“It seems you do not have direct access to Thalia’s power,” Aspen said. “I suspect she needs to possess you in order to use them.” She handed the crossbow back to Mara.
Mara looked discouraged. “Really?”
The Watcher glanced at the door. “They knew this would happen.” Aspen looked back at her. “The commander and his guardian are here.”
“What? Why?” Then Mara remembered. “Oh, Mr. White promised to tell me about stopping Thalia from taking over. But what about her powers?”
“Why do you think he knew of a way to stop her?” Aspen asked.
Mara took a deep breath. “Because the Faith is seeking to stop her return.” Then she inquired, “You think he shouldn’t be trusted?”
Aspen shook her head. “He hasn’t been entirely honest with you.” The Watcher walked ahead. “Follow me.”
Reaching the doorway, Aspen turned around and gestured to the door, as if Mara should be the one to open it. The huntress gave a questioning glance, even though she complied.
Mara saw him upon entering the living room. The commander sat on a chair, strapped down by the wrists and ankles. An additional strap was added to his chest for reinforcement. An anti-magic field generator was nearby and active, containing him within the circle. She noticed and glanced back at Aspen. The Watcher didn’t follow, knowing she would lose her powers upon contact. Mara, on the other hand, did not care. She didn’t have many powers to begin with anyway. They were the only ones in the room at the moment.
Gazing back at Commander White, she approached him. Never once did he react to her presence. The commander just sat there in silence, staring ahead. His face was frozen in a blank expression with eyes glazed over. Mara watched him in confusion as she came closer. She stood beside him, but nothing happened. He just stared off into space, unaware of her presence. Taking her hand, Mara waved it in front of his face, but got nothing from him.
“What’s wrong with him?” Mara asked. “He’s just like Mom.”
“Do you remember what happened last night?” Aspen asked.
“Thalia took over and attacked him.” Mara watched him. “There was blood everywhere. It looked like his head was about to explode. Then…” She stopped and thought about last night’s events. “He called me…” She looked back at Aspen.
“Thalia broke Kallisto’s hold on him,” the Watcher revealed. “As Morgan, she couldn’t do it in her current state. However, she was able to do it through you since you possessed most of her soul.”
“Okay,” Mara responded, “but why is he like this?”
“He remembers everything he did, and the guilt overwhelmed him. He regained consciousness earlier, but has been like this ever since. Mr. White wants to erase Karl’s memories of his time serving Kallisto. He believes it’ll help him.”
“You agreed to do this?” Mara inquired.
“Yes, but in order for me to help him, I must link with his mind,” the Watcher said. “I gazed into his mind earlier and obtained some useful information. He stabbed Morgan with a basilisk blade, a dagger coated with a powerful poison. It’s specifically designed to weaken and incapacitate the undying.” She glanced down. “The sealed undying you mentioned earlier—they all had these embedded in them.”
Mara gave a peculiar look. “I never told you about the dagger.”
“I am the Watcher,” Aspen responded. “I read your mind earlier and learned what you witnessed. I could imagine they suffered tremendously. Trapped in a coffin with a poison dagger embedded in their chests. It stole all of their strength. All they could do was die over and over again. Some have been trapped for centuries.”
“Well, that’s dark,” Mara retorted. She then thought about the original undying in her last moments. “And the same thing happened to Morgan.”
“The dagger did contribute to her demise, but it was not the actual cause of death.”
Mara glanced at her in confusion. “So, something was trying to kill her and claim her soul?”
“I could detect a presence very close, as if it were attached to her.”
The huntress was intrigued. “She once said she wished for Death to come and take her. Are you saying there’s a Grim Reaper?”
“When I lived in Thoron, many had claimed to see such a creature,” Aspen said. “Though I have never seen it myself.”
The thought made Mara’s skin crawl to know they encountered some unseen entity last night. It also made her wonder if she was right to take Morgan’s soul. She wanted to be free of her curse, but at what cost? What if she angered this unknown creature?
