The Forsaken Hero

I breathed a sigh of relief as we stepped out of a hole into the entrance cavern. The black crystal glittered faintly, beckoning to us. I started toward it, only for someone to catch my sleeve. I turned, startled. Evla’s hand darted back, and she cast a fearful glance at Fable.

”I, er...sorry,” she mumbled, quickly backing away.

”What is it?” I asked.

She reddened, shifting anxiously on her feet. The tip of her tail danced like a hummingbird.

”When we get out, um, please don’t tell...you know...”

R’lissea came up beside her, taking her hand in both of hers. ”It’s okay to be frightened. You were all alone in there for hours, fighting for your life.”

She jerked her head back and forth. ”N-no, it’s...I can’t be weak,” she whispered, eyes brimming with tears. ”I can’t.”

”You were very brave,” I said.

”I-I cried,” she burst out. ”Like a child.”

”I’m something of a child myself, then,” I admitted.

R’lissea shook her head, lips twitching in a wry smile. ”You two...” She tightened her grip on Evla’s hand.

”There’s nothing to be ashamed about, but I understand. The others wouldn’t treat you well if they knew, is that it?”

She nodded, sniffling.

”Then it’s our secret,” I said.

Evla shivered. ”Secret, huh? Are you sure you’re Xiviyah?”

I blinked, tilting my head. ”Who else?”

”Never mind. Just...thanks.”

R’lissea dropped her hand. ”Then let’s get going. Fyren’s probably waiting for us.”

I nodded and started for the crystal, but stopped again as R’lissea held up a hand.

”Hold up, why don’t we let Fable and me go first. In case anyone figured out we were here and is waiting in ambush.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but closed it again. Fyren might have been caught up in a gate, and another broke. Or, worse, Verity might have caught us here in a vision, and an inquisitor was waiting outside. Butterflies twisted in my stomach.

”Okay, ” I said, nodding. Let’s do that.”

”Then, Evla, come out with me,” R’lissea said.

The demonkin hesitated, giving me a furtive glance. Reluctantly, she nodded.

Fable strode over and touched the crystal with his nose. He vanished. R’lissea and Evla went next. They met eyes, and R’lissea nodded. Together, they reached out. But Evla’s hand froze a half-inch from the crystal. R’lissea vanished, leaving us alone.

I froze, instinctively grabbing my mana.

”W-what is it?” I asked, backing away. ”Why didn’t you go?”

She turned slowly and smiled sadly.

”Even after you risked everything to save me, you’re still afraid.” She sighed and shook her head. ”I...need to apologize. For what I said in Brithlite.”

I frowned, watching her intently as I searched my memories. Nothing. We’d hardly exchanged any words, except when I’d joined all the Apostles for a meal once.

”I was worried you were using him,” she said in a small voice. ”Taking advantage of his strength to save yourself and your friends from the demons. He’s never looked at anyone like that before, but with you...” she sighed, rubbing her stark white horn. ”After seeing him these past few days, I wish things could have gone differently.”

”I...” I bit my lip, searching her gaze.

She blinked. ”You...have no idea what I’m talking about, do you.”

I shook my head, and she groaned, rubbing her horn harder.

”You two are impossible. Luke, Xiviyah. I’m talking about Luke.”

I gasped, tail freezing mid-twitch. I started to get the sense Evla hadn’t remained behind to hurt or threaten me. But why was she talking about Luke? Had he told her everything? Maybe she knew what I did wrong.

What was that you said, before? she asked. ”Ah, right. The future’s not written. Maybe it’s not too late to figure things out. He needs your light, and you...you need him too.”

”he doesn’t want me,” I whispered. ”he said...he said I was just a tool. I just...I just wish I knew what I did wrong.”

”Gravity is a strange thing,” Evla said, raising her hand. An elliptical sphere made of purple light pulsed above her palm. ”It pulls, and pulls, and pulls. Yet sometimes, you need a push. But it doesn’t know how.”

I stared at the sphere, blinking an errant tear onto my eyelash. ”Are you saying I pushed him away because that’s all I know how to do?”

She raised an eyebrow. ”And when did I say I was talking about you?

I froze, a shiver running down my tail. She closed her fist, and the light vanished. I jumped, startled, as if broken from a trance.

”Come on, they’ll start to worry about us. Just...it’s okay to hope. I learned that today, you know. I thought it was over, that I’d die in this gate, then the impossible happened. One day, it’s going to happen to you, too.”

