The Forsaken Hero

I dangled helplessly in Victor’s grip, limp and powerless from pain and the suppressing force of the Light of Justice. He held me by one horn at about eye level, but he was tall and well-built, and I was small and delicate. The difference in our heights meant my feet hung a foot in the air, and my tail dragged on the ground. My head ached where my horn attached to my head, though it was nothing compared to the agony of the sunpurge.

”Why did you do it?” Victor asked softly. ”Why did you kill him?”

Our faces were mere inches apart. There was no mistaking the fiery intensity in his voice, or the anger in his flashing eyes. A semi-healed cut on his cheek still oozed blood, no doubt a gift from the blade demon he had been fighting.

I briefly wondered what had happened to it, which led me to think about Fable. My soul was in too much pain for me to even find the soul bond, much less focus on it and locate him, but he had to be nearby, right? Any hope that he might save me fled my mind as Levin’s grip tightened, and a fresh spike of pain shot through my skull.

”Answer me!” His voice lost its reservation, growing so loud it rang in my ears. ”Why did you kill Levin? Why?”

Refusing to answer would only provoke him further, but what else could I do? My body shook and trembled, suppressed by the judgment of the Light of Justice. It was all I could do to take short, shallow breaths, much less speak.

When all I did was whimper, Levin frowned. After a second, the Light of Justice faded away. I nearly broke down and started crying again as the terrible pressure abated, finally allowing me to breathe again. Levin watched expressionlessly as I gulped mouthfuls of air and struggled to regain my composure.

”I...I didn’t...mean to...” I finally stammered.

My tail quivered as his eyes narrowed, and traces of aura leaked out again, stifling my heart.

”Didn’t mean to? He was a seventh-level hero, not someone that can be accidentally killed!” he practically shouted—then added in a softer voice, ”Especially not someone as weak and pathetic as you. I don’t know what kind of curse you used to influence Korra or the other humans, but that doesn’t matter anymore. I’m taking you to the Divine Throne, where you will be judged for your crimes. I sincerely hope the law allows you to suffer in penance before executing you. If permitted, I’ll personally oversee it and–”

A burst of mana erupted at our side, and I flinched as something hot and heavy splashed across my face. The force on my horn vanished, and I fell to the ground, collapsing like a discarded doll. I landed on my side hard and was greeted by a fresh explosion of pain from my scars. Everything went black for a second, but a sharp impact on my face brought me back.

My eyes flashed open, and I stared into a gauntleted hand. Just a hand. The one that had been holding me. There was nothing attached to it.

An ear-rending scream split the air, and Victor fell to his knees beside me, clutching the bloody stump of his wrist. Dark, malignant power coiled around the wound, seeping into the exposed veins, tendons, and muscle. It was reminiscent of sunpurge, only dark and chaotic. Infernal Corruption.

Victor’s scream abruptly cut off as he gritted his teeth with a snap of his jaw, slowly letting go of his severed wrist. He looked up at the same time I did, at the figure standing between us.

”What? But I killed you!” the justice hero spat, voice tight with pain.

”Apparently not,” Kahlen replied calmly. The demon had no shoulders to speak of, but I had the impression it had just shrugged.

”That’s...not possible...” Victor mumbled.

Kahlen raised his four bladed limbs and pointed them at the hero. ”Your mind is small, human. Now, step away from the Oracle so I may kill you.”

A shiver ran through me, and I glanced at Victor. His eyes darted between me and the demon, then a savage grin spread across his face. Before either of us could react, he lunged forward and wrapped his good arm around my chest, pulling me tight against him.

”Armament of Justice: Executor!” he shouted.

The glowing spear appeared at his side and immediately maneuvered to point at my neck. I grimaced as his hand clutched dangerously close to the sunpurge, his fingers digging into my skin just a hairs-breadth away from the glowing scar.

”Get back, demon, or she dies,” Victor growled.

I stared at Kahlen, desperately praying he was as sincere as he claimed. From the demon’s perspective, we were both heroes. What if it took the opportunity to eliminate both of us at once? Even injured, Victor was still a whole level higher than the demon, and could probably escape. But me? None of my allies were anywhere close, and I was already hurt and vulnerable. Even a first-level soldier could claim my life, not to mention a demon Gate Commander.

Kahlen hesitated, appearing uncertain for the first time since its appearance. That must have displeased Victor because the spear nudged against my neck, drawing a bead of blood. Small as it was, I hardly noticed the tiny prick of pain.

