"'Your heart is purer than any heart known, and for that, you will be blessed,' the stranger said. 'But you will also be condemned. People will hate you, ridicule you, and turn against you for your kindness. But, worst of all, your pure heart will be hunted, for a pure heart contains much power. There are those who won't hesitate to destroy you to get their hands on it.'”
I frowned. This was new information. Grabbing the satchel, I peered inside once more. The red hue around the white strips of cloth pulsated softly. Did it really contain power? If it did, why had I never felt it before?
"The young blacksmith's fear grew stronger,” Claire continued a bit louder. “The stranger clasped the young blacksmith's fingers around the sword and said, 'When they come, and they will, use this to protect yourself.' And with that, the stranger disappeared."
Chapter 15
I sat up, holding the satchel in my lap. This blacksmith, if he was real, hadn't done anything wrong. Why was he so mistreated? I looked over at Claire, who had stood during her retelling to better act out each part. The white bun on her head had become loose and was filled with pieces of dark soil from when she had previously lain on the ground. Enjoying her theatrics, I waited for further explanation.
But instead of continuing, Claire laid back down with her hands under her head as she stretched out her legs. "Yeah, that was one of my favorite stories growing up."
I gave her a pointed look. "You didn't finish it."
"Hmm?"
"I'm assuming the young blacksmith got to Ophidian's Realm?"
Claire nodded.
"Well," I said, motioning to her. "How did that happen?"
Claire gave me a questioning look. "You don't mind me talking?"
I shook my head.
She studied me once more before sitting back up. "Well, okay." She brought her fist to her mouth and coughed a few times, exaggerating the clearing of her throat. When I laughed, she grinned before straightening her posture to continue the story. "The young blacksmith was amazed at the magical man but terrified of what he had said. Not long after the man had vanished, a mob of angry townspeople burst through the door, demanding to get their hands on the young blacksmith's heart. He immediately held up the sword, sending a shining light through the crowd, blinding them all. While they stumbled in their new darkness, the man fled from the town, never looking back."
The Traders’ loving cheers for the beautiful Vendor and their hateful jeers at me never fully left my thoughts. It was too easy for them to choose a stranger instead of one of their own. Just like the townspeople who had turned against the young blacksmith in the blink of an eye.
Claire paused to brush the soil from her hair before readjusting the bun to sit atop her head once more.
"What happened next?"
"Well," she said, securing a few stubborn hairs. "He went in search of the man who had given him the enchanted sword. But everywhere he asked, no one had heard of him. If he stayed in a town more than a month or two, the people would find him and demand he give them his heart."
"That's awful," I whispered, looking down at my glowing heart once more. A pure heart had caused the blacksmith tremendous pain. With that, he and I could relate.
"That's not even the worst part." Claire looked back at me. "One night, while the blacksmith was camping in a forest, he was approached by a man dressed all in black, who offered him a choice: he could trade his heart to the man and be free of its burden forever or continue to be hunted wherever he went."
My fingers froze around the satchel. A choice. Why did it always come down to a choice? To split fate into one decision. One path is chosen, one destiny accepted. Another path is chosen, a different destiny accepted. Why was that? Why did the young blacksmith have to choose? Why did Lyle have to choose? Why did I have to choose?
"What did he do?" I asked, shaking my head in frustration.
"At that moment, the stranger who had given him the sword appeared and said, 'There is always another way. Give me your heart, and I will protect it until it is time.'"
I opened my mouth to ask more questions, but Claire shot me a death glare, causing me to promptly close it.
"The young blacksmith looked between the two men," she continued with a satisfied look. "To the average eye, they appeared to be two regular men. But, because of the purity of his heart, the blacksmith could see the difference between them: one outlined in light, the other in darkness. The blacksmith gripped his sword in one hand and pulled out a dagger with the other. With the dagger, he cut a circle in his chest, allowing his pure heart to fall into his hands. He was so astonished by the brightness of it that he never saw the man outlined in darkness running toward him. The blacksmith cried out in pain as his heart was slashed in two, the man in darkness stealing half of it before disappearing into thin air."
I wrapped my arms around the satchel, hugging it to my chest. The young blacksmith’s heart was cut in two, and he survived? I glanced at Claire, about to ask another question, but she continued acting out the next part of the story.
"The man outlined in light picked up the other half of the blacksmith's heart. 'I can mend this,' he said.
"'But what about the other half?' the young blacksmith asked."
"'You must retrieve it on your own,' the stranger replied. He picked up the sword and handed it to the young blacksmith. 'I will be with you when you are in need.' The stranger ripped open the air around him, revealing a dark, shadowy void."
"Ophidian's Realm," I whispered, connecting the significance of the story.
Claire nodded, then pointed across the air. "'Go!' the stranger said, 'Retrieve your heart, for you are more powerful than you believe.' So the young blacksmith went. He made it through all Seven Choices with the help of the man in light and was about to gain the other half of his heart when Ophidian offered him another choice."
I scowled, increasingly hating Ophidian with his stupid realm and stupid choices.
