The Forsaken Hero

”I should go.”

Luke’s voice sent shivers down my spine. I turned to him, staring up into his eyes. My fingers curled against his armor, seeking something to clutch to hide their trembling. I don’t know what he saw in my eyes, but in his I saw reflected fear. My fear. He swallowed hard and looked toward the Ley Lines

”Is everyone else already deployed?” he asked Emlica.

”One last demon lord remains, as does your horde,” Emilica replied impatiently.

While she spoke, the last trickle of demons moving between the other ley lines ceased. She waved her hand, and the ley line separated, returning again to connect to their original paths. The last set descended to take their place, and the last Demon Lord stepped into the cavern.

Luke’s face darkened. ”Hag.”

As if summoned by her name, the poison demon lord glided across the ground toward us, her forked tongue flicking between her lips. She stared imperiously at Luke, giving him a long, lingering look that made him tense.

Her gaze flicked to me, and her lips curled into a smile that made my skin crawl.

”Oracle,” she hissed. ”I admit your efforts here surprise me. How... Dutiful of you to work so hard on behalf of the apostle’s foolhardy plan. You must be ecstatic—” Her gaze switched back to Luke —”I expected you gone when it came my turn to come.” Why are you not leaping through that gate? Is your sword not eager for divine blood?”

He didn’t answer, instead drawing me closer. His fingers dug into my arm. I bit my lip to keep from wincing.

”Well? Why do you remain?” Hag asked.

Luke’s tail pressed against mine, warm against my chills. Hag bared her fangs.

”Was it not you who emphasized the importance of this tactic? You’ve sent your apostles and lords across the land. They might triumph today, but if you do not cripple the heart of Divine Power in Radia, then all you’ve done is scattered them for reaping.”

”You have your orders,” Luke said softly.

Her face twisted. ”You send me to the slaughter. My forces are on the backside of Radia. If you do not, we will bear the full brunt of their retaliation.”

Luke’s aura thickened, pressing down on the demon lord. The weight concentrated fully on her soul, pressing down on the small, glowing rune of Luke’s mark. She shuddered, taking a hesitant step back.

”Betrayer,” she hissed, retreating as dark, shadowy tendrils rose from Luke’s aura, reaching for her. ”The other demon lords will hear of this. Even if we can’t touch you, there are other ways, other souls, to press. You’ll regret this.”

A strange current of mana surrounded her soul, rising with the threat. It made the air shimmer, like water vapor evaporating.

”Kill her,” Fyren said suddenly.

Luke blinked, glancing at him in surprise. ”What?”

Hag’s eyes narrowed, and she hastened her retreat. Fyren drew his sword, sheathing it in white flames. They held no heat, and instead of casting light, they were wreathed in blackness. They held the same mysterious power that had radiated from his soul just minutes ago. A power that reminded me, as I now stood before him, of Arantius. Was this the result of the countless hours he’d spent with the remnant and fate? Or was something more? something...older?

”Kill her, or I will,” Fyren growled.

Luke hesitated again, and in that hesitation, Hag fled. Fyren lunged after her, but she reached the portal first. As she vanished into the lay line, she shot me one last venomous look, seething with hatred. Me, not Luke. I stood there, shivering against Luke’s side as silence descended on the room.

”Damn it,” Fyren said, thrusting his sword into the obsidian ground. He rounded on Luke. ”What were you thinking? Did you not hear her?”

Luke retreated half a step, his arm slipping off me. ”What did you want me to do?”

”She threatened the Oracle. And you let her escape.”

Fyren snatched his sword up again, jamming it into its sheath. Giving Luke a last, furious look, he stalked through the portal to Haven, leaving us in stunned silence.

Luke turned to me, his face pale. ”Xiviyah, I–”

”It was just a threat,” I whispered, stepping close, slipping my arms beneath his, and hugging him. ”I’ve been threatened before.”

”That demon isn’t the kind to lose his temper at mere words,” Emlica said, still watching the gate where Fyren had vanished to.

I wanted to dismiss it, but couldn’t deny her words. The one thing Fyren wasn’t was hot-headed. The only times he cared enough to take action himself were when he felt it was absolutely necessary. Otherwise, he was more than content to let us stumble our way through mistakes and errors.

”Wasn’t Hag right?” I asked quietly, resting my head against his chest. ”You need to go. Emlica’s–my–mana won’t last much longer.”

