MARKED

MARKED
Alda's POV

It felt like an eternity since I found myself lost in nothing but darkness. I didn't understand a thing. Is this my eternity? Why is there no light at all?

Why does my eternity reflect my last moments alive?

Not knowing where to go or what to do, I immediately sat down on whatever solid surface was beneath my feet, since I couldn't see a single thing.

Hugging my legs tightly to my chest, I just hoped Mom and Dad would come for me—but nothing happened. It was just endless darkness and a silence that was beginning to stretch out for far too long.

How long am I supposed to stay here? Why do I always have to feel so helpless?

As I questioned myself, I began hearing sounds—like the rushing waves of the sea surrounding me.

What's happening?

Before I could even grasp the situation, I felt the solid surface getting wet, and soon my clothes were soaking too. I pushed to my feet, not understanding what was going on, and began backing away, stumbling blindly in the darkness.

But I couldn't avoid the water. In fact, I felt it closing around my feet and rising until it hit my knees. It didn't stop there—it kept rising, making its way up to my chest.

I knew I needed to find my way out. If the water was rising this fast, it meant wherever I was had four walls around it, and the water must have found a way in somehow.

I took a deep breath and pulled myself beneath the surface, but everywhere was dark—too dark to see a single thing.

I swam back up, gasping for air.

What on earth is going on? I thought getting separated from Siofra meant it was over. I thought it meant I died—so what on earth am I still doing lost in total darkness with a water current rising rapidly around me?

“This is insane,” I muttered to myself as I struggled to keep afloat. It won't be long before the water covers whatever is left of this space, and I don't know what to do.

Why does all of this keep happening to me?

Slipping back into the water hoping I would see even a tiny bit of light, I was still met with pure darkness. I stayed under longer this time, looking from left to right, hoping for anything—until I nearly suffocated from lack of air. I immediately made my way back up through the current, hoping the water hadn't entirely swallowed whatever was left of the space I was in.

Thankfully, I broke the surface, gasping for air before the current threw me slightly forward and my head touched a solid surface above me.

I immediately reached out, touching it, and panic set in instantly. It was over.

Pounding my hands against the solid barrier above—a ceiling I could only feel but couldn't see—I slammed my fists against it desperately.

“Siofra! Siofra, are you there?! Help me, please! Anyone! Please help me. I don't want to die. I want to live!” I managed to cry out between sobs before the current swallowed what was left of the room, dragging me beneath the surface.

I lost all hope and didn't even bother fighting it anymore.

I was about to let go of my breath, hoping that if I let the water claim what was left of my life it would finally be over—when I suddenly saw it.

A glimmering light coming from deep below, moving toward me. I couldn't understand what it was until it came a little closer. It looked remarkably like a gemstone as it floated right in front of me, but its color was an unfamiliar, striking blue.

Without thinking, I reached out my hand toward it, already running out of air.

The moment my fingers closed around it, a sharp pain shot through me, like something cutting straight into my skin. I gasped underwater in pain, looking down at my right arm only to find the glowing gemstone embedding itself into my palm and settling right by my wrist. Before my very eyes, the glowing blue light shining out from my skin began mapping and drawing a strange creature upon my wrist.

The blinding light burned bright for a moment, and when it finally dimmed down, I opened my eyes to the deep blue of the sea.

Gone was the pitch-black darkness, though the water remained—I was actually submerged beneath the sea with the plant vines I recognized to be Elba’s wrapped securely around my waist. My eyes caught a figure being pulled down into the depths, and I instantly recognized her long white hair.

Elba.

I dove down after her and immediately grabbed hold of her hands, pulling her along with me back toward the surface. I didn't know where my strength came from or how I was able to drag both of us out of the depths, but I did.

Once we broke the surface, I collapsed on the shore beside Elba, gasping for air.

What just happened? Wait a minute... if I just dragged Elba out of the water with me, does that mean I'm alive?

I scrambled over to check on Elba, who wasn't showing any signs of consciousness. I didn't waste a second, moving to perform CPR on her, but before I could even touch her chest, she gasped loudly and started coughing uncontrollably.

“Elba! Elba, look at me. Are you okay?” I asked, her confused eyes meeting mine as she struggled to catch her breath.

“Alda? Alda, is that really you? I thought... you stopped breathing, and I thought we lost you,” she said, her voice filled with raw concern.

I'm alive. I came back to life!

I wanted to scream it at the top of my lungs, but I decided to hug Elba instead.