Claire gave me a look of agreement, then spoke in a tone that was so similar to Ophidian's I almost thought he had possessed her again. "'Young man,' Ophidian said, 'I will offer you a choice for the other half of your heart.'" Her voice returned to normal, allowing me to breathe easier.
"'No more choices,' the young man said with his sword high above his head. 'I've made enough choices.'
"'Life is all about choices,' Ophidian sneered. 'Our choices define our lives and who we are. If we do not choose, we do not live.' Ophidian then took the young man's heart in his hand. 'If you leave this half of your heart with me, I will spare the one whom you would give it to.'"
I let out a small gasp, lacing my fingers together around the satchel, pulling it closer. "The love he was going to give his heart to?"
Claire nodded with a somber look. "Before the young man agreed, Ophidian showed him what she looked like. Though the man had never met her, he humbly conceded, leaving his heart to the Beast and never returning."
"What did she look like?" I asked anxiously.
Claire shook her head. "The story doesn't say."
I pursed my lips, irritated. “Why wouldn’t it say what she looked like?”
Claire huffed. "All we know is that she has the mark of the Mender."
I frowned. "The what?"
"You know," Claire said, shrugging. "When the Mender mends a heart, he leaves his mark on the heart so Ophidian can no longer claim it. Those who bear the mark of the Mender can defend themselves against Ophidian's forces. For centuries, Ophidian has been trying to rid the realms of them."
"Is this true?"
Claire glared at me. "Of course it's true. Why wouldn't it be?"
I looked away, unconvinced.
Claire swatted the air in my direction. "Believe what you want. But the only thought that has helped me through years of hell is that the Mender will somehow find my heart and save me."
I immediately regretted my suspicions. I had no idea what life had been like for Claire. She was taken against her will and forced to be Ophid
ian's puppet.
"Not everyone has a choice, Addie," she said, using my name for the first time. I was surprised she even knew it. "My heart is gone, lost. I have no choice but to obey Ophidian. You have no idea what it's been like." She gave me another pointed glare and placed her hands on her hips, waiting for my reply.
"Claire." I reached out and touched her arm. "I'm so sorry." When she didn't respond, I let out a sigh. "Look, once we get through the Seven Choices, we'll find your heart."
Her eyes remained skeptical, but her wrinkled brow smoothed in surprise. "You would do that? How would you even find it?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. But if you know your heart's still out there, we'll find it."
"I guess you really do have a pure heart," Claire muttered.
I let the comment pass. "So," I said, deciding now was as good a time as any to ask something I’d been wondering for a while. "How do you know Lyle?"
Claire sighed. "Like I said before, I helped guide him through the Seven Choices. I helped him as much as I could while Ophidian was preoccupied. Which was hard, considering Lyle was an arrogant know-it-all."
A smile came to my lips. That definitely sounded like my brother. I'm sure he and Claire bickered all the way through the Seven Choices.
Claire met my smile with a solemn face. "Whenever he would get in a tight spot in one of the Choices and thought he wouldn't make it, he would always say, 'Tell Addie I'm sorry.'"
My smile vanished, my heart searing with pain. After all these years of worry and regret, Lyle had never forgotten me.
“It wasn’t until Ophidian said your name through me that I understood. I was too preoccupied before with saving your life from the siti to connect everything.” Claire gave a grin. "You've definitely grown up a lot."
I gave a small smirk. "Thanks for that, by the way."
"Don't mention it," Claire said before her grin turned grim. "Addie, there's something else you should know."
My fingers gently cradled the outside of the satchel. By the pained expression of Claire’s face, I knew whatever she said next wouldn’t be good.
"The Seven Choices. Each one will challenge you in a different way. Ophidian knows the weaknesses of humans, so he makes sure those weaknesses are amplified as you enter each Choice. He wants you to stay in one of the doors, so he makes each one more appealing than the last. Every time you walk through a new door, you must choose whether to stay or leave. Either decision has a consequence of its own."
A chill rippled up my spine, tensing my muscles. That must be why I couldn’t resist the haze in the First Choice. Ophidian had stacked the odds against me before I even entered. I looked in the satchel, glancing once more at my heart before closing the bag. Regardless of Ophidian’s tricks, I had to try to make it through to Lyle. "That's why the humans turn into siti, isn’t it? They never exit the door of the Choice they were in."
Claire nodded before standing up and brushing the dirt from her pants. "Yep. So unless you want to become a life-parching monster, I suggest we better get moving." She grabbed the lantern and rod and began walking through the forest.
Taking in a deep breath, I tried to calm my racing thoughts. I had no idea what to make of everything I had learned. My only hope was that I could figure it out before it was too late.
Chapter 16
Like the void when I first entered Ophidian's Realm, the forest seemed to go on forever. The lantern swayed in Claire's hand, shining only a few feet ahead to show us the next section of thick tree trunks that were identical to the last. We had been walking long enough for me to realize we were going nowhere. The path never twisted, never turned—a straight path to nothing. When were we going to reach the next of the Seven Choices? I just wanted to get them over with.
While crossing my arms over my chest, my footsteps became more pronounced as I stomped through the soil. Claire glanced over her shoulder but said nothing. I stomped a little louder, trying to get her attention so I could complain. I was ready to get to the next door. I wanted her to hurry up and get me there.
