The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 255: Shadows in the Alley

Chapter 255: Shadows in the Alley

The world turned white as a tremendous explosion erupted behind me. Reacting instinctively, I soul cast an Aegis, though the measure proved futile. The ensuing shockwave slammed into me, breaking through the spell and knocking the air from my lungs. Everything went black as I tumbled through the air, landing hard on my back. My shoulder screamed as the impact incited the Sunpurge, bits of rock and gravel digging into my flesh, leaving long, bloody gashes as I rolled across the ground.

When I came to, I was lying on my back staring up at the sky. My chest was tight and bruised, every breath burning. My ribs ached fiercely, possibly broken, and my sensitive tail throbbed where it had been crushed against the ground. What had even happened? An explosion of that magnitude was the result of powerful magic, fifth-circle or above, certainly not something the inquisitors possessed. Unless...

I crept to my knees, relying heavily on my staff to keep from collapsing again. Rivulets of blood streaked across my skin, welling up from a multitude of cuts across my body, accompanied by tears brought forth by the searing agony of the Sunpurge.

As I feared, the wall had been blown apart. Veera slumped with exhaustion, her sword hanging loosely in her hand. Sweat and grime streaked her face, her chest heaving, but more notably, her soul was dim and withered. Not the drained, or dry, but shriveled and weak. The power emanating from her barely reached the threshold for third level, and still dropping.

"Y-you burned your soul?" Aqua gasped incredulously, staring at her mentor in disbelief.

"Catch her," Veera croaked, stretching out her hand toward me.

The older woman collapsed, the cycling mana of her soul pulsing erratically. Aqua sighed and stood, blue mana flaring around her fists.

"I will remember your sacrifice," she whispered, locking eyes with me.

Leaping forward, the inquisitor struck the ground with her fist, sending waves of mana spiraling through the earth toward me. I fought to react, but my body felt dipped in honey, too lethargic and heavy to respond.

Water erupted from the ground in great geysers, coiling in a watery hemisphere about me, about an arms-length away in every direction. White crests traveled throughout the dome, breaking randomly and showering with frigid droplets. Adaptive Resistance was useless against this kind of spell, leaving me trapped and isolated as Aqua prepared whatever it was she intended.

My eyes roved the sloshing inner surface of the barrier, tracing countless fine lines of mana. It was so complex that, for a second, I mistook it for an actual spell. Magical techniques were perfect examples of brute strength, more chaotic expressions of a warrior’s mana than any sort of crafted spell. But this...this was a work of refinement, of art. Only a mage should have such fine control over their mana, not a warrior who only used mana to reinforce their techniques!

My soul tingled, warning me of a growing power without the sphere. It didn’t take much to imagine Aqua gathering her mana, preparing for a single, overwhelming strike. Even if she was only fourth-level, with sufficient preparation and power, it would be possible for one as skilled as her to overwhelm Adaptive Resistance and render me unconscious, or at least disabled. At the very least, her intent wasn’t to kill, but I would undoubtedly lose my life should I fall into the church’s custody. They’d already sold me to be broken and killed. Next time, I doubted they’d use such subversive tactics.

"Can’t you break free?" The mysterious male voice sounded in my mind again, bearing a quizzical, almost skeptical note.

The words shook me from the gathering grips of despair, focusing my mind once more. Scanning the barrier once more, I gasped, my eyes widening. As complex and powerful as the strands of mana were, they wound around a central point. The structure was faint, but once I found the pattern, it became obvious. One large cluster of runes held the entire sphere together, situated on the side furthest from Aqua.

The barest hopes of an idea sprung into my mind, and I gripped my staff tightly, my tail swishing in nervous anticipation. It shouldn’t have been possible. A magical technique as finely crafted as this shouldn’t have such an obvious weak point, especially one intended to trap an opponent. The caster themselves might even be unaware of the flaw in their technique.

But, even if I could see it, accomplishing it was an entirely different matter. After the intensity of the battle, I lacked the mana for the spell I needed, leaving me with one, and only one, choice.

