The Lost & Cursed

by Rina S Mamoon

  Copyright © 2018 Rina S. Mamoon.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photo-copying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior permission of the publisher or author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews and other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher at the address below.

  Note: This is a work of fiction. All characters, locations, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people, companies, locations, or places is purely coincidental.

  Contact by email: rina.mamoon@gmail.com

  Author Website: rinasmamoon.ca

  Chapter One

  The Guide

  A lone bell chimed within the darkness. The resonating sound reached her ears, pulling her from a deep sleep. When she opened her eyes, her vision was foggy and her thoughts were hazy. After a moment her vision cleared and the fog lifted, but she didn’t recognize the old crypt she was in. Only darkness and silence accompanied her. Where was she? More importantly, who was she? The haze in her mind obscured the answer. Still groggy, she felt like going back to sleep.

  “Mara, wake up.”

  A woman’s voice echoed in her ears, jolting her awake. Her eyes flew open and she shot upwards to a seated position. She rubbed her eyes to remove the lingering blur. The first thing she saw was a woman in a suit of armour. The dark silver metal clung tight to her body from head to toe. Glowing blue gems and golden trimmings decorated her armour. The tight black suit underneath looked as if it were her own skin. A red hood with gold hems covered her head. The fabric cascaded down her back like a cape. The same red cloth covered the sides of her legs. Her face possessed seven blue eyes that glowed in the darkness. One of the eyes were much larger and sat on her forehead while the rest tapered down her face in pairs. No mouth could be seen on her face.

  Now given a name, she rose to her feet. She glanced around, but couldn’t recall her surroundings. Her eyes finally fell on the armoured creature.

  “Your name is Mara,” she said.

  The name seemed familiar. She opened her mouth to repeat it. “Mara…” It felt like the first time hearing her own voice.

  “You must come with me,” the armoured woman told her. “There’s not much time left.”

  Turning around, the creature walked into the darkness. Mara began to follow. After taking a few steps, she stopped and saw an object thrown towards her. Catching it, Mara obtained a gold-hemmed black hood and a mask. Pale fur lined the hood. Attached to it was a long black cape with holes and tears at the bottom.

  “Go ahead. Put it on,” the woman instructed. Mara donned the hood and used the mask to cover her face. The creature stared at her and nodded. “Good, this is the first step.”

  Mara gawked at the strange woman in confusion.

  “What is it?” After a moment of silence, the creature introduced herself. “I am the Watcher. I will be your guide, to lead you out of the darkness.” Mara tilted her head to the left while listening to her. “Once you leave this place, I recommend you don’t show your face to anyone.”

  Mara felt confused. What kind of advice was that?

  “I understand if you’re confused. I’m sorry you lost all your memories,” the Watcher said. Mara kept her eyes on the strange creature. She wanted to say something, but the Watcher walked away. The guide stopped and looked back at her. “Come, there is very little time remaining.”

  She followed her guide into the darkness, unsure where they were going or what was happening. The torches on the stone halls were spread apart, offering little light. The small flames were almost choked off by the dark. Mara still had no idea why she was down here, or how she ended up in this place.

  “Please move quickly,” the Watcher instructed. “We’re not alone.”

  A growl echoed through the brick halls. Mara stopped and looked around. Those sounds came from behind. The mysterious guide stopped.

  “It’ll be best not to be caught,” the guide recommended, and then moved forward.

  Mara stayed quiet and followed her. Walking by some steel bars, she spotted a figure crouching. The figure looking back at her wasn’t human. It watched Mara and made a guttural sound. Standing up, it sprinted away.

  “Stay quiet and be still,” the Watcher said. “It has poor eyesight, but can hear you. I’m speaking to you with telepathy and only you can hear me.”

  Mara was unfamiliar with the word, telepathy, but it more or less explained how the guide could speak without a mouth. She kept following, but the Watcher disappeared into the darkness.

