The Forsaken Hero

The air of Heartland welcomed me with a cold, bitter kiss the moment my foot touched down in the plaza. I shivered, soul, casting a small ward that killed the breeze inches from my skin. My aura flowed after me, spreading to fill the plaza. I willed it down, and the stars dimmed to a faint twinkle, obeying readily, as though being used for a vision had put it in a good mood.

The plaza was a small, open circle between two intersecting streets. At its center was a small fountain. The stone basing was cracked, chipped, and heavily stained; patches of dry moss hung from the center spigot. It had been some time since it had seen water. It served as the only witness to our arrival, the townsfolk from my vision nowhere to be seen.

”Wow. It really does feel like we were here a few seconds ago,” Jenna said, looking around. ”That vision power of yours is quite something.”

”Move,” Luxxa said, drawing her sword. ”Secure the perimeter. Ensure there’s no local threats.”

”There are souls beyond the alley,” Gith said, notching an arrow. ”Lots of them. A market, perhaps.”

”Then we’ll head there. See if anyone knows what’s going on,” I said.

”Wait, we should scout ahead,” Luxxa said.

”It’s fine. There’s nothing that can threaten us here,” I said, reaching up to rest my hand on Fable’s shoulder. The massive wolf stood still, his ears perked, but his tail swishing in long, relaxed strokes.

Her brow furrowed, and she looked like she was going to argue. But after a second, she gave in with a sigh. ”Fine. But stay close.”

I nodded meekly at that.

As Gith said, we entered a market the moment we left the plaza. The stalls were small and huddled together for warmth, and the merchants swaddled in furs and heavy wool cloaks. There wasn’t much to sell, only winter vegetables, dried meats, and a few other odds and ends. A small group of children played in the street, but they stopped as soon as they saw us, their eyes widening. They fled to their mothers, hiding behind their skirts as the merchants stared at us, their faces a mixture of fear and hostility. The first was directed at Fable, the latter at Kahlen and my horns.

”Um, excuse me?” I asked as I approached a stall with a rather sparse selection of wrinkled garden vegetables. ”Can you tell me where the adventurer’s guildhouse is?”

The merchant, a weaselly man with knobby joints and a few scars on his cheek, stared down at me. His face was chiseled in a permanent scowl, but for me, it felt personal.

”We ain’t serve no demonkin.” He spat, narrowly missing my feet.

The Star Guard tensed, but I smiled sadly. ”Please, I just need to know the way. I’m not here to cause trouble.”

His face soured further. ”Don’t care. Get out of my sight.”

”Sir,” Luxxa said, her hand resting on her sword.

The merchant’s eyes flickered to her, and the cold light in her eyes. His jaw snapped shut, but the hostility in his face didn’t fade.

”The guildhouse is down that way,” he grunted, pointing with a stubby finger. ”Take a left at the lion fountain and head to the center of the city. Can’t miss it.”

”Thank you,” I said with a small curtsy.

In the few seconds the exchange had taken, the already thin crowds had vanished, leaving the market empty but for a few irritable merchants. Lower in my head, we hurried off.

Word must have spread, because the streets emptied wherever we went. Anywhere else, I would have attributed it to Fable’s monstrous appearance, but Heartland was a rough land, filled with adventurers and tough, resilient people. When I was last here, they barely blinked an eye at him, finding monster tamers and soul-bonded beasts ordinary, if not common.

”At least he didn’t lie,” Jenna muttered as we passed a crumbling lion statue a few plazas down the road.

As we headed deeper into the city, the buildings grew in size, and the streets widened. People still treated us with caution, but there were so many now that avoiding us altogether wasn’t an option. Instead, they skirted around us, huddling in shop doorways, ducking into alleys as we passed. Many of them were dressed in rags, refugees and survivors, driven together by the roving monsters and demons infesting the wilderness. Everyone had weapons, but that had never been unusual for Heartland.

At some point, the streets began to look familiar, and I quickened my steps, my tail beginning to swish. ”Come on! We’re almost there.”

My memory hadn’t failed me. The buildings grew taller and more ornately decorated, but a grand four-story building rose above the rest. It had a small courtyard lined with beautiful stone statues, gold-leafed moulding, and ornate runes carved across the walls. It glistened faintly, every stone glowing with the protective radiance of fourth-level wards. A painted wooden sign, cracked with age and grime, hung out the front. The traffic here was thicker; a few adventuring teams loitered in the courtyard. They gave us suspicious looks, hands falling to their weapons as they saw Kahlen, but somehow, their not immediately running made it the warmest reception we’d received thus far.

”Adventuring Guild,” Luxxa read.

