He walked up to her and held out his hand, desiring a dance. It was the least he could do to apologize for all the hell he put her through. Mara looked back at him, unsure about taking his hand. This had to be an illusion, but it was so real. She took a step towards him. At the corner of her eye, Mara saw a woman in a black dress. The gothic victorian style looked out of place in a sea of fancy ballroom dresses. Everyone began to dance. Mara stuck out like a sore thumb. She looked for the woman again, but she was gone from her sight. A terrible stench filled the air, like rotting flesh. Looking around, Mara saw not the other graduates dancing but reanimated corpses. Strings guided their movements, like puppets. This must be the work of the Marionette. A pair of hands wrapped around her waist, holding her close. Mara looked to the one who grabbed her. He gazed back with dead eyes. With cold hands, he took her face and guided her gaze to his own.
“Dance with me,” he said.
His eyes sank into the back of his head. His skin cracked and chipped, like paint coming off of wood. Ball joints formed at his wrists and elbows. His movements grew more twitchy and shaky. Mara stared in horror—the man she was dancing with wasn’t human! She tried to pull away, but he held on tightly. Looking into his eyeless sockets, her lips parted in horror. Mara became paralyzed, unable to look away. A blue glow could be seen in his eye sockets. He opened his mouth. She began to feel weak, her life was draining away. A faint light connected their eyes and mouths. Mara tried to pull away, but her strength faded fast.
All of a sudden, she was pulled from the creature’s embrace. The Hand of Kratés impaled the chest of the monster, stopping it from killing her. Turning around, Mara saw shiny golden plates cascading down a left arm.
“Get her out of here,” Commander White barked to another. “If we lose her, we’re all dead!”
She fell into the arms of another. Another man said something, but she could not understand. Mara saw Commander White turn around to face the Marionette alone. She lost consciousness.
***
“Hey, wake up. Wake up!”
A male voice jarred Mara awake. Opening her eyes, she found herself in the cellar with another man. The short black hair identified him as Boyd. She saw a gash above his left eye and blood trickled down his face. Mara got up, staring at him in bewilderment.
The young man shrugged while sitting across from her. “Did you have a nice sleep?” Boyd asked sarcastically.
With her hand on her forehead, Mara shook her head. Her mind reeled from the illusion. Looking around, Mara discovered that she remained trapped in the Witch’s House. This time with Boyd. She scowled at him. “What are you doing here?”
“I was sent to find Commander White,” he revealed. “He was looking for you and followed you here. We tried to leave, but this house is cursed. None can leave until the Marionette is killed for good. So, it’s a great thing you, the friendly neighbourhood undying, showed up. You almost died, so we had to save you. We’ve been trapped here for two days.”
She stared back at him and lowered her hand. Mara was surprised to know Commander White and Boyd saved her, but realized their motives. She was the only one who could kill the Marionette. If she died, they were as good as dead. Mara looked at Boyd and noticed the commander’s absence.
“Where’s Commander White?”
“He’s probably getting his soul sucked out as we speak. How about you help me save him and maybe we can all leave this place?” Boyd suggested. “As far as I’m concerned, he hasn’t fully recovered.”
She groaned. The two escaped and began their search for Commander White. After dealing with the reanimated corpses, they finally found him with the Marionette. He kneeled before her and gazed at her with adoration.
“Please… I love you,” he said. The Marionette just stared at him in silence, sitting in a chair. She lifted her right arm and Commander White took it. He leaned over and kissed her hand. The commander looked into her hollow sockets. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Boyd and Mara watched their romantic exchange.
“Damn, he’s been hypnotized by that thing!” Boyd cried.
Mara stared at the two. The Marionette caused Commander White to see her as a different person, just like she did to her. Taking his face into her hands, the creature made him look into her eyes. His lips parted and he became paralyzed. A faint blue light wave connected their eyes and mouths. Mara recognized this scenario.
“She’s taking his soul!” Boyd cried.
