Mara looked on in curiosity. “What happened?”
“We were betrayed by our own,” according to Harold. “Another purifier stole the soul and used it to become the goddess, Kallisto. Aazalith was renamed the Dark One while her soul was called the Flame of Life in order to hide the truth.”
Her jaw dropped. “Kallisto and Kratés are not gods?”
“We tried to stop her, but it was a massacre,” he said solemnly. “Most couldn’t resist the power of her beauty and defected, slaying those who resisted. I tried to stop her with a Keeper’s Dagger, the one thing capable of defeating her at the time. She struck me down and turned me into a lich.” Harold said, “Thalia was stabbed by her own guardian. For his betrayal, Kallisto eventually made Kratés into a god and took him as her husband. Then the Faith of Kallikratés was born.”
She watched him. It was a huge story to take in, but she noticed a detail.
“It’s just like Karl,” Mara murmured.
Harold noted her response. “You intend to save him?”
She blushed while nodding. “I was engaged to him,” Mara replied. “Thirty years ago, Karl and his father invited me to the temple. They claimed it was a ceremony before the wedding. She appeared before us and bewitched him. I tried to save Karl, but she killed me. She made him immortal.” Then, “Kallisto also murdered my father and hurt my mother. I want to kill her and save Karl.”
“Very well,” he said, “but it may be too late to save him.”
She looked discouraged. “Why do you say this?”
“The power has corrupted him, like Kallisto.”
Mara decided to switch the subject. “Why is Kallisto after the reincarnations?”
“To prevent the return of the one who could stop her,” he answered. “You have heard of the Prophecy of Kallikratés and the arrival of the Cursed Herald, but it is a lie.” Harold revealed, “Upon discovering Thalia’s secret as an undying, the gods captured her. I was also captured. We were prisoners for a few centuries until we managed to escape. I fled to Grey Mountain while Thalia went east, and was never seen again. Although there was an incident following our escape. A magical explosion destroyed a large portion of the forest at Ghost Mountain, and wiped out a nearby village. I have reason to believe Thalia was responsible. The gods saw her true power and sought to recapture her. For the most part, I was ignored. I founded the Silver Thorns, taking in those who opposed the false gods’ ideologies and oppression. In a way, I sought to revive the covenant, but under a different name.”
“Does Thalia still exist?” Mara asked.
“She exists in fragments,” he replied. “She created the reincarnations, splitting her soul and power among them. The Faith knew about this and hunted them since Amara.” He looked at Mara. “I haven’t been honest with you. This quest I sent you on to collect the souls of the undying… its purpose was never to remove your curse.”
Mara’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“All the undying are fragments. When united, you’ll be granted immense power, enough to defeat the goddess. You’re the first to come close to achieving this goal, therefore it is your destiny to stop Kallisto.” He glanced at Godstruck. “Even though you possess a powerful weapon, it won’t be enough. You must find the remaining souls and unite them within your vessel.” Harold then revealed, “I know of two that are the oldest and most powerful: the Succubus and the Forlorn. The Succubus is located near Désir.” He lifted his gaze to her. “I believe you already met her.”
She began to realize whom he was referring to. “Morgan? She’s an undying?”
He nodded.
“What of the Forlorn?” Mara asked.
“Amara, who is fused to the core of Aazalith. She is protected by the vessel of the divine, and may be your greatest foe yet.” Then, “I am also aware of the Watcher.”
“How did you know?”
“She has the same power once held by Thalia.”
“Are there any others?” Mara inquired.
“Yes, but I don’t know where they are. It’ll be a task you must do on your own. I’m afraid I won’t be much help for long.”
Mara changed the subject. “The Faith was responsible for the seals failing,” she revealed. “Commander White murdered Saskia, then used me to kill Heru, Lady Isabella, and Anna. Boyd told me everything.”
