The Last Legend: Awakened

by Joshua B. Wichterich

  They rushed to the door, beginning to bang on it, as well as Tairren. They both yelled out her name as Tairren yanked on the door. Strange screams could be heard from the inside. Just then a loud thump from the other side of the door could be heard, as if something was slammed against the door.

  “Go get help! Call the guards!” Tairren yelled as he pulled Natalia away from the door. He started to strike at the door with powerful kicks, trying to knock it in.

  Natalia ran off down the hall, looking back one more time before she entered the stairwell.

  Tairren rushed to the other side of the hall across from the door, getting himself ready for a hard hit. After a second of bouncing, he ran hard at the door, hitting it with all of his strength. The door crashed in, making him fall to the ground. Tairren stood up quickly, automatically reaching for his dagger that was not there. “Damn!” Tairren thought as he picked up a piece of broken wood for protection. It was the first time that he had left his dagger at home and the first time he actually needed it.

  Not knowing what to expect, he looked around quickly as he continued into the room. He found a dark figure, leaning over a body that lay lifelessly on the ground. He was surprised to see that it was Lilith and the unconscious body belonged to Marrisa.

  “What has happened?! Tairren yelled,breathlessly, as he looked around the room.

  Broken glass was everywhere, as well as furniture and also what appeared to be a knocked over vanity stand. A large painting, hanging half way out of the fire place, was ablaze. The chamber was a wreck.

  Lilith still stayed where she was at. She was quietly hunched over Marrisa. Behind them was a dramatic background of the weather upon the opened balcony. The thunder and lightning crashed in as the wind blew at the red curtains that fluttered on each side of the balcony doorway.

  “What has happened, Lilith?!” Tairren quickly rushed to Marrisa’s side.

  His heart dropped as he noticed the blood stains on her white gown and the gash on the palm of her bloody hand. After quickly inspecting Marrisa, he checked her pulse, which revealed that she was alive.

  He realized that Lilith still hadn’t moved or said anything yet. He slowly looked up at Lilith who was a silent dark shadow with her face at his eye level. The dim light from the hallway came into the room, mingling with the blazing fire that danced in the large fireplace. Tairren looked into Lilith's eyes as she just stared at him. She was emotionless and appeared haunting. Chills went up his spine as he studied her wicked looking face. Her eyes were as black as coal and her white skin was like that of a dead person’s. Dried blood was smeared across the lower half of her face and the odor of death emanated from her mouth. He noticed that she had a wound on her right shoulder, leaking a thick, black-colored fluid.

  “Lilith?” Tairren said in a low voice as he slowly backed away, reaching for his piece of wood that he had grabbed earlier.

  She was still silent, staring her large black eyes at him.

  “GET AWAY!” She roared out in an inhuman voice that was so loud that it made Tairren’s ears ring.

  Her voice was that of a vicious animal! Tairren moved back quickly as his eyes widened. A feeling of terror surged through his body as he watched Lilith quickly stand up and toss Marrisa over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Her strength was shocking. Lilith then moved quickly and quietly like a cat, towards the balcony. The crude storm crashed outside of the balcony as Lilith stopped short right before the cement balustrade.

  Tairren stood up quickly, running after Lilith who began to climb over the left side of the balcony. Before Tairren could get to the balcony, Lilith disappeared into the harsh gray rain that fell so intensely. “Where did she go?! There is nowhere else to run!” Tairren thought as he ran into the rain. He became alarmed as he looked over the balcony.

  “Marrisa!” Tairren yelled out, hoping that she would call out to him.

  Horror ripped through his body as he looked to the left of the balcony. He was taken aback at what he had just witnessed, wondering if it was all really happening. His vision was so obscured by the rain and night sky that he thought he was just seeing things. Then there came another crash of lightning, enabling him to get a glimpse of it again. It was Lilith, quickly climbing down the stone wall of the castle appearing like some kind of crab or spider, with Marrisa dangling from her mouth! Lilith was biting down on the back of Marrisa’s gown, holding her by a huge wad of the fine fabric in her retched jaws; appearing as a puppy hanging by its scruff from its mother’s mouth. Just then Marrisa seemed to come to. Her dangling lifeless body began to thrash around as if she just realized what was going on.

