The Forsaken Hero

Her gasp caused a wave of panic to wash over me, and I froze, mind going blank. ”No! I, um, I...”

My voice trailed off as heat crept over my face, turning my ears fiery red. Alone with Luke? That had to be one of the worst-case scenarios imaginable, didn’t it? There would be nothing to stop him from taking the shard, hurting fate, or deciding he wanted me as his slave after all. My heart raced at the thought, pounding with fear, a whirlwind of anxieties vying with a flutter of... excitement? My tail flicked agitatedly in response, and I caught it mid-air, stroking it in a futile attempt to quell the turmoil within me.

”Y-yes,” I squeaked, my gaze fixed on my lap, unable to meet their curious eyes. ”Th-that’s a much better idea. We should just—”

I lost track of my words as I finally registered the one unexpected emotion swirling within me. Excitement? The fear and anxiety at being alone with the Apostle of Curses was understandable, but why did some part of me relish the idea? It must be the reason behind the insane impulse to go with Luke alone, but it didn’t make any sense. What was happening to me? Why would I ever want to spend more time with him?

”I’m afraid I must disappoint you,” a voice interjected from behind, startling me for the second time that night, ”but I won’t be available to join any adventures for the next week.”

Fyren emerged from the shadows, his arms crossed, a shadow obscuring his face. A subdued anger smoldered in his eyes, and he frowned as he took in my flustered state.

”And what’s going on here?” he asked, his hard gaze on Luke. It was clear his anger wasn’t because of Luke, but he found himself the unfortunate target.

Luke recoiled slightly, his tail flicking anxiously. ”It’s nothing, Lord of Ash. We were merely discussing the state of Xiviyah’s soul. Her personal realm has recovered, and she wanted someone to accompany her for protection.”

”So you recommended me,” Fyren said flatly. This was very clearly not a question, but if it were, it would have only one answer.

Luke hesitated, searching my face for any indication of a correct response. I didn’t even feel his gaze and stared blankly at the Fire Demon, my lips parted in an anxious gasp.

”Right,” Luke finally conceded. ”There’s no one better suited to protect her than you.”

Fyren’s expression softened slightly, and he settled down beside us. ”Good, just as I’d expect from you. Now about—”

”Y-You’re leaving?” I choked out. Panic flooded my mind the instant his words registered, driving out all other thoughts and feelings. A small, rational part of me tried to assert itself but succumbed to the rising desperation. ”But why? Did I...did I do something wrong? Do you no longer like me?”

”Of course not!” he exclaimed without hesitation. When he saw me teetering on the verge of tears, he groaned and rubbed his eyes. ”Damn it, this was not how I planned to tell you.”

”Please...” I whispered, my hands clutching at my skirt. ”Don’t leave me again. Please.”

R’lissea’s arm enveloped me, pulling me close and hugging my head to her chest. She glared at Fyren over my shoulder and then, surprisingly, at Luke, all the while gently stroking my hair in a comforting manner. I knew my reaction must have seemed childish to them, an overreaction, but I clung to R’lissea, barely holding back tears. It was normal for people to come and go as they pleased, but Fyren... would he come back? He had promised he wouldn’t leave me again!

”Xiviyah, just breathe,” R’lissea murmured, her fingers gently stroking my hair. ”We can at least hear him out, right? There’s no need to get so upset.”

I sniffled, struggling to regain control of my erratic breathing. Unbidden, memories flashed through my mind: the cold loneliness that had consumed me when Fyren vanished, the despair of being trapped in the Western Universities’ dungeons because he hadn’t been there to find me. He was the only thing physically preventing the demons from doing as they pleased with us. What would happen when he left?

R’lissea continued to comfort me until, finally, I calmed enough to lift my head. My eyes were blurry with tears, and at some point, my tail had wrapped anxiously around her waist. She smiled wryly at that, obviously unaccustomed to the strange way I expressed my needs.

”Better?” she asked softly.

I nodded, unable to find my voice. Her fingers gently pulled my tail from her waist, sending a shiver up my spine, and helped me sit up on my own. I stared at my lap, gripping my skirt tightly, unable to meet anyone’s gaze.

”I-I’m sorry,” I stammered, biting my lip hard, using the pain as a form of penance for my outburst.

”Nobody blames you, right?” R’lissea said, her gaze sweeping over the two men until they both nodded in agreement.

I shook my head, fresh tears welling up. ”No, that’s not an excuse. I should be stronger than this. I just... I don’t know why, but... don’t leave...” I whimpered. ”Please.”

