The Forsaken Hero

At last, the order to march was given, and barely an hour later, I found myself atop a similar hill, this time overlooking Brithlite itself. We were only a mile from the city and half a mile from the first line of defense.

The Brithlite army formed a formidable bulwark before the city walls. Much of their forces had been scattered throughout the kingdom, desperately holding back the relentless demon hordes, and a significant number had defected to join our ranks. That left only a fraction of their original army trained and powerful, relying on drafted recruits to bolster their numbers. It was easy to see who they were, even forgetting the weak power of their souls, by the fervent devotion in their eyes. They were here only by the influence of the heart crest, with no courage or confidence beyond that.

The Church’s forces, on the other hand, were a different story entirely. They were a coalition army comprised of the strongest soldiers from kingdoms that had yet to fall under attack from the demons, sent to bolster Brithlite’s defenses. With just a casual glance, I spotted a handful of seventh-level warriors and mages among them, several bearing the distinctive colors of the inquisitors.

There were heroes among them as well, though they remained concealed for now, undoubtedly to be used as trump cards should the battle turn against them.

The Last Light Company wasn’t without its own strengths. While half our soldiers were indeed inexperienced, the other half were, at minimum, third level. These veterans had been with us from Blue Canyon, fighting demons, mortals, and heroes alike without faltering. Thanks to countless battles and the guidance of Korra and myself, over two hundred had reached sixth level, with nearly a thousand at fifth. As for seventh-level combatants, we had Bethiv and his highest-ranking officers, myself, Korra, Gayron, and Kahlen.

As Bethiv commanded the troops forward, I glanced at the Star Guard. They were all on the cusp of seventh level themselves. Perhaps, I mused, this battle might provide the spark they needed to cross that threshold.

At Fable’s low growl, I turned and stroked his neck, a faint smile touching my lips. ”I haven’t forgotten you,” I murmured in his ear. ”You’re my secret weapon, after all.”

No, it would be a mistake to simply consider him part of my strength. He still hadn’t had a chance to unleash his full power since breaking through, and he was already halfway to eighth level. His rate of growth was simply astonishing.

With a graceful flourish, I summoned my staff and cast Nexus, binding the souls of my companions together. I wove the usual assortment of protections and support spells into the Nexus, shielding us in a shimmering bubble of starlight and silver energy. Then, I raised my staff towards Brithlite, and my resolve hardened.

I exhaled deeply, and when my eyes snapped open, they glowed with a golden light. Seven magic circles materialized around me, greedily absorbing my power as I channeled it into them.

Waving my staff, I sent the spell hurtling towards the front lines, where the Last Light Company was on the verge of clashing with Brithlite’s forces. Panicked shouts and cries erupted as the circles loomed overhead like storm clouds, buzzing with a low hum as they gathered more and more power. The sheer intensity of their aura was enough to force the weakest conscripts to their knees.

”Mana Storm,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the rising din.

The star on my staff pulsed with blinding light, echoed by the seven magic circles now filling the sky. For a heartbeat, the battlefield fell silent, the cries of the charging soldiers and the thunder of their boots replaced by a muted stillness.

The first waves of mana crashed down from the magic circles like a devastating tsunami, engulfing the soldiers in a blinding flash of light. Mana cannons crackled and exploded under the pressure, killing and maiming everything within a hundred feet. Soldiers screamed, collapsing to their knees or falling outright, their souls ravaged by the Mana Storm.

While Brithlite had anticipated this attack, the raw destruction unleashed by the spell was something they couldn’t fully prepare for. Liceria had borne the brunt of its power, true, but my magic was not to be underestimated. The secondary waves of the storm spread even wider than the first, affecting nearly the entire front line of Brithlite’s army.

Beyond that, and more importantly, the spell achieved its primary purpose: it cleared a path for the Last Light Company. Instead of facing a barrage of mana cannon fire, arrows, and large-scale destruction spells, they met no resistance as they charged into the gap, cutting down anyone in their path.

