The Forsaken Hero

”Well, this is interesting,” Fyren said, his gaze dropping to his hands. He closed and opened his fingers, skin glowing faintly with flickering flames. ”Even as a scion, I never received the mark of a divine being. It feels... tingly.”

”A divine being? You mean me?” I asked tentatively.

”Indeed. Your mana is tainted by the gods, just as mine is infernal. But fret not, I quite like it,” he said quickly, patting his hands soothingly. ”Now, I imagine it’s quite uncomfortable for you, so I’ll get these bastards under control.”

A wave of mana emanated from him, washing over me. For a moment, it seemed to flow into the Nexus, but it went deeper than that, to a bond I hadn’t realized existed. The voices of the demons went silent, leaving me alone with my thoughts for the first time since I’d marked them. Only Borealis remained, his presence nestled beside Fable.

When I glanced at Fyren, he simply shrugged. ”He wanted to remain with you.”

I opened my mouth to ask how it all worked and what I could use the mark for, but before I could, a pulse of mana erupted before us. Fyren’s aura spiked, flames licking at his body, and I instinctively tightened my hold on Luke.

The shadows of the night coalesced into the silhouette of a broad-shouldered demonkin. It was tall and masculine, wearing a sword on its hip. Its aura was powerful, causing the air to shiver and clench around us.

As the figure looked around, the darkness dissipated, revealing a familiar face.

”Luke?” I gasped, looking uncertainly between the apostle in my arms and the one standing above me.

The new Luke stepped out of the lingering shadows, his eyes darting around. A low growl rumbled in Fyren’s throat, but the apostle ignored him, looking directly at Luke lying on the ground. His eyes narrowed.

”What happened? Is he alright?” Luke asked.

I nodded, voice catching in my throat. ”You...but you’re...”

Luke glanced at me, a slight crease in his brow. His eyes were dark and striking as ever, yet they lacked the warmth he normally beheld me with, sending a shiver down my spine. Even more confusing was that his soul was just as remembered, but...so was the one in my lap.

”So you’re both alive,” Luke murmured, pursing his lips.

His voice was Luke’s, and yet, it wasn’t. His tone was slightly off, and the inflections didn’t sound right coming out of his mouth. The corner of his lips twitched in a faint smirk. it was a familiar gesture, but not when I’d ever seen from Luke.

”Jessia,” I gasped, tail going stiff.

Luke’s face contorted in a pout. ”Aww, you could tell? I guess you really are brighter than that damnable hero. What was it that gave it away?”

”Your soul,” I muttered, glancing over it again. ”It’s...wavering slightly.”

Jessia’s aura almost perfectly matched Luke’s, but the edges were loose and formless, leaking inconsistent amounts of power. Her aura dilated with the discrepancies, revealing a tangled web of mana bolstering her far above her normal seventh-level power. There was no substance to it, but it was a compelling illusion nonetheless.

Luke glided toward me and crouched, reaching out and tilting my chin up with the crook of his finger. Even though I knew it was only Jessia, my heart fluttered as I gazed into those dark eyes, captivated by her gaze. Mustering my strength, I tried to pull away but froze as her thumb brushed my cheek the exact same as Luke had before we’d fallen into the city.

”I’ve gotten a little better, haven’t I?” she asked with a small grin. ”You picked me out right away in Brithlite, but now, even though it’s Luke, you still aren’t sure.”

She held me captive a moment longer, her skin warm against mine. Then, just as suddenly, she let my chin drop, the mirth fading from her eyes.

”How did this happen?” she asked, staring at me intently. ”How could you remain alive if even Luke is unconscious?”

My gaze dropped, a slight blush suffusing my cheeks. ”I...I would have died. He protected me, but he...he was hurt.”

”Hurt? He seems fine,” Jessia said.

”I healed him,” I mumbled.

She stood and glanced at Fyren, raising an eyebrow. He regarded her coldly, arms folded across his chest.

”Drop the disguise, apostle. There’s no need for you to maintain this charade. You’re unnerving her,” he growled.

Jessia’s lip curled in a flirtatious smile. ”Is that so?”

She leaned forward, putting Luke’s face a whisper from mine. He was so close I could feel the warmth radiating from his skin, and his breath soft against my skin.