“I don't know how I'm here either, but I'm so happy I get to see you again,” I said, pulling away with a breathy laugh as I held her hands. But then I remembered the blue gemstone—and the mark on my wrist.

I pulled back the sleeve of my dress from my right wrist, and sure enough, the mark was there. It wasn't a dream or a nightmare—it was real.

The creature on my wrist looked like a majestic sea dragon with wings. My gaze traveled back to Elba, who was staring at it in shock before she pulled up her own right sleeve, revealing the exact same drawing on her wrist as well.

I gripped her hands as I gave her an inquiring look.

“A blue gemstone entered your wrist too, right?” she asked, and I nodded. She was the first to pull herself to her feet, extending a hand to help me up.

“What are these things on our wrists?” I asked, hoping she had answers.

“I don't know. But it somehow brought you back to life, so hopefully it's not a bad thing. These drawings are ancient symbols... I just haven't seen anything quite like them,” she said.

“Where's Siofra?” I asked, and a frown immediately darkened her face.

“Her spirit guide took her to stop her sister, leaving you behind like you weren't even a part of this,” she said, her voice dripping with irritation. But I didn't feel angry at all.

“You don't have to blame them. I'm just one person, and Siofra’s sister could wipe out an entire kingdom. We need to find them and help in any way we can,” I said.

Elba looked at me in complete disbelief, like I had just said something crazy.

“You want to help them?” she asked, and I nodded.

“Instead of finding your way back to your realm, you want to stay here and risk your life to help them?” she pressed again.

“Yes. I mean, Siofra could really use our help,” I replied, not understanding why she was treating my desire to help like madness.

“Alda, you were just given another life—this time with no soul tied to yours. It means you're free, Alda! You don't have to stay here and risk your life again!”

Elba’s words made me pause, forcing me to realize the weight of what she was saying. I really could just find my way back to the human realm and forget all about Álfheimr and everyone else. But I couldn't bring myself to do it, even though the thing I wanted most right now was to find Xander.

“They're also the reason why I am alive in the first place. First, it was to help save Siofra's spirit until she got back to her body, and now whatever brought Siofra to me brought me back again,” I said, my gaze dropping to the creature marked on my wrist. “We need to go help in any way we can.”

Elba let out a heavy sigh. “I really love your kindness, and I hope Álfheimr learns to appreciate you for it.”

I just shrugged my shoulders. “What can I say? I once thought my kindness led to my death, but I realized Seth would have done what he did even without my kindness. I was just kind to the wrong person. So, let's go help Siofra.”

Elba led the way as we navigated through the woods, finally emerging right at the edge of the battlefield.

I gasped at the overwhelming army of giant rock monsters attacking just two elves.

Siofra and her grandmother, even while fighting with immense power, were heavily outnumbered. They would never make it in time to stop her sister at this rate.

“Okay... I must admit I'm scared. I don't know the first thing about fighting,” I admitted to Elba, who didn't look scared at all.

“Then it's a good thing I am. Aside from the fact that these things can shoot out venomous, sharp rock shards that will end your life once the poison dominates your system...”

At first, I thought she was joking, but the dead serious look on her face proved otherwise. She pointed toward the shore where about half of the giant rocks were frozen in place with their jaws stretched wide open, shooting sharp rock projectiles from their mouths.

I gasped, a sharp scream almost tearing from my throat as my gaze snapped back to Elba.

“Don't worry. All we have to do is get on their backs and rip off their heads, and they'll melt away like dust,” Elba said with a subtle, mischievous smile.

“Wow, that sounds super easy... if only I could fly, command plants, or had some actual powers! I'm probably going to get chewed up out there,” I said, swallowing my fear.

“See? All the more reason you should take the next portal back to the human realm—or better yet, stay far away from this fight.”

As Elba spoke, six of the rock creatures spotted us and started heading in our direction.

“Elba!” I called out in terror, immediately grabbing her hand in panic.

The moment my right hand clasped hers, a brilliant blast of lightning erupted from our entwined hands! The lightning surged forward, striking the six giant rock monsters and snapping their heads off clean. Their bodies instantly crumbled and faded into dust.

My jaw dropped wide open in complete shock. I stared down at my hand still gripping Elba’s—the creatures marked on both of our wrists were glowing brightly, pulsing with electrical energy.

Elba’s gaze snapped to mine, and matching smiles curved onto our lips.

“Sweet,” we echoed in unison.

We just got ourselves some power.