The Forsaken Hero

Serpentine streams of infernal mana streamed through the sky, gathering above my head. It came, answering my call, from the furthest reaches of the icy world, creating a massive vortex beneath the flat, gray clouds. Within seconds, the vast ocean grew near to the amount generated within Western University on the day of the attack.

I seized my mana, drawing upon my soul for every drop the amulet allowed me. As my emptied, countless tendrils of infernal energy curled from the maelstrom up above, winding together like a whirlpool as they descended toward me. I gasped as it touched my hand, sending a shock like a bucket of cold water through me. The streams of mana eagerly flooded my soul, providing me with a near-limitless amount of mana.

My soul trembled beneath the incredible weight, but it only took a few seconds for me to gain control of the flow. As I acclimated to the new power, my eyes shot open, filled with the light of a thousand stars. Crackles of Infernal Mana raced through my body and soul, manifesting as golden arcs of power dancing across my skin.

Captain Bethiv stepped back, mouth agape, eyes filled with fear. ”What’s happening to you?”

I summoned my staff, raising it toward the Last Light Company and starting several magic circles. My soul’s capacity was still limited to fourth, restricting the total output of my spells and abilities, but I drew on my experience of crafting the multi-spell array to cast a sixth-circle spell.

I carefully crafted each individual circle of the spell, expending almost my entire mana pool for each one. When they were on the verge of completion, I left it hovering in the air above the company and continued to the next one. The process was long and arduous, requiring every ounce of willpower and concentration. Sweat dripped down my back and my arms shook with the effort of guiding the mana, but I persevered, managing to complete the sixth circle before my soul gave out.

After a deep breath, I completed the spell, calling out in a loud, clear voice, ”Nexus!”

The magic circles combined, sinking through the air until is surrounded the soldiers. Nexus required the targets to be touching, but with my newfound skills, I was able to use the spell I created to connect with the wolf’s soul and added it to the array.

As this final piece fell into place, the magic circle exploded into a shimmering mist of starlight, seeping into the souls of the Last Light Company. They stared about in awe, eyes wide, as a thread bound our souls together. I could feel their awe, courage, and fear pulsing through the magic, influencing and strengthening my resolve.

”Remarkable,” Captain Bethiv breathed. ”What kind of spell is this? I feel like we could fight as one man without the need for orders or communication.”

I shook my head, my heart pounding nervously. The deep unity between our souls was an unforeseen side-effect of adding the circles I used to purify the wolf. Perhaps creating arrays on the spot was more dangerous than I thought. What if I’d accidentally added something that had an unknown dangerous interaction with the other spells? Arrays possessed more mana than their equivalent spell level, meaning failing to complete it would have catastrophic backlash.

I sagged in relief, leaning against my staff and thanking Fate nothing had gone wrong. In the future, I’d carefully plan each one out, using the same safeguards and process I did when creating new spells.

The ground began to shake as the demons resumed their charge, beginning the ascent up the mountain. Bethiv began shouting orders and the Last Light Company sprang into action. The terrain was extremely defensible, with the craggy outcropping splitting the approach. Two narrow ravines, filled with boulders and jagged ice formations, were the only ways to the cavern, which stood at the base of the outcropping. At least on the ground, no demon would be able to access the Gate Entrance without breaking through the soldiers barricading the canyons.

As the company took their positions, I remained on the outcropping, overlooking the battlefield. Captain Bethiv and Jackal, as well as the reserve forces,

”Thank you for your spell, Xiviyah,” Jackal said, hefting his greatsword onto his shoulder. ”We’ve been fighting together long enough it’s like we could read each other’s minds, and now, we actually can. It going to be a hard fight, but with your spell, we might just be able to win.”

Although he tried to hide it, I could sense the subtle despondency beneath his optimism. The eyes of the others reflected a somber acceptance, as though they’d come to terms with their circumstances. Oddly enough, it seemed that I, of all people, was the only one in high spirits.

”Don’t give up, we can still win this,” I said softly, trying to mimic the tone Elise used whenever I was feeling down.

The demons charged up the canyons, nearing our front lines, and Bethiv smiled sadly, a dimple creasing the scar on his cheek. ”I appreciate the sentiment, but we’re not the heroes you’re used to fighting beside. You’ve done what you can, and no one here expects you to remain. Please, just remember us, those who remained to the bitter end.”

As the armies prepared to clash, fourth-level demons shoved to the front of their scion fodder. Their chaotic mess of mana in their souls gleamed brightly and dozens of magic circles appeared in the air.

”Captain,” I said, raising my staff once more. ”I think there’s a bit of a misunderstanding. I didn’t stay behind to watch as you died. I know I’m not like the others, but please believe in me. I’m a hero, too, and I won’t let you fight this battle alone.”

