The Forsaken Hero

”The Fatesworn? But why would you do that?” I asked, looking at Jasrin with wide eyes.

The remnant nodded, solemn for once. ”There’s not much left of the original Fatesworn but dust and memories. Only a few of us managed to persist through the fall and become what we are now. There are no astral monsters to slay, inter-realm tournaments to compete in, or even divine assignments to complete. Now that this army has inherited our land, it’s only fair for them to assume our title.”

”I found it fitting, given how closely our goals aligned,” Bethiv said. ”You strove to protect Fate. We shall do the same with you, Lady Xiviyah.”

”And I think I’ll fight alongside you. Where I can, of course,” Jasrin said, nodding to himself. ”Even if that’s only in the training fields, or should you allow invaders to enter the realm. Or, you know, you could call me with your staff. That would cool, too.” He chuckled ruefully. ”Actually, don’t tell Emlica I said that. She’s always muttering about how only she’s suitable to fight at your side. Damn mage...”

After saying as much, he froze, then ducked his head and looked around, as if worried the librarian might actually appear. I giggled, turning back to Bethiv and taking his hand.

”I think it’s a wonderful idea. The truth is, I plan on inviting the Devoted to join us. Perhaps you could unite with them? I would like it if we all fought together.”

”A splendid idea. You wouldn’t know this, given that you teleported in, but Haven moved our island closer to the entrance and reshaped our mountain to make it much simpler to approach the valley. It shouldn’t take you more than a ten-minute journey, from the entrance to the gate,” Bethiv explained. ”But at the same time, he rearranged some of the other islands, giving us a large archipelago on our flank. The idea was to give us various terrains to train and drill in, but one of them contains a massive cave system, which I think would be perfect for the Devoted.”

”I’ll bring it up to Gathrin,” Jasrin said. He paused, rubbing his chin. ”You know, it would be strange if we took your request literally, my Lady. Demons in the Fatesworn. Hah. That’ll be the day.”

I lingered for an hour in the company of the newly christened Fatesworn, my tail swishing contentedly as I listened to their animated discussions. They talked strategy around the glowing map table, going over facilities, arguing over which unit gets which barracks, and debating the best way to train in the various terrains Haven had provided.

Even when I eventually slipped away from Bethiv’s study, the main hall of Starfall Keep wasn’t empty. The grand space had transformed into an impromptu mess hall, with soldiers clustered in groups across the marble floor, the scent of warm bread and dried meat mingling with the faint fragrance of the braziers burning along the walls. The rhythmic clang of armor and the murmur of voices were lively, but a hush fell over the chamber as the golden mists thickened at my presence, drawing the soldiers’ eyes.

”Lady Xiviyah! Would you honor us with your company?”

I turned, recognizing Avrass’ voice. He sat on the edge of the dias, one leg up, his elbow resting on his knee. A half-dozen other rangers, the young men and women I’d seen here before, sat around him, chewing on preserved victuals.

Feeling the eyes of the room on me, I took a few hesitant steps forward, encouraged by his smile. ”I didn’t mean to interrupt. I was just passing through.”

”Nonsense!” He patted the stone step next to him, and a few of the rangers scooted back, making more space than was strictly necessary.

I gave them a grateful look and carefully sat, my legs tucked together, hands in my lap. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust them, but all my association was with my close friends, the remnants, and the demons. These soldiers...I had no idea what they were thinking or feeling. And they were all so big, even the women, dressed in their armor, covered in sweat, and with their weapons close at hand. It was only natural that my tail twitched against the cold stone dais.

As I looked around, overly conscious of just how quiet the soldiers had gotten, I realized why I hadn’t recognized the young rangers. Over half of them were elves, and none of them bore the scars or grace that came from countless battles. None of their souls, save Avrass, were dusted with starlight. These weren’t soldiers who had marched and fought across an entire continent.

”It’s beautiful,” a young woman whispered, passing her hand through the mist of my aura as it swirled around me. She blushed as she realized she had spoken aloud, covering her mouth.

A young man chuckled, elbowing her, but as I glanced at him, startled by the sudden noise, he too froze up, staring into my eyes. He jerked his gaze away, his pointed ears turning red.

”Now you’ve got them all flustered,” Avrass chuckled, tearing a strip of jerky with his teeth.

Some of the older veteran soldiers, humans, chuckled at that, directing a few rather crude remarks at the youth. I smiled shyly, gripping my skirt a little tighter and scooting closer to the ranger captain.

”I didn’t know there were elves in the company,” I admitted, trying to avoid looking at any of them, afraid I’d end up blushing myself.

Avrass lowered his leg and swiveled to sit properly. ”The company picked up a lot of recruits from the refugees created by the Risen. A couple thousand, if I remember right, most of whom have no reason to return to Brithlite. We offered to let them join the others in rebuilding now that the wars are over, but, well...” He shrugged.

”We want to fight,” the girl from before said. There was no sign of the bashfulness from before.

”That’s right,” another elf said, nodding firmly. ”The Gods took everything from us. They sent their damned hero and that archon to kill us. They would have succeeded if it weren’t for you, or the Last Light...er, Fatesworn. We swore never to give them the chance to ruin anyone else’s homes and families as they have ours. Please, allow us to fight at your side.”

”That’s...I understand,” I said, giving a small smile. ”If we’re to fight the heavens, I’m grateful to have such resolute souls by my side.”

For some reason, my smile sent half of them dropping their gaze to the stone floor beneath us, while the rest stared with a warmth that felt a little too reverent. I squirmed, resisting the urge to rub my horn.

One of the older men, a human with a thick, graying beard that reached his chest and a scar that split one eyebrow in two, let out a low, rumbling chuckle. ”Careful, my Lady,” he said, winking at me, the gesture pulling at the scar. ”You can charm all the lads you want, I don’t much swing that way, but with a smile like that, you’ll be stealin’ all the lasses, too. Save some for the rest of us.”

My tail froze mid-twitch as the other soldiers roared with laughter. The young elves and humans turned even redder, burying their faces in their rations. One girl even bit her lip, avoiding looking at me while twirling a lock of hair around her finger. I squirmed, my cheeks burning, mortified.

But before I could so much as squeak and embarrass myself further, Avrass came to my rescue.

”That’s enough out of you. Forgive them, my Lady,” Avrass said, chilling the room with a glare, ”They were raised in barracks and camps, not the courts.”

”I-It’s okay,” I stammered, and then, desperate to change the subject, I looked around, my gaze settling on their gear. ”So, um, why are you all here in the Grand Hall? I remember Jasrin showing us the Mess Hall. Wouldn’t it be better to take your meal there?”

Avrass groaned, rolling his eyes. ”Turns out the quartermaster missed that part of the tour and mistook it for a storage unit. They dumped half our provisions there before the cooks figured out what was happening, so we’re, eh, improvising until they get it all sorted out.”

”Damn right,” another said. ”And good thing, too, else we’d have missed the chance to dine in the presence of such beauty.”

That sent another wave of laughter through the soldiers, and this time I couldn’t help but smile with them, assured they were only teasing me. Even the elves cracked smiles and jokes, their previous solemnness gone.

I lingered with them for a while after, the time slipping away before I realized it. The conversation was rough and often crude, but it was almost refreshing after the stifling decorum of the court and intensity of the battlefield. They were common, but earnest. Even when they grew a little too boisterous or crude, or questioned me a little too aggressively or personally, there was always one pulling them back. Avrass, in particular, seemed to have a finger on my pulse, or perhaps eyes on my tail. Whenever it began to bristle, he was there, and like magic, the situation made its way back into my comfort zone.

When at last I managed to break free, their meal had ended, and I was exhausted. Satisfied and content, but entirely drained. I hadn’t spoken that much in...maybe ever. But at the same time, I felt wholly at ease, the edge taken off the hollowness in my heart. I no longer bit my lip when I thought of Luke or felt like crying.

Which was good, because my next conversation wasn’t so warm. As I left Haven, I reached out through the primordial mark, touching Fyren and the two demon lords.

Fyren responded instantly, a hint of apprehension seeping through the bond. ”That you’re contacting us means they reached a decision.”

I exhaled slowly, before nodding, though they couldn’t see me. ”Yes. The Devoted are welcome to live under the light of Haven’s stars.”