The Forsaken Hero

”Impossible,” Soltair cried, angrily jumping to his feet. ”No one could have survived that spell. Even with all three of our combined abilities and buffs, we still almost died. Levin tanked the majority of it, but his wounds didn’t even recover all the way. There’s nothing left of High Valley, or any slave that once lived there.”

Victor waited for him to finish, his voice rising in irritation. ”That’s not strictly true. We found an old church preserved perfectly from the spell. The priest inside wouldn’t share much, even with encouragement, but what little we learned indicates there was a red-haired demonkin present at the time of the blast.”

”Hearsay and rumors,” Soltair said stiffly.

Victor snorted, looking at him disdainfully. ”Claim what you like, but there’s far more than that. The Fate Statue in the Grand Chapel has yet to fall. Considering the fact that her divinity is gone, there can only be one thing left sustaining it, and the Arbiter himself said that there was only one Fate Hero.”

”You really think Xiviyah’s alive?” A pretty young elf asked, looking at Victor with wide eyes.

”R’lissia, that’s not something to get excited about,” the elf beside her said stiffly. ”It would be better for everyone if she just disappeared.”

”She’s not evil, Ronin. I knew her,” the Life Hero said quietly. ”She was hurting, and needed our love, not hatred. That’s why Korra left.”

”Whatever,” Ronin snorted.

Victor frowned at their interruption, and they fell silent. After clearing his throat, he continued. ”The Inquisitors tried scrying her, but the results were extremely confusing and unclear, which only proves it more. She had an ability that interfered with my Eyes of Justice, and I understand it worked with all other sorts of divination abilities.”

Soltair glared at him, his hands gripping the edges of the table until his knuckles turned white. Bits of his aura leaked, and through clenched teeth, he said, ”She’s. Not. Alive. No one could have survived that. I didn’t fail her!”

”Perhaps,” Victor said, grinning with a smile that held no mirth. ”But if so...I’ll bring her to Justice.”

The vision spun away, and I found myself floating in darkness. It was real. Levin had fought that demon, and although they didn’t know it yet, he was dead. No hero could have fought that Fire Demon head-on and lived, not unless they reached ninth level. Levin was only seventh and was focused on defense and supporting from the front lines. He wasn’t meant to fight enemies on his own, only able to show his real abilities in a team. And now he was gone.

I curled up, tucking my knees beneath my chin and sobbing, my tail wrapped around my feet. I was still only a soul, yet the position felt only natural. The inquisitors knew, but I had somehow awakened the Eyes of Fate a single before they had searched for me. Was it Fate?

But for how much longer would I be safe? The profile of that young, brown-haired inquisitor with the piercing green eyes flashed through my mind. Her face was blurry in my mind, but it felt vaguely familiar. Had she been one who had refined her arts on my body and soul? I shivered in pain as the memories I kept locked away resurfaced. If the Grand Inquisitor was only now realizing I was alive, then what was she doing searching for me here, of all places?

Soltair’s appearance troubled me far more than the rest. What did he mean that he had failed me? I had clung to him for almost a year, trusting in his light and promises. Even at the end, when his true nature became clear, he gave me his promise that he would protect me. Was that what he had failed? Did he not know he sold me off for the express purpose that I would disappear? To be raped, broken, and killed in the most brutal torture imaginable. It was what happened to Aurle, what should have happened to me. That was my fate before my goddess intervened. It was the shadow I lived in even now.

Time passed, and I drifted along in meaningless swirls of pain and fear. I had found a home, but now, it felt like it was slipping through my fingers. I was left to wonder when the Glory Chasers, too, would turn their back on me, as everyone had, and leave me alone in the dark. I would inevitably prove unworthy of their love, and-

”Starlight, are you alright? Please, wake up!”

Tana’s voice pierced the dark, calling me from the realm of my soul. Slowly, I pushed through the heaviness and opened my eyes, staring up into the half-elf’s worried gaze. My body ached, leaving me yearning for the weightless bliss of my visionary form, and I groaned, reaching up to rub the sleep from my eyes. My hand came away wet, Tana’s fingers folding over mine. The touch was warm and soothing, filling the black emptiness the night had left me with.

