The Forsaken Hero

The remnants parted as I approached the cathedral, shying away from its dull, rundown gates and cracked stained-glass windows. I spared them a glance, my tail twitching anxiously. Were they... nervous? Was the remnant inside so terrifying that it scared even others of its kind?

A violent tremor from within jolted me back to the present, reminding me to renew my wards, which Alverin’s cursed sword had shattered. With a thought, a shimmering golden sphere materialized around me, a combination of Blade Ward and Mirror Sphere. It would do little against direct attacks from either of the individuals inside, but it would at least protect me from the shockwaves and repercussions of their clash.

Midway through the corridors leading to the great hall, I stumbled against a wall, gasping for breath. My hand flew to my chest as a searing pain invaded my soul, driving the breath from my body and causing my tail to lash against the cold stone. It was unlike anything I’d felt before, a different yet similarly excruciating fire to when my soul had been torn apart by the removal of the Soul Binder.

The sunpurge had all but taken over my body, every whisper of fabric over my skin sending thrills through my nerves. It was difficult to say, but it seemed as if there was more glowing than unscarred skin. The affliction had even reached my tail and horns, appearing like little cracks and fissures of light against the dark, sensitive ridges.

The sunpurge had spread in ravenous jolts and spurts throughout the battle, surging whenever I expended a large amount of mana or was grievously injured. From the looks of things, I wouldn’t last the day. If I didn’t pass out from pain first, that is.

Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself off the wall and continued staggering forward. I’d long since dropped my staff, the palm of one hand tainted by the sunpurge, the other a mangled mess of flesh and shattered bone, relying on willpower alone to remain standing.

The sounds of battle ahead grew louder, ringing in my ears, causing me to flinch with every clang and shout. Excessive amounts of mana saturated the air, filling the cathedral with a low, reverberating hum that shook my core.

Inside the great hall, Fate loomed over Alverin and the remnant, judging their battle with what I felt was an imperious gaze. The two fought with blinding speed, utilizing seventh-level strength to its fullest. The battle took them all over the room, but strangely enough, none of their attacks, shockwaves, or techniques seemed to cause any real damage. Dust rained from the ceiling, but no cracks in the windows appeared where there weren’t any before.

I watched them fight for a few seconds, my pulse racing and tail curling around my ankle. That caused two spots of sunpurge to touch and flare up, sending a vein of fire up both my tail and leg. I bit my lip, holding back a scream, but both combatants noticed.

”Where is Elise?” Alverin demanded, fixing me with a furious glare. A sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead, and his blows were quicker, more frantic than before. Was he actually losing?

The remnant abruptly stopped, drifting back a few paces into the air. It held its sword half-raised to one side, its eyes fixed intently on me.

Alverin slowly circled the creature, his gaze flicking between it and me. When he stood directly opposite me, the remnant between us, he paused.

Suddenly, the remnant began to rise, stepping atop Fate’s statue where it had first appeared. I braced myself, expecting it to unleash another devastating technique, but it didn’t. Instead, it sheathed its sword and folded its arms, remaining silent, its burning red eyes watching me with an unsettling intensity. It almost seemed...curious, or perhaps even indulgent. But that was impossible. Wasn’t it?

”So you do have power over them,” Alverin said, eyes narrowing. ”I knew I shouldn’t have trusted that Elise with you. You’re too clever for someone under a Heart Crest to manage. Despite all the lessons and long nights I spent with her, she’s still too naive. What have you done with her?”

”She’s safe,” I replied softly, not caring that he misinterpreted the situation with the remnants. That might make him more cautious and give me an edge, and right now, I needed every advantage I could get. The moment he thought it was safe, he would be on me in an instant.

He narrowed his eyes. ”Then why haven’t you tried to flee?”

”I didn’t bring you here so I could flee,” I said.

