The Forsaken Hero

The vision shifted, taking me into a small town under the light of the noonday sun. Two white-robed priests stood among fenced gardens, half-timber houses, and gravel streets, surrounded by a half dozen fourth-level inquisitors.

”Are you certain?” the taller one, a gray-bearded man with sunken eyes, asked. He was at the peak of the sixth level and carried a magic staff with third-level enchantments.

The other nodded, a young woman with buttery hair who was barely third level. ”The soldiers were positive, and my magic detected infernal mana.”

”So, there really was a gate.” The older priest rubbed his chin, frowning deeply. ”This complicates things. Father Ascartel said there wasn’t to be another on the southern continent. Not till they come from the north, that is.”

”I understand, but I swear--”

He held up his hand. ”I’m not doubting your integrity.”

The girl let out a sigh. ”Thank the gods, I feared I would be flogged.”

”We would never reward hard work with punishment. Our own suspicion of the supposed end of the gates was what caused us to send orderlies out this far. You did well calling for reinforcements; the two squads or so assigned to this region would hardly be adequate to deal with a gate break. Is there anything else you’ve learned so far? Anything at all?”

”Well...” she hesitated, worrying her lip with her teeth. ”The truth is...one of the rangers claimed he saw a few groups of refugees moving through the region over the last few days.”

”We’ve heard as much, but such things are hardly rare in this land. From one kingdom to another, there are those unable to bear the taxes and burdens required of their kings for the war, thus choosing to flee for greener pastures.”

”Yes, well...the scout claimed they might be demon or beast kin. When the captain sent another man to investigate, he never returned.”

The priest stared at her long and hard before turning to the inquisitors. ”All apostles are accounted for, no?”

”Yes. And after the high inquisitors managed to kill the one, we can be quite certain none tarried here on the southern continent. The higher-ups would have hunted them down already.”

”A rogue group of demons, then. But I’ve heard the hordes have already united under one leader. Are there still groups like that running around?”

”That would explain why they appeared deep in our territory. Otherwise, they would know of the world barrier, and the fool’s errand it would be to appear here.”

”I must speak with Father Unphree,” the old priest said. ”He will want to hear of this personally. Please, find whatever damned hordes managed to escape the gate, but don’t move to eliminate them. I suspect the Father will want to investigate this matter more fully.”

The inquisitors saluted, and their leader addressed the girl. ”Bring us to your unit, child. We require access to your reports.”

The priestess curtseyed low, squirming under their imperious gazes. ”Right away, sir. Please, follow me.”

I remained static as they marched away, watching the old priest for a few seconds before slipping back into fate. With the appearance of infernal mana in the Black Mist, this marked the third isolated incident of feral demons who had refused to come under Luke’s command. I didn’t have any idea whether that was normal in an invasion, but given the importance of a mark, it seemed strange any demon would choose to remain outside the fold.

The thought unsettled me. Demons found their purpose in hordes, their souls bound to a mark that gave direction to the endless hunger that defined them. Even as a mortal, I felt some of its truth myself. The emptiness I’d felt after the teleportation incident, the hollowness of all my marks being hidden from me, had been worse than losing all the other memories combined.

I looked down at my hand, at the ring I bore even in my soul form. I rubbed it with my thumb, a small knot forming in my stomach as I considered another bond I would someday lose. What I had with Luke was somewhere between the bond forged by the slave crest and the primordial mark. It let me carry his warmth nestled in my heart. To be without that...

There had to be something more to these demons. No one would willingly choose that kind of darkness or chill.

I returned to fate, following the trail the priests had given me. But, instead of ending up in a demon horde, or even among demonkin, I found myself in the stark white halls of the Divine Throne. My breath caught, and my tail curled, but Sari’s words rang through me. I forced myself to stand tall, unhunching my shoulders. I wouldn’t allow my memories any more power.

The vision placed me in an upper chamber, with full-length windows overlooking the Radian city of Roann. A large conference table dominated the room, but only a handful of seats were occupied. There was a general, a few of his officers, and a single father.

