The Forsaken Hero

”I care not for their purposes in Duskwood. What matters to me is that we keep our kingdom safe, and right now, they are willing to fight at our side. That is enough to earn them a place on my ship, and a chance to speak in our discussions.”

The officer sputtered, but reluctantly lowered his head, muttering under his breath. He shot me a venomous glare as Commander Whitemarsh beckoned for me to speak again. I hesitated, shifting my weight anxiously, until Selena laid a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

”I was just, um, saying that the Liches aren’t unkillable. They don’t have corporal bodies of their own. What you see is just a manifestation of their power, projected through the black mist. No matter how many times you destroy them, as long as there’s enough undead mana, they can reform and attack again.”

”And these serve as the commanders of the Risen, do they not?”

I nodded. ”There’s too many Risen for Connor to control personally, so he must be doing it through them.”

The commander rubbed his chin. ”That’s useful information, if true. How did you come by it?”

My voice caught in my throat, and I looked around, panicking. That’s what I got for speaking without thinking. How could I explain how hard it was to control a horde, or the depth of my visions?

R’lissea came to my rescue, literally moving to stand beside me. ”We’ve studied and fought the Risen more than anyone by now. It’s only natural we’ve figured out this much.”

Commander Whitemarsh raised an eyebrow, but when she didn’t share more, she nodded.

”Very well, I’ll accept that for now. But please, should you feel inclined, I would like to receive a more thorough briefing on the Intel you’ve gathered on our enemies.”

Selena looked at me intently. My tail flicked softly, but I gave her a subtle nod.

”I think we can arrange that,” she said, stepping in front of us. ”We were planning to visit your estate after this matter is settled, anyway. Perhaps, should we manage to meet with Lady Whitemarsh, they would be willing to share.”

The commander offered a tired smile. ”Can’t escape the game, even out at war, eh? Fine, I’ll see it’s done. Assuming we get through today.”

At that moment, a long, clear note rang through the air, emanating from a magically enhanced bell perched atop a tower below. I stiffened, turning to look westward. Dark wisps of black mist curled around the tree line, flowing closer and closer.

The small fleet of some ten skyships burst into motion. Amid the shouts, clang, and hum of the charging mana cannons, we rushed back to the Windserpent, finding it in a similar state of preparation. Several mages, each at least fifth level, surrounded each mana cannon, pouring their mana into it. The crystal cores resonated with their power, releasing a low droning sound and brightening until they shed a harsh, brilliant white light across the deck.

”I still need to get one of those,” I muttered, thinking back to Emlica. She’d been rather insistent on getting one for her help in persuading Nithalee for the location of the Formation supporting the World Barrier.

”Connor will be at the shard, right?” R’lissea asked as we found a relatively quiet place on the upper deck.

”Every vision, every different path, led to a confrontation there,” I said.

”Let’s get there now,” Korra said. ”We can get the lay of the land and come up with a strategy to fight him.”

”What? But it’s so far away. The ship’s already been assigned a region to defend,” I protested.

She grinned, a watery blue light rising around her, lifting her into the air. ”I never counted on it. Boats aren’t even supposed to fly in the first place.”

”Neither are people!”

Gayron chuckled and used his own technique, rising into the air in a flurry of sparks. I squeaked as one landed on my arm, vanishing into Adaptive resistance.

Slender arms wrapped around me, hugging me from behind.

”Be safe,” R’lissea whispered in my ear.

By the time I turned, she’d already risen into the sky, fluttering on feathered wings of translucent green light.

”What, before you go,” I said, stretching out a hand to the three. ”Nexus!”

Threads of mana lashed out, binding to their soul. As the spell resolved, their presences nestled in my mind next to the Primordial Mark.

”Nice! I can’t see him standing a chance now,” Korra said.

”Don’t even think about it,” I said sternly. ”You’re not to fight him. Understand?”

”Yeah, yeah, let R’lissea get it. But don’t blame me for trying to kill steal.’

”What?” Gayron looked at her blankly. ”What the hell does that mean?”

Korra laughed, turning and leading the three away. I caught the beginning of her explanation, something about Soltair and Alex using the term unique vernacular.

