed again, arms grating against the dirt. His chest moved in rapid, uneven bursts, his fingers digging into his own skin. His breathing—habitual, unnecessary—grew more erratic, like he was hyperventilating through lungs that no longer needed to function. His lips peeled back in a silent grimace, his body curling inward, hands pressing to his chest—pressing too hard. His fingers flexed, nails biting into flesh, like he was trying to
feel
something beneath his skin.
Alex looked on helplessly. What was he supposed to do? There was no injury to treat, no wound to close—not that he knew how to do that anyway—just a man clawing at his own skin, caught in a panic Alex couldn’t begin to understand.
“It really looks like it’s suffering.” Elara’s sad voice echoed out from behind him.
Surprised by her sudden concern, he quirked an eyebrow at her. “That was a quick turnaround. What happened to burning him at the stake?”
The woman rolled her eyes at him. “It’s still a zombie. They’re nasty, dangerous pests and there is a standing order to destroy any and all of them. I just haven’t seen one be so… expressive.”
“There’s a first time for everything.” He turned back to the man, who had gone very, very still as an expression of growing horror appeared on his face. “Uh, you good?”
“I…” His cracked, peeling lips obeyed his will at last, his voice coming out in halting, painful bursts. “I… died?”
Alex couldn’t suppress a grimace.
‘Ah, shit. We shouldn’t have let him overhear that. Most people don’t take kindly to finding out that they died.’
“It talks?!?” Elara’s confused shout came from behind.
Suppressing a sigh, Alex turned around and shot the young woman a glare. “Could you relax for a second? I am trying to comfort a man in distress.”
“Relax?!” She in turn gave him an incredulous glare of her own, clutching her hands to her scalp. “I have seen more incredible shit in the past five minutes than I have in the past five YEARS, and you want me to relax?!” She practically shouted at him.
“Yes!” He said with frustration. “I will deal with you and answer all your questions soon, but right now, I’m a little bit busy, so calm down!”
His sudden anger took Elara by surprise. She blinked, mouth opening slightly, then snapping shut. A second passed before she exhaled sharply, crossing her arms.
“Fine.” She muttered. “But I
will
be getting answers.”
Seeing that she was finally backing down, Alex barely spared her a glance before turning back to the man.
His panicked gasps had evened out somewhat. His hands still twitched, his fingers clenching and unclenching as though testing their own function. His eyes now flickered with exhaustion, the stress having taken a toll on his newly awakened self.
But at least he wasn’t thrashing anymore.
Alex slowly lowered himself to the ground beside him, keeping his movements careful, controlled. “You’re okay.” He said, though he wasn’t sure if the words were for the man or himself.
The man’s lips parted, his breath shuddering. “I… don’t feel… right.”
His voice was strained, the words rough and sluggish, like every syllable took effort. He struggled to lift his hand, fingers twitching violently before he let it drop back into the dirt.
Alex watched carefully. “You’re adjusting.”
A humourless breath escaped the man’s throat—something that might have been a laugh if it didn’t sound so painful. “To
what
?” His throat bobbed, his gaze flicking to Alex. “What… happened… to me? Why did she… call me a zombie?”
Alex hesitated. The question hung in the air, heavy. He could lie. He could soften the blow.
But what good would that do?
“…You died.” He said after some hesitation.
The man’s hands spasmed, one clenching into a fist, while the other scrabbled away at the dirt like it had a mind of its own. His attempts at breathing hitched as his fears were confirmed.
For a moment, Alex thought he might lash out again, start thrashing or clawing at himself like before. But instead, his trembling fingers curled into the dirt, gripping weakly.
“…Yeah.” He rasped after a long silence. His throat bobbed, his eyes gazing into the night sky. “I… figured.”
Alex tilted his head slightly. “You don’t seem surprised.”
A shuddering breath rattled through the man’s throat. He let his eyes fall shut for a moment, his body slumping inwards slightly. “It…
feels
wrong.” He admitted. His voice was slow, each word spoken with exaggerated care, like a man intoxicated. “Everything is off. My body, my head…” His fingers twitched. “
I’m not breathing.
”
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“Oh yeah, you’re right.” Alex grimaced as he tried to inject some levity into the situation. “That’s probably a big hint.”
A slight twitch of the man’s lip was all he got. Considering what the rest of his body was doing, that didn’t mean much.
Alex bit his lip. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
The man’s jaw clenched. His lips parted slightly, then closed. His fingers flexed again.
“…I don’t know.” His brow furrowed in frustration. “There’s… bits and pieces… fragments of… memories… I don’t… I don’t remember my name.” The man’s exhausted eyes locked onto Alex’s face. “
Why don’t I remember my name?
”
Alex let out a slow breath. This was unexpected. When the man woke up with what he assumed was his previous personality intact, Alex had rejoiced, thinking that his troubles were solved, but alas, it seemed there was a snag.
Still, this was
something.
