The Forsaken Hero

Incinderus led us from the massive cavern to the biggest tunnel in the gate. I clung close to Fyren, peering over my shoulder at the demons gathered around us. They remained at a distance, parting as we approached, but came together after we passed. Even though I’d withdrawn my aura, every one of their eyes was locked onto me, filled with lust and hunger. It was suffocating and constricting. I wished Fable were here, so that I could pet him.

”Has it truly been so long since you’ve entered this realm?” Incinderus asked.

Fyren shrugged. ”I was on the first demon gate to break through the dimensional walls. Barely a few years by Enusia’s time.”

The demon lord’s claws tapped together. ”I still can’t believe you had the temerity to attempt that. What would you have done if the gods caught on to your plan? We would have lost the pendant for good.”

Fyren pulled on the golden chain around his neck, bringing the arbiter’s amulet from beneath his shirt. It glittered in the flickering firelight of the gate, spinning slowly as it dangled from his fingers. I stared, biting my lip to keep from making any noise, trying not to breathe. I even grabbed my tail, doing everything I could to keep from reminding them I was here. With a little luck, they might forget about me and keep talking, and I could finally get some answers.

”I believe my reports understated how well things went. The Sun Hero was aggressively, perhaps even proactively, ignorant of my nature, and Xiviyah here...” I shivered as he glanced at me. ”Well, she understood secrets better than anyone.”

I nodded meekly. I still remembered how terrified I was of exposing Adaptive Resistance. I hardly had time to worry about Fyren or where he had come from. But now that it was over...

Gathering my courage, I tugged on Fyren’s sleeve, drawing his gaze again.

”Um, Fyren? How are you in Enusia? Where did you come from?” I asked.

He blinked. ”I assumed you figured it out already. I was the original gate commander of the first fire gate. This pendant allows the user to fool the realm into thinking it’s a native. I slipped out of the gate when it first appeared, leaving my second in command to assume control. It was a simple matter of pretending to be an adventurer and reporting, gaining the Sun Hero’s trust.”

”But you were so weak,” I said. Then flushing. ”Ah, I mean, you were only fourth level.”

Fyren’s smile tightened. ”I’m afraid certain...sacrifices were required. The amulet has many useful abilities, but lowering the weight of a soul to the degree necessary to enter a low-level gate is beyond it.”

Incinderus nodded. ”Indeed. It’s designed to allow arbiters to function in mortal realms by restricting their power to the ninth level. If it’s possible to do more than that, we wouldn’t be able to figure it out.”

I thought about that for a moment before another question bubbled up.

”Why did you want to find the Sun Hero?”

”My original role was to assess the abilities of the heroes and divine defenses. This realm wasn’t meant to become the warzone it has. The Emperors planned to test the efficacy of the apostles and launch a token invasion. But that was before I discovered you.”

”Indeed,” Incinderus said. ”I couldn’t believe it when the Lord of Ash’s report came through. To think Fate had actually called a hero. Her last hero. That, alone, was enough to pique our interest.”

”You know Fate?” I asked.

It was a silly question, as everyone knew the gods. But to them, it was different. They were immortal beings who lived for tens of thousands of years.

Fyren’s expression hardened, becoming more guarded. ”I met her in your realm, if you recall.”

My tail slumped. They hadn’t forgotten.

”Then, um, what do you want? Why am I so important to you? And what really are the devoted?”

The two demons exchanged glances.

”Devoted?” Incinderus asked.

Fyren coughed. ”We didn’t have a name for our faction at the time. So I, er, created one.”

”Ah, I see. But why ’Devoted?’ It’s weak.”

They both paused, looking back at me. I had stopped walking, rooted in place. I stared at Fyren, lips parted, but no sound came out.

”Xiviyah?” Fyren asked.

His voice jarred me from my stupor.

”Youmadeit up?” I whispered. ”All of it? The devoted, you wanting to serve me...none of it was real?”

