The Forsaken Hero

”Show me again,” Emlica said.

Starry light wrapped around me as I flared Adaptive Resistance. My soul shivered with the effort, and my breath turned erratic. After a few seconds, I let it go, slumping onto soft, plush cushions on the library’s couch.

”I don’t think I should try anymore,” I said, panting lightly.

Emlica frowned, clicking her tongue. ”Such a weak constitution.” she sighed, and shook her head. ”But I suppose there’s no helping it.”

As Fate suggested, I went to the library and immediately asked the old librarian for help studying Adaptive Resistance. It had taken her some coaxing, but eventually, she convinced me to show her what I’d done against the Crystal Enchantment. Now, as I felt faint with exhaustion, it became obvious why R’lissea banned me from using my soul.

”This is the first time I’ve encountered such an ability as yours,” she mused, ”But it’s not unlike some of the other remnants. If I remember right, Invica’s shield functions on a similar principle.”

”So does Luke’s curse magic,” I said softly.

She raised an eyebrow. ”Oh?”

”It’s where I got the idea in the first place. His curses deconstruct runes and siphon the mana for their own purposes.”

”I can’t imagine it would be any easier on his soul,” she said.

I shook my head. ”He doesn’t assimilate their mana. The curse itself just burns it for extra power.”

”So it’s not the same, then. This is more drawing mana directly from a shard.”

I rubbed my horn, a thoughtful frown on my face. ”But that doesn’t hurt as this does.”

”Take a look at this. Is it similar?”

Emlica waved her hand, summoning a seventh-circle spell. It resolved into a golden haze of fog drifting in a loose clump above her palm. She cast a third-circle lightning spell, sending the crackling bolt into its depths. The lightning dissipated, releasing its mana into the surrounding strands of fate.

My eyes widened. ”I-it is! How did you do that?”

Her lip curled into a smug smile. ”I’ve been formulating a spell to mimic your ability since I first laid eyes on it. It’s a good deal weaker and far less efficient, but it uses the same principle.”

”That’s great! Even if I’m too weak, we can still study!” I said, clapping in delight.

She regarded me with a wrinkle in her brow. ”You’re not even a little uncomfortable? I just stole the secrets of one of your abilities.”

A tremor raced down my tail, sending it twitching back and forth. I stroked it, calming the murmur in my heart. ”It’s not like that, is it? We’re friends, and I...I trust you.”

The arch of her eyebrow could have bridged a river. ”We are? We’ve barely known each other a week.”

I laid a hand on my chest, fingers curled into a loose fist. ”You and the other remnants are so kind and warm. you’ve seen so much and could betray me in a second, but I don’t believe you will. I can feel it here.”

”Hmph, foolish child. You should guard your secrets more jealously.”

The old remnant’s reprimand stung, but she hummed lightly as she manipulated the spell, a smile tugging her lips. It might have been my imagination, but I felt the bond with Haven warm slightly.

”Alright, let’s try this,” she said after a few minutes.

She cast the Static Aegis spell but held it a hair from completion. She waved her other hand and used the magic replicating Adaptive Resistance. Instead of forming an array, however, she broke apart the weave of the latter, reducing it to a chaotic bunch of golden runes and tangled threads of mana.

I watched in awe as the remnant began binding the magic circles of the Aegis with the fragments of starry light. She wrapped it like a sheath around a sword, clothing it like Adaptive Resistance enveloped my soul.

Emlica finished with a sharp nod. ”Done. Let’s give it a shot.”

She cast her lightning spell again, zapping the Aegis. Instead of touching the golden shield, it diffused through the layer of Adaptive Resistance. Instead of flowing into the surrounding threads of fate, the mana soaked into the starry light. The golden glow of the Aegis intensified.

”You did it!” I said.

She smiled and waved me off. ”Your praise is misplaced. It was you who came up with the idea. And were your body and soul not in disarray, I’m certain you would have done the same.”

