The Forsaken Hero

I struggled weakly, but a large, gauntleted hand gripped my arm, jerking me back. My staff vanished in a cloud of stars as it hit the ground. The blade at my throat was cold and heavy, much more than any knife had a right to be. It slid easily across my skin, drawing a single bead of blood. The scent of cinders burned through the noxious fumes, scorching my lungs.

Borealis shrieked, diving at Jessia, but an arrow flitted through the night, streaming crackling lightning. A half-dozen fire bolts followed, each radiating sixth-level power. He split into a dozen projections, evading the attacks, but was forced to swerve back.

Across the meadow, Hag finally broke my wards. R’lissea threw herself aside, but her nails raked across her thigh, slashing through dress and skin, turning her skin black and purple. R’lissea screamed, dropping to her knees.

Jessia stirred, pulling me back a step, and said, ”What the hell is going on here?”

No. That wasn’t Jessia’s voice. Why did she sound like...like Alex?

Only then did I realize it wasn’t a knife at my throat, but a sword. Jessia didn’t use those. She didn’t smell like ash. She didn’t even wear gauntlets. The realizations crashed over me one after the other. Dread knotted in my stomach.

Hag turned slowly, regarding us with cold fury. Kislee disengaged and ran to her side. My Star guard sagged, looking on the edge of collapse. Luxxa and Kahlen were covered in wounds. Luxxa’s shield arm hung limp at her side. Jenna was the only one unharmed, but she sank to her knees beside Gith, her soul wavering like a candle.

”What is this?” Hag hissed, her eyes narrowed.

”That’s what I’m asking. What are you all doing? Why the hell are you fighting each other?” There was no mistaking it now. I’d heard it in too many nightmares.

”Do you seek to steal my prize?” Hag asked, advancing. Behind her, R’lissea struggled to her feet, life magic dancing across her wounds. Kislee took notice and attacked her, but she’d already renewed her wards.

”My Lady...” Luxxa gasped, lifting her sword. I’d never seen it waver like that.

”Your prize?” Alex’s chuckle vibrated against me. ”That’s not how it looks to me.”

More presences emerged from the woods. Marge and Jill, his companions. And three elves, those who had served Ronin. All of them were sixth or seventh-level.

I tensed, struggling to swallow past Alex’s sword.

”Alex, what are you doing?” R’lissea cried, retreating before Kislee.

”Ah, R’lissea.” Alex shook his head, clicking his tongue. ”I’d love to chat, but you look a little busy. That’s what you get for siding with demons.”

”Foolish boy,” Hag said, mustering her aura. ”I don’t know what could have possessed you to wander into a battlefield like this, but you’re not claiming the oracle. All you’ve done is saved us the trouble of hunting you down later, when we come for the Throne.”

Alex frowned and took his sword from my neck. As I gasped for breath, he spun me behind him and shoved me hard. I staggered forward, running into Rochelle. The black-haired mage grabbed me in a cruel, merciless grip.

”You’re awfully arrogant for a demon. Do you have any idea how many thousands of you I’ve killed? If you’re so eager to die, I’ll do you the favor right now. Rochelle, don’t let her wander off. The rest of you with me.”

Alex’s sword burst into flame, radiating seventh-level mana. Faster, even, than Kislee, he lunged forward. Hag slashed with her talons, barely catching his sword before it buried itself in her chest. She screeched as his flames licked across her arms. The oily, poisonous mucus coating her scales hissed and boiled, evaporating in the heat.

”What kind of demon are you?” Alex asked, lashing out thrice more, leaving a long, smoldering cut on her hip. ”A witch? A snake demon? Talk about ugly.”

”Hold on!” Luxxa cried, charging toward me with Kahlen.

”Nope, we’re not having that,” Marge said. The Rabbitkin chanted a spell, and fiery white light--sun magic--descended to sheathe their entire party. It was support magic, but I whimpered as the harsh light crawled across my flesh, raising goosebumps and sending violent shivers through me.

Kirla, the short, red-haired swordswoman, took the front, cleaving an arc of light and fiery flame at Luxxa. The knight caught it on her shield, but my protection was gone, my spells snuffed by the soul binder. Luxxa cried out as fire overflowed, falling back.