She gave me a small, reassuring smile and reached out, touching the crystal. I stared at the crystal long after she’d gone, struggling to focus my thoughts. They raced everywhere, from the gut-wrenching moment Soltair turned his back on me in the slave wagon to sitting with Luke and watching the sunset atop the Spire.

At some point, I realized I was standing alone in a collapsing curse gate and stumbled forward, grabbing the entrance crystal. The sensation of being teleported mirrored the nausea I felt at Evla’s words, churning just as much as my stomach.

The ground came up beneath my feet. I stepped once and fell to one knee, staring at the tender young shoots of the spring growth peeking out of the brown dirt. I squeezed my eyes shut, struggling to take full breaths. I couldn’t tell if the difficulty came from stress or the abrasion between the curse mana and my attributed soul. It didn’t really matter.

R’lissea caught my hand, helping me to my feet. I looked around, surprised to find we were in the middle of the Devoted. Borealis cawed overhead, doing a wide, lazy circle around the entire valley. I’d forgotten I’d asked him to bring the rest.

Evla stood rooted to the ground just a few feet away, staring up at the towering form of Incinderus. Zephyriss fitted a few inches above the ground nearby, examining the ashen corpse of the demonkin Fyren incinerated.

The apostle struggled to remain composed, but her tail betrayed her terror. ”You’re a...a...”

Incinderus leaned over, dominating the star-filled sky. ”An apostle. The Lord of Ash spoke of your kind, yet I find you most...curious.”

She regained her senses, stumbling back a step. ”Demon Lords!” she choked, falling to the ground.

Incinderus straightened. ”Merely avatars, mortal. But I find your awe gratifying.” he turned a side-eye at me. ”Some have forgotten the majesty and power of our role in the cycle.”

”Where’s Fyren? ” I asked, looking around. Fable was nearby, sniffing the ash with Zephyriss, but the familiar figure of Fyren was gone.

”He emerged from the blade gate an hour ago. He left to find the demonkin,” Incinderus said.

Evla gasped, her eyes darting around the valley. ”Wait, my escorts! And where did this horde come from? And what is this mark?”

”A little slow on the upkeep, are we?” Zephyriss asked, grinning.

”This is Incinderus and Zephyriss,” I said, gesturing to them in turn. ”And they bear my mark.”

”Yours!?” Evla’s eyes went wide as saucers. ”But there must be twenty, no thirty thousand! How can you handle that many?”

”Forty, actually,” Zephyriss said helpfully.

Evla started to glare at her before lowering her eyes respectfully.

”We’ve come to an agreement...I think. They want to, um...” I glanced at Incinderus. He returned my gaze impassively. ”Well, I’m not sure, but they agreed to help me.”

”This is insane,” she muttered, rubbing her horn. ”First you break into a curse gate, now this? What else?”

I tacitly hid my staff behind my back, letting it disperse into stars. Right now probably wasn’t the right time to tell her about Haven, not only for her heart, but because I still didn’t know how far to trust her. Words were easy, but whose side would she be on when Rash’alon came for Luke? What loyalty did her Emperor hold?

Borealis screeched, drawing my gaze up. He wheeled about sharply, tucking his wings in a dive. I started to duck, but caught myself and let my arm drift outward, giving him a perch. He, of course, chose my horns anyway. I squeaked as his cool, glassy claws clicked against them.

R’lissea giggled, reaching up and pulling him off my head. ”Naught bird,” she scolded, petting him as he tried to squirm out of her grip.

I caressed my horn, trying to soothe the tingles racing down my spine. Borealis finally succeeded in escaping and half-hopped, half-flew into my arms. I held him close, idly petting him as a few impressions trickled through the infernal mark. They were chaotic and blurry as usual, but I felt a distinct presence within them. Fyren.

At that moment, the disorderly ranks of scions parted, letting the demon himself through. Fyren wore his demon form, but as he strode forward, he morphed, taking on his human visage.

”Apostle,” he said, nodding curly to Evla. ”You’re retainers were...swift. They led me on quite the chase. ”

”You didn’t hurt them, did you?” she asked.

”Would it matter if I did?”

She hesitated, then shook her head. ”I suppose not. They were merely soldiers. No, bandits. I doubt anyone would miss them.”

I eyed her closely, but the words seemed sincere. I’d half-hoped her cold, composed demeanor from before was an illusion, but it appeared her emotions within the gate were the outlier. She caught me looking and smiled. I tried to smile back but only managed a twitch of my lips.

”There was no need to press them,” Fyren said, turning to me. ”I caught up right as they reached the Apostle’s horde. We’re only a few hours away, but know this. The gates here were not an abnormality. The descent has fully begun.”