Mark of Fate

by K. T. Webb

  “You forget why you have come.”

  The voice was one she had known she would hear again but had hoped it would be under different circumstances. The discordant sound of three voices trying to be one could only mean the appearance of the Shadow Mages. Legacy whirled around, searching desperately for the source of the sound. She was still alone.

  “I may not be able to see you, but I know you are here. I am not afraid of you,” Legacy whispered.

  “Fear is not what we seek from you. We seek your surrender. Believe us when we tell you we have already won. The son we were promised has finally come to our side.”

  No, Legacy could not believe they had taken everything pure and wholesome from Noble. There was good inside him, and he wanted to be part of the Alderwood she and Honor promised to deliver. Their vile father may have tied them together, but he was the reason they were all fighting for something more.

  “I do not believe anything you say. I have been warned about your lies and false promises,” Legacy said through gritted teeth.

  “Ah, we know better than to try to woo you with power. The magic comes so easily to you, what need do you have for the power we are both fighting to control? No, we have something far better in store for the Queen of Alderwood. Should you choose to join us, you will not be disappointed.”

  The words caressed her cheek as though the Shadow Mages were truly present. She refused to fall prey to their tricks. Whether this was indeed their attempt at wooing her to their side or if the vein of wild magic that flowed through the forest was hiding behind their wickedness, Legacy would not be fooled.

  “LEAVE ME!” she shouted into the suffocating silence. A rushing wind surrounded her until she could see nothing but mud and leaves swirling like a cyclone.

  When the wind was gone, and the forest was calm once again, Legacy stood next to a twisting river. Nothing looked familiar, there was no way of knowing how far she was from the first spot she had landed in. With a sigh, Legacy hopped across the stones in the river until she reached the opposite bank. If she kept wandering, she knew at some point she would either find her friends or find herself exactly where she needed to be.

  The forest floor held more unknown fears than Legacy cared to discover. If she stood too long in any spot, she began to sink into the tepid moisture that never seemed to end. Despite her exhaustion, the state of the forest forced her to continue walking. Her stomach made strange noises that would have been audible to surrounding wildlife were there any to hear it. Legacy swung her pack around so she could reach inside. Before hitting the road, the cook insisted on packing plenty of bread, cheese, meat, and vegetables for them to keep up their strength. The travel party was experienced at living off the land to preserve food for later on should they need it; Legacy herself had very little experience hunting or gathering. She would not have known what was safe to eat even in the forests familiar to her, and everything was so different here. Her hand closed around a small roll. When she pulled it into the light, her mouth watered at the idea of the first bite. Legacy unwrapped the roll and brought it to her mouth. Maybe it was the intense hunger pains, but Legacy decided nothing ever tasted as good as that single morsel. She ate slowly, savoring each bite until it was gone. As much as she wanted to reach in for another bit of food, it was prudent to ration her food.

  Sore muscles and the echo of hopelessness drained the energy from her limbs. Legacy had already determined that she would be unable to make camp on the ground; there was too much risk of sinking into the marshy land. Unfortunately, every tree she encountered had too wide of a trunk for her to climb and none of the trees had branches hanging low enough to even begin to climb.

  Absently, Legacy wondered why it was that the trees themselves did not sink into the ground. If the ground beneath them was somehow firmer, she could find one of the larger trees with an opening at the base and take advantage of the apparent loophole. The options were few and far between. It would do her no good to return the way she came, but moving forward seemed just as pointless. Everything looked the same, but nothing felt familiar to her.

  For the first time in her life, Legacy was truly lost; not even the sun was visible through the thick canopy overhead to help determine which direction she was traveling

  Legacy felt the presence of an invisible force surround her. A cursory look in all directions helped determine that she appeared to be alone as she expected. Maybe thinking about her friends would help her feel them, help her find them even! Legacy closed her eyes to focus on the one face she wished she could see.

  Evander.

  How long had it really been since they had stood together on the road just outside this strange forest? Had it been hours or days; could it have been weeks or months? Did time pass differently inside this forsaken place? Honor came to her mind. If time passed differently, was it possible that her sister had returned from her own mission to discover that Legacy up and left without returning? Were they searching for the lost while she wandered aimlessly in a confusing haze? With a deep breath of resolve, Legacy forced that line of from her mind. She had to keep her wits if she was going to find the others and make it out of the forest.

  In her visions, these trees had been engulfed in magical fire that neither burned her nor saved her. Considering that Legacy had yet to encounter any other form of life, she had no idea what source fueled those flames. The only thing giving her even a modicum of peace was the knowledge that she was in the forest from her visions. Soon, she would either meet her fate or fulfill her destiny. Somewhere, Noble was being held by the darkest foe that ever threatened Alderwood, yet Legacy was a free prisoner; unable to leave, but not forced into captivity. Wherever she ended up within the woods, there seemed to be no beginning or end. If the others were in a similar predicament, she could only imagine how massive these woods were.

