Revive

My eyes had been shut for a while, but a persistent warmth remained. I still felt the fire going and going, burning every cell in my body.

However, it was comforting. Maybe I've gone insane, or this is the afterlife.

Oranges, whites, and reds all mixed in my vision like an oil painting. I saw my hand emerge from that unbearable fire. Slowly, I pulled the rest of my body out—first my legs, then my torso, and finally my head.

I opened my eyes to the night sky. Breathing slowly, I tried to get up; however, something was thrown at me.

I caught it just before it hit the ground. It was an old tunic and a heavy cloak, perfect for the cold. Both seemed old; however, being naked in the cold, I didn't hesitate to put them on.

Once I was dressed, I looked at the person who threw them; it was the vampire from before, her red eyes glowing under her pointed hat.

I was about to speak first, but she interrupted me: "What will you do now?"

Huh? Maybe it took me a while to realize, but I finally got what she meant. What the hell am I?

I looked at my hand, which still has burn marks from the wooden piece I used against Dane. What the hell am I? Why am I alive? This isn't normal at all; is it related to me coming to this world somehow?

The vampire must've noticed my confusion as I stood there, not replying to her. She went closer to me and pointed to my chest with her index finger. "Your heart is still beating; you're not a zombie, since they don't have rational thoughts. But you have the same smell as other undead, like us, which is weird, unless you did some dark magic before you died."

I smell like an undead? Nothing in Marik's memories proves that he was connected to anything related to magic.

She looked at my face again and said in an annoyed tone, "Can you speak? You're not deaf, right?"

"N-no, it's just..." I looked around me, seeing the burnt wood all around me.

This feels like a dream. I can't remember what happened after I died, but...

My eyes darted around, thoughts coming back slowly. Wait, no, this doesn't matter now.

This is what I wanted, a second chance. I turned around and walked away from the building. The vampire didn't say anything, nor did I wait for her to. I ran with all of my strength. I need to go back.

I saw it in the corner of my eyes, the familiar scenery of the bakery and the empty streets that get full by morning.

I stood in front of it, looking at the door that said 'Closed.' As I tried to step closer, a hand touched my shoulder.

"Are you mad?" The vampire asked in a calm tone. "You have the smell of an undead now, and your nature isn't normal. If a mage came to this section of the city and detected you, everything you loved would be gone in an instant, and you would be turned into a lab rat."

I didn't reply; I just looked at the bakery. Even without her words, I wouldn't go inside even if I wanted to; it would just shock Dorothea more and complicate things. I am not sure if she knows that I am gone, but that's for the better.

I feel selfish just from thinking about this; my heart hurts just imagining it, but it has to be done. I was never Marik to begin with; I was an impostor who took his place.

Marik died weeks ago.

Why did I even come here in the first place? What's the nature of my death exactly?

Going silent for a few seconds, I turned my back to the vampire, who still had a smile on her face. "My name is Eden." She introduced herself. "I would be lying if I said I also wasn't fascinated by you."

"And? What do you want exactly? It's not like I have the answers you need." I replied.

She made a finger-gun gesture and aimed it at my head. "Exactly!" Then, looking at the moon, she explained, "I am bored. After finishing my mission, I'd like to find interesting things. And it's beneficial for you as well, isn't it? I mean, you'll learn about what you are and keep a beautiful girl around."

She pointed at herself.

Is she a narcissist? Trying to ignore the last part. I can't say that she's wrong, but I really can't trust her at this moment. She can lie easily, however, for now, if what she said about mages is true. I guess going with her is better than staying alone.

However, it's not like this won't be dangerous; her appearance near the market is proof of that. If a guard finds us together, and I can't escape, then I will be done for.

I looked at Eden for a few seconds before speaking, "What do you plan on doing?"

She turned her head from the moon to me. "Stay in Nerton for a few days, then move back to the capital. I knew a few vampires who might be able to figure out what you are, or they might kill you again to test it."

I clutched my hands, looking at her. "This is no time for jokes."

Looking at me directly, she said, "See, whatever your name is. You have no other options; without me, you will get caught in a few days. So you will benefit from being with me, and I will get something interesting from you. I have no reason to take you in. If I were in another mood while you resurrected, you would be naked in the middle of the city, mages detecting you, and becoming a lab rat would be your future! Otherwise, if you have a better option, I'd like to hear it."

Standing there in the middle of street, I took a small breath, which formed smoke.

I extended my hand to Eden, "You can call me Taro."

I couldn't keep using his name. Marik was the boy Dorothea loved, the boy who died in that alleyway. I was just wearing his skin. I needed my own name. The name I had on Earth.

Eden took my hand and shook it. "Heh, what a weird name. However, it's great to meet you, Taro!"

I want to learn about myself, get stronger to the point where death will not be an option anymore, get rich so that I can buy everything I want, marry a beautiful wife, and be happy in this life.

It has been a few days since my resurrection. I've been following Eden around, expecting her to teach me about the undead, but all she did was wander around the city for hours.

I feel like an idiot. She goes around shopping, eating at restaurants, and petting random animals in the alleyway while I stand beside her like some doll.

I needed to learn about the mystical part of this world, but now all I am doing is following a girl around who looks at random dresses for hours!

And then after making me stand still for hours, she dares to look at me and say, "Yeah, that dress is not well made in the waist area; it looks painful."

Like I give a damn about what you think! Ugh, if I weren't patient enough, I would've already escaped.

However, she also gave me two gloves to cover the scars I had from the burns. I am still wearing the clothes she gave me as well; they were enchanted to nullify the undead scent, at least to anyone not right in front of me. So, unless a mage is on my face directly, then I won't be caught.

Eden and I walked into a restaurant that she wanted to visit after hearing all the praise it got. Sitting down at a table, she looked at the menu, her eyes bright.

I didn't bother to sit down and just looked down from the window at the river that split Nerton in two.

A waiter came in, and she looked at Eden. "What would you order, miss?"

Eden usually used magic to hide her red eyes, turning them green, but when she uses them too much, they will turn red randomly.

She looked at the menu and pointed, "I'd like this whole section. Oh, wait, this one as well. Yeah, I'll get the whole three specials!"

The waiter nodded while smiling, writing it down, "Got it, please give me a minute." She walked back toward the kitchen with a surprised look on her face because of how much Eden ordered.

But Eden didn't care and kept looking at the menu. "Why don't you sit down?"

"I don't like to play while I can be discovered at any second," I replied.

She hummed, then pointed at the chair opposite her. "If you sit down, I'll give you information about the undead, maybe magic too if you eat a lot!"