”Don’t go,” I sobbed, still half asleep.

”It’s alright,” She crooned, rocking me gently. ”It was just a bad dream. I’m here for you now.”

If only. If only it were all a dream. But there was no waking up from reality, and the pain that found me there.

But with her comforting support, I quieted my tears and took a long, shaky breath. Sitting up, I looked around the room in confusion. It was small and plain, with a simple bed, dresser, and nightstand. Soft, red sunlight filtered through a curtained window, bathing the room in warmth.

”The sunset?” I whispered, my throat hoarse from crying.

She nodded, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. ”You’ve been asleep since last night. No wonder, too. The last time I pushed my soul that far, I was bedridden for weeks. It hurt like hell, too.”

”I’m used to it,” I murmured.

She looked at me with eyes full of pity, and I looked away. I had nearly grown numb to the constant agony of my soul’s injuries, but this morning, for some strange reason, my soul didn’t hurt nearly as much as I had expected. Perhaps Fable had intervened early enough in my efforts to heal Dyson, supplying me mana before I did too much damage.

Speaking of Fable, he was lying at the foot of the bed, resting his head on his paws and gazing at me. His ears perked and he lifted his head as he felt my gaze, and he whimpered softly.

”I’m alright, just a little shaken,” I said softly. ”Just...just a bad dream.”

Tana nodded, sitting on the bed beside me. ”Would you like to talk about it? I heard sobs coming from the room, so I rushed inside and found you in tears. It must have been scary.”

I hesitated a long moment before finally meeting her eyes. ”Have you heard of an, uh, ’Anomaly?’”

She blinked, tilting her head in confusion. ”You mean that giant ice crystal floating on the other side of Brithlite? To be honest, I’m surprised you’ve heard of--is everything alright? You’re looking pale.”

”It’s already happening,” I murmured, rubbing a horn anxiously. Those visions weren’t of the future, but of the present. The realization sent a shiver down my spine, and I looked up at Tana sharply. ”Where is Heartland?”

”Hmm? Oh, we’re right in between Brithlite and Corsinth on the northern part of the continent.”

Then that meant we were close to the war. Knowing the church, they would undoubtedly send heroes to support Brithlite before it fell before the Demon Horde’s advance. Once they learned of Levin’s death, they would move swiftly to take out the Fire Demon as well. For some reason, the thought of the Demon’s death sent a twinge of sadness and longing through me, but I pushed it away and looked up at Tana.

”Thank you.”

She smiled teasingly. ”For what? I just heard noises and thought I’d ensure everything was alright.”

”For last night, and...for not leaving.”

Her smile faded as she looked deep into my glistening eyes. ”We’re a party, Starlight. We look after each other no matter what, even if the ’enemy’ is ourselves. You can trust us, just like we’re trying to trust you.”

A sudden knock at the door caused us both to jump, and Sorrin’s voice floated through. ”I heard voices. Is Starlight awake?”

Tana gave my hand a final squeeze before standing and walking to the door. ”You’d better put something on before he comes barging in,” She said with a smile.

I glanced down, blushing as I found myself dressed in a simple thin nightgown. Sorrin knocked again, and Tana rolled her eyes, opening the door just far enough to slip outside.

”Be quick,” she called. ”We’re taking on those slavers as soon as you’re ready.”

Watching as she slipped away, I found myself unable to take my eyes off the closed door. After a few seconds, Fable rose and padded over, pushing his head under my hand. As I stroked his head, I could feel his curiosity and concern through the bond.

”I’m sorry,” I said, breaking free of my thoughts. ”I’m just...thinking. How long until I wake up and there’s no one there?”

He tilted his head and looked at me, and I sighed, scratching him behind his ear. Everything would be alright. I just had to trust them.

But was something like that even possible for me?