The Forsaken Hero

”What kind of spell was that?” I stammered, panting lightly as I caught Evla again.

She slowed, allowing me to catch my breath. ”Just a Gravity Spike, basically changing which direction’s down and intensifying the pull.”

”How long will it last? What if the demon tells Rash’alon?”

”Unlikely. With how much mana I put in that spear, the demon’s body will collapse long before it escapes the spell. ”

”Oh.”

She said it so casually, like she hadn’t condemned a sixth-level demon to death with only a single sixth-level spell. Perhaps finding her trapped in the gate had given me a false impression of her strength, and her vulnerability of her character. She was as cold and ruthless as any of the other apostles.

The demons ahead parted quickly, giving us a wide berth. Evla strode forward with her head high, letting her aura wash over them. It seemed as much to intimidate any who dared object as to hide my presence.

A few curious evolved demons stalked us for a time, but none dared confront the apostle. I had to skip every few steps, keeping pace with her, and nearly bumped into her again as she came to a stop. Breathing quickly, I looked around, expecting another demon. Instead, we stood at the edge of a wide clearing. A thick grove of trees grew against the far edge, a small stream of water trickling between the gnarled trunks.

”He’s in there,” Evla said softly. ”I think he likes the cover, so it’s harder for Rash’alon’s minions to spy on him.”

”Thank you,” I said, rooted to the spot.

”Get going.” She smiled, nudging me gently with her shoulder. ”And consider my debt paid,” she said.

I paused, tilting my head. ”Debt...? I was, um, hoping we could be friends.”

”I...I can’t owe you anything.”

”And you never did. I helped you because I wanted to, not because I expected a favor in return.”

She hesitated a long time, then, looking around to make sure no one was watching, she extended her hand to me.

”Friends.”

I nodded, taking it. Her grip was firm, far stronger than my own. She quickly loosened her grip, stammering an apology.

”I guess that’s something else your friends have to get used to,” she said.

”If it’s not too much trouble...”

She smiled and patted my shoulder. ”You’ve a good heart, Xiviyah. I wouldn’t mind at all if you and he actually...I suppose surviving is the first goal. Go on, he should be up there, in the clearing.”

I nodded and stepped out of her shadow, moving into the clearing. I still didn’t dare let my soul off its leash, but I could feel Luke’s aura radiating from the small grove of trees. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, and I looked up, hoping for a glimpse of Borealis.

”Um...Luke...?” I called tentatively, reaching the edge of the grove.

I laid a trembling hand on a tree trunk to steady myself as I listened for a response. My tail itched from swishing back and forth along the long, seedy heads of grass.

Luke’s aura abruptly died, leaving me breathless. The soft crunch of footsteps approached, and I held my breath, fingers pressing into the tree trunk.

”Evla? What are you...”

Luke’s voice trailed off as he slipped into view, his eyes fastening on me. He wore the same dark tunic with silver trim as usual, his cloak drawn tight about him. But his face was worn and weary, with lines on his forehead that looked out of place on his youthful face. His horns looked dry and itchy, too, like mine did after a few hours in the arid desert of Blacksand.

I froze, tongue tied in my mouth. Even if I could speak, I didn’t know what to say. I just stared at him, trembling faintly, every harsh word he had spoken to me flashing through my mind. What was I thinking, coming here alone? What if he still hated me?

His expression hardened at first, and his aura surged, but then it broke into confusion. After a few tense heartbeats of silence, the confusion turned to recognition, and then...

”Xiviyah...? ” he whispered, taking a step back, tail going rigid. ”What are you...how could you be...”

He took an unsteady breath, gripping the hilt of his sword, buckled to his waist.

”No, it’s you, Jessia, isn’t it? You’ve gotten even better since you last tried. Your souls are basically identical, and I–”

”It’s me, Luke,” I finally managed to speak.

A visible shudder ran from the tip of his horns to his now twitching tail. His eyes grew wide, and his grip on his sword went slack.

”No...” he whispered, hand rising to touch his horn. ”No, you can’t be here. Xiviyah, what are you–no, you have to leave. Now.”