The magic circles exploded, releasing a storm of ice and snow upon the Last Light Company. The spells combined and amplified each other, growing into a veritable avalanche no less weak than the Explosive Cascade. Captain Bethiv averted his eyes, unable to watch as the magic bore down on his men, mere seconds from ripping them apart.

”Mirror Shield.”

The moment I Soul Cast the fifth-circle spell, Infernal Mana descended from the sky, supplementing my soul as the spell surged through the Nexus. Almost instantly, gleaming spheres materialized around every soldier on the battlefield, as clear and bright as the purest mirror.

A heartbeat later, the front lines were buried in the rush of snow and ice. Scions and Evolved Demons rushed forward, closing the gap with the devastated defenses climbing over rubble and searching for survivors to consume. A subtle light flickered beneath the heaps of ice, slowly growing until the mountain shivered with its intensity.

Just as the first demons reached the top of the canyon, an explosive blast of light shook the mountain, followed by a deafening roar. Tens of thousands of tons of magical ice and snow erupted off the human lines, appearing for a moment as though the entire mountain was crashing down on the demon army. Although the scions and evolved demons were practically immune to the bitter cold of the reflected magic, their bodies were rent and crushed by the avalanche, swept down into the hordes below.

When the billows of snowy debris settled, the tops of the two canyons were clear. Dozens of mercenary soldiers gazed around in shock and awe, some even passing their hands through the intangible silver barriers surrounding their comrades. Captain Bethiv’s mouth gaped open, and he turned to me slowly, stuttering for nearly a second before managing to form words.

”H-How?” He gasped, ”What did you do?”

I ignored his disbelief, scanning the demon army below. Hundreds of demons, including many high-ranking ones, lay buried at the bottom of the narrow canyons, slowly being crushed to death by the weight of the ice and snow. The ones behind, who had been fortunate enough to remain outside the canyon, milled about in confusion, their beady black eyes switching to and froe, trying to find out what had happened.

After a few moments, a shiver ran through their ranks and they began charging once more. Their hardened claws dug channels through the debris, slowly opening access to the peak again. Before long, their screams could be heard echoing up the canyons once more.

But this time, the soldier’s hollow eyes were gone, hardened by resolve. Captain Bethiv shouted an order and a wave of fire and sun magic descended toward the hordes, blasting apart their already unsteady advance. The narrow chasms forced their numbers even closer, turning the battle into a one-sided slaughter. Demons died by the score, consumed by the flickering flames of their elemental weakness.

The ground trembled as the oppressive heat destabilized the icy ground created by the avalanche. As the weight of the demon’s charge trampled across it, countless fractures and cracks appeared, swallowing demons whole and plunging them to their deaths.

Gradually, minutes crawled by, and the fiery bombardment of the Last Light Company dwindled, their mages running out of mana. By my estimate, ten thousand demons had fallen, but it wasn’t enough. The swarms of scions still felt unending, slowly building bridges and solid ground with the corpses of their dead. Once the path was set, they advanced on the peak once more.

As their claws reached our front lines, I raised my staff and drove another spell through the Nexus. ”Blade Ward!”

The fifth circle spell wrapped around the soldiers, combining with the Mirror Shield to form a single, shimmering globe of protection. The first protected from magic, and the second physical blows. Together, they repelled all attacks, including magical techniques, which bore traits of both types.

At first, the soldiers fought cautiously, slowly testing the waters with my magic, but as it became apparent nothing short of a fifth-level attack could so much as scratch the wards, they threw themselves forward with reckless abandon. Claws, horns, and ice shattered before their fury, breaking the demon’s charge. Even fourth-level evolved demons found themselves helpless before the Last Light Company, slaughtered like animals, unable to so much as resist.

”Incredible,” Jackal muttered, staring at me, his eyes wide with awe. ”Forgive me for doubting, my Hero. Perhaps we might live through this.”

”Don’t get cocky,” Bethiv muttered, not taking his eyes off the hordes of demons. Despite the thousands slain, more still emerged from the fissures in the ice, trickling out to join the host waiting their turn to scale the canyons. ”I won’t rest easy until the last one’s dead. We still have the Gate Commander to contend with, as well.”

As if on a queue, a tremendous roar shook the air, and a massive swatch of glaciers erupted, sending hundreds of tons of glacial fragments into the air. A monstrous demon, over a hundred feet long, slithered from the wreckage, crushing demons and ice formations alike beneath its tremendous bulk.

I watched quietly, my tail swishing gently as it reared its serpentine head and roared. The real fight was about to begin.