Mara looked back at the commander and changed the subject. They had other things to worry about now. “So, about erasing his memories—will this really help him?”
“Yes, but not until you learned the truth,” Aspen told her.
Mara glanced at her. “What are you talking about?”
“Mr. White kept many things from you, and he had no intentions to tell you. In conscience, I cannot do this until you know the truth.”
“What truth?”
“Kallikratés and the White family orchestrated the death of Karl’s father, making sure he didn’t flee Ardana with his son. The Faith put Karl in the care of the Whites,” Aspen said. “However, nobles looked down upon him, knowing his background as a commoner. His adopted sisters and brother despised him because they had to share their inheritance. The father and mother never loved him. No matter what he did, he could never please them. Ultimately, they were the cause of his alcoholism.”
Mara knew about Karl’s excessive drinking, but something didn’t add up. “Mr. White said he started drinking after his first wife died.”
“He lied to you,” Aspen said.
The huntress gave a questioning glance, though she believed her. Allen once said the Watcher was always accurate. “Okay, so what really happened?”
“He got drunk at a banquet,” Aspen revealed. “The Whites were so humiliated, they sent him to work at a farm as punishment. His siblings mocked him for he was truly among his own kind. One day he was tasked with delivering a sack of grain to a small house in Misty Valley. It was then he met the woman who became his wife. Over time, they fell in love. He bought her a gift—a silver comb with etchings of roses, to replace an old broken one.”
As if by instinct, Mara reached into one of her belt pouches. She took out the tarnished comb and held it before her face. A sense of nostalgia washed over her. Looking at it, she reckoned this was the same comb the Watcher mentioned. It possessed etchings of roses, but was tarnished from improper care. Mara remembered receiving this comb from Misty Valley. It was once owned by a monster who haunted the former village. She gazed back at Aspen, urging her to continue.
“However, the White family discovered their relationship. They prohibited him from seeing her lest he’d be disowned and disinherited. So, he ran away to be with the one who loved him. He had no desire to return.”
“But he did,” Mara said. “After learning he was the reincarnation of Kratés, he left her. She took her own life.”
“No,” the Watcher said. “The Whites were devoted members of Kallikratés. Their wealth and power came from the Faith, and it could very well be taken away.” Aspen revealed, “When Karl ran away, the Faith demanded the White family to retrieve him, or else. So, the patriarch tried to persuade him to return, but Karl refused. Not only did they discover his marriage to a commoner, but they were expecting their first born. Karl had cleaned up his act and stopped drinking. He was ready to be a father. But in a final attempt to separate the two, the adopted father revealed Karl’s lineage as a direct descendant and the reincarnation of Kratés. It was his destiny to be reunited with Kallisto. At first, Karl didn’t believe it, but the White family persuaded him to accompany them to the temple.”
Mara watched her in confusion. “That’s when he saw Kallisto?”
Aspen nodded. “Karl fell under her power and became her commander. For her first order, Kallisto demanded the death
of the wife. Karl obeyed and returned to Misty Valley. He stabbed his own wife through the abdomen, killing both her and their unborn child. Then he set fire to her home, destroying everything she had. The former wife returned from the dead, distraught at the loss of her child and the betrayal of her husband. Her grief transformed her into a monster—a monster you killed.”
Mara’s jaw dropped. She glanced down at the comb, her mind reeling from the revelation.
“The White Lady,” Mara murmured. “The first undying I killed. Her name was…” She thought back to last night. Karl called her by another name. “Evelyn…” She gazed back up at Aspen. “He was her husband?”
“For murdering Evelyn, he was given immortality,” the Watcher said. “Karl served Kallisto for the next two hundred fifty years, orchestrating the deaths of the next three reincarnations. He sabotaged Aria’s voice and drove her to suicide. He spread the rumour of Madeline being a witch, persuading the people of Haranta Village to burn her at the stake.” She glanced down. “He was already immortal before you met him.” Aspen looked up at Mara. “I’m sorry. Karl never loved you. He only pretended so he could keep you and Allen apart. And Mr. White played a role by manipulating your mother into introducing you two.”
