Somehow, Mara regained her strength and opened her eyes. Lifting her sword, she swung it into Isabella’s arm. The vampire screeched. Mara fell to the ground, the severed hand still attached to her neck. She pulled the hand off and threw it away. Vampire blood stained the snow red. Looking up at Isabella, Mara saw her face twist in agony and fury.
Isabella growled at her, holding her wound. “You’ll pay for this!”
She swung at Mara, sending her flying. She grunted while hitting another roof. A dust of snow kicked up around her. Tiny drops of her blood created small black circles in the snow. Her sword landed beside her. While recovering, she saw Isabella flying around. She landed beside Mara, ready to finish her off.
“Time for you to join Saskia and Heru!” Isabella roared.
“So, it was you after all?” Mara questioned.
The vampire smirked, baring her razor sharp teeth. “They were my greatest enemies! Saskia, that foolish woman—she swore to protect humans from creatures like me. Humans are nothing but cattle. They only live to feed and serve us!”
Isabella showed her true colours. This whole “protecting her people” was an act, to make sure her food supply wasn’t being endangered.
“What of Heru?”
“He was nothing but a mongrel! His existence was a threat to me. Everyone knows a werewolf’s bite is fatal to a vampire. I’m glad he’s dead! That’s what he gets for slaughtering my kin!” The ruler of Hema smiled. “I wanted to thank you for killing that mongrel and hoped you’d take my offer. But since you didn’t, the only thing I can offer is death!”
Isabella lunged at her. Mara snatched her blade and pointed it upwards. The vampire noticed, but it was too late. Once the blade penetrated her heart, Isabella released an ear-piercing scream and fell onto Mara. She became still and unmoving. Mara pushed her body to the side and got up.
She watched Isabella revert back to her human form, then her flesh dissolved. Dark fumes rose from the rotting corpse. Lady Isabella was reduced to a bloody skeleton within seconds. Mara stared at her corpse, then fell to her knees. Her injuries took a toll on her. Mara collapsed and darkness claimed her.
Chapter Ten
Blood of the God-King
The tingling sensation in her nerves caused her hands to twitch. Soon, it became a burning sensation, setting fire to every inch of her body. The familiar feeling awakened her. Mara opened her eyes to find someone towering over her. A man examined her with a lantern. She recognized him as Dr. Simon.
“Ah, you’re awake,” said the doctor. “We meet again.”
She looked at him before gazing at her surroundings. She somehow returned to Hemal Clinic. It was still nighttime. The last thing she remembered was being on the rooftop of Bartharoy Castle. She glanced back at the doctor and noticed they weren’t alone. Mr. White watched her in silence. Commander White was awake and receiving a blood transfusion. He glared at Mara in bewilderment and repulsion.
Dr. Simon gestured to Mr. White. “He requested your retrieval. You succumbed to your injuries, but somehow revived.”
She tried to move, but felt very heavy. She glanced down to find restraints holding her down. She stared back at them with yellow glowing eyes.
“What is this?” Mara hissed.
“It’s a precaution,” the doctor told her. “I also hear you fell victim to the glamour. And since Lady Isabella is dead, it’ll be impossible to undo it.”
She raised an eyebrow. “So, you know I killed her?”
“Of course.” Dr. Simon replied nonchalantly. “The general public knows.”
“Aren’t you going to arrest me?”
“Lady Isabella was as cruel as they came and many feared her. I’m sure most will be pleased with this outcome. Evan will serve as interim chancellor. In time, a new leader will be elected. Change will come to this land either for better or worse.”
“I didn’t just kill Isabella, but Heru as well—two seals to the Dark One,” Mara murmured.
Mr. White nodded. “We’ve notified Master Harold. I sent a letter to Greyward Hold, telling everything that transpired. We’ll be escorting you back to Grey Mountain.”
She stared at him, and then to his son. Commander White looked less than thrilled about travelling in the same carriage with her. She glanced back at the old man.
“Thanks, but I’ll go back myself.”