  Mara was left alone. She entered a room with three exits, not knowing which path to take. She glanced to her right and walked in that direction. Hearing more growls, Mara froze. Feeling her pounding heart, she took a deep breath. Something was breathing down her neck. Her eyes widened. Turning around, she saw the deformed and grotesque face of a monster.

  All she could do was run, her heart thumping. Mara breathed deep as she ran away from the monster pursuing her. She saw four bulging white eyes on a bird-like head. It had long black claws on long slender fingers, and an emaciated body with skin stretched across its bones. It wore dirty and bloody brown rags, a hood on the head, and a tattered cloth around its thin waist. After a few minutes of running, Mara stopped and looked behind. The creature was no longer pursuing her.

  This place was like a maze with many paths and dead-ends. Wandering the labyrinth, Mara heard the growls of the creature echoing in the hallways. She found a locked gate at last. This had to be the exit. She turned around and saw the creature walking towards her. Mara froze and held her breath. It stopped and looked around, unable to see her. Then it turned around and shambled away. A small brass key fell from its rags. She stared at the shiny object and remained still, waiting until the creature walked back into the darkness.

  When the creature was no longer visible, Mara dashed for the key. After grabbing it, she ran back to the gate and fumbled with the key. She could hear the creature return. The gate finally opened and she dashed through. The creature tried to grab her, but the gate slammed into its face. It cried out in pain from the impact. Mara stared at it briefly before fleeing.

  Still hearing the creature’s cries, Mara ran towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Once she reached the end, she saw the Watcher again.

  “Follow the path to Ozin Village,” the guide instructed. Then the armoured woman disappeared, leaving Mara to her own devices.

  ***

  Mara walked along a path down a mountain. She was surrounded by deciduous trees painted in red and yellow. The leaves fell to the ground and a bitter chill hung in the air. The songs of birds could be heard from the bushes. Looking around, she saw tiny birds with grey bodies and black caps. They saw her as well, chirping to warn the others of her presence. The tiny birds flitted away as she walked by. Mara stopped at a signpost. A name was carved on a piece of wood—Ozin Village. Walking further, she saw the village and stopped. This was the place the guide instructed her to go.

  A low growl bellowed from within her stomach. She couldn’t recall the last time she ate. Mara spotted a house a fair distance away from the rest of the village. It looked deserted. Approaching it, she discovered the door unlocked and invited herself in. Looking around the vacant home, she found a cooking pot over a small hearth. Mara approached it and could smell something edible. She removed the lid and peered inside, seeing some sort of stew. While peeking inside, she got attacked from behind. She was struck in the back of the head and knocked out cold.

  ***

  “Hey, you awake yet? Wake up.”

&
nbsp; She awoke to the sound of a female voice different from the Watcher. Opening her eyes, Mara found herself seated in a chair with her hands bound from behind. She lifted her gaze to see a group of people standing before her, watching with apprehension. Mara’s ratty clothes were darkened by dirt and grime. Her shirt and pants were stained with dried blood. Though Mara didn’t know where the stains came from or if the blood was hers. She also wore mismatched gloves and dirty knee-high boots. The hood casted a shadow over her face, and the mask concealed the rest from below the eyes.

  A woman stepped forward from the crowd. “Ah, you woke up.”

  Mara watched her. The woman appeared to be in her thirties. Red braided hair went down to the middle of her back with some loose strands in the front. Her pale face was a little on the thin side with rosy cheeks and steel-blue eyes. Her nose was small but round at the nostrils. The red-haired woman also possessed thin lips.

  Steel plating covered her left shoulder and both legs. A brown open-bust leather cuirass wrapped around her torso and the tanned shirt underneath. The dark brown sleeves were made from a different material, rolled up at the elbows. Brown gloves covered her forearms with the left one adorned in steel. She wore plain black pants that clung tight to her figure. Tanned stockings rose past the knees, and she also wore brown leather knee-high boots. A large black book was strapped on her right hip. The strong-looking woman was easy on the eyes.

