Forgotten Legacies Collection

Chapter 6

A backpack and a satchel was all Zo needed to carry her life away. She had found it hard to believe a life could be packed away so neatly. Everything she had could be stored in these two bags, and most of the space had been taken up by herbs, food, and a few wooden bowls.

Her vision continually strayed back in the direction of her home, towards a place she had found so much comfort. As she made her way slowly to meet with Elly and Eiji, concerns filled her mind. She wondered if she was really doing the right thing, if her absence would keep those she loved safe. Surely anywhere she lay her head would be in danger of being attacked. If the things she had been told were true, perhaps it would be better to return to Elly"s father, to whom she had apparently sworn fealty to. At least he would know the dangers her presence brought.

She wondered—regardless of who she was now— if she would ultimately return to become the stranger she didn"t remember, and questioned if would she forget her time on Crowley, like she had forgotten her time before it. She feared her friends and memories would fade into a distant background, and eventually become no more vivid than a forgotten dream. Such concerns preyed on her mind as she walked, and they made each step harder to take.

Pain and guilt knotted her stomach. In just under an hour the sun would be almost ready to set, and Daniel and Acha would return to wish her farewell, but she would not be there to greet them. She had to have left before they came. She was certain that if she faced them, she would lose the strength to do what was needed. Saying goodbye would break her heart. She knew it was better for everyone if she simply slipped away.

As soon as Daniel"s father had finished repairing the broken window, she had departed. This was the first time she ever remembered being grateful for their strained relationship. Jack had simply attended to his work, replacing the glass pane without asking a single question as to how it had been damaged.

Earlier that day, after they realised that, regardless of what they said, she was going to leave, Acha had begrudgingly left with Daniel. They insisted on getting her a parting gift, something which also gave them the opportunity to accompany Elly and Eiji to the town to gather supplies. Daniel must have asked his father to repair the damage immediately. She suspected his presence was to ensure she couldn"t depart before they returned. They hadn"t counted on it being such an easy task, after all, it was as simple as inserting another pane of glass. The wooden frame itself had, by some miracle, been left undamaged. She was already packing when Daniel"s father arrived. Jack barely spoke to her, and left her to her business as he removed the supporting part of the frame to slide the new sheet of glass into its groove. He didn"t even set foot inside the house, he simply shouted his farewell as he left.

wasZo had agreed, in private, to meet Elly an hour before dusk. It was the best time. Most predators would expect her to leave when the darkness could provide cover for their departure. They wouldn"t even consider the possibility of a daylight escape. She only hoped she would not regret trusting her life, and the lives of those she loved, to the faint recognition she felt.

Zo bit her lip, forcing back the emotions which caused her to hesitate. She had to remind herself she was doing this for them, to keep them safe. She could not afford to stay. It was hard to accept she was never going to see any of them again. Never again would she hear the epic tales of Elder Robert, or help with errands in the village. Never again would she step foot in Crowley, a place which had so quickly become her home.

Her pace slowed further as the clearing, where she and Daniel first met, came into sight. Her eyes lingered upon the stone circle where she had once built her fires. It was in this very place Daniel had given her his friendship. For weeks, months, he had tried desperately to find someone who may have known her. He searched the missing boards and frequently asked for any news relating to missing people, but his search was futile. Zo had been almost relieved when they gave up. She knew that somewhere her mother awaited her return, but each time he came home with no information regarding her past, she was relieved. She had never wanted to leave this place.

Daniel"s parents had been accommodating. Without even meeting her, they had given consent for her to use their small cabin as her home, in return for assistance around the town. It was only a few weeks after their brief agreement when Angela had visited. It was at this point she was welcomed into the family. As Angela looked upon the once barren wasteland, which now thrived at the hand of the young lady, it brought tears to her eyes. She had long ago, and with much regret, abandoned this land as lost.

As time passed, they found they had much in common. Zo had seemingly limitless knowledge of alchemy and botany. It was clear she had been well-educated, and it was often commented that her mannerisms were of those found in a well-raised family, making her unpublicised disappearance all the more confusing. They had tried all manner of concoctions and compounds to retrieve her memory, but nothing seemed to fill any of the darkness which clouded her memory. Angela finally decided that something so horrific must have happened that her body was protecting her from the painful recollection, and maybe even explained why there were no reports of her disappearance. Angela"s efforts wavered as she came to realise that whatever Zo"s past held was better left unknown.

