The Forsaken Hero

The atmosphere had changed when I returned to High Valley. The skirmishes had escalated into outright battle, with entire legions of coalition soldiers testing the demon’s lines before retreating, letting their mages and archers pick apart the packs overextending to chase them. It was a tactic I’d seen employed many times in gates and faraway battlefields. Highly effective.

But such a simple tactic served as nothing more than the opening gambit. Evla was quick to react, sending her high-level evolved demons against the individual teams of soldiers.

”What news? Is there hope?” said Luxxa as my guard gathered around me.

I nodded, exhaling slowly. They exchanged looks when I didn’t say more, falling in behind me as I walked from the temple.

”Should I remain here?” Kahlen finally asked.

”Please. They can’t be allowed to enter Haven.”

”Then wouldn’t it be better to close the gate?” Jenna asked.

”No. I need its power. I already summoned Jasrin a few days ago, so I need a direct line.”

High Valley had quieted in my absence; the civilians gathered in their homes and barricaded themselves inside, too frightened of the demonic horde to do much of anything. Small squads of Crimson Guard were positioned in each of the villages to protect them if things went wrong, while the rest were gathered at the main keep, the first and only line of defense against the approaching army.

”It’s hard to believe there’s a battle out there,” Jenna murmured, staring into the wall of mists. ”It’s so...peaceful.”

”It won’t stay that way,” I said. ”One way or another, they will break through Evla’s horde. Be it army, or just the inquisitors.”

”And your plan? Will we be able to draw them into a trap? I’m not confident we can protect you otherwise,” Luxxa said.

My shoulders lifted and sank in a deep breath. ”If there was ever a time for faith, it’s now.”

”Xiviyah!”

I turned at the sound of Rylam’s voice, a smile taking to my face. ”Rylam!”

He ran up to us, wearing dull steel armor that looked out of place against the warm red of his fur. His tail poked through a gap in the back, swishing excitedly as he ran up to us.

”Where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

I folded my hands before me. ”I’m sorry. I had some important things to check on.”

”Yeah, well, that doesn’t matter now, because the fight is starting. There are way more soldiers than we anticipated, almost two hundred thousand. But the good news is that the inquisitors and priests are barely getting involved. They seem to be waiting for something. Captain Andres said they’re just testing our defenses for now. Er, the demons, I mean. It’s likely they will commit to a major offensive before nightfall, though. They’ll want to break through before it gets dark.”

”Smart, they lose every advantage against the demons, then,” Luxxa muttered, glancing up. The sun was visible only as a diffused circle in the sky, hovering over the rim of the mountains. ”But that doesn’t give us much time. Maybe an hour or two.”

”It will have to be enough. Haven, are you there?”

The spirit appeared, making Rylam jump. He eased his hand off his sword. ”Never going to get used to that,” he muttered, shaking his head at himself.

”Can you sense them yet?” I asked the spirit.

”Yes, my Lady. It’s as the foxkin says.”

So Haven had heard that, too. That meant he really was here, and not just his presence. My tail relaxed slightly at that, my breath coming a little easier. Maybe Arantius was right. We weren’t truly alone.

Rylam said, ”Captain Andres asked me to invite you to the keep. They’ve set up a temporary healer’s station in the courtyard, for when the enemy inevitably breaks through. I know you want to help, and this might be your best chance.”

”I understand. Thank you.”

I didn’t really plan on doing much healing, not on the back line, that is, but there was no reason to refuse. It got me close to where I needed to be.

There were already a few wounded soldiers waiting in tents when we arrived, lying on cots. Of all the Crimson Guard, only three of them were life mages, and only third level at that. That was actually a good ratio for human armies, considering how rare life mages were, but compared to the armies of Sylvarus, or the Fatesworn, it seemed pitifully low.

”What happened here?” I asked, reaching the bedside of a soldier missing his arm. A healer had already staunched the blood and left his stump wrapped in linen bandages.

