Mara shrugged. “I guess it is better than nothing.”
Mr. White began to count out the gold coins owed to her. The commander approached them, placing his hand over his father’s. They looked at him.
“Karl?” Mr. White asked. Commander White looked at Mara, then reached into one of his pockets. He pulled out his wallet and began to count out some gold coins.
“I should pay her,” Commander White said.
Mara frowned underneath her mask. “You don’t have to. Your father asked for my help and we had a deal.”
“She’s right, Karl,” Mr. White said. “You don’t have to pay.”
“But it’s my fault,” the commander argued.
Mara gaped at Commander White, unsure what to think. He became a completely different person. She looked at Dr. Moen, seeing him shrug. She glanced back at Mr. White, noticing his puzzled expression. Though he didn’t seem too upset at the drastic change in his son.
“Maybe it is best if you accept the money?” Mr. White suggested. “I don’t think he’ll take no for an answer.”
Mara sighed. “Fine…” She accepted the money from Commander White. Mara looked at his face, still stunned at his transformation. The commander looked back at her with bright green eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. She kept gawking at him.
Mr. White dug into his wallet to retrieve a bunch of gold coins. “Here, I’ll also give some gold. I’m a man of my word.” He handed her the gold. She stared at her reward, now worth four thousand gold. “I know it’s more than what you asked for, but I do believe we’re grateful. Once again, thank you for helping us.”
Commander White looked back at her with sad eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated. Mr. White guided him out. She sighed and watched them leave.
“Nice,” Dr. Moen said. Mara gazed back at him.
“I guess I owe you.” She held out her hand to offer some gold. Dr. Moen shook his head.
“Keep the gold. You deserve it.”
She stared at him. “What happened to him?”
Dr. Moen shrugged. “The serum worked as it should.”
“But his personality is different!”
“According to my research, it was supposed to restore the brain to its original state,” he explained. Then he shrugged. “Then again, this appears to be a better version of him. Perhaps he’ll be a nicer guy for now on?” With that, he laughed.
Mara could not believe he said that, but he brought up a good point. Any future encounters with the commander might be better from here on out. The next thing on her mind was the next undying. After that, she planned on seeing her parents. As Mara walked away, she heard the doctor call out to her.
“Hey, wait up.”
Mara turned around and looked back at him. “What is it?”
“Had a look at your blood and noticed something very unusual—did you get attacked by a werewolf in the last few days?”
She recalled the previous job. “Some wandered south. Chancellor Davis asked me to slay them, but their alpha attacked me.” Mara paused briefly. “I didn’t get infected again?”
“No, it’s nothing like that. According to the readings, you’re immune to lycanthropy thanks to the cure.” Dr. Moen approached her. “If you don’t mind, I’d really appreciate it if I could take some of your blood again. When Lady Isabella died, the cure was lost. However, with your blood I can recreate it. You’re one of the very few individuals to have a sample. I doubt I’ll get one from Commander White.”
If true, then there was no harm in helping him.
“Okay…” She rolled up her sleeve to expose some skin.
Thrilled, the doctor went to get a syringe and returned to her. He pierced the exposed skin and drew some blood. “You’re doing a great thing.”
“I hope so,” she murmured.
Dr. Moen looked back at her and smiled. “I think you are.” He pulled out the needle and saw the wound heal on her arm. “That’s so neat!”
Mara could not help but be amused by the middle-aged man. For a very brilliant scientist and inventor, he acted like a big kid. He reminded her of the friends she made in her college years. She met the twin brothers, Allen and James Moen. Both were very smart—Allen was very energetic and eccentric while James was calm and quiet.
Looking at the doctor, Mara realized his last name matched the twin brothers’. He even looked similar to Allen. She remembered hearing how he was much like his father.
She thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask. “Do you have two sons?”
The doctor looked at her strangely and shook his head. “No, I don’t have any kids. Not even married.”
Mara looked at him, surprised by his response. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She felt a little foolish.
“It’s okay, people make those mistakes,” he responded softly.
“It’s just, you look like someone I met in college,” Mara explained.
“You attended the College of Ardana?” Dr. Moen asked.
“Yes, I was twenty-one,” she replied. “Graduated a few years ago.”
“Oh, is that so? I graduated thirty-two years ago. Things sure have changed. I was once an instructor there, encouraging students to think for themselves.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, I was asked to leave.”
“Why?”
“The college is controlled by the Faith and I don’t exactly see eye to eye with them. I’ve been an advocate of education being unbiased and not clouded by one’s perspective.”
“So, truth?” Mara asked.
“I’d be careful with that word,” Dr. Moen warned. “The truth is a matter of perspectives. Don’t believe everything you hear. Draw your own conclusions.” Then, “Oh, and they also banned Stone Mages from attending the college.”
To say the least, Mara was surprised. Dr. Moen noted her reaction. “Yeah, I was shocked too. I knew a friend who attended the college—a Stone Mage. She was a bit of a she-wolf, but she was very sharp and a quick learner. Sadly, she was subjected to racism and was pressured to drop out. She didn’t even have the lowest grades, but she was singled out. I helped her raise her grades, but she was accused of cheating.”
