The Forbidden Castle - Short Story

Truth

The voice stopped. And I was left alone with my mind. The story, sending chills through me, left one lasting imprint on me. Why was it so famililar?

The Rose Queen, was taught to us in school. Warning us about magic when used badly, the stranger sounded very much like Defaj, the star of the story. The brave wizard who saved our neighboting village. Above all, the fact Jara and I couldn't get away from... the Rose Queen was apparently a great-great-great-great-great grandmother of sorts. She apparently had 2 more children in out village, one disappeared the other escaped while pregnant with our great-great-great-great- grandfather.

"Hmm, the story doesn't have you writhing in fear yet. Normally my victims are terrified, as they see that they are going to have that fate."

"What fate is this?" Jara boldly asked,

"Your imminent and painful death." she replied, "Well, I so enjoyed this time with you." the voice said, "But now it is time to-."

"Wait!" I cut her off, "You said that the story was your story. Exactly who were you?"

"Isn't it obvious? I am Zara, the young apprentice who was turned to shadow, forced to devour the souls of men." she said, casually.

"Then your story isn't finished yet." I say.

"It isn't?" she asked, "I'm pretty sure I know my own story!" she cried.

"Well, actually, I think your story isn't finished. It all depends on one thing. What is the name of the village where the Rose Queen ruled AND the Rose Queen fled to?"

"The village of my birth was Sarania, the village the Rose Queen fled to was Hojitsu."

"Hojitsu is my village, and we learn about this, except we learned... more about the story. You're not telling us everything Zara." I say

"Well don't we have a smart one here!" she sneered. Yet she continued with her story.

"So let's see, my mother fled to Hojitsu. People accepted her with open arms, the were warned about her yet they could see that she had changed. She fell in love again and gave birth to two more kids. This time, two girls though. She loved them both, so much more than she had ever loved me, or her son. So can you blame me for being mad? My mother turns me into this and goes off and starts a happy life?" Zara gestured at herself, as she said that.

"The first one I went for was her daughter. Her oldest daughter. I didn't know her name I simply beckoned to her, called her to come to me, with the magic words 'I'm your half sister'. Her body was found the next day, deflated, floating in the river, her eyes staring up at the sky." she said, I could hear the smile in her voice. How sick is this? A person rejoicing at the death of her sister?!! The very thought made me go cold.

"I went for mother next, I started to devour her as well, yet stopped halfway. Letting her live was worse than death. She had to live with the fact that she killed her son, killed one of her daughters and turned the other one into a monster. She spent most of her time protecting the youngest child, the one who.. ironcially.. looked the most like her, the most like me!" she cried, laughing.

"Yet I was patient. Overtime, it seemed like my mother had started to think I wasn't stalking them after all. She gradually stopped protecting her last child, yet still I waited. I wanted my mother to feel the pain. I waited until her last child had finally gotten married, and soon enough a grandchild was on the way for my mother. I wanted her to feel the joy of her almost getting her life back, before I devoured both her child and her grandchild." Zara Cried gleefully, "i wanted my revenge!" This final part of her story sending chills through me.

"That's when my previous master showed up, chaining me to a wall. In my urge to feed I did not see that my sister's eyes had turned bright green." she hissed the words with contempt

"My mother didn't believe I'd ever let up my search for revenge so she begged him to protect her, in the bargain he gets a new apprentice. Together the two started saying the words which would have erased me from existence yet I had the last word. I devoured my master." she said gleefully.

"Hmm, still not saying something!"I goaded her. There was one more part of the story which she hadn't confirmed yet. Whether or not, before Defaj got devoured he cast a spell which let whomever she captured have a chance of escaping.

"Well, yes. Defaj mangaed to cast a spell in which whomever I chose as a victim got a chance to survive and made sure I would tell them this. Yet I managed to change it so that only if they managed to get it out of me or they already knew would they get that chance. His plan to kill me through starvation failed in that sense. My sister escaped because of that. After her son was born she came back for me, chaining me in this castle forever. Of course she gave up her soul for that job. Chaining me, in exchange for me devouring her! My task was complete. I got my revenge."she said with a smile. An earsplitting roar pierced the silence. I had completely forgotten that there was more than one creature here...

"So, this way to escape is?" Jara questioned, attempting to get her to spill the beans.

"Oh no, you don't know this! What a shame!" she cried, slowly appearing, in the air, facing Jara, ready to devour her soul.

"You're wrong." I declared.

"What?" she asked, whirling around to face me her voice low and dangerous, and I was struck by the similarities between her and Jara. The blond hair, the features were al lthe same, except for the fact that Zara's skin was pale, her eyes, were blue, flashing black and sometimes green. Her blond hair twisting black and her dress, wispy white, swirling black, stained red.

"You've made the same mistake you did with your sister Zara."I said bravely. Where did this courage come from?

"I've learned from my mistakes, and today I've made none!" she said, slowly advancing on me, glaring at me for my audacity.

"Mmhmm."I said, "So you're saying you realized that you and Jara look the same?"

"What?!"she shreiked again. Even Jara looked startled. Was I the only one who realized?

I laughed, "You really didn't know? Let me tell you MY story. Jara and I come from a village called Hojitsu." Zara's face turned whiter than ever at the mention of the village she first tormented. I continued though, "One of our classes is history and we learnt all about the Rose Queen, along with her monster of a daughter. One thing Jara and I found out, is that the Rose Queen is our great-great and many more greats , grandmother. So AUNTY Zara, did you figure it out yet?" I taunted her.

For once she was wordless, her shock written on her face. "We're related to you through that one survivor and guess what? Magic hasn't died out yet. Our family is still strong in that sense." I glanced up at Jara, to see her eyes closed, fiercely muttering something. Gradually her cage started to weaken.

"No!" she cried rushing at Jara, knocking the cage, sending Jara tumbling to the bottom of the cage. But Jara opened her eyes glaring at her, her eyes glowing green. In this final, threat against her life, she has finally become a witch, full out witch. I heard the growl again, yet this time it was... proud?

I glared up at her too. Araj should I finish her? Jara's voice echoed in my mind. I was shocked at first, she had never been able to do that before. Umm I thought.

Just think of what you're telling me and imagine it going into my mind, i'll get it. she said

Ok, well, don't yet. It won't work, I have an idea I'd like to try. Barely a minute into becoming a proper witch and Jara is already developing major powers.

"So Zara, are you ready?" Zara stared at us wordlessly, "I'd imagine you haven't done this in a while so I'll spell it out for you, the way to escape you. The Right of the Riddles."

Zara's eyes widened and I knew I got it right. Instantly she regained her confidence.

"Well, nephew," she spat out, "I have done this once, with your... grandmother... but I have the knowledge of all the souls I consumed, ready to put your mind against the many souls of the ages?"

"Yes." I say glaring. Let the Riddle Game begin.

"Be prepared nephew!" Zara cackled. "Be prepared to die!""