Just then, a bright yellow door appeared in front of Claire, causing her to stumble back a few steps.
"Finally!" she said, throwing her hands up before placing the lantern on the ground. "I was wondering when you would figure it out."
Making a face at her exaggeration, I asked, "What are you talking about?"
Claire shook her head as she rested her rod next to the lantern. She pulled out her set of keys and began to flip through them. I took a step back, hoping she wouldn't be possessed by Ophidian again.
"Don't worry," Claire said, taking note of my retreat. "He's preoccupied with something else right now. He can't be everywhere at once."
I nodded, not completely reassured. "So, the door?"
"Yeah, yeah." Claire waved a key with the head of a frog pressed into it. "In order to reach the second of the Seven Choices, you have to want it with all your heart."
"What do you mean?"
The wrinkle between her brows returned, but this time, her eyes filled with concern. "You'll find out soon enough."
Without saying another word, Claire placed the key into the lock and turned it. I braced myself, expecting the door to fly open like the other door had, but it didn't. Instead, the yellow door eerily creaked on its hinges, causing the hair on my neck to stand on end as my heart trembled within the satchel. Claire motioned me toward the open door.
Steadying my thumping heart, I couldn’t but drag. As soon as I crossed over the threshold, I would be more susceptible to whatever trap lay ahead. But still, I walked toward the door, also knowing I was one step closer to Lyle. Before I crossed the threshold, Claire placed her hand on my shoulder.
"I’ll see you on the other side."
With a wary nod, I clutched my hands and walked through.
The world inside the yellow door was much different than that of the light blue door. It looked exactly like the market in Barracks: a long, stone path separated endless rows of stands, and I expected to hear the yells and shouts of vendors, but there were none. Only empty displays lined each side of the path.
As I breathed in the crisp air, I almost believed I was home. The structures, the colors, the smells—they were all the same. But a loud clock ringing in the distance reminded me that I was far from home. The clocktower in Barracks had stopped chiming as soon as Schism arrived. Startled by the sound, I ran to the nearest display and crouched behind it, squeezing my hands together.
When the clock rang for the sixth time, people poured into the streets of the market. I peeked over the top of the display to see. These people were, by far, the strangest I had ever seen, and Barracks had some very odd people. Some were clothed in layers of fine silks and ruffled fabrics. Others looked content in displaying their different body types without any fabric on them at all. Although there were a variety of shapes and sizes among them, the townspeople all carried on throughout the market, chatting with one another as if it were an ordinary day. A desire to investigate this strange place pumped through my veins. Keeping my fingers laced, I gathered my courage and stepped into the busy street.
As soon as my feet landed on the stone path, vendors appeared on either side of me. They peddled their wares to the clothed and naked people with vigor, drawing crowds to each of their displays. I tried to walk by unnoticed, but the glittering items popping up all around me were too much to resist. My eyes wandered to the closest display, which held a mound of sparkling gems. The suggestion of walking closer flitted through my mind, and my feet obeyed.
"Gold and jewels beyond reason!" a vendor wearing a hat with an elaborate spread of shining feathers yelled. "I have all you want! But how bad do you want?"
"I'll give this silk gown!" a woman wearing a pink silk gown said as she began to strip in the middle of the crowd.
My jaw dropped at the woman's rash reaction. I wasn’t sure whether to look away or cover her up. No one else seemed to bat an eye. This place was definitely odd.
&n
bsp; "I'll give this gold watch!" a half-dressed man wearing black slacks and two red ties around his neck yelled as he ran frantically through the crowd, ferociously shoving others out of the way.
The vendor immediately shifted his attention from the almost-naked woman to the half-dressed man. I kept my eyes on the vendor as the whole crowd turned toward the half-dressed man. The vendor appeared to be drooling at the sight of the gold watch, his eyes growing abnormally wide, starving for it. But before I could take a closer look, something jabbed in my ribs, and I let out a yelp, turning to see a short, round man barreling his way through the crowd. Once he had passed, I looked back to the vendor, noting that his face was as it had been before.
As soon as the gold watch touched the vendor's hand, he and his booth disappeared, showering the half-dressed man in an abundance of golden coins and brilliant jewels. As the coins clinked along the stone path, the crowd shifted their attention from the vendor to the man being showered in riches. My hands clenched the satchel strap, a chill running through my body as the marketplace became eerily quiet.
The entire crowd, whether naked, overly dressed, or half-dressed, surged upon the man, grasping for the coins and jewels. They turned ravenous, like wild animals that hadn't eaten in months. Their teeth chomped at the air, growls escaping from their lips as their hands clawed at the man. He did his best to evade them, swatting at them while never releasing his handfuls of gold, but there were too many. The cries of the half-dressed man were soon silenced by the feet trampling over his body.
I looked on with horror as the crowd retreated with their prizes, revealing the mangled body of the half-dressed man. What would possess these people to act in such a way? Valuing wealth over a life? Even the people of Barracks had never acted in a manner such as this. I started to back away when I heard another vendor shouting.
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