Mara was stunned to hear about his friend.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Mara said sombrely. “That also happened to me. My friends helped me with one of my grades and I was accused of cheating as well.”
The doctor sighed. “I think Kallikratés wants to portray them as uneducated savages. But they are very intelligent and civil. I think my friend had something to do with it. She proved that anyone can do anything if they’re willing to work for it.” Dr. Moen smiled at her. “I should get back to work. Maybe I’ll see you again the next time you get into major trouble.”
“Okay, but I hope it’s nothing too serious,” Mara replied.
Leaving the lab and the city, Mara returned to Greyward Hold on horse.
Chapter Twenty
The Marionette
Mara returned to Greyward Hold after a long and uneventful ride. At least the mare got used to traveling this road. She arrived around the afternoon on November 30. Many thoughts ran through her head. She had to tell Harold about Anna’s death, but the thought of finding the next undying put her mind on other things. Mara hoped to finally see her family and friends, and tell them what happened to her. She wondered if her mother and father were looking for her. They had to be worried sick about her.
“Ah, you’ve returned,” the former master greeted. “I suppose Anna is dead?”
She sighed. “Guess it’s too late to say I regret it. Thought it would bring me one step closer to lifting my curse, but Alena refused my request. Now I’m back to square one.”
“True, but all is not lost,” Harold said. “Before long, your true form will be restored.”
Mara nodded in agreement, though his words caught her attention. What did he mean by that? He was probably talking about her regaining her human form again. Thinking of other things, her final encounter with
Anna lingered in her thoughts.
“Anna mentioned Aazalith,” Mara said.
Harold stared at her, appearing surprised. “She spoke to you? What else did she say?”
“Nothing else,” she replied, shaking her head.
“I see,” the former master murmured. “Anna was a brilliant scholar, who wished to seek the truth. She was also very critical of the gods and questioned their legitimacy.”
“What happened to her?”
“She discovered the name, Aazalith, and began to ask questions,” he explained. “Her curiosity drew the attention of the gods and they ordered her execution. All her research was burned along with her.”
Mara wondered about the images the darkling planted in her head—the one where she was being burned alive. She reckoned it was a common form of execution long ago.
“If Anna told you this, then you deserve to know the truth,” he confessed. “The Dark One is Aazalith.”
Mara’s jaw dropped. “The Dark One is a god?”
“Yes,” the former master answered. “Thousands of years ago, Ardana declared war on Thoron to seek their magic. The Thoronites called upon their gods for aid. The Dragon Goddess, Aazalith, answered by sending forth her children, the great dragons. However, many of her children were slain. Aazalith’s wrath was unleashed indiscriminately, viewing humans as a blight. Ardana and Thoron united to defeat her after the loss of innumerable souls. Stripped of her deity status, she became the Dark One. Her body was entombed deep in the Dark Labyrinth, underneath Ghost Mountain, and she is the source of the magic blight.”
Mara remained silent. No wonder why people feared her awakening. After learning of the Dark One’s identity, a question crossed her mind. “Was I wrong to kill Anna?”
“I cannot say. In truth, she would’ve posed a great threat if kept alive. And the Faith would have ultimately stormed the Black Tower in an attempt to save the commander. Even if it meant killing her. However, she also possessed a seal. Now three remain.”
“Yet, you showed little concern about the seals breaking.”
“Yes, there is the prophecy,” he hesitated. “The gods shall return to vanquish the Dark One and usher in a new Golden Age.”
“You really think it’ll happen?” Mara questioned.
“I believe they’ll return,” he replied, “but defeating the Dark One is the real question. The gods were arrogant and underestimated the power of the divine. Kratés died as a result.” Looking at Mara, he took a step forward. “That is why I turned down your offer to kill the Dark One. Even though you’re an undying, you need to be aware of the limits of your power.”
“Okay,” Mara said quietly. Then, “Speaking of which, what about the next undying?”
“I figured you’d ask.” The old master reached into his robes and gave her a work order.
“The next undying!” Mara took the work order and gazed at it. “The Marionette?”
“This was someone I knew quite well—a herbalist, who often came to our aid with healing supplies and medication,” Harold revealed. “However, she was rumoured to be a witch and the source of a plague. A follower from Kallikratés spread the rumour and claimed her herbs caused hallucinations. Haranta Village believed that burning her at the stake will stop the plague. But she was the only one keeping them alive. After they burned her and her herbs, the village was decimated by the illness. Even we lost a few of our own. Kallikratés denied any responsibility.” Harold looked at her. “After you kill her, I need you to return to me.”
Nodding, she turned from the former master. Studying the contract in her hand, she discovered Chancellor Davis originally issued the work order.
“The Marionette lives in an old house, outside Lupine Woods and the abandoned Haranta Village,” Mara read out loud. “Been around for almost a hundred years, a much shorter time compared to the White Lady and the Siren. This might be the last undying I’ll have to face.”
She gathered her things and headed out to Haranta Village.
