The Forsaken Hero

The dark forest was silent save for the heavy panting of the ape-like monsters. Its claws glistened red in the starlight, dripping with the blood of the deer at its feet. Shadows pooled around its muscled body, drawn toward it as though attracted by its ferocious killing intent.

I took a sharp breath as it took a step forward, its ten-foot bulk shaking the ground. My tail stiffened in fear, but retreat was impossible. I could still make out the faint rustling of small feet in the forest behind me, accompanied by Sari’s occasional sob. Every second I delayed was another second closer to their freedom. Perhaps here, at the very end, my life would have some meaning.

Even as it loomed over me, the monster tilted its head, as though wondering why I didn’t run. It seemed to shrug and reached out a claw, the tip slowly drawing toward my heart. I watched it, mesmerized by the cruel reality of the beast until it was mere inches from my chest.

Breaking my eyes free of the dreadful visage, I waved my staff. ”Aegis.”

At the first sign of magic, the monster’s claw jumped forward, plunging toward my breast. At that moment, regardless of chanting speed or magical finesse, even a ninth-level mage would have died. But the barrier formed even as the claw touched my dress, freezing it in place. No matter how the beast grunted and strained, it failed to do more than a small, triangular tear in the fabric, leaving my skin untouched.

Drawing back, it growled, sizing me up once more. Then, without warning, it struck again. The claws bore the full might of a third-circle attack, whistling through the air with blinding speed. I hadn’t time to flinch before they stuck the Aegis, filling the air with a flurry of star-like sparks.

But when the light dimmed, the monster’s eyes narrowed. Despite the overwhelming difference in power, the Aegis bore not a scratch, a shimmering golden aura as strong as the moment it was cast.

”So weak?” I murmured, staring at the monster. Third-level supposedly granted power far beyond anything an Aegis could handle. Even scions could damage it, not to mention empowered creatures like infernal monsters.

When a demon fought, almost all of its magical power was concentrated on the very tip of its attack, giving it the greatest strength possible. But this monster’s attacks were amateurish, pathetic, even. While it released lots of power, very little of it actually focused in the attack itself. And that’s not to mention it never even hit the exact same spot twice, placing its blows on a wide surface area that allowed the Aegis to disperse the energy throughout the entire shield.

Even if there was a two-level difference, how could one of my spells possibly lose to a creature as pitiful as this? Even without the additional influence of my lost heroic blessing, my Fate magic was beyond equal. Chants created spells like loose rugs, barely held together by a hodgepodge of extra mana. I had long shed that burden, making my magic comparable to a master’s tapestry, with every thread and knot perfectly placed to contribute to the greater work There was no ”weak point” or flaw in my magic, but it was a cohesive whole capable of demonstrating power far above its circle. If it weren’t so, I would died many times to the strength of demons, who had honed their skill through thousands of years of endless battle.

And how could a mere monster compare to foes such as that? I had killed Demon Lord Avatars and withstood dragons. Now that my magic was unsealed, I was no longer a weak, helpless girl. Even if I were only first level, I had come through too much to surrender now.

The realization sent a flood of strength through my system, quieting my trembling tail and hardening resolve in my starry eyes. Sensing a change, the monster hesitated, growling threateningly but withholding its attacks.

I faced it down, gazing into its blackened eyes. All traces of fear had vanished, leaving me filled with unassailable tranquility. I trembled before men, chains, and the darkness of betrayal, but monsters...monsters I understood.

The creature threw back its head and roared, the noise reverberating back on itself until it echoed to a deafening crescendo. As it finally faded, I uncovered my ringing ears, staring around as more monsters just like it appeared from the darkness. Two, three, five, ten, they kept coming in a tide of claw and fur. Within a minute, close to twenty of them crashed through the trees, forming a tight ring around me.

I shifted nervously, nearly overwhelmed by their combined aura. Was it some sort of summoning ability, or simply a call for aid? Even Soulcasting, summoning spells created magic circles, which ruled out the first. But that left far more problematic questions. What were so many monsters doing so close to the village? Without the Eyes of Fate, it was impossible to tell whether they were even real, or simply illusions, but my instincts screamed at me to run, that this was a danger I couldn’t confront.

I was no longer safe before their claws. Casting a single Aegis had drained nearly half of my mana, and while it could withstand a single monster indefinitely, there simply wasn’t enough mana to survive a multipronged assault.

”You cannot have them,” I said, pushing away my fear. I had lived too long in its shadow. If this was the end, I would die standing tall, guarding that which mattered to me. Watching Sari practice magic and acting as a mentor had awakened feelings I didn’t know existed. Even now, they welled up in my heart, filling me with inexplicable love and warmth. No matter the cost, I would protect her.

The monster took a step back, its gaze wavering. A tremble passed through its body, starting in its core and radiating out until its claws shook. Only then did I notice the strange warp in the air around me, as though I were viewing the world through water. My staff grew uncomfortably hot in my hand, the crystal star on top blazing with the light of a thousand fires. It released an invisible pulse of energy out into the world, exactly as it had in the village when terror seized me.

A black hairline crack appeared in the air between us, snaking through the sky until it formed a line a dozen feet long. Without warning, the crack opened, tearing through space itself to form a gate.

Unlike Demon Gates, this was little more than a hole in the sky, giving a window-like view of an ancient, gnarled forest wreathed in shadows. One of the shadows separated from the rest, jumping into the air and flitting through the portal. The moment it passed through, the portal rotated closed, disappearing as though it had never appeared.

I froze, staring in shock and horror as the shadow coalesced into another familiar monster. The infernal wolf!

It was long and sleek, with a silvery gray coat that glistened with cracks of starlight. Its horns curved gracefully behind its head, shaped oddly reminiscent of my own. As when it first appeared, I was struck by its shining eyes, which gleamed gold in the night, flecked with motes of white light.

The moment the wolf landed, the monsters surged back, obscuring themselves in the depths of the shadows. They remained close enough that their claws glinted in my summoned light, but far enough they could melt away at a moment’s notice.

The wolf sniffed the air, then slowly turned until its gaze locked with mine. I held my breath, knuckles growing white around my staff, but it remained motionless, simply watching. The rest of the world faded away, lost in the brilliance of its eyes, and I felt a strange sensation stir within my soul. While foreign, it was comforting, like a candle nestled in the darkness. Slowly, my heart calmed, and I took a deep, steadying breath.

Mesmerized, I reached out a hand toward it. A shiver coursed through its body as I touched its massive head, a low whine sounding deep in its throat. Its fur was soft and warm, drawing me until I was practically hugging its thick, muscular neck, caressing it with long, gentle strokes.

Taking a long breath, I buried my face in its fur. ”You’re not here to hurt me, are you,” I whispered, ”Were you trying to protect me before? I’m sorry I ran away from you.”

A low vibration reverberated deep in its chest, the beginnings of a growl. Startled, I tried to pull away, but its massive body circled protectively around me, closing me in. Only then did I notice the monsters had begun to close in once more. They were initially wary of the fourth-level creature, but after establishing its relative passiveness, were prepared to renew aggression.

The wolf’s eyes burned dangerously and issued a warning bark, followed by its aura. The monsters paused, glancing at each other, but violence dripped from them in waves. It was clear they weren’t leaving without tasting blood.

I tightened my grip on my staff and quickly drew on my remaining mana. The wolf glanced at me curiously as a golden shield materialized around it, and I nodded.

”Kill them all.”