”For Brithlite!” Bethiv roared, his sword held high. The blade glowed white, rapidly intensifying until it transcended even the brightness of the sun. I winced, looking away, but it lingered on my irises, a blazing light of holy power.

With another shout, he swung his sword in a mighty arc, releasing a seventh-circle magical technique. The gathered mana moved forward in that direction in an ever-expanding wave, slicing through metal, stone, and flesh. It was a wave of pure devastation, sundering even the mages’ shields, every bit as devastating as the mana storm itself.

The wave was thin as his blade and razor-sharp, cutting directly through the raised forts and walls that barred their path. Plumes of dust, debris, and blood erupted into the sky as it crashed through everything in its path, leaving a neatly bisected landscape in its wake. The central keep guarding the road, stripped of their wards by my Mana Storm, collapsed as it cut through them.

Hundreds of bodies fell as the arc passed through them, their screams turning to wet gurgles as their bodies fell apart. Any survivors were quickly overwhelmed by the Last Light Company, who surged forward, following their fearless leader into the breach.

”Impressive,” Gayron remarked, shaking his head in awe. ”I’d hate to be their commander right now.”

”Is it? This kind of thing is normal for us,” Korra replied with a triumphant grin.

He shot her a playful glare. ”I’ve been with you long enough to know that’s untrue. In fact, I think Xiviyah’s Mana Storm in Liceria was the first time a seventh-circle spell was actually deployed on the battlefield. The demons don’t have that kind of power yet, and the mortals are too afraid of the consequences. I mean, just look at that.”

He waved his hand towards the devastation caused by our two attacks alone, dragging my eyes along with them. In the first minute of the battle, Brithlite had lost nearly two thousand soldiers and the entire front of their defenses. While most of them had been fodder meant to absorb our opening assault, the sheer scale of death and destruction was impossible to ignore.

I groaned, feeling sick to my stomach. I’d known it would be ugly, that countless innocents would die, but this was beyond anything I’d ever witnessed. Liceria had been more of a chaotic brawl, with our side not actually wanting to kill anyone. But now, desperation fueled our every move. We knew the cost of failure and had only one chance to succeed.

It took almost ten minutes for Brithlite to stem the initial charge. Not through any strategic brilliance, but because the Last Light Company had reached the end of the zone devastated by the Mana Storm and Bethiv’s technique. The soldiers still standing, capable of wielding powerful magic of their own, now faced us, transforming the battlefield into a chaotic meat grinder where every inch was contested with blood. The enemy forts were formidable, and with mage support, even our overwhelming number of sixth-level warriors found it difficult to advance.

A low hum vibrated across the battlefield as dozens of beacons ignited, the mana cannons finally unleashing their fury. Their gathering power grew, emanating a sixth-level aura, before releasing beams of concentrated mana into the ranks of the Last Light Company. They didn’t discriminate, targeting both our reserves and the front lines where swords clashed and spells roared.

The beams detonated in explosive blasts that tore apart friend and foe alike. Our mages reacted quickly, throwing up barriers to deflect the barrage, but the Brithlite soldiers had no such protection. Any mages capable of shielding them were either on the city wall or buried in the ruins of the forts destroyed by the Mana Storm.

”What?” Korra’s eyes widened in disbelief. ”They’re hitting their own!”

”I don’t think they care,” I muttered darkly. ”If anything, I’m sure they’re grateful for a chance to sacrifice themselves for the crown.”

We watched the battle unfold in silence, the air thick with tension. Occasionally, tremendous surges of mana erupted as Bethiv and his high-ranking officers unleashed devastating spells. Though we were removed from the front lines, the shockwaves from these powerful attacks reached us, lifting the ends of my hair and tugging at my skirt. My heart grew heavier with every passing minute as more and more lives were lost, their souls winking out like extinguished candles.

”My Lady,” Luxxa’s voice broke through the grim spectacle, her tone grave. ”It’s time. The Church is making its move.”