The Forsaken Hero

I didn’t dare attempt casting Spatial Rift outside of Emlica’s watchful gaze, so when we left Elise to her preparations, I called Fable to my side instead.

”Where are you going?” Korra asked as I climbed atop the wolf.

”I have to see Fyren,” I said, not quite looking at her. ”There’s something I need to ask the Devoted.”

”Should I come?” she asked, instantly alert.

I shook my head. ”No, it’s probably nothing. Here, you can go back to Haven. I didn’t mean to drag you away from your training.”

I opened the gate again, instructing the Star Guard to watch it, given I couldn’t risk anyone sneaking in while I was away.

”Xiviyah, you don’t have to be alone,” Korra said, flying a few feet up to grab my hand comfortably.

I gave her a tight smile, squeezing her, before letting go. ”I know, but I’ll be alright. Didn’t you want me to grow a little?”

She hesitated, chewing on her lip. ”Well yeah, but this is...promise you’ll tell me if you need something? Even if it’s just a hug, or to watch the sunset?”

”I will.” What was surprising was that I meant it. ”I’ll find you tonight for dinner. Okay? We can talk more then.”

”Deal.” She flashed me a confident smile and floated back to the ground, taking Gayron’s hand. ”Don’t be late!”

I waved and held my smile until they vanished into Haven. With a nod at Luxxa, I patted Fable’s back and held on tight as he bounded across the city. Overhead, Borealis screeched, diving down from high in the sky, where he kept constant watch. I caught him on my forearm and transferred him to my lap, where I held him tightly, my stomach fluttering every time Fable jumped to clear a wall or building.

Fyren’s soul was somewhere to the south, but as we left Duskwood behind, I urged Fable eastward. The ancient trees whirled by, a blur of gold and green, gradually thinning as the miles streaked by. I should have been terrified with the speed we traveled, but somehow, I was just relieved we were on the ground.

The forest abruptly broke, the ground sloping up steeply into a small mountain range. Fable slowed to a trot as we crested a ridge, revealing a sprawling valley filled with the Devoted. The air was thick with stars even before my aura caught up to us, rolling down the slopes like heavy fog.

Scions chittered and parted as he padded into their midst, lowering their heads until we had passed. They retained their original colors and form, but their scales had tinted gold, their eyes glittering with flecks of drifting gold. They basked in my aura, calming like Borealis did whenever I pet him. It curled around them, and their souls brightened, invigorated by my mere proximity.

A sixth-level evolved demon, shaped like a wingless dragon with half again as many legs as it should, emerged from the horde, towering over us. Crackling silver lightning danced across its scales, charging the air with ozone. Fable stopped, lips curling in a low, warning growl, but the demon lowered its head, a gentle look on its draconic face. It could have swallowed me whole with a snap of its jaws, but I reached up, and it pressed its snout into the palm of my hand. Its scales were warm and smooth, the lightning avoiding me with discretion. Its tail thumped against the ground in a strangely endearing manner.

Images flashed through my mind as I ran my hand over its snout, glimpses of myself speaking with Incerderus, my tail twitching furiously, and a dozen others. I blinked them away, staring up at the demon in awe.

”So this is what you can do,” I whispered, giving it one last pat before lowering my hand.

The demon pulled back, contentment oozing from its soul into my mark. I smiled at it, giving it a lingering look as Fable growled again, and the demon retreated from our path.

Incinderus and Zephyriss were waiting for me at the top of a small knoll overlooking the rest of the horde. Fyren, too, was there, having somehow arrived before us.

”This is most unusual,” Incinderuus said, his eyes burning faintly. ”A personal visit from the Oracle?”

”Could you not have reached out through the mark?” Zephyriss asked, tilting her head.

I slid off Fable’s back, giving Fyren a grateful look as he steadied me. ”I needed to see you. To speak to you in person. There’s something I have to know.”

”The apostle’s absence,” Fyren said. ”You would lay it at our feet?”

”No! I just...” I hesitated, my tail twitching. Taking a breath, I looked up, meeting their eyes. ”I don’t think you were involved. I trust you.”

The three demons regarded me silently for a long moment, a heavy stillness falling between us, before Incinderus’s lips peeled back, revealing his fangs.

”Not an assumption that would bring you here in the flesh,” he said.

