The Forsaken Hero

I left Sari in the care of Luxxa and hurried after R’lissea, putting the events of the last few minutes from my mind. She led me to a distant field on the edge of the estate, with one edge sheltered beneath a grove of thick, gnarled trees. Selena stood in the middle of the field, the golden ninth-level tome floating in the air in front of her, open midway through.

”You brought her?” Selena asked, looking up at us.

”Sorry, explain to me again what you’re doing here? How is R’lissea casting the spell?” I asked.

”Arboreal World, the spell you gave us, is straightforward. The biggest constraint and reason it’s a ninth circle is because of the absurd power required to generate its effects over the intended area. But the spellbook also has variants of seventh and eighth circles, with significantly reduced spread,” Selena explained.

R’lissea nodded. ”I’m going to try and cast the eighth-level version and break through right now.”

”Without a guide? That’s dangerous,” I said.

She shrugged. ”Not as dangerous as if Selena were to try a ninth and fail. The backlash would kill her for sure, and probably wipe half of Duskwood off the map.”

”An eighth-level won’t be much better! Not for you, at least,” I protested.

”That’s where you come in.” She smiled at me. ”You can absorb most of the backlash through your ability, right? Besides, I already cast the seventh-circle variant yesterday, and everything went well. I should have enough mana for the eighth.”

My eyes got big. ”You did? Without telling me?”

She gave me a guilty look. ”Sorry, I was too excited. And Selena...”

”It was fine, Xiviyah. Don’t forget, I’m rather experienced when it comes to watching over mages casting spells for the first time.”

I ran a hand over my horn, shifting uncomfortably. ”Even so...”

R’lisesa took my hand. ”Don’t worry, I can do this. I’m a hero, too, remember? If I’m going to defeat Connor, I have to reach the eighth level. We only managed to drive him off at Sangra because the three of us worked together, and most of our mana was spent supporting his Risen hordes. And that was with Korra already at eighth.”

”Wouldn’t it be better to go to Haven and try it there? Maybe Villie can walk you through it.”

Again, she shook her head. ”I’ve had enough handholding. Connor broke through on his own. I want to as well.”

I bit my lip, struggling for something else to say. She was being stubborn again, but...I wasn’t much better. Hadn’t I avoided Fate for weeks because I’d wanted to reconnect with my abilities on my own? This wasn’t much different.

”Alright,” I relented, ”But if anything goes wrong, I can only do so much. Adaptive Resistance has only reached seventh-level for Life Magic.”

She and Selena exchanged a look before nodding. I took a deep breath, composing myself and casting a Nexus. My soul shivered as it connected with theirs, the bond stronger than any Nexus I’d shared before. I could feel R’lissea’s anticipation, her nervousness, like a sea simmering under the waves. Selena’s emotions were thick with impatience, yet also held a deep-seated unease. I noticed things I hadn’t before, like the way she stared at the book from the corner of her eye, or how R’lissea tugged at her sleeves.

”Wow,” R’lisea breathed, looking at me with renewed interest. ”Even this feels stronger. Is this what your bond with the demons is like?”

”Maybe at first, but not anymore. I’m much closer to the demon’s thoughts,” I admitted.

”Is this change related to the empowered state of your aura in recent days?” Sleena asked.

I started in surprise, turning to look at her with wide eyes. ”You noticed?”

”It was my job to sense irregularities in a mage’s soul. I had hoped it was a natural part of you gaining strength, but from your reaction–” her gaze strayed to R’lisea, ”I’m assuming it’s not expected. I’d like to study it more, later, perhaps with the aid of the oracle of Eternity. After today, of course.”

”I’d...like that,” I said softly, touching my horn again.

It wasn’t as if Selena knew more about souls than I, or that she could give any answers I couldn’t find in Haven, but I liked the thought of studying something alongside her again, of listening to her advice and wisdom. It had been too long.