Harold studied Mara while taking in her words. “Is that so?” He frowned, although he didn’t seem angry by the revelation. “I guess I’m not surprised. Deep down, I knew the Faith was responsible all along. When Saskia died, I had no choice but to accuse Hema’s former ruler. After Lady Isabella died, I chose to pin the murders of Saskia and Heru on her. It would’ve been difficult to implicate Kallikratés at the time.” He gazed down. “It is good you were able to find the young man and get the truth.”
Mara folded her arms. “But I don’t understand one thing—why does Kallisto want to awaken Aazalith?”
“To be frank, I would’ve expected her to be the last person to awaken the divine,” he answered, looking up at her.
She gave a curious expression. “Why?”
“After Amara awoke the divine, Aazalith targeted the gods’ kingdom,” the former master replied. “The divine was seeking her soul, and knew where it was. Even though Kallisto and Kratés were gods, they were no match for her.”
She gaped at him. “Wait, the Legend of Kratés is a lie?”
He nodded. “Instead, they fled to Corlin, leaving many behind to die. We, the possessors of the seven seals, were the ones who defeated Aazalith after she razed most of Ardana and slaughtered millions. We defeated the divine with the assistance of the Stone Mages, the Silver Thorns, and the Aristocracy. Seven seals were placed on her. Their true purpose was to suppress access to Amara’s soul, forcing the divine back into a dormant state. The gods later returned to reclaim control over Ardana, or what was left of it.”
“Can’t imagine anyone being pleased to see them back,” Mara murmured.
“No, they weren’t,” Harold said. “By now you realize this “Faith” doesn’t care for Ardana, and you are not alone. Over the years, the Faith’s power has waned in this land. The past can never be erased. There were many times people have sought to free Ardana from their control. Perhaps Lady Isabella was right to banish Kallikratés in Hema.” He sighed, “The stolen power has driven Kallisto insane and corrupted her followers. They stand over a source of the magic blight, and many of their hearts have grown wicked. I’ve heard many fled to Corlin while the rest are to perish.”
Mara frowned. “They don’t care if Ardana gets destroyed. This is insanity.”
“Yes,” the former master said. “It is insanity. Before long, the power they have coddled will destroy them.” Then he crumbled away into dust.
She took a step forward. “Wait! What about Amara and Aazalith?”
“When the seals were being broken, we never feared the divine’s return,” Harold told her. “Only an undying can kill an undying.”
He closed his eyes and faded away. Mara watched while he dissipated into the air.
Chapter Seven
A Small Victory
Mara watched in silence as the last of Harold’s body crumbled away. Only his staff remained. In his place, a shining stone caught her eye. It was a healing stone. Mara kneeled down and claimed her prize. Rising to her feet, she turned her gaze onto Godstruck. This time it was the real sword and not a fake, or at least she hoped. She either gained a great advantage or a bigger target on her back. Kallikratés sent a group of Holy Blades, but were killed by the former Silver Thorn master. Mara wasn’t going to stick around to see if they would send more. After sheathing the sword, she headed for the exit.
“Mara…”
Mara heard Aspen’s voice. She searched her surroundings, but Greyward Hold remained empty. “Aspen? Where are you?”
“The Holy Blades are outside the fortress,” Aspen said. “They have a device blocking most of my powers. I am unable to tele
port to your location.”
Mara sighed. “This doesn’t look good, does it?”
“Escape is impossible,” Aspen replied. “I also detect Commander White among them.”
Mara shook her head. There was no easy way out.
“Hey, Mara!”
Mara heard Allen’s voice and furrowed her eyebrows. “Allen?”
“I’m using Aspen to speak to you. Isn’t it amazing?” Allen asked. Mara raised an eyebrow. After a brief silence, he cleared his throat. “Anyway, I believe they’re using one of my anti-magic field generators; it blocks all magic use. If you’re able to hear us, they may have stolen a defective one. You can use it to your advantage. Since it’ll block most magic, the commander won’t be at full power.”
Mara contemplated his words. It was great to know one of her most powerful enemies would be weakened, but she remained outnumbered. She walked to the front door. Despite the arrival of reinforcements, Greyward Hold remained silent.
