The Forsaken Hero

I spent the next few hours deep in practice, training my mana control and manipulation. The fight with Vithrass had highlighted many weaknesses in my spells, spurring me to study and practice harder. These ”flaws” would be minuscule, if even noticeable, to most other mages, Yet I had nearly died because of them. If my Blade Ward array had held just a few seconds longer, the Glory Chasers would have arrived in time, and they never would have tried that risky distraction.

Arrays were a good place to start. There was still so much I didn’t understand about this new form of magic, its power, limitations, and even situational use. It felt like I could spend an entire lifetime studying them and still only have scratched the surface. The ones I currently used felt clumsy and irregular, similar to the unwieldy state of spells cast via chants. The hardest part was that I had no reference to study, no teacher to learn from. There wasn’t a ”right” way to cast them, as this type of spell had never been cast before.

Before I knew it, my study and experimentation had consumed the better part of the morning. The others had risen and were about their business, first preparing for the day, and then living it. Only when Fable physically pushed me toward a table did I realize just how late it was, and that I was starving.

Tana looked up, smiling, as I collapsed into a chair. My clothes were wrinkled and clung to my skin, damp with sweat, while my hair was a matted mess. The half-elf gave me a once over and chuckled, pushing a plate of salted pork and bread toward me.

”About time you settled down. I know you’re motivated and all, but it can’t be good for you to push yourself so hard,” she admonished sternly.

I meekly bowed my head, my horns itching in embarrassment. ”It’s alright, I’ve done things like this since casting my first spell. The training program at the Divine Throne is rather rigorous, and I couldn’t afford to fall behind. I had to at least try and be useful, or...or...”

She sighed, losing the lecturing tone. ”I know, but it worries me, seeing you try so hard. Sari’s waiting for us, and it won’t do her any good if we’re too worn to help her.”

The mention of the foxkin girl sent a shudder through me, and I looked around frantically for Ror. As I found him sleeping on the floor before the fireplace, I let out a sigh, allowing myself to relax.

Tana followed my gaze, a small frown falling upon her pretty face. ”He’s been sleeping ever since we got here. Occasionally, he’ll cry out for his sister, or you and I, but that’s it. I healed his wounds and tried to use that Gentle Song spell you taught me, but it doesn’t make a difference.”

I nodded, grimacing as I pictured what he might be dreaming of. I knew all too well the darkness tormenting him, the mere thought of it sending a shiver down my tail. There were many times I wanted to fall asleep and never wake up, though circumstances had always forced me back to the world of pain and shadows.

”Give him time,” I whispered, pulling my gaze from the trembling boy. ”He’ll wake up when he’s ready. Once we hear what he has to say, we’ll be able to go after Sari.”

Tana nodded in agreement. ”I’m a little worried, though. With demons running around in the northern lands, there’s been an increase in monster attacks and infernal monsters. If it turns out Sari was taken to Brithlite, we’re going to have a hard time going after her.”

”A hard time?” I asked, eyes swimming with confusion. What else mattered than saving her?

Sighing, Tana fidgeted with her new ring, twisting it on her finger. ”We’re gold rank, now, and the city has come to depend on us. If we left now, many of the villages would be vulnerable to monster attacks. There aren’t enough adventurers who can do what we can do, especially if the demons begin to make their way here. The war’s contained right now, but if another gate breaks...”

She let the sentence trail off with another sigh, worry clouding her gaze. I stared at the table, at the plate of food I had yet to touch. All of a sudden, I wasn’t feeling so hungry, my stomach twisting into nervous knots.

”Well, we won’t know until he wakes up,” Sorrin said, sliding into a seat beside Tana.

He took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers, and the two shared a tense smile. After a second, he called Rasce and Dyson over before continuing. ”I’ve spoken with Helron, and decided we’re going back to Westfall village. He managed to round up a lot of the slaves you freed, Starlight, and wants us to escort them home. Ror included,” he said, nodding at the foxkin.

Dyson frowned, looking about to say something, before closing his mouth with an audible click.

”Oh, come on,” Rasce said, elbowing him in the ribs. ”Just say it already.”

The thief coughed, his cheeks darkening. ”Well, uh, the truth is, I was hoping for a chance to slip back to Eastfall village. I wanted to invite Serra to come with me to the celebration, but it looks like there won’t be many chances.”

It took me a second to remember who he was talking about, but then the picture of the catkin girl he had rescued from Vithrass flashed through my mind. He’d mentioned they had gotten close, but what was this celebration he was talking about?

Seeing my confusion, Sorrin faced me, giving Tana’s hand another squeeze. ”While you were training, we had a little meeting, setting forth our plans and such. I tried to interrupt you, but Tana said doing so might be dangerous, what with you inventing new spells and such.”