A small, constricted squeak escaped my throat, and I shrank away, blushing furiously. My eyes darted everywhere, yet they were always drawn back to his.

”We’re going to have a lot of fun with this,” Jessia whispered, winking at me. She glanced at Fyren, who glowered at her, and added, ”Later, of course.”

She lingered a little longer before pulling away. I slumped like a puppet with its strings cut, letting out a ragged breath. My tail curled helplessly around my knees, the tip swishing against Luke’s side.

”You’re adorable when you’re flustered,” Jessia’s voice sounded in my ear, returning to her normal, feminine tone.

I jumped, looking up, but Jessia had vanished. The skin on the back of my neck prickled, but before I could turn, a long, slender finger traced my jaw, turning my head until I met Jessia’s eyes. She’d returned to her normal appearance and knelt behind me.

Something hot and wet trickled onto my arm, and I glanced down, startled at the sight of a drop of crimson blood. Jessia frowned and pulled away, rubbing her shoulder.

”J-Jessia? Are you alright?” I asked, my voice a slightly higher pitch than normal.

She shrugged, but her smile turned a little tight. A trickle of blood ran between her fingers, staining her dark leather arm guard.

”It’s nothing,” she said, turning away. ”Just a small cut.”

”Was it Connor?” I asked softly.

A small, almost imperceptible shiver ran through her, and her fingers dug deeper into her arm.

”He was stronger than I anticipated,” she murmured, letting her hand fall back to her side. ”His undead overwhelmed our horde even after the purple enchantment faded.”

”Why did you fight him? His abilities are at their strongest in the middle of a battlefield. The more he kills, the stronger he gets. And you...um, well, Luke should have fought him. So what...what was he even doing?” I asked in a whisper.

”Whatever the hell he wants,” she grumbled, rolling her eyes.

I frowned. ”But I thought he was...I mean, you could have taken the city so much faster. I’m grateful he happened to save me, but why would he come back alone?”

”It’s a secret,” she said with a wink.

Fyren snorted, a small jet of flame flickering from his nostrils. ”That’s enough games, apostle. Xiviyah is exhausted, so be forthcoming.”

Jessia stuck her tongue out at him. ”If she can’t figure that one out, it wouldn’t do any good for me to tell her, would it?”

”I suppose that’s true,” the fire demon muttered. ”but don’t you think it’s time to move? Xiviyah’s exhausted, and I won’t have her sitting in the street any longer than necessary.”

”Fair enough,” Jessia said, rubbing her arm again. ”I could use a bed myself.”

I suppressed a yawn, glancing at the sleeping demonkin helplessly. ”I...I don’t think I can lift him,” I admitted. ”I’m a little tired right now.”

”Oh, that won’t be a problem,” Jessia said with a grin. ”Hey Luke, don’t you think it’s time to stop pretending? You’re being a bother.”

I choked as Luke suddenly shifted, my heart leaping in my throat. His eyes met mine, and a gentle smile broke his face, filling the world with a warmth that scattered my thoughts.

”L-Luke?” I stammered.

Heat crept up my neck, and my tail began to twitch. Suddenly, I was conscious of my hand trailing through his hair and the warmth of his head against the bare skin of my thighs. I was...he was...

I let out a strangled cry and lurched back, face burning. ”I...I’m sorry! I don’t know what I was--”

”Xiviyah, it’s alright,” Luke said, gaining his feet in a blur of motion. ”I rather enjoyed it.”

He gave me a warm smile, which left my heart fluttering madly. I clasped my hands in my lap and squirmed as Jessia giggled. Fyren shook his head and muttered something under his breath, but even he wore a small smile.

Fable rose and padded to my side. His tail wrapped around my back and pulled me against his flank. I collapsed against his flank, burying my head in his fur and trying to ignore the furious lashing of my tail. I’d assumed Luke was exhausted after his fight and dealing with the sunpurge, but had he been awake the whole time? Were eighth-level bodies really that resilient?

Heat crept up my neck as I realized I’d been petting him like he were a little kid who needed comforting. Why hadn’t he said anything? Wasn’t he embarrassed? Why did he look like he actually enjoyed it?

And how was it that in a single instant, all of the pain, loneliness, and darkness of the last few days became so insignificant? Right now, I wanted nothing more than to crash land in that abandoned city all over again, if only to escape Luke’s bemused smile.