“Why haven’t they stormed the place?”
“They expect you to walk into a trap,” Aspen told her. “I can help, but the device must be destroyed. It’s in the possession of one of the Holy Blades.”
Mara nodded. “Fine,” she said, approaching the main entrance.
Opening the door, Mara saw ten Holy Blades out there. She still had some daylight at least. As soon as she walked out, they formed a circle to prevent her escape. Commander White walked through. With his hands behind his back, he approached her with a dismissive air.
“Quite a convenience to find you here,” he said condescendingly, “seeing how you escaped again.”
As he came closer, Mara could smell the familiar scent of alcohol. He had been drinking again. She wondered when he began to drink excessively, though her mind was on other things.
“If you’re looking for Harold, I’m afraid you missed him,” she responded, glaring back at him. “He’s dead.”
The commander froze before sneering at her. “Is that so? How did he die?”
“He wished to test my resolve,” she replied. “I’m going to kill the Dark One.”
The Holy Blades murmured to each other. They seemed surprised to hear her plan. The commander gave a mocking smirk.
“How do you intend to slay the Dark One?” Commander White questioned. “My progenitor sacrificed himself to stop the creature. What makes you think you can defeat it?”
“I’m the only one who can,” she said. “I know about the undying fused to her core, thanks to those so-called gods.”
Commander White scowled at her. “So, it is true. The Dark One was awakened by a depraved slave girl.” He looked to his subordinates. “The Goddess was right. The wicked girl sought Kallisto’s throne and husband.”
She frowned at him.
“Her name was Amara,” Mara said. “I see Kallisto failed to mention how her husband tried to buy Amara from her father.” She saw the commander glaring at her, though he looked surprised. “I’ve spoken with her father, Khan, who the Faith imprisoned for the last millennia.”
The commander’s face remained frozen. “And I assume you killed him, like all the others?” Commander White asked. “How many seals have you broken so far, Cursed Herald?”
“Aside from the one you murdered, five,” she admitted. “Although you’re the reason why most of them were broken.”
“Excuses,” he said. The commander kept deflecting. “The prophecy is coming to pass, thanks to you.”
“You mean the one the Faith made up?” Mara inquired. “I know the real reason why Kallikratés hunted us.” The Holy Blades murmured to each other, appearing puzzled. The commander kept scowling at her in silence, but the look on his face confirmed Harold’s claims. She said, “Harold told me everything. I intend to honour his wish.”
“Did he?” Commander White asked. “Did he also tell you what will happen when you collect all the souls of the undying?” He studied her face, noting the confused look on Mara. “Oh, he didn’t? I guess it was for the best. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have agreed to his plan of overthrowing the Goddess.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Once the soul of Thalia is complete, you will cease to exist,” he answered.
Mara’s eyes widened while her mouth dropped open. Not only did his words confuse her, but they instilled a sense of dread. She thought back to the moment she defeated Harold, recalling a strange but brief sensation overcoming her. Harold told her Thalia would never let any harm come to her. She never understood what he meant, but it began to dawn on her.
“I see he left some details out,” Commander White said, snapping her out of her thoughts. “After all, you’re nothing but a fragment. An incomplete copy. He never cared for you, and only used you to bring back his friend.”
She shook her head. “No, you’re lying! He wouldn’t do that to me.”
“You really think so? You’re more pathetic than I thought,” he continued. “This is why we captured you. You should be thanking us.” Commander White gestured to his men. “Holy Blades, arrest the Cursed Herald.” He then addressed her. “We knew you’d be here and made sure your friends won’t interfere.”
The Holy Blades approached her with swords drawn. She saw them coming closer.
“Wait!” Mara shouted. “I know the truth about your gods. Harold told me how the Faith came to be.”
The men sported perplexed expressions and stopped. The commander opened his mouth, but no words came out. He regained his composure, then stormed over to her.
“What else did he say?” Commander White demanded.