“Nonsense,” Mr. White said. “It’ll be much better if we go with you. I think Master Harold will understand if we’re there to explain.”
The doctor readied a syringe containing a clear substance. She watched the needle being inserted into her arm.
“If I wanted to sleep, I don’t need sedatives to help me,” Mara said.
“It’s a safety precaution,” Dr. Simon said, injecting the contents into her arm.
“What? Am I dangerous?”
Nobody answered her question. Everything went dark. A part of her brain remained awake.
“This room will be isolated,” Dr. Simon said. “No one is to enter under any circumstances.”
The men vacated the room. Mr. White and Dr. Simon helped the commander to his feet. Commander White looked back at her as they left. Now alone, she fell asleep.
***
Mara found herself within a forested area, in a cold winter night.
A man shouted at her. “Show yourself!”
She looked up a hill and saw a group of men holding lanterns. Mara ran from them, though they didn’t appear to follow her. They set up a camp. One of them wandered away while the others slept. She followed him and he attacked her.
“You can’t even speak, can you?”
She heard a familiar male voice. There were flashes of silver and steel.
“I have nothing to say to the likes of you,” Mara hissed. It was a blur, but she fought back. She punched him in the face, slashed him in the chest, and even kicked him in the backside. She shoved her opponent into a tree. “She’ll never take you away from me, ever again.”
Mara heard a man scream and saw a red haze. Soon, she was thrown to the ground. Another man attacked her. The last thing she saw was a large sledgehammer stained in black blood.
***
Mara jolted awake. She was still lying on the examination table. The sedative remained in effect. Mara wondered how much the doctor pumped into her. Her entire body remained asleep, yet her mind was wide-awake. Reeling from the dream, Mara tried to figure out what it was about. That man she bit—she recalled seeing a dark grey overcoat sporting a red cape and golden plates of armour. She could not see his face, but the voice remained familiar. Speaking of which, she heard voices in the distance. She recognized them as the commander and his father.
“Oh, there you are. How are you feeling?” Mr. White called.
“Better,” the commander said in a bitter tone.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m just going for a walk.”
The footsteps grew louder, coming closer to her room. From the corner of her left eye, she saw an image of a man appearing in the door window. Commander White looked inside. The doorknob turned and he entered her room. He gave a bitter glare while approaching her. She saw a flask in his hand. He had been drinking again. She snapped her eyes shut and pretended to be asleep. Whatever he planned, she couldn’t do much.
She sensed Commander White towering over her, the smell of alcohol drifting in her direction. Mara felt his fingers on her eyelids, pushing them up. She felt like a dead body being examined. His bright green eyes stared at her face. He moved his hands from her eyes. She snapped her eyes shut, making it look like she remained unconscious. He reached for her mask and pulled it down. She could smell the alcohol in his breath. Her body tingled, the sedative began to wear off. Her right arm broke free of the leather bind and grabbed the nape of his neck. It caught him off guard. He tried to pull away, but she held on tight.
Opening her eyes, she stared into his bewildered face. Pulling him closer, Mara exhaled. She could tell he was unh
appy, but didn’t care. She parted her lips and brushed them against his own. Commander White tried to pull away again, but she had no intentions of letting him go. Her lips pulled into a smile and her canines elongated. In a playful fashion, she bit his lower lip and pulled away. One of her fangs pricked the flesh, making him flinch. Blood was drawn. She extended her tongue and lapped up the blood. Her body began to shudder. The strong tingling sensation returned. Mara felt this before when Lady Isabella splashed his blood onto her face. She tasted his blood by accident and it made her feel alive. Now she wanted another taste. Staring at his horrified face, she bared her teeth. Opening her jaws, Mara chomped on the left side of his neck. The commander screamed.
Red liquid flowed down her throat and entered her stomach. Her entire body shuddered again. Every cell came alive and sang with joy. She felt an itch underneath the surface of her skin, growing stronger by the second. His blood tasted like a tender roast beef, juicy and rare. Mara could also taste alcohol in his blood. She wanted more. Her feeding frenzy blocked out the screams of her victim.
