The Lost & Cursed

by Rina S Mamoon

  Within half an hour, she arrived at the entrance to Misty Valley.

  “Oi! Wait up,” a male voice called to her.

  Mara turned around and saw a young man in hard leather armour running to her. After catching his breath, he lifted his gaze to her. He had short black hair. His pale face was a little round with a wide nose and dark grey eyes. He had thin lips and a mouth wide enough for the biggest of smiles. His smile showed a missing front tooth. A spear and a great shield were his main weapons.

  “Ah, finally found you,” he began.

  “Who are you?”

  He placed his spear in his left hand. With his right hand freed, he held it out for a handshake.

  “The name’s Boyd,” he introduced himself, “and I’m here to help you.”

  Mara hesitantly lifted her hand to shake his. “You are? Where’s Saskia?”

  His smile faded. “Oh, her conversation with the alderman took longer than expected. So, she sent me. A good thing as well. I saw you train with her yesterday and… ooh, it was shitty.”

  Mara grew apprehensive. Boyd noticed and scratched the back of his head.

  “I mean you didn’t do well,” he said quietly.

  “Never used a sword before,” she admitted. “But Saskia thinks I’m getting better.”

  “Still, you’ll need my help,” Boyd insisted. “You have limited experience. Plus, I saved you last night!”

  “That was you?”

  She recalled last night—a spear impaled a Forgotten One, killing it instantly. Mara looked at his spear, recognizing the cutting edge and point. It was the exact same. This man seemed trustworthy.

  “Well, if Saskia said so…”

  He grinned at her. “Great! Now, let’s get going.”

  Entering Misty Valley, there were notable signs of poison and grime. It was also very quiet and the air was still. Boyd glanced around. Mara looked at him and noted the expression on his face. It was contorted in fear.

  “Scared?”

  Boyd frowned at her. “No, I’m not scared! It’s just…” They stopped. Boyd looked down at the grime-covered ground. “The curse spreads every day, as long as the creature remains alive. Ozin will fall to ruin unless she is slain.”

  He looked up at Mara and pointed past her. She turned around and observed her surroundings. Homes were built with rotten wood. The smell of smoke grew more persistent and ashes continued to fall. They found a body clutching a worn sword—a possible victim who tried to be a hero.

  Going deeper, Mara saw more of the Forgotten Ones. They didn’t seem to notice the two. They looked identical to the creature encountered last night. Another thing she hadn’t noticed before was their rotten flesh. Flies laid eggs in open wounds and maggots squirmed underneath their skin. The sight made her stomach twist and turn. Mara felt like vomiting.

  “Hey, you heard of the White Lady?” Boyd asked in a low tone.

  She glanced at him, ignoring her churning stomach. “Um… Yes, Saskia told me about her,” she responded quietly.

  Walking further into the village, she saw one of the Forgotten Ones holding what appeared to be a baby. It looked similar, yet very small and all bundled up. The small creature had big glowing eyes in its chubby face. She then noticed the taller creature looking back at her. It made a raspy sound at first, then lifted its head to release a high-pitched scream. The scream echoed throughout the valley.

  Boyd stepped forward and shouted, “Damn! We’ve been spotted!”

  Four Forgotten Ones approached them, wielding sickles and daggers. They watched the two with glowing eyes. Boyd stood guard and held his spear up. He glanced back at Mara, who remained frozen.

  “We have to fight!”

  Mara turned her gaze onto Boyd. He was right. They must fight or die. She glanced down at her sword, then up at the creatures. Mara gripped her sword tight and gathered her courage. The two dashed at the creatures and began their assault. Rushing and attacking first seemed to be an effective strategy. The Forgotten Ones were unable to retaliate. Even they were no match for her sword-flailing skills. She deflected one of the creature’s attacks, cutting it down in a few hits. Another ran at her, but she countered. Mara slew another Forgotten One after a few strikes. Two remained.