“I know Kallisto and Kratés are not gods! They stole the soul of—”
The commander grabbed her face, clamping her mouth shut before she could finish her sentence. “You will speak no more,” he said in a low tone. “Such slander warrants an arrest.” He kept his index finger over her full lips. Commander White gave a peculiar look while pressing it firmly against her mouth. Mara could smell the alcohol on his hand. She glowered at him as he released her face. “Speak another word and I’ll present you to the Goddess without your tongue.”
Commander White took a few steps back and drew his sword. His subordinates followed suit. Knowing she needed to fight, Mara unsheathed the sword obtained from Greyward Hold. The katana gleamed in the sunlight. Commander White stared at the blade, his eyes grew wide with horror. His men also watched the sword with caution.
One of the Holy Blades asked, “Isn’t that…?”
“Godstruck,” the commander spoke just above a whisper.
Mara held the blade in front of her. “Hope this is real,” she muttered underneath her breath.
Commander White dashed at her with his sword ready to strike. Mara raised her weapon to block the hit. She parried his attack and countered. He tried to evade, but got slashed across the chest. The commander staggered backwards, holding his wound. He winced as he tried to stop the bleeding. However, the dark grey coat turned red again. Mara glanced down at Godstruck. The blue gem glowed as the magical essence flowed into it. She looked up to see the commander’s glare on her. The sword was so powerful, a little cut brought him to his knees.
The Holy Blades saw this and dashed at her. With a very powerful weapon, the first three men were given a swift death. The fourth possessed a crossbow which caught her eye. It was small enough to be wielded with one hand. The little crossbow reminded Mara of the ones Dad used to make. A ranged weapon would be valuable. She took no time to kill the Holy Blade wielding it. Taking the crossbow, Mara noticed another holding an opened black box with a glowing blue gem inside. This had to be the anti-magic field generator. She took aim and fired a bolt at it. When the bolt embedded itself into the black box, sparks began to fly while smoke billowed out. The gem shattered as the device burst into flames. The Holy Blade dropped it and ran at her.
While dealing with him, Mara was unaware of another approaching her from behind. He was about to attack, but went flying. He was smashed into anothe
r by an unseen force. In a flash of blue light, Aspen emerged.
With the device destroyed, the Watcher was able to help. Aspen glanced at Mara before turning her attention on three Holy Blades. Her seven eyes glowed as she levitated into the air. She looked at one of the men and held out her hand. The Holy Blades were shocked while Aspen lifted one of them off the ground. He was helpless as she threw him against the other two.
Mara glanced at the commander, seeing how unpleased he looked. The two women created so much chaos, the situation spiralled out of his control. Even though the device was destroyed, the injury received from Godstruck still left him vulnerable. There was only one thing he could do.
“Holy Blades! Retreat!” Commander White ordered. The Holy Blades gazed at him, yet obeyed his orders nonetheless. Those who remained alive got up and ran away. The commander frowned at them. “This isn’t over!” Then he stormed away.
Mara watched them flee into some carriages and leave. The Watcher descended to the ground. Mara looked at her and said, “We make a good team.”
“The device has been destroyed. I can take us home,” Aspen said, holding out her hand.
“Hope they didn’t take anything else,” Mara muttered as she reached for it.
The two women teleported back to Allen’s lab.
***
The first thing Mara saw was Allen running up to them, then wrapping his arms around the two women. He pulled them into a hug. Mara was quite surprised, but appreciated the gesture.
Allen gazed at her with a sad smile. “I had a horrible feeling you weren’t coming back.”
Mara watched him in silence.
James approached them. “Is Harold gone?”
She looked at James and nodded.
“Did you find out anything?” Allen inquired.
Mara took a deep breath. “There is no prophecy,” she said. “Thalia was believed to be the only one capable of defeating Kallisto, so the Faith hunted her reincarnations to prevent her return.” She revealed, “Harold planned Kallisto’s fall by having me collect the souls of the undying. Each fragment contained Thalia’s power.”
The Cursed Herald Page 7