The Lost & Cursed

by Rina S Mamoon

  Commander White gazed at her with indifference. “That’s none of my concern. The horse was your responsibility. It’s your fault you lost it.”

  She glared back at him. “Why the hell are you here?”

  “If you think we came to do your job, you’re sadly mistaken. Although we’re better equipped and more capable of dealing with werewolves than you.”

  She stood there and shook her head. “So, why are you here again?”

  “We have a different business to attend to. It is none of your concern,” Commander White said, his face remained frozen. Rolling her eyes, she turned around and walked away. Mara was not going to waste anymore time talking to him.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Commander White demanded.

  Mara didn’t stop. “I have some business to attend to as well,” she replied in a cold tone. “The people at the Delta Farms rely on me.”

  She heard the gallop of a horse coming from behind. Mara looked back and saw the commander approach her. His glare remained on her.

  “I noticed that you entered Mirahyll in your true form,” Commander White began.

  She shook her head. “That’s none of your concern.”

  “Perhaps,” he said. “I trust you didn’t use that healing stone.”

  She checked her pocket. It remained intact and ready to be used.

  “No, I still have it,” Mara said, looking up at him.

  “You didn’t use it?”

  Mara frowned. “I only have one. Death can be a few steps away and it’ll be a stone wasted.”

  “I see,” the commander responded. “You’re more smarter than I thought.”

  Mara raised an eyebrow. “Thanks, I think.”

  He changed the subject. “I was told you left Har’ Yhan in the middle of the night.”

  “So?”

  “Why did you leave?”

  Mara was surprised at his question. “Why do you care?”

  “Did you see us?”

  Looking at his face, the commander was very serious and demanded a response. Mara nodded. Keeping his eyes on her, Commander White dismounted from his steed. He took a few steps towards her. The frown remained on his face. Stopping two feet before Mara, his eyes studied her with scrutiny.

  “So, you did?” Commander White began. “It must hurt so much…” Mara froze. He knew she had seen him with Morgan. She looked up at him. The commander’s face was devoid of emotion. “Hopefully, you’ll get the point,” he said unsympathetically. “I know of your feelings and you should stop it. I could never love a monster.”

  Mara stared at him. She felt as if her heart was being grabbed and twisted. His words drove her over the edge. She opened her mouth. “Really? You didn’t seem to mind fucking Morgan,” she said lowly.

  Those words just spilled out of her mouth, but she stopped as soon as she saw his death glare. His face turned red. Her comment might have been heard by his subordinates. Mara could see them murmuring to each other. The commander cleared his throat, silencing his men. He then addressed Mara.

  “And if I were you, I’d keep what happened that night a secret,” Commander White hissed. He glared at her briefly, then returned to his horse. After mounting his steed, the commander kept scowling at her. “Now, if you excuse me, you’re wasting our time as well as your own.” With that, he snapped his head forward and rode past her.

  He led his men down the road. Mara shook her head—what nerve he had threatening her. She looked around once more, seeing no sign of her horse. Sighing, she walked down the road to the Delta Farms, trailing behind the Holy Blades.

  ***

  Reaching the Delta Farms was straight forward, but much of the day had been wasted. The sun was setting. She met a group of farmers who were waiting for her.

  “I’m here to deal with the werewolves,” Mara began. Truthfully, she was exhausted. It was a long day, dealing with a disobedient mare and the commander. And she had a job to do on top of it all.

  An old man with a grey beard stared at her. He wore a worn and stained shirt, and his pants were dirty from working in the field. His boots were caked in mud. A cap covered his head. He stood before the other farmers and their farm hands. He folded his arms, looking less than impressed. “You’re what the Chancellor sent? What took you so long?”

  “Had some difficulty getting here due to an uncooperative horse,” she explained. The farmers murmured and exchanged glances. Mara took notice and asked, “Is there a problem?”

  The old man frowned at her. “This task is beyond you. We’ve encountered five beasts!”

  “We should have got the Holy Blades heading to Medulla,” a woman suggested.