”Those damned demons...” the soldier growled, wincing as my fingers feathered over his arm. I carefully unwound the bandages, exposing the wound.

”They attacked you?” I asked, surprised.

He shook his head. ”No, we were too far when the recall came. Er, we’re scouts, I mean, my Lady. A horde wandered too close, and Bart, there--” Her jerked his head at another soldier across the tent, ”Panicked. The enemy was too close, and I heard him flailing about. We barely managed to get away, but not before one of them lopped my hand off. Damned inquisitor.”

”You were lucky to get away,” I murmured, taking his stump in my hands. Gently. A small half-smile tugged at my lips as I remembered the last time I’d healed soldiers in High Valley. Hadn’t it been an arm back then, too?”

”Restoration,” I breathed, pushing a small drop of my mana into the spell.

The soldier’s face contorted in discomfort as green light crawled over his body, actively hunting scrapes, cuts, and bruises. Bone, muscle, veins, and nerves shot out of the stump, twisting together and forming the structure of his hand. Skin crawled over the top, and in seconds, I let his arm go, standing.

”You’ll be tired for a little while,” I said, my heart warm as he flexed his new hand, staring at it in wonder. ”Rest up, and don’t push yourself.”

He looked up at me, his eyes wide with wonder. ”T-Thank you, my Lady. I...I don’t know how I can repay this.”

”There will never be a need.”

How easy it was compared to last time. How small the cost. Before the fourth-circle spell had even finished, my mana had been completely replenished.

”You’re smiling,” Rylam said, grinning himself as I moved to the next soldier. ”I’ve never seen you so...gentle. You’re always gentle, I mean, but, er...”

”I’m just glad I can help.” I knelt by the side of the next soldier, who had an ugly gash across his side. I laid my hand across it, and he jerked as the spell activated.

In a few brief minutes, the tent was clear. I revitalized the soldiers and mages with a burst of life mana, and the tent cleared as they left to rejoin the others. With nothing to do until the fighting started, I sat on a cot, leaning back on my hands, sighing.

Rylam moved over and sat beside me, resting his elbows on his knees. ”It feels strange,” he said, ”not being on the front line.”

”Did you fight often?” I asked.

He shook his head. ”The apostles seemed to prefer using the horde more than us. Honestly, we were more refugees than soldiers, with nowhere else to go. I only fought in five battles. Maybe twice that if you counted all the fist fights and scraps I got in with the rabble.”

I shifted, gathering my hands in my lap. My leg brushed against him, but I didn’t pull away. He was...warm. Even through his armor.

”Would you tell me more about it?”

He did, growing more animated as time passed, gesturing with his hands, his emotions relived through his ears. I listened, only half paying attention. At some point, his tail brushed against mine, and without thinking, I reached out, feeling the silky fur. I almost didn’t notice the moment when I stroked it, and his voice cut off. My fingers froze.

”S-Sorry,” I stammered, jerking my hand back, hiding it behind my back.

His cheeks had taken on a reddish hue. ”It’s...it’s fine. That’s just...unexpected.”

”It’s just that...it feels like hers,” I admitted, looking down, blushing. ”I didn’t even think.”

”Oh.”

I didn’t know what kind of significance tails had among foxkin, but I silently berated myself for getting too comfortable. It was just... in the months I had lived with Aurle, we’d gotten close enough that it was normal. She had loved brushing her tail, and even got me to do it a few times. And Rylam was too familiar. His warmth, his scent, the feel of his fur...I’d slipped into it without even noticing.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem too bothered, other than the agitated twitching of his ears. He didn’t even scoot away. Maybe he didn’t really mind, after all.

We remained in the healer’s tent, alone as the other mages went about preparing, until the light began to dim. As the shadows deepened and the sun disappeared beneath the mountains, a shiver ran through the air. A few shouts rang out, and a soldier ducked under the tent flap.

”Lady Xiviyah, Captain Andres sent me to inform you. The enemy has broken through the demons.”