  After wandering through the mist for much longer than seemed possible, Legacy finally found a tree with an opening in the base. The enormity of it struck her, and she leaned her head as far back as she could to see if she could spot the top. The task was impossible. Legacy placed a hand flat against the bark of the trunk, pushing her own spirit into that of the tree.

  “I ask your permission to rest within your walls. I am weary and do not know where I am. My respect for all those living in Alderwood will not allow me to use your shelter without permission,” she whispered so only the dryad could hear her.

  A calmness overcame her, a feeling that let her know she may be a stranger, but her presence was welcome. Mingling with the calm, Legacy recognized a tiny glimmer of hope flicker for a moment before it disappeared. She thanked the dryad before crouching to step into the tree base. Inside, leaves and moss had gathered in such a way that it formed a makeshift bed for the queen. As she drifted off to sleep, her consciousness danced with that of the dryad until she was whisked away to a dream that was not her own.

  Legacy felt the sun warming the forest floor until it was firm in every place touched by the radiating heat. The change drifted through the way a gentle breeze moves the leaves clinging to branches. She sensed this was how the forest once was—warm and breezy. It was a time the dryads were unafraid, and both creatures and men crossed through without issue. But then Legacy watched as the wild magic took them over, demanded their obedience, and forced them to accept a hidden existence.

  Something changed beyond the disappearance of outsiders. There was a new presence within the forest, something dark and dangerous. The tiny bit of her that was still able to think in the dream state told Legacy the new presence did not belong to the Shadow Mages. Until that moment, she had thought there was no other threat to Alderwood. Now, her mind drifted through the memories of a dryad in a seemingly non-existent forest. The wild magic did the only possible thing to keep the citizens of Alderwood safe from whatever lurked within the forest; it made the forest disappear. If no one knew to enter and those who did happen upon the forest forgot everything, they could protect the world
from the strange yet powerful force that had claimed it as its own.

  Legacy’s eyes snapped open. She was still lying within the base of the tree, but she had no memory of how she had gotten there. In her mind, the only thing she could make sense of was that the forest was dangerous, and she would never make it out. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she sat up and dusted the leaves off her pants. When she came out of the tree, her head spun, and she lost her footing for a moment. Nothing looked familiar. She tried her best to recall what brought her to this place, but there was nothing to remember. Hunger. She felt hunger and confusion, but nothing else.

  The vague memory of food inside a pack surfaced; she had been resting her head on a pack inside the tree! Legacy returned to the tree and brought the bag into the foggy daylight. Inside, she found some bread and chunks of cheese. Digging further, she found a bag of nuts and dried berries. Her memory insisted she preferred to cook this food, but she possessed neither the knowledge nor the skills to make that happen. Raw food was better than no food. Once finished with the broccoli, Legacy took a few bites of cheese and ate one of the small chunks of bread which led to her thinking how dry her mouth was. Another search of the pack revealed a leather flask filled with water. Legacy instinctively took small sips to preserve water.

  When the flask was replaced, Legacy found a book in the pack. She wondered why she would need a book if she was in the middle of an empty forest? It seemed strange that she would have planned leisurely reading while embarking on whatever journey she found herself on. With a furrowed brow, Legacy opened the book to a random page. It was a journal, but not her journal. The writing was desperate, as though the person holding the pen had been facing hopelessness so complete, they thought writing would somehow help. Legacy sat at a central point between the trees around her and began to read the heartbreaking story of a father who loved himself so much he sacrificed his only son to evil.

  Noble will never know the lengths to which I have gone to ensure he will be worthy. I cannot think about my own rule coming to an end. Instead, I must focus on how the Shadow Mages will make him a stronger king than I could ever hope to be. The day my son was born, they asked if I loved him; I looked at the squirming little parasite and told them with complete certainty that I could not love something that would destroy me. Noble will not be the one to kill me, but he will bear my blood on his hands just the same. When I took Daenera and her boy, I knew she would be the one to finally give me a son. She already had four with her husband, why should my child be anything less?

  Every time a daughter was born, I felt nothing as I placed a hand over its worthless nose and mouth until it stopped squirming. The only regret I felt was that familiar pang reminding me that somewhere out there was a daughter I had failed to destroy. I know now that fate has been set in motion, and it is too late for me to correct my careless mistakes. This son would be my deliverance. I may not live, but the Shadow Mages will ensure that he becomes the force that pulls down every barrier, keeping them from ruling Alderwood. He will be the catalyst for taming the wild magic, destroying the Oracle, and removing my bastard from the world. My only fear is that whoever the other child is, their influence on him could destroy everything.

  Legacy felt a tear roll down her cheek. She had no idea why the passage had such an impact on her; she did not know the person writing it or the children he was referring to. Perhaps it was the idea that the author spoke so callously of killing his infant children, or maybe it was the concept of a father selling his child to the highest bidder for selfish reasons. A shiver shook her body. Legacy tried to shift positions but found she was rooted to the spot. One look down at her legs folded beneath her body showed her there was no way she would be moving.

