The Forsaken Hero

We talked for a while longer as Fate patiently answered my many questions. But eventually, even the excitement of learning about Haven couldn’t keep my eyelids from drooping.

”That’s enough, little one,” Fate said with a kind smile as I yawned while attempting to ask about the statue of me in the Heart of Haven. ”You can return later after you’ve rested. This realm is fully yours now, remember?”

I opened my mouth to protest but paused when I saw Luke nodding in agreement.

”We’ve been gone long enough,” he said. ”We wouldn’t want R’lissea to worry.”

That was reason enough for me. ”Alright,” I agreed. Then, glancing up at the shard, I asked, ”Can I use this to see my abilities? I haven’t had a chance in a long time.”

”Hmm, honestly, I’m not sure,” Fate admitted. ”I’ve separated this shard from the network in Enusia, so it might not function according to the same standards. But it shouldn’t hurt to try.”

I placed my hand on the shard again, curious that Luke did the same. He didn’t seem concerned about me seeing his abilities, but the thought gave me pause. Did I really want to reveal everything to him?

It was too late. The light within the shard blossomed, reacting to my mana. As the words began to form, my thoughts raced.

Fate had called him my friend and hadn’t thought twice about allowing him to hear everything about Haven. But a friend? Could I truly call him that?

I initially dismissed the idea, but it lingered in my mind. The more I considered it, the more it seemed that Fate had used the term as much for my benefit as for his. She had read his mind, seen his heart, and likely glimpsed a thousand possible futures. What had she, in all her wisdom, seen to merit such a declaration? Even if I was slowly learning to trust him, wasn’t Luke still a potential danger to me?

The words organized themselves together, showing my identity.

Name: Xiviyah, Daughter of Fate, Forsaken Hero

Race: Demonkin

Status: Sun’s Divine Curse; Fate’s Blessing; Mark of the Inferno; Heir of Divinity; Soul Contract: Fable (Unique); Sun Magic Sensitivity; The Final Star;

Abilities: Magic: Fate (9th); Adaptive Resistance (6th): Sun (7th), Curse (7th), Fire (7th); Oracle of Eternity; Soul Casting (6th);

The changes to my display were mostly expected, but they still brought a happy swish to my tail. Adaptive Resistance had advanced to the sixth level, a long overdue change. My soul had been resisting sixth-level spells since entering Brithlite, after all.

The seventh-level immunities to Sun, Curse, and Fire remained unchanged, which wasn’t surprising. I hadn’t yet encountered eighth-circle magic of those types, which seemed to be essential for pushing it to new levels.

My bond with the ice spirit had transformed into a new status: The Final Star, the name of my staff. Whether it was also the original name of this realm was irrelevant; Haven was Haven. According to the realm spirit, it had adapted to reflect that name, so its previous designation no longer mattered.

Sun Magic Sensitivity was the only other significant change, and again, it was anticipated. Requiem had the power to heal sunpurge and corruption, but it left the body and soul more susceptible to those forces afterward. It was akin to a broken bone never being quite as strong as it was originally.

Even low levels of sun magic now caused my skin to prickle and my horns to itch, but it would take far more to pose a real threat. Adaptive Resistance ensured that no spell below the seventh level could even touch me, effectively negating the sensitivity. If an eighth or ninth-level spell struck me, a slight increase in vulnerability wouldn’t make much difference. With my frail body, it would be a death sentence regardless.

”So it works,” Fate said. ”Good to know.”

Her voice jolted me back to reality, and my tail stiffened as I remembered Luke standing right beside me. Had he seen all of my abilities? I frantically scanned the glowing words, searching for anything he could potentially use against me. Haven had proven far stronger than either of us anticipated, effectively removing it as leverage, so he would undoubtedly be interested in acquiring something else to ensure my obedience. Even if he said he wasn’t interested in that, how could he possibly let someone like me run free?

I tentatively raised my head, cringing as I found him already looking over the identification. He nodded when he saw me watching him, a hint of pride in his expression.

”You’re very strong,” he remarked.

I frowned, edging away from him, but he had already turned away, letting his mana flow into the shard. I quickly averted my eyes, acting on instinct. Soltair and the countless betrayals I had suffered had taught me the importance of keeping one’s identification a secret. Even though I hadn’t asked him to turn away, he would ask me regardless, and it was better to avoid that awkwardness altogether.

