The Forsaken Hero

”Thank you, your Majesty,” I said, taking it from him after a moment of hesitation. The ring was heavy in my hand and too big to even be worn on my thumb. But with so many eyes on me, I just closed my fingers around it, accepting it with a smile.

”Forgive the simple presentation,” Aerion said, his eyes glimmering with amusement. ”The Leaves of Sylvarus represent the highest honor of our new kingdom. I had intended to present it with the three others to be awarded for their contributions during the battle, but given you’re to depart us, this is the best I can do.”

”I think I’ll be alright without a big ceremony,” I said, slipping it into my spatial ring. ”Who are the others you’re giving them to?”

”Me, for one,” R’lissea said, holding up her hand. I was a little annoyed to see she was wearing it, though I didn’t truly mind. Jewelry really wasn’t my thing.

”The other two I’ve saved for Selena and my loyal captain Esvitt. None of our revolution would have been possible without the Archmage’s power, and it would look bad not to award her for being the first elf in memory to attain the ninth level,” Aerion explained. ”As for Esvitt, he was the first and greatest commoner to rally to my cause, leading dozens of successful raids against the Risen, and being instrumental in crippling the church’s forces around the city. IT wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was responsible for destroying half of the noble houses that fell, and another third of all inquisitor loyalist strongholds.”

”Why not give it to him? He’d be delighted!” R’lissea said.

”His, as well as the Archmage’s,” he said, glancing at the Selena, ”Will serve for our first proper occasion once the castle is finished. Actually, on that note, don’t expect anyone to recognize them until then, say six months from now. That will be when the crown officially recognizes the awards.”

”I didn’t know you were planning this,” Selena said, rubbing her chin. ”Though I admit I rather like it, especially for young Esvitt. It’s a powerful way to bring rising heroes to the attention of the masses and ensure they get the support they need to flourish.”

Aerion shook his head. ”No, the Leaves of Sylvarus, specifically, will be reserved for those whose influence has saved or greatly improved the kingdom. There will be other recommendations and honors to bestow, but I will not dilute the Leaves’ authority by granting them to rising heroes. Only proper ones.”

”Who’s the fifth one for?” R’lisea asked. ”You’re not planning to award it to yourself, are you?”

”Typical,” Luke muttered.

Aerion’s smile faded, turning to Luke. His gaze was drawn and measuring. There was a slight wrinkle on his brow that had nothing to do with the apostle’s snide remark.

Luke took a step back, his tail twitching once. ”You’re kidding.”

”Unless I’m mistaken, you are the one who slew the arbiter and brought the end to the war. Is that not correct?”

”Luke?” I gasped, hugging his arm. ”You’re giving it to Luke?”

”I am,” Aerion said, ”But before you accept, apostle, I have a condition.”

”And what might that be?” Luke asked, his voice low.

”That you act according to the title. If you are to bear one of the Leaves of Sylvarus, you must be a friend of the kingdom. I’ll have no part in your war. Do not ask for my soldiers to join your invasion, for I will refuse. Nor will I give you any supplies or support.”

”Hmph. I don’t need your men or your supplies. You’d only get trodden beneath the claws of my horde,” Luke said with a scowl.

”Then, this won’t be a problem, will it?”

”Just take it. We’ll match,” I said with a nervous smile.

He looked at me for a long time, and my heart plummeted. He wasn’t going to refuse, was he? The last thing I wanted was strained relations with Sylvarus. We’d been here for too long and had helped them for too much to throw all that goodwill away.

”Fine.” Luke relented with a heavy breath. ”But only because I view it as a guarantee of my promise to Xiviyah. The horde will not touch your shards, nor invade your lands.”

”Please.” Aerion snorted. ”We have a treaty for that. No need to attach a tag to a gift.”

”Says the one that gave it only on condition,” Luke muttered.

Aerion’s smile was amused as he withdrew another ring. He presented it to Luke, who took it with another scowl. It was a lot closer to his finger size, but he stuffed it into his spatial ring without bothering to try it on.

”Thank you, your Majesty,” I said, giving Luke a meaningful look. He ignored it.

”It’s the least I can do. But now, I’m afraid I must bid you farewell. There are other matters that require my attention, and I suspect they will keep me until after your departure.”

He gave us a nod and then turned, sweeping away gracefully, his attendants filing after him. Many of the soldiers and craftsmen remained at work in the grove, but they gave us space in his absence.

”I guess this is it,” Selena said as we all fell quiet.

I nodded, a lump forming in my throat. My arm slipped from Luke’s, and I hugged her. She drew me close, stroking my hair.

”I hate this part,” I whispered, burying my head against her breast.

”Goodbyes are only for a season,” she murmured. A smile quirked the corner of her lips. ”The last time, I thought for certain I would never see you again. You were so small and vulnerable, so dark and hopeless. And yet you survived, you grew. And when you returned, you brought the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to see who you become by the next time we meet.”

We embraced for the longest time before, reluctantly, I pulled away, giving her a small smile. My eyes shimmered, but no tears streaked my cheek nor dampened her dress.

”That’s my girl,” she said, ruffling my hair. ”Save your tears. You’ve shed too many already.”

”Did you say your goodbyes?” I asked, looking at R’lissea.

She nodded. ”I’m ready.”

”Aren’t you going to miss Esvitt?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes.”What kind of question is that? Of course I will. But that doesn’t mean this isn’t the right thing to do. And it’s not like we’ll be gone forever. You can bring us back whenever you want.”

”It might be a while. I’m going to miss this place, too,” I said, looking around with a touch of wistfulness. The cheerful faces, the long walks in the garden, even traversing the overbearing forests, were all a part of my life. I didn’t want to lose them.

But, as R’lissea said, that didn’t mean this wasn’t the right choice.

”You’ll be leaving, then?” Selena asked.

When I nodded, she let out a burst of aura, a gentle nudge that warned the nearest elves back.

Luke held out his hand to me, preparing his flying art, but I just looked at him, a faint smile forming. He cocked his head as I summoned my staff.

”You’ren ot planning on flying yourself/” he asked, his eyes going wide. ”You didn’t tell me you learned how to do that!”

I let out a small giggle, already beginning to cast Spatial Rift. ”That will never happen. Even if I learn to love the skies, I’m only going there in your arms. Here me?”

”Then what’s this? I thought we were leaving, and how else but flying? It’s going to take a day or two, so the sooner we leave, the better,” he said.

”Well, I may not know how to fly, but there is something I did forget to mention,” I said.

R’lissea giglged, and my tail curled with chagrin.

Luke asked, ”And that is...?”

”Spatial Rift!”

His mouth dropped open as the black line split the air, spiderwebbing like a broken pane of glass. Before it had even opened, thick currents of infernal mana wafted through, sending chills down my spine. Selena but back a curse at the sudden influx, using her aura to contain them and keep them from tainting the grove.

”What is this?” Luke gaped as the rift widened, revealing craggy mountains dyed red by a setting sun much lower on the horizon than ours was.

I dismissed my staff, taking his hand. ”My excuse not to fly. Goodbye, Selena. Thank you again for everything.”

She waved, giving me one last smile before it was curdled by another wave of infernal mana.

Tucking my tail, I stepped through the Rift, pulling a slack-jawed Luke behind me. R’lissea leaped through after, and the rift shut with a crackle, cutting us off from the warm, autumn forest of Sylvarus and plunging us into cold, dark winter.

”This isn’t possible,” Luke whispered, staring around in disbelief. He turned to me, his tail quivering. ”Did we just teleport across the entire continent! You can do that?”