The Forsaken Hero

I stared at Bethiv, my lips parted silently as I processed what he’d said. Skydocks? He had to be joking...right?

But no one was laughing.

The cliffs ahead were riddled with small forts and towers protruding high in the air. There were stairs or ladders to connect them. From my experience in Darkreign, I knew that meant the real structure was within the heart of the mountain itself.

”Are those mana cannons?” I asked, looking at the low towers overlooking the valley.

”Yes, Emlica created some prototypes from the elvish cannon you brought. We’ve begun installing them in the keep and other defensive points across the realm. Unfortunately, they’re created of the realm, so we won’t be able to take them outside very easily,” Bethiv said.

”It almost feels redundant,” Korra said. ”I can’t imagine anyone who could actually threaten Haven.”

Bethov just smiled. ”Perhaps, but perhaps not. Now, would you like to climb the cliffs, or end the walking part of our inspection? There are some lovely corridors and staircases ascending inside.”

I didn’t have to answer. The realm folded us in starlight. When it faded, we stood atop the cliffs directly above where we’d been standing before. My heart plummeted at the sudden, yawning drop at my feet, and I scrambled back, stumbling into Korra’s chest. She caught me, laughing as she dragged me upright.

”It’s all right, just don’t look down,” she said.

I nodded, but it was already too late. The dizzying altitude left my knees weak. The valley floor was over half a mile beneath us, the soldiers reduced to bugs. The spells they wielded looked like sparkles from so far away.

I followed the rest of the group, casting one look behind. The mountains were tapered at the top, giving only a few hundred feet of peak before they turned down toward the edge of the island. The slope was gentler than the peaks behind us, but for someone of my ability, it required a rugged path to traverse.

We hadn’t gone far, descending into the outer mountains, before we crested a ridge. I came to a stop, covering my mouth in a gasp. Before us, unfolding across the slopes of a narrow valley, was a sprawling complex of walls, towers, and large piers supported by slender spires rising from the ground below. Soldiers stood guard between the parapets, holding strung bows and spears. A few mana cannons flickered with low power, prepared to take a charge at any time.

I looked over them without really noticing, focusing on the massive skyships tethered to the piers. There were five of them, but from the sheer scale of the docks, these were only the beginning. There had to be room for at least twenty more!

”See? I told you it was worth it,” Korra said, nudging me with her elbow.

I stumbled a step, turning to stare at her with wide eyes. ”There are skyships!”

She chuckled, lacing an arm around my shoulders. ”Yeah, we know. Keep up.”

Heat bloomed in my cheeks, and I turned back, studying the ships. They were massive, easily twice the size of the Windserpent or the Azure Wing. They were even bigger than the Seraph.

The hulls were very untraditional, as far as sailing ships went. They were composed of long, triangular plates that gracefully curved around the central core, like petals of a flower. Small, fourth-level mana cannons hid between the overlap. A series of sixth-level mana cannons topped the deck, resting on swiveling platforms that gave wide fields of fire. A single massive mana cannon capable of holding an eighth-level charge jutted out from beneath the plates, mounted to the spine of the ship. Given its angle and mount, it looked extremely sturdy, but not very flexible.

”The Astral Fleet,” Bethiv said, a proud look on his face. ”Emilca and a few of the other remnants designed them personally, greatly improving on the designs we’ve encountered so far.”

”They look...weird. Almost like flowers. Or stars,” I said after a moment’s thought.

He chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. ”A fortuitous coincidence. They’re designed to deflect mana cannon fire. I didn’t know that was possible, but one of the remnants calculated their angles based on the shape of the mana lance, and they’ll shunt anything that’s not a direct hit.”

”The mana cannons are tied directly to the ship’s core, so you don’t need mages to charge them up,” Korra added.

”Is that possible? There’s no way it could hold enough mana to fire many shots.”

”That’s not what Emlica said. Apparently, the cores Enusia uses are extremely inefficient. She developed an engine specifically for these skyships and named it the ’Star Forge.’”

”How dramatic,” R’lissea muttered.

”Elegant,” Korra corrected with a grin.

”Would you like a closer look?” Bethiv asked.