  “Marrisa!” Tairren cried out as his heart raced.

  His heart pounded against his ribs as he seemed to be frozen, not knowing what to do.

  He could now hear Marrisa’s faint screams through the harsh rain. Just then, as Lilith got closer to the ground, Marrisa fell from Lilith’s jaws, landing onto the soggy earth of the courtyard. Tairren could see Lilith’s body leap at Marrisa from the wall, like a panther pouncing on its prey. He frantically looked down beneath him, wondering if he could resist a long jump and if his bones would brake if he attempted to do so from the balcony. But he knew it was much too high.

  Tairren ran quickly, taking his soaking wet body and stunned brain through Marrisa’s wrecked room and out into the dimly lit hallway. He took a left, remembering that Natalia had said that there was a back stairwell which led to the servant’s quarters, along with an exit. Tairren didn’t hesitate as he ran as fast as his legs could go through the seemingly long hallway and down the stairwell.

  His mind whirled with the thought of Lilith climbing down the wall like a spider with its prey. He didn’t understand what was going on and thought that the situation was unbelievable and insane. All he knew was that Marrisa’s life was in danger, which scared him to death.

  He ran through the servant’s quarters, startling a group of servant women who were talking and eating amongst one another at a large long table that sat in the middle of the large room. He ran over to the only door that led to the outside which was between two windows. He burst through the door running out into the harsh rain, wondering if he would ever see Marrisa again.

  CHAPTER 9

  A Night Of Fear

  The small hallway went from total silence to noisome in a matter of minutes as the king and a handful of soldiers, as well as Prince Phillip, crowded Marrisa’s quarters. Their shadows danced on the dim light of the stone walls as the torches of the hall crackled and popped.

  “What has happened, Natalia?!” King Julpen demanded as he and his soldiers rushed upon the opened doorway of Marrisa’s dark chamber.

  “I don’t know, your majesty, but Marrisa is in danger. I heard her screams from behind her locked door!” Natalia’s voice trembled as she spoke.

  She felt terrified and tried to stay calm as tears kept trying to swell up in her eyes. Many thoughts ran through her mind as she followed behind Phillip. Her heart began to pound as she approached the doorway, wondering what horrific scene she would behold.

  The soldiers went in first, their swords ready to strike at any moment. King Julpen followed behind them, his hand on the hilt of his sword. They looked serious and nervous at the same time, appearing as if they were anticipating an ambush.

  Natalia tried to rush into the room but Phillip held out his hand, abruptly stopping her. She stopped for a moment, surprised at his gesture. She looked into his eyes as her face went from worried to appearing irritated in a split second. She shoved past his arm, forcing her way into the room. She didn’t care that he was a prince; she wasn’t going to let him stop her from seeing if her companion was safe just because of her being a lady.

  The room was dimly lit by the massive fireplace that stood at the far end of the room. She didn’t see Marrisa anywhere—just a wooden vanity-stand which lay on its side with broken glass all around it. She noticed that a large painting sat halfway out of the massive fire place; i
t burned and crackled as heavy smoke came from it. There was also a tipped over chair, lying in front of the opened archway which led to the balcony. The wind blew at the curtains which resided on either side of the archway, making them appear as scarlet apparitions.

  Natalia put her hand over her mouth, surprised by the mess in the room. She knew something bad had happened, and that Marrisa was in grave danger. “What horrible situation has taken place?!” she thought as she scanned the room for Tairren, expecting him to walk out of the shadows at any minute now with a broken Marrisa.

  The soldiers as well as King Julpen and Prince Phillip, rushed about the room, looking onto the balcony and here and there in the shadows of the room.

  Natalia watched with tears in her eyes as the royal guards searched the chamber. She noticed that one of them had picked up the goblet Marrisa had been drinking from earlier that evening.

  “Tell me again what you heard,” the king said in a serious tone as he approached her.

