The Forsaken Hero

Korra flinched, missing a stroke with her comb. ”I’m fine,” she said, her voice a bit too quick, a bit too bright.

I hesitated, gripping the skirt of my night dress with both hands. One brush stroke, two, then three. ”Korra, are you, um, sure?”

”Oh, wait, are you talking about last night?” She forced a chuckle, but her next tug on my hair felt even more forceful. ”Why wouldn’t I be fine? It was just a little...startling.”

Even someone as dense and selfish as me could see that she wasn’t all right. But what was I supposed to say when she was so clearly denying it? What if she snapped at me or, worse, pushed me away? I was supposed to go to Korra for comfort and advice, not the other way around!

Feeling more than a little helpless, my grip on my skirt tightened, and my tail began to twitch anxiously. I flinched as it brushed against Korra’s ankle, and she glanced down, a frown creasing her lips. But instead of ignoring it or teasing me, she sighed and lowered the comb. I shrank back as she rested her hand on my head and began to rub gently between my horns.

”Xiviyah,” she said softly, ”I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. I just, well...I don’t like talking about things like this.”

I shivered, biting my lip. ”You don’t trust me?”

”What? No!” she exclaimed, her fingers tightening on my head, gently curling around strands of my hair. ”Why would you even say something like that?”

I lowered my head, my voice barely a whisper. ”I-It’s how I always felt. I just thought you might—”

”It’s not that at all,” she interrupted, her voice firm but gentle. ”I trust you more than anyone else, Xiviyah. Even if Soltair and the church always tried to manipulate you, you don’t have to be scared of telling me anything. I didn’t realize just how much you kept hidden from me, just how terrible the things you’ve seen. You can talk to me.”

”I...no, Korra, this isn’t about me,” I said, my eyes welling up with tears. ”I want to be there for you too.”

She chuckled, the sound genuine this time, and resumed brushing my hair. ”Alright, I promise. But like I said, you don’t have to worry about me too much. I was pretty shocked by the vision, but I think I’m kind of over that now. All I have to do is warn Grace, and everything will be different.”

On that hopeful note, Korra finished and tucked her brush away. I turned, and before she could step away, I embraced her. She stiffened for a moment, then, feeling my tears on her shoulder, relaxed and held me close, stroking my hair tenderly.

”Please don’t be sad anymore,” I mumbled into her shoulder.

”Alright, deal,” she whispered back. ”Now dry your eyes, and let’s get you dressed. We can’t have you leading the army in your nightdress.”

I nodded, and a few minutes later, we emerged from the tent. At first, things seemed normal. Rows of tents covered the gently rolling hills in all directions, and hundreds of soldiers milled about. But I shivered despite myself. There was a hushed, tense air over the camp, like the moments before a thunderstorm. Even the younger soldiers seemed somewhat subdued, continually casting nervous glances over their shoulders toward the east.

Liceria City was far away, reduced to a cluster of pricks on the distant horizon, but it loomed large in the minds of the Last Light Company. They didn’t know what I did, that no hero or powerful inquisitor awaited us. They knew only that Bethiv had ordered them to prepare for an assault and that some of them would not return.

The Star Guard awaited directly outside my tent, seeming equally as tense. Luxxa shifted nervously, her hand never straying far from her sword hilt, and Gith had his bow drawn, though his arrows remained in their quiver. They stiffened as we appeared, and Luxxa gave a sharp salute. But there was one without any signs of stress, and as soon as the Star Guard fell in with us, Jenna nudged my shoulder playfully.

”So unoriginal,” she teased, a glint in her eyes. ”Don’t you have anything else to wear?”

”N-not really,” I stammered, self-consciously picking at my skirt. I’d chosen my usual outfit: a white off-shoulder dress trimmed with red and tied with a red ribbon, complemented by the flower wreath Tana had made me. It was simple, yes, but I loved the soft satin fabric and the memories it held. This was the first dress I’d ever bought, not to mention the only one I owned. As long as it was better than the rags I wore as a slave, what more mattered?

”We’ll have to change that as soon as we take the city. It’s a big enough place I’ve bet they got a few good boutiques, and maybe even a dedicated shoe store!”