”It’s just us now,” I said, absently petting Fable.

The wolf had remained quiet since our departure, a silver shadow on the skyship. Now, he raised his head, giving his fur a shake. He’d grown stronger since our last fight, his soul now reaching the middle stages of eighth-level, and his condensed form some twenty feet long. His shoulders were equal to my own, his tail as long as I was tall.

But his new strength wasn’t just raw power. He spent more time in Haven than even I. From what Korra said, he managed to draw out some of the older, stronger remnants from the dusty corners of the realm. Korra, an eighth-level herself, had challenged him and lost. She didn’t go into much detail about the fight, but I knew from Fable that he hadn’t even assumed his true form.

Borealis cawed, ruffling his feathers and glaring at me.

”You’re strong too,” I said.

He preened a little, and I giggled, stealing him off my shoulders and hugging him. His feathers tinkled, cool against my skin through my dress.

”You didn’t go with them?”

I turned, still holding the bird, as Selena approached,

”I thought you planned to fight the Risen dragon. I can’t image the undead hero will allow it to leave his side, so shouldn’t you have gone to the Shard as well?”

”Oh, that? The dragon’s too big to fight close to a city, or even the army.”

”If you’re not letting it come to you, you must plan on going to it. But that means...”

She pursed her lips, studying me intently. I shifted, holding Borealis a little tighter.

”You know where it is. And yet...you’re still here. He couldn’t hide something that big,” she put a hand on the railing, looking down in the trees below. The black mist had already reached the city. ”His army isn’t coming. It’s already here.”

My tail twitched in surprise. Her eyes flicked to it, a small smile playing across her face. ”I was right, hmm?”

I nodded, blushing slightly. ”I didn’t mean to hide it, it’s just...hard to explain. Where the mist is, he’s there too. It doesn’t hide the Risen, it is the Risen.”

Selena turned sharply, raising her voice. ”Captain Rys, take us higher! All forces, prepare for battle.”

The already busy ship exploded into action. My stomach lurched as the ship suddenly leaped, rising a dozen feet per second. The mana cannons swiveled to point over the edge, the operating mages scanning the forest below. Far below us, I could make out the soldiers on the other ships looking up in confusion.

”N-not down?” I asked, timidly looking at Selena.

She grinned. ”A higher altitude is always better in an aerial battle. If you needed a ride down, you should have said something before now.”

I swallowed hard, my hands trembling in Borealis’s feathers. Her face softened.

”Be safe, Xiviyah, and good luck. May the trees of Sylvarus shade your path.”

It was an old elvish epitaph, but the words seemed strange coming from her. Even so, I nodded, letting out a long breath.

”You too. Come, Borealis. But be gentle.”

I hefted the bird, hesitating only a second before pushing him out into the open air. His wings flared, catching the winds of the skyship and bearing him aloft. He banked away and exploded in icy blue and gold light. The storm of stars expanded, generating currents of mana that rocked the ship. Shouts of surprise rose behind me, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away, clutching the railing so hard my knuckles whitened. Not for fear of the turbulence, but of what I knew came next.

A piercing shriek rang across the heavens, louder than the warning bell that had tolled, and Borealis burst through the light. His new form was sharp and vicious, nearly two hundred feet from wing to wing. Almost twice the size as when he first evolved. The ship fell silent as the sliders and mages stared at him, dazzled by the awe of his aura and the glittering sunlight reflecting through his crystalline feathers.

Borealis maneuvered beneath us with a single flap of his wings, rising until he practically brushed the hull. Fable whined softly, moving to stand beside me. Pale-faced and trembling, I nodded, tightening my death grip on the railing.

”I know,” I croaked, my throat dry and cracked.

But I couldn’t move. Fable’s tail curled around my waist, gently prying me from the railing. I turned, burying my face in his shoulder, hugging him tight. With more patience than I deserved, he nudged me again, using his head to flick me onto his back.

”Wait, my Lady!” Luxxa cried, lunging toward me. ”What are you--”

Fable blurred, leaping over the edge before the Star Guard could react. I screamed as the feeling of weightlessness took over, looking up at their horrified faces above. I knew I’d forgotten something. Well, they’d probably be fine.