We entered the courtyard, passing the statues and ignoring the stares. My heart beat quickly as we approached the doors, my tail curling with a nervous twitch. What if they weren’t here? What if they were

?”Here,” I said softly, extending my arm. Borealis flew down, landing on my shoulder. I glanced at Fable. ”Wait outside, please. You’re too big.”

A low protest rumbled in his throat, but he eyed the doors and slunk away, plopping down on the other side of the courtyard and staring at us, his tail swishing like a predator waiting for its prey to leave its den.

The inside was as I remembered. Massive, with a soaring ceiling and spacious common area. Over half the tables were occupied by adventurers, nursing drinks or muttering in low voices. The front counter, a circle in the center of the commons, had only a single guild representative there, a tired-looking woman with more gray in her hair than brown. The quest boards were overflowing, requests stacked on top of each other multiple layers deep across the entire panel, but no one was looking at them.

The room quieted as we entered, all eyes turning to me. My aura might have gone unnoticed in the light of the sun, but here, it filled the corners with a light dusting of starlight, driving the shadows from their home. Anyone with half a soul, much less experienced adventurers, would notice the change in the air, the gentle caress of fate mana, and the weight of my presence.

But I paid the adventurers no mind, looking up at the banners hanging from the walls. They represented the various teams active in the area, along with a metal pin to indicate their rank. I quickly found the Glory Chasers flag a few spaces from the wall, just where it had been before. I touched the brooch fastening my cloak, running a finger over the inscribed rune. The rune for ’Glory,’ the same as on the banner above.

”Excuse me?” I asked as I walked up to the counter.

”Welcome, I’ll be with you in a second,” the attendant said, riffling through some papers. ”State your team and...”

She trailed off as she looked up, seeing us for the first time. Her eyes went wide, running from my horns to the shining crystalline form of Borealis and then to Kahlen. The blade demon grinned, revealing pointed silver teeth, and her face paled.

”F-Forgive me,” she said, quickly lowering her head. ”I-I didn’t realize we were expecting one of your caliber. Please, overlook this slight. I’ll send for the guildmaster at once.”

”Wait, hold on,” I said, giving Kahlen a sharp look. ”I’m not who you think.”

She froze, tilting her head. ”You’re not an...apostle?” The word sounded awkward in her mouth, and she cringed, as if guessing she’d said it wrong.

”No, nothing like that,” I said, the corner of my lips twitching. I tapped the brooch. ”I’m a member of this guild, actually.”

”I-I don’t understand, you’re with a demon,” she stammered.

”Fate has a strange way of bringing unlikely allies together,” I said.

She pursed her lips and leaned across the counter, examining my brooch. Her eyebrows climbed to her graying hairline. ”The GloryChasers? But...that’s impossible!”

”You know them? I asked, a touch more eager than I liked.

”Know them? Of course I know them. They’re the only platinum-ranked team in Heartland right now! They just took a quest this morning,” she exclaimed.

”Oh.” My tail drooped. ”So they’re not here?”

”They’re on guild business, that’s all I can say. Platinum-ranked teams only take on the most dangerous mission, and I dare not jeopardize it by divulging any of the details.”

”I understand,” I said, looking away. ”Do you know when they’ll be back?”

”I couldn’t say. But if you’re a friend of theirs, perhaps I can pass a message along?”

”No, that won’t be necessary. You mentioned the Guild Master. Is it still Helron? I have to speak with him, too.”

Well, yes, but...” she hesitated. ”I’m afraid he’s very busy and won’t meet with just anyone. He’s free in three days, if you would like to make an appointment.”

Kahlen growled, folding his arms. The woman swallowed hard, sweat beading on her forehead.

”I, er...it’s guild policy,” she mumbled weakly.

”That’s enough, I’m right here.” I turned, breaking into a relieved smile as Helron strode through a door, his eyes locking onto me. ”Izzy, why don’t you clear my schedule?”

The secretary paled. ”But Guild Master, you’re to meet with the Master of Convoys to discuss--”

”Clear it,” he said shortly.

She stiffened at his tone and scurried off without another word.

”Starlight, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” Helron said once she vanished. He looked me over and gave an approving nod. ”I barely recognize you anymore.”

”Oh, Helron.” I sniffed as tears welled up, willing them not to overflow. ”It’s really you.”

”That it is. But you...I hardly recognize you. If it weren’t for those beautiful crimson horns, I would have thought a princess walked under my roof.”

I blushed lightly, my tail swishing at the compliment.

Jenna sighed, rolling her eyes. ”Don’t trust him. He’s a sweettalker,” she muttered.

Helron chuckled, turning with a sweeping gesture. ”Perhaps, but give me a chance before you shut me down. If you’ll come with me? I think there’s much we have to discuss.”