The Forsaken Hero

I shrank beneath the incredulous gazes of the nobles of the Blacksand Empire. Gradually, the shock shifted to anger. Murmurs rippled through the court as faces twisted in scowls.

Grand Duke Barthen paled. My hand still clutched feebly over the scroll.

”But she’s a–er, I wasn’t aware,” he stammered.

”You were supposed to be. It’s the diplomat’s job to find out the nature of those they negotiate with. What if this child wasn’t so magnanimous to forgive you for humiliating her in front of all these people?”

When had I decided something like that? It was true I didn’t intend to let the treaty fall through, but--

I shivered as her gaze returned to me. Perhaps that was why she had shared such embarrassing things about Barther’s past. It was her way of taking the pressure off me, so I didn’t feel the need to strike back. It was a cunning move and one I wasn’t sure I appreciated.

”T-they told you I could use combat spells?” I asked her tentatively.

”They told us many things about you, like your ruthless, deceptive nature,” she said.

I flinched, but she smiled. She must be teasing me.

”It’s clear you’re little more than a child. I have a hard time believing the one solely responsible for the destruction of Brithlite can’t even stand before a few nobles without her knees knocking. Now come here, let me help you.”

I looked back at Elise, who nodded and allowed Elaine to take my hands. She cast a chantless spell like Luke’s, summoning a gleaming black blade of obsidian. She placed it in my palm and closed my fingers around the handle.

”There, now you can...?”

Whatever she after that was lost as an incomprehensible weight entrapped my soul, clamping down like a vice. The pressure was overwhelming, causing my vision to swim. I started to fall, but someone caught me. I could just make out Elaine’s face, filled with confusion, before I backed out.

The next thing I knew, I stared blankly into Luke’s eyes. They were soft and worried, soothing my rapidly pulsating heart. He cradled me in his arms, but even in front of so many people, my mind and soul hurt too bad to care.

Elaine’s voice was nearby, short and agitated. ”Even if she has a weak constitution, surely she can–”

”Move, Luke, let me see her! ” R’lissea said, appearing over Luke’s shoulder.

Luke’s grip on me tightened, making it hard to breathe, but he forced himself to take a deep breath and leaned back. R’lissea laid a hand on my head, and my soul cast a Life Spell. The wave of warmth took the edge of the shock, and I took a shallow gasp. My lungs burned at the influx of air, and I realized I hadn’t been breathing. That must be why everything looked so dark and fuzzy.

Luke allowed R’lissea to take me and stood, glaring at Elaine. She postured defensively, arms crossed.

”What the hell were you thinking?” he demanded. ”I forgave the first slight, but this...? After all your preaching to the ignorant Duke, you dare to hand Xiviyah a knife? Do you think I am a fool?”

”Watch your tone, child,” she said. ”Even if you lead the demon army, I won’t have your anger misplaced. It was her friend that let slip she couldn’t cast spells. She neglected to mention that included weapons. Given her extraordinarily weak constitution, I figured there was a chance, but this blade was purely ceremonial. Surely, a girl capable of reaching the eighth level at such a young age could handle a knife.”

”That’s enough, Elaine,” the emperor said, rising from his throne.

The woman glowered at him, but he ignored her, striding off the dais toward Luke. The nobles fled from his path in a murmur of ”Your Majesties.”

”Forgive our ignorance. It is true that the church deceived our intelligence, but it is no excuse for mistreating one of your own.”

”You’ve done worse than that,” Luke growled. ”You hurt Xiviyah. If this is the honor and integrity of Blacksand, I have no reason to continue with this farce.”

”No...” I whispered hoarsely.

R’lissea bent over my ear. ”What?”

”P-please, help me,” I begged her.

Slowly, the Divine aura retreated, but not fast enough. I tried to stand, only to collapse into R’lissea’s arms.

”Xiviyah, slow down. You’re still trembling,” she said.

I shook my head, pushing her away. After a pause, she relented and helped me stand, a hand on my back, the other holding my arm. My legs shook, but slowly, I steadied.

”It wasn’t so bad last time,” I mumbled.