Mara ran at them and pushed the Marionette off of him. The undying was forced to let him go. The commander crumpled to the ground. His wide eyes stared up at the ceiling. Mara lifted him to his feet and shoved him into Boyd.
“Get him out of here!”
Taking a very stunned commander, Boyd scrambled out of the room. They fled to a safer place so she could fight the Marionette without any interference. She stared at them until they were no longer seen before turning her attention to the undying. The Marionette shuffled towards her. Watching her with glowing eyes, Mara removed her mask. She began to smile.
“None of your tricks are going to work this time,” Mara hissed.
The Marionette dashed towards Mara, attempting to grab her. Mara unsheathed her blade and stabbed her through the chest. She kicked the creature off of her sword. The body fell to the ground. The undying lay there for a few seconds, then rose to her feet. The living doll twitched and shuddered, as if strings were pulling her up. Mara stared in horror.
Even with a gaping hole in her chest, the Marionette remained unfazed. Still, she kept fighting. Mara took off an arm and a leg. The Marionette fell to the ground. Despite taking a beating, the undying had her limits. The living doll lost both her legs and could only drag herself across the floor with one arm. Grabbing the undying by her hair, Mara sliced the head off. The Marionette was now out of commission.
Looking to the front door, she walked over and tried to open it. The door wouldn’t budge. The curse had not lifted. She gazed back at the Marionette, realizing she didn’t absorb her soul yet. To her convenience, the soul rose out of her body. She walked up to the orb of light. Mara was about to claim it, but the soul flew away and went upstairs. She was stunned to see this happen, but wasn’t about to let it escape.
Mara chased it to the master bedroom. The soul was nowhere in sight, but she noticed a body lying on the bed. The corpse was in a similar dress to the Marionette, but disfigured from massive burns. Much of her face was charred and all her hair was burned off her scalp. The corpse suddenly jolted to life and took a sharp breath of air. The soul returned to its original owner, bringing it back to life. This was the true body of the Marionette. With her original body damaged and burned, she somehow placed her soul into a doll.
The corpse looked at Mara with her left eye. The right eye was gone. Her muscles wasted away from being bedridden. She was unable to walk, let alone get out of bed. The living corpse made a raspy breathing sound. Mara approached her, gripping the sword in both hands. She lifted the blade above her head, ready to strike the undying down. A very weak and pathetic moan escaped from the charred and decayed lips.
Mara stopped and stared at the face of the living corpse. A single tear fell from the undying’s left eye. The undying’s breathing grew more uneven. She sounded like she was trying to speak, but was unable to. Her vocal cords were useless. She appeared to be in extreme pain and anguish. It would be better to put her out of her misery, but something wasn’t right. It looked like she was trying to tell Mara something. The living corpse lifted her left arm and pointed to the door. In confusion, Mara looked at the doorway. No one was there. She turned her attention back onto the undying. She stared into the dead teary eye of the Marionette. She removed her hood and revealed her face.
“I’m just like you,” Mara said softly. “You’re not the first undying I’ve killed. I was sent by Harold to end your life. I’ve heard you were once a herbalist and a victim of wrongful accusation.” Looking at the undying
, it seemed the creature understood her. The former herbalist tried to talk, but remained unsuccessful. Mara lifted her sword again. “I’ll make it quick.”
Taking her sword, she pointed the blade to the head of the Marionette. She kept her promise. The living corpse still had a hand pointed to the door before falling limp on the bed. It was done—the Marionette was no more. An orb of light rose from the charred remains. Mara watched the soul and absorbed it. Her body trembled with violence and she collapsed to the ground in agony. Mara was always unprepared to endure the intense pain. She remained on the floor, having a fit.
***
Mara lay beside the bed. She didn’t know how long she was unconscious, but her task was done. She was unsure if Commander White and Boyd left the house. She really didn’t care for something else was on her mind. Opening her eyes, tears began to form.
“Madeline,” she uttered.
