The Forsaken Hero

”Shopping?” I echoed, my voice laced with disbelief.

It had been an hour since our impromptu meeting in the inn’s common room, but everything since then felt like a hazy dream. The constant hum of the sunpurge, the agonizing reminder of my injuries, made it difficult to focus on anything else.

”Of course!” Korra said, ”It’ll take the army at least a day or two to mobilize, so we might as well take advantage of the time to relax a bit. Besides, don’t you want to see how well the city is doing? We might even find someone you can help or heal!”

”Maybe,” I said hesitantly, rubbing my aching horn. ”But should we really be doing something like this?”

She chuckled and rolled her eyes. ”Oh, come on. Relax a little. Just because we’re in a war doesn’t mean we can’t find small moments like this to enjoy ourselves. In fact, I think that makes it even more important. Right, Gayron?”

”Yeah, yeah, whatever,” he muttered from behind us, a scowl etched on his face. ”But I don’t see why I got dragged along too.”

”We’ll need someone to carry the bags,” Korra replied matter-of-factly.

”You can carry a mountain if you want to,” he grumbled.

She grinned at me conspiratorially. ”And we need someone to tell us which outfit looks just right.”

He was quiet for a moment, and I almost looked back to see if he was still following. ”Fine,” he finally conceded, ”but only for an hour. I’ve got better things to do than play dress-up.”

”Are any places even going to be open?” I asked, looking around the street we were following.

”Eh, probably,” she said with a shrug. ”The city wasn’t that badly damaged, and people need to make a living.”

Indeed, as I took a closer look, the city wasn’t as devastated as I’d initially feared. Our day-long rescue mission had taken us through the worst of the damage, where my spell had struck the hardest. It had left me with the impression we had all but leveled the city and killed many tens of thousands, but the things I had seen weren’t universal across all of Liceria.

The major sectors against the outskirts of the city, including most of the residential areas, had been relatively far from the initial impact of my spell and had only suffered the fallout of chaotic mana. The Last Light Company’s assault had been brutal, yet precise, with every effort to minimize collateral damage. It was an arrogant, perhaps even elitist, way to fight, but because of their overwhelming strength, it was possible.

Most surprising of all were the people. Their souls were weak, most having any trace of their mana torn to shreds by the Mana Storm, but their faces were alight with unexpected joy. They weren’t without hardship—many bore minor wounds, scrapes, and bruises—but they talked cheerfully and helped each other whenever possible. Children laughed and played, except when conscripted by their parents to help with the cleanup. Everywhere I looked, there was a smile, a laugh, or a comforting embrace.

”What the hell do they have to be happy about?” Gayron grumbled, scowling at a pair of young kids who’d run by a little too close.

I nearly stumbled at Gayron’s question, having asked it myself just moments earlier. As I caught myself, I met the eyes of a young man helping an elderly woman cross the street. His smile was genuine, his eyes sparkling with a newfound hope. At that moment, the weight that had been crushing my spirit lifted, replaced by a warmth blossoming in my chest. I stepped ahead of Gayron and Korra, turning to face them with a twirl of my skirt.

”They’re free,” I said, clasping my hands together against my chest, against my beating heart. ”They’re all free!”

I’d come so close to losing everything, to being bound in chains once more. Yet the darkness hadn’t claimed me, had it? So why was I clinging to the gloom and darkness in my heart? Even if my time was limited, and the sunpurge would eventually consume me, the time I had left was mine. I could spend it however I wanted; I could still save Elise. I was free!

”Come on!” I exclaimed, twirling with newfound energy and practically skipping down the street. ”Let’s go!”

Korra laughed and playfully grabbed Gayron’s hand, pulling him along. He quickly matched her pace, their fingers intertwining. I’d taken a few more steps before I fully registered what had happened—and, more importantly, that Gayron seemed perfectly content with it. Korra wasn’t even blushing!

”My Lady!” a woman called out as we passed a small, single-story shop.