I let out an inward groan. Another meeting. That was all I seemed to see these days.

A general was speaking. ”...we’ve confirmed no apostle is leading them, yet several more gates have lent reinforcements, and what few beast and demonkin have escaped the chains have gathered to them. Our preliminary estimates number more than ten thousand.”

”Even so, we pivoted all of Eastborough’s army to the defense. What were our casualties when they struck?” the father asked.

The general shook his head. ”That’s the strange part: they haven’t. Not a single village or hamlet has reported an incident. Not so much as a missing sheep or goat.”

”That...impossible. Even with the world barrier’s suppression, their claws and swords would still do damage. How do they restrain their scions?”

”I wish we knew. But the only real intel we’ve confirmed is that demons are leading them. Did you consider my previous request, Father Unphree?”

The father let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. ”To send a hero? I understand you lack the strength to assault them directly, but asking for something like that at a time like this...I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do.”

”But Father, if they were to break through our line, we wouldn’t be able to keep them from Eastborough. If that kingdom were to fall, Radia would be exposed.”

” The Sun Hero is away, preparing his pet, while the Storm and Fire heroes are standing ready at the coasts. The demon invasion is imminent. For all we know, this incursion is but a distraction to draw our resources away.”

My ears perked up. Pet? Knowing Soltair, it would be a dragon or something equally impressive. There was little chance he would settle for something lesser.

”What of the Fire Hero? Surely you can send someone!”

”He, too, has been deployed in preparation for the invasion.”

”And yet I’ve heard nothing of his whereabouts. Surely he’s just lazing off with his harem.”

The Father’s eyes narrowed. ”I understand your frustration, but I cannot tolerate such disrespect to the gods’ chosen, especially because you speak from ignorance. The Fire hero is protecting a place of immeasurable value, one whose name I cannot risk even uttering aloud. I’m afraid my decision is final. You must stand on your own against this threat.” He sighed, letting his shoulder sink a touch. ”I worry about this, too, if you must know. But there’s nothing I can do. As a Father, I am charged with the greater good. Should you be attacked, I’m certain I’ll be able to request reinforcements. Until then, may the gods be with you.”

He rose and left the hall, leaving the general and his officers alone. Their faces blackened the instant the door clicked shut, the general letting out a curse.

”Damn these bastards. Greater good here, greater good there. But no ’good’ for the Kingdom of Eastborough.”

”Sir...” an officer said, adjusting his notes. ”You didn’t mention the strange rituals.”

”Bah. What good would that have done? We don’t even know their purposes yet, or why they require so many of their beastkin and demonkin allies to bleed. Until we have some sort of definitive proof of threat, they won’t listen to us. Come, let’s be gone. If we can’t plead for help, we’ll just have to find our own. Perhaps building another wall or trench will help, should their assault come. At the very least, some physical labor will keep the men from thinking too much.”

I let the vision go, letting out an unconscious breath of relief as the walls of the Divine Throne faded away. It was hard to be brave.

I felt the urge to check on Soltair, and his supposed pet, but scarcely had my soul brushed the idea then it was rejected again. Verity must have her wards up. That didn’t bode well.

Sinking back into my soulspace, I gave up guiding fate and surrendered to the flow, letting it whisk me around the southern continent. There were so many numbers, names, and places that it was impossible for me to order them. What made it worse was that I wasn’t constrained to one time period, and often viewed the same location months apart, when everything had changed. Sometimes, it was ruins, all that remained of a demon raid. Other times, the keeps and castles tripled their defenders, with more on the way.

But as I awoke the following morning, I withdrew my journal and recorded what I could remember. It might be a tangled web to me, but Luke and Bethiv could sort it out later. Assuming Bethiv would remain with me after we finished our work here. I wouldn’t hold it against him if he decided to return to his home and help rebuild. If anything, I prayed he would. He deserved rest.

As I stowed my journal again, my gaze lingered on the other leatherbound book in my spatial ring. I withdrew it, running my finger over the cover, smiling as I traced the clumsy handwriting on the first page. It really was time I gave that back to Luke.