Fyren glanced at R’lissea, seeking silent confirmation that it was safe to respond. She nodded, and he sighed, leaning forward slightly.

”Xiviyah, I won’t be gone long—at most, a week. Remember when I told you I developed a scouting network?”

I nodded, keeping my eyes averted. If I met his gaze, the warmth and understanding I found there would put me at ease, but I didn’t deserve that comfort now—not after revealing how little I trusted him. I thought I was making progress and that my willingness to open up to Luke was proof of some healing, but clearly, I still had a long way to go.

He cleared his throat, interpreting my nod as permission to continue. ”I’ve received some troubling reports from a small kingdom on the southern edge of the continent. If they’re true, it will require my intervention.”

Luke frowned, folding his arms. ”I’ve heard nothing of any trouble there. We have a well-established cult working on opening a demon gate in that region, and they’ve reported nothing but smooth sailing.”

”The Naman Federation doesn’t have much in the way of armed forces, so it’s unlikely anything there could threaten you.” Fyren agreed, causing Luke’s brow to furrow.

”Then what could possibly trouble an eighth-level demon?” Luke inquired.

”It’s the closest shard to our current position,” Fyren replied.

Luke started to argue, then froze, his gaze unconsciously flitting towards me. I wasn’t sure what connection he had made, but a shiver ran down my spine nonetheless. I was grateful that R’lissea was still holding my hand.

”You don’t mean...?” Luke asked, uncertainty coloring his voice.

Fyren nodded grimly. ”I’m afraid so. The report came directly from the Divine Throne.”

”So it’s finally happening. Is this because of Whitecliff City?” R’lissea asked.

I glanced up at her, surprised to see her face etched with worry. When she noticed my gaze, she offered a small, reassuring smile, but her grip on my hand tightened.

”What’s happening?” I asked, fear gradually eclipsing my shame. ”Are we in danger?” Before anyone could answer, my mana recoiled, sending a wave of unease through me. My head snapped up, my gaze drawn to an empty space just above and behind Luke. Without conscious thought, my mana reacted, and I instinctively cast a fifth-circle spell. ”Unravel,” I whispered, completing the incantation. My mana surged into the weave of fate, manifesting as a subtle distortion in the air, spreading outward like ripples on a still pond. Luke and Fyren were instantly alert, their bodies tense with readiness. Judging by the power emanating from R’lissea, she had also seized her mana. The disturbance vanished, and I sighed, my shoulders slumping in relief.

”What happened?” Fyren demanded, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his massive sword.

”It’s nothing,” I reassured him, rubbing my horn wearily. ”She was just trying to spy on us again. She does this every now and then, maybe once a week, but this was the first time I was close enough to interfere.”

”She?” Luke’s eyes narrowed. ”You mean the Fate Hero?”

”Verity,” R’lissea supplied, then blushed as the two men turned to look at her. ”What? I’ve spent a lot of time with her, and she’s quite kind. She must have improved her abilities since we last spoke. I bet Soltair is encouraging her to spy on you as much as possible,” she added, gesturing towards Luke.

”I was worried about that,” the apostle muttered, ”but I didn’t think we could do anything about it. Can you really sense when she’s watching?”

”If I’m close enough.” I shrugged, feeling some of my confidence return. This was a subject I had dedicated myself to understanding, and focusing on it helped dispel some of the gloom that had settled over me.

”And you can stop it?” he pressed.

”Yes, although the spell’s range is quite limited. Most of the time, I only brush against her presence in the camp, and by the time I pinpoint her location, she’s already gone.”

He fell silent, stroking his chin thoughtfully. ”I might need you to teach some of my demons that spell.”

”That might be difficult,” I said, glancing at R’lissea for support. ”Even if they could cast it, it would be virtually useless without the ability to detect when she’s watching.”

”Is it difficult to maintain?” the elf asked curiously.

I shook my head, and she smiled. ”Then there’s no problem! If Luke has enough demons, they can simply cast it constantly whenever they’re discussing sensitive information!”

My eyes widened at the suggestion, and I sat up straighter. ”We could even modify the spell to cover a larger area so she couldn’t just shift to a new vantage point. That might actually work!”

”I’ll be relying on you, then,” Luke said, grinning at me. It wasn’t until I registered the relief in his eyes that I realized I was smiling, too. I quickly sat back, blushing slightly. My emotions were truly volatile today, tossed about like leaves in a storm.

”With that settled,” Fyren interjected, his words instantly dampening my spirits, ”why don’t we finish our discussion? I’d like to leave tonight.”