The name of the herbalist surfaced in her mind. She absorbed three undying souls and her humanity was restored. With her task done, it was time to return to Harold, and maybe afterwards she could go and see her parents. She wanted them to know she was okay. She felt pain while getting up, but this was a good kind of pain. It meant she was alive. She gazed at the Marionette, seeing how peaceful she looked despite being burnt. A single tear fell from her closed eye. She saw a dried flower in her hand. Something in the back of her mind told her to take it, so she did. Mara gave one last look at the undying before exiting the house. Once again, she witnessed the horrors of this curse. Another victim was put to rest.
Chapter Twenty-One
Vivid Memories
The sun began to set as Mara left the house. Boyd was right—they were trapped for at least two days. She spotted several Holy Blades, who arrived in three carriages. They seemed to be searching for something or someone.
Mr. White was among them. He noticed her and approached. “Ah, there you are,” the old man addressed her. “I see you’ve defeated the Marionette.”
Mara looked at him and nodded. “Yes, I have.” She glanced back at the Holy Blades, who were still searching. “What’s going on?”
Boyd approached them, shaking his head. “He took off.”
The two looked at him.
“Who?” Mara asked.
Mr. White frowned. “It’s Karl.” He glanced at the Holy Blades. “The Faith has been pestering me for days, demanding his return.” He gazed back at Mara. “He hasn’t made a full recovery and needs more rest, but now he’s run off to somewhere.”
She folded her arms. “Now you want me to search for him?”
Mr. White nodded. “I’d really appreciate it. Besides, he wanted to see you. He was heading to Greyward Hold, but saw you enter the Witch’s House and followed you inside.”
“I’ve heard,” Mara said. She looked at Boyd. “Where should I look?”
Boyd pointed to Lupine Woods. “Thought I saw him go over there.” He gestured to her. “Come on, follow me.” He ran ahead and Mara followed.
He took her to the edge of the woods.
“This is where he entered,” Boyd told her. He looked at her and gestured to go on ahead.
Mara raised an eyebrow. “You expect me to go alone?”
He shrugged. “I tried to follow, but Commander White demanded to be left alone. Besides, he wanted to see you.”
Mara looked ahead. “Why?”
“Look, he hasn’t been the same since that incident. That creature messed up his brain. Everyone in the Faith took notice. Even the High Priestess is demanding his return, claiming he needs help. Only she can mend his mind and restore him back to his old self.” Boyd looked forward and shrugged again. “He’s changed. He’s no longer the commander we knew.”
“Fine, I’ll look for him.”
She went to search for Commander White.
***
Mara wandered into Lupine Woods. Finding his footprints in the snow, she followed them. Eventually, she found him sitting on a tree stump with a liquor flask in his right hand. The commander stared at an unfrozen pond, taking a swig. Her boots treaded across the snow, making a soft crunching sound.
“What do you want?” Commander White asked. His words sounded as cold as the air around them. Mara stopped seven feet away from him.
“They’re looking for you,” she replied softly.
The commander looked back at her with a cold expression. His green eyes were glazed over. He was already drunk. The commander took another swig. “So? Why should I care?”
“Your father asked me to find you.” She changed the topic. “Heard you were looking for me and followed me into the Witch’s House.”
He kept staring at her. “You heard wrong.” The commander turned his gaze back onto the pond. “And you can tell my father I’m fine. I’ll come home on my own.”
She could not believe he was denying it. How else could one explain why he followed her into that house?
“Really?” Mara rolled her eyes. “Must have great navigational skills when drunk.” Her words easily earned her another glare from the commander.
“You don’t know my problems,” he hissed. Then he rose from the stump and faced her. With each and every step, he told her, “The expectations I must meet, the pressure I face, and the scrutiny I receive. All my life, I’ve been treated differently for I was born a commoner. I’ve been constantly reminded of my origins, how I don’t deserve to be where I am. Every move I make has been judged and criticized.”