  The marsh-like earth had begun to pull her down, how could she escape? Panic rose in the back of her throat like bile threatening to escape. With a deep breath, she fought to pull one of her legs free. It did not budge. Her heart pounded against its cage in a desperate manner; if she did not remove her body from the ground, she would die.

  “Oh, Legacy. What have you gotten yourself into?”

  The voice was familiar, but she could not place it in her foggy memories. It came from behind her, but from her stuck vantage point, it was physically impossible to turn and see who was there. It was a woman; she sounded young.

  “You have to relax. The more you struggle to move, the further you will sink into the ground,” the voice now came from ahead of Legacy, but its owner seemed to be invisible.

  “Who is there?” Legacy called into the fog.

  “Come on, have I been away so long you forgot all about me?”

  The voice seemed to fade into view with the mist. The girl had to be younger than Legacy herself by a few years; she had long golden hair braided to the side and honey-colored eyes. The way she stood with a bow and arrow slung across her back made Legacy wonder if she was a hooligan from some uncivilized place.

  “Do you recognize me, Legacy?”

  She shook her head, “No, should I?”

  “You most definitely should, but it is not surprising that you do not know who I am. Are you okay?” the young woman asked.

  Legacy wanted to ask if she was blind. Obviously, in her current predicament, she was anything but okay. She sat, still holding the journal, although her body was now half-absorbed by the marshy terrain. The young woman in front of her seemed to know her, care about her even, why was she refusing to help?

  “Legacy, you need to stay calm. Sometimes we need to go through the darkest times in order to see the light on the other side.”

  “What does that even mean? Why are you just standing there?” Legacy demanded as she sank a few more inches.

  “I am helping you,” she smiled with a face that did not quite seem to match her features.

  Legacy was overcome with the odd notion that whoever was standing before her was not the owner of the body it was occupying. She watched the movements of the woman; they seemed too perfect. Her heart told her she should know the girl, but her head refused to make a connection.

  “Who are you?” Legacy questioned.

  Her head and shoulders were all that remained above the muddy ground. Within a few minutes, she would undoubtedly be swallowed and suffocated.

  “Take a deep breath, trust me,” the girl told Legacy.

  “I do not want to die, please save me.”

  A gentle hand caressed the cheek of the sinking young woman. Legacy stared deeply into the sparkling eyes, pleading with her to do something, anything to help her.

  “Take a deep breath and close your eyes, Legacy. It may not seem like it, but everything will be okay. Soon, everything will be fine.”

  With that, Legacy inhaled deeply, and her eyes sank beneath the surface.

  Legacy could not hear or see anything of the forest she had been in. Panic began to permeate her body. She could not breathe, she could not see, she could not move. Her entire world was crashing down, and there was nothing she could do about it. Legacy tried to focus on the color of the girls’ eyes; they were a strange shade that she could not remember seeing anywhere else. Though she could not remember ever seeing anyone other than the girl in the woods, she knew in her heart that those eyes were unique. The girl was special to her. She was important. Legacy felt the memories just beyond her reach, and she pushed beyond the fog that permeated everything in those woods until she found those eyes set in that face. Honor. It was her sister. But she knew Honor was not in those woods with her, she was far away. As Legacy focused on her sister and the love she felt for her, she realized her breathing had regulated. The panic had disappeared, and she no longer felt like the world was pressing in on her.

  Legacy took a deep breath then opened one eye. The muddy terrain was gone. She was sitting on the ground again, staring at the woods. But this was not the same place she had been moments before. The forest had swallowed her and spit her back out in a different location.

&nb
sp; Beyond having no idea where she was, she was confused about who she was and why she was sitting in the thick mist of an unfamiliar forest. About five feet to her right, another person sat staring at the young woman who did not belong. Legacy returned his gaze. The man had a kind face that had likely seen a lot of laughter. The two stared at one another as though they should recognize each other, but Legacy could not place him in her memories. It was odd to be in such a place without knowing how she had come to be there or who she was there with. In her hands, she held a book. A cursory glance at the book told her it was a journal. Was she supposed to be writing in her diary? No, there were already words scrawled across every page in the journal. Perhaps she was reading it; maybe if she started reading again, she would remember why she was there.

  They will take him. Noble was born to be taken by the Shadow Mages when the time is right. They need him to destroy the wild magic. He is as much their son as he is mine; they may not be his blood, but they helped bring him to life. The Shadow Mages promised to deliver me a son if I promised to deliver him to them in return. He is theirs, and they will lay claim to him when they are ready.

  The leaves nearby crunched beneath feet, causing both man and woman to turn in the direction of the sound. Two more men, one young, one middle-aged, walked into the clearing.

  “Where have you been? We looked everywhere.”

  Legacy blinked in response to the younger man who rushed to her side and offered a hand to help her off the ground. “I apologize, am I supposed to know who you are?”