The Forsaken Hero

The days passed slowly after we met with Lord Splitbark. I’d expected to visit the other two noble houses in turn, but Aerion claimed they were being finicky. Even his own patron house, the Whitemarshes, declined our offer to meet. Elise guessed it was because of the cult’s attack. Given they were largely involved in the military and local adventuring guild, it made sense.

As anxious as I was to secure a treaty with the elves, I was grateful for a chance to slow down. Things had moved quickly, from invading the Port Vesna to returning to Sylvarus and then attending high-stakes meetings one after the other. I finally had time to focus on my soul and reestablish my connection with my abilities.

Six days following our audience, I sat with Sari in the Heart of Haven, sitting cross-legged across from each other before the small fountain shrine that depicted me. I’d taken to spending more and more time in the realm, calmed by the gentle flow of fate mana and the soothing astral breeze.

I wasn’t alone in the thought, either, as every time I slipped away, Korra and Gayron somehow found out. They’d begun challenging every remnant they could find to duels, learning new techniques and tactics almost daily. Given how little I saw of Fable, he had to be doing the same. Even Fyren joined in every once in a while, though he only entered to visit with Fate. They always shooed me away whenever that happened, leaving me frustrated and ignorant of whatever they were scheming. R’lissea, however, visited only to discuss a finer point of a spell with Villie, or another of the Life-aligned remnants. She and Selena spent almost all of their time studying life magic, trying to push their soul into the next level.

”Let’s try again,” Sari said, bringing me back to the present. ”Ready?”

I took a breath, pushing away any distracting thoughts, and focused on the young foxkin before me. She eagerly waited for me to nod before casting Link Soul. I braced myself for the now-familiar shock as her soul linked with mine, her Eyes of Being flowing into me. It was strong and distinct, like a buoy floating on the surface. Beneath it, I could feel a subtle thrum as the Oracle of Eternity resonated.

I opened myself up to the Eyes of Being, letting its power wash over me. The deeper I drew on it, the stronger the warmth of the Oracle of Eternity grew. I felt it rise and fall with every breath, sometimes close enough I could almost grab it, yet always falling out of reach whenever I tried.

I’d long since grown accustomed to the exercise, having repeated it dozens of times over the last week. Day after day, little by little, we’d made progress. I could use her ability on the first try now, finding it as comfortable as my memories of the Oracle of Eternity.

But today was different. Gritting my teeth, I pushed into my soul. It was an effort of a different kind, just as taxing as running or climbing a mountain. It took every bit of focus I had to remain submerged, grasping blindly for any hint of the warmth of my abilities. The seconds passed slowly, Sari watching me intently. Sweat beaded on my forehead, and my soul began to ache.

Sari pursed her lips. ”That’s enough. Maybe we should–”

I shook my head, gripping my skirt tightly. ”A little more! I’m so close!”

”Xiviyah, you’re panting. It’s not safe to–”

”Got it!”

A blinding surge of light erupted from my soul, rising to join my excited cry amid Haven’s stars. All at once, my body felt both hot and cold, wracked by shivers and soaked by sweat. My soul, exhausted from the effort, brimmed with light and power. My eyes clouded with stars, the world opening up to me. It was like opening my eyes for the first time, seeing the world as it was meant to be seen.

I looked around, basking in the warmth of the stars, in the hole in my heart that had finally been filled. A sudden, weak grip on my hand caused me to turn. A small gasp escaped my lips as I found Sari leaning forward, her pupils swallowed up in a sea of gold.

”Sorry!” I cried, hurriedly restraining my aura. It must have slipped free as my concentration lapsed.

Sari sagged as the clouds of stars dissipated, retreating to my soul. She blinked, panting, as her eyes returned to their standard hazel color, clearing of stars. Her ears lay flat on her head as a shiver traveled down her tail.

”What was that?” she asked, staring at me with wide, frightened eyes. ”I saw something. There was Elise, and I was...old! Like twenty or something! She was wearing a crown, and I was–”

”Shh, just breathe,” I said, taking her hands. ”It’s alright to be scared. It was just a vision. It wasn’t real.”

She took a few erratic breaths. When she was calm enough to speak again, she said, ”That was your power? The Oracle of eternity?”

I nodded. ”I’m sorry. When I finally grasped it, it went out of control. I’ve never had to worry about my aura like that, but I guess that’s because I was so disconnected from my soul. I can kind of remember this being a problem in the past, but I never imagined it was so bad. It’s like I can’t not pay attention to it or it’ll slip out again.”

”I think it’s kind of cool. Was that really the future?” she asked, a hint of excitement entering her voice.

I smiled, relieved at the hint of excitement in her voice. She was taking it a lot better than I did my first vision.

”It was, though the future isn’t written. If it’s a good thing, you can work to secure it, and if not...”

”We can fight it?” she asked.

”Exactly. That’s what I’m trying to do right now.”

”You must have seen a lot of different futures,” she said.

”Something like that. But the only future that matters is the one that happens. So let’s work hard, alright?’

She nodded emphatically. ”Let’s do it! I was so strong in the future. Would you believe it if I told you I was seventh-level?”

I reached out, ruffling her hair. ”Of course I would. You’re a hard worker.”

She grinned, tail wagging. But her smile faded, and she looked at me with concern. ”Are you going to be alright now? Even after I was able to use my ability, it took me a long time to get used to it. Will you be able to call it whenever you want?”

”Yes, and all thanks to you. I think it would have taken me a lot longer if you hadn’t let me get used to using your ability. It’s just a little adjustment to switch from the Eyes of Being to the Oracle of Eternity. It’s going to take some practice before I’m as comfortable as I was before, but it’s a good challenge.”

Her ears twitched as she beamed. ”Thank goodness. Now we can practice spells together!”

I chuckled, getting to my feet. ”We can. But let’s do that tomorrow. I’ve got to speak with Fate. Why don’t you find Korra and Gayron? Let them know I’ll meet them outside Haven. It should be close to night so that we can talk more at dinner.”

She nodded and scurried away, calling Haven to guide her. The spirit appeared, flashed me a smile, before gliding after her. Even after a week of exploring the realm, she still got lost on almost every island. If she was actually going to be an adventurer with Ror, I could only pray he had a much better sense of direction.

As she disappeared down the floating paths, I set my sights on the citadel island in the center of Haven. I was surprised to see the city livelier than usual. Remnants drifted through the streets, enjoying the faded murals, fountains, and empty markets. I watched them wistfully, a sense of sorrow creeping into my heart. Always, when I looked at them, I saw the worlds they’d left behind, the loves ones who had been reborn in the cycle, never to speak their names again. They’d sacrificed much for the Cycle, a cycle we were now intent on destroying.

”Ah, Xiviyah, it’s good to see you,” Fate said as I entered the arched chamber of the shard. ”I see you’ve exhausted your mana again. Training with Sari?”

”I did it,” I said, smiling bashfully. ”I found my abilities again!”

”That’s wonderful!” she clapped in delight, returning my smile warmly. ”I knew you would. And I’m proud of you for doing it on your own.”

I scratched my cheek. ”Well...not entirely. Sari helped a lot.”

”Eh, just take the praise,” she said, waving off-handedly. ”But you haven’t just come to share the news with me, have you?”

I shook my head, my smile fading. A lump grew in my throat as I adjusted my skirt, tail twitching slightly. She already knew what I had come here for, yet she was waiting for me to say it. And, for some reason, that made it all the harder.

”Fate, I...I need help. I don’t remember how to have visions.”