The Darkness of Light

by Tammy Farrell

  Corbin strode beside her. She was wearing a green dress under her black cloak, and her long hair was bound at the nape of her neck, and hung over her shoulder in ribbons of ebony. He wanted to put his arm around her, but the presence of little prying eyes stopped him. At least he could stare at her. He’d found himself staring at her more than usual that morning, searching for any hint of a change in her. But nothing seemed different. She was as beautiful as always, already looking like a Dia who’s reached the pinnacle of Light.

  She leaned in close to him while Isa played with her new pet. “What will we do when Rowan and Malcolm return?”

  Corbin shook his head. “I don’t know. Have a birthday celebration, I suppose.”

  Mara tilted her head towards him. “You know what I mean. Will we tell Rowan about us?”

  Corbin considered the question, remembering Malcolm’s warning in the tavern. “How are you sure Rowan doesn’t already know? I’ve known him many years, and I know nothing gets by him.”

  Mara nodded. “I suppose you’re right. Though, in truth, it’s not Rowan I’m concerned about.”

  Corbin stopped. “What do you mean? Are you worried about Malcolm?” Corbin couldn’t read her expression and once again, he sensed there was something she wasn’t saying.

  “No,” she said quickly. “But I think we should get through tomorrow before causing a stir. We can decide what to do then.” She looked as though the conversation bothered her.

  “As you wish,” Corbin said. They continued on in passive silence when Corbin was struck by an unmistakable disturbance in the air. He held out his arm to stop Mara.

  “What is that?” she asked. “I can feel it.” She turned back to collect Isa under her arm and put a finger on her lips.

  Corbin remained still and listened. “I can hear a heartbeat. A mortal heart.” They were too close to Valenia for any human to be near. He drew his sword. “There are men ahead of us.” As Corbin said this, ten armed men emerged in a rush from the surrounding thicket of brush and trees. Corbin stepped back to shield Mara and Isa while the men surrounded them. They wore their tunics over chainmail, suited for a battle, and the crest in the center was that of the soldiers of Moorthrop. Corbin summoned his Light, causing the sword to glow an icy blue. He could have used fire on them, but the sword could kill more than one man at a time. A few of the soldiers jumped back when they saw the glowing weapon, but none of them ran.

  “Keep Isa protected, and when there’s an opening, run towards Valenia,” he whispered to Mara.

  She nodded, and her eyes grew wide with distress.

  Corbin remained near the girls and struck the first blow to the very unwise soldier standing closest to him. He knocked the sword from the soldier’s hands and plunged his own blade into the man’s sternum. There was little effort in this for Corbin, but the danger of killing the rest while protecting Mara and Isa posed a challenge. Corbin circled the girls when the remaining nine soldiers closed in on them, bringing his sword down on whichever man was brave enough to step forward. There was no trading blows between Corbin and the soldiers as he meticulously deflected their attacks and sent them tumbling in blood to the ground. Corbin felt a warmth behind him as he eyed the last standing soldier. He looked back to see Mara with a green ball of fire in her hand. She propelled the sphere of fire at the soldier, hitting him directly in the chest. His body flew so far back, he disappeared into the trees.

  “Good work,” Corbin said, not letting his guard down just yet.

  In the silence that followed, Corbin could hear Isa’s muffled cries. She stepped out from the cover of Mara’s cloak and shrieked when she saw the blood and bodies strewn about. She ran to Corbin’s side and held on to his leg.

  “Mara, we have to get her back to Valenia now,” he said.

  She nodded, looking into the trees. “There are more men out there, Corbin,” she said fearfully.

  “I know.” Corbin could sense it. He could still hear their beating hearts. “Come,” he said, motioning for her to follow. “Stay close to me.”

  She didn’t move. He watched her eyes narrow. “Do you feel that?” she asked.

  Corbin engaged his senses until he felt what alarmed her. Not only were there mortals waiting ahead, but he could feel the presence he stumbled upon in Redlow – the presence of the unknown Dia.