All of a sudden, she was tackled by three men. Two guards restrained her free arm while the doctor pried her jaws away from Commander White’s neck. The commander staggered backwards, holding his bloody neck. Mr. White rushed to his side.
“Karl! What happened?” He gazed at his son’s neck.
Dr. Simon inspected his injury. “She missed the carotid artery, but the wounds are deep.”
The doctor had Mr. White hold a cloth to the wound and put pressure on it. He left to retrieve some medical supplies. The commander frowned at Mara, unhappy with her actions. Mr. White glanced at him as he pressed the cloth to his son’s neck.
“What happened?” Mr. White questioned.
“What do you think happened?” Commander White hissed. He reached for the cloth and held on. Mr. White looked at her while the guards restrained her to the examining table. Mara stared back at them, noticing the surprise and horror. They all gazed at her in shock.
She wondered why they were gawking at her like this. By the time Dr. Simon returned, the electric feeling faded. Even the doctor saw her face and was mystified.
Mr. White glanced at Dr. Simon and asked, “What’s going on?”
The middle-aged doctor approached her. After observing her, he turned around and looked at the two men. “I’ll dress your wound in another room.”
Mr. White nodded and helped his son to his feet. The commander kept glaring at Mara. She stared back at him with wide glowing eyes.
One of the guards looked at her. “What about her?”
Dr. Simon glanced back at them. “Don’t worry. I’ll figure out what she is.” Mara glared at the doctor in response. The doctor noticed her reaction. “I wish to run a few tests. They’ll not hurt for the most part.” He gazed at the guards. “Watch this room until I return.”
The guards nodded. The doctor guided everyone out of the room, leaving her alone. Commander White scowled at her as he left. The guards placed her free arm back into the strap, securing her. She watched them leave her alone.
At least an hour went by. She sat on the table. It was all she could do since being strapped down. She stared at the leather binds holding her arms and began to writhe. Her glowing eyes gazed at her right arm, continuing to pull at the leather strap. While doing this, she heard voices. Focusing her ears, Mara recognized Commander White and his father. They were in another room, though she could hear them crystal clear.
“She bit you,” Mr. White said. “And she transformed!”
“Great,” Commander White murmured. “The last thing I need is that rumour going around.”
“I think it’s too late. Word of you possessing the blood of the God-King is circulating.”
Unbeknownst to them, Mara was listening. It was her first time hearing about this rumour, but didn’t know what it really meant. While she continued to pull on the strap, the door opened. She looked up and saw Dr. Simon enter the room.
“Now, where were we?”
She stared at him and became still. The doctor approached her with some gloves and a notebook. The notebook was for recording any details worth noting. She eyed the notebook. Dr. Simon took notice.
“I assure you the tests won’t be terrible. A little pain may be involved, but it’ll help us determine what you are.” He first observed her face. “Consuming human blood restores your humanity? That’s a neat trick.” She just stared at him, not knowing what he was talking about. He noticed her reaction. “Don’t believe me? Here, take a look at yourself.”
He walked to a cabinet and retrieved a mirror. He reflected her image back onto her. Mara appeared human except for the glowing eyes, fangs, and the dark blotches on her face. She stared at her face curiously. As far as she was concerned, only an undying’s soul or a healing stone could restore her. How did this happen? The doctor put the mirror away and continued his observation.
“Only a few creatures feed on human blood,” Dr. Simon informed. He took a cloth and wiped the blood off of her lips and chin. He reached for her mouth and got her to open her jaws. He observed her fangs. “Vampire or werewolf come to mind, but they don’t feed on blood to maintain a human form.” Mara watched him in silence. Dr. Simon removed his hand from her mouth and examined her left arm. He reached for her glove and began to remove it.