Unfazed by his words, Mara shook her head. “Well, maybe half your problems will go away if you stopped drinking!” She then snatched the flask out of his hand. “You shouldn’t even be drinking. Probably killing off the last of your brain cells.”
“Give it back!” Commander White shouted in anger.
He lunged at her, trying to grab the flask out of her hands. Mara dodged him and he fell into a snow drift, getting snow all over himself. Seeing his snow-covered face, Mara began to snicker underneath her mask.
He glared at her. “How dare you mock me?” Commander White hissed, brushing the snow off of himself.
“Yeah, how dare I mock the Great Commander of the Holy Blades,” Mara jested.
He kept glaring at her. All of a sudden, he grabbed a handful of snow and threw it into her face. Mara was caught off guard. She pulled her mask away, trying to get the snow out of her hood. In her distraction, Mara got tackled to the ground. Looking up, she saw Commander White on top of her.
“Aha!” He grabbed the flask and wrestled it away from her. The commander triumphantly got his precious flask back. He looked down at her, realizing their positions. He had pinned her down with his thighs, straddling her hips. He blushed in embarrassment, then got up.
Needless to say, Mara also felt a little uncomfortable by the exchange. She slowly rose to her feet and took a few steps away from him.
“I did what your father asked. I should take my leave.” She turned around and began to walk away from him. Taking a few steps, Mara felt something grab her left arm. Turning around, she saw Commander White grasping it. The commander’s eyes focused on her face. With a free hand, he reached for her hood and pushed it back. Long dark hair fell down to the middle of her back. Gazing at her face, his mouth dropped open, but no words came out. He eventually found his voice.
“Your face,” he began.
Why the surprise? He saw her face, before and after killing the undying. This was nothing new, but the way he observed her felt awkward and strange. She wanted to look away, but his gaze demanded attention.
“I saw you kill the Marionette,” he admitted.
Mara was surprised. No wonder why the former herbalist was pointing at the door. He was probably watching them and the undying noticed. She shook her head. “So?”
“Did she talk?” Commander White asked.
“No, she couldn’t,” she replied. “It was better to put her out of her misery.”
The commander kept watching her. “How much of your memory have you retrieved?”
She stared at him in confusion, but decided to answer. “Got most of them back, but I still don’t know how I became an undying.”
His face softened. Mara looked up at him, still unable to look away. His bright green eyes drew her in. “Do you remember me?”
Mara was perplexed. “What are you talking about?”
“We met in college,” he answered.
She looked at him. Thinking back to her college years and the night of her graduation, her eyes widened. Mara now remembered. “You?”
This was the so-called nice boy, as her mother described. The popular one all the girls fawned over. The same guy who singled her out in History and even pressured her to drop out. The jerk who accused her of cheating when she worked hard to raise her grades. She now remembered his face and he stood before her.
He released her arm and fell to his knees. The commander gazed up at her face. “Please, forgive me.”
Mara was frozen, her eyes remained on him. The snow fell around them. He seemed different to the guy she knew from college. Should she forgive him?
“Karl,” a familiar old man called.
Mara and the commander turned around, realizing they were not alone. Mr. White was watching the two, accompanied by the Holy Blades. They found them. Mara was unsure how long they were watching. She saw Mr. White looking back at her. The commander rose to his feet and scowled at his subordinates.
“Must you pester me?” Commander White demanded.
One of the Holy Blades stepped forward. “Sir, you must return to the temple.”
Commander White frowned at him. “I made myself clear. I’ve no intentions yet.”
The Holy Blade nodded. “Yes, we understand,” he said. “However, High Priestess Alena requests your presence at once. It’s your obligation to obey.”
Mr. White looked at Mara. “And we’d also like you to join us.”
“What? Why?” Mara asked.
The Holy Blade gazed at her. “The High Priestess has been aware of your efforts, and you did rescue the Commander of the Holy Blades again. We can no longer ignore this.”
The Lost & Cursed Page 27