I paused, turning to see her waving enthusiastically. She was short and middle-aged, with a half-healed scar marring her forehead. Her sleeves were just short enough to reveal a dark bruise on one wrist, but she casually tugged them down, greeting us with a warm smile.

”Yes?” I asked, stopping before her, clasping my hands at my skirt.

Her face brightened when I addressed her, and she dipped into a clumsy curtsy. ”Ah, I’m honored, my Lady. To think you’d stop to greet someone like me. Truly an honor.”

I blushed slightly and Korra nudged me with a playful grin. ”Go on,” she hissed.

”I-is there something I can help you with?” I asked tentatively.

”No, no, no!” she cried, looking aghast. ”Quite the opposite. I heard how you fought off that dreadful Circle all alone and freed us from their curse. Forgive me for presuming, but that was you, wasn’t it? A young demonkin with beautiful red hair and eyes like the night sky?”

I nodded, my fingers tightening on my skirt, my tail stirring nervously. ”Y-yes, it was.”

She clapped her hands together, beaming with delight. ”Excellent! If it’s not a bother, could I offer you some of my stock? I’m but a humble baker, but it would mean the world to me if you accepted my gratitude.”

I glanced at Korra, who gave me an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, I faced the baker and forced a smile. The expression was genuine, at least, that’s what I felt. It just took a bit of effort to let it show.

”I would love that, thank you,” I replied, returning a slightly less clumsy curtsy.

She laughed, the sound carrying a youthful joy that belied her age. ”Wonderful. Give me just a moment, and I’ll fetch my finest.”

She disappeared into the shop, and as we waited, I felt more and more eyes turning towards us. The townsfolk had noticed our unusual group. With two demonkin in tow, we must have been quite the spectacle, not to mention the fact that my description had apparently circulated throughout the city.

”It’s really them!” I heard a young man whisper excitedly.

Another elbowed him, hissing, ”Shush, be respectful.”

”Whatever. It’s not like I have a chance in hell of actually asking one of them out.”

I blushed even deeper and jumped as a small voice piped up behind me.

”Excuse me,” a little girl, maybe five or six years old, said timidly. ”Are you the Oracle? The one that saved us?”

My tail twitched as I leaned over, doing my best to look friendly. ”I am.”

Her eyes widened and her lips formed a small ”oh.” An older woman, her mother perhaps, darted forward and grabbed the child’s hand, tugging her away.

”Forgive me, my Lady, she meant no disrespect,” the woman said, lowering her head.

”It’s alright, I don’t mind. Did you have something to ask?” I asked, smiling as I nodded at the child.

Her eyes got even wider, and she looked up at her mother and asked, ”Can I?”

The woman froze, chewing on her lip nervously as she double-checked I was still smiling. ”G-go ahead, but don’t waste her time. I’m sure they’re very busy.”

The girl took a quick breath, her voice brimming with excitement. ”Can you really see the future? Do you know who I’m going to marry? Is it John?”

I blinked in surprise, barely suppressing a giggle. I should have expected as much from a child.

”Sometimes,” I replied gently, ”and as for that, I’m afraid I can’t...” My smile faded as a tingle ran through my soul, my mana reacting on its own. Several images flashed through my mind, followed by a deep impression. I took a step back, feeling a bit disoriented, the words spilling out of my mouth before I could stop them. ”...um, maybe? I-I think... there’s a woman with gray eyes. She’ll be able to teach you, and then... does John have brown eyes?”

”He does!” the girl squealed, jumping up and down with glee. ”Thank you!”

”W-wait,” I called out as she dashed away, ”that doesn’t necessarily mean... and she’s gone.”

The mother stared at me, open-mouthed, then quickly dropped into a low curtsy, apologizing profusely. Before I could process the whirlwind of events, she too was gone, leaving me standing amidst a crowd of wide-eyed onlookers. After a moment of stunned silence, shocked whispers filled the street.

”Did she just...?”

”A prophecy? But those only happen in stories!”

”It should have been me!”