The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 236: Fable

Chapter 236: Fable

The golem’s master was dead, yet showed no hesitation as it lifted its claws and charged forward. While spun from the shadows itself, the creature’s flesh was real and tangible, the claws as large and sharp as swords. Saliva flung from its gaping maw in sticky droplets, and the pure hatred and joy of the kill smoldered in its eyes.

"Dyson, intercept it!" Rasce called.

His bowstring thrummed, and an arrow sprouted from the monster’s chest. The shaft burst into flames, and the monster screeched in pain, its step becoming erratic. Dyson smet its claws with both swords, strengthening his body at the last moment with a magical technique.

The air rang with the sound of the impact, and Dyson grunted, arms straining as he was pushed back. They were both fourth level, but the sheer size of the golem granted it strength far above that of a human, leaving it with a significant advantage in a direct clash. Another few arrows slammed into its chest alongside the first, and the monster’s charge finally broke.

As the golem reeled back, Dyson’s swords flashed, cutting blazing trails of light through the golem’s legs. He danced around its flailing claws, lashing out again and again with blistering speed.

Roaring, the monster’s soul glowed and it stomped on the ground, releasing a powerful shockwave. The ground heaved, and I stumbled back, falling hard against the wall. Dyson, closest to the force, nearly lost his balance. The golem struck before he could recover, sending him flying back against the wall. Blood streamed after him, trailing from a jagged wound across his chest.

"Dyson!" I cried, instinctively running toward him.

I froze as the monster rose between us, leering at me. Blood dripped from its many injuries, but it shrugged off the damage with little concern for its wellbeing.

Rasce fired a few more arrows, but the golem batted them aside. Dyson groaned behind it, coughing up blood, filling me with horror. I had seen death and destruction on a scale few in this world could imagine, but the sight of the man who had followed me through the dark and saved me bleeding on the ground shook me to the core.

Everything dimmed as the monster’s claws reached toward me. Rasce’s voice floated through the air, but it faded before the words became clear. My hand tightened on my staff as panic clawed at my heart, the fear of losing the thief overwhelming all else.

"No!" I cried, instinctively raising my staff. Even if I lost everything because of it, I couldn’t just allow him to die! "I need you, Fable. Heed my call!"

A pulse of golden magic swept out of the blazing star atop my staff. Rasce shielded his eyes against the blinding light, and even the Shadow Golem hesitated, caught off guard by the sudden swell of power.

A glowing line cut a thin slit in the air almost ten feet tall. Rapidly swelling, it opened up into a full circle, revealing the ancient forests outside the city on the other side. A monstrous aura seeped through the portal, bringing with it a mysterious, revitalizing force that flowed into my soul.

A dark shadow rushed through the portal, landing on the ground between me and the Shadow Golem. Fable raised his noble head and glared at the monster, his lips curling back in a snarl. Looking at his soul through the Eyes of Fate revealed it nearly identical to my own, save it was undamaged. Comforting, familiar mana rolled off him in waves, flowing over me and washing away my fatigue. I took a long, deep breath, breathing in his scent, and my worry washed away. As long as he was here, everything would be okay.

"What the hell is that thing?" Rasce asked warily, pointing his bow at the wolf.

"He’s mine," I whispered, reaching out to stroke the wolf’s flank.

Fable’s growl deepened as the monster shook off its surprise. Black energy coursed through its soul, condensing in its claws. The moment it activated a magical technique, I threw my hand forward.

"Fable, now!"

Fable howled, and the world crawled to a halt. For the briefest moment, the curtains of reality dimmed, revealing the Stars of Fate. Every action triggered countless waves in the world, influencing the present and changing the future. Ripples spread as Fable lunged forward, his jaws closing on the helpless monster’s throat. The wolf tossed his head, ripping and tearing until a sickening snap chilled my blood.

Fable’s ability expired, and the world returned to normal. Rasce’s bow clattered to the ground as he beheld the carnage of the scene. For him, not a single instant had passed since the wolf moved, but now the Shadow Golem hung limp in his jaws. Black blood ran in thick rivers down the monster’s corpse, already beginning the process of evaporation.

"Fable, you came!" I cried, running forward.

The wolf dropped the golem and in a single bound crossed the distance between us. He lowered his head so I could pet him, and, after a moment, I threw my arms around his neck. The air hummed with the wagging of his massive tail, and I closed my eyes, burying my face in his fur. The wolf’s head was nearly as big as I was, but he was soft and welcoming, surrounding me with warmth.

"Thank you," I whispered, pressing my forehead against his. His eyes sparkled with pride, and his throat vibrated in pleasure.

Rasce’s gaze shifted between us, his face pale with shock and disbelief. "Starlight, you just...a wolf..."