”What did you do with that spell? I’ve never seen runes used like that,” I said.

”Ah, that. It is simply an extension of my ability, called Fate Shaper. It allows me to do many wonderous things with mana.”

”Oh.” I looked down, rubbing the hem of my skirt between my fingers. ”I’d hoped I could do it too. But I guess that would be too easy.”

”Nothing in magic is ever easy, child. But now you have a direction. Come by any time you like, and I’ll show it to you again.”

”Thank you,” I said, tightening my grip on my skirt and offering a small curtsey. ”But please, tell me if I’m ever a bother. Elise always says I love magic too much, and I--”

”As if I would tire of discussing magic! And with one so young and enthusiastic!” she huffed. ”Don’t you mind that foolish girl. There is little more important than the pursuit of knowledge. So don’t you ever hesitate to ask.”

”Yes, Lady Emlica,” I said meekly.

She nodded her head in satisfaction. ”Good. Now run along now. I shan’t have you fainting under my watch.”

I left with another curtsy, humming quietly as I made my way out of the library. After the tense confrontation with Magic and the exhaustive hours of researching, my strength was waning. But despite the unsteady waver of my mana, there was a small swish in my tail and a bounce to my step as I found Fable outside, waiting patiently with his head on his paws.

”We did it!” I cried, throwing my arms around his neck.

He whined and gave me a lick on the cheek, causing me to giggle and bury my face in his mane. Even though he was lying down, his head came up to my shoulders, and his body was easily twenty feet long.

”I thought this was your small form,” I said, rubbing my cheek against his fur. ”You’re so big now. I don’t even know if I can climb on.”

He whined in protest, tail sweeping over the overgrown cobblestone of the library courtyard. I laughed and pulled back, waiting for him to extend his forelimb before scampering onto his back. Peering over his shoulder made me swoon, my stomach twisting. It wasn’t even ten feet, but the ground felt a long way off.

I settled in, gripping him with my thighs. The astral breeze tugged at my hair as we moved across the realm, bounding from one island to the next. Reaching up, I ran my hand through a long, wavy curl. It shone in the starlight but wasn’t quite as shiny as when R’lissea brushed it.

I let my hand fall back to Fable’s fur and let out a long, melancholy sigh. They hadn’t returned, even after I worked so hard for them. They would have been proud of me, right?

”It’s fine, as long as you’re here,” I whispered, resting my head on Fable’s shoulder.

His reassuring growl reverberated through his throat. I hadn’t taken Fate seriously when she’d recommended I find Fable today but, lulled by the gentle, rolling slopes of his stride, my exhaustion became readily apparent. My eyelids fluttered, and the next thing I knew, we were stopped before the inn. A golden, glowing remnant bent over me, shaking my shoulder gently.

”Overdid it again, my Lady?” Rivlitt asked.

I cringed, warmth creeping through my drowsiness to color my cheeks. ”J-just a little tired. And it’s Xiviyah.”

He picked me up from Fable’s back, hefting me in his arms like I was a child. ”Defeated, eh? You look the part. I’m surprised you even woke up.”

”That’s not what I--”

I broke off in a yawn, and he chuckled. As he turned toward the inn, I reached out, catching ahold of Fable’s fur.

”Please,” I said, ”Don’t leave.”

”You know the rules, my Lady,” Rivlitt said. ”No animals in the inn.”

”He’s not an animal,” I said, hiding another yawn. ”He’s Fable. Please?”

He was quiet a moment, then let out a sigh. ”Fine, but only tonight.”

”Thanks,” I said, curling up against his chest. Even though he was ghostly translucent, he was surprisingly solid.

The remnant left me in my room, curled up on my bed. My eyelids were heavy, but I struggled into a nightdress before collapsing onto Fable. He wrapped around me, and, enveloped in his fur, I drifted off to sleep.

Scarcely had my eyes closed then the visions circled in.