”Anyway,” Tana said, shooting him a glare. ”We, um, are going to marry in Westfall, after escorting the villagers back. There’s so much going on in the world right now, and with everything happening in Heartland, we...we decided not to wait any longer, just in case.”

Seeing them blush together stirred the embers in my heart, filling me with warmth. ”That’s wonderful. I-I’ll try and stay away so–”

”You’ll do no such thing,” Tana said sharply. ”You’re going to be there, just like everyone else. I don’t care if the Circle or Inquisitors show up, they’re welcome to watch too.”

I nodded, shocked speechless by her outburst. She’d seen right through me, yet dismissed my fears in an instant.

”Besides,” she continued, her tone softening. ”I want you to be there. We already bought you a dress and everything, remember? Won’t you please come?”

Reluctantly, I nodded, and she and Sorrin let out a relieved breath.

”That settles it,” Sorrin said, turning his attention to Dyson. ”If this catkin means that much to you, why don’t you and Rasce head over to Eastfall Village as soon as you can? I’m certain we can take care of a few villagers, especially with Starlight and Fable by our sides.”

”Are you sure? What if something delays us, and we’re late?” Dyson asked worriedly.

Tana rolled her eyes. ”We’ll wait for you. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a real celebration, and I don’t want any of my friends missing out.”

With that settled, they moved on to other topics, but I wasn’t really listening. Tana’s declaration, that I was her friend, washed away whatever apprehension I was grappling with, reminding me of my hunger. Perhaps I was just used to starving, but food was always the first thing to slip my mind when times got hard. I hadn’t eaten since fighting the inquisitors, a battle that felt ages ago, and the simple meal of bread and pork tasted better than any feast I’d been to.

Dyson and Sorrin left less than an hour later. My heart dropped as they slipped through the door, and Dyson must have sensed some of the fear in my gaze because he paused in the doorway and flashed me a reassuring smile.

”Don’t worry, Starlight, we’ll see you again. We haven’t come this far together only to leave you now.”

I nodded, but had trouble swallowing the lump in my throat, staring at the door long after they’d left. I felt tears gathering like a distant storm, and groped for Fable, taking a deep breath as I rested my hand between his horns. They weren’t like the others, like Soltair or Fyren. I had to trust them, that they would keep their promise and return to me.

”We should get going, too,” Sorrin said, standing. ”The villagers are eager to get back to their families and homes. Some of the children have been away from their parents for a week or two now, and it’ll take at least twice that long to see them back.”

As he and Tana began to pack their things, I slipped to my knees beside Ror, smoothing a stray strand of brown hair out of his face. He shuddered at my touch, still fast asleep, mumbling ”Sari,” before rolling over, trembling.

My heart throbbed, the scene bringing tears to my eyes. Pulling him close to me, I held his head against my chest, comforting him as many others had done for me before. Fable pressed his large nose against the boy’s forehead, giving him a sniff, before offering his back to me.

”Thanks,” I whispered, laying the boy atop his broad shoulders.

Ror let out a whimper, but Fable’s fur seemed to wrap around him like a blanket, holding him tight. Summoning my staff, I stood and glanced around the room, making sure I’d collected all of Thron’s tomes before following Sorrin and Tana out the door.

The villagers were gathered in the common room of the Adventuring Guild under Helron’s watchful eye. A murmur swept through them as we appeared, and I shrunk back, feeling their wary gazes lock upon my demonic features. I couldn’t blame them, not after what Vithrass had done, but it hurt far more than I was willing to admit.

Helron cleared his throat, silencing the murmurs. ”This is the gold-ranked adventuring team, the Glory Chasers. I believe you recognize them, as they are responsible for freeing you from the Circle’s clutches. I have entrusted them with escorting you back to Westfall, and I insist you treat them with the respect they deserve. Especially Starlight, who risked everything to bring you out of the darkness beneath the city. Now then, that said, I wish you luck.”

Chuckling at my embarrassment at being called out so suddenly, the guild leader gave me a wink. Sorrin took charge, quickly sweeping through the score of Beastkin and ensuring everyone carried their share of the supplies gathered by the guild for the trip.

After biding Helron farewell, we slipped out onto the streets, just another adventuring team escorting what appeared to be a band of merchants to a nearby village. The city was abuzz following the collapse of the central region, but we passed through the gates accosted by guard or inquisitor.

As we left the city behind, I cast a final glance back, studying the sun-bleached walls and towers, their pendants snapping in the evening wind. My mana stirred, a tingle traveling from the tip of my horns to the end of my tail, and I knew with certainty it would be a long time before I laid eyes on Heartland again.

The winds of change had begun to blow, ushering in a new age of war and strife. No matter what the future held, I could only pray I would be ready to receive it.