The Forsaken Hero

I awoke slowly, drawn through the haze of morning grogginess by a gentle touch. The last thing I remembered was sitting with R’lissea. I’d gotten so tired so quickly, beginning with the moment Verity had left my side. I barely felt any better and just wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep, but there it was again. A soft, soothing motion that traced the base of my horn.

Blinking awake, I stared up into a pair of brilliant green eyes. They softened, and the hand moved to my cheek.

”You’re awake,” said R’lissea, in whose lap my head rested.

”No fair,” I mumbled, feeling my tail stir. ”I wanted to wait for you to wake up. How did it end up like this?”

I tried to sit up, but her hand was too heavy to move. R’lissea sat on the edge of the bed with her feet on the floor. I lay on my side on the soft white sheets facing her, my tail draped over the side and curled around her ankle.

”You must have been so tired. Don’t worry, you can rest as long as you like,” she said, smiling faintly. Her stroking resumed, and I closed my eyes, making a small, content sound in my chest.

”You’re okay,” I whispered. It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. ”I was so worried when you--”

”You were worried? Alex stole you away! I tried so hard to stop him this time, to do what I didn’t have the courage to do before, but it wasn’t enough. I’m so sorry.”

She hung her head, and her shoulders drooped. I finally managed to sit, took her hand, and laced our fingers.

”R’lissea, no one could have seen Alex coming. Maybe I should have; there were certainly signs, but even the church explicitly forbade him from taking action on his own.”

”And that’s exactly why he almost succeeded. Xiv, it could have been over. If he’d managed to take you to the Divine Throne, we would have lost everything. The god of fate would have taken your life and your divinity.”

”And yet he didn’t. Fate brought me exactly where I needed to be. If he hadn’t captured me and gotten lost, I never would have returned to Whiteriver Village and found Verity.”

She went quiet at that. ”Verity? But I thought the church sacrificed her.”

I quickly filled her in on everything that had happened, from Luke’s rescue to saving Verity’s soul. ”No one’s come by, have they?”

She shook her head. ”I only awoke an hour or so ago. But the remnants would have found us if something happened.”

”I just hope Luke is okay. I trusted him, but...it’s probably over now.” My hand curled against my chest.

R’lissea noticed, her lips drawing in a tight line. ”Can you feel him?”

”Yes, but it’s faint. He’s alive. But tell me, R’lissea. What happened on the battlefield? How did you manage to get so strong?”

Her lips twitched. ”Strong? Me? I just did what I had to. What you would have done. Kislee and that demon lord were going to hurt you.”

”You say that as if it explains everything. But how did you control her magic? How did you manage to defeat two eighth-level beings at the same time?”

”I didn’t have the skills to fight someone like Kislee, or the experience to match up against Hag. All of my training has been in fighting Risen. But Xiv, I’m not a Life Mage. I’m the Hero of Life. I think I finally discovered what that means.”

She lifted her unoccupied hand, and a small, blinking light appeared. It bobbed up and down like a flower in a pond before she closed her fist, and it dispersed. Her eyes met mine, dark and serious.

”The gods bestow tremendous power upon us when we are called. But to truly grow, to fully grasp our strength and potential, we must unlock that power within ourselves. It’s like learning magic. Using runes is fine and all, but everything changes when mana becomes an extension of my will. That’s what Life Mana is, even if it’s being woven by someone else. I could never allow it to hurt someone I love.”

”I think I understand. When I went after Luke, I didn’t know what to do. But fate just...responded. It listened to my heart and guided my steps.”

”Yes, exactly. I felt the same. It was like I had to save you. And this was the only way.”

We sat together a little longer, pondering what that could mean. The death demon’s words echoed in my mind, eerily similar. Fate had always seen me through my worst moments, guiding me through every starless night. I’d always understood fate as something that was, is, and will be, but that later part, the future, will be only because what is was once will be.

So...was I wrong? Did fate actually have a chosen path, and actively work and self-correct to ensure it happened?

No, that couldn’t be. Fate had assured me the future was not written. If what will be is what must be, then what role did each of us play in our own, insignificant lives? Where was our agency, our choice? Where was the meaning in it all?

”I know that look. Just take a breath, Xiv. It’s alright. There’s no need to worry about anything right now.”

R’lissea pulled me into a hug, stroking my hair. I melted against her, taking a few deep breaths. One step at a time. It had taken me this far; it would see me to the end.

