The Forsaken Hero

The celebration lasted throughout the night, with a promise of more the following day. Korra and R’lissea dragged around the party until the stars were massed in number, when it became obvious Luke wouldn’t be returning soon. At that point, I politely excused myself, exhausted from the turmoil of the day. Fable escorted me to my room, where the Star Guard were sharing a cup of wine. Luxxa raised an eyebrow as I gave them a tired wave, slipping into my room with the wolf behind me. To my relief, she didn’t bother reminding me he wasn’t allowed in my bedroom.

I shed my clothes and wiggled into a nightgown. With a whispered spell, I lit the fireplace, setting the Aetherial Prism on the mantle. Fable stretched out before the small blaze, and I glanced between him and my bed, chewing on my lip. He looked at me, and his lip curled in amusement. I blushed as his tail curled around me, gently pulling me to him.

”Fine, fine, but it’s not like I’m lonely or anything,” I said, falling against his fur with a long sigh. He was soft and warm as always, filling the Luke-sized hole in my heart. ”You’d better wake me if R’lissea comes in. She’ll have a fit,” I said, yawning contently.

The Aetherial Prism cast its gentle light across the walls and ceiling. The rainbow incandescence had faded the longer it had been with me, reducing the colorful glitter to more muted gold and silver twinkles that reminded me of stars.

As I settled down, Fable shifted, and I felt his great nose press against me. I opened my eyes again, suppressing a yawn, to find him twisted about, staring at me. His worry seeped through our bond.

”I’m alright. Just a little nervous. I’ve never loved anyone before. I don’t know what came over me, what pushed me to just blurt it out like that. But Fable...he said yes. I was so worried, but he still said yes!”

I squirmed as a thrill ran through my heart, pushing my exhaustion back again. The memory was bright in my mind. Luke’s warm smile, his arms around me...the fire in his violet eyes as he said those words.

”He loves me,” I whispered happily.

The memory kept me comfort until I drifted off, and I clung to it even as I woke in the weave of fate. Visions drifted across my consciousness throughout the night, taking me from battlefields to cities, from the memory of Aurle to a desperate battle against Risen hordes.

Eventually, I stirred, waking with the dawn. As I rose, one image lingered with me, a place not unlike the ashen crater without Duskwood. Only, the massive crater was surrounded by a much younger forest than Sylvarus, and the inside was glassed and glowing with fate magic, not sun. It was day, but the air itself shimmered with bright stars. A small island, much like the ones of Haven, floated in the exact center of the caldera, bearing a small, run-down building. The ambient fate mana was thickest around it, overflowing off the island in visible waves of shimmering light like a fountain.

There was something about its shape, about the dusty, stained glassed windows and worn moulding that tugged at my memories, persisting even as I clothed and called for the maids to brush my hair. It was so distracting I nearly forgot to push Fable out the balcony doors as they knocked, praying they wouldn’t notice the thick strands of silver hair that littered the carpet before the hearth.

”Is something the matter? You seem distracted?” one of the maids asked as she pulled my hair back, running a long, ivory comb through the crimson waves.

”Just...thinking,” I replied, my tail twitching slightly.

”You must be worried about the tournament. I heard the Water Hero and that Fire demonkin both signed up for it,” another said.

”Really?” the first asked, seeming oblivious that the comment had been directed to me. ”I wonder if they’ll let us watch the fight? Who do you think is going to win?”

”Oh, Lord Esvitt, for sure. Did you see how strong and noble he looked yesterday? They say he wasn’t born a noble, but how could that be? He was the first to stand with lord Aerion!”

The others swooned, their gossip shifting to the various elves rumored to compete. It seemed the organizers had managed to find almost every soldier and adventurer stronger than sixth-level to participate. While I could imagine the purpose behind bringing them into the public notice, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, listening to them with feigned interest. Why was it that every celebration on this accursed world seemed to include some sort of fight? Couldn’t people be happy without beating each other up?

Then again, knowing Korra, she was probably one of the organizers herself. It would be just like her to take advantage of the occasion to line up every strong opponent she could find to fight. I half hoped the strength of the arbiter might dampen her fires a bit, but they’d done the exact opposite. It wasn’t just her, either. I could sense the same in Luke, Fyren, Gayron, and the rest.