  “Go Mara, go now!” Corbin shouted. But they only got a few yards closer to Valenia when a band of twenty soldiers blocked their path, and in the center of the blockade, Corbin saw a face he recognized. It was the rat-face of the sheriff of Moorthrop. Before Corbin could restrain her, a loud, crow-like screech sprang from Mara. Her eyes lit like fire, and she dashed towards him at an unearthly pace. Mara and the sheriff seemed to vanish as the soldiers ran forward in a charge of roars and shouts. Corbin tried his best to keep Isa near him, but there were too many men coming at once. “Go back and hide,” he yelled to Isa, who cried as she ran away. Corbin fought with the ferocity of vengeful gods while his blade annihilated the entire troop of men in a matter of seconds. One hundred men wouldn’t have stood a better chance against him.

  He turned back. “Isa,” he called. She bolted from the trees, tears staining her face. Corbin picked her up and looked around for Mara when he heard her scream echo through the trees. He ran towards the noise, his heart racing, and he was in a haze of madness when he finally came upon her. Corbin set Isa down and approached. There was no doubt it was Mara, crouched on the ground. But she wasn’t the one in danger. She had the sheriff pinned beneath her and her jeweled dagger was pressed to his throat. There was an expression of sheer terror on the sheriff’s face as beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. Corbin walked closer, almost gasping when he saw Mara’s face. She looked like a feral animal; her face was contorted in a hideous glower and her jade eyes were wild with fury. This was the pinnacle of her magic coming out, fueled by her rage.

  Corbin held up his hands as if he was approaching an injured animal. “Mara,” he said gently, hoping to snap her out of the ferocious trance.

  She didn’t respond. She didn’t even flinch.

  “Mara,” he tried again.

  Her chest heaved with tumultuous breaths; her eyes seemed locked on her prey. Corbin knew she wanted revenge, but this savage creature was not Mara. Her Light had taken a dark turn. This was no simple act of revenge. She was driven by her power and some animalistic instinct.

  Isa sobbed a few steps back. “What’s wrong with Mara?” she asked.

  Corbin tried to give her a reassuring look. “She will be fine, Isa. But stay back.”

  Mara hovered over the sheriff, and as the seconds passed, Corbin felt the presence of the other Dia move closer. They had to get out of the forest. “Kill him, Mara, and be done with it!” Corbin urged, readying his sword.

  “Step back!” she growled, pushing the dagger into the man’s flesh so that a thin stream of blood began to trickle down his throat. She seemed to snarl at him. “You killed my mother!”

  The ground began to quake as the sheriff struggled to free himself. ”It…it wasn’t my doing,” he stammered. “It was John. He ordered the execution. I was just doing what I was told.”

  “Oh, really?” she hissed. “And what would you have done had you got your hands on me?”

  “Nothing,” he cried, his eyes red and bulging. “Magistrate John knew. He knew you and your mother were something else. Something inhuman.”

  Corbin stepped back in shock. “So you knew?” he asked the sheriff.

  The sheriff nodded frantically.

  Mara seemed to cackle. “Well, I’m not human!” she shouted. “And my mother wasn’t the one you needed to worry about.” Mara withdrew the dagger from his throat and jabbed it into the man’s rib cage. He hollered in pain and continued trying to break free from her clutches. “Where can I find the magistrate?” she hissed like a snake.

  The man spat blood from his mouth, muttering something incoherent.

  Corbin leaned towards him. “Speak
up and I will see that you don’t suffer.”

  The sheriff looked at Corbin with mortal desperation. “Moorthrop,” he coughed. “He’s in Moorthrop.”

  Corbin pointed the blade of his sword at him. “He is not. We have been to Moorthrop.”

  The man moaned in pain. “He is in Moorthrop or Redlow. I swear it. We traveled to Isca to see King Gerren. We were gone many months. We returned two moons ago.”

  Mara roared. “He lies!” She plunged the dagger into him once more.

  Corbin had seen enough. He needed to end this man’s misery and save Mara from herself before the presence of the Dia came closer.

  He took another step towards them, intending to kill the man, but an invisible force pushed him back.

  “I said stay back!” Mara cried. Her tone was low and full of hate. She turned her attention back to the doomed man. “Do you know what it feels like to burn to death?”

