The Forsaken Hero

As Verity experimented, a silver silhouette dropped from the sky, giving me just enough warning before Luke himself followed it, his blade drawn. He was positioned between me and Verity, his aura lashing in dark tendrils.

"Wait, Luke!" I said, hugging him from behind, holding him tightly. He stiffened in surprise, glancing back at me. "It’s Verity! She’s on our side."

His brow furrowed, but he relaxed his stance, lowering his sword. Verity quickly sheathed hers, but it still took a few minutes to explain what was going on.

"So, you saved her, just like you did me?" he asked.

I nodded. "Something like that. She’s like a remnant."

"And you’re certain she won’t betray us?"

"Yes." I said so with perfect confidence, no hesitation. "Her soul is bound to mine. If I die, she’ll perish as well. And the church betrayed her."

"I understand you have no reason to trust me," Verity said, pressing a hand to her chest. "But please, give me a chance."

"It’s no accident Alex brought me here," I said, holding Luke a little tighter as I thought of the Fire Hero. "It must have wanted us to find Verity."

"Fine," he said, turning about so he could hug me properly. I sighed contentedly, melting against him. "If you have faith in her, then so shall I. Your word is enough for me, Xiv."

"I won’t disappoint you, Apostle. I swear I’ll protect Xiviyah with my life. I’ll be the sword she can’t wield, the shield that protects her when you’re away. You have my word."

"I pray your conviction holds, for it’s about to be proved," Luke said. "We must return to High Valley. I just received word that Rash’alon has begun his assault."

Our smiles faded, and we exchanged dark looks. Fable growled softly, his tail lashing. I cast one last look around Whiteriver Village, my gaze lingering on the old granary with the statues.

"Borealis?" I called through the mark.

The fate demon ascended in a shower of starlight, regaining his true form with a cry that pierced the heavens. He circled us twice before alighting in the village square. His claws sank into the hard-packed earth as he touched down, making the ground tremble.

Luke caught me up and jumped. I squeaked, throwing my arms around his neck, but we alighted safely on Borealis’s back. Verity retreated into my aura, vanishing from sight.

"She can do that?" Luke murmured, tilting his head.

"I don’t know. I don’t know what she is, or what she can do. I’m just glad we managed to save her," I murmured back.

Luke sat between Borealis’s massive wings, and I cuddled into his side. I was delighted when he put his arm around me, his hand resting on my hip, and nuzzled against him. Fable landed a heartbeat later, and Borealis leaped from the ground, beating his powerful wings for altitude. In just a few seconds, the village had vanished and the forest blurred beneath us. My stomach rolled as every flap caused us to lurch forward, and soon, my wards triggered, registering the tug of the wind as an active threat. In a few seconds, we had breached the sound barrier, releasing a streaming sonic boom in our tail.

We sped over the frozen forest, and in a few minutes, reached the peaks of the Solori mountains. What had taken Alex and his party traveling at top speed a few hours evaporated beneath Borealis’s wings. I had only just begun to relax, my heart rate coming down, before the first shockwave of battle struck us. Borealis slowed as we approached High Valley, but that meant little when our velocity was that of a hurtling meteor. Bright explosions dotted the steep mountains. Demons blanketed the valleys like tides of insects.

"When we get there, find somewhere safe," Luke murmured into my hair.

"I’m not leaving you alone. We’re stronger than we were before, and our friends have been fighting for so long."

"There’s still poison running through your veins."

"When hasn’t there been?"

He fell quiet at that.

"Can you defeat Rash’alon on your own?"

"I must. He might have realized there is more he can take from you than just your life, but if he gets desperate, he’ll settle for that. I...I can’t promise I’ll be able to stop him. I want to, but there’s too much that can go wrong in a ninth-level battle. Too much power being thrown around."

"Okay. I trust you. Just...don’t worry about me, okay? Even if you hear something, like before, I’ll be alright. I’m not alone, remember?"

He smiled faintly, and kissed me on the top of the head. It sent thrills running through me. "As you wish."

