The Forsaken Hero

Tana’s question took me by surprise. My heartbeat accelerated, an anxious shiver traveling down my spine and tail, and I looked down, not daring to meet her eyes.

Tana reached across the table and took my hands, holding them tightly. She was so warm and soft, and I found a gentle, quiet strength flowing into me.

”If you don’t want to,” she murmured, ”I understand. But we’ve been together for so long, yet I feel like I hardly know you.” Her voice broke, thick with emotion. ”It hurts me when I see you wake up crying in the night, or when you look so lost and lonely. I want to help, to make you see that you’re not alone, but I don’t know how. Please, just tell me...”

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I turned away, a lump in my throat. I’d tried so hard to appear cheerful whenever I was around them, to hide my tears after waking up after a nightmare, or when my soul hurt so bad I couldn’t help but cry. And yet she’d known the whole time?

I flinched as she squeezed my hands, my tail quivering with emotion. I couldn’t tell her. I just couldn’t. If they knew...if they knew who I really was, everything would be taken from me. All of the peace and joy, everything I clung to so desperately. To trust is to hurt. If I hadn’t trusted Soltair, his betrayal wouldn’t have torn the life from my heart. If I hadn’t trusted Fyren, he never could have left scars so deep they hadn’t healed.

If I hadn’t trusted, I wouldn’t have....met Korra. Or Elise, or Thron, or any of the others who helped me survive just one more day. Trust brought me the light that shone through the darkness, whose power had sustained me through more suffering than any could imagine.

I thought again of Tana’s original question. The pure joy of regaining the Eyes of Fate had deprived me of my usual caution, and I allowed her to know something about me had changed. Perhaps, if it was just this much...

”Tana,” I whispered, finally bringing myself to meet her gaze, grateful for her comforting touch. Were she not holding my hands, I was certain they would be trembling. Her expression changed, becoming a little brighter, more expectant, and I took a deep breath. ”I...I’m sorry. I’m not who you think I am. T-This isn’t my first time learning magic, or casting spells. I’m not growing stronger, I’m recovering. My life was broken, and with it, my soul shattered into a thousand pieces.”

”I already figured as much. No new mage can know the things you know. Arrays are new magic pioneered by the brightest minds in the world, and yet you had the confidence to create your own.”

My breath caught in my throat. ”You knew?”

She smiled, reaching up to brush away the single tear making its way down my cheek. ”Even Sorrin suspects something of the sort, and he knows nothing of magic. But what happened to you? You face terrifying monsters as though they were no more than animals, but then you shake at the slightest sign of attention. You wouldn’t even let Sorrin near at the beginning.”

Before I could find words to explain, the waiter arrived, placing our food on the table between us. Tana released my hands and nodded at him in thanks before he departed.

”Shall we eat?”

I nodded, staring hungrily at the plates of food. There was indeed food of all kinds, including Radian cuisine. I’d seen it many times at banquets and festivals, though I rarely got a chance to taste it. Slaves weren’t permitted to eat such delicacies, but I held no such restrictions now.

The food was delicious, but our conversation lingered in my mind. Midway through our meal, I ignored the rising thrill of anxiety and looked up at the half-elf. ”Tana, about what you asked. I have several... abilities. Before I was injured, I could use a special type of ability that let me see magic as it really was. Runes, mana, and even spells cast some time ago. It...um, well, also lets me see things that haven’t happened yet. It activated for the first time last night, when my soul reached third level.”

Tana stared at me, her fork frozen mid-air. My heart pounded in my chest as I awaited her reaction, my hands gripping the folds of my skirt under the table.

”You mean you can see the future?” She asked slowly.

I tentatively nodded, conscious of my tail flicking nervously. She took a few breaths before finally setting her fork down.

”And you can see mana? Like before the spell is cast?”

I nodded again.

After a tense moment, Tana’s eyes lit up. ”Oh, so that was how you learned to chantless cast! You could see the runes and the mistakes being made.”

I tilted my head and blinked, confused. With all of the possible ramifications of my revelation, that was what she cared about?

Tana, sensing something was off, quickly calmed herself down. ”Sorry, it just makes me a little envious. Also, did you say you could see the future? Did you have a vision or something last night?”

I flinched, my heart growing heavy in my chest. ”Yes,” I whispered.

”What happened? Was it about us?”

I shook my head, my expression falling. ”Its...It’s never good. I can’t control it, it just happens,” I explained quickly.

”Oh.” After a moment, she reached across the table and laid her hand on mine. ”That must be very difficult, to see all of that evil and be unable to do anything about it. Would you like to talk about it?”