  “You’re in Ozin Village,” the woman said, and then introduced herself. “My name is Saskia. What’s yours?”

  “Mara,” she responded.

  The crowd murmured. The woman, named Saskia, lifted her right hand to silence them. She kept gazing at Mara. “What brings you to our village? Why are you here?”

  “I was told to come here.”

  More murmuring ensued. Saskia cleared her throat to silence the villagers.

  “Really? Who told you to come here?” Saskia questioned.

  “A creature with seven eyes, and wearing a red hood.” The words that came out of Mara’s mouth sounded strange, even to her. The villagers gave mixed reactions.

  “Okay,” Saskia responded, raising an eyebrow. “Where did you come from?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know?” Saskia looked annoyed.

  Mara shook her head. “I came from inside the mountain.”

  The villagers gave an incredulous stare, even Saskia looked astounded. They didn’t hesitate to speak their minds.

  “Unbelievable…”

  “She came from that place?”

  “She has to be lying!”

  As Saskia gazed at Mara, the astonished look melted from her face. “I believe her.”

  The villagers gawked at the red-haired woman. A man stepped forward. “But, ma’am… She’s―”

  “She’s very lucky if she came from that place,” Saskia interrupted him.

  “Excuse me,” Mara began quietly. “What day is it?”

  The red-haired woman stared at her, becoming aware of Mara’s amnesia. Taking pity on the poor girl, Saskia decided to answer her question. “It’s November 5, 999ED. It’s late autumn, and the first snow will fall soon.”

  Mara recalled the trees shedding their leaves and became a little familiar with the seasons, but remained very confused. How long did she stay in that mountain? The red-haired woman studied her expression.

  “We live in the Era of Darkness, which started when the Golden Age came to an end a thousand years ago,” Saskia explained to her. Then, “Does any of this sound familiar to you?”

  Mara stared at the red-haired woman and shook her head.

  Saskia sighed, pressing her fingers to her forehead. She closed her eyes. “This land is plagued by a monster scourge, growing worse every year. There will be no safe place in Ardana.”

  The red-haired woman opened her eyes. She walked behind Mara and untied her restraints. The villagers looked on, appearing baffled by her actions. She walked in front of Mara and stared at her. “You want to live in this village?”

  Saskia’s question surprised the villagers as well as Mara.

  Mara shook her head. “No, I just need some help. I’ve no memory other than my name.”

  “Then your best bet is Mirahyll, the capital of Terra,” Saskia suggested. “Their doctors could help, given you can afford their services.”

  Mara searched her pockets, but didn’t have a single piece of gold to her name. With no gold and her raggedy appearance, it was likely no doctor would touch her. She looked back at Saskia, noticing her stare. Mara looked awful and was starving. She grew desperate.

  “Please, I don’t have anything,” Mara begged. “But I’m willing to do some work and earn some gold.”

  Saskia raised an eyebrow. She remained quiet for a while, thinking about her options. “Okay, you can stay with me for now,” she said, taking pity on the stranger once again. “Do some work around here and I’ll pay you. Before long, you’ll earn enough gold to see a doctor.”

  Mara’s eyes lit up, feeling grateful for the woman’s heart of gold.

  “What kind of work?” she asked.

  Saskia folded her arms. “How about monster hunting? Pay is decent and there’s always pests to deal with.”

  Mara frowned under her mask. “Excuse me, but I’ve never done that in my life.”

  The red-haired woman grinned. “Then I’ll teach you.” She held out her hand. “Do we have a deal?”

  Mara glanced up at Saskia, then her hand. She had no idea what she was getting herself into, but what were her choices? If she had to do this, so be it. Mara grabbed her hand.

  Saskia nodded. “Good, let’s get started.”

  She beckoned Mara to the training grounds and began with basic sword training.