A hand brought Zo back to reality with a start, pulling her from the fond memories of her life on this secluded island. She had been so engrossed in her own thoughts Elly and Eiji"s approach had gone unnoticed. It was strange, ending her life here in the very same place it had started. Elly squeezed Zo"s shoulder tightly. She understood some of her heartache. It was a despair similar to that she herself had felt when she betrayed Marise in order to bring her to this place.

"If only things could have been different," she thought to herself, seeing Zo"s tearful gaze as she stared through the trees longingly towards home. As she looked upon her, she couldn"t help but wonder why it was that Marise had not yet awoken, especially when the sealing potion administered was accurate almost to the day. Marise should have been in full control, or at least that was what she had been led to believe. By her calculations, based on the concoction, Marise should have woken six months after her arrival on Crowley. Six months would have been adequate to ensure they had not lost Zoella forever, but Zoella was the one present and, more alarmingly, there wasn"t even a trace of Marise visible. Although concerned, she was confident in time things would become as they should be, especially where Marise was concerned. Things would work out exactly as intended.

If only things could have been different,Zo"s mind begged her to reconsider. She had only known this person a day and already she was taking her away from all she knew and loved. Although her unfounded trust for this person strangely reassured her, she couldn"t help but question the timing. After over a year and a half she had only now come looking for her, and her arrival had marked the start of trouble. Part of her wanted to ignore the feelings of familiarity, to believe her stories to be nothing but lies, but she knew better than that. For some reason she knew this person spoke the truth and, as much as she wanted to, she couldn"t ignore the proven danger.

Elly"s hand still rested on her shoulder as she applied an encouraging pressure to turn her to face the direction they walked. Although this action had moved her body, it did little to stray her longing gaze from the direction of her home.

“Are you ready?” Elly"s voice ached with concern. She was aware first hand just how powerful the conflicting emotions that she would be feeling, were. “You are doing the right thing you know.”

“They will be safe, won"t they?” Her eyes filled with worry and concern as she turned to look at Elly who, in response, simply nodded and lifted the backpack from Zo"s grasp. “Then, I guess there is no point delaying further.” She had already told herself this so many times, but saying it aloud made it seem more definitive. Her friends would be safe, and that was all that was important. With these thoughts she took her first determined step away from all she loved.

Elly was unsure what to say to Zo, and since her thoughts were on other concerns, she remained silent for the next half an hour. She knew any words she could offer would be of little comfort at this moment. Eiji, however, chose not to speak for an entirely different reason. He walked almost shoulder to shoulder with Marise Shi, and although she seemed oblivious to this fact, he was not.

sheheThe thought that he walked side by side with the brutal murderer—whom his master had so often included in horror stories as they sat around the campfire—unnerved him. It was hard to believe this girl and the legendary assassin were one and the same. He was unsure how he would feel when the time came to make his choice. Death or death, he reminded himself.

As they walked, he found he glanced to her repeatedly, worried that she would make a sudden move and end that which he was here to protect, his life. Each time he looked at her, even if the glances were less than twenty seconds apart, he found himself surprised at how young she was. He was easily her elder by three, or maybe four, years. She looked just like any other person. There were no signs of the marks of Hades which were rumoured to scar her body, nor could he see the image of his own death as he looked upon her. He had known the rumours of this person were greatly exaggerated, but still, he had not expected her to seem so normal. She was not at all like the monster he had expected to face.

The atmosphere was beginning to unnerve him. The silence seemed so final, and not even the cries of night animals pierced the air. It was a heavy stifling silence and, against his better judgement, it was he who finally broke it.

“So y" the le—” His words froze as Elly shot him a warning glance, one which cautioned him to rethink his words. Even through the concealing darkness he was stopped in mid-sentence by the weight of the look alone. In the need to break the silence he had forgotten himself and almost said the first thing which came to his mind, something completely inappropriate. Fortunately, she had stopped him in time, before any damage could be done and they were presented with questions that could not yet be answered.