  “Like I said before, your majesty, I was coming to check up on Marrisa and I heard a scream from the other side of the door, so…,” she paused, catching herself before she revealed that she wasn’t alone, but with Tairren. “So I ran down the stairwell to fetch a guard. I don’t know what happened, but I think Marrisa is in some kind of danger.”

  She looked at the prince who was standing beside the king. She knew that the prince had seen her with Tairren on the way up the stairwell, and hoped that he wouldn’t say anything.

  Phillip just stared at her with his dark eyes, bringing his fingers to his lips. By the look on his face he seemed to be thinking of something, which made Natalia nervous.

  “The door appears as if it was busted in by some force,” the king said, looking around. His serious face showed no other sign of emotion. “You said the door was locked?” He asked as he looked at Natalia for a second, then back at the broken-in doorway.

  She nodded her head, wondering why it mattered that the door was locked.

  The king became quiet as if his mind was rushed with a billion thoughts all at once.

  With anxious looks on their faces, the soldiers gathered near the king after rummaging around the chamber, waiting for an order.

  “Call the other soldiers and search everywhere!” the king shouted. “No one is to leave this castle until everyone is questioned!”

  The soldiers rushed through the doorway, carrying the clanging sounds of their armor with them.

  “Go fetch Lilith and bring her to me!” The king pointed to a nearby soldier who was just about to exit the room.

  The soldier bowed his head and left quickly out of the room.

  “Where is that woman!?” the king mumbled to himself in an irritated manner, then shook his head in disappointment as he looked around the dim chamber. “She should have been by Marrisa’s side at every waking moment! She will be chastised for this!”

  The room became quiet all of a sudden, except for the rain that still poured outside onto the balcony. The king walked slowly to the opened archway of the balcony, staying silent as he seemed to daze off. He leaned against the cold stone threshold of the archway, looking out into the dark rainy night’s sky.

  “Lady Natalia—come to me,” the king said in a less demanding fashion as he still stared upon the rain.

  A soft rumble of thunder rolled into the room as Natalia approached the silent king. He rubbed his face and forehead, trying to relieve the stress that rushed upon his body. Phillip stayed glued in his spot, watching the awkward scene as Natalia slowly crept upon the king. She did not say anything, she just stood there, becoming oddly nervous as the king did not even turn to look at her.

  “This room is colder than I remembered—just like my daughter… I don’t know what has become of my daughter, Natalia,” the king said, now turning towards her.

  His face went from sad to angry as he stood up straight.

  “What is meant by that, your majesty?” Natalia asked as she rubbed her left arm.

  She was confused now. How could he react this way? He was irritated and then nonchalant when something terrible seemed to have happened to Marrisa.

  “This was supposed to be a great night, a night that would be the spectacular beginning for our kingdom. Marrisa would become Queen of Ishkar, giving Minslethrate a strong stable hand.” Suddenly the king was silent as he looked back into the rainy darkness. “I know Marrisa has run away,” he now said with an annoyed tone. “I know she is not fond of her future—I can tell by the way she has been acting, by her deportment, by her aloofness towards her royal obligations.” He glanced at Phillip as he said this, making sure that he was not listening. Instead Phillip was talking with a guard outside of the doorway. “She will not taint the future of my kingdom—she will not yield to her emotions! And it is best if I know the truth from you, Natalia. You are the closest companion she has—tell me where Marrisa has run off to! Tell me how you’ve come up with such a ridiculous plan, making her appear as if she has gotten captured!”

  Natalia was shocked by his accusations and was offended that he thought such things.

  “My king, I have told you what has happened, and I don’t know where Marrisa is.” She tried to stay calm but her anger started to show around the edges.

  He stared his dark eyes into hers, trying to find a sign of deception.

  “So she has not run away,” the king confirmed arrogantly as he began to walk to the middle of the room.

  “No! She hasn’t! Something has happened to her!” Natalia only slightly raised her voice, tying not to sound too disrespectful.