I didn’t have a chance to refuse. Korra grabbed my arm, pulling me down the road toward the complex. The entrance was guarded by a gated keep sitting at the base of the central peak, guarded by an entire squad of sixth-level soldiers. A few flying demons wheeled overhead like birds, taking off and landing from a platform built into the very top of the mountain.

”The Roosts,” Bethiv explained, noting my curiosity. ”The entire peak was hollowed out, taking inspiration from Darkreign Keep. It’s not just this one, either; there are actually a few scattered across the realm. It was Zephyriss’s request.”

”That’s...horrifying.” I shivered, lowering my gaze. ”I think we can skip that part.”

As we entered the courtyards of the keep, one of the shapes swooped down. I let out a squeak, ducking my head as it didn’t slow, blasting directly at us.

At the last possible second, it came to a dead stop, floating the last few feet to the ground. But the wind wasn’t so kind, still blasting through my hair and clothes. I hid behind Korra, gripping her tunic to keep from being blown away.

”Grace!” Korra said, putting her hands on her hips. ”We talked about that! No scaring Xiviyah.”

Grace, the storm hero, settled on the ground with a toss of her hair. She folded her arms, resting her weight on one hip, a playful look in her eyes. ”Maybe she shouldn’t be so timid, then. It’s just a little wind.”

”Is that supposed to be a little?” I asked, emerging from behind Korra, but keeping a fistful of her tunic.

Grace laughed, shaking her head. ”I could have blown a leaf like you across the realm, if I wanted to.”

”Enough, Hero,” Bethiv said, stepping in front of us. There was a hard edge to his voice. ”You will show the Oracle the respect she deserves.”

”Right, right,” she said, waving a hand dismissively. ”Nothing wrong with a little fun.”

”What are you doing here?” I asked, letting Korra pull out of my grip.

”Hmm? I basically live here. This place is way better than the quarters they tried to give me in that Starfall place,” she said.

”I see you’ve taken to flying well,” R’lissea said.

She shrugged. ”It was pretty simple, once I got the hang of it. It meshes with my ability super well. Next time we fight, Korra, I’m going to be the one flying circles around you.”

”I don’t really care where you stay, but...why are you here?” I asked again. ”We’re going to fight the church.”

She blinked, looking between the other heroes. Korra shrugged, and R’lissea gave her a small nod.

”I thought that was kinda the point,” Grace said, returning her gaze to me. ”If Korra hadn’t dragged me into this realm, I probably would have rushed off all on my lonesome. And gotten killed, if the intelligence you’ve got is anything to go by.”

”You’re going to fight with us?” I asked.

Her eyes crackled, a flicker of lightning escaping her irises. ”I’ll fight until every damned priest and inquisitor is dead. If I get the chance, I’ll kill Soltair myself for letting them put that accursed crest on me.”

I nodded slowly. ”I see. Then we’ll be happy to have you. Just...listen to Korra, okay?”

”Hah, hear that? I’m in charge,” Korra said, puffing out her chest.

Grace rolled her eyes. ”Only until I beat you. Which is right now. Let’s go spar!”

Korra gave me a hesitant look, and I sighed.

”What do I care? You’re going to do it anyway.”

She rubbed the back of her head, wearing a guilty smile. ”Sorry. Gayron’s at the arena, too. Want me to meet up with you when you leave?”

I shook my head. ”No, I’ll be fine with Fable and Fyren.. If anything happens, I’ll call for you.”

The two left in the sky, disappearing over the horizon before I could blink. My wards flared slightly as a sonic boom rippled across them.

”Good riddance,” R’lissea muttered. ”Just Korra was exciting enough, but now it’s like having two of her.”

”The storm hero’s even worse,” I muttered. ”At least Korra can be serious when she needs to be.”

”The storm hero seemed pretty serious to me,” Bethiv said, stroking his chin. ”At least, for what counts. We need competent high-level fighters more than anything right now, and it doesn’t get better than a hero.” he shook his head, turning back to the docs. ”Now, let’s finish things up here. After we look around the ships, I’ll take you to the entrance. Your apostle is waiting.”