  Mara looked at them in silence. Clearly, they didn’t think she was capable of this task. “I’ve dealt with beasts and monsters before,” she reassured them. “Where did you see them?”

  The old man looked at her with caution. “Well, if you say so,” he hesitated. “The beasts are in the woods, where the creek flows. That’s where we found Nate and Jon.”

  Mara shook her head. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “Aye, that’s why we called upon Mirahyll to deal with this,” the old man said. “The Delta Farms supply much of Ardana’s food. Without us, this land will face famine on top of her monster scourge.”

  “Very well, I’ll deal with the beasts right now.”

  “Do it quick,” the old man warned her. “Lupine Woods becomes very dark at sundown. You can lose your way with ease.”

  She nodded, appreciating the advice. Mara followed the creek into the forest.

  ***

  Lupine Woods was a vast forest spanning over much of western Ardana, dividing the Outer Frontier from the rest of the nation. The Hema portion, north of Grey Mountain, was named the Old Hunting Ground. The Old Hunting Ground was home to Heru and his werewolves. The forest also housed the most diverse population of plant life and herbs. Now it was home to dangerous predators and monsters.

  Within a few minutes of entering the woods, Mara encountered the first werewolf. The beast spotted her and charged. She saw the creature in time to evade the attack. The beast gnashed its jaws as it missed. The werewolf stood on all fours while pacing back and forth, watching and growling at her. She stared back at the creature, feeling a dark energy wash over her. Her eyes began to glow. The edge of her eyelids turned black. Removing her mask, the markings darkened. As she bared her teeth, her canines elongated. The beast didn’t seem to register the changes in its opponent—she still looked human.

  The werewolf lunged at Mara. She unsheathed her sword and slashed at the creature. She hit a vital spot. Despite being injured, the beast wasn’t willing to give up. Standing on its hind legs, it made one more attempt to lunge at her. She slashed at the creature once more, taking off the head and left forearm. The body crumpled to the ground, its blood seeping into the soil. She stared at the creature, at first unfazed by the gore. The scent of its blood eventually reached her nostrils.

  Mara began to cringe while approaching the head and picking it up. She placed it inside the sack. She remembered being used to this—working with Dad, and helping him deal with nuisance pests and dangerous predators. Dad believed hunting was a valuable skill. People need to learn how to survive in Ardana.

  She heard the howls of the others. The pungent smell of the beast’s blood permeated the air, attracting them. Two werewolves arrived. She had to be on her wits as the hunt grew more difficult. The two were very aggressive as they both lunged at her. She evaded, biding her time until the moment was right to strike. That was easier said than done when dealing with two beasts. Just when she thought she could attack one, the other lunged at her in order to protect its companion. One of the werewolves slashed her arm. Mara jumped back and held her arm in fear the attack connected. Moving her hand away, the beast’s claws didn’t make any contact, but grazed her sleeve. The last thing she needed was to get infected again. She watched them with glowing eyes and bared fangs.

  The
dark energy bubbled over while dashing at one of the werewolves. Mara didn’t know what came over her, but it no longer mattered when her sword slashed across the neck of the beast. The headless body slumped to the ground. She turned to the other monster and stared it in the eye. The creature was still willing to fight. Good, it would be easier to kill it. Mara never felt so alive. She dashed at it, slashing the head off with her sword. Another headless body crumpled to the ground. Taking deep breaths, she could feel euphoria rushing through her brain. The thrill of the hunt—Mara remembered enjoying it. That feeling seemed to be amplified by the curse.

  However, a single thought of her parents drove the joyful feelings away. This was what Mom feared. It wasn’t so much the scars Mara received, but the look in her eyes while coming home stained in blood. Her mother saw her transform into the huntress, becoming like the creatures she killed. It made her fear for her daughter, believing that the world would see Mara as a savage.

  Mara looked at the two werewolf corpses and frowned. After killing the two, she picked up each head and bagged them. Three down, two to go.