  The sheriff shook his head hysterically. In one swift movement, Mara lifted him by his throat and pinned him to a tree. The man struggled and cried out as a flame burst from the ground. But this was no ordinary flame. It was slow and deliberate as it moved up his legs. And when the flames finally reached the man’s face, Mara let go, and he fell to the ground in a writhing ball of fire; the last of his cries finally stifled when his throat burned away.

  Time seemed to stand still in those moments while they both watched the burning corpse. Corbin was so lost in a haze of disbelief that he didn’t even notice when Rowan and Malcolm rode up on the scene. They dismounted their horses and stared at Mara. “What’s happened here?” Rowan asked.

  Corbin let his eyes drift towards Mara. Her breathing was heavy, and her appearance had returned to normal, but for the vacant look in her eyes.

  “We were attacked,” Corbin said. “The sheriff of Moorthrop was with them.” Corbin couldn’t find the words to describe what had just happened to Mara.

  Rowan frowned with concern and scanned the forest. “We had just arrived at Valenia when we sensed the presence of the Dia. And then we heard the screams.”

  Corbin nodded. “Yes, I felt it too. But I don’t feel it now.”

  Rowan walked over to Mara and put a cautious hand on her shoulder. “Mara, dear.”

  She jumped as if startled from a trance. “He came looking for me.” Her words were barely a whisper.

  Rowan’s expression was alarmed. “What’s happened to her?” he asked Corbin.

  Corbin shook his head. “Her Light must have peaked. And the rage inside her was too much. She just turned. Like it wasn’t her anymore.”

  Rowan nodded and then turned back to Mara. “You will be all right, dear. We’re here now.”

  Corbin thought he noticed a smirk on Malcolm’s face. “I suppose my lessons were effective,” Malcolm said.

  Corbin clenched his fists and anger snaked through his limbs, when he suddenly remembered Isa. He looked where she last stood, but she wasn’t there. He spun around.

  “What is it?” Malcolm asked.

  “Isa! She was right here.” Corbin ran back towards the slaughtered men, calling out her name, but she didn’t respond. Soon he was flanked by Malcolm, who called out for her as well, searching behind every bush and tree.

  Fear crept into Corbin’s mind. How could he have let her out of his sight? But all of the horrifying thoughts in his head came to a halt when he heard Malcolm cry out to him. Corbin ran towards Malcolm and took in a breath of terror when he saw Isa. She was lying on the ground, covered in blood. A deep, mournful groan came from deep within Corbin. He fell to his knees before her and placed his hands on her chest. There was a gash in her throat and blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. With every ounce of energy inside him, Corbin summoned his healing Light and placed his hands upon her. He willed it to revive her, but he could feel it coming back to him; her body wouldn’t receive it. He moved his hand over the wound on her throat and tried again, but nothing happened.

  “No!” he cried out. “No!” He picked her up and held her against him, and for the first time in his life, tears welled up in his eyes.

  Malcolm placed a hand on his shoulder. “She’s gone, brother. There is nothing you can do.”

  Corbin jerked away from Malcolm and set Isa down on the ground. He scanned the area when he spotted a rustling in the bushes. Corbin dashed towards it and found a lone soldier with a bloody dagger in his trembling hand. Corbin grabbed the man by the shoulders and lifted him as though he weighed nothing at all. “You kill children?” Corbin seethed.

  The man continued to tremble despite the hardened expression he tried to project. He took in a quick breath. “We were sent to kill demons,” he said.

  The meaning of his words was lost on Corbin, who now only saw death. Corbin reached for the dagger at his side and without pause, he swiped it across the man’s throat like he was made of butter. Corbin dropped the man and marched over to Malcolm, who held Isa. He took her from him and walked up to Rowan. “I leave for Moorthrop tomorrow.” He didn’t wait for Rowan to respond before walking towards Valenia with the body of little Isa, limp and cold in his arms.

  Corbin passed Barrett and Ailwen without a word and walked into Valenia with long, purposeful strides. Annora stood in the great hall; her mouth dropped into a silent scream when she saw him. Corbin handed Isa to her gently. “Will you clean her up, please?” he whispered, choking back a sob.