Shaking my head, I quickly took another bite. But even the fantastical explosion of flavors did little to restore my mood, serving only as a temporary distraction from the weight of our conversation. We ate in silence for a few more minutes, until Tana finally raised her head.

”Thank you, Starlight, for trusting me enough to tell me that. It must be hard, but keeping all of that pain locked inside only makes it hurt more. I want to help, and I know everyone else in the party feels the same way, even Rasce. Whenever you’re ready to share more, we’re here for you.”

I nodded, any words choked out by emotion. Moisture gathered in the corners of my eyes, but refused to fall. I drew my sleeve across my hand, wetting the soft, white fabric. For some reason, my heart didn’t quite ache as much, the storm of darkness within less black and violent.

”Thank you,” I finally managed.

She smiled at me and we finished our meal. As we walked back to the inn, I pondered the events of the day. There was no fighting, prejudice, or even hostility from the city for my race. We were just two girls out enjoying a day of shopping and spending time together. And I did enjoy it, even with the weight of my vision hanging over me. My heart was full of peace, warming the bitterness and loneliness that was my constant companion.

As we rounded the final corner before the inn, a tingle traced down my spine, and I instinctively turned. There were still many people out and about, and a flash of white caught my gaze. Two figures, concealed in pure white cloaks, stood against the wall of a shop conversing in low voices. Their souls were third level, one holding a spear, the other with their back to me, clearly displaying an intricate, embroidered golden sun on the cloak.

As I froze, a terrified shudder ripping through my body, a snippet of their conversation drifted over to me. ”...find her, and it’ll mean an instant promotion. But are you sure she’s here, Aqua?”

”I hope so, we bet everything on it.”

”Then starting tomorrow, we’ll search the city high and low. We’ll have to be careful, though, the people here aren’t too fond of inquisitors.”

”Starlight, are you alright?” Tana asked, peering at me with concern. ”You’re all pale, and-”

The inquisitor with their back to me suddenly stiffened and turned around, sweeping the street. I caught a brief glimpse of brown hair and striking green eyes before I turned and ran, fleeing desperately through the streets. Tana’s voice rose behind me, and people stopped what they were doing to stare, those directly in my path instinctively moving back to let me through. I didn’t dare look back, running until my breath came in ragged gasps, and my heart pounded so hard it nearly ripped out of my chest.

Eventually, after countless twists and turns, I came to a stop, panting heavily. My muscles burned from the sudden exertion, and the beginnings of tears gathered in my eyes. They couldn’t be here. They couldn’t!

Slowly, I raised my head and looked around, finding myself in a darkened alley. The shadows proved no challenge to my eyes, but the wind rose at that moment, passing through the thin satin of my dress and chilling me. A subtle noise sounded behind me, and I whirled about, eyes wide.

A shadow detached itself from the yawning blackness, enveloping me in an instant. Strong, wiry arms wrapped around my trembling figure, and a soothing voice entered my ear.

”Shhh, it’s alright, I have you,” Dyson whispered.

I collapsed into his comforting embrace, squeezing my eyes shut, my tail shuddering. As the panic began to subside, tears began to flow, and I sobbed against his chest. He stroked my hair gently, his other hand on my back keeping me close. Despite the opportunity, his hands never wandered, remaining firm and still, keeping me safe in his arms.

After I had regained enough composure to at least breathe properly, he pulled back a little and looked into my eyes, which glistened with tears.

”That was quite the little chase you led me on. Are you hurt?” he asked worriedly.

I shook my head, finally succeeding in quelling my tears. ”I-I’m sorry,” I whispered hoarsely.

Suddenly, his grip tightened, and he pulled me close again with one arm. The soft rasp of steel on leather set my tail twitching nervously, and I half-turned, looking behind us. Dyson’s free hand held his short sword, pointed directly into the yawning mouth of a nearby alley. Several cloaked silhouettes approached with bared blades, keeping close to the walls and shadows as though unaware the darkness provided no cloak against my eyes. Dozens of magical enchantments surrounded them and their gear, proving these were no mere thugs.

”Who are you? Show yourselves!” Dyson cried, unable to make out more than vague shapes.

The group paused, looking at one in the rear. He nodded, and they began to chant. I quickly wrapped my arms around Dyson and hugged him tightly, hiding my face against his chest. The restrictive motion caused him to shift uncomfortably, but he stilled as a magic circle blossomed around us, drawing threads between our souls.

”Link Ability: Adaptive Resistance.”