”Last time? This has happened before?” she asked.

”Just once, when I tried casting a small fire spell. It only took a few runes before it hit, and it wasn’t near this strong. I think it’s just that–” I coughed, my sleeve coming away red with blood. ”...my soul is already so weak right now.”

R’lissea soul cast another life spell, and the discordant feeling in my body finally faded. Luke and the emperor were still glaring at each other. Their auras whipped around them like personal cyclones.

Despite their agitation, the wind and pressure of their aura did little more than stir the ends of my hair. The many third and fourth-level nobles watched uneasily, pale but otherwise unaffected.

The emperor said, ”It was an innocent mistake, even if repeated twice. Would you condemn my entire empire for that?”

”I’ve burned kingdoms for less,” Luke spat. ”You touched the one person you should have–”

”L-Luke,” I gasped, clutching at his sleeve. ”Please, stop.”

His aura died abruptly, leaving the air eerily still. His gaze remained fixed on the emperor as he said, ”Xiviyah, you should go and–”

”No.” I shook my head. ”It’s okay. I just...need some help.”

”Are you certain? You’re the only reason I’ve pursued peace in the first place, and now they’ve hurt you. This betrayal is more than–”

”You think this is a betrayal?” I tried to smile but ended up coughing again. At least this time, there was no blood. ”Luke, this isn’t a betrayal. It was an accident. I...I know about betrayals. It’s when it hurts here.” I put a hand on my heart. ”If you decided to kill them because of me, that would...”

I bit my lip, hand squeezing my dress over my heart. He flinched, his tail going limp.

”I could never do that to you,” he whispered.

”Then please help me,” I said, holding out my hand.

Luke’s eyes widened, and he glanced at R’lissea.

”It’s fine, presuming she can survive the backlash of the curse in this state,” R’lissea said.

I gave her a grateful look. Luke took my wrist, his hand trembling slightly.

”Are you sure?” he asked again.

I nodded and looked away as he summoned a violet knife. Something long and cold pressed against my palm, but nothing else happened. I peeked back to see the knife touching my skin, but no matter how hard Luke pushed, the magic blade refused to cut me.

”Xiviyah,” R’lissea prompted, ”Your ability.”

”I-I know,” I mumbled, squeezing my eyes tight. ”I wasn’t ready. But now...”

The magic knife touched my palm again, and this time, I suppressed the primal instinct to flare Adaptive Resistance. The cold line turned hot, and I winced as a sharp pain cut across my palm. Luke guided my hand to the scroll, helping spread my fingers so I could press my palm against the parchment.

”I-is it done?” I whimpered when he relaxed his grip.

”Just inject your Mana,” he said softly.

Through the terror of the Divine aura and the pain of cutting my hand, I’d almost forgotten about this part. I started trembling again, and my tail wrapped around Luke’s leg, holding it tightly. He stiffened, flushing red.

”You can do it,” R’lissea encouraged.

A curse. I was willingly inviting a curse on my soul. It was from an artifact, too, meaning its power was likely eighth level, a level above Adaptive Resistance.

I glanced back. Elise clutched her skirt, watching us anxiously. She met my eyes and nodded.

Before I second-guessed myself, I injected my mana. Immediately, there was a rush of cold, bathing my soul in the same awful darkness as when Haven had been corrupted. I started shivering, and warm arms folded around me. I didn’t know if it was R’lissea or Luke, but it didn’t matter. It was all that kept me from breaking into sobs.

As the curse mana burrowed into my soul, my abilities activated on their own. Adaptive Resistance cradled me in a blanket, consuming the curse like a fire burning kindling. Dark tendrils stabbed into my soul, dissipating before they did more than make me tingle.

Before I could register the unexpected reaction, the Oracle of Eternity sent images and impressions flickering through my mind, overwriting the sensory input of my own body to show me scene after scene.

I broke out of the trance gasping, jerking away from the scroll. Tears streaked my cheeks as I stared at the cut on my hand, blood trickling down my wrist.

”Where did you get this?” I cried, stumbling away from the table and staring at the emperor. ”Just what have you done?”