***
Her horse trotted along the road, heading towards the abandoned village. Getting there was pretty straight forward. Haranta was near the foot of Grey Mountain, sitting near the border of Lupine Woods. She spotted a merchant on the side of the road. The old female merchant appeared to be asleep, so Mara rode past her. Within minutes, she stood before the quiet and empty village. There were no signs of the Holy Blades and no one to interfere. Scanning the area, she spotted a house near the woods. It looked old and dilapidated, abandoned for a very long time. No doubt she would find the undying. Dismounting from her horse, Mara walked towards the house. The sun began to set.
“Guess this is the place,” she murmured to herself.
“Excuse me!”
Mara turned around. The old merchant, who was asleep on the roadside, ran up to her. She stopped in front of Mara, trying to catch her breath. The old woman glanced up at her. The lantern she held illuminated her wrinkled face.
“If you value your life, stay away from this place,” the old woman warned. “The Marionette lives there.”
She watched the old woman. The merchant’s attire was nothing but rags, possibly a homeless vendor. Despite her raggedy appearance, she appeared to know quite a bit about the undying. Mara decided to obtain more information.
“I’ve been sent to kill this creature. Do you know about it?”
“It is a doll possessed by a spirit, giving it life and the power to steal the souls of others.”
Mara folded her arms. “So this thing claimed many victims?”
“The Marionette cursed Haranta Village, making it abandoned,” according to the merchant. “There was once a strange and lonely girl, living in that house. Believed to be a witch, the villagers sought to be rid of her by burning her at the stake. Her spirit took residence in a doll fashioned to look like her. Out of revenge, she unleashed a plague and claimed their lives.”
Mara looked confused. This was different to what Harold told her. She glanced back at the old derelict house.
“Well, I came here to kill it…” With that, she began to walk towards it.
“Wait!”
Mara stopped and looked back at the old woman again. The merchant held her lantern up. “It’ll be dark soon, you may want to buy a lantern. I’ll give you one for a thousand gold.”
She raised an eyebrow. “A thousand gold for a lantern?”
“I’m offering the better deal,” the old merchant claimed. “A general goods store will have you paying more for the same thing.” She noticed the flask on Mara’s belt and pondered something else. “Hmm, since you’re unwilling to pay for a lantern, I can offer Moon Water.” She held up a large flask of glowing blue liquid. She then said, “For the price of five hundred gold.”
Mara shook her head. “Never heard of this.”
“It’s just as effective. You can put it in your flask and use it as a makeshift lantern.”
She paid the merchant five hundred gold. “Where did you get this stuff?”
“Can’t tell you, it’s a secret.” She poured some liquid into Mara’s flask. “Shake the flask and the light will grow stronger for a while.”
Mara tried it out. The blue liquid grew brighter after being shaken a few times.
“Thanks,” Mara said to the merchant, and then ventured towards the house.
***
Mara entered the dark house. The glowing water in her flask offered a decent amount of light. The furniture was very old and in a state of decay. A life-sized doll sat on a chair, next to the grand fireplace. Mara noticed a picture on the small table. Picking it up, she wiped away the dust.
“So, you’re just like me,” Mara murmured underneath her mask.
The woman in the picture looked identical to Mara. She appeared very pretty, like a doll. She wore a black lace dress and her dark hair was tied back. Her face showed a joyful expression on the verge of tears. Placing the picture back, she heard the floorboards creak. Mara turned around. The footsteps came f
rom the hall. As she decided to investigate, the life-sized doll began to move. Sensing a presence behind her, she turned around to see the doll grab her neck and try to strangle her. Mara immediately realized it wasn’t a doll, but the reanimated remains of a man. His face was rotted beyond recognition. Due to advanced decay, she was able to pry him off and threw him to the ground. As soon as he hit the floor, he exploded into dust. She stared at the broken remains while feeling her neck. She was unharmed, yet stunned by the attack. Mara had to find the Marionette and defeat her. She dashed to the hallway.
All of a sudden, a gust of wind rushed towards her. Dust flew into her eyes, forcing Mara to close them. Opening them again, she found herself surrounded by a blur of colours and lights. No longer was she in the Witch’s House, but in the banquet hall at the College of Ardana, on the night of her graduation. She was surrounded by students and professors. Many danced around her, not paying any heed to her presence. To say the least, Mara was confused.
“Will you forgive me?”
Recognizing his voice, she turned around. Mara saw his vibrant green eyes and shiny brown hair. His face was clean shaven, save for the stubble growing on the chin and the tuff of hair under the bottom lip.
“What is this?” Mara asked. “How did I get here?”
He took another step towards her, holding his hands behind his back. The young man gazed at her, appearing unaware of what she just said.
“Please, I’m sorry,” he said in a formal tone. “I never meant to hurt you.”
She looked back at him. This scenario became very familiar. On the night of her graduation, Mara decided to attend the dance. At first, she was against going because it meant encountering him. She wanted to have a good graduation and the best way to have that was not attending the dance. Unfortunately, Mom bought her a dress made of blue satin. Dad persuaded her to go, at least to make her mother feel happy. She looked down to find herself wearing that dress. This is getting weird. She even appeared human, not some raggedy undead creature. Looking up, Mara saw everyone’s eyes on her.
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