Mara opened her mouth, but no words came out. She was very confused. How could this be? She wanted to deny the truth. She wanted to believe Aspen was wrong, but the Watcher had no reason to lie. Her world came crashing down. Mara gazed at Commander White, who hadn’t stirred from his catatonic state. The more she looked at him, the more she couldn’t deny the truth any longer. All she had to do was remember.
Her mind drifted to the time she slew the Marionette. Karl once admitted to watching Mara confront the undying. The former herbalist, Madeline, saw him in the doorway and pointed at him. Mara didn’t understand back then, but now she knew. The Marionette still recognized him after all this time. Madeline was trying to tell her about Karl. However, her warning failed to reach Mara.
Turning away, Mara saw James and Mr. White. The two men had entered the room. How long they were there, she did not know. Mara glared at the former college professor and took a step towards him.
“You knew?”
Mr. White looked confused. “What do you mean?”
She took another step towards him. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
The old man gaped at her, catching onto the fact she now knew. “I… I was going to tell you,” he claimed.
She shook her head. “Really? You were going to tell me the man I was about to marry was over two hundred fifty years old?”
James looked stunned. He gazed at Mr. White. Even the doctor’s trust in him began to fade.
Mr. White gave a sympathetic look, taking a step forward. He crossed the threshold of the anti-magic field. “It is true,” he said. “The engagement was a plot to murder you.”
Mara was speechless. She never saw it coming. Up until now, she never suspected their marriage would be used as a horrible plot to kill her. Mom introduced them, hoping one day they would be married. And Mara said yes to Karl’s proposal. She remembered how excited she was to be marrying her prince. She glanced back at the commander and began to feel awful. Everything she believed in was a lie. She was both heartbroken and devastated. Deep down, Mara wanted to cry, but she kept her composure. Anger began to grow within. If she didn’t hate the commander and his guardian before, she was about to now.
“But I never wanted you to die,” Mr. White told her. Her gaze switched to him. The former college professor saw the rage in her eyes, but continued. “They took my idea and twisted it into a horrible plot.” He glanced at Karl. “I hoped seeing you would remind him of Evelyn. He would wake up and realize what he’s done, and turn against Kallisto.” Mr. White gazed back at Mara. “She turned him into a monster. Not only did he murder his wife, but he also terrorized my family for a long time. Karl was made lord of the manor, obtaining everything we had. Although the family fortune is in my name. We became his guardians, obeying his every whim. He threw his adoptive sisters out in revenge, but kept my grandfather around to pose as his father when the time needed. My grandfather wrote everything down in a journal so we would know the truth.” He took a deep breath. “I wanted to believe he could go back to the man he once was. If it were up to me, I’d never want him to see Kallisto ever again!”
It was a huge story to take in. However, any remaining sympathy Mara had for the old man dwindled away.
“Well, we got him back,” Mara said coldly. “We had a deal. How do I stop Thalia from taking over?”
“Ah, yes, the Binding Dagger,” he said. “The Faith has been looking for this artifact, believing it can seal her away.”
“Where is this dagger?”
“I’ll tell you after Karl’s memories have been erased,” Mr. White replied, gesturing to Aspen.
She looked back at her friends before turning her glare onto the old man.
“That is not what we agreed on,” she hissed.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to wait,” he insisted. “I will not leave Karl like this any longer!”
He was really trying her patience. Mara released a low growl as her eyes glowed. Storming up to Mr. White, she grabbed the old man by the collar. He yelped in fright, but no one would help him. Exerting a little force, the huntress pushed him out of the circle. She kept glaring at him as she held his collar tight.
“Aspen, read his mind!” Mara ordered the Watcher. “Can you find the location of the dagger?”