I glanced at Korra, but she just grinned mischievously. ”You could definitely use a few new outfits.”

”I’m alright, really,” I protested, feeling a blush creeping up my neck.

Jenna gasped dramatically, sending her hair flying as she shook her head. ”I can’t believe I forgot! We need to get you a really mysterious, flowing robe for whenever you give prophecies. It was a little embarrassing when you didn’t even have a proper gown to wear for that apostle.”

”An evening dress wouldn’t hurt, either,” Korra added, nodding enthusiastically. ”I’m thinking of getting myself a few.”

”I wouldn’t mind seeing that,” the wind mage said, a playful smile on her lips. ”I can think of someone else who’d appreciate it, too. Something a little daring, with a flowing skirt and a low neckline?”

”Ah, that takes me back,” Korra sighed dreamily. ”I don’t think I’ve worn anything like that since those pretentious balls and parties at the Divine Throne.”

The two continued to chat, but I was preoccupied with Jenna’s offhand remark. Someone else would appreciate Korra wearing a nice dress? But who? It wasn’t like she was trying to impress anyone, right?

Aside from my confusion, it was clear the lighthearted conversation was doing wonders for the morale of the others, and not just the Star Guard. First Luxxa, then Gith relaxed, small smiles appearing on their faces. Their grins and confidence spread like wildfire, catching among the army and putting even the most anxious soldiers at ease. They’d all seen battle by now, and seeing those they looked up to acting so casually must have given them a boost of courage. It reminded me of something Bethiv had mentioned long ago: soldiers tended to reflect their leaders.

Bethiv, Jackal, and Joel waited for us outside the command tent. Joel gave me a sharp, characteristic salute while Jackal offered a lazy wave. I smiled, despite myself, and returned a slight curtsy.

”It’s good to see you in high spirits,” Bethiv said warmly. ”After hearing the Hero’s report, I was certain we were in for a hard battle.”

”Hard battle?” I glanced at Korra, puzzled.

She just shrugged. ”Looked like there were a lot of powerful enemies, not to mention those siege weapons. Mana cannons, I think they were called. They might be weak compared to the airship, but we shouldn’t underestimate them.”

I blinked once, tilting my head in confusion. ”But they’re magic.”

She frowned. ”Yeah, but they each have the power of sixth-circle spells. While most of our strong soldiers can withstand it, they could destroy entire battalions of unprotected soldiers. You can’t be everywhere and protect everyone, and even if you could, Nexus only works on a couple hundred soldiers at once, remember?”

”I’m not sure I understand the problem,” I repeated, staring at her blankly.

Bethiv coughed politely. ”Xiviyah, would you mind explaining yourself to us? We’ve spent a long time trying to devise a counter to them, but we simply lack the mages to protect everyone against large-scale magic. If you have any suggestions, I’m all ears.”

Was this really what they were concerned about? I shook my head and rubbed my horn. It probably wasn’t their fault. They’d never had a chance to see what I could do with a healed soul, and even after the duel, they still didn’t understand me, or the power I wielded.

”Korra, Bethiv, I think there’s a misunderstanding here,” I said, my voice growing firmer. ”This is my battle more than it is yours. You weren’t thinking I would stay behind, were you?”

Suddenly, the ground seemed incredibly fascinating, as everyone’s gaze dropped to it—even Korra’s.

I groaned and rubbed my horn in frustration. ”I’ll take care of the magical weapons and any other mages who wish to cause trouble for our army.”

Korra’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with alarm. ”Xiviyah, it’s not safe for you to go onto a battlefield like this. You’ll just—”

”Korra, I’ll be alright,” I interrupted, my voice unwavering. ”Besides, if I’m the only one who remains behind, won’t that just leave me extra vulnerable? I can help if you’ll let me.”

Everyone started grumbling and protesting at once, each with their own reasons why I shouldn’t fight, except for Bethiv, who simply stared at me, waiting. It took me a few seconds to remember what for.

They fell quiet as I swallowed and interrupted again. ”Sorry, I said that wrong. I’m going to fight, regardless of what you say. This is my battle, remember? I’m not going to stay behind when your lives are on the line because of me.”