The Forsaken Hero

The road to Heartland City was a vibrant tapestry woven with the hustle and bustle of merchants and travelers alike. The towering, ancient trees of the forest hovered over the path, their canopies creating dappled patterns of sunlight that danced upon the worn cobblestone road. Many times, we passed large, rumbling wagon trains, hailing from distant corners of the continent, adorned with colorful banners and emblazoned with the sigils of various trading companies.

Sorrin and Tana took it all in stride, merely gazing curiously at the summer bustle, but I eyed each merchant closely, my heart leaping in my throat, desperately searching for the dreaded ”wealth” rune, the symbol of the Unbroken Chain trading company. We were coming from the west, while Brithlite and the company headquarters were in the east, but it was still a relief when we came across none boasting the affiliation.

The summer was young, and the nights remained cool, but the long, exhausting days of travel combined with wide, cloudless skies, brought the full heat of the sun upon us. Fortunately, I’d picked up a simple, first-circle spell, Soothing Breeze, somewhere along my journey, which broke the brunt of the summer heat. Just a week before, my soul had recovered to the point where I could cast fourth-circle spells once more, allowing me plenty of mana to protect our small party from the summer.

But reaching fourth level was far more significant than simply sustaining a convenience. From the moment the Grand Inquisitor placed the Soul Binder around my neck, fourth circle became my limit, forcing me to overcome countless trials and battles through sheer force of will and ingenuity. I closed the sixth-level gate with fourth-circle spells, becoming intimately familiar with their power, limits, and abilities. Spells such as Dispel Magic, Restoration, and Detect Presence brought me much confidence and would be invaluable in the fight against the Circle of Chains.

By the end seventh day, the glittering lights of the city came into view far below us, standing out amid the ancient forest. Dozens of small, burning torches lit the mountainside below, tracing the many switchbacks the road took descending into the steep valley.

”Ready?” Sorrin asked, glancing at me, holding out his arm.

”It’s alright,” I said, putting a hand on Fable’s head. ”Thank you for the offer, but he can carry me down.”

Sorrin nodded and stepped back, giving us some space. Fable looked up into my eyes and shook his pelt, his soul blazing with light. After a single deep breath, he glowed brightly and expanded, swelling to nearly thirty feet in length. His horns grew crueler, the stars in his eyes brightened, and the fur on his back bristled, taking on a near-metallic sheen. Had we not taken cover off the side of the road, his appearance certainly would have terrified any passing merchants.

Tana let out a low whistle, her eyes shining with appreciation. ”Rasce said he was big, but this...he’s incredible!”

The wolf had remained in his small, condensed form ever since the battle in the alley, with only Rasce and Dyson having witnessed his true strength. Now, witnessing my friends’ wonder filled me with warmth, the corners of my lips twitching, my tail swishing with pride.

”Thank you,” I whispered, running a hand along Fable’s shoulder.

He lowered himself to the ground and canted to the side, giving me a sloping path to his back. Standing, he was ten feet at the shoulder, and even lying down, it was a struggle to mount him.

”Starlight?” Tana asked tentatively, ”Could I, uh, Would you allow me to...?”

I nodded, extending my hand down to her. ”Certainly.”

Eagerly, the half-elf scrambled up his side, adjusting her skirts and sitting behind me. As Fable rose from the ground, she squeaked, her hands flying around my waist. I gasped, squirming at the sudden embrace, and she loosened her grip.

”Sorry,” she muttered, sounding bashful. ”It’s just my first time doing something like this, and-”

”It’s alright. I’ve never ridden him before either,” I admitted.

Fable took a step forward, looking down over the first series of cliffs, Sorrin right behind him. I made the mistake of looking over the edge into the endless depths of darkness below and promptly squeezed my eyes shut, a flurry of butterflies invading my stomach.

”Hold on tight,” Sorrin called, a playful glimmer in his eye. ”If you fall, I’m afraid I’ll have to prioritize catching Tana.”

I nodded, and Tana shot him a glare, but I noticed her arms drew tighter around my stomach. Fable glanced over his shoulder at us, and I nodded, gripping the long tufts of fur about his shoulders tightly. I’d originally envisioned myself holding his horns, but that would require sitting on his neck, a location far less stable than the broad safety of his shoulders.

