The Forsaken Hero

”...and then Emlika found me a seventh-level tome. She’s been great, and I think I’m almost ready to break through!” Elise said, chatting cheerily between bits.

”Already? I think it was only a few months ago you reached sixth,” I said.

I ate with my left hand, carefully ladling the savory broth one small bite at a time. I was normally right-handed, but R’lissea hadn’t let my hand go since I sat down, holding it tightly under the table.

”Isn’t that how quickly you broke through?” she asked.

R’lissea shook her head, voice still quiet and a little subdued. ”You shouldn’t compare yourself to someone like me or Xiviyah. Heroic souls are designed differently, right?”

She glanced at me uncertainly, and I nodded.

”It’s true, and I wouldn’t push myself too far yet. Your mana hasn’t quite caught up with your skill. I’m not sure you’ll be able to complete a seventh-circle spell yet.”

”Oh?” Elise’s face fell. ”I was hoping...well, you know...to catch up a bit. But I guess that’s not possible now that you’ve eighth.”

”You can still catch up to me,” R’lissea said, giving her an encouraging, if strained, smile. ”I’m still only seventh.”

Elise sighed, resting her chin on her hands in dejection. ”Right. But by the time I break through, you’ll probably be eighth.”

”Is there something wrong with the sixth level?” A quiet voice asked.

I jumped, drawn to the speaker. It was the remnant, Rivlitt, from behind the counter. Neither Elise nor R’lissea reacted much other than to glance at him.

”Sorry, Oracle, I didn’t mean to startle you,” the translucent man said with a small smile.

I quickly looked away, flushing. ”It’s nothing I just...hadn’t heard you speak yet. I didn’t know if you could...um, you know...”

”Speak?” His chuckle was a deep, baritone rumble in his chest. ”Every remnant can speak, Oracle. It’s just that, after all these years, we have little to say.”

”Not much to say? You were sure quick to criticize my table manners,” Elise said, glaring at him. ”I was trained in a royal court, you know.”

The remnant’s face remained expressionless. ”I would like to meet the one responsible for overseeing young education in that kingdom. Your technique was simply barbaric. Who places two fingertips on the upper face of a utensil?”

Elise huffed and tossed her hair in a ripple of gold. ”You’re too old-fashioned. This is common etiquette in Enusia, and every noble eats this way. And look at that! You haven’t criticized Xiviyah once! She’s almost dropped her spoon twice since she sat down!”

I ducked my head as I very nearly fumbled my spoon for a third time. R’lissea giggled and released my hand, wearing a genuine smile. My tail flicked as I returned the utensil to my normal grip, only for Elise to point at me again.

”See? She doesn’t use any technique!”

The remnant sniffed. ”While I cannot deny her lack of poise, she has some excuse.”

I nodded, tail flicking against the leg of my chair. ”I...the church taught me some, but they were more worried I knew how to curtsey and address each lord and lady with difference to their status.”

”Exactly,” the remnant nodded. ”It probably pleased those graceless monsters to see her eat like an animal with the slaves.”

My tail grew more agitated, and I lowered my head further. ”I’m sorry.”

”It’s not your fault,” R’lissea said, glaring at the Remnant, then Elise. ”And you two can be a bit more polite.”

”Of course, my Lady. Simply proving a point,” the remnant said, lip curved in a smug grin.

Elise rolled her eyes. ”Fine, whatever. And sorry, Xiviyah. Didn’t mean to drag you into it.”

My spoon hovered halfway to the broth, held self-consciously in a grip I now knew as barbaric. Was I supposed to ignore them and keep eating? Or should I ask how it was supposed to be done?

”To continue where I was so rudely interrupted,” the remnant said, ”What exactly do you think is wrong with being sixth-level?”

”What? Nothing, I guess,” Elise said.

The remnant nodded. ”Exactly. Otherwise, I’d think you were trying to insult me.”

”You’re only sixth level? But I thought all the remnants were heroes in other worlds. Surely you...”

I trailed off as the remnant fixed me with an icy look.

”Of course I was stronger in the flesh, like the others, but the millennia have been long and hard for us. Our strength was tied to Fate’s Divine Kingdom, and once it fell, we lost much of what we once were. Now, we are bound to this realm, Haven as you call it.”

He picked up another mug and began to polish it with the same, deliberate motions that marked everything he did. A small smile creased his face. ”I could take any of you in a fight, though. My skills have been honed by that same time which weakens me.”