“I"m the what?” she questioned quietly. Elly had hoped she hadn"t heard, but such silence was unforgiving to a slip of the tongue.

“Legendary healer around these parts,” Elly finished quickly. Another look was directed towards Eiji as silent words were exchanged masked by the darkness. “On our way here, we were told there was a healer whose skill with herbs and potions was beyond all comprehension. I just knew it had to be you, hence why we came here.” A quick, but not entirely satisfying rescue by Elly. Even as she looked to Zo, she could tell she was unconvinced by her answer, but her mind was elsewhere. She was too preoccupied to question further, for this she was grateful. Zo did seem to give an answer, something about someone called Angela, but the name was the only thing clearly heard through her lowered tone.

They had not noticed the sound of their boots as they crunched the grass, not until silence was brought upon them by their sudden, sharp, stop. Elly"s arm stretched in front of Zo, she seemed a little too preoccupied to have noticed the events around her.

The trees before them danced and swayed, projecting shadows from the firelight in front. They told tales of the company who waited before them, whilst blocking their view of those who could be enemies. It was clear someone had recently set up camp. The wood"s air had yet to haze with the dense smoke expected, should the travellers have been there for any length of time.

“The crossroads are just ahead. We get a number of travellers visiting the temple or shrines. Resting here is quite common, given that Crowley has no marked inn. It"s nothing to worry about,” Zo whispered, trying to convince herself that by firmly stating the figures at the firelight would pose no danger would make it so, but after recent events she was not so sure.

“Then why are you whispering?” Elly raised her eyebrow inquisitively as she handed Zo something, before she had even realised what it was, the sword was fastened around her waist in a smooth, natural movement. Her stomach sank as she realised what she had done. “You had forgotten this,” Elly added, slightly relieved as she watched Zoella secure it. At least there were some things the body remembered even if the mind didn"t.

"I had not forgotten it," Zo thought bitterly to herself, remembering her deliberate attempt to leave it behind, despite the fact she nearly left with it in her possession, twice. There was something about this strange item from her past which made her feel uneasy. It left her with a sick feeling deep in the pit of her stomach which surpassed anything she had experienced. As she looked upon the sword she was filled with fear. There was a presence to it she didn"t quite like. Something about it seemed almost evil.

I had not forgotten it,As she felt its weight against her hip, she remembered the giant figure from earlier, the one who had started this nightmare. It had been so difficult to prevent the sword from delivering the final blow, almost as if she fought against the weapon"s control. She had been left with no choice but to remove her attacker from sight before she gave in to its murderous desire. She never wanted to feel that way again, so angry, so much hatred. The power of those raw emotions had clouded her judgement to the extent she barely remembered the conflict at all. As she had stood with her sword poised above him, she was frightened of herself, of what she may do, and terrified of the voice inside her mind which had urged for her to take his life. She feared their reaction should anyone ever discover how she had felt.

“We should go round, t"avoid any trouble.” Eiji"s statement seemed more like a question. He looked towards Zo as if seeking an answer. She wondered if there was, perhaps, another thought behind that look, one she couldn"t quite place. Even through her distraction she had noticed the strange sideways glances in her direction. Something about the way he looked at her made her feel very uneasy.

“And allow them to get behind us and choose their time to strike?” Elly questioned quietly. “It is better to strike first.” Elly"s words were delivered in a tone which left no room for debate, and they began to walk towards the firelight.

They had attempted a silent approach, which had been instantly sabotaged by Eiji as he seemed to step on almost every root and fallen branch. Each of his footsteps echoed with the snapping of twigs. It was as if the undergrowth itself was attracted to his movement. Even if those they approached had been oblivious to that, or dismissed the noises as rather ungraceful forest creatures, the cry he let out when his foot struck a rock would have certainly revealed them.

had“And you wondered how I knew you were following me,” Elly whispered as she shook her head in mild amusement. She could not remember travelling with someone so devoid in the skills of walking quietly. It seemed the harder he tried to silence his footfalls, the louder he became. She wondered if advising him to try to make as much noise as possible would have had the opposite effect.

