The Forsaken Hero

The beautiful, cold winter I’d lived in for almost a month was gone, replaced by the warm autumn sun. The grass was long and green, soft beneath my boots, and birds chirped in the sky. The soldiers had yet to notice me, relaxing at ease around the camp, talking in light voices, or just enjoying the sun.

”Fable,” I said softly, resting a hand on his head. ”Where did it go?”

I could feel the spirit’s presence through our soul bond, and yet...where was the ice and snow that traveled in its wake? Not that I particularly wanted it to, but it should have appeared to greet me by now. Fable tilted his head at my question, then nodded toward the massive gate dominating the western sky.

”He’s inside? Still?” I asked slowly, sifting through the fragmented impressions I received through our soul bond. It wasn’t a precise form of communication, but after a few moments of concentration and a flurry of Fable’s memories, the general idea became clear.

I nodded, my tail flicking with a mix of curiosity and determination. ”Interesting. Let’s take care of that before anyone notices me. I have a feeling things might get complicated if we wait much longer.”

As I moved to walk toward the gate, Fable nudged me with his shoulder, his gaze imploring. I shook my head, a blush warming my cheeks. ”I’d, um, rather walk. It’s been a while since I could, well, do that.”

He flicked his ears in acknowledgment but accepted my preference, padding alongside me. My tent was situated near the center of the camp, but thankfully, most of the soldiers were occupied elsewhere. I could see nearly a thousand of them on the fields to the north, engaged in some sort of training exercise. The few who noticed us passing by offered friendly nods, some not even recognizing me until after we had passed.

”Good morning, my Lady.”

I jumped, instinctively grabbing a handful of Fable’s fur as Gith materialized beside me. The ranger wore his mottled green cloak and had his bow slung over his shoulder, appearing ready to fight or travel at a moment’s notice.

I pressed a hand to my chest and breathed a heavy breath of relief. ”Good morning, Gith. Sorry, you scared me. And please, it’s Xiviyah.”

The corner of his lips twitched in amusement. ”Forgive me, Xiviyah. I nearly had a panic attack myself once I felt your presence move from your tent. I hadn’t received word you’d awoken and thought someone might have...well, never mind. It’s fine as long as you’re safe. Should I notify the others?”

”No!” I said quickly, then added, ”Please?”

He really did smile this time, a rare expression from a ranger of few words. ”Very well, though it won’t be long before they find out. Korra’s sparing with that bastard right now, but I’m sure she’ll notice you the moment she wins.”

Bastard? I tilted my head slightly, running through the list of people that might apply to. The soldiers of the Last Light Company were very kind to me, so surely it couldn’t apply to them. Was it one of the demons, then? Kahlen was certainly gentle regarding me, but he had no such obligation toward anyone else, and the other demons with him even less so.

I shook my head, clearing away the thoughts. I’d just ask her later. In the meantime, we arrived at the crude stone ramp jutting up to the gate. Several soldiers stood at attention, barring access, but their eyes widened as they caught sight of me.

”My lady!” one, a fifth-level woman with graying hair said, quickly saluting. ”We weren’t expecting your visit.”

”I’d rather it stayed that way,” I said, returning her gaze evenly.

She nodded and gave another salute. ”As you wish. Move aside, men.”

The soldiers quickly obeyed, saluting me as we strode past them. Their curious stares crawled over me like bugs, but I kept my bearings and walked steadily without showing any of the unease I felt at their attention. No matter how often someone stared at me, it never got any easier.

As we reached the peak of the bridge, Gith paused and asked, ”Should I remain outside?”

My tail swished back and forth as I considered his question. ”No... no, I don’t think that’s necessary. It should be fine.”

”Then allow me to enter first,” he insisted. ”No one’s been inside since we left, and there’s no telling what in the hells might have survived our purge.”

I dipped my head and drew his bow, notching an arrow to the string. With a deep breath, he seized his mana and plunged into the gate. I watched him, a small, bemused smile curling my lip. There was no danger, not with what Fable had told me, but being careful wouldn’t hurt, I guess.

