The Forsaken Hero

I looked around the cavern, trying to remember which of the hundreds of tunnels we’d come from. Fyren nudged me, nodding toward the far wall.

”T-this way?” I asked.

He nodded, and we set off across the cavern. As before, the demons parted and closed around us, but there was something different about them. They no longer felt as hungry or menacing as before. Each of them bore my mark, and with it came an intrinsic sense of respect. When they lowered their heads, I got the feeling it wasn’t just in respect for the demon lord.

”With some direction, we reached the entrance room. The entrance crystal was glowing brightly, like the gate core had before it cracked.

”By stimulating the mana, you’ll initiate the break,” Incinderus said. ”At that point, every demon in the gate will have the ability to leave directly. They won’t need to touch the crystal, just will themselves out. The dimensional restrictions placed on the gate will vanish, allowing anyone of any origin to enter or leave. However, once it is broken, the gate will only persist for a day before collapsing.”

”So I just touch it again?” I asked.

He nodded and stepped back. I reached out and touched it, feeling the same, chaotic swell as before. It seemed like all the mana that had escaped the core had collected here. I gave it an experimental nudge, which proved to be enough.

The mana left the crystal with a whoosh, vanishing out of the realm. I couldn’t tell exactly how it had left, or where it was going, but the gate started to quake again. This time, it only lasted a few seconds. A strange sensation pressed against my soul, like the moment I touched the portal to Heaven.

”Well done,” Incinderus said. ”Now, I think I’ve spent enough time here. It’s time I see Enusia for myself.”

Taking his words as permission, I embraced the feeling, and the gate twisted around me. Swirls of red enveloped me as the ground fell away, and I was overcome by severe vertigo. The next thing I knew, I was tumbling out of the gate into Enusia. Fable was there, pressing his flank against my side, steadying me. He had returned to his small form, fortunately.

”Xiviyah! Are you alright?” Elise asked, running up to me.

R’lissea and Zephyriss were right behind her. The storm demon hovered a foot in the air, looking bored. I leaned against Fyren, focusing on taking deep breaths. The uncomfortable pressure the fire gate exerted on my soul was gone, letting my aura run free again. It was like taking off boots at the end of a long day of hiking.

The gate rippled, and Fyren, Incinderus, and Magscale stepped out. The two new demons both took deep breaths, releasing small jets of flame as they exhaled. Elise and R’lissea stopped in their tracks and retreated a step, grasping their mana tightly.

”The smell of a new realm,” Incinderus said. It was hard to read his demonic expression, but he appeared deeply satisfied.

”About time you wandered along,” Zephyriss said, folding her arms. Her wings fluttered, taking her a few feet into the air, eye to eye with the fire demon lord.

”Zephyriss! You came earlier than anticipated. Were you not supposed to wait for the Descent?”

She stuck her tongue out, an odd expression from such a beautiful, composed face. ”And let you have all the fun? I wanted to wait, I really did, but what’s the harm in stretching my wings a little sooner?”

”And you don’t think the others won’t notice your disappearance?” he asked.

She settled back to the ground, near me. My hair stirred with the flutter of her wings and the constant breeze around her. It felt...nice after the stifling heat of the fire gate.

”Who cares what they think?” she said, meeting my gaze. ”I’m much more interested in this child. You look different. He didn’t rough you up too much, did he?”

I shook my head. ”I...it was interesting. He let me break the gate.”

She raised an eyebrow, glancing up at Incinderus. ”He did? How generous of him. Most demon lords guard it jealously, like it’s some kind of privilege.”

”You’re one of them,” Incinderus muttered. ”But let us bicker here no longer. There is much to be arranged, and I wish for the Lord of Ash to give us the current geopolitical situation.”

”In that case, I think I’ll go do as I said and stretch my wings a bit. I’ve been waiting a long, long time to feel a mortal breeze against my face,” Zerphyriss said. She gave me a small smile. ”I’ll take you, if you want. It’s great for clearing your head.”

I shrank back, shaking my head fervently. ”N-no, thank you.”