  A loud screech pierced her eardrums. She lifted her head and scanned the area. It sounded like a horse being attacked by a pack of growling wolves. Following the sounds, her assumptions were correct. A lone horse was being chased by another werewolf leading a wolf pack. She recognized the uncooperative mare from earlier. Amazing that the horse remained alive, but not for long if Mara didn’t save her.

  She dashed in and attacked the werewolf. The beast’s lack of awareness was its undoing as Mara decapitated it. As soon as she was done with the werewolf, she went straight for her horse. She stood between the mare and the wolves. The wolves’ ears were angled backwards as they bared their fangs and growled. Her face darkened while her eyes glowed bright. Baring her fangs, Mara answered with her own growl. A dark aura exuded from her. The wolves dropped their aggression, their faces scrunched up in fear. They ran away with their tails tucked in between their legs. This worked out well for Mara. She didn’t want to kill them because they were beautiful animals and she had a fondness for the majestic beasts.

  Sensing a presence behind her, she turned around and stared at the mare. The lady remained alive, yet very frightened. Mara glared at her.

  “Is this what you saw when you looked at me?” Mara asked her. She took a step forward. The mare backed away. She could sense the horse’s fear. “Get out!” The frozen horse kept staring at her. The huntress lost her patience. “Get out!”

  Frightened, the mare neighed and dashed past her. She galloped in the direction Mara came from. Hopefully, the horse knew her way out of the woods. The huntress strolled over to the body of the werewolf, picking up the head and bagging it.

  She heard a low growl. Turning around, Mara encountered the last beast. This one looked different to the previous four encountered. It was an alpha, standing on its hind legs and glaring at her.

  “I should have known it was you, murderer of our lord,” the beast growled in a low male voice.

  This caught her off guard. “You can speak?”

  The werewolf bared his fangs while laughing at her. “We were always capable, but humans never cared. To mankind, a beast is nothing more than a beast.” He gazed at her. “Hmm, you are a monster hiding in human flesh…” He approached her. “I should free you from your human skin and show the world what you really are.”

  Mara gripped her sword tightly. The creature began the fight by lunging at her. She dodged and countered, slashing at the creature’s arm.

  A few minutes into their fight, the werewolf grew more aggressive and chanted, “Die. Die! Die! Die!” The creature went after Mara with a flurry of swipes. “Humans are the true monsters and killers! They commit more atrocities to their own kind… and they call us the monsters?”

  His words fazed her. It was bad timing to contemplate. In her distraction, the beast rammed his claws through her torso. Time stood still. Mara gawked at the arm impaling her chest.

  ‘Not again,’ she thought. It was just like that incident with Lady Isabella, except there was no old man to save. Blood began to rise up her throat, forcing her to cough it up. Her life was slipping away. She looked up at the creature as he snarled at her.

  “Do not worry. I’ll show you mercy and reunite you with Lord Heru.” He opened his mouth, ready to crunch down on her head. However, she wasn’t willing to give up without a fight. Her hand tightened around the grip of her sword. In a flash of silver, the forearm in her chest became separated from his body. The beast roared and staggered backwards, holding the stump where his forearm was. He stared at Mara in anger and growled, “What are you?”

  She removed the beast’s arm from her torso and tossed it aside. Gripping her bloodied sword again, she dashed at him. In one swift motion, she took his head off. The body twitched and convulsed as it crumpled to the ground. She watched while it gave the final shudders of life. After the body became still, Mara gazed to the severed head. She leaned over and picked it up. She looked into the bloodshot and glassy eyes of the creature.

  “Monsters, every last one of us,” she murmured, bagging the final head. The injuries caught up to her. Exhausted from the loss of energy and blood, she leaned against a tree and slumped down. She felt so weak right now and wouldn’t be surprised if she died.

  However, the knowledge that she was an undying brought comfort. Any mistakes made, she could always return to life and fix them. As a human, she would never have a second chance. For the first time, she saw the benefits of her curse. She was also grateful she didn’t use her only healing stone. She doubted it would help now. Mara tilted her head up and looked up at the night sky. The stars twinkled in the black velvet sky. It was unusually quiet where she sat. Mara looked around, taking note of her surroundings. It looked familiar. She saw this place before, but in a dream. Mara wanted to close her eyes and rest, but wasn’t sure when she would open them again. Sleep was calling her and she made no attempt to resist. She lowered her head and fell into the darkness.

