The Forsaken Hero

”We don’t have enough. If the church breaks through the horde, they’ll overwhelm us in minutes.”

”But what else can we do? If we flee, we lose the mist’s protection.”

”That’s assuming they don’t have a way to break it already. If they’re risking sending so many soldiers, why would they not have a plan?”

I sat on a hard wooden chair on the edge of the war council, watching as the Crimson Guard went back and forth over the incoming incursion. They were a lot less composed than the Fatesworn, but that wasn’t particularly surprising. Bethiv was an anchoring force, with hundreds of individual battles and campaigns under his belt. Even his least experienced officers had personally led soldiers against demons, Circle, and church forces multiple times. The Crimson Guard, while averaging about the same power level as the Fatesworn, had lived in Radia their entire lives, the very heart of the church’s power. They’d only ever fought demons in gates, and their last skirmish with human forces was over a decade ago, before the church began unifying the kingdoms.

But it wasn’t just their inexperience causing nerves. Evla had dropped by to give me her report, and things were looking good.

”A hundred thousand of the Coalition’s finest,” an officer muttered, glaring at the illusory map of the valley. ”The demons only outnumber them ten to one. Not exactly comforting odds.”

”At least they don’t have any artillery, or skyships,” said another, rubbing his chin. ”And if they’re anything like Radia’s military, they have a distinct lack of mid-level mages.”

I winced at that, gathering my swishing tail in my lap and stroking it. The destruction of Western University had crippled an entire generation of mages; the consequence of such was now becoming apparent. I hadn’t seen the impact before because all of our battles were focused against northern continent forces, whose elites had limited attendance at the mage school. The big nations there, like Blacksand and Sylvarus, preferred to train their talent at home and only sent those training for intercontinental relations to study.

What it meant for us now was that the human armies of the southern continent were missing entire legions of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-level mages. Their warriors and soldiers were untouched, of course, but it gave the evolved demons of Evla’s horde, and the Crimson Guard, a distinct advantage.

”We might have more access to magic on a team or battalion scale, but we must account for the eighth-level inquisitor and his team,” said Commander Andres. ”Aside from the Apostle, and Lady Xiviyah herself, there isn’t a single demon or soldier with us over seventh-level.”

”We can’t count on Xiviyah, either,” Rylam said.

I gripped my tail harder, twisting it in my hands. He noticed, and gave me an apologetic look, resting his hand on my shoulder.

”We can’t risk you,” he added. ”That’s why they’re coming in the first place. And if you show yourself, won’t Fate just come for you himself?”

”I hate it,” I whispered. ”I want to help.”

He squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. ”You will, I know it. But not now.”

”He’s right,” Commander Andres said, quieting the discussion before it escalated into an argument. ”Lady Xiviyah, your safety is our highest priority. Please, trust in us. Any of us, and all of us, will give our lives before we let them take you.”

I nodded dully, staring at my lap. His hand felt as heavy as it was warm.

Trusting in my companions? Being safe and protected? That wasn’t it at all. I wasn’t afraid of battle. I’d fought and killed more than anyone here. Didn’t they see that? Didn’t Rylam? Did he think my words to him, my promises, were just that? Words? I wanted to be a light! I wanted to protect others, too!

But at the same time, they were right. Even in High Valley, I couldn’t expose myself or Fable to any invaders. Fate might not be able to see me there, but if a single witness escaped, he was only one report away.

”If only we’d managed to scavenge some of the mana cannons,” Andres murmured, gazing at the ruined forts surrounding the valley. ”Not even High Inquisitors could ignore such concentrated power. We might have even been able to snipe a few of the weaker ones before they realized they were in danger.”

”The demons only know how to destroy. They have no appreciation for strategic value,” muttered a soldier.

A sigh escaped as I leaned against the back of my chair, closing my eyes. The discussion continued, touching strategies, supplies, and obstacles. But the biggest problem remained, staring everyone in the face. It didn’t matter how many field hospitals tents they set up, or walls they built before tomorrow. In the face of true power, strategy could only take you so far.