”I’d rather not,” I muttered, deciding just to eat normally. If they really had a problem with my technique, they could bring it up personally.

”I guess you’re right, it’s not so bad. At least I have a chance to keep growing,” Elise said.

”That’s the spirit. You young ones are so filled with life, it makes me jealous,” the remnant said.

The conversation drew on as we finished our meal. I ended up sharing much of my experiences in the city, though I censored much of the suffering in the abandoned district, and the exchange I had with Verity. My appetite was small, but I forced myself to finish the portion of broth the remnant provided. I hadn’t eaten in weeks, and even if I didn’t feel it, my body needed strength.

As I sipped the final bit, my left hand fell to my side, dangling in the air. R’lissea glanced at me with an odd look, head tilted slightly.

”Looking for something?”

I glanced down and froze, cheeks warming as I found my fingers half-curled as if reaching for something. ”Um...not really.”

”You’re still looking for him?” Elise asked, giggling. ”He’s just outside, you know.”

I rubbed my horn, tail twitching. ”We don’t have to...”

”I think we do,” R’lissea said, grinning. She rose and took my hand, lifting me from my seat.

”Why isn’t he here?” I asked, not meeting their eyes. ”He should have come by now.”

”Aren’t we good enough for you? Why do you need that smelly mutt anyway?” Elise teased.

”I just...he’s...”

I fumbled for the words, gripping my sleeves tightly. How could I explain the hollowness in my chest?

R’lissea laid a hand on my shoulder, her smile gentle. ”It’s alright; it’s good for you to get some fresh air.”

”But Fate said–”

”To not push yourself.” Elise shrugged. ”Yeah, we know. She made us promise not to stress you too much. But I’m with R’lissea here. I think you’ll want to see this, anyway.”

”See what?” I asked.

”Come on,” she said, taking my hand and leading me toward the door. She called after us, ”Thanks for the meal!”

I paused, pulling free and giving the remnant a curtsy. ”Yes, thank you.”

Rivlitt smiled over the counter. ”It wasn’t fancy, but I thought you might appreciate something lighter after sleeping for so long. Come back anytime.”

With that said, I finally allowed the two girls to pull me along after them. The moment we stepped free of the inn, a compressed wave of light washed over us. I flinched, gripping R’lissea’s sleeve tightly, but the shockwave only carried enough force to lift my hair.

Another shockwave followed hot on the heels of the first, dark and filled with sixth-level mana. It bore Luke’s aura, so I dove behind R’lissea, only to relax as it carried the same strength as the first.

”It’s alright, the realm suppressed shockwaves,” the elf explained.

”Is someone fighting?” I asked, tentatively peeking over her shoulder.

”That’s about all there is to do here,” Elise said, skipping ahead of us. ”If you’re not studying in the library, that is.”

I pursed my lips, gazing through the islands in the direction the shockwaves were coming from. It was the same direction Fable’s aura came from.

”He’s not dueling someone, is he?” I asked.

”Just come on, you’ll see when we get there,” Elise said over her shoulder.

I sighed and let the questions drop, following after them on the floating pathways of Haven. The remnants gathered around us as we walked, watching quietly, yet warmly. My gaze lingered on them as we passed, studying their faces and garbs, curious of the stories they carried.

Were they all like Rivlitt? I found it hard to reconcile their stoic, graceful appearance with the quirky remnant, but hadn’t he seemed the same before? Who’d have thought the stern innkeeper had a passion for court etiquette?

Wondering about the remnants was almost enough to distract me from the constant shockwaves sweeping through the realm. It took us nearly ten minutes to traverse the realm, passing into a part I’d never traveled. The islands were large and flat here, reminding me of fields, but completely barren.

”There they are. The Colosseum,” Elise said, gesturing toward a large, mountainous island, floating some distance beneath the one we stood atop.

I came up short as we caught sight of a battle raging in the island’s center. My heart sank, and I groaned, rubbing my horn.

”Of course he is. Why would he bother waiting for me when there’s a battle to be fought?” I mumbled.

R’lissea giggled. ”Don’t blame him too much, alright? You’ve been asleep for a long time. It’s only fair if he takes the chance to stretch himself.”

I shook my head. ”He knew the moment I woke up. Don’t worry, I’m not bitter. It’s just–wait, is he fighting Luke?”