My tail grew agitated, flicking back and forth. I looked up, pleadingly, searching his eyes. It had to be a lie. They had all accepted my mark, right? Why would they do that?

”Xiviyah, it isn’t what you think,” Fyren said.

”I...I trusted you. I knew you were hiding things from me, but I...I...”

I stumbled to the side, coming up hard against the wall. It was rough and abrasive, pure igneous rock, but I sank against it, sliding to the ground. Tears gathered, blurring my vision.

”I didn’t lie. Everything I said was true, to one degree or another.”

”That you had no agenda? That you were bored with eternity and were looking for a cause to serve? I was so happy when you said that. Even if it was for a frivolous reason, and you would move on as soon as I was gone, I was happy.”

Fyren crouched in front of me.

”I may have disguised the truth about many things, but only to protect you. You aren’t ready to know the answers to your questions. Could you imagine if I had told you everything before the inquisitors captured you? Would you have the courage and strength to keep it from them? You would have nothing but enemies.”

”I...I...” I swallowed a sob.

His words stung deeply. Not because they were cruel, but because they were right.

”Are you saying you didn’t know I was involved in something greater? You didn’t think to question why tens of thousands of demons offered their soul to a mortal, why even a demon lord accepted your mark?”

” I...I may have felt something was off, but I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to believe you were the same as everyone else. I thought...I thought you were different...”

”We are different. That’s the whole problem. Everyone is our enemy,” Fyren grumbled.

I struggled to take a deep breath, laying a hand on my chest. It was painfully tight, choked with the sob pinned in my throat.

”Xiviyah, listen to me.”

Fyren’s voice was stern and serious. He tilted my chin up, making me meet his gaze. I was shocked by the warmth in his eyes.

”I’ve only ever acted in alignment with our mission. Do you know what that means?”

I shook my head.

”Things would have played out exactly the same if you had known all this time. I wouldn’t have said or done anything different. It’s not in my nature.”

”So what you said that you wouldn’t abandon me...?”

”I meant every word. Regardless of the circumstance, regardless of how you think of our relationship, I will protect you. Even if you decide to fight against my cause, I can’t let you die.”

”But why? What did I do?”

”This plan was laid well before you even existed. We didn’t know, then, how we could accomplish it. But then you appeared, and in order for it to succeed, you must play your part. I don’t know what that part is, or how you will accomplish it, but there is no doubt of your importance. There is no one who can replace you, no one else to carry the burden. And so, there is a chance. Even if you hate me and turn aside, that chance will live on as long as you do.”

”I don’t understand. What is it you want? What are you trying so hard to accomplish?”

Fyren sighed, easing back on his heels, letting me go. He rubbed his head, his eyes far away and distant.

”We’re dying, Xiviyah. Demons, gods, all of us.”

”Fyren!” Incinderus growled. ”You say too much.”

”Dying?” I whispered. ”But you’re immortal. You can’t die.”

Fyren shook his head. ”And there lies the greatest irony in all of existence. The only immortals are, well, mortals. You alone continue on forever, living life after life, traveling the realms free and untethered. But we immortals...we’re stuck with the life we’re given. You can be hurt, tortured, and killed, but the slate is wiped clean in every life. Our losses transcend death. Falling as an immortal can mean falling forever.”

It was such a lonely, tragic thought. The thought of death rarely scared me. It meant an end to the suffering, an end to the pain. It’s always there, waiting, a promise of peace. What if I had been forced to continue on with my last life forever? What if I hadn’t been reborn and started again? I might have found a way to claw myself out of the gutter, but the scars and pain would be there forever. They had laid the foundation of the darkness in this life. What if that were extended for eternity?

Tears rolled down my cheeks. I blinked them away, scrubbing my face with my sleeve. Fyren didn’t look scary anymore. He didn’t look like he betrayed me. He was as passive and expressionless as always.

But to me, he just looked sad.