The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 162: Soul Gaze

Chapter 162: Soul Gaze

The Undead Hero’s question set me back in my seat, my tail twitching in surprise. "What am I?" I repeated dumbly.

Connor nodded, gripping the table tightly. His black eyes, usually shrouded in darkness, held a glint of nervousness. "Millions," he continued, his grip on the table tightening. "You wade through the blood of millions. How could anyone cause so much death? And yet," he paused, his gaze shifting beyond my flesh and into the depths of my soul. "You are as pure as a child."

I tilted my head, idly raising a hand and stroking my horn. "I’m not sure I understand. What do you mean?"

His fingers tapped on the table hesitantly before he sighed. "My ability, Soul Gaze, allows me to view one’s relationship with death. In death, a soul leaves an imprint upon their killer. I can manipulate that mark, gaining power and suppressing my opponent’s soul based on the weight of their crimes. I’ve closed four gates so far, but never, even when faced with the eternal souls of demons, have I witnessed a soul as black as when you walked through that door."

"Is that why...?" I started, my voice trailing off.

He nodded, his face drooping. "I’m sorry. I reacted instinctively and attacked you. I’ve uncovered several criminals and demonkin infiltrators by observing their misdeeds, so it wasn’t entirely unprecedented."

"Then what do you see in my soul?"

"It’s like I said, everything, but nothing at the same time. When your eyes glimmer like the stars, even that disappears. It’s like there are hundreds of different souls all mixed into one, and I catch glimpses of one here, and another there."

"Different people?" My hand dropped off my horn as a disturbing thought crossed my mind. "Or different times?"

"You are the Fate Hero," Connor mused. "But that seems unlikely. Demon souls are different than humans, so even if you didn’t bear the Sun God’s curse, slaughtering millions of them wouldn’t stain your soul. Perhaps it’s simply a strange interaction between your heroic nature and mine. Fate is mysterious, after all."

Fate. An enigmatic combination of past, present, and future. It claims knowledge of the future, but the visions are ultimately unreliable. After all, what happens is meant to happen, and only becomes written as it plays out. In a sense, Fate stands outside of time, encapsulating reality from start to finish. It is truth, pure and simple. As the Fate Hero, my soul stands apart from linear time, a record of my entire existence, past to future, compressed into the present.

I groaned, rubbing my temples. Just thinking about the possibilities made my head spin. Suddenly, Connor’s eyes found me once more, a smile spreading across his face. I glared at him, feeling a twinge of unease. Just moments ago, he was trembling in fear. What could make the stoic Undead Hero smile? Nervously, I looked around, feeling my face to ensure nothing was out of place. But his humor only increased with my agitation, growing until he actually chuckled.

"I can see why Soltair keeps you around," he murmured, his black eyes shining. "Your tail is too cute."

Mortified, I snatched my waving tail and pinned it in my lap. Unable to stop the furious blush spreading across my cheeks, I stared down, glaring at my tail, the tip of which continued to twitch in my grip. Connor blinked curiously a few times before he paled, clapping a hand over his mouth.

"S-sorry," he stammered. His hand curled into a fist beneath the table, striking his thigh. "What I meant to say was that you’re different from the others. Why aren’t you upset with me?"

"I am," I grumbled. My tail was one of my few weak points. I’d grown adept at hiding my expressions, which made it all the more frustrating. I did my best to ignore it, but to have it pointed out by another was just... embarrassing.

"No, not that," he said, his pale face reddening a bit. "Although that’s another question. But I humiliated you in front of everyone. But even when my aura forced you to your knees, there wasn’t any resentment or resistance, just," he took a breath, his voice softening, "Fear." He glanced at me, checking my expression, before continuing. "You’re a hero, yet you made no move to defend yourself. Had I not realized who you were, I likely would have killed you. I mean, you got more worked up about your, uh, you know," he gestured at me, "than that. How can you accept such abuse?"

"Can the dead lament their death?" I asked softly.

He nodded. "Of course. But they can’t fight it. Even for me, the Hero of Undeath, death is inevitable. I can raise their corpses, but their souls are powerless."

"I am the same."

"What are you saying? You’re the Fate Hero. If anyone can control their future, it’s you. I mean, you’re going to be powerful, right? How else would you lay so many souls at your feet?"

I sighed. "I don’t know."

"I mean, the only way to get that many would be a war, and not a small one. As I said, not even the demons, who’ve attacked world after world, have that many kills. How many kingdoms would you..." Connor’s smile was completely gone by the time his voice finally trailed off, replaced by a morbid sense of curiosity. "You’d have to, uh, you know."