But it had the desired effect on the demon, and Kahlen took a step back. But then, unexpectedly, it hummed. It wasn’t of amusement, but a cruel, bloodthirsty sound that sent a shudder through my weakened body. Its didn’t have eyes, or even a face, but the feeling I got from it was completely different. The polite respect it had always regarded me with was gone, leaving only disdain in its place.

”By all means, kill her,” it said. ”I was going to do it myself, anyway. I simply thought earning her trust before betraying her would be amusing. Mortals despair is so sweet and delicious.”

Victor’s grip relaxed slightly as his eyes widened in shock. ”What? But why then? Why would you fight for her and–”

For the second time, a powerful burst of mana caught him off guard, this time from behind. I caught a brief glimpse of the glint of steel before Victor threw me away, summoning his sword just in time to parry a sixth-level magical technique. I landed hard and rolled several times, barely holding on to consciousness, before coming to a stop. Blood leaked from my wounds and the sunpurge burned, but none of it mattered as I watched the shockwave from the clash descend on me. I was too close.

Exhaling softly, I closed my eyes and braced myself for the end. The world grew brighter as the shockwave surged toward me, searing my eyes through my eyelids. I wanted to smile one last time, but even if I could, there wasn’t time. Maybe in my next life, I would finally–

The blinding light vanished, blotted out like the sun behind clouds. The loud explosion of the impact sounded in my ears, but only the faintest breeze lifted my hair around my blood-stained face.

Slowly, I forced my eyes open, and then felt them widen. Korra stood before me with her hands held out, hair and clothes fluttering in the wind. A glimmering shield extended from her in a wide horizontal hemisphere, parting the magical explosion like a stone in a river. She’d positioned herself to cover Luxxa and me, who lay motionless on the ground just a few short feet away.

Korra glanced over her shoulder at me and hid her worry behind a relieved smile. ”You alright?”

I started to nod, but it somehow turned into a shake. My entire body hurt, from the ache in my horns to the burn of the sunpurge. If this is what ’alright’ looked like, then I doubted anyone could ever call themselves hurt.

”How did you...what happened?” I stammered, struggling to my feet. I fell immediately but managed to summon my staff and catch myself.

The light died as quickly as it rose, leaving the world feeling dim and dark. Two figures stood in the center of the explosion, swords locked together in a brutal clash. Victor, and...Orion. The blade demon was only a few paces away, its chaotic soul glowing as it readied a magical technique.

”Damn it, to think you’ve pushed me this far,” Victor said through gritted teeth. His arms shook as he pushed against Orion, slowly driving him back. ”And after Verity said we would win, too.”

Verity? Was that the Fate Hero?

Unfortunately, instead of indulging my curiosity, Victor let out a cry and released his aura, suppressing both Orion and Kahlen again. Korra’s art blocked the worst of it, allowing me to remain standing.

”To me!” Victor shouted, throwing up his hand.

His dragon roared and dove toward him, a claw reaching out to pluck him off the ground. Kahlen’s core flashed dangerously as it lunged forward, limbs cutting through the air in a storm of steel and wind blades. At the same time, Orion released a sixth-level magical technique, driving his sword directly at Victor’s chest.

Victor grunted as their attacks neared and gripped his sword tightly. His soul was relatively dry from the extended battle, but he mustered his remaining mana and emptied it into his sword. He even dismissed the Armaments of Justice to reallocate its mana into a seventh-level technique.

”Xiviyah, get down!” Korra shouted. She threw herself at me, knocking me to the ground. Her arms closed tight around me as she tried to shield me from the ground, but a hand ended up gripping my side, and my shoulder still scraped against the earth. I screamed as pain exploded over my body, but my voice choked off in horror as I caught a final, tear-filled glimpse of the clash.

Victor’s sword swung in a vicious arc, driving both Orion and the blade demon away. There was no flashy light show or magical explosion in his attack, but the force of the blow shattered space itself, leaving small, black rifts in the air behind it. As the circle came to an end, the Justice Hero struck forward at Orion. He moved so quickly that he practically vanished, exploiting his superior power to the fullest.

Orion never had a chance to dodge. His sword had been sent wide by the first attack, opening his guard to the second. It was an opportunity Victor couldn’t miss, and he capitalized on it ruthlessly. His sword plunged into Orion’s chest, tearing through enchanted steel and a defensive magical technique like it was made of butter.

Orion’s entire body went rigid, and his mouth opened in a breathless gasp. He met my eyes, smiled a small, tight smile, and mouthed, ”I’m sorry.”

And then everything turned white.