I held his gaze. ”If you guessed I would come here, you would have come up with an answer. What is it? Why did Luke have to leave?”

”There could be a thousand reasons, none of which I speculate at,” Inciderus said evenly. ”But this I can say: the devoted had no involvement. If anything, it was advantageous for us if the Apostle of the Descent remained close to you, within your influence, and responsible for your safety. Even had you not decided to spend time with him, I would have suggested you grow intimate for that reason anyway.”

”I-Intimate?” I squeaked, eyes wide.

”He must have been confused, torn between such a lovely mortal and his oath to vengeance,” Zephyriss said. Her wings fluttered as she landed on the ground, giving me a sympathetic smile. ”Perhaps the divide was too great for him to withstand.”

”I was afraid of that,” I mumbled, looking at the ground.

”Merely speculation,” Incinderus said, folding his arms in an uncharacteristically human expression. His claws scraped against his scales. ”If you care so much, ask him yourself. There is no perspective we of the infernal realms could provide a mortal on mortal relations.”

”You don’t seem surprised,” Fyren said.

I shrugged, letting my tail go limp. ”Fate said something similar. I was just hoping there would be an easy answer, as the council demanded him back. Then it wouldn’t be his fault. But--” I let out a heavy breath. ”It was. He chose to leave, and now I can only wait and pray to see if he chooses to come back. I believe he will.”

”If you’ve already resolved yourself, then why come out all this way? The journey could not have been easy for you,” Zephyriss said, twirling back into the air with a lazy flap of her wings.

I hesitated, running a hand over my brow, before looking at them. ”I learned how to teleport. Through Rifts.”

Incinderus shot Fyren a look, and something passed between them.

”That’s good news, is it not?” Fyren asked.

Incinderus nodded. ”Indeed. Teleportation is an incalculable advantage. Why do you bring this to us with such trepidation?”

”Well...” I bit my lip, chewing on it as I tried to figure out how to word what had truly brought me here. ”Um...I invited the Last Light Company to remain in Haven. And, well...after talking to Bethiv, I...he just made think that, maybe, um...”

I trailed off, looking at them helplessly.

Fyren sighed. ”Spit it out, child.”

”Er, right. Would it be a good idea to bring the Devoted in?”

Silence. Cold and still.

”Is this the best question to be asking us?” Fyren asked carefully. ”You are aware of the nature of demons, no? Should one decide to surrender its astral location to a hostile force, be it god or emperor, your realm would surely suffer invasion. Without the protections of a mortal realm, even an ascended being could enter it freely. Eventually, perhaps instantly, you would lose it.”

”Did you discuss this with your goddess?” Incinderus asked. ”Aside from the lord of Ash, I’ve never once heard of demons being allowed even to overhear discussion of a divine realm, much less invited within.”

”Well...” My tail twitched harder. ”Not exactly. But Fyren’s been before. And you’re all so big and faraway. Being a portal away would change everything. That’s what Bethiv said about the Company, and I can’t see how it’s different for you. If we’re going to fight together, I want to trust in you. I want to have faith.”

”This is more than a matter of faith,” Incinderus replied.

”Eh, I’m fine with it. Sounds fun,” Zephyriss said, giving me a lazy smile. ”I’m more curious to know why you brought this up with teleportation.”

”Because it made me realize how important this all is. I can call one or two of you at a time with my staff, but what if everyone were there? Every demon and soldier, the Company and Devoted. I wouldn’t ever have to be afraid of being outnumbered or ambushed. Or being, um...alone.”

”It would be far easier to move the horde about, especially come the invasion of the southern continent,” Fyren said, glancing at incinderus.

The fire demon nodded. ”I can’t argue that point. It would be like taking the entire Devoted through a demon gate without limitation.”

”But are you willing to take the risk?” Fyren asked.

I looked between them, my brow creasing. The last thing I’d expected when I ventured the idea was resistance. How could they not instantly accept it? I was expecting the hard part to come when I tried to convince Fate. If anyone, it should have been the remnants who protested, not demons!

”Ask your goddess,” Incerduers said after a long pause. ”If she permits us entry, we shall accept your offer graciously.”

I nodded, waiting, but he didn’t explain further. Fyren nodded to himself as if the matter were settled, though he did not look pleased. He was just as reluctant as Incinderus, maybe even more.

Just another mystery around the Devoted. I was getting tired of those.