  Boyd slew one as well. The last one attacked him. He tried to block, but the curved blade bypassed his shield and hit his arm. Grunting in pain, Boyd dropped his guard. The Forgotten One attempted to strike again. Mara ran up to it and stabbed the blade through the creature’s back. The monster fell to its knees and slumped to the ground. Her blade slid out. Mara gazed down at the bloodstained sword in her grasp. She looked up and saw Boyd staring at her, appearing astonished that she saved him. Now they were even. She observed his left arm and saw the nasty gash. Boyd glanced at his injury as well. It looked bad and was bleeding quite a bit.

  She took a step forward. “Your arm’s bleeding!” Mara cried.

  Boyd held his wound. He tried to smile, though his face looked pained. “It’s just a cut, nothing more.”

  “Do we need to go back?”

  “No, I’m fine,” Boyd reassured her. “How about you go on ahead?” He gestured to his wound. “I need to tend to this,” he said softly. “Just search for the creature and return to me. We’ll take her on together.”

  Mara nodded and left.

  Walking deeper into the valley, Mara found a river. Small infant-sized bundles were carried by the current. The river ended in a waterfall, dumping the bundles to the bottom. She peered over to get a better look. “She must be down there.”

  Mara felt a hand on her back, pushing her over the edge. It happened so fast, she was unable to do anything about it. The last thing she saw before falling was Boyd’s malicious smirk.

  ***

  Mara awoke to find herself at the bottom of the waterfall. She glanced up to see the cliff she fell from. Boyd was nowhere to be seen. She survived the fall, but her body was aching. After the pain faded away, Mara looked around. The fog was heavier. More ashes fell from the sky and the smoke was overpowering. A smouldering house stood near the waterfall, only the charred frame remained. This was the source of the ashes and smoke. Within the fog and smoke Mara saw a tall figure. The figure appeared to be holding something in its arms, its back facing her. Getting up, she saw something in the water. The skull of a baby peered up at her. Mara moved away in fright, but saw more tiny corpses surrounding her. The figure turned around and looked at her.

  The White Lady perfectly matched the illustration in Saskia’s book. Her midsection rotted away, replaced by roots growing from within. Pieces of rotting flesh hung from her ribs. Wasting muscles were wrapped around the spine. Her long right arm had pure white skin stretched over the bones, ending in razor-sharp claws. Tree branches and roots replaced her left arm, adorned with yellowish-green growths that glowed. Her legs were long and lanky with roots growing under the skin in her left leg. A tattered white hood casted a shadow over her face. Bloodstained silk wrapped around the lower half of her body, forming her dress. Dead eyes pierced the darkness of her hood with an eerie white glow. White long hair covered much of her face.

  Mara was frozen in fear. After the fear subsided, she reached for her sword, but it was not in its sheath. The blade was embedded on a nearby bank. She ran to it, but tripped over something. Looking down, she saw the roots of the creature wrapping around her ankles. Mara held onto whatever she could as the White Lady pulled her in. Discarding the corpse, the monster lifted her up. Mara got a closer look. The left side of her face was rotten with boils and warts riddling the rest. The creature opened her mouth wide. Mara felt numb and weak, her life draining away. Her body was shutting down and her vision went dark. Before slipping away, she saw a flash of silver.

  All of a sudden, Mara fell to the ground with a thud. The first thing she saw were the severed roots writhing before her. The feeling returned to her limbs. She looked up to see the monster—the roots replacing her left arm were severed. A figure stood between the
m. Mara recognized the red hair, the leather armour and steel plating. Saskia turned to glare at her.

  “Get your sword! I’ll hold her off!” Saskia shouted.

  Mara scrambled to her feet and ran to her sword. She heard Saskia shout and grunt while fighting the White Lady. The creature released ghastly howls as she fought back. Reaching her sword, Mara pulled it out. The sounds of Saskia’s screams caused her to turn around. The creature grabbed her by the neck, threatening to drain her life. She had to save her friend. Mara dashed at the White Lady and drove her sword forward.

  Time stood still. The White Lady froze with the blade in her skull. The tip of the sword emerged through the left eye socket, destroying the eyeball. The monster opened her mouth as if to speak, but only gurgling sounds came out. She released Saskia and fell to her knees. The sword slid out of her head, still held by Mara. Saskia moved away, transfixed by the White Lady. The undying stared back at her before falling face down. Her body convulsed for a few seconds before going still. A pool of blood formed around the creature’s impaled skull. Mara gawked at the monster’s corpse. She did it—she killed the White Lady!

