When Nate awoke he found himself back in his old room. Sun spilling in between the gaps of the window shades. For a brief moment he felt it was all too familiar. Naturally he should be cozy and safe at home. Nothing had transpired, not the shocking battles or the deaths of his family. Everything was as it should be.

  “My boy you're awake. You gave everyone quite the scare expending yourself like that.”

  The voice was feminine and one that he was grasping at straws to remember. The prior day was hazy, a fog still persisting over his mind. Why was his mother in his room? Sounds locked into place as he realized that was the voice he’d been hearing. His mother’s voice.

  “I don’t feel so good Mom.”

  He closed his eyes and rolled over onto his side, an attempt to block the sun from his eyes. A weight pressed down upon the bed and a hand touched his forehead. The fingers were cold as ice with a slight rubbery feeling.

  “Hmm, you do not appear to have a fever. We can rule out spirit sickness. Wayne, please bring me the amethyst. We’ll use the clearing spell.”

  Wayne’s name snapped Nate’s mind back to attention. His body moved into a sitting position. It was in fact the hospital room not his own from the house. The sudden moment dislodged the person sitting next to him and they nearly toppled over. Wayne supported the woman before she could hit the ground.

  “My it seems I need to get more used to this body. Motor functions can be such a hassle when under development.”

  Her voice was airy with a small roughness. Nate had known she’d blown it out when she was younger playing in a punk rock band. Long blonde locks splayed out just beyond her shoulders and a cunning smile glinted across her face. He watched stunned as she flexed and unflexed her fingers.

  “A year should be more than enough time. You’ve neglected your exercises.” Wayne said.

  “Your… Mom?” Nate asked.

  “I know this one Wayne, this was all the rage years ago. It tis be a joke. HoHoHo how delightful.”

  The woman replied with much mirth. Wayne having not yet lived to an age as a Necromancer that took one completely outside normal life frowned. It was obviously not a joke but why had his student called her his mom? A feeling of foreboding ran up his spine.

  Outside of the calculations and formalized reports that the Grandmaster was taking and having Wayne assist with, there was little the two did in town. For that matter neither held much interest in the world at large. That placed people at the bottom of what they might look into. If fate was not so heavily tied to humans the Grandmaster would stop being out in public completely.

  It was this that Wayne came to understand had been a flaw. He had assumed the Grandmaster would look into the person she would agree to become the master of. That assumption had led him to do little research on the boy. Wayne had fallen into an age old self harming trap, when it came to Grandmaster it was important to double check the work.

  The fact that they looked so similar seemingly hadn’t crossed his mind. A problem that even he hadn’t realized. Wayne might feel some ties to the real world but it was clear he was slipping as well. If he would ever come to terms with this was unknown.

  “Why do you look like my mother?” Nate demanded.

  “Your Mother? Well, I might be around that age within this body. However, I can guarantee that I am not your mother but something close. I am your master. You may rely on me from now on. Much as you would a mother.”

  “Master I think we should…” Wayne attempted.

  “That flesh is my mothers!” Nate said.

  A hush fell over the room as Nate lips drew into an anger filled flare. It was taking everything he had not to call upon Lupita to attack this person. He had seen his mothers corpse and he still knew what she looked like. There was no mistaking this.

  “This thing? What a coincidence.”

  “Nate please calm down. I can explain.” Wayne interjected.

  “Calm down? You want me to calm down. Grandmaster or not, she is wearing my mother like a suit. Please don’t tell me Teddy saw this?”

  “I can assure you that he has been asleep for nearly as long as you have been. We promise we didn’t know this was your mothers body.”

  “Does it matter? You should be happy that I have taken a hold of this body. This flesh will likely outlive even you. If you do not advance your magic that is. If you so wish you may call me Mother or Mommy. Would that make you feel better?” The Grandmaster said.

  “NOT another word. Do you know what we’ve been through? What was it that I buried?”

  “That was a falsified corpse of course. Some homunculus trash cobbled together in a few minutes. You would know that if Wayne had been overseeing your training properly. Really burials are so old fashioned, I prefer cremation personally. Much more useful in spells.”

  “That's enough!”

  Nate jumped to his feet ready to attack the woman. Even if she was supposedly his master, it didn’t matter if she was going to be so disrespectful to his mother. His body hadn’t recovered enough from his long sleep and he immediately felt dizziness and nausea hit him. Still he did not stop taking another step forward before beginning to slip to the side.

  Karah entered through the door and caught him in a flash. Unaware of what was happening she simply supported him. Feeling the anger coming off him to the other two people in the room she glared right alongside him. Even if he was in the wrong she would support him.

