The Forsaken Hero

Time slammed into me with the force of a raging dragon, the stars winking out and letting the demons’ assault fall upon us. Spells exploded in every corner of the courtyard in a devastating display of raw magical power, but Adaptive Resistance absorbed it all. I barely even noticed as Korra broke the only attack capable of threatening us–the fireball launched by Gayron–with Discordant Strike.

Instead, I dropped to one knee, hacking violently as blood surged up my throat. Every fiber of my soul burned with overexertion, the stress of forcing a vision on top of bearing the weight of the shard’s mana. My vision grew dark and fuzzy as my lungs refused to take in oxygen, but the moment passed and I managed to swallow a shallow breath of air.

The following breaths came easier, and within a couple of seconds, my complexion lost some of its ashen color. The violent shockwaves and lights of the spells faded into the background as I finally cleared my lungs with a final bloody cough and dragged a sleeve across my mouth, wiping the thick trickle of red from my lips.

”Xiviyah, what happened? Did a spell get through?” Korra asked worriedly. She stood protectively in front of me, a water dragon curling around both of her forearms, not daring to take her eyes off the demons before us.

For their part, the demons encircled us like prowling wolves, many pacing recklessly on their clawed feet. A large blade demon crouched atop a roof made a high-pitched humming noise, scraping his two hand-like blades together like scissors waiting to cut. The silence prolonged until a twenty-foot-tall curse demon began to cast a spell, intending to bind our souls with a curse.

”That’s enough,” Luke said, waving his hand in front of himself. The shadows clinging to the courtyard evaporated like summer dew, and the demons hesitated, glancing between him and us in uncertainty.

”Enough? They still live!” Gayron snarled, preparing another sixth-level technique. He paused after a second though, sensing Luke’s glare, and turned to face the Apostle of Curses. ”Did that filthblood’s spell charm you or something? When will you stop stalling and kill them already? Don’t forget our mission!”

”Xiviyah,” Luke said, ignoring him. ”In the name of the Emperor of Curses, I recognize your right as the Oracle of Eternity and permit you and your companions to leave this city in peace.”

Gayron’s jaw dropped, a look of abject surprise overtaking his features. The rest of the evolved demons looked equally shocked, though their expressions were much harder to read on account of their infernal forms.

Just as Gayron started to protest, Luke threw his staff aside. It dispersed into shadows before it hit the ground, vanishing until it was called again. ”If you had seen what I had seen, you would get on your knees and beg for forgiveness,” Luke said flatly, not giving the fiery human a chance to speak. ”You will forget your grudge with the oracle and refrain from harming a hair on her head.”

”You can’t be serious,” Gayron said, finally getting a word in. ”To a slut like–”

Luke’s expression darkened, and the shadows began to return, curling menacingly around his feet. He turned himself slightly to address all of the demons, not just Gayron. ”I speak not as the Apostle of Curses, but as the Apostle of the Descent, and my will is law. I have given my oath on the Emperor’s name.”

Gayron struggled silently for a moment, his entire body quivering with fury. I shrank back as his hand closed tightly around his war axe, summoning fire to lick around the haft, as his other hand clenched and unclenched with anger. When he exhaled sharply, I jumped and shrank behind Fable, but he simply deflated.

”I do not understand,” he muttered, giving me a dark look. ”Have you truly placed your fancy ahead of your revenge?”

Luke relaxed slightly as Gayron’s aura retreated, and the other demons stood down. ”Of course not. I would burn this world and every soul in it, including this girl, to bloody the gods’ nose.”

”Then why? Why have you sworn such an oath?”

Luke’s eyes didn’t waver from me. ”She holds the power of fate. Oracle, I wish to discuss our covenant. You promised me a vision.”

Korra glanced at me, and I gave her what I hoped was a comforting smile. She knew as well as I did that once I revealed my power of prophecy, nothing would remain the same. Every power in this world, and possibly every world would desire me. It would make Alverin’s use of Sari’s ability seem tame in comparison, and yet...I had no choice. It was that or risk losing Korra to the demons.

”I wish for safe passage for myself and my companions, including those beyond the wall,” I said with as much strength as I could muster.

Luke’s face tight end. ”I cannot spare the armies of the church. Your promise is valuable, but I cannot withdraw our purpose for this war.”

”No, take the church,” I replied vehemently. ”All of them. I ask only for safe passage for the soldiers of the Last Light Company, that you keep your demons from pursuing us. And please, spare the innocents of this city. They didn’t ask for this, to suffer in this war.”

Luke exchanged a look with Gayron, who raised an eyebrow. ”Your army is safe, but I make no further promises. I will do what I can, but...” he gestured to the demons around him.

I sighed sadly and allowed myself to nod. I didn’t have much hope for this city or its people, but asking demons to spare humans was like begging a wolf to spare the lamb. My conscious wouldn’t allow me to give up without trying though, and I had done all I could. Even should the streets run with blood and every child slaughtered, that blood would be on the demons’ hands. I had done what I could.

”And of your end of the covenant?” Luke prompted.

”R-right,” I said, running a hand over my horn. ”I know you still doubt me, but your fears can rest. What I showed you was true, and fate will see it so unless you move to change it. If you have the courage to do so, come to me beneath the Heart of Winter, and I will fulfill my promise.”

He frowned softly and opened his mouth to respond, but I swooned, grimacing as a wave of nausea nearly brought me to my knees. Korra caught me by the arm and gently laid me on Fable. The demons shifted, sneaking anxious glances at Luke, but he held his peace.

”I will do as you say,” he said. ”And should Evla truly be in danger, I will find you.”

I nodded weakly. ”D-don’t keep me waiting for too long. Remember, the Heart of Winter.”

His tail twitched at the phrase again, but I didn’t have the strength to care. Even if I did, I had no answer for him. Saying the Heart of Winter had just felt right, and I followed the feeling blindly, knowing I would recognize it when I saw it. Fate hadn’t ever led me astray before, and I could only pray it didn’t intend to now.

Without another look at the demons all around us, I urged Fable through the soul bond. My chest tightened anxiously as his paws left the ground, driving us atop a three-story inn, but the demons remained motionless, simply letting us walk away. It wasn’t until we crossed the massive outer walls that I finally relaxed. A soft exhale behind me showed Korra was the same.

”I can’t believe it,” Korra muttered, her voice thick with relief. ”They really let us leave. To think it was a demon that upheld their word. Those bastards.”

I bit my lip, holding back tears as a wave of pain rolled through me. They were getting stronger, and the familiar itch of the Sunpurge seemed to have crept another quarter inch up my side. ”Y-yeah,” I managed, breathing heavily. ”I...thought they’d attack us.”

”Well, I guess not everyone’s a scumbag, not like Levin or that damned king. Though, if you’d told me it would be the literal leader of the armies of hell who actually kept his word, I don’t think I would have believed you.”

”He’s...alone,” I whispered, hugging myself tightly. ”Like me.”

”No, like you were,” Korra corrected, giving my shoulder a loving squeeze. ”I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but are you sure you made the right choice? You know what happens now that the demons know your powers.”

I remained quiet, though not because I didn’t want to reassure her. Instead, I found myself drifting off, lost in the waves of pain and growing darkness. She smiled softly and wrapped her arms around me, carefully avoiding the sunpurge and pulling me close. The world shook slightly as Fable landed on the ground outside the walls and took off into the night, headed toward the distant gathering of torches and flickering magic that marked the temporary camp of the Last Light Company.

”Thank you,” I heard Korra murmur in my ear just moments before I passed out. ”Thank you for protecting me.”