After listening to enough of the same circular arguments, I excused myself and slipped away. No one stopped me, not even Rylam. He just squeezed my shoulder and promised to find me later.

I sat on a wall overlooking the lake, the breeze running through my hair. I held my staff loosely in my lap, idly stroking the crystalline haft. My legs dangled, but the twenty-foot distance to the water below barely registered as a flutter in my stomach.

”What do you think?” I asked quietly, staring out across the starlit waves.

Luxxa cleared her throat, moving to stand beside me. ”It might be possible for you to help.”

”Really?” I half-turned, staring up at her, my eyes shining. ”How?”

”If you stay within the mists, and pick your battles carefully, we could engage in such a way that no word could escape.”

My brow furrowed. ”You mean...no survivors.”

”Yes.” She cringed, relaxing only when I didn’t react.

”I don’t know,” Jenna said, tossing her hair. ”It would never work against a sizable force. Too risky.”

”What if we could isolate the inquisitors?” Gith asked.

”That would work,” Luxxa said. ”Their primary mission is to hunt you down. They won’t care much for the rest of the army, even if it gets destroyed. But the same problem remains. Isolating them will be hard. They will expect traps and trickery.”

”Then we simply leave them no choice but to investigate.” When everyone looked at her, she shrugged, grinning. ”What? It works for men. Lead them on just enough that they have to make a move, or risk losing everything.”

Luxxa rolled her eyes. ”By everything, I assume you mean you? How conceited.”

She giggled. ”That’s the whole art, you know. Convincing them that, in that moment, you are everything.”

I nodded, wondering how that would work with Luke. It always seemed the reverse with him, that I was the one chasing, and he kept me at a distance. Luxxa’s cough startled me from my thoughts.

”S-sorry!” I squeaked, my face flushing red. ”I was just, er, thinking.”

Jenna raised an eyebrow. ”Thinking, eh?’

I nodded, gripping my staff tightly. ”Yeah! Um, like...they don’t have many mid-level mages, right?”

”Uh-huh.”

”So, um, that means they can’t match any we have.”

”But we don’t have many. The horde has a few hundred sixth-levels, but that’s about it. And if you’re thinking of opening a Spatial Rift or something to get reinforcements, Fate would detect instantly,” Luxxa said.

”But if we did, just...hypothetically, they wouldn’t be able to respond to it. But they have to, because sixth-circle spells would decimate their forces, right?”

Their amusement faded as they realized there might actually be a point to my flustered ramblings.

”That would be true. They would be forced to send their high-level combatants. It would be overkill, but necessary,” Luxxa said slowly.

”But the inquisitors might not care enough about the coalition forces,” Gith said.

”Maybe not on their own, but what if there was another reason? A hint, or something...bait, maybe. They would be looking for a trap, but what if it wasn’t one? If it was a lead, and a necessity, that just happened to bring them into High Valley?”

Luxxa’s brow creased. ”In that case, I suppose it would work, but where would you–”

A shout rang out, followed by the bellow of a low horn. My guards’ heads whipped about, conditioned by years of soldiery. Dread knotted in my stomach.

”Already?” I asked, sitting up straight, my knuckles whitening on my staff. ”How are they here?”

”Come, my Lady, we need to get you out of here,” Luxxa said, plucking me off as easily as she would a child. I squirmed until she set me on my feet, my tail flicking indignantly.

”Haven?” I called.

The spirit’s wisps materialized, and immediately, my heart rate slowed, soothed by his presence.

”What’s going on? How is the church already here? Weren’t they supposed to arrive tomorrow?”

”They’re not in my range yet, but activity among the demons spiked. The apostle is moving them into an intercept position. From what the soldiers say, the horde’s scouts engaged the church rangers a few miles from here. Their main won’t be far behind.”

”Fighting won’t start immediately,” Luxxa said.

Gith nodded. ”Finding an entire infernal horde already dug in will certainly catch them off guard. They won’t engage until they know what they’re up against.”

”That gives us some time, but not much,” I said, already starting to move.

”Where are you going?” Luxxa asked, easily keeping pace as I broke into a run.

”Haven. There’s something I have to check. There might be a way to get that distraction we’re after.”