As the maids finished their work and left my quarters, Luxxa knocked on the door, poking her head through. ”My Lady, have you decided what you wish to do today? Perhaps view the tournament?”

”Oh, yes please!” Jenna said, pushing her way past her. She twirled into the room, wearing a dress I’d never seen before. It was airy and blue, stylized like the local fashion but cut with an embarrassingly low neckline. ”Can we, my Lady? These kinds of events are simply wonderful! There are so many chances to meet new people and pick up some of the techniques and skills of the experienced mages.”

”Oh, please,” Luxxa snorted, ”You’ve been hanging around a literal ninth-level mage, not to mention my Lady, for months now. What could you possibly learn from some soldiers?”

Jenna stuck her tongue out. ”There’s always something to learn, Luxxa. You’d be surprised what opportunities seemingly normal people can give you.”

”Somehow, I doubt those opportunities have anything to do with learning magic,” Luxxa muttered.

I couldn’t help a smile, their banter soothing my irritation away. ”You can go if you want, Jenna. I don’t mind.”

The mage frowned. ”You mean you’re not? I’m not sure I could get away with leaving you for a day in the city.”

”Indeed,” Kahlen rumbled from their room, having listened in. ”The city is unstable right now. There’s no shortage of opportunists looking for a chance to earn some fame and glory.”

”Not to mention those seeking revenge. We’d best be on our guard for the foreseeable future.”

”Actually, I was planning on visiting Haven today. There’s so much I have to show Fate,” I explained. ”You’ve been tireless during the last few months, protecting me day and night. It means a lot to me, but you should all have a chance to rest, too. I can have Fyren and Fable stay closer than normal and watch the gate. You can all have the day off!”

”My Lady! We don’t deserve such thoughtfulness. We’ve only done our duty,” Luxxa said, lowering her head.

”Speak for yourself. If you’re so gracious to offer, it would be rude to decline,” Jenna said.

”Please do. With Korra in the tournament, Elise working with Luke, and R’lissea studying the shard with Selena, there’s no reason for me to go out at all. I’ll be just fine in Haven.”

”What of the young foxkin?” Kahlen asked.

”Hmm? Oh, she wanted to see Haven. I’ll invite her along; otherwise, Sari’s old enough to explore the markets on her own. Wisp’s still watching her, right?”

The blade demon nodded, and I collected the lantern, holding it as we left the room behind. The manor had recovered from the night well before I had awoken, and nobles and visitors trailed through the halls. Butlers moved between them, offering platters of bread and cheese in place of the wine and pastries they served later in the day. I stole a few slices, nibbling as we made our way to the courtyards.

Outside the Sunsinger Manor, we were greeted by some guards. I nodded in passing, gripping the lantern a little tighter as they shied away from my aura. How many of them had been caught up in the currents of fate during the coronation?

”Starlight!”

Sari’s enthusiastic greeting caused me to turn, and the breath knocked from my lungs as she tackled me in a hug.

”Sari, slow down,” I gasped, frantically patting her shoulder.

She loosened her squeeze, beaming up at me, her tail wagging. ”Wisp said we’re going to Haven today!”

I nodded. ”Yes, if you want. But I also heard the commoners are still celebrating the coronation in the markets. You could explore those, if you wanted.”

She hesitated, ears twitching indecisively. I smiled, fighting the feeling to ruffle her hair. As much as I still wanted to view her as that young, sweet child from Heartland, she’d changed too much for that. Her words to me yesterday had proven as much.

As I thought about encouraging her to join me and leave the city for later, I paused, a strange stirring in fate causing me to turn. The ambient mana of the city stirred, drawn toward the distant cathedral, where Selena and R’lissea were. But there was something strange about it: a breath of expectation, like the trepidation of a distant thunderstorm.

A shockwave rolled over the city, stiff as a summer breeze, tugging at my hair and dress. I tightened my grip on the lantern, tail flicking anxiously. Waves of mana rose into the sky, coalescing into shimmering vortexes of gold and green.

”What’s that?” Sari asked, staring at the distant light. ”Is that R’lissea?”

”No,” I whispered, my chest tightening as I stared at the shimmering vortexes. The light intensified, attracting the attention of even those incapable of seeing the mana. Another shockwave rolled across the city, stronger this time. My eyes widened as I finally recognized it. ”That’s not her magic. Someone just triggered a teleportation array.”