  ***

  Later that night, Mara woke up. She recovered enough. It was time to return to Mirahyll. On her way out, she found Commander White slumped against a tree. She walked towards him. What was he doing here and why was he not moving? Looking at him, she noticed a long sword impaling him. Her eyes widened in horror. Mara dashed to him.

  Kneeling down, she saw his face. All the colour was drained from him. His eyes were closed and all the muscles relaxed. Mara reached out with her right hand, her fingertips gently brushed against his left cheek. He was as cold as ice. Commander White didn’t stir. She noticed a red spot forming on the left side of his neck, staining his collar. Her right hand grabbed the collar and pulled it down. Mara saw a massive bite wound on his neck, blood was gushing out. It stained his attire red. She had to help him or he would bleed to death.

  However, Mara stopped and began to taste something coppery in her mouth. It tasted so revolting, it made her heave. She covered her mouth with her right hand. A thick liquid rose up her throat, making her cough. Splatters of red blood fell onto the snow. She stared at her bloodstained hand with wide eyes. Looking back at him, Mara realized it was his blood in her mouth. She tried to vomit the rest out, but her stomach wouldn’t relent. She eventually looked back at him. Commander White awoke, glaring back at her in silence.

  Mara lifted a shaky hand to him. “I’m sorry—”

  A powerful force smashed into the back of her head. She was thrown to the ground and became paralyzed. Another powerful blow smashed the back of her skull. Blood and pieces of brain matter flew out and splattered onto the forest floor. The Holy Blades stabbed their swords and spears into her body. Her blood drained onto the cold frozen ground.

  ***

  Mara’s eyes snapped open and she awoke to the sensation of fire in her veins. She was dreaming. Commander White and his Holy Blades were not here. They never attacked her. The dream was disturbing. Mara now had another reason to remove her curse. Somet
imes the commander irritated her, but she would never harm him. She looked up and saw the morning sky. The bag containing her kills was by her side, reminding her of her task. Mara stayed at least one night in the forest. She began to relax. Nothing was around. Mara can rest a little while longer. She was in no hurry.

  A rustling sound pulled her from her relaxed state. She snapped her gaze to where the sound came from. The rustling grew louder. Mara reached for her sword. She was unprepared to deal with whatever new threat came her way. Her wounds hadn’t healed. She braced herself as a dark figure began to emerge from the bushes.

  The dark eyes of a black mare stared at Mara, her head sticking out from the brush. Mara felt relieved and released a sigh. It was just the horse, not some sort of monster. The little lady stood there for a few minutes, staring at her and snorting. She stepped out of the bushes and approached Mara. The huntress was unsure what to think of this. The horse approached her and sniffed her face. The mare noticed the injuries on her. She smelled blood, both Mara’s and the werewolves, and it made her whine. Mara lifted a hand and the lady went to sniff it. Then the mare kneeled down to her, giving access to the saddle. Mara stared at this strange display. She suspected the little lady was showing appreciation for saving her life. It took some time, but she managed to mount the horse. The mare stood up and began to move.

  As they rode by the corpse of the alpha, Mara noticed something shining. She dismounted from the horse and approached the body. Searching the corpse, she found a healing stone. Mara looked in her pocket to make sure it wasn’t the same one. Hers could’ve fallen out during the fight. She still had it. This was a second one. Now she had two healing stones. Mara pocketed it. Even though she had more than one, they were still rare and she needed to use them wisely. When she returned to Greyward Hold, Harold might give her the location of the next undying.

  She mounted her horse and left. The mare kept walking until they encountered an unfrozen pond. Mara took the time to wash the blood off. The water was cold, yet very refreshing. Looking at her reflection, Mara could tell her gear needed repairing. She put her hood and mask back on. She mounted the mare and rode back to Mirahyll.