  She looked at Saskia, who remained stunned. Eventually, the red-haired woman looked back at her, breathing heavily. That was one hell of a fight. Mara felt her heart pounding. The adrenaline rushed through her brain. An orb of light emerged from the monster’s corpse. It shone in the dark murk of the bog, grabbing their attention. Mara curiously reached out to touch it.

  Saskia lifted her hand. “Wait!”

  Before Mara could respond, the orb shot into her hand. A sudden jolt of pain surged throughout her body, as if she were set on fire. Mara collapsed from the searing heat in her veins.

  Chapter Three

  Mara’s Secret

  Mara opened her eyes. She didn’t know how long she was unconscious. Looking around, she saw Saskia seated on a nearby tree stump. The red-haired woman looked away. Mara attempted to rise, but her body didn’t feel like moving right away. Struggling to her feet, she noticed the area around them. The fog and smoke lifted, and the ashes subsided.

  “You’re awake,” Saskia began in a sombre tone. She turned her head to look at Mara.

  Mara gazed at her in confusion. “What happened?”

  “You passed out.” Taking a deep breath, Saskia rose from her seat and approached Mara with a frown on her face. “We made it with our lives, but that was too close for comfort.” She glared at Mara. “Why did you fight her alone?” Saskia demanded in a sharp tone. “I told you to wait for me!”

  Taken aback by her words, Mara shook her head. “You sent him to help me.”

  “What are you talking about?” Now it was Saskia’s turn to be confused.

  “You sent Boyd because you were dealing with the alderman.”

  Saskia’s jaw dropped. “What?” She furrowed her eyebrows. “I never sent him.”

  Mara gawked at her. “Then who is he?”

  The red-haired woman sighed and closed her eyes. All shock and anger faded from her face. “Boyd claims he’s a travelling merchant, though how he gets his goods is questionable.” She opened her eyes. “Well, I know now he’s a scoundrel. While being forced to listen to Nigel, I saw him follow you to Misty Valley. Figured he was up to no good.”

  “And you saw him push me off the cliff?” Mara questioned.

  Saskia nodded. “Yes, I did,” she admitted. “Didn’t think you’d survive, but then I saw you stir. If I were a moment late…” Saskia sighed, frowning at her. “Look, I’m sorry. I never planned for this.”

  Mara could see the sincerity on the red-haired woman’s face. She then took notice of the White Lady’s corpse. Walking past Saskia, Mara approached the creature’s body. The White Lady’s eyes were closed as if she were sleeping peacefully. Her lips parted and all the muscles were relaxed. Looking at the creature’s right arm, it shrank down and the claws turned into fingernails. Her skin darkened to a tanned colour. Dark strands accompanied her white hair. Her face appeared more human, albeit still decayed. The creature’s body sank into the swamp. An item caught Mara’s eye. She kneeled down and reached for it. Picking it up, she stared at it.

  A comb was left behind by the creature. Once made of silver, it became tarnished from a lack of proper care. Still, details and etchings of roses remained. While staring at it, a name surfaced in her mind.

  “Evelyn,” Mara uttered out.

  “What did you say?”

  Mara turned around and saw Saskia approaching her. The red-haired woman appeared shocked. She saw the creature transform as well. Saskia also spotted the comb in her possession.

  “Evelyn… the name just came to me.” Mara gazed back at the spot before looking at the other woman. Saskia’s face remained frozen in astonishment, her eyes studied the comb. She folded her arms and shook her head, appearing distraught.

  Mara took notice. “What’s wrong?”

  Saskia gazed back with tears welling up in her eyes. Her eyelids and nose turned red. “Look around. What do you see?”

  Mara glanced around. “The fog lifted. No more ashes falling from the sky, and…” She sniffed the air. “I don’t smell smoke anymore.” She looked at Saskia. “This is what happens when you slay the White Lady, right?”

