The Tales of Mara Prosperine: A Short Story

PART ONE

PART ONE: I WILL SING SONGS OF FREEDOM

This could not be the life she was born for, this is far too tedious, even for mortals. Mara stood at the edge of her tower's balcony overlooking the enchanted obsidian gates that separate the world of the living and the world of souls. All her life she has been a prisoner to her mother's kingdom. She calculated the possibility of her gaining independence and it was a near zero percentage since Lilith, the Goddess of death and the queen of the underworld is not known for her hospitality and kindness. Lilith was the most powerful being in the realm, she controls the demons that roam both the earth and the underworld, she has the power to defeat a million armies, she has the power to take life, she has the power to erase a soul from existence. No one would ever question her judgement, let alone go against her will.

All of Mara's life, she has wondered what lies beyond those great obsidian gates. Passing souls would always tell her stories of how beautiful the land of the living is, they sang her songs of its greatness and told her how much they would give just to get a glimpse of life again. Life must have been so beautiful if the souls would go through such distance to experience it again. Then again she would never know because she has never lived a life quite exhilarating as the ones the souls tell her. All she knows are the walls of her mother's kingdom and the great obsidian gate. No mortal soul has gone out of those gates and survived to tell the tale, souls would come in, never out. Perhaps it is different with her, perhaps nature would bend the rules for immortal beings such as herself. But then again, this was only a theory, a "what if."

Mara shook her head out of her thoughts, tucked a few strands of onyx colored hair behind her ears then jumped off of the balcony where she stood. Magnificently, she flew down from her tower maneuvering towards a window that lead to her mother's throne room. Mara landed swiftly, and so behold the queen of hell seated in her golden throne basking in all of her glory.

"Hello mother" Mara greeted the Goddess of Death accompanied by a curtsy

"Why are you here Mara? You should be in your tower" Mara met her mother's eyes, the similarity between them was uncanny

"I wish to go to the river of bones" Mara said politely

"Take Nali with you" Her mother instructed

"but I wish to go alone"

"And I say take Nali with you" her mother's eyes grew darker

"But mother—"

"As your mother and your queen, you shall do as I say!" Lilith's voice was heard by every soul in the realm, her sharp obsidian wings spread as those words escaped her mouth, they were glorious. Mara had similar wings to her mother, however, hers were red as rubies.

Mara could not do anything but obey her mother's wishes. "Yes, mother" with that she flew out of the throne room leaving her mother in there alone.

She soared the underworld sky with her ruby red wings, tears were brimming in her eyes. She could not care less of fetching Nali before making her way to the river of bones. All she could think about was escaping her mother's brutal grasp. She flew and she flew, she then heard someone shouting her name over and over, she caught a glimpse of Nali chasing after her. Nali looked very out of breath, even for a demon so Mara decided to fly down and let her catch her breath.

"Mara" Nali said breathlessly at Mara who was hovering over her

"It's okay Nali, catch your breath. You know for the fiercest demon in all the underworld, you sure are getting rusty" Mara's feet met the ground. She and Nali love to joke around each other. Nali was said to be the fiercest of demons and the strongest among them, she was the Queen's most trusted servant. And ever since Mara's birth, Nali was given the task to look after her. She would teach Mara a lot of things, about the land of souls and even the land of the living, Nali also taught Mara how to fight, how to defend herself, not that she need it since Nali was always with her. Mara was her best friend and Nali was hers.