The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 217: The Glory Chasers

Chapter 217: The Glory Chasers

The wolf and I stared silently around us, eyes darting where corpses had lain just moments before. The monsters were huge, standing nearly ten feet tall and weighing hundreds of pounds. After the battle, they were inarguably dead, with many even lacking limbs required for locomotion. Their aura and blood had been real, meaning they weren’t illusions, so how was it possible they had vanished?

Driven by a spike of unease, I jumped to my feet and nearly fell as my weight fell upon my injured leg. The wolf rose quickly, pressing against my back and steadying me. Patting his head gratefully, I summoned my staff and stumbled over to where the nearest corpse had lain.

The ground and surrounding foliage were indented, as though something heavy had fallen there. A deep gouge in the dirt marked where the monster’s limp claw had penetrated the ground. The foul taint of its black blood lingered in the air but had vanished from the plants and surrounding area. Glancing around, it was true for all of the corpses. Aside from the destruction of the battle, there was no sign monsters had ever existed.

Just as I was about to give up looking, I caught sight of a faint wisp of shadow rising from a broken tree. I made my way over just in time to see the body of a monster break into misty shadows. It was a swift process, starting from the creature’s extremities and working its way in. Within seconds, only the heart remained, looking more like a black onyx stone than a once-living organ.

I jumped back, tail shivering anxiously, as it wobbled. A small magic circle appeared within, proving it the material to be translucent. The circle gathered mana for a second and the stone lifted off the ground, rising steadily into the air. Looking up, I found dozens of small points of light glittering beneath the stars, flying through the air eastward, in the direction of Heartland City.

Moving by instinct, I grabbed the stone before it passed out of reach. It fought my grasp, squirming like an insect, but I held on tightly. It was only a few inches wide, and cold to the touch, seeming to suck the heat and life from my body. For a brief moment, I caught a glimpse of writhing darkness and curse magic, but then the magic circle winked out, and the bitter chill faded.

The airborne stones, presumably from the other monsters, vanished into the night, leaving me holding an empty, black chunk of polished crystal. I stared at it for a moment before tucking it in my Spatial Ring. I would properly study it after I recovered more mana and could use the Eyes of Fate.

My eyes swept over the battlefield once more before I sighed, sagging against the wolf’s flank in exhaustion. The monsters were gone, with little remaining beyond crushed trees to prove they were ever there. They were obviously magical in origin, perhaps some sort of puppet or spawn, but even if I could communicate with the villagers, I doubted they’d believe me about the threat. All I’d be able to rely on was a dead black crystal and the word of a demonkin. Even in the most accepting, tolerant places, my kind were looked upon with great suspicion, our most solemn oath taken as little more than the transient breeze.

"You believe me, right?" I said, though more for my own sake than the wolf’s. I rubbed one of my horns, deep in thought, and scratched the wolf behind the ear. It hummed, closing its eyes blissfully, tail thumping heavily against the ground. I shook my head ruefully. How could such a powerful monster be so fearsome one moment, yet so simple and childish the next?

I ruffled its fur and looked deep into its eyes. Even standing, its head was level with mine. "I think I need a name for you. Have any ideas?"

I could always name it something simple, like "Silver" for its fur, or "Star" for the obvious motif, but that felt shallow. I’d already taken the name "Starlight," or I might have considered that seriously as well.

"Fable," I whispered. I could find no other way to describe the way I felt other than a fairytale, or perhaps a dream. Simply being around the wolf lifted my spirits and filled my heart with hope. It was a reflection, or perhaps manifestation of that desperate yearning, a distant promise of the happy endings found in the stories of my original world.

It tilted its head for a moment, pondering the name, and its tongue flicked out and licked my cheek. I rolled my eyes and pushed it away. "Stop that, you’ll make me all sticky."

Barking playfully, it nudged me with its head, continuing until it accidentally brushed the Sunpurge. Hissing in pain, I cradled my shoulder and closed my eyes, holding back tears until the white finally faded.

"Gently," I groaned. "But I’m glad you like it."

He whined and dropped his head, staring up at me with round, apologetic eyes. I sighed and rested a hand on his head, idly caressing him between his horns, just as I liked it. The effect was similar, and soon, Fable wriggled in pleasure, his tail wagging.