A few seconds later, Gith emerged, pale-faced and panting. He clutched his bow so hard his knuckles were white with strain, and tiny wisps of aura escaped his soul. He sagged in relief the instant the furl of his cloak was free of the gate, taking a moment to calm himself before looking at me with wide eyes.

I stiffened when he appeared, clasping my hand to my chest worriedly. But, after a glance at Fable, I relaxed with a sigh. My wolf showed no signs of wariness, and actually yawned even as Gith composed himself.

”What happened?” I asked curiously.

He shook his head. ”I have no idea. No damn idea. One moment, I was moving through the gate; the next, I was standing in...in...ah hell, I don’t even know how to describe it. It was as if the night sky turned into an ocean and then flipped upside down and let me walk on it.”

I blinked, tilting my head curiously. ”Really? That sounds...beautiful.”

”It’s damn unsettling. That’s what it is,” he retorted. I flinched at the harshness in his voice, and he immediately softened his expression. ”Forgive me, my Lady. I didn’t mean to startle you. But it’s definitely not safe to go through. I recommend we call Bethiv and– hey, wait, no!”

He lunged forward as I reached out and touched the gate, his hand grasping for me. But it was too late. A gasp escaped my lips as my fingers made contact with the vortex of mana, the world around me fading into a muted backdrop. The Oracle of Eternity bubbled up within my soul, unbidden, opening up the tapestry of existence and revealing the shimmering stars of fate. Gith’s movement halted abruptly, his panic and dismay frozen in time, his outstretched hand mere inches from my wrist.

My fingertips tingled as power surged through the gate, coursing down my arm and flooding me with mana. It was pure, unadulterated, utterly devoid of any infernal taint. I hadn’t noticed it before, but now, as I gazed upwards, I could see the entire gate swirling with this pristine energy.

It was a breathtaking sight, rendered a thousand times more glorious by the depth and detail revealed to me through the Oracle of Eternity. The gentle swirls of mana that formed the gate mirrored the essence of my own soul, a connection I doubt I would have been able to make before repairing the damage and seeing myself for what I truly was beneath the scars.

A profound sense of wonder swelled within me, followed by an undeniable, intuitive pull. I extended my free hand, the one not touching the gate, and opened my fingers, summoning The Final Star in a flurry of dancing starlight.

The gate resonated as the glassy haft of the staff materialized in my hand, releasing a small, almost imperceptible shockwave that rippled through the very fabric of fate, igniting the star set atop the staff with a brilliant, blazing light. The wave of shimmering power expanded outward, sweeping past the bounds of my perception and traveling to the farthest reaches of the realm.

Just as quickly as they had appeared, the stars of fate winked out, and I gasped, my tail shuddering, as we abruptly plunged back into the flow of time. Gith stood frozen, his hand outstretched but no longer grasping toward me.

”What the hell...” he muttered, his voice distant, his eyes glazed over. After a moment, he shook himself and stared at his hand as though wondering what it was doing. With a cough, he quickly withdrew it and, still blinking away the disorientation, looked at me. ”Xiviyah, are you alright? What just happened?”

Fable padded up beside me, giving Gith a disdainful look before pushing past the frozen ranger and disappearing into the gate. He frowned at the wolf, brow scrunching together as though struggling to remember something. It was only as I stepped into the swirling mass of mana that he finally reacted.

”Wait, Xiviyah, don’t–”

His voice vanished in a fading echo as I entered the gate. Mana caressed me like a summer’s breeze, warm and intimate, nothing like the uncomfortable sensation that usually accompanied entering a gate. It might have had something to do with the purity of the mana, but as I appeared on the other side, any thought of studying the phenomenon further vanished like smoke in the wind.

The tundra and mountains were gone. In their palace was a...well, a sea of stars. There was truly no better way of describing it. I was standing in what looked like Fate’s Divine Kingdom.