Chapter 3

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Carrie paused outside the giant gates leading to the heart of the forest. She remembered the last time she had been here. Once the gates had opened, a giant skeleton had run out and attacked her...

She shook her head to rid her mind of the memory. Surely there was no skeleton here now. Carrie held her breath, and she reached up and opened the latch with a click. The wooden doors swung inward, but nothing lay beyond. She let her breath out with a sigh and continued on her way.

The bodies of villagers she had seen the year before had now totally rotted away. Their bones littered the ground, crunching under Carrie's feet as she walked. She couldn't help but wonder if she would look like that in a year; after all, she had the most dreadful feeling that she would not be leaving the castle alive.

She was surpised that a minimal number of beasts attacked her while she travelled through the forest. No werewolves had presented themselves to her, no skeletons had uninterred themselves, no lycanthropes had come barging out at her through the trees. For once, the forest of silence lived up to it's name.

But it was an unsettling, eerie silence. Though Carrie very much wanted to turn back home and be safe, the thought of seeing Malus again overrode her fears. He could not have gotten much of a head start; it would take a day to get through the forest. Malus could have gotten no further than the villa by this time.

Her thoughts turned to the young woman she had met on the path to the forest. Carrie frowned, knowing she had seen the blonde girl somewhere before… but she could not put her finger on who it was. She tried to put the thought from her mind, but the red dress kept tuggin at her memory…

She gasped as a tall shadow appeared in the trees. A moment later, a lycanthrope came barreling out. Carrie just barely dodged it in time.

She pulled her rings off of their sash and got into a defensive position. Maybe she wasn’t as strong as the beast, but she was certainly stronger. As it ran toward her, she sidestepped it while slashing at it with her rings. The beast was soon howling in pain, blood flowing freely from deep gashes on it’s arms.

"Don’t come crying to me,"Carrie quipped."You asked for it."

She started to charge up an energy ball in her fist, watching the lycranthrope warily as she evaded it’s attacks. She was just about to shoot it when a sudden movement from the corner of her eye broke her concentration. The enery ball dissolved in her hand.

A young, dark-haired boy was crouched down behind a signpost, watching her battle the lycanthrope. His eyes widened when he saw her looking, and he got up to run in the other direction.

"Malus…"Carrie whispered.

She took off after him. The lycanthrope roared, and a moment later, Carrie could hear it’s thunderous footsteps pouding on the ground behind her.

"Malus! Please, wait!"she called, her voice ragged."Stop! I just want – uwahh!!"

She tripped on a rock and went sprawling to the ground. The lycanthrope reached down and picked her up in one of his massive hands. Carrie barely had time to be afraid when it slammed her down onto the ground. Her world swirled into darkness.

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"Master, she is dangerous."

"Silence. Do not speak until I tell you that you may do so."

The woman’s eyes flashed, but she bowed her head anyway. Her master continued to pace, biting one of his fingers nervously.

"You saw her, did you not?"

"Yes, Master. She was just outside the forest. She looked quite determined to find a young boy."

"Did she?"

The woman nodded."Do you know this boy?"

Her master paused, and glanced at her sideways. His black eyes seemed troubled. The woman did not speak, though she wished to comfort him.

"We must stop her."

"But, Master, how can we? It is just you and I."

"What of Actrise?"

"Actrise was killed by the girl a year ago. As was that vampire hunter, Charlie Vincent."

"He was useless anyway."

"But I will protect you, Master,"the woman continued."Tell what I must do, and I shall do it."

She bowed her head, and her master gently touched it.

"Very well. Go to the villa. Wait for her there. But do not kill her! Give her directions back to the town."

The woman looked puzzled, but she nodded anyway. She took her master’s hand and kissed it, then left the room.

The master turned to the balcony and looked out. The villa was in clear view of where he stood. He clenched his fist and brought it to his forehead.

Carrie… please get out of here safely!

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When Carrie awoke, dawn was creeping over the land. She sat up in bed, scratched her head, and looked around. A man in a suit was sitting at a table a few feet away from her, sipping on tea. He smiled when he saw that she was awake.

"Good morning, my lady,"he said, tipping his hat to her."I hope you had pleasant dreams while you slept?"

Carrie frowned."Do I know you?"

"I should hope so,"the man said, still smiling."But since you seem to have forgotten, I shall introduce myself again. I am the demon, Renon, but please do not take this as incentive to destroy me. You see, I sell things to travellers to the dark castle…"

"And it’s pathetic, but one needs gold even in Hell these days…"Carrie said wearily.

Renon smiled."Ah, you remember. Excellent."

"How long have I been asleep?"Carrie’s eyes narrowed."And why did you help me?"

"You have been asleep longer than fourteen hours,"Renon told her."But I am afraid it was not I who helped you. I arrived here yesterday because I sensed the presence of a human being, and I found you."

"But then… who…?"Carrie trailed off.

"I do not know,"Renon shrugged."And does it really matter? All that is important is that you’re alive!"

"But I should have been dead,"Carrie said, frowning."There was nobody around… and that lycanthrope…"

"A lycanthrope, was it?"Renon said, nodding."Well, I must say… that is quite a bruise you have on your face."

Carrie looked down, realizing for the first time that she was lying on a fluffy bed. She glanced up at Renon, her brow creased in confusion.

"Is this the villa?"she asked.

"Yes."

"But I was in the forest…"

"Then when you find out who saved you, you must thank them for aiding you in your journey,"Renon said."You no longer need to cross the castle wall."

Carrie nodded slowly."I must go now, Renon. Thank you for watching over me as I slept."

"It was my pleasure,"Renon said, smiling crookedly."You said some things of great interest as you slept. And might I remind you not to spend too much of your money?"

Carrie blushed. Renon smiled and collected his suitcase and cane. He tipped his hat again and dissolved into a white mist, which quickly disappeared. 

Carrie sighed and slowly got out of bed, smoothing out the wrinkles in her clothing. 

The hallways were empty, except for a stained-glass knight, which Carrie managed to finish off easily. She made her way down the stairs leading outside.

The hedge maze was silent. Carrie paused on the dirt path winding around the garden. 

Malus… she thought, looking toward the sky. This is where we first met…

She looked back toward the path, her heart heavy, knowing that this time he wouldn’t be hiding behind the bush, waiting to be saved. He wouldn’t be there to describe to her the death of his parents, the distress evident on his face. But Carrie would keep the memory of his innocence locked in her heart forever.

She sank to her knees, crying softly, and wondered if she would ever get to hold him again. She wondered if she could go any further when it hurt so much she could die. She wondered if Malus even loved her.

"No!"she shouted, at nobody in particular."Don’t think such things! You must be strong. You will find him. You must find him…"

With that thought in mind, she walked forward and opened the gate to the maze.

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