  The red-haired woman shook her head. “No, this wasn’t supposed to happen,” Saskia answered, her voice starting to break. “The fog never lifted. The smoke lingered and the ashes never stopped falling. For two hundred fifty years, this village was engulfed by her curse… until today.” She pointed to the charred house. “That was her home, the place where she was murdered. After her husband stabbed her, he set the house on fire and destroyed everything she had. She believed nobody cared, but she was wrong.” Turning around, the red-haired woman looked back at Mara. Tears flowed down her face. “Her name was Evelyn and she was my friend.” She pointed to the comb. “That comb belonged to her.”

  “What?” Mara’s jaw dropped. She looked at the comb, and then to Saskia.

  Saskia wiped away her tears and regained her composure. “I’m not who you think I am.” She approached Mara and noticed something. Saskia reached for her mask and pulled it down. She stared at Mara’s face, her eyes wide with surprise. “And neither are you…”

  Mara shook her head. “What do you mean?”

  “Look at your face.”

  She searched for a reflection. A pool of water offered one. Kneeling down, Mara saw her face for the first time. No longer was her visage rough or thin. The scars faded away. Her face looked fuller with a healthy tan and was quite angular with a narrow chin. The ridge of her nose was thin with the lower part wider. Her lips were full yet proportioned to her face. The most notable feature were her eyes—light brown and doll-like. The one thing that seemed out of place were the faded blotches around her eyes and down the sides of her face. It looked like dirt, but wouldn’t come off. Mara stared in shock.

  “My face is…” She looked up at Saskia. “How?”

  The red-haired woman looked back with a sombre expression. She kneeled down. “You’re definitely easier on the eyes now, but there’s only one explanation.”

  “What is it?”

  “There’s only one way to slay an undying for good,” Saskia explained. “Another must kill them and absorb their soul.” The red-haired woman rose to her feet.

  Mara stared up at her in confusion. “What are you saying?”

  “I need you to relax and listen to me,” Saskia hesitated softly. “You are one of them—an undying.” She gestured to the spot where the creature was. “You killed the White Lady. That orb was her soul and you absorbed it.” Saskia then looked back at Mara. “Probably the reason why you look human now.”

  Mara’s mind began to reel. Her chest tightened. “I’m one of them?”

  Saskia frowned. “Yes, I’m afraid so, but it now makes sense. I knew you weren’t human.” She sighed. “Didn’t want to scare you. I’ve been trying to figure out how to explain it.”

  “I
s there a way to remove the curse?” Mara questioned, her voice growing tense.

  The red-haired woman shook her head. “I know little about it, let alone remove it. There are others, but most succumb to their curse immediately. The undying are often hunted because of the threat they can pose,” Saskia explained. Her frown was replaced by a curious look. “But at least your humanity appears intact. Either you became one recently or it’s your amnesia.” She glanced back to the spot where the White Lady fell. “Either way, I’ve been waiting two hundred fifty years.”

  “What do you mean?” Mara questioned, rising to her feet. She began to catch on that Saskia was no ordinary individual either.

  “I’ll explain later, but I want to thank you for lifting the curse,” Saskia told her. “Now Evelyn can finally rest.” She closed her eyes. A sad smiled formed on her face. “Those wretches at Ozin can now rest easy.”

  With the comb in her hand, Mara held it out to Saskia as if to offer. Saskia opened her eyes and looked at the comb. She reached over, but stopped. Pulling her hand back, she shook her head. “No, you keep it. I’ve no use for it.”

  “Okay,” she said, putting it away in her pocket. Then, “Oh, about that… I’m sorry.”

  Saskia gave a strange look. “Why are you apologizing?”

  “You got kicked out of the village…”

  The red-haired woman nodded and sighed. “Yes, tonight is my last night. I’ll return to Greyward Hold and I’d like you to accompany me.” Mara watched her in confusion, but Saskia explained further. “There may be someone who can help you.”

  Mara’s eyes lit up. “Who?”

  “The leader of the Silver Thorns, a guild that protects mankind from monsters,” the red-haired woman said. “Master Harold dedicated his whole life protecting Ardana from magic and the monsters born from it.”

  Mara gave a curious look. “The alderman from Ozin… He mentioned the Silver Thorns.”