Giving Fable a final hug, I pulled away and pushed passed him. The infernal wolf was massive, nearly filling the entirety of the alley, but he lifted a leg and allowed me to pass under with ease.

My heart stopped as I found Dyson lying motionless on the ground. Blood formed a dark pool about his body, sticky and stagnant, filling my nostrils with hot iron.

"Dyson!" I cried, dropping to my knees beside him.

His chest rose and fell shallowly, but he was chalk white, each beat of his heart fainter than the last. Blood no longer flowed freely from the gaping wound on his chest, only bubbling out with each heartbeat.

"Dyson..." I sobbed, terrified at the thought of losing him.

"Starlight, there’s nothing you can do," Rasce said softly.

I looked up, and through the tears, I could see him standing beside me. His face was shrouded in shadows, but the hurt in his eyes was plain.

I shook my head violently and laid my hands on his chest. "No, there has to be!"

Taking a deep breath, I called forth my mana. But even with Fable’s influence and my staff’s power, I lacked the strength to cast a single first-circle spell. My soul ached, growing scorching hot, as I squeezed it for everything it was worth, beginning the process of burning my soul. There was no telling what kind of damage that might do to my already injured soul, but I couldn’t just let him die!

Tears streamed down my cheeks as the pain intensified, forcing me to the brink of consciousness. Dim runes appeared around me, slowly building magic circles, but it soon became clear I was too weak. It would take at least a fourth-circle spell to heal his wound, and even if I burned my entire soul, I wouldn’t have enough mana.

"No...I can’t lose you too," I mumbled brokenly. Aurle’s memory was fresh in my mind, a wound that would that would never heal. Why did I continue to blindly love and trust others? It only made the pain so much more unbearable!

A hot gust of wind rolled over me from behind as Fable exhaled, nudging me with his nose. I allowed the movement to rock me, completely unresponsive as tears began to flow again. Fable nudged me again, this time accompanied by a tug through our bond. I could feel his worry and concern, but there was also something more, something that sent a thrill through my heart.

I gasped, pressing a hand to my breast and lifting my gaze to meet the wolf’s starry eyes. He nodded and lowered his head until it was level with me. Raising a trembling hand, I pressed against his forehead. He wrapped his length around us protectively, shielding us from the outside world.

Immediately, our bond strengthened, growing from a thread to a river. Mana flowed through the channel, suffusing my soul in a waterfall of power. I groaned as the pressure built, and quickly raised my staff. The weak, pitiful runes of my first attempt blazed to life as they saturated with mana, rapidly spinning into place.

"Restoration!" I cried, laying a hand on his chest.

The darkness fled once more as the spell compelled and the soft, green radiance of Life Magic descended upon Dyson. The fourth-circle spell took effect instantaneously, rapidly knitting together his lacerations. His eyes flew open and he sputtered, coughing up a mouthful of blood and clearing his lungs. Within seconds, his organs were restored and his ribs mended, the skin drawing together. By the time the spell ended, the only sign of the grievous wound was a thin white line across his chest. Even that would heal in time, when his body had regained its strength.

"I’m...alive," he gasped, looking at his hands in awe. Suddenly, he stiffened, noticing the giant, thirty-foot-long wolf world around us.

"Shhh, it’s alright," I whispered, stroking his cheek with what I hoped was a comforting hand. "You lost a lot of blood, and it will take time to regain your strength."

"Starlight? What happened? The golem hit me, and then-"

"It’s dead," Rasce said, folding his arms. "This damned wolf killed it."

I frowned at him, my hand coming to an agitated stop. "His name is Fable, and he saved our lives."

"Be that as it is, I believe you owe us an explanation," Rasce replied evenly. "Also, you’d better do something about it, or people are going to notice. The sounds of battle travel far, especially when a massive wolf is howling all over the place."

"Fable?" I asked, looking at the wolf uncertainly. "Can you, um, you know...?"

He barked once, the sound like roaring thunder. Hundreds of runes materialized around him, organizing themselves in a large circle on the ground beneath him. Flecks of starlight rose from the circle, building and clinging to the wolf’s pelt until he glowed with blinding light. Slowly, Fable’s massive form shrunk, until he stood before the size of a regular wolf, albeit with horns and a demonkin’s tail. His fur and eyes glittered with stars, but aside from appearing like an unusual magical creature, there was nothing inherently dangerous-looking about him.

"Fable? You’re so...small," I said, tilting my head in confusion. I’d expected him to jump over the walls or something, but this truly caught me by surprise.

Fable mimicked my action, and the corners of my lips twitched. I knelt and rubbed his head, falling back as he pushed forward, licking my face.

"That’s, uh, better, I guess," Rasce muttered. "Dyson, can you stand? Let’s get back to the inn before more of these bastards find us."

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