Suddenly, he bristled, ears lying flat on his head. My ears twitched as I heard the sounds of shouts drawing close, coming from the direction of the town.

"Shh, it’s alright, they’re probably just coming to help. But they’re still looking for you, and I don’t think they’d understand that you’re not a real monster."

I wasn’t sure how much the wolf really understood, but it fixed me with a steady glare.

"I’ll be alright," I said, giving it a soft push. "Just go and live like you have been. If I ever need help, I’ll just use the staff to call you again."

With some reluctance, Fable padded away, constantly looking over its shoulder as though to ensure I was truly alright. My heart tightened as the shadows consumed it, but I pushed down the fear and anxiety its absence brought me. It wouldn’t leave me. I had to believe that.

"Starlight!"

I turned as Ror burst into the clearing, wielding a small short sword he’d begged off an adventurer some time ago. He led a small group of young faces, two of whom I recognized.

"Are you alright?" Tana asked, running toward me. She held a gnarled oak staff in one hand and a silver dagger in the other.

I nodded, dismissing my staff and collapsing on the stump. As Fable drew further away, the heroic blessings departed, abandoning me to an exhaustion that threatened to sweep me away.

"What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow?"

"There was an urgent request that came through at the guild for the village, so we managed to slip away earlier than we planned," she explained.

Sorrin stalked forward, naked blade in his hand. His wolf ears bristled warily as he observed the damage to the trees and holes in the ground. "What the hell happened here?"

Startled by his sharp tone, I flinched, tail twisting behind me nervously. Tana glared at him, which he returned unapologetically and pointed at one of the shattered trees.

"No mere animal did this. Judging by the damage, it had to have been at least a third-level monster. There haven’t been any reports of something like that in the area, much less this close to Westfall."

"It was the monster!" Ror said, pointing at the gap between the trees where it first appeared. "I told you already. It was huge and had long, sharp claws. It was Starlight who saved us, who held the monster off."

"And where did it go?" he asked, turning to me.

I shrunk back from the intensity of his gaze. "I-it ran off," I stammered.

"And why would it-"

"That’s enough, Sorrin. Can’t you see she’s terrified?" One of the newcomers interrupted. He walked over to me, gracefully sidestepping Tana as she tried to intercept him. "I’m Dyson. And who might this beauty be?"

He was lean and wiry, with finely toned muscles and a handsome face. He felt mature, but couldn’t have been more than a few years my senior, and was dressed in dark leathers. Two short swords hung at his waist, faintly glowing with enchantments.

"S-starlight," I stammered, overwhelmed by his forward charisma.

Without warning, he took my wrist and pressed his lips to the back of my hand. I froze, staring in shock as he raised his head, meeting my eyes and giving me a playful wink. Tana scowled and opened her mouth, about to say something.

Trembling, I tore away from his gentle grip, clasping my hand to my breast to keep it from shaking. "Please don’t," I whispered, not daring to meet his gaze. Something about his easy-going charm reminded me of Alex, sending shudders through my body.

"I told you to hold back," Tana grumbled, clapping him over the head. "Look what you’ve done now. Do you know how long it took us to get her used to Sorrin?"

"Sorry," Dyson muttered, scratching his head. "That usually works." His voice lowered as he turned away, talking to himself thoughtfully. "Was it the smile? No, that was perfect. The timing, then? Perhaps if I..."

"Ignore that idiot," the other new face said, stepping forward to introduce himself. "I’m Rasce, the ranger of this party. It will be good to have another mage."

He wore a thick mottled cloak and carried an enchanted bow. The fabric of his garb seemed to shift between various hues of green, brown, and gray, constantly adapting to blend into the background behind him. Were it not for my demonkin eyes, it would have been impossible to focus on him even when he was only a few feet away. Within the shadows of his cowl, his face was sharp and serious, brown eyes sparkling with intensity.

After a few seconds, I gathered enough courage to face them again, and with a deep breath, I asked, "Yes, but who are you?"

Rasce and Dyson blinked in confusion turning to stare at Tana. She shifted awkwardly and cleared her throat.

"Sorry, I thought I made it clear before. These are the other members of our adventuring party. We’re a silver-ranked party called the Glory Chasers, and while it might seem a little conceited, we’re one of the strongest parties in all of Heartland. And now," she said, eyes lighting up. "You’re one of us too. Welcome to the party!"

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