I shook my head, and his expression turned a shade darker. His pitch-black eyes narrowed with a hint of suspicion.

My heart dropped. Connor had been unusually warm and friendly since apologizing, even going so far as to explain his abilities, but I hadn’t forgotten his cold and calculating personality.

"Xiviyah, it’s been hard, hasn’t it, keeping all of that pain and suffering to yourself. I know I’m hardly qualified, as I’m somewhat of a moody person myself, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I’d be happy to hear you out."

My mana tingled, sensing a subtle threat in his voice. His thoughts remained unknown, but he shifted back, his eyes darkening with the Soul Gaze. Whatever conclusion he drew remained unknown, as the servant arrived, bringing two wine cups.

The first was a glass chalice, etched with ornate runes and designs. The other, which she set before me, was a crude wooden cup. She gave a short curtsy to Connor, shot me a dirty look, and then left. I tilted the rim of the cup toward me, frowning as I made out an oily splotch floating on the surface of a watery fluid far too thin to be wine. My stomach churned in disgust, and I replaced the cup on the table, sliding it away from me.

"Thanks for trying," I said softly, my voice wavering.

Conscious of the Undead Hero’s gaze, I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, using that as an excuse to dab the gathering tears from my eyes. His eyes narrowed, and he reached out, snatching the wooden cup. Before I could react, he stood, a scowl settling upon his face.

"I-It’s fine," I stammered, gripping my skirt tightly.

"They spit in your drink," he forced through grit teeth. "We’re giving everything to save this world. I don’t care if your a demonkin or a demon, a hero’s a hero. And they spat in your drink. Who else can they blame but themselves when you finally-" His jaw snapped shut, cutting off his words.

I stood, a tremble going through me as my mana writhed between the amulet’s threads. "When I finally what?".

"Well, uh, the point is. This isn’t alright. You’re a hero, and-."

"I know that!" I whispered fiercely, my tail lashing. I winced, closing my eyes, appalled by my outburst. It wasn’t only the frustration of the treatment, but the impending sense of dread building in my soul. My mana hadn’t reacted like this since the Demon killed Elise. What else could compare to something of that magnitude?

"What is this?" Lady Elinore’s sharp voice rose above the din of the banquet. "A filthblood dares to interrupt our banquet?"

I froze as the entire banquet hall turned at the sound of her voice. Among the crowd, only Connor, Alex, and the rest of my party seemed confused. From the rest, I sensed nothing but hostility. Anxiety clutched my heart, and I took a step back, meeting Elinore’s eyes. Her lips curved up in a cruel smile, sending a shudder down my tail.

"Guards, escort it away!"

I looked desperately at Soltair, but he only shrugged and mouthed, "I’ll find you later."

Under the judgment of a thousand eyes, I made the only decision left to me. I fled.

"Xiviyah?" Connor’s eyes narrowed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him start after me.

Whispers built in my ears as a thousand eyes bore through me. The length of the banquet hall seemed to stretch on forever, exposing me to the full gauntlet of hostile reactions. Everything from racial slurs to religious attacks on Fate was tossed out easily, as though the nobles and priests had been preparing for this very moment. A final, scathing comment chased me through the doors.

"Connor, it’s fine," Soltair’s voice floated over the noise. "It’s hardly her first time doing this."

With tears in my eyes, I stumbled through the abandoned corridors. Soltair’s voice awoke within me a distant memory, one I’d tried to forget, of a situation very similar to where I found myself now. Only this time, there was no Korra. The closest I had was an Undead Hero who thought I was hell-bent on massacring humans.

Somehow, I found myself in the outer gardens. Huddling on a bench, I hugged my knees to my chest and cried. It was night, but the city lights drowned out the stars, leaving me alone with only a few distant twinkles.

I knew it was going to be dark, I just hadn’t thought it would come so soon. I had naively hoped I would maintain a semblance of peace until we reached the Divine Throne. It was nothing I hadn’t experienced before, but after the light of the Western University, of Elise, the shadows felt especially deep. And beneath it all, I felt fear. My fate was fast approaching. Just what did Connor see in my soul? What horrors did my future hold?

So deep were my sorrows that I didn’t notice someone approaching until they stood before me. The soft glow of pure white feathers teased the edges of my vision, and, through the tears, I made out the blurred face of a man standing tall above me. His weathered face was handsome beyond compare, with piercing golden eyes and a visage like the sun. His voice was strong and dependable, but placed a deep sense of foreboding within my heart.

"I had planned a more formal introduction, but this works just as well. Well met, Fate hero."

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