There was no hostility in his tone, but it struck like a lash, and I shied away, gripping my skirt tightly. I tried to meet his eyes, only to bite my lip and stare at the ground.

My voice was a whisper. ”You...you said we could work together. As Apostle and Oracle.”

”That was before. But how did you even get here? That was Evla’s aura I sensed, so...she didn’t leave, did she? You need to get her to take you before he comes–”

His voice caught as I suddenly came forward, hand darting to grab his. My heart thundered in my chest, but I gripped him tightly, comforted by the fact that he could have dodged or jerked away if he wanted to.

”It’s really you, isn’t it?” he murmured.

I could feel his gaze on my face, tracing the glistening tears on my eyelashes. My cheeks warmed, and for some reason, his face flushed a light shade of red. I quickly released him, hiding my hand behind my back.

”S-sorry, I just...I need your help.”

His muscles tensed again, his eyes narrowed. I braced myself, struggling to hold back tears as he prepared to reject me. But he didn’t. He let out a long sigh, his shoulder slumping.

”Xiviyah, I...” His face firmed. ”Ask, but I make no promises.”

I let out a pent-up breath. I’d been so uncertain about whether I’d even get this far, I hadn’t put much thought into what to do next.

”I...remember Blacksand?” I asked.

He nodded slowly, studying my face.

”You let Elise negotiate a surrender to spare them.”

”You want me to do the same for the elves?” he asked.

I chewed on my lip, eyes skating from his.

”More?” he asked.

A slight nod, and he groaned, rubbing his horn.

”Their shards,” I said in a tiny voice. ”Please, you have to save them.”

”Their shards?” he barked a laugh, harsh and startling. ”I doubt I could even preserve their lives, much less protect their shards. Sometimes, I forget how hopeless naive you can be. It’s just not possible.”

I opened my mouth, but he turned, walking to the edge of the clearing. He laid a hand on the tree, looking at the horizon. A few storm clouds gathered, remnants of the spell Zephyriss cast.

”Things are different, now,” he said quietly, as if to himself. ”The descent has begun. There’s no more room for enjoying fantasies.”

”Was that...what I was to you? A...fantasy?” I asked.

His face was turned from me, but his tail flicked once before it clenched, refusing to give anything else away.

”Yes,” he said.

I froze. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.

”I told you before,” he said, turning to face me. He refused to meet my gaze, his hands clenched in fists, knuckles white. ”We might stand on the same path, but we’re heading in opposite directions. I will run as far as I must to lead him away from you.”

”You’re talking about Rash’alon, aren’t you?” I asked, shocked by how calm my voice was.

He flinched. ”If you know of him, then you also know you need to get as far away from him–from me–as you can. He’ll stop at nothing to seize the power I’ve gathered here and conquer this world.”

”But you can beat him, right?” I asked.

A shadow crossed his face, and he touched his chest, wincing at the corruption I knew burned there.

”Losing means losing everything,” he whispered.

”Then let me help you. Together, we can–”

A hand closed around my mouth, cutting off my scream. Another snaked around my waist, holding me fast.

”Shhh, not so loud,” Jessia whispered in my ear.

I trembled, eyes wide, heart thundering, as Luke sheathed his sword. I hadn’t even caught the flicker of movement when he drew it, or the sudden anger in his gaze. He took a breath, forcing his agitated tail to relax.

”Jessia, what the hell are you–”

”He’s coming. I’m not sure how he figured it out, but he’s--”

Her grip on me abruptly tightened, and the shadows rose, closing around us. It grew bitterly cold, and I had a flash of nausea. When the shadows cleared again, we were deeper into he grove, looking at a very alarmed Luke.

He stared where we’d been standing for a second before he stiffened and turned to face the clearing. I fought every instinct I had to reach out with my senses and feel whatever he and Jessia felt, but in my heart, I already knew it.

”Shh, quiet. Yes, that’s it,” Jessia whispered, letting her hand slide off my mouth. ”Rash’alon’s here.”