Pushing aside my dread, I began weaving runes together, rapidly sketching the four circles required for the spell. Fiery pain shot through my veins, and I bit my lip, holding back a cry as I squeezed my soul for mana. Every time I was forced to take this path, I swore it would be the last time. Yet Fate continued to push me to the brink, forcing me to face challenges well beyond my limits. I was afraid of the pain, and the consequences of burning my soul, but those fears paled in comparison to what might happen if I didn’t.

"Dispel Magic."

Invisible ribbons of chaotic mana erupted from my outstretched hand, steaming toward the cluster of runes. Aqua’s soul was stronger than mine, and even with my skill and affinity for Fate Magic, there was no guarantee I could destroy the entire wall.

But I didn’t have to. A tremor shook the wall as the two spells collided. Water showered down as the opposing forces of mana struggled for dominance, soaking me to the bone. After half a second, the intricate mess of threads broke, and the wall parted like a veil. The gap was just large enough for me to slip through, and I did so without hesitation.

"You actually did it," the voice commented in my head. "To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much, but you continue to surprise me."

The water dome continued to stand behind me, but with the central nexus of supporting mana gone, it was a hollow shell of its original strength. But it looked the same from the other side, acting as a decoy and shielding me from Aqua’s view, leaving me free to run down the street.

A few seconds after I turned the corner down the nearest alley, a massive explosion shook the air. Aqua must have released her new magical technique, the one she’d been preparing. I had time and distance on my side, but the sheer speed and ability granted to one at fourth level were staggering, and unless I could find someplace to hide, she’d undoubtedly be able to catch up and find me.

"Left," the voice said.

I hesitated, glancing down the side street to my left. The voice had done nothing but help me, but I couldn’t help but be suspicious of it. The Eyes of Fate prevented anyone from scrying on me with magic, so how was he capable of watching me? I doubted he’d been following me around this entire time, and there was the matter of the voice. I couldn’t see any traces of a spell capable of telepathy, either upon myself or in the air around me.

A long sigh entered my mind, so deep I could hear the eye roll behind it. "Don’t worry, I’m not trying to hurt you. But those inquisitors, on the other hand, would like nothing more. Follow my directions, and I’ll ensure you get away."

That did it. Even if I didn’t know if I could trust him, it was certainly a better alternative to the inquisitors.

I took off again, taking the side street he recommended. Occasionally, he’d offer more directions, leading me on a winding path through the city. After a minute or two, the ground stopped shaking and the sounds of destruction seized, meaning Fable’s battle had concluded one way or another. Through the bond, I could feel he was fine, meaning he must have made his escape shortly after I. My hands itched, tightening on my staff, but I pushed away the thought of summoning him. Right now, he would still be in his regular form, giving away my location the moment he appeared.

Eventually, I began to run across people again. Their eyes were wide and haunted, their faces stricken with unease. The sudden battle had shaken the entire city, but to the majority of the populace, the factions involved were unknown. Only Fable, who had towered above the buildings, would have been visible, all the more reason not to summon him.

Adjusting my cloak to hide my features once more, I slipped through the street, giving any nervous humans and beastkin a wide berth. After almost ten minutes, the voice directed me down one, final alley, a long, twisting street completely shrouded from the sun’s gaze. Surprisingly, there were no drunkards or homeless sheltering in the shadows, leaving me alone.

Letting out an exhausted breath, I leaned against the wall, sliding down the stonework until I sat on the ground, my knees pulled tight against my chest. The exhaustion and tension of the encounter left me feeling like I wanted to cry, but no tears came. Instead, I rested my chin on my knees and closed my eyes, trying to soothe the fire in my damaged soul.

At some point, I looked up, startled to find a figure standing before me. He appeared without warning, a ghost in the shadows.

Letting out a sharp gasp, I struggled to my feet, making it halfway up before he held out his hands, showing he was unarmed.

"I haven’t brought you all this way to hurt you now," the voice said, only this time it wasn’t in my head, but coming from the shadowy stranger before me.