The Forsaken Hero

I coughed lightly, avoiding her gaze. ”Um, Korra?”

”Hmm?”

”Please, don’t fight the dragon. Not this time. Let me handle that one, and I’ll...let you fight it next time.”

I cringed, waiting for her to pout, or at the very least accuse me of stealing her fun, but she just stared at me, slowly nodding.

”Okay, then. What about Connor? Can I beat some sense into him?”

I looked at her helplessly, and she groaned, rubbing her forehead.

”That’s R’lissea’s fight, isn’t it,” she muttered.

”You and Gayron can help her, if you want,” I said, ”She’ll need the support. She doesn’t like being alone. Like me,” I added, shyly curling a strand of hair around my finger. ”But don’t fight him. Your abilities aren’t a good match for him. You can get hurt.”

”Then how am I to help? ”

”Protect the Shard. I don’t know why yet, but Connors is after them. Fate warned me about that earlier, though I didn’t understand it then. But that’s why Luke isn’t here. He had to destroy the shards in the rest of the neighboring kingdoms before Connor could get them.”

”My talents are wasted here, but I’ll do what I can. At the very least, I promise we won’t let him have it.”

We watched the forest pass in silence for a little while longer before Korra suddenly perked up, leaning over the railing and pointing.

”Look! That must be it!”

I followed her finger to where a mountain punched out of the canopy, beginning a swathe of treeless land miles across. It was criss-crossed with streams and fields. A city sat tucked under the shadow of the mountain. The thick walls and graceful towers reminded me of Brackencliff, save this one was much, much larger. The population couldn’t be less than fifty thousand.

I raised my hand, calling Borealis. A streak of icy blue descended from the heavens, giving shape to Borealis. As he got closer, it became easy to make out the stars trailing in his wake. His feathers held a golden tint, even more luminous and reflective than before.

I giggled as Borealis did a loop around us before landing on my shoulder. He nuzzled my cheek, his feathers cool and ticklish.

”Can you do something for me?” I asked, scratching him under the chin. ”I need you to fight a dragon.”

Less than an hour later, we cruised into the airspace above Sangra City. Several skyships had arrived ahead of us, taking an advanced position some quarter mile off the walls. We cruised beneath two of the stationary ships. I clutched the railing as the magical feedback of the powerful levitation magic buffeted the deck, rushing in my ears and tearing at my hair and dress. Korra said something, but her voice was lost in the wind.

Things quieted down as we passed by, coming to hover beside the largest elven skyship I’d ever seen. It was three hundred feet of pure white wood and fabric, shaped like a bird with its wings tucked in flight. Unlike the traditional skyships, its hull was literally carved with feathers without seam or plank. If it weren’t for the texture, I never would have guessed it was wood.

”Xiviyah!” Selena called from the other side of the Windserpent. ”Would you and Korra please join us? Commander Whitemarsh would like to speak with you.”

I glanced at Korra, then at the white skyship. It had several levels of decks, but on the highest, by the pulsing crystal that formed its heart, was a tall, broad-shouldered elf. He had long white hair in a neat ponytail, with deep green armor with black accents. He was speaking with several officers, gesturing down at the city beneath us.

”We might as well go,” Korra said.

I nodded, and we joined Selena. Borealis remained on my shoulder, nuzzling my cheek every so often. It gave me the burst of courage I needed to hurry over the gangway that lay between the two ships.

We ascended a few short flights of stairs, stepping between the soldiers and mages of the white ship. They gave us irritated looks, scowls lingering on my horns, but still saluted us respectfully. Or, at least, they saluted Selena.

”Ah, Lady Sunsinger,” Commander Whitemarsh greeted as we arrived. ”Thank you for joining me.”

She snorted. ”Not that we had much choice. The Risen are a threat we all face.”

He nodded, sobering up. ”Indeed. By their presence, I assume you succeeded in recruiting your guests.”

”Their help is conditioned, but I have a feeling Lady Whitemarsh won’t hesitate to fulfill it.” ”I’m sure my mother will agree.” He cleared his throat, nodding off the edge of the ship. ”Our scouts have determined the Risen hordes’ location. We arrived just in time; they’ll be upon us in a matter of minutes.”

”I’m surprised Sangra’s forces held them so long,” Selena said.