Kirla spun as Kahlen’s swords dove at her, but one nicked her side, drawing blood. She grimaced, wielding her sword in both hands with practiced ease.

Gith tried to stand, but his leg buckled. Jenna lay limp against him. Celestial Grace had been the only thing allowing the two sixth-levels from collapsing, and now it was gone. I prayed they would stay down, maybe even sneak away, before something worse happened.

The rest of Alex’s party engaged Luxxa and Kahlen. Kirla was the only melee warrior between them, but both Niece and Jill were seventh-level archers. Their arrows shattered against my companions’ armor, but occasionally, one would slip through, grazing Luxxa’s cheek or punching into Kahlen’s steely flesh. Kirla was, even to my untrained eye, much less skilled than either of my guards, but Marge’s support meant no wounds they inflicted lasted.

The only one who hadn’t engaged was Rochelle.

”Where is he? What have you done with Ronin?” she asked, shaking me violently. I bit my tongue and tasted blood.

”He’s gone,” I whimpered, limp in her grip. The Star Guard weren’t the only ones impacted by the sudden loss of Celestial Grace. Right now, R’lissea’s magic was the only thing keeping the poison from seeping deeper into me and closing my lungs entirely.

Her fingers dug into my arms, bruising. One of her nails pierced the skin, letting black blood well up. ”You killed him? I don’t believe you!”

”Not dead,” I sobbed.

”Then where?”

I could hardly breathe.

Her interrogation was interrupted by Alex, who crashed into the ground beside us. He bounced to his feet in an instant, a long, black cut across his forehead.

”Damn, this one’s actually strong. Just who did you piss off?” he asked, sparing me a glance. ”Oh, and Rochelle, you can ask her questions later. Keep her alive, you hear?”

And then he was gone again, returning like a blazing meteor to the battle. Rochelle hissed something to herself, and upon examining me, reluctantly cast a fifth-level life spell. I gasped for breath as my throat loosened, the poison retreating. But it was everywhere, and the longer I was without my wards, the more would accumulate in my system. It wouldn’t be long before I wouldn’t be able to access my soul again, even if the soul binder somehow lifted.

Oh, Luke... what was he doing? Why had he done this to me? I had accepted the risk with the Soul Binder, but...he promised!

”I’m sorry,” I whispered, the last sparks of hope dying in my chest. Everyone had been counting on me. I should have seen this coming. But not one had. Not the church, not the demons, no one. And now my friends were going to die for it.

”Stop your sniveling,” Rochelle growled, ”Call off your demons.”

She was right. This was no time for tears. I straightened slowly, ignoring the dull, burning ache coursing through my veins. I was completely cut off from my senses, but I could see the demons she referenced. Hundreds of them, hovering in the tree line. They were scions and weaker evolved demons, but their presence meant the Fatesworn had been driven back. They would come again, and in greater number, but I doubted we had the time.

”These aren’t mine. The horde is divided,” I said bitterly.

She clenched her jaw. ”And Ronin?”

”Isn’t among them.”

I ducked, shivering against her as a shockwave tore through the air. It flipped my organs, and I tasted blood. R’lissea’s wards had broken again, and she fought Kislee in melee range, using her staff to stave off the slashing scythe. Flowers had bloomed across the haft, and every time she managed a desperate defense, vines sprang out, wrapping around the apostle. Thorns sprouted, puncturing the carapace.

At first, there was no difference. Kislee’s pincer snapped them off, breaking them simply by opening. But as the seconds drew on, the vines thickened. Her movements began to slow, her blows no longer landing as hard. R’lissea fought on with grim determination, bleeding from a dozen cuts she didn’t have the time to heal. It was amazing she was still conscious.

I didn’t see it. There was a short, feminine scream, and Rochelle suddenly gasped. I looked over just as Niece staggered back, her bow slipping through spasming fingers. A sword ran through her chest, another her gut. They shivered, driving deeper, and she gurgled, blood spilling from her mouth.

The blades tore free in a torrent of blood, streaking in crimson arcs to Kahlen’s side. Niece dropped to one knee, her coughs growing weaker, and then fell.