Sorrin leaped off the edge, and even to my demonkin eyes, the darkness seemed to swallow him. I was less afraid than the first time we descended, but I still bit my lip, holding back a terrified scream, as Fable followed. The air rushed about us, buffeting my face and tearing at my hair, the world seeming to spin.

We hit the ground remarkably gently, Fable absorbing most of the impact upon landing. Sorrin waited on the edge of the next ledge until he confirmed our safety. He flashed us a smile and thumbs up before vanishing down the mountain.

”How dependable,” Tana muttered.

Her expression brightened as Fable launched himself forward, covering several switchbacks with one leap. Even with the wind in my ears, I could hear her excited gasp and feel the tension leave her body.

”This is incredible!” she cried, ”Why haven’t we done this before?”

I shook my head, still trying to gather enough courage to open my eyes. She must have been insane. How could this be anything but terrifying?

Fable bounded through the night, easily catching and passing Sorrin. His immense size allowed him far greater leaps than the tiny wolfkin, reminding me of the natural difference between life forms. Even if two creatures had the same level of soul, their actual exerted combat ability could be drastically different. The Infernal Dragon we fought, for instance, was stronger than our entire party, despite being the same level as Soltair. The dragon was just naturally stronger and faster in every way, the physical differences providing enough of an edge to allow it to contend equally with weaker beings with far stronger souls.

In the same way, Fable in his true form could likely contend with fifth-level monsters or humans. As a small wolf, he carried the same strength as Sorrin, before he broke through, that is. But now, through his fur, I could feel the immense power coiling within, the strength to topple foes that had once felt insurmountable. It wasn’t only his physical strength either, but even his soul felt stronger. As I recovered, Fable’s soul seemed to expand, to the point it now hovered at the peak of fourth level. It wouldn’t take much more for him to break through.

It took only a handful of minutes to descend the entire length of the mountain. Upon landing safely on the ground outside the city, Fable dropped to his stomach, giving his back a slight shake as if prompting us to get off. I tumbled from his back, my legs shaking, and collapsed to my knees, shivering uncontrollably. Tana landed beside me on her feet, a broad smile crossing her face. She stretched her arms overhead before turning back to Fable, giving him a few enthusiastic pets.

”Let’s do that again!” she said.

Fable just snorted and began to glow, rapidly shrinking until he was only a few feet tall–still large, but now very manageable. He padded over to me and curled around my trembling form, giving me something warm and soft to cling to.

”Thanks,” I whispered, taking long, deep breaths. No matter how many times I dealt with heights, they never seemed to get any easier. Once, I’d talked to Serena about using magic to soar through the clouds, but having done that myself in the arms of the arbiter, those dreams now felt like nightmares.

After a few seconds, Sorrin landed beside us. ”Let’s get going. Dyson and Rasce might be waiting for us at the inn.”

As we approached the gates, Fable slowed, his fur bristling. Sensing his caution through the bond, I crouched beside him, resting a hand on his head and scratching his neck.

”What is it?” Tana asked, glancing about warily.

”I think...I think he wants to stay outside the city,” I said slowly, my brow creased thoughtfully.

”Is that wise? What if someone spots him? An infernal wolf might cast undue suspicion on the area, perhaps even meriting a response from the church,” Sorrin said.

I shook my head. ”I think we should trust him. Besides, the church’s attention is tied up with Brithlite right now, and the demon invasion north of the capital. It wouldn’t be terribly unusual for an infernal monster to show up over here, not with so many gates appearing.”

Even in the small, backwater countryside of the Heartland forest, we’d heard tales of the escalating wars and Demon Gates. When I stood with the other heroes, they appeared a handful of times a month, but now it felt like two or three a week. We were always hearing of the heroes’ great exploits and victories, but sometimes, news of a new demon army, fresh from breaking through a gate, darkened the story. The current siege of the northern lands came from several fourth-level gates breaking in quick succession, flooding the land with an army that now marched on the Brithlitian Capitol.

Beyond that, I’d learned to trust Fable’s instincts. He bore a similar connection with the weave of fate as I did, and could usually tell when something was wrong. The fact that he felt uncomfortable entering the city was a sure sign the Circle hadn’t forgotten us. Perhaps they had spies watching for travelers accompanied by an infernal wolf or something. I could always summon him whenever I needed his support.

So, with Fable watching from the tree line, we entered the city. The guards let us through without issue, neither was there any trouble on the way to the Glossy Sparrow. No, the night was quiet, the calm before the storm. The true battle would start tomorrow.