The Forsaken Hero

The following morning, the city was ablaze with excitement. Nobles, servants, and guards buzzed with news concerning the upcoming expedition to the gates, complete with gossip about the arbiter, the arrival of a neighboring kingdom’s army, and the incident at the banquet. As I followed Soltair and Trithe through the halls of the castle, I could feel their eyes lingering on my tail and horns, condemning my bloodline. More than a few muttered slurs and curses just loud enough for me to hear.

Soltair’s off-handed remark as I fled the hall returned to me again and again. Things hadn’t changed. Despite all the hardships I faced, and all the progress I felt I made, I had responded in the same way and fled the banquet. It was fortunate, in a sense, as it orchestrated my conversation with the Arbiter, but I still felt disappointed in myself. I got caught up in the moment and fell back to my old vulnerabilities.

With a deep breath, I decided that would never happen again. No matter the circumstance, I would maintain my composure and dignity. I wouldn’t give my enemies the pleasure of my fear.

No sooner had the determination settled into my mind than my stomach growled. Soltair and Trithe glanced back, the latter raising an eyebrow, and I blushed.

Soltair shook his head and chuckled. ”I guess skipping dinner caught up to you. Shall we grab some breakfast?”

A spike of unease shot through me. As we’d prepared for the day, attending servants mentioned the servant kitchens beneath the castle. Although it seemed like regular conversation between them, I was certain I was meant to overhear, and could only imagine what might happen if I ignored them and showed up where the nobility ate.

Despite my newfound sense of purpose, I had no intention to test my resolve by seeking humiliation. ”You go ahead. I’ll slip by the kitchen and meet you afterward.”

He frowned, opening his mouth to protest, but stopped as a smile spread across his face. ”Alright then. Let’s go, Trithe, just the two of us.”

He linked his arm through Trithe, pulling her close. They shared an intimate smile, and by the time they turned to walk down the hall, I knew I was already forgotten. I shook my head wryly, idly caressing my horn. He certainly wouldn’t have any problems moving on once I was gone.

The layout of the Brithlite caste was similar to the Divine Throne, allowing me to navigate the servant’s corridors with ease. The majority of the servants and slaves were attending to the gathered nobles, military officers, and other heroes, leaving me to wander their halls in solitude.

As I entered a particular windowless corridor, My mana tingled, curling about my shattered soul, resonating with an unseen power. The familiar feeling sent a chill down my spine and I seized my mana. Demons!

The light crystal on the wall flickered for a moment, then darkened, shrouding me in shadows. Although my demonkin eyes had no trouble in the darkness, I instinctively activated the Eyes of Fate. My eyes widened as thousands of tiny, invisible runes swirled around in complex patterns, creating the mist-like shadows that cut me off from the rest of the castle.

A magic circle materialized on the ground in the middle of the hallway. My tail curled around my leg as I recognized many of the runes the Grand Inquisitor used in the teleportation spell. As it activated, a tremendous amount of mana erupted upward, tearing at my clothes and causing my hair to whip into the air behind me.

A figure rose out of the circle, emerging from the ground like it were water. He wore a thick, black cloak, but the bumps in the cowl were unmistakable. As he stepped out of the circle, his cowl fell back, revealing the demonkin who had appeared outside the chapel window. Several powerful sixth-circle spells shrouded him in a myriad of protective effects, and he held a jewel-encrusted spear enchanted with seventh-circle magic. His soul blazed with seventh-level mana, but his aura remained dormant, exuding no sense of pressure.

As the swells of mana died away, my soul tingled, resonating with the man. While the brief glimpse I had of him before told me he was younger, I was surprised to find he was only a year or two older than me. His eyes flashed with crimson light, and a small frown creased his features.

”You are as enigmatic as you are beautiful,” He said, smoothing his lips into a smile. ”It is rare to find one who resists the Eyes of Hell.”

”Who are you?” I asked softly.

I sensed no threat from him, but identification skills were extremely rare, usually given only by gods to their direct servants. Combined with the impossible ability to teleport so casually, this man could be nothing but dangerous.

He strode forward until he stood a breath away. His hand rose toward my face, stopping just shy of my cheek as I flinched away, a tremble passed through my soul. My heart pounded with fear as the Eyes of Fate slipped away. The instability of my soul prevented me from holding it for long, and the demonkin’s presence only exacerbated the effect.

The moment the stars left my eyes, his fingers curled, closing into a fist. ”What have they done to you?” he hissed, recoiling. His eyes dropped to my shoulder, where the Sunpurge glowed softly.

”Have you come to avenge your master?” I asked, a nervous tremor in my voice. The longer I had to observe him, the more certain I became. He bore a similar power to that of the Curse Demon.

