The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 287: Decisions

Chapter 287: Decisions

The atmosphere of the Westfall Inn common room was solemn