“The vampire needs to feed in order to remain functional,” he revealed. “The ability to appear human is determined by age. The older they are, the more powerful they become. So the vampire is ruled out.” He removed her glove and found a very human forearm and hand. Though the fingernails were black with small pointed tips. “Werewolves, on the other hand, are driven by insatiable bloodlust. So, maybe you’re a hybrid of both?” Dr. Simon took a silver surgical knife and lowered it to her arm. She flinched upon feeling the blade against her flesh. The doctor gazed at her. “Relax, this is part of the test.”
Mara took a deep breath as the surgical knife cut into her skin. The knife made a clean cut into the arm. Blood, black as night, poured out. He had never seen this before. Dr. Simon was also stunned to see the cut close up and heal as if it never existed. He turned to his notebook and jotted down some notes.
“Not a vampire,” he said, “or a werewolf for that matter.”
She stared at him. “Could have told you that—I’m an undying.”
Dr. Simon glanced at her in surprise. “You are?”
She nodded. He gazed at his notes, continuing to add more words “How strange. The undying originated in Thoron, but due to the imposed isolation, much of that knowledge remains there.”
She shrugged. “In order to regain my human form, I need to absorb the soul of an undying or use a healing stone. Don’t know how consuming his blood did this.”
He examined her for a while, then went back to his notes and continued to write.
“And it was Commander White you bit?” Dr. Simon asked. “Maybe the rumours are true?”
“Is it about him possessing the blood of the God-King?” Mara asked.
“So you’ve heard? Yes, the rumour about Commander White, though it hasn’t been confirmed. But considering your transformation, it may be true.” He changed the subject. “This will be important information. These notes will be sent to Dr. Moen. He studies all the monsters in Ardana. Quite the eccentric, dabbling in many inventions, and claiming to improve the lives of many Ardanians. He might know what kind of creature you are.”
Mr. White entered the room. Dr. Simon gazed back at him.
“We’ll be leaving soon,” Mr. White said.
Dr. Simon nodded and released Mara from her restraints. Once freed, she took back her glove and put it on. While doing this, she witnessed the doctor hand the notes over to Mr. White.
“I’d appreciate it if you deliver this to Dr. Moen,” said the doctor.
Mr. White took them and nodded. Mara placed her mask back on and left the clinic. Mr. White followed her out.
Chapter Eleven
&nbs
p; Lost and Found
The sun rose on November 17. The snow fell to the ground like light feathers. Leaving the clinic, Mara found Commander White waiting with a group of Holy Blades. Mr. White walked beside her. Mara recognized the men in golden armour from the other day. The Holy Blades stared at her, expressing apprehension at her unusual appearance. The commander remained quiet as he held his hands behind his back, gazing at the main road to Terra. Looking at Commander White, Mara saw that he wore his usual attire. Eventually, he turned around and gave his classic glare. Walking up to Mara, he reached into his left pocket and pulled out a rope.
“What’s that?” Mara asked, looking and pointing at the rope.
“This is a rope,” Commander White answered in a matter-of-fact tone. “In order to travel with us, you’re to be bound and restrained.”
She stared at him in disbelief.
“It’s a necessary precaution,” Mr. White said, “for everyone’s safety.”
“Necessary precaution my ass,” Mara hissed, rolling her eyes. “I think I’ll just walk.”
She began to walk away. The commander stared forward nonchalantly.
“I see,” Commander White began. Then he glanced to his subordinates and shouted, “Blades!”
The Holy Blades swarmed Mara, tackling her to the ground. One of them hit her in the back of the head. Commander White gazed down at her with his hands behind his back.
“I’m afraid you don’t have any choice in this matter. We’re on a tight schedule.”
The commander kneeled down and took her hands. He wrapped her wrists with a tight rope. Mara showed no resistance. She felt disorientated from the knock on the head. After he finished, Commander White pulled her up to her feet and directed her to a carriage.
“Now move.” He began to push her. She reluctantly moved. Before boarding, Commander White addressed his father. “Please go to the other carriage, old man.”
Mr. White looked confused, but obeyed his request. Mara watched the old man enter the other carriage.
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