The Watcher’s eyes began to glow. With Mr. White outside the threshold, he was now susceptible to having his mind read. “It is in Andel, in the Outer Frontier.”
She switched her questioning gaze onto the Watcher. “Andel?” Mara heard the name before. “That is Dad’s home village.” She glared at the former college professor. “Where is the village?”
“I… I don’t know!” Mr. White cried.
“He is telling the truth,” Aspen confirmed.
Mara looked back at him and sighed. She released his collar and took a step back. Mr. White cowered away. The look on his face was of pure terror and he was right to be afraid of her. She wanted to harm the old man.
After calming down, Mara gazed at her friends. “Is there a marker near Andel?”
The Watcher shook her head. “No, and I cannot teleport to an unknown location.”
Mara sighed, “Then I’ll have to find it myself.”
“What about Aazalith?” James asked.
“If she’s going to awaken, she would’ve done so already,” Aspen said.
“And I’m not going to let the Faith get their hands on that dagger,” Mara added.
After returning to her room, Mara reached for Dad’s journal. Hopefully, there was a clue about the village’s location. She discovered a small map of Ardana, but nothing about the village. There was no sign of its location. Mara sat on the bed in defeat. It felt like she was back at square one. Gazing at the map, she couldn’t believe there was no marker for the village. Then she noticed something—a small black dot began to appear in the Outer Frontier, as if by some unknown force. Beside it was the word, Andel. She couldn’t believe her eyes, but it was real. The location of the village had been shown to her. It was as if someone or something wanted her to find it. Studying the map, Mara reckoned it might take a day or two to find the village. She gathered the essentials, hoping she could do this before the divine fully awakened. Mara left James’ home without saying a word or looking at anyone.
Chapter Nineteen
The Stone Mages
On the way out of Mirahyll, Mara spotted the black mare galloping around and neighing. It was as if the horse was excited to see her. Either way, it was very convenient for Mara.
“Just what I was looking for,” she murmured to herself.
The horse approached her, allowing Mara to mount her. As soon as she got settled into the saddle, the huntress directed the lady to the western road. In order to get to Andel, she h
ad to go through Medulla Village, the abandoned City of Cerebell, and past the Black Tower. The ride would be long, but it was the only clear path. She didn’t have much time to waste. With all the seals broken, Aazalith’s awakening could happen at any moment.
***
It was already past noon by the time she reached Medulla. The inhabitants of the village were going about their business, unmindful of what was happening. Some glanced up as she rode by, but didn’t pay any more heed to her. The last time Mara was here was when she had to save the commander from Anna. The darkling had once enslaved the whole village with her psychic powers, making them attack anyone who came near. With Aspen’s aid, Mara never needed to fight them. Everyone was back to normal, though she doubted if anyone remembered the incident.
The City of Cerebell remained abandoned. She figured none were aware of the darkling’s death, or were too afraid to inhabit the city.
She rode by until she stood before the Black Tower. It was another location she hadn’t visited in a while. The marker allowing one to teleport through the Gateway was still standing. The tower remained deserted with a few crows or ravens flying around the top. It was eerily silent, enough to make her uneasy.
Mara continued to ride further until she reached the border of Lupine Woods. There was a clearing and a stretch of road. She reached the boundary to the Outer Frontier. She stopped to see the rough and rocky terrain. Vast mountains covered in mist stood before her while the road stretched on. Still, Mara decided to forge ahead for the village was nowhere in sight. A few hours remained until the sun went down. She didn’t want to waste anymore precious time.
***
Traveling on the rough road, Mara encountered a tangled forest. She stopped before the entrance. Unlike Lupine Woods, the trees were twisted and deformed. Some had their roots exposed, as if the trees came to life and uprooted themselves. Even more unsettling was the silence. No birds sang. The lack of wildlife was unusual. The fading daylight didn’t help much. The horse grew nervous, as if she could sense something. She stomped her hooves and whinnied. Mara could not blame her because she sensed it as well.
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