“I can’t answer that.” Alex said, standing up and dusting off his hands. “You should rest for a bit.”
The man hesitated. Then, weakly, he nodded. He wasn’t exactly in a position to do much else.
Alex turned to Elara. “We should talk.”
Elara sighed. “Finally.”
With a jerk of his head, he led the two of them away. He noticed that while she hadn’t said anything yet, she was keeping a noticeable distance between the two of them as she walked; the things she had seen today had obviously rattled her.
She followed as Alex led them just far enough that their conversation wouldn’t disturb the undead man. He still lay where they left him, his body sagging from exhaustion, fingers twitching haphazardly. His eyes had unfocused again, as if trying to piece together a puzzle with only half the parts.
With a sigh, Alex turned to Elara. “Alright. Ask.”
She didn’t waste a second. “What the hell did you do?”
Alex exhaled. “I
think
I brought him back.”
Elara gave him an incredulous look. “You
think?
”
“This is new for me too.” He admitted. “I didn’t know if it would work.”
“No. No! You don’t get to pull the ‘Oh whoopsies, I guess I accidentally brought a man back from the dead with necromancy, silly me’ card, especially not while looking like you just crawled straight out of this hellhole yourself!” She pointed at him accusingly before sweeping it out into the surroundings as if to emphasise their surroundings. “Stop avoiding my questions and start fucking telling me things or I am turning around and leaving right now!”
“Fine!” He threw his hands up into the air. “You want the truth? You’ll get the truth!”
Elara folded her arms, watching him with narrowed eyes.
Alex exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “Alright. First things first—my magic. We already know that it’s not normal; it doesn’t fit any of the established schools that are mentioned in your book, though that may simply be because the information is incomplete. It’s not elemental, it’s not divine, and it sure as hell isn’t spiritual, of which necromancy is a subset.”
Elara scoffed. “Oh yeah? Because it sure looks like necromancy.”
Alex gave her a flat look. “Necromancy merely reanimates the dead, allowing the caster to wield them like puppets.” He pointed at the man. “Does that look like a puppet to you?”
He shook his head. “This is different. He’s not rotting, he’s not mindless, and he’s not being controlled. He
thinks
. He
feels
. That’s not how necromancy works.”
She didn’t look convinced. “Then what is it?”
Alex hesitated. He had to be careful with his wording here.
“I… don’t know.” He admitted. “From what I can guess and figure out, it’s some sort of blood magic.”
Elara clenched her fists. “I just told you that if you don’t start telling me things-“
“I’m trying, okay?” He exclaimed, clutching his hair in frustration. “I genuinely don’t know! I woke up a week ago in a hut with no recollection of how I got there, in a land that is distinctly not the one I come from. My family, friends, and entire life just gone in an instant. Immediately after that, I get into a conflict with some sort of nobility, who—after chopping off my arm—proceed to send assassins my way that I have to repeatedly get rid of.”
“Amidst all this I also somehow gain the ability to do magic, except it’s apparently some sort of new previously undocumented type that has never been seen before. I’m tired, I’m lost, and I have no idea what’s going on, but please, do get angry at me for not answering all of your questions with in-depth knowledge on the topic!” He finished, his chest heaving with emotion.
Elara stood there in stunned silence, staring at him in astonishment, her anger faded. Ruefully shaking his head, Alex gathered himself and gave a strained chuckle. “Sorry, I’ve just been dealing with a lot recently and I can only suppress it for so long. You didn’t deserve that. You didn’t know.” He said in a much calmer voice.
“I…” The words seemed to shake her out of her stupor. Her arms, once rigidly crossed, loosened as something flickered across her face. She swallowed. “Is that true?”
Alex exhaled sharply. “Why would I lie about it? Not a single word that I spoke was a lie.”
‘Though I may have left some things out on purpose.’
He thought.
‘It’s not lying if you just stay quiet.’
Elara’s face went through a multitude of emotions, her expression shifting from shock to something almost like guilt. “Alex, I—
damn
. I had no idea.” Her voice had lost its edge, taking on a softer tone.
Alex rubbed his face, letting out a slow breath. “Yeah. Well, now you do. And I don’t need your pity. What’s done is done, and I’m sure I’ll eventually find out what happened if I just keep going.”
She stood there for a second, as if unsure of what to do with herself. “I—I shouldn’t have snapped at you.” Elara shifted her weight. “I mean—I
still
think you’re a reckless idiot, don’t get me wrong,” She added quickly, motioning vaguely at the clearing where the ex-corpse sat.
“But—I didn’t know you were dealing with all that.” She exhaled, rubbing the back of her neck. “…So. Yeah.
Sorry
.”
Alex just looked at her for a moment, taking in her contrite appearance. “Well, now you know, so be kind to me.” He smiled slightly.
Elara groaned, rubbing her temples. “I
hate
that you make it so difficult to be nice to you.”