She shrugged. ”Suit yourself, but I’ll let the offer stand.”

I hugged Fable tighter, and she giggled, lifting into the air with a beat of her wings. Fyren gave me a worried look, and I felt his concern in our bond.

”I’ll be alright,” I said. ”I think I want to rest for a bit. The remnant used most of my mana.”

”Remnant? What happened?” R’lissea asked, working up the courage to come closer. Elise trailed behind her, gripping her skirts.

”So much has happened, I can’t believe it’s only been an hour. I learned a lot,” I admitted.

”About yourself? Or...” Her gaze flicked to the fire demons.

I nodded. ”Both. I’ll tell you about it later, okay?”

With their nods, I slipped onto Fable’s back before turning and offering them a hand.

Night had fallen by the time we left the gate. The sky, far from the sprawling city lights of Blacksand, was alight with stars. Wispy arms of whatever galaxy we were in stretched from horizon to horizon. Of the thunderstorm that had rumbled before, only a few drifting clouds remained.

”We got a tent set up,” Elise said, directing us to the base of a small hill at the edge of the valley.

It was small and white, made of soft canvas with four posts and a boxy shape. Fable let us off his back and stretched our legs before the entrance, tail sweeping over the short, ankle-length grass. I gasped as I pushed inside, looking up at a ceiling some ten feet overhead. It was a spatial tent, with three cots and a small, mana-fuel fireplace.

”Where did you get this? ” I asked, spinning around in awe.

Elise grinned as she stepped under the flap, stretching in the open space.

”Elaine gave it to me. Apparently, it was ’undignified’ for a noble to travel without one.”

”You can have the one by the fireplace,” R’lissea said.

I plopped down on the cot she gestured to, immediately sighing as I sank into a cushion several inches deep. I had a hard time believing this wasn’t just a cot, and not an actual bed. It wasn’t quite as comfortable as the inn in Haven or Elise’s guestrooms, but it was more than I’d slept on besides.

”How about Fable? Isn’t there enough room for him?” I asked.

They exchanged wary glances, eyes straying suspiciously away from mine.

”Well, er, maybe you should try sleeping in a bed,” Elise said.

”Yeah, it’s good practice. Elise and I are here, so you can be safe,” R’lissea said.

”Practice?” For some reason, the word tasted strange in my mouth.

R’lissea sat on the cot beside me, taking my hand. I stared down as her fingers wove between mine.

”You’re not a child, Xiv, as you so oft remind me. Isn’t it time you slept without a teddy bear?” she asked.

”But he...I just...”

”We both got a little worried after the little fit you threw at my manor. Even if it’s hard, you should try.”

A fit? My eyes got big. I hadn’t thrown a fit. I’d just...well, maybe it was a little one. But sleep without Fable?

I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. ”I...don’t think I can. It’s so cold.”

”That’s what we mean. You’re so dependent on us for everything. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could, at the very least, sleep without holding your hand?”

I didn’t know what to say. Every reason, every fear, felt small compared to that. Hadn’t Fate told me the same thing? Back then, I’d been just fine sleeping by myself. What has changed so much?

My hand tightened on R’lissea. Her grip was soft and warm, but there was something lacking. Her hand...was too small. It didn’t cover mine in strength and comfort.

A small pit formed in my stomach. A face I’d been trying to forget formed in my mind. That was when this had started, wasn’t it? When Luke–

”Okay,” I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. ”I’ll try. But if–”

”No buts. I already talked to Fable, so don’t think you can try and sneak out to cuddle,” Elise said, putting her hands on her hips.

I hunched my shoulders. ”O-Oh.”

”Remember: we’re right here if you need anything. Even if it’s just a bad dream,” R’lissea said.

They both gave me a hug and we changed into our nightdresses. Another round of hugs, and they gently, if firmly, watched me get into bed.

Sleep was a long, long time coming. I tossed and turned, constantly groping for fur that wasn’t there, nuzzling up against a mattress that held no warmth of its own. But it did come, if temporarily. And then, almost immediately, I opened my eyes and saw...darkness.