”They’ve always prided themselves on the quality of their guard. But I’ve been informed they’ve sustained heavy losses defending the outer villages of their territory.”

”Which means more enemies for us to fight,” Selena said with a scowl.”

”We’ve prepared several experimental devices to counteract the black mist. They require vast amounts of mana, but trials have seen success in starving off its effects.”

”We’ve already activated ours,” Selena said.

”We have? What kind of device?” Korra asked.

”They’re tied to the cores of the ship. It’s the only thing strong enough to sustain them for more than a few minutes. The protective field is projected a few hundred yards, ” she explained.

”Those would have been nice at Bracken cliff,” Korra muttered.

”Ah, yes. I suppose I have you to thank for protecting that city,” the commander said.

”Thanks are nice, but what they needed was support. Why did you ignore their requests for aid?” Korra asked, glaring at him.

Selena sent her a sharp look, but the Commander Whitemarsh just sighed, shaking his head.

”There were certain... politics involved that couldn’t be rushed or overlooked. I’ll spare you the drivel, but had I been able, I would have taken ten thousand swords the moment we received word of the Risen offensive.”

”More politics,” Korra snorted.

Commander Whitemarsh and Selena began talking more earnestly, going over the plans and formations for the defense of the city. As crucial as positioning the skyships and conserving mage mana was, I couldn’t quite focus on the conversation. The Commander himself was a far more interesting person to me. Despite being the direct son of Lady Whitemarsh herself, he lacked the pomp and arrogance of the other nobles. He was old, perhaps five hundred, with a soul in the beginning stages of seventh-level, yet there was nothing overbearing about his aura.

”...if our estimates are correct, there won’t be a need for your guests to act,” Commander Whitemarsh was saying.

Selena pursed her lips. ”I’m not certain we should be confident in our scouting report. The Undead Hero’s powers are not well understood. He could very well have some tricks up his sleeve.”

”I understand the concern, but we must do something. And until our information changes, we’ll proceed with what we have. Unless you have a different proposal?” the Commander asked.

I blinked, looking at him in wonder. There wasn’t a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He was genuinely waiting for her to answer.

It was an opportunity Selena didn’t waste.

”Commander, I feel it would be best to let the heroes I have with me battle the hero, while our forces take on the Risen.”

The old elf turned a scrutinizing eye on us, looking us from head to toe. His lips curved in a slight, thoughtful frown.

”They’re young,” he said, returning his gaze to Selena. ”I know there’s no difference in their status, but surely the undead hero has transcended what’s common among the other heroes. I understand he’s already reached the eighth level.”

”I assume you received the report of the demon incident some weeks ago? That was merely one of her guards,” she said, nodding at me. ”And even if the undead hero has some trump card to play, they’re far more responsive than an army could be. From what I’ve seen, they’ve got no shortage of surprises, either.”

”I see.” Commander Whitemarsh rubbed his chin. ”If you are willing to vouch for them, I see no issue.”

Selena smiled. ”Thank you. Oh, and one more thing. I’ll be joining you against the risen. I’ve been made aware of certain powerful foes that hide among their ranks. Liches, they’re called.”

”So I’ve heard. Reports from the outer territories state that they cannot be killed, and retreat only when the black Mist fades.”

”They can be killed. We’re just not in a position to do it,” I said.

The whole deck quieted as I spoke, soldiers and mages turning to stare at me. One of the officers the commander had been with before took a furious step forward.

”A filthblood dares interrupt Lord Whitemarsh? Have you no sense of–”

”Enough.”

Commander Whitemarsh’s voice cut through his tirade before it could even begin. The officer turned to him, anger twisting into confusion.

”My Lord?” he asked, ”it was bad enough you allowed the humans and filthbloods to stain the deck of the Seraph, but to think one dared to–”

”Captain Ellenwinter, I don’t recall asking you to defend my honor. I find your outburst far more disruptive than that of Lady Sunsinger’s guest.”

Again, the commander’s voice was gentle and calm, but it carried such authority that I instinctively twitched, fighting my reaction to curtsey. It seems I’d been wrong about him. He wasn’t devoid of his station; he was in control of it.

”Guest?” The Ellenwinters’ eyes went wide. ”You still call them guests? Even after knowing why they’ve come to our land?”