  A steady stream of tears began to fall down Annora’s face just as Rowan, Mara, and Malcolm came through the door. Corbin spun around to face Rowan with glowering eyes. “Where have you been all this time? How did you not see this with one of your visions?”

  Rowan looked dejected. “I had no vision of this,” he said. “We followed the Dia back here, but it’s in spirit. We can’t see it.”

  Corbin suppressed the urge to strike him. “They came for us, Rowan. They know about us.”

  Rowan’s eyes fell on Isa. “I know,” he whispered.

  “We have to find that magistrate,” Malcolm said.

  Corbin found himself glaring at Rowan and Malcolm. “I will,” he said. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Mara for fear of seeing any kind of blame in her eyes. Corbin turned back to Annora. “Have her ready by sundown.” And without another word, he walked to his chamber.

  Once alone, Corbin fell to his knees by the bed and buried his face in his hands. The hatred he had for himself in that moment was unbearable. He had let them all down. And because of him, Isa was dead. It seemed as though he might die himself from the piercing agony of what he’d done. Corbin’s shoulders slumped when he thought of Mara, and he felt even more shame for avoiding her when she needed him the most. He wanted to go to her, but he couldn’t move, trapped by the weariness of sorrow.

  Corbin passed many hours in this state of misery until finally, he was able to rise. He found Mara in her room, seated on the bed with tears in her eyes. She was not the monstrous being he had seen hours before. She was the same girl he’d fallen in love with. He sat down and put an arm around her. “I am sorry,” he said. “I’ve failed you and little Isa.” He had to whisper for fear of sobbing.

  She turned to him with hard, questioning eyes. “You have failed me?” she asked. “No, Corbin. This is my doing. This is all my doing.”

  Corbin wrapped his other arm around her and drew her close. “No,” he insisted, trying not to give in to the sadness that gripped him. “I should have known the moment I saw the sheriff. I should have sensed the soldiers sooner. It was my job to protect you both, and I did neither.”

  Mara shook her head. “You couldn’t have stopped me. If it hadn’t been for my actions, you wouldn’t have been distracted, and Isa would still be alive.” Her eyes moved away from him to gaze into nothingness.

  Corbin kissed her forehead. “When I return, we will leave here. We will go any place you want.”

  She nodded. “If that’s what you wish.”

  “Mara, please,” he begged, trying to get her to look at him, b
ut he could see the pain was too fresh. She needed more time. Maybe when she knew the magistrate was dead, she would come back to life. As Corbin left her and walked down the corridor, he vowed he would never fail her again.

  The night came with a cold wind that blew through the window of Mara’s chamber. She didn’t bother to cover the opening. Nothing could have chilled her more than she already was. Near dawn, after Corbin had left for Moorthrop, there was a knock at her door. She didn’t look up when Rowan walked into her room and stood in front of her. His eyes dug into her, looking for answers.

  “What do you want?” she finally asked, not caring if she offended him.

  Rowan was silent for a long moment, and then he breathed out a low sigh of anguish. “You can bring her back, Mara.”

  Mara’s eyes shot up. “What?”

  “You can bring Isa back,” he said again.

  Mara shook her head. “I can’t. I’m the reason she’s dead.”

  Rowan seemed to stumble on his words. “You can. If you are the Keeper of the coire, you can bring her back.”

  Mara felt her blood warm and she glared at him. “I am not the Keeper, Rowan. I’ve told you that!”

  His eyes narrowed with suspicion and she saw his nostrils flare. “I know you are. Don’t lie to me. You can bring my Isa back, and as your uncle I command you to do it.” His tone was threateningly low.

  Mara jumped to her feet. “You command me?” she spat. “If I was the Keeper, if I knew what the coire was, don’t you think I would bring her back?”

  Rowan took a step forward and put his hands on her shoulders, his face melting to desperation. “Give it to me,” he implored. “Your mother couldn’t survive the weight of it. She should have given it to me then. But you can give it to me now. I will bring Isa back. I will keep you safe.” His eyes were wild, betraying his feigned sincerity.

  Mara shrugged his hands off of her. “You will protect me? Have you protected me thus far? Did you protect Isa? I am not the Keeper, Rowan! I am telling you the truth.”