  “Natalia, hold your tongue! The Lady Daleasa approached me earlier this evening and has told me what Marrisa’s intensions were. She has informed me of what Lilith has revealed to her—about Marrisa acting strange and wanting to run away. I did not believe Marrisa would go through with such a ridiculous plan, so I did not pay any mind to it. But by the looks of this situation, I’ve made a mistake by trusting my daughter.” The king turned to Natalia.

  Her mind raced, thinking about what Daleasa had told her as well. As conniving as Daleasa was, she would never be so bold as to lie to his majesty.

  “She has been deceived,” Natalia said quickly, walking towards the king.

  “I beg your pardon?” The king’s eyebrows went up, surprised.

  “My king, Lilith has lied to Lady Daleasa, I know she has. And as you know, I am Marrisa’s best friend, her sister, I would never let her do something as stupid as to run away.” Her eyes began to water as she said this. “I would never allow her to put her life in danger. I’ve told you and I am telling you again—Marrisa is in danger!”

  The king became quiet as he looked down to the ground then back up to Natalia. He inhaled then exhaled as he slowly shook his head. Suddenly the soldier who was sent for Lilith frantically came into the room, followed by Phillip.

  “Your majesty, you must come quickly!” the soldier said with a shaken voice.

  The king looked at Natalia once more then left the room quickly, following the young soldier.

  Phillip glanced at Natalia, then followed the king.

  “What has happened?” Natalia asked with wide eyes as she caught up with him. She could tell by the look on his face and by the flustered soldiers that something terrible was going on.

  “They found a woman,” he said as they quickly continued down the long hallway.

  Natalia watched as the soldier and the king stopped at Lilith’s room, standing in the doorway. Natalia came up behind them, trying to peer in between the large bodies of the men. The king turned around quickly, lightly backing her away from the doorway.

  “My Lady, why don’t you go to the grand hall and mingle with the other courtiers?” He looked at her with dark, anxious eyes and a crooked smile, as if forcing it. “You go dance, have fun. Don’t you worry about Marrisa, we will find her...”

  Incredulous, Natalia stood there for a second or two, then shook her head as she began to take a couple of step
s backwards. She was irritated that the king hadn’t believed her and was shooting accusations at her, then he was acting as if it all had never happened.

  The king watched her for a moment, then motioned for the prince to follow him into the room. Something strange was going on, and Natalia wanted to know.

  She walked a little, then turned her head to see if she was still being watched. She stopped walking then turned around. No one was in the hallway anymore, so she silently walked back to Lilith’s room, hoping to catch a quick glimpse at what the king was acting so queer about. She tip-toed to the doorway then pressed her back to the stone wall, bending her neck to take a quick peek. She peered into the room, noticing how dim it was. A half lit candelabrum dangled from the ceiling, barely producing any light. A putrid odor began to creep upon her. She quickly covered her nose, wondering what was giving off that horrid smell.

  Both Prince Phillip’s and the king’s back were towards her, with the young soldier squatting over something. Just then the soldier stood up, revealing feet which lay lifelessly on the dirty stone floor! Natalia’s heart raced as she leaned further into the room, trying to catch a glimpse at who was laying on the floor. Natalia’s eyes widened as she realized who was on the ground. It was Katrinka, one of Marrisa’s handmaidens! She was lying in the center of a ring of unlit, melted candles! Her face and arms were a grotesque greenish-white color with dark gray blotches all over them. She obviously had been dead for a while, lying in a pool of black, coagulated blood that stained the ground. Her torso was ripped open and her neck had a large gash across it, revealing more black blood.

  Natalia turned quickly, covering her mouth and leaning her back against the wall. Her heart raced as tears began to flood her eyes. Her stomach began to churn as she started to breathe heavily. She felt sick. She felt as if a panic attack was coming upon her. She started to walk slowly down the hallway, trying to understand what was going on. “What if the same thing has happened to Marrisa?! Was it Lilith who was doing this? And poor Katrinka—she was the sweetest of all Marrisa’s handmaidens. How could anyone want to murder the poor darling?“ Natalia’s thoughts raced around and around in her head.