  ***

  The first thing Mara learned was how experienced Saskia was. Great to know she’d be trained by a very skillful swordsman. However, seconds into the training, the red-haired woman threw her to the ground. Mara’s lack of experience was painfully obvious. She heard snickers and chuckles. Groaning, Mara glared at a group of men who watched her train.

  Saskia looked at her and smiled. “Come on. Get up.”

  Mara rose to her feet and the two sparred again.

  “So, where do you call home?” Saskia asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Surely someone’s looking for you?”

  Mara shrugged. The red-haired woman raised an eyebrow.

  “Well, someone might recognize you if you took off that hood. Why do you wear that?” As their wooden swords clashed, Saskia leaned in towards her ear. “I bet you’re really pretty underneath that hood,” she whispered suggestively.

  Mara’s face heated up. Her grip on the training sword loosened. “Well, I… I…”

  Saskia dropped the straight face. “Aha ha! I’m not that kind of person, but I warn you…”

  With that, she knocked Mara down again. She hit the ground with a thud, causing the spectators to laugh once again. Saskia was nonchalant at first, but soon began to grin.

  “A beautiful woman can be the most dangerous thing in this land.”

  Mara gave a questioning glance. “What do you mean?”

  “Know about the goddess, Kallisto?”

  Mara shook her head. The red-haired woman looked annoyed and sighed.

  “Well, Kallisto is said to be so beautiful, she can bewitch any man and put him under her thrall,” Saskia said. Mara was unfamiliar with such a goddess, but the red-haired woman gave a warning. “But some creatures, like vampires, can appear beautiful to unsuspecting men.”

  The men stopped laughing as soon as Saskia mentioned this and left, allowing the two women to train alone.

  “Get up, training’s not over yet,” Saskia said. Mara rose to her feet and they resumed. This time she blocked most of Saskia’s swings. The red-haired woman nodded expectantly. “Ah, you’re getting good. Thought you said you have no experience?”

  “I do have amnesia,” Mara repl
ied.

  “Still, it seems like you had some training before. Maybe it’s coming back to you?”

  The wooden sword in her hands was familiar to Mara. Looking up, she found herself in a clearing. Across from her was not Saskia, but an older man. He had dark skin and black hair with some grey setting in. He owned a pronounced nose and high cheekbones. His dark eyes were almond-shaped. The man looked to be in his fifties, though in terrific shape. He was muscular and strong, as if he could carry two men. The older man appeared familiar, but she couldn’t remember where.

  In her distraction, Mara got hit over the head by Saskia’s training sword. A loud smack echoed throughout the village. The hit was strong enough to send her crumpling to the ground. Mara recovered and looked for the man again, but he vanished from her sight.

  Saskia smirked at her. “I guess training’s over.”

  Mara stared up at her in bewilderment. “But I haven’t learned anything!” She rose to her feet.

  The red-haired woman continued to grin. “Yes, you have. Just remember to keep your sword up and don’t get hit.” Then she laughed. Mara rubbed the top of her head. Saskia looked at her, still keeping that smile on her face. “Hope I didn’t hit you too hard. Or maybe I helped you remember?”

  “Or cause me to lose more memories,” Mara grumbled.

  Saskia’s smile faded. “You got distracted,” she said in a stern tone. Saskia waved her hand to the vast land outside the village. “Out there, you’d be dead.” Mara frowned underneath her mask. The red-haired woman noticed and smiled again. “Let’s get dinner. You earned that much at least. I’ll even pay for your meal.”

  Mara’s ears perked up and she nodded in agreement. Saskia raised an eyebrow in amusement. The first thing she learned about Mara was her excitement towards food.

  ***

  The two entered the inn as the sun was setting. They arrived before the typical crowd, having the inn mostly to themselves. A barmaid guided them to a table at the far corner. As Mara sat down, Saskia made their request.

  “We’ll have some fried meat, vegetables, and some cow milk,” she told the barmaid.