”I think we’ve lingered long enough. There’s still a war going on,” she murmured into my hair. ”You’ve been in those clothes too long. Let me help you change. I’ll even brush your hair.”

Standing was a chore, and I was grateful for R’lissea’s help tugging my dress over my head. She chose a deep crimson one to replace it, tied with a red ribbon.

”It reminds me of the first dress I ever saw you in. Remember that banquet? Ronin was so mean to you...”

It seemed like a lifetime ago, but I nodded anyway. Afterward, she sat me on the bed again and began to brush, drawing out my long, wavy hair in seamless strokes. All of my worries melted beneath her tender touch.

I felt much better by the time she finished, and I helped her change from her nightgown into one of the high-necked, long-skirted dresses she favored. She giggled when I offered to help her with her hair, and let me run into a few tangles before pulling her golden hair free, claiming she liked the untamed look better anyway.

The common room of the First Light Inn was bustling with soldiers as we entered. Every table was full of Fatesworn, mortal and demon alike. They talked and laughed, clashing mugs together and sending sprays of alcoholic droplets across the room. Rivlitt glided between them, all smiles, handing out drinks with no regard for the few soldiers already drunk under the tables.

”Come on,” R’lissea whispered, grasping my hand as I froze up, intimidated by the boisterous scene.

We managed to slip out the front door before anyone, but the remnant innkeeper noticed. He gave us a knowing smile, gliding over to let us out himself.

”Fate’s waiting for you,” he informed me.

I thanked him, and had Haven carry us to the citadel gates.

”You know, we could have just done that in the room,” R’lissea said, looking up at the towering cathedral.

I shook my head. ”It just feels wrong. Teleporting is for outside only.”

She rolled her eyes, but the smile she flashed made me grin. We walked hand in hand through the shadowy corridors of the citadel. There were actually Fatesworn here, moving through the halls with quiet purpose. They stopped and saluted, waiting for us to pass before continuing on their way.

Voices came from up ahead. The first was deep and gravelly. Fyren. But what was he doing in Haven? Just how long had we slept? Was the war already over?

”You must discourage her from attempting it,” he was growling. ”I’m already exerting all of my influence. The mark just isn’t enough to keep the balance.”

Fate’s cool, collected response came after a thoughtful silence. ”She must, if we are to succeed. So long as you are here, the divinity won’t consume her entirely. She only needs to--Wait, what’s this? Have you actually grown fond of her?”

Fyren grunted. ”I have only done as I must, and will continue to do so. There must be another way that doesn’t involve--”

”Hush, now. We’ll discuss this later, the children are awake.” Fate’s voice rose, penetrating the hallway clearly. ”Good morning, Xiviyah. R’lissea. Please, join us.”

We both flinched and shared a guilty look. I squared my shoulders, stilled my twitching tail, and took the last few steps into the main hall. The shard glittered brightly, casting rainbow sparkles across the room. Fate and Fyren stood before the shard, gold and white staring each other down. Fyren still hadn’t taken his human form, though his obsidian sword was strapped to his side. It looked small against his frame, like a regular long sword, instead of the huge, two-handed greatsword that was taller than me.

”What were you talking about? Is Xiviyah in danger?” R’lissea asked.

I squeezed her hand tightly, silently pleading with her, but she ignored me, giving a challenging look to both Fyren and Fate.

”You’re both in danger,” Fyren muttered, shaking his head. ”You’re in a war, remember?”

”I’m afraid it’s only going to get worse. The gods will hold nothing back to keep the sun from setting on Enusia. But the night will come, and with it, a new dawn,” Fate agreed. She turned to me. ”You have done something most curious. The one called Verity has taken rather well to the realm, despite being completely isolated from it. The others are happy to have another of their kind to teach and mentor in the ways of the remnant.”

”You met Verity?” I asked.

”You’ve been asleep for a while. It would be strange, and quite ungracious of me, to avoid her. She could sense the power of the Shard from across the realm. Or perhaps that ability of hers identified it as a future pivot in the fabric of time and fate.”

”Gods, I can see where Xiviyah gets her crypticness from,” R’lissea muttered.

Fate smiled kindly. ”I’m afraid I only speak the truth as I see it. And, to that end, Xiviyah, I shall answer your question. Come, ask. What is it you wish to know?”