A slight frown crept across his face. ”So you’re surrendering? After all of this?” He waved around the cathedral, at the remnants watching us motionlessly.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward, gathering my mana. ”Alverin,” I began, my voice trembling slightly, ”If I wanted to give up, I wouldn’t be here. I’d be living my last few days with my friends, forgetting this whole thing. But the things you’ve done... I hate you. I-I want to kill you.”

His frown vanished, replaced by a slight, amused smile. ”Ah, is that what you want? It’s too bad your petty feud with the Sun God made that impossible. I’ve prepared your coming a long time, making plans that foolish Fate Hero thought unnecessary. And so, even after you’ve foiled everything she and her ally Anna provided, you still can’t touch me.”

It wasn’t so much arrogance as confidence. He was right on every account. The Sun God’s curse prevented me from attacking him, and neither could I touch his soul while it was protected by the ring.

As far as anyone could be concerned, this battle was over before it began. Perhaps, at one point, I would have thought the same. The young, helpless girl I’d been summoned as in this world had surrendered to everything, accepting the slave crest and then the soul crest without complaint. Every single time Soltair or the Church took a little bit more of my freedom away, I’d considered myself lucky to be alive.

When the inquisitors tortured me, I’d broken before the pain and given them every single thing I’d worked on, allowing them to steal credit for arrays and the many other magical techniques I pioneered. Why would this time, at the end of my life, with my body racked with the sunpurge and with nothing more to live for? Why wouldn’t I submit to it?

My soul burned as I subtly griped my mana, the sunpurge infection flaring up. It was as painful as the scars on my physical body, but I mustered all of my will to keep my expression flat and to prevent my soul from leaking any aura. My tail shuddered and flicked back and forth slightly, but with any luck, Alverin would just assume it was my nerves.

With a short, shallow breath, I began to soulcast two spells. Alverin approached me casually, swishing his sword through the air, leaving a faint line of darkness behind the tip.

”I want you to kneel,” he said forcefully. ”Beg for your life, and I shall grant it. I know you want to. I know you want the freedom and peace I can provide. You could live a life where you never worry or want for anything.”

”How can I believe you?” I asked, slowly edging away, letting my panic show a bit. ”Do you really tell the truth?”

”Of course! Do you not remember Elise before you tore her from my arms? He spread his arms wide, the blade hissing as it swept through the air, following his motion. ”I can promise that no matter what you’ll never be alone again.”

The first spell in my soul came to rest, waiting for my command. With it, I straightened as much as the sunpurge would allow and looked Alverin in the eye. He frowned and opened his mouth, but before he could speak, I shook my head.

”Your truth is nothing, Alverin. Perhaps, once, I would have believed you. But that girl is gone.”

I raised my hand and pushed it toward him, manifesting the first spell in the air. ”Dispel Magic!”

He stiffened as three strands of glowing mana spun towards him, narrowly dodging to the side. But even as triumph filled his eyes, lips parted in the beginnings of a gloating smile; his hand dragged behind him a bit. The spell wound around his fingers, searching until they found his ring. The enchantment crackled as my mana consumed it, rapidly eating away at his defenses.

”Damn it,” he swore, lunging at me.

I fell back, crying out as his blade pierced my chest again. This time, the curse magic was devastating, instantly dropping me to my knees. Black lightning crawled across my flesh, my screams rising to fill the air. It cast a dark, sinister glow across Alverin’s face, drawing out the lines in his lips as they curved into a cruel smile.

”Careful, my dear,” he whispered, lips drawing close to my ear. ”My patience isn’t endless. Give up now, and I’ll overlook that little tantrum. Those rings are expensive, you know.”

”Never,” I spat through gritted teeth. Hot, bubbly fluid rose in my throat, and I coughed, tasting blood.

His smile widened, the sword increasing in power. ”Your little rebellion will fail, and after I have my damned brother and his traitorous soldiers kneeling, I’ll have you beg me to rape you over my throne before them. I’ll make sure your screams are heard—”

I dragged myself up, fighting the pain, interrupting him with a single word - the name of the second spell in my soul, now ready to appear.

”Heart Crest!”