”It’s alright, Xiviyah,” he said. ”You can look if you want.”

I blinked, raising my head despite myself. ”What?”

He smiled encouragingly, gesturing to the words forming on the shard. ”I know so many of your secrets. I’d like you to know some of mine, too.”

His words confused me, seeming to be against what he should have been saying, but I pushed the feeling aside and watched with apprehension as his identification appeared.

Name: Luke, Apostle of Curses

Race: Demonkin

Status: Apostle of the Descent, Lord of the Infernal Host

Abilities: Mana: 9th; Affinity: Curse, Shadow; Impervious Will; Cloak of Curses;

”I’ve never seen that status before,” Arantius said, peering closely at the shard. ”Apostle of the Descent?”

Luke didn’t flinch under the scrutiny, instead standing taller, radiating confidence. It was a reaction I admired, but years of hardship had made it impossible for me to emulate when such sensitive, intimate information was on display.

”I told you before,” Luke stated calmly. ”I am the Apostle of the Descent, commander of the demon hordes on Enusia. I speak with the authority of all three Emperors engaged in the invasion, and until their Demon Lords arrive, my will is unchallenged.”

”Interesting,” the remnant murmured, stroking his translucent chin. ”To think these old eyes get to see something so new and exciting.”

I wasn’t particularly interested in statuses, as I could barely understand my own, let alone someone like Luke’s. His abilities, however, were intriguing. Like me, he had the potential to reach the ninth level. Cloak of Curses was an ability I’d witnessed often, responsible for the curses and destructive energies that frequently flared around him in battle. It seemed capable of inflicting all sorts of curses, from weakening and restraining to directly assaulting the soul. The fact that it was an aura was especially frightening, as it meant indiscriminate damage or control over a wide area.

”But what is Impervious Will?” I muttered aloud before I could stop myself, then quickly clapped a hand over my mouth, glancing nervously at Luke. He didn’t seem upset, though, and simply shrugged.

”It’s not that impressive,” he explained. ”It basically makes me immune to any kind of mind-altering magic.”

”Oh,” I said, lowering my hand with a relieved sigh. ”So it’s just like Soltair’s, then.”

His head snapped towards me, and I instinctively stepped back, my heart fluttering. ”You know the Sun Hero’s abilities?”

I nodded, struggling to find my voice under his intense gaze. ”H-he has an ability called Sun Mastery, which lets him cast magic without learning runes or chants. And, um, I don’t know the names, but his other two abilities increase his physical, mental, and soul defenses. They also give him incredibly fast recovery during battle, so winning a war of attrition against him is difficult.”

Unless you had an eighth-circle spell that granted endless mana, I added silently, still feeling a twinge of bitterness about our fight with Victor.

”Interesting. Despite all of our spies and efforts, we’d been unable to scrounge up anything like that,” he chuckled, shaking his head wryly. And all I had to do was ask. Figures, given you were so close to him before.”

I shrank back at the reminder, again comparing how similar these two were to me. And now, just like Soltair had, he knew my abilities. The Sun Hero had used that knowledge to enslave my soul and prevent Adaptive Resistance from freeing me, but even he hadn’t known much about the Eyes of Fate. Just what would Luke be capable of doing?

”Don’t you think that’s enough worrying for now?” Fate whispered.

I jumped, startled, unsure when she had moved behind me. ”F-Fate?”

She giggled, gently rubbing my head between my horns. ”That’s enough for one day. I think it’s best that you return now. The Life Hero is waiting for you.”

My anxiety doubled, my tail thrashing against the glassy tiles as I recalled Fyren’s unspoken threat. ”She is? Are we in danger?”

”Nothing so dramatic. Not yet, at least. Now, Haven,” Fate said, standing and withdrawing her hand. ”Please, would you escort these two to the entrance? I have a few more things to discuss with Arantius.”

”Of course, my lady,” Haven replied, materializing beside us. ”Please, if you and the Apostle would come with me.”

”Be careful, little one,” Fate said, gently pushing me toward the spirit. ”Your path isn’t over yet.”

”But what should I do?” I asked, biting my lip as Haven took my hand and guided me away. ”Where does this path even lead? I just want peace.”

”That will come if fate wills it,” the goddess answered. ”Until then, be patient. And come again soon. It will be nice to have life in this quiet realm again.”