His smile widened as a small chuckle escaped him. “I try my hardest, for what is life without challenges?”
She huffed, but there was no real bite to it. “…Can I ask you something?”
“You
just
did.” Alex tilted his head.
She shot him a look. “I’m serious.”
Alex rolled his eyes but nodded. “Go ahead.”
She hesitated again, as if debating whether to say what was on her mind. Finally, she asked, “…did you tell me everything?”
“What?” He frowned slightly.
“You. Me. Everything say.” She rolled her eyes at him. “I feel like there’s still something you’re hiding from me.”
“Oh, that’s because I’m not.” He confirmed without hesitation. “I might tell you later, but there are a few things I still don’t feel comfortable sharing with you at this moment.”
Elara was quiet for a moment.
“…Alright.” She finally said, giving him a light nod.
Alex blinked. “Alright?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. I mean, I still expect you to eventually tell me everything-”
“You are definitely free to expect that.”
“-but I’ll get off your case for now.” She ignored him. “I still have a
ton
of questions, but I’m guessing you don’t have the answers to most of them.”
“Oh wow, figured that all on your own, did you?” He asked sarcastically.
She huffed a quiet laugh. “Shut up.”
For a moment, they just stood there, each occupied with their own thoughts. Even though they had more or less cleared the air, there was still a slight tension from the earlier accusations.
“So, uh…” Elara began in a bid to get rid of the awkwardness. “Did you ever find out who exactly you pissed off? Or are they still just some nameless enemy you don’t even know the identity of?”
“Oh yeah, I was actually gonna ask you about that.” Alex perked up, before his face quickly darkened. “They left me a note in Grenil’s place; they told me to come to their base if I wanted to free him.”
“You do realise it’s a trap, right?” The young woman clarified. “You’re not actually planning on going?”
“Well yeah, obviously.” He rolled his eyes. “Do I look stupid to you?”
“Well…” She hesitated, breaking out into laughter when he shot her a glare. “Fine, fine, just making sure.”
With a shake of his head, Alex turned back towards the poor guy he had unfortunately used for his experiment. The newly revived man was currently sitting up in his resting place, having evidently gained more control over his limbs in the short time they had spent away from him—though not enough to dig himself out of the half grave he found himself in.
Alex nodded his head in the man’s direction. “Shall we?”
“Sure.” Elara nodded. “Though you still haven’t explained what the deal with
that
is.”
“Oh, well let’s just say my homeland had stories about people with powers similar to mine, and a common ability of theirs had something to do with dead people.” He quickly explained as they made their way over.
Arriving before the man, Alex squatted low, so they were at eye level.
“Hey man, how’s it going?” He asked gingerly.
The man in turn gave him what might have been a nonplussed look if he’d had greater control over his features. “I have just found out that I died and then un-died. It is not “going” very well, as you said.”
“I see.” Alex grimaced. “Well, at least you seem a lot calmer than a few minutes ago.”
“There’s only so long one can panic before they come to terms with their situation.” The man shrugged. “Plus, at least I am alive again.”
“Hey, that’s the spirit!” Alex patted the man on the shoulder. “We should probably give you a name, right? Since you said you don’t remember yours?”
The man was about to answer when he was interrupted. “Sorry for intruding, but you still haven’t told me who is after you.” Elara complained.
“Oh yeah.” He said with a start as he rummaged around his person before pulling out a crumpled note. He handed it to her. “Here’s everything I know about them. You got any valuable insights?”
Elara took the note from his hand, smoothing out the creases as her eyes scanned the contents. Her brow furrowed as she muttered to herself.
“Anyway, while she’s doing that, how about that name?” Alex turned to the man again. “I’m thinking… Duran. Duran’s a good name, right?”
The man seemed to consider it for a second before giving an indifferent shrug. “If you say so.”
“Great, Duran it is!” Alex nodded happily.
‘I wonder how he’d feel about it if he found out I came up with that because it sounds like durian.’
He thought.
‘This place really stinks and it’s all I can think of.’
“Well, this isn’t good.” Came Elara’s voice.
Alex turned to face her. “You know them?”
“Of course I know the Miganos family.” She said, lowering the note. “Everyone does.”
Alex tilted his head slightly. “That’s great, but what
specifically
makes this not good? I mean, aside from them being rich, powerful, and probably involved in some very illegal shit.”
“Oh, you know.” Elara joked. “Apart from the ridiculous amount of wealth that they use to solve all their problems, it’s the source of said wealth that’s the bigger concern.”
Alex frowned. “How so?”
“The Miganos family is—primarily—a crafter family. Creating various artifacts has been their main business for many,
many
years. Now, on its own, that doesn’t sound scary. Except you have to remember that the single most common and valuable use of artifacts is for combat.” She explained with a grim expression. “How well equipped do you think a house full of weapons manufacturers is?”
“Ah.” Alex grimaced. “I see the problem.”