  “Tact master, find some.” Wayne scolded.

  The Grandmaster was genuinely taken aback by the words of her Apprentice. Wayne had been with her when she’d acquired this body. He should share a similar feeling to herself over the use and appropriations of corpses and the dead. Narrowing eyes she looked at him long and hard before a feeling like she’d forgotten to tell him something came over her. Without knowing what it was she let it reside in the back of her mind. Close to an itch that you couldn’t quite scratch. It remained unspoken and undisturbed once more.

  “I shall differ to you then. It seems you have grown a spine in my absence.”

  “Don’t be obtuse over this. Have you forgotten the rules over acquired bodies?” Wayne posited.

  Wayne continued after he waited a moment without a response from the Grandmaster. It was clear she really might have forgotten the rules. In many ways he took after her, often nothing mattered outside of their research. Even the rules they crafted themselves.

  “You are not to assume the identity of a person that has a family without, first using the appropriate spells to block cognition or by altering the subject enough to not be recognized. This falls upon you and making things worse is not helping.”

  Nate had been returned to the bed as Karah herself now understood whose face she was looking at. The limited interaction between her and Nate’s family made it more difficult for her. Still there was a similar shape to the eyes and twitch of the mouth. Undoubtedly his mothers face but it contained something deep within. Like a giant cavern or gorge that devoured the world.

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  “Nate the Grandmaster didn’t know she was in your mothers body and isn’t trying to mock you. Long Life comes with the down side of losing one's decorum.” Wayne said.

  “Then give her back.” Nate responded.

  “I can’t.” The Grandmaster said.

  “Can’t or won’t?”

  “Master, please stop speaking. After her previous body was killed a new one was needed. Your mothers was the only one that could properly hold the Grandmaster. If you don’t want to lose the chance of stopping Zeus then I ask you to please drop this.”

  “Nate, love, just think of it as someone who looks like her. She’s really strong, we need her.”

  Karah whispered into Nate’s ear. She didn’t like the circumstances but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t act as the voice of reason. It would take some time but he would accept if not be fine with the circumstances eventually. Having known him he wasn’t one to dwell on something like this if there was sufficient reason. It was better to get on the future good side then his momentary outburst. The fact the woman scared her so seemed to slip out of her mind.

  Nate moved his eyes to hers. For a brief instant Karah could see the struggle within before it faded. He let his body rest back onto the bed. His fight with the dizziness taking him down onto his back.

  “Just don’t let Teddy see her. I don’t know what he will do.”

  “He will probably be more distraught when he finds out who she is.”

  Renee entered the room. A bitter expression cast across her face as she faced down the most unforgivable being in existence. She regretted not completing her Spirit Vault now that she’d met back with the cruel thing. Armand’s pistol was gripped tight in one of her hands. Magic would be less effective then a good shot to the head.

  “Who is this little girl?” The Grandmaster asked bemusedly.

  “I’ll give you a hint. I’ve turned ten and am about to die.” Renee responded.

  “Wayne, did you fill this place with surprises for me? If it isn’t little old A…”

  “Don’t you say my name! You don’t get to say it. Over a hundred years I’ve suffered because of you. Now I demand you fix it. Fix me.”

  Nate had been briefly filled in over the circumstance involving Renee. Never in his mind did he think the Grandmaster of all people was the one to cause it. This also connected the dots over why the Necro was in town. The finer details might have been left out but he put the pieces together. Looking over at Wayne questioningly the man simply gave him a shake of the head. He’d not known about this as well.

  Some relief passed through Nate that his teacher hadn’t been involved in something like this. It would also explain why during his fight the man kept alluding to their master. Wayne wasn’t fully exonerated in his book but he’d been good to him so far.

  “Hmm, It appears you do not remember the last time that you attempted to plead for my correction of your fate. Curious, I wonder if your memories are slipping while your death stays in place.” The Grandmaster mused.

  “I remember all too well. You said you could fix me last time, now do it.” Renee said.

  “That was right before I killed you. Again, why should I? There is nothing in this for me. Even my interest in you just now was only a passing flight of fancy. Begone with you. Now Nate can we get back to the matter at hand? I wanted to …”

  *BANG*

  The glass of the window was blown out by a single shot from the gun. Nate’s ears ringed in the confined space. Renee’s arms trembled but returned back into position with ease. After so many lives it was natural for her to know how to shoot.

  “We aren’t done here.” Renee Declared.

  “You want me to release you? To break all that work I put into finding you each time? You might not come back the next go around.”

