The Forsaken Hero

I lost track of time as I sobbed in Fyren’s arms, melting in the ferocious heat and comfort of his embrace. He cradled me gently in his powerful arms, stroking my hair as we watched the sun dip below the horizon.

My fear and anguish faded with the setting sun, until, eventually, darkness enveloped us, and my trembling sobs fell still. The last vestiges of sunlight swallowed by the night, revealing the stars arrayed in all their glory, winking at me like flickering candles. They were bright and hopeful, confirming the warmth that filled my heart.

Fyren had returned. He didn’t hate me, nor had he abandoned me.

I smiled as the realization struck me for the fourth, maybe fifth time, and leaned my head contentedly against his chest. Sensing that my tears had passed, he gently patted me on the back and broke the reverent silence of our embrace.

”I’m sorry, Xiviyah, I truly am,” he rumbled softly. ”If you’ll forgive me, I’d like to explain why I broke my word.”

I nodded, unable to trust my voice, and he sighed.

”Do you remember the day we parted?”

”Y-yes,” I managed, my breath still shaky. ”It was after the dragon attacked, and you chased it away.”

He nodded. ”Indeed, though there was more to it than that. I’m certain it was confusing for you at the time, but now that you know my true nature, I trust you understand something of it now.”

I looked up at him, a realization dawning. ”You absorbed all the mana from the city, didn’t you? So many died because of me, and you just...absorbed it all.”

He frowned, gently brushing away a tear that threatened to fall. ”It wasn’t your fault, Xiviyah, not then or ever. But yes, the mana was overwhelming, and not just from the city. That demonkin cult assassinated the ninth-level mage, remember? That enormous influx of power pushed me to the seventh level. I’m...sorry for hurting you then. I’d never imagined having such power, and it was difficult to control.”

A shiver ran down my spine as I recalled that day: him pushing me away as I begged him to stay, the cold, uncontrollable rage in his eyes.

”After I killed the infernal dragon, I couldn’t return to you,” he continued. ”My power had grown past the point the amulet could hide, and revealing my nature would only endanger you. Can you imagine what would have happened if your ally had been proved a demon?”

I shuddered, my tail curling protectively around me. ”They would have killed me without another thought. They wouldn’t have even needed a trial to prove I’d destroyed Western University. Is that why you left? To protect me?”

”Something like that, though the truth goes much deeper. I intended to find you again the moment they revoked your call as a hero, but that blasted Pope set up your transfer in secret. By the time I found that you had been taken to High Valley, it was too late, and you had already teleported out.”

”You were looking for me all that time?” I asked, wonder in my voice. It was exactly like Korra, only she’d managed to find me first. What might have happened if Fyren had found me in Heartland instead of her? What would my life look like now?

Fyren chuckled grimly. ”For all the good that did me. When I located you in Heartland, you were already amassing your own army. Showing up myself would make any chance of working with the humans impossible, but you needed your own kind. While I could have protected you from that bastard king, you needed something I couldn’t provide. You needed to heal.”

I nodded, hugging him tighter as the night chill rose, caressing my back. ”And Kahlen?”

He huffed, and I could hear the disdain in his voice. ”That blinded fool? He practically begged me to let him meet you. I trust he behaved himself well?”

”I suppose, though most of the demons he arrived with were gone. There’s just Wisp and he left now.”

”Wisp?”

”Oh, he’s the curse demon. I asked him to protect a child who’s very precious to me, and she named him Wisp.”

Fyren chuckled, a deep, grating sound. ”Interesting. I didn’t think it possible for one of the devoted to go soft on one who’s not their Cause.”

”Kahlen mentioned that too. The Devoted, that is. What are they?”

He started to reply, but paused as I yawned, my eyes slipping closed. I’d forgotten my exhaustion in the emotion of our reunion, but it hadn’t remained dormant for long. I blushed softly as he smiled at me, and shook his head ruefully.

”Alright, that’s your last question. Then I’m getting you to bed?”

I nodded, fighting to stay awake long enough to sate my curiosity.

”The devoted are an... interesting faction amongst the demons. They are beings who have grown tired of the endless battle for power and evolution. Instead, they seek mortal causes in worlds and devote themselves to them. It might be difficult to understand why a demon would care about something like that, but the cause itself isn’t important. We simply desire a reason to fight beyond the mindless slaughter and thirst for power.”

”Is that why they never tried to devour my soul?” I asked, voice slurred with exhaustion.

He nodded. ”That, and I commanded them with my soul mark. In case there’s any confusion,” he added with a gentle smile, ”The faction has designated you as the cause in this world. Any who manage to sneak into one of the gates will rally to our side as soon as they can.”

I was a ’Cause?’ I didn’t truly understand what that meant or the possible ramifications, but it felt awfully trite and superficial. I recoiled from Fyren, feeling hurt. ”Is that all I am to you? Just a random cause to attach yourself to subdue your boredom?”

He shook his head quickly, afraid I’d actually believe that thought. Now that he’d revealed the truth, I wasn’t sure I didn’t, but I settled back in his arms, content to at least hear him out. That, and I was feeling too weak to support myself without leaning on him.

”I speak of the Devoted in a detached manner because I’m not truly one of them. A demon must be the fifth level and have received an evolved state to affiliate with the faction. I was but a scout chosen to infiltrate this world and learn of the experiments and preparations the gods were undergoing here and to find weak points to aid the apostles in amassing a horde. I must successfully survive this realm and return to receive any sort of recognition as one in the faction.”

”Is this about the great war Fate prophesied of?”

He nodded, picking me up in his arms. I tried to protest, but even my tail was tired, dangling limp in his grasp. I felt like a child who’d stayed up too late and now had to be put to bed by their parents. Looking at it objectively, I supposed that wasn’t far from the truth.

”Indeed, you’ve done a splendid job of tossing all their plans straight to hell. I don’t think a single thing’s gone right on either side, and it’s all just a massive mess right now. Regardless, I was chosen because of my low soul level and unusual intelligence for a simple evolved demon. But the moment I saw you, and witnessed your beauty and magnificence, all thoughts of fulfilling my mission vanished.”

I nodded, and he chuckled, smoothing a lock of hair away from my eyes as they fluttered, struggling to remain open. I wanted to listen to him, but every word felt more and more distant, my body refusing to cooperate. Without the pain of the sunpurge, I felt in perfect condition, and it was easy to forget how weak my body still was. However, R’lissea hadn’t been lying when she said I still had a long way to go to recover.

”My apologies, I’ll stop rambling,” he said, smiling. ”To make a long story short, I contacted the Devoted and managed to convince them to declare you as their Cause for this world, ensuring you’ll have allies among the demons no matter what happens. From there, I focused on causing as much destruction to draw the church off your back so you could accomplish whatever goals you had among Brithlite. I’ll admit, I was surprised when I rescued you and found Elise, but...”

His voice faded with the rest of the world as I finally lost my tenuous hold on consciousness and slipped into sleep. His entire body emanated warmth, blazing like a hearty campfire. It sapped my will to stay awake, soothing my thoughts and lulling me to sleep. It reminded me of Fable, which left a tinge of loneliness in my heart, and I remembered how important it was that I summoned him. Korra and the others had to know I was alive. Not knowing must be killing them.

That was the last thought before I slipped away, safe and secure in Fyren’s arms. He had come back to me at last.