The wind surged around us as Borealis suddenly beat back, conjuring a literal cyclone that tore a rift through the clouds ahead. The starry mists of High Valley materialized beneath us, besieged from all sides. Swarms of evolved demons and scions charged through every passable canyon and valley in a torrent of flesh and claws. Fire demons, curse demons, blade demons, all of it. Every type and attribute I’d ever seen flowed together in a united horde millions strong.

Against them, the Fatesworn stood undaunted. They manned every fortification and peak surrounding the mist wall, hurling down volleys of mana and arrows that mowed down entire swathes of Rash’alon’s horde. The knights and soldiers at the gates and other entrances held the line, but sheer numbers were slowly pushing them back.

"There," Luke said, drawing his sword.

I followed his gaze, and my fingers curled into my skirt. There, on the cliff walls where Soltair, Trithe, and I had first descended into the valley, was Rash’alon.

I followed his gaze, and my fingers curled into my skirt. There, on the cliff walls where Soltair, Trithe, and I had first descended into the valley, was Rash’alon. Luke started to rise, but I caught his tunic with my hands, pulling myself up to kiss him. His lips were dry and a little rough, but I didn’t mind at all. His arm circled me as he deepened the kiss, his tail curling with mine.

"Good luck," I whispered, reluctantly parting our lips.

He nodded, staring at me for another heartbeat. He caressed my cheek and said, "Be safe, Xiviyah. And try not to kill too many demons. We’ll need them for the war ahead."

"I’ll try."

And then he was gone, pulling away from me. He activated his flying art, and he gave me one last smile before rising off Borealis’s back. Once he’d left the bubble of my wards, he accelerated abruptly, vanishing in a streak of violet light.

"I didn’t realize you cared so much for him," said Verity, materializing beside me. She offered me a hand, and I took it.

"I...I love him," I said, my heart aching as the trail of light slowly dissipated.

She didn’t let go of my hand, holding a steadying grip as Borealis began to descend. Faces turned up as my aura radiated across the outer walls, undoubtedly recognizing the warmth of my stars.

"You’ve all been so brave," I whispered, blinking back a sudden welling of tears. They were fighting with everything they had, holding the line even when it cost them their lives. How many had died? Dozens? Hundreds? No more.

Verity shifted, drifting back as my staff appeared in my hands. Mana flowed about me, responding eagerly to my call. I took a deep breath, releasing it slowly, and began to cast. The magic leaped into existence, spreading across the sky in eight magic circles. Shouts and shrieks rang from below as demons and Fatesworn took notice, and dozens of flying evolved demons began to make for us at full speed, their claws extended menacingly.

Verity drew her sword from its illusory scabbard, but there was no need. My spell resolved in a brilliant flash of light. I waved my staff, and all the power I commanded came to a head.

"Shining Aegis!"

Golden light descended in a wave of visible pressure. The flying demons faltered, tossed by buffeting winds, but it didn’t end there. It slammed into the ground over a thousand feet below. Spells died mid-cast, and demons and Fatesworn separated, stumbling back, shocked by my aura.

The light moved quickly, tracing the stars of my aura to every mortal and demon belonging to Fatesworn. It was drawn to their souls by fate itself, recognizing the taint of Haven without me needing to spend minutes every single one on my own. The spell wove a shining sphere around each one, no matter their size, from the towering, hundred-foot-tall blade demons to the smallest elf.

"Amazing," Verity breathed, her eyes wide with awe.

But I wasn’t finished. I had inklings of it before, but now that I truly unleashed my mana, I was certain. Something over the last few days had caused a dramatic increase in my strength. That eighth-circle spell, granted to over ten thousand souls, had taken barely a tenth of my mana pool. I hadn’t even needed to use the Aethereal Prism.

So I began to cast again, and this time, I felt the strain. I ignored it, pressing on through the burning pain. Eight more magic circles, but this time, the gold was laced with green. They were fighting for me, dying for me. I would protect them all. I would give them the strength to stand. Every single one of them.

"Celestial Grace!"