”You want me to leave?”

I froze, shuddering as I shrank against him. ”No! But I...you need to. I understand. For your revenge.”

”Revenge?” He sounded strange saying that word. ”There will be time for revenge. I’m going to kill every priest and inquisitor I can. But Xiviyah, revenge didn’t save me when I was on the ground. Revenge didn’t hold my hand while I fought against my own soul for survival. Revenge didn’t destroy the World Barrier or open the path for my war.”

His words sent a thrill through me. I looked up, my lips parted in disbelief. ”What are you saying?”

He rested his hands on my shoulders. His eyes were earnest and very, very serious. ”I could end this war now. I could take Radia, unite the hordes together, and overrun the Divine Throne before they’re ready. I could wash the world in blood.”

Tears streaked my cheeks. ”Then why don’t you? It would be so easy for you to go. You always promised you would.”

His eyes flickered, and he took a breath. ”I should. If I don’t move now, it’s going to cost me blood, hordes, and maybe even this invasion. But if I did, it would cost so much more.” His thumb caressed my cheek, catching a tear. ”Revenge doesn’t cry for me when I feel sad. It doesn’t hug me when I’m lost. If I were to leave now, it would cost me so much more than war. What does any of it matter if I’m not there to hold the one I love when they need me?

”Love?” I whispered, burying my face in his chest. ”Is that what we have? I-I don’t know anymore.”

”Me either,” He admitted. ”But Xiviyah, I do know that I’m not leaving you right now. I can take Radia later, even if it means sacrificing my entire horde. None of them, all of them, aren’t worth making you cry.”

My voice wavered. ”You’re...not going to leave?”

He slid his hand across my jaw, tilting my chin upward. His eyes looked sad. ”Is it so hard to believe me?”

I sniffled, starting to nod with the barest dip of my head. I caught myself, cringed, and quickly shook my head.

He let out a long sigh, letting my chin drop. I started to relax, both relieved and disappointed. He must have believed me. I offered a silent apology to Korra. I did as much as I could, but sometimes, the truth hurt too much.

His arms swooped around me, lifting me off the ground. I let out a squeak, reflexively throwing my arms around his neck.

”L-Luke, what are you doing?”

”If you listen to my words, then I’ll have to show you,” he said. He turned his head. ”Emlica, let it go. Your services are no longer required.”

Her eyes narrowed at his wording. ”What of your horde? They await to come through.”

He frowned, thinking about it before shrugging with a motion that had me rocking in his arms. ”Send them to the shard above. I’ll share the mark with Gayron, and he can look after them.”

”He’s not going to like that,” I mumbled.

”It’s the least he can do after refusing to lead a horde to battle.”

A small smile fought across my face before I managed to banish it. Emlica just sighed and shook her head.

”I suppose we won’t need these anymore,” she muttered, snapping her fingers.

The massive magic circle controlling the ley lines shattered. The thick columns of mana snapped back into the shard, returning to the main channels they’d been drawn from.

”What about the teleportation?” Luke asked.

Emlica raised an eyebrow. ”I thought you didn’t care for your army anymore.”

”What?” he gaped. ”No, I just–”

She raised her hand. ”Relax. I need only use a simple teleportation spell. I’ve already opened one up above.”

I stared. ”What? How?”

”Your aura extends to the city. Did you forget I’m not exactly constrained to space as you are?”

What was that supposed to mean? Did she summon one of her clones above? But that was over a mile of solid rock and earth!

”Wait, it does?” My tail went still, half-curled around Luke’s arm. My aura?

She gave me a flat look, and I looked down. My current state was awful, and I didn’t exactly have the focus or strength to look too deeply into my soul or aura to see if that was true. But Luke started nodding.

”The first have arrived. I ordered Gayron to take over, so they shouldn’t cause too much destruction. Not that there’s much city left to destroy.”

”Then my work is done. But don’t think the gods will allow us free rein to teleport around like this again. If you wish to move across the continents in mass, you’ll have to use your legs. Oh, and next time you call me for something so arduous, don’t think I’ll accept half measures. Come up with plans you’re willing to commit to, or you won’t find me so cooperative.”

She vanished with a sniff of displeasure, ending the last major draw on my soul. I let out a heavy breath of relief, finally relaxing against Luke.

”What now?” I murmured tiredly.

Luke turned toward the gate, already moving. ”We get you someplace safe.”