As they approached, they could make out the conversation clearly. One of the voices was a little too loud, almost as if they had wanted to be overheard by those who approached.

“So anyway, I tried to tell her she couldn"t sneak away, but still she had to try.” Daniel stared at the place Zo now stood. She smiled brightly, her eyes twinkling in the firelight. Even after such a short time apart she felt the lump rise in her throat as she laid eyes on them once more.

Daniel had always been able to read her so well. His presence here served as a reminder of just how well. Shock, amusement, and relief all displayed in her face as she looked upon them.

how“Hey!” She finally spoke in a playful, yet annoyed, tone. “What if I was waiting back at home for you to come and say goodbye?”

“But you aren"t, are you? You didn"t think we"d just let you leave with these people, do you?” He gave her a serious look, one which told her he was concerned about where her journey would lead and, that despite any danger, he wasn"t just going to let her leave in this manner.

“They cannot come with us.” Elly had silently watched until this point, and now her voice was firm enough to rule the conversation. “They will be a burden. It will be difficult enough to defend yourself if someone attacks, let alone you having to worry about these two as well.” Her tone once more took a "this conversation is over" tone. It was a tone no one would normally dare to argue with.

cannot“We can take care of ourselves.” Acha"s voice was timid, yet direct, as it addressed her. They had no intention of allowing this stranger to tell them where they were, and weren"t, welcome, especially when it involved their friend.

“As you did earlier?” Elly questioned harshly, reminding them of what had transpired only hours ago. They decided to ignore her comment, in fact, they continued to talk as if she wasn"t even there.

“But what about your studies, and the garden?” Zo looked from Daniel to Acha in turn. They each had things they had to do, commitments they needed to attend to, even in her absence.

“My studies concluded yesterday,” he advised. She normally recalled his schedule better than he did but, with the events of today alone, he would be surprised if she even remembered the current day. She had more than enough to take in and consider.

“And Angela said she"d happily mind the garden while we followed the lead on your past. We said we were making it into a camping trip,” Acha added.

“You really did think of everything. I"m really glad you came but—”

“But this is not a game. It is not a camping trip either. Her life is in danger, and if you come, so too is yours,” Elly snapped, unable to believe their deliberate attempt to ignore her, especially when they knew exactly who she was. They knew her reputation and stature well, as well as the respect her position was owed. It was common knowledge that Elly was the daughter of the one she had named as Zo"s lord. It was also true that it was she who attended to the politics and governing of her father"s land, whilst he reaped the benefits of her actions.

notnot“We know it"ll be dangerous.” Daniel once more chose to ignore Elly. “Did you care about it being dangerous when you risked your life for me and Acha? It could easily have turned out another way.” He positioned himself to stand between Zo and Elly. A deliberate move to reinforce that both her presence and input were unwanted. This was a choice only Zo herself should make. This stranger had already made enough decisions for her.

“Elly.” Something changed in Zo"s expression, as she looked from Daniel to her. “You said someone was after me. They"ve already mistaken Acha for me once and, from my reaction, they"ll know we"re friends. They could just as easily go after them than come for me directly. If they took my friends… if anything were to happen to them, there is nothing I wouldn"t give, nothing I wouldn"t sacrifice for them.” Zo looked to Daniel and smiled softly. For the first time in this conversation he turned to acknowledge Elly.

“As you say, it"s not as if we can look after ourselves, and if you do know Zo, you"ll know she"d rather die than let anything happen to us, so—”

do“Enough,” Elly stated. She had decided it would be easier to take them, it was preferential to this long conversation. Besides, perhaps if they were to meet with tragedy it would move things along at a quicker pace. “They can come.” She shook her head, her tone filled with annoyance. It seemed they were going to continue until she met their demands anyway, so she thought it was better to spare herself some time. As Zo moved to thank her, she saw Elly smiling in the shadows.

“Besides,” Eiji decided to add his opinion already a little too late to aid the debate, “they won"t be lookin" for a large group, just the two of y". It could work t"our advantage.” Elly glanced around the group again.

“It might,” she stated without any real conviction.