As I shared Adaptive Resistance and the Oracle of Eternity through the Nexus, R’lissae traded places with Selena, taking the book in hand and raising it up. She took a deep breath, met my gaze, and began to cast. Runes appeared the moment the first words left her lips, spiraling around her in a thin, delicate circle. The spell expanded as the minutes crawled by, growing with every word. Soon, the magic circles enshadowed the field, tinting it in a soft, green light.

”Just what is this spell going to do?” I asked, turning to Selena.

The magic circles reflected in her irises, making them glisten. ”The tome wasn’t straightforward on that, but it claims to connect the caster with the realm itself, giving them authority over its domain. It’s not a direct combat spell, so the destructive power isn’t all that great.”

Almost twenty minutes after she began, Elise uttered the last words. ”Arboreal World!”

The magic circles resolved, releasing a pulse of mana that washed over the estate, ringing in my ears with the sound of a pure, clear bell. My soul shivered in pleasure as the strange power enveloped me, like a hug on a cold winter’s day. My heart accelerated, my lungs quickened, and strength flowed into my limbs. The colors of the grass and trees grew more vibrant, making the rest of the world seem dim in comparison.

”Did it work?” Selena asked.

”I...think so. The spell’s holding steady,” I replied.

R’lissea turned slowly, her eyes a solid green without pupil or iris. Her chest heaved, and her face was pale, but she wore a thin, tight-lipped smile.

She gestured toward us, and a gust of wind peeled from her hand. I flinched as it caressed my face, not because of the contact, but because there was no mana in the air. It was as if a natural current stirred my hair, and yet I knew it had come because R’lisesa willed it so.

A quiet groaning sounded behind us. I turned, tail going stiff in surprise as I saw the trees answering her call. They twisted and waved slowly, again with no sign they were being controlled by mana. They grew more agitated as the seconds passed, their branches whipping and roots half-tearing from the ground.

”How does it feel?” Selena called.

”Amazing!” R’lissea breathed. ”I can feel it all! So much power...so many voices.”

”What’s your effective range?”

”Almost a mile, I think, so double the seventh-level version. But there’s more, too,” R’lisesa said.

She clasped her hands together, and another pulse of mana erupted from her soul. This time, the strength it carried bypassed my flesh, sinking into my soul. It was warm and thick, like syrup, resonating with my mana. Thin green mist rose from the ground, filling the entire garden with R’lissea’s power.

”Amazing,” Selena said, her voice barely above a whisper. ”It’s empowering all Life Magic and lifeforce. If my estimates are right, it should boost life spells by an entire level! It’s a direct opposite of the Black Mist.”

R’lissea started to respond, but then the spell wavered. She swooned, her eyes rolling up in her head. Just as I witnessed with Sari, the Realm’s mana began to flow toward her, pushing her soul to the breaking point.

She stumbled a step, but Selena was already there, having moved before I’d realized what was happening. She gently lay R’lissea on the ground, weaving a net of mana around her to keep her from thrashing and hurting herself. I ran to her side, dropping to my knees and grasping her hand in both of mine.

”So hot,” R’lissea slurred, her eyes losing the green light.

As the spell slipped from her control, the mist sank back into the ground. The vitality faded from my body, leaving me feeling even more fatigued than before she began the spell. I couldn’t tell if it was only in comparison to the strength I’d felt, or if there was some sort of period of weakening following its end.

R’lissea shuddered, licking her lips. ”Selena...when you cast...it was...careful to watch the...”

”Shhh, don’t try to speak,” Selena murmured gently. ”You’re breaking through right now. Just rest and recover. Once you’ve consolidated your soul, we can discuss what you’ve learned. I’ll be patient. I promise.”

R’lissea’s eyes fluttered closed. Her hand went limp in my grip. I gently laid it on her chest and looked up at Selena.

”You’re lying,” I whispered.

She offered a faint smile. ”The Oracle of Eternity is certainly handy. I saw everything I needed to.”

”You’re not going to cast it now, are you?”

She shook her head. ”As much as I want to, based on her casting, there are a few adjustments to my process I have to make. But I can’t afford to wait longer than tomorrow. These people need a light.”