”Avenge? Lord Vithrac is far too busy attempting to stabilize his position for petty matters like vengeance. No, I serve a far greater being than that.” He fell silent for a moment before he shook himself, eyes flicking to meet my gaze. ”I apologize, I’ve been impolite coming to you so suddenly without introduction. I am the Apostle of the Descent, Luke.”

An apostle. My eyes narrowed, and I reached out, summoning my staff. The term was unfamiliar, but it wasn’t too difficult to guess its meaning. Fighting him was far beyond my current abilities, but perhaps, if he underestimated my abilities, I could slip away.

As I took a defensive stance, he raised his hand. ”I’m not here to fight, Fate Hero. If anything, consider my visit a sign of respect. I was in the area and simply had to meet you.”

I lowered my staff but didn’t dismiss it. People had taken a habit of lying to me recently, and I had no intention of being caught off guard once more. ”I’ve done nothing to earn that. I’m a slave, if you couldn’t tell,” I said bitterly, pressing a hand to the slave crest.

”Quite the opposite, in fact,” Luke replied, ”You are an inspiration! Demonkin all over the world on both sides talk about you and your strength. Besides, you’ve accomplished what the entire Army of the Descent, myself included, has failed to do. It’s only natural I’d be impressed.”

”And that is...?”

He shook his head, chuckling. ”Do you really not know? In that case, I’ll leave it a mystery. That might even a blessing in a way. Now your friends won’t be able to force it from you with that dreadful curse.”

A shiver ran down my tail, my breath catching in my throat. ”How do you know about that?”

Judging by his words, he was referring to the impending judgment I would receive at the Divine Throne. No, that couldn’t be it. I had only learned about it from the arbiter, after all. How could some Demonkin figure it-”

”You heroes are not the only ones who communicate with their high powers. Apostles stand on the opposite end of the axis, called and empowered by Demon Emperors, the direct superiors of the Demon Lords. As you can see, I am...” He cocked his head, listening to something only he heard. ”I was just getting to that,” he grumbled before returning his attention to me. ”Anyway, I wanted to invite you to join me for a meal. We could talk and get to know each other better.”

I blinked, blindsided by the sudden invitation. This demonkin just admitted to being an evil hero, and was now inviting me on a date? For some reason, I found myself growing flustered, a slight blush spreading across my face. ”I, um, don’t think it’s proper. I’m sorry, but I have no desire for that kind of relationship right now.”

He blinked, face creasing in confusion. After a long pause, his face blanched and his tail stiffened, causing his cloak to bulge behind him. ”Wh-what are you saying? Why would I ask you out? I mean, you’re beautiful, and it’s not that I wouldn’t, but, uh, that’s not what I’m trying...”

He grabbed his head, groaning in embarrassment. The sudden transformation from mysterious apostle to bashful teen was shocking, but not nearly enough to make me forget my own embarrassment.

Luke took a deep breath, taking a moment to compose himself. At last, his tail relaxed and he said, ”What I meant to say was that we have much to discuss. You have suffered much in the last few months, especially at Western University. You’re underweight and malnourished, so I thought you might appreciate a real meal for once. I assure you that I had no intention of pursuing a romantic relationship. After all, aren’t we technically enemies?”

”I-I see.”

Luke’s eyes drifted behind me to where my tail flicked back and forth and his lips curved in a faint smile. He blushed again and rubbed his horn.

”Perhaps it’s best if we continue this another time,” he stammered. Moving as though fleeing, he hurriedly chanted a seventh circle spell. As the teleportation magic swept about him, he turned to me, a faint red glow returning to his cheeks. ”Until we meet again!”

He dropped into the circle, disappearing completely. After a moment, the shadows dispersed and the light came back on. I stared at the ground where he had disappeared for some time, trying to wrap my head around the encounter. Of course the demons chose heroes. If I’d been told that before meeting the arbiter, there was no way I’d believe it. Heroes were paragons of righteousness and justice, right?

I’d already known the demons granted power through bloodshed and sacrifices, which were essentially just mechanics that generated infernal mana. The gods bestowed blessings in much the same way, save they worked based on faith. If they could expend their power to summon heroes and grant them abilities, wasn’t it only natural the demons could as well? After all, the fundamental difference between them was as simple as the means they chose to acquire power. Heroes weren’t good any more than the gods they served were.

Flustered by the misunderstanding, Luke had left before he could fully explain his intentions. What did he, and in extension, this Demon Emperor, want with me? What event had he been referring to? Why did he come now, when my time was so short already?

I shook my head, pushing away the heavy thoughts. Considering the hints High Archon Elek had given me, it was all irrelevant. For now, I would focus on clearing the gates and surviving until the Divine Throne. What came after would belong to Fate.