  “I want my life back. Don’t you get it all these years you’ve denied me a proper life. Each time I die It hurts, I still feel, and remember the pain. Yet, you think this is some kind of gift? I won’t be made to be a toddler again!”

  “Did you think your tantrum would have any effect on me? You are perfect, why change that?”

  The Grandmaster cocked her head to the side and smiled lightly at the young girl. Not an ounce of pity resided within her eyes as she looked upon her visage. A hand traced the air highlighting an odd figure that did not match the little girl. She was not subject to being threatened by a mere gun. A waste of time was what she saw in Renee.

  “Why won’t you just fix her?” Nate asked.

  “It would be of little research value and I hold no connection to the girl. The real question is why would I? Undoing my own work is dreadfully boring.”

  Nate paused his view hovering over the young girl about ready to break down from the interaction. He indicated for Karah to help him up, and with her help he approached Renee. Holding out his hand he gestured for her to give him the weapon.

  “So you're going to take her side? I thought you’d be different, that you were like Teddy.”

  His hand closed around the slide easing the gun out of her hands as he knelt down to her level. Looking her in the eyes she stopped resisting letting him take the gun away. Karah was passed the weapon, his body had recovered enough that he picked her up as he stood.

  “Grandmaster, this child is under my care. Doesn’t being your Apprentice mean I can make a request?”

  “Why yes it means that I am responsible for you and you shall do as I ask. Within reason of course.”

  “Nate think this through you don’t know what she will ask of you.” Wayne Cautioned.

  Wayne knew all too well that the Grandmaster wasn’t just a flippant woman. Even toward her own children she could be quite cruel and demanding. Let alone her own apprentices. He suspected it was part of the reason Zeus was currently on a rampage within this small town.

  “Have you really taken to this child so much? How amusing.”The Grandmaster said.

  “I would like for you to set this girl free. She does not deserve to die at ten. Not only that my brother is her soulmate, I can’t have you causing him problems.” Nate said.

  “Hmm. Fine, I took you in on the request of the doctors and their fate demanded my taking their request. It is called the ties that bind for a reason, Yes? Apprentice Nate for this request you are making of me I shall demand something in return. Are you willing to accept this request?”

  He did not falter under her gaze. She might have the face of his mother but she was not half the woman she had been. Be it killing or saving he could do either. Being connected to her, he considered she would make him do things for her anyway. Wayne seemed to be following her commands up till now so it wouldn’t be surprising for him to do the same.

  “Anything if it is within my power.”

  “You are already working on this case of the Necro within town so it is not related to that. I know you would like to get away scott free. Any proper Necromancer would. No, I have a few demands as this is not as simple as undoing a magic spell. You will first allow me to keep possession of this body for as long as I wish.”

  “I can do that.”

  “The second is that there is a particular old man looking to reconnect with his daughter. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind someone like you to be his son-in-law. That’s probably exactly what he was aiming to do. A new tie to bind you.”

  “Hey, you can’t just give him away to some girl or old man or whatever.” Karah shouted.

  Defensibly she placed an arm out to block him. She acted as if it would do anything to protect Nate from the woman. Increasingly she seemed to be a demon in human flesh. Which Karah might not be far off from being correct about.

  “Did I ask you, Little girl? He can refuse but so will I. These are my only real pressing issues. Given that my experiment is likely a bust, once we clean up here we’ll be moving on.”

  “Nate, you don’t have to do this. There’s got to be another way.” Karah said.

  He placed Renee onto the bed, looking deep into her eyes. It was within them that he found his own strength. If this little girl could live tens of lives dying and coming back then what excuse did he have. Wasn’t it Karah who wanted him to be like her idol Genghis Khan.

  “So I have to marry her, but that doesn’t mean I have to only be with her?”

  “He didn’t make the specification so you are correct.”

  “Karah, were you serious about what you once said? About your request?” Nate asked.

  “What? I mean sure but you don’t have to do this for me.”

  “I will accept your conditions. We should make a binding pact.” Nate said.

  Renee fell back onto the bed. Eyes wide at Nate. It wasn’t an incredible price but that didn’t mean much. He’d been like his brother, all those many lives ago. Giving up parts of himself just to save her. Tears filled her eyes, spilling down her face.

  “Fine, I shall go grab a contract paper and the books for your training. We haven’t long before we will need to move on my former Apprentice. I hope that you are ready.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And another thing, from now on you must call me Mommy.” The Grandmaster said.

  Everyone’s eyes drifted over to Nate. His teeth ground together for a moment before he unclenched his jaw. The tension in his body easing. There wasn’t much he could do about all this. He would have to bide his time.

  “Ok mother.”