The Forsaken Hero

”You really did it,” Zephyriss murmured, looking down at her hands, as if seeing them for the first time. ”You allowed demon lords into your realm. Remarkable.”

”You’re not an avatar...?” I whispered, staring up at them in awe.

Zephyriss did a little twirl, examining herself. Her wings drew out the breeze, stirring my hair. ”Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

Incindurus snorted, releasing a burst of flame from his nostrils. ”Do not mock the child. None could predict this move, for never before has it happened.”

Fate rested her hand on my shoulders. ”You’re right, Xiviyah. What followed you before were merely portions of their will and power, given form. Enusia would reject that power, but Haven has no such safeguards. Not unless the realm spirit wills it.”

”But...why?” I asked, biting my lip. No matter how long I stared at them, nothing made sense. Why do this? Why hide it from me? Why descend in their true forms? Fyren had told them about Arantius, hadn’t he?

”You underestimate the power of the Primordial Mark,” Arantius said, not taking his eyes from the demon lords. Even now, his hand rested on his sword hilt. ”Primordial Marks perpetuate through death and transcend realms.”

”I told you we were bound to you, did I not?” Incinderus asked, his lips curling over his fangs. ”Did you not believe me?”

”No, I just...” I hesitated, overly conscious of my twitching tail. ”Isn’t it dangerous for you? To leave the infernal realm? If you die...will you still go back?”

”No.” The world landed hard, making me flinch.

”Not that we could have before,” Zephyriss said with a shrug. ”Our emperors cast us off the moment we betrayed them. Any of our horde, any of the Devoted, that died since then...their souls may make their way back to an infernal realm, but it will be stripped of power, evolution, or memory.”

I gasped, my tail freezing mid-twitch. ”That’s awful! You’re--”

”Just like mortals. It’s the same existence as you, is it not?” Zephyriss asked.

I shook my head, my words failing me.

”But no longer,” Incinderus said, looking around the realm. He inhaled, exhaling another wave of sparks. ”Now, this is our realm. As long as you stand, none of our kind shall ever perish.”

”Speaking of which,” Fate said, fingers tapping on my shoulders. ”It’s time you brought your hordes within. All of them.”

She waved her hand, and a dozen gates suddenly opened across the realm. They were too far, too scattered, to see them from where we stood, but I felt their weight pressing upon me, born of my own mana, exhausting me quickly.

”Hey!” I protested, turning to look at her. ”I can’t use this much!”

She raised an eyebrow, and I wilted, looking at the ground, and mumbled, ”Sorry.”

The gates opened at once, and I shivered as thousands of unique souls broke into the realm. The sudden swell of infernal mana was sharp and discordant, throwing the native divine mana into disarray.

”It’s not the infernal mana,” Fate said, causing me to look at her, startled. ”It’s their attributes. You recall how difficult it was for you in the demon lord’s fire gate? This is no different; save your soul is fundamentally unattributed. The only thing making this possible is that many of them have absorbed significant amounts of fate through your mark. Otherwise, mixing so many attributes at once would permanently destabilize the realm.”

”Can I have that one?” Zephyriss asked, distracting from the hordes of Devoted pouring into the realm. She pointed at a large mountain island with what looked like a ruined observatory, or maybe a lighthouse rising from the peak.

”That’s--you know what, why not?” Gathrin said, grinning wide. ”But you’ll have to challenge Invika for it.”

The remnant herself glided forward, staring up at the demon lord. I cringed, waiting for Inika to scowl or release her aura, but she just smirked.

”You think you could take the Stormwatch from me? You’re welcome to try,” she said, tossing her hair with an arrogant flick of her wrist. ”But I’ve frequented that tower for well over an aeon at this point. Were you even evolved at that point? Or were you a little scion, crawling around in the mud?”

Zephyriss’ eyes sparked, electricity fanning out across her wings, but she just chuckled. ”Bold words, ancient one. I will be curious to know if you have the strength to back it up.”

”At least you have some respect,” she replied with a sniff. ”Tell Ernyst when you’re ready to challenge me. I’ll meet you in the Arena.”

”And that is...?” Zephyriss turned, scanning the remnants. They all stared back at her, expressionless.

”I’ll tell you if you agree to duel me,” one said suddenly, in the back of the crowd.

I blinked, recognizing the voice. But surely it couldn’t be--

Ernyst stepped forward, wearing a half-smile. ”Fate assured us you were worth inviting into the realm. Prove to me our faith wasn’t misplaced, and I’ll ensure you have a chance to claim the tower.”

”Very well.” Zephyriss’s hand opened, lightning arcing between her fingers. The bolts extended, forming a spear of living electricity almost ten feet long.

”Wait!” I cried, pressing a hand to my breast, my heart trembling. ”You can’t just fight right now!”

A hundred blank expressions turned to me. Even Fate raised an eyebrow. I blushed furiously, shrinking back against her. Out of everything for them to find common ground on, why did it have to be this? Couldn’t they be here for five minutes without the need to discover who the strongest was?

”You can’t do that,” I repeated in a small voice.

”I don’t see why not. You wished us to trust each other, no?” Fyren asked, stroking his chin. ”There is no better way to build bonds than to test each other’s mettle. That way, when the battle against the enemies inevitably comes, we might know on whom we can depend.”

”But that’s...I mean, that is to say...alright,” I mumbled, staring at the ground.

”Good. Then show me your power, demon,” Ernyst said.

”I suppose I’ll hold back a bit, lest I overwhelm you too quickly. I’m not so eager to meet this ’Ernyst’ that I’d give up some free entertainment,” Zephyriss said.

”Don’t underestimate me. I might be limited by the Oracle’s soul, but you’ll find my blade no less quick.”

I watched in disbelief as the remnants scattered, any hostility or wariness of the demons forgotten. Zephyriss and Ernyst, followed closely by almost thirty remnants, flew across the sky, vanishing into the mists in the direction of the Arena. In seconds, only Incinduers, Fyren, Fate, and Arantius remained behind, with Haven’s spirit floating somewhere behind.

”That went better than I could have hoped,” Fyren said, nodding after the disappearing remnants.

”Truly. These remnants are a strange bunch,” Incinderus said. ”I very nearly fled the moment my avatar appeared, with how many killing intents I felt focused on me. Even in my true body here, I felt real danger from a few of them. You most especially, Firstborn.”

”MY name is Arantius, and I would prefer you use it. As for my sword...you’d best cross yourself. I will not hesitate to defend the Oracle or this realm, should I sense you as a threat. There will be no second chances.”

”I would expect nothing less of one who’s survived this long. But what most surprised me was you, Lady Fate. To think mere demon lords like us would merit a personal greeting by one such as yourself.”

Fate chuckled, patting me on the shoulder before finally letting go. ”You mean a great deal to my Oracle. It would be rude of me not to make an appearance.”

”I’m flattered to hear that.” Incinderous’s gaze shifted, falling on me. I retreat a half-step, gripping my skirt. ”That one so small and timid demands your respect is remarkable. She cannot even abide my presence without being intimidated.”

”I-I’m not!” I squeaked and immediately covered my mouth. Quieter, I mumbled, ”I’ve just never seen an ascended soul before. You’re so...” I shivered. ”Strong.”

”And yet you may treat me the same as before, and I shall reciprocate. But I warn you that Zephyriss and I can no longer join you as we once did. Removing our avatars was required to travel to this realm, and yet, now that we have, it will not be easy for us to manifest in Enusia.”

”You will likely be able to call them similar to how you do the remnants,” Fate said.

”But that’s basically never! Was doing this now, on the eve of the invasion, really for the best?” I asked, looking up at her, alarmed.

”Once you achieve ninth-level, many of your limitations will cease to bother you,” she answered. ”Work hard, and you will find that assimilating your horde into the Haven will be a great benefit.”

”What about the other demons?” I asked, chewing on my lip. Surely they wouldn’t be locked out, too?

”You will be able to call on them at your leisure. Only those who have ascended will be restricted by Enusia. In fact, I would encourage you to call them as much as possible,” Incinderus said. ”Should they perish, their souls will merely return to Haven. Given some time, they will corporate once more, possessing the same strength as before they were slain. The stronger you become, the less time it will take for them to revive.”

”That is enough for now. I will see you to the lands we have prepared for you,” Arantius said, floating up to be eye level with Incinderus.

”Good. And then I would see the mortal Bethiv. There is much I would discuss with him.”

”And you, little one, should be going,” Fate said sternly. I looked up, about to protest, but she held up her hand. ”Your soul needs rest, and remaining here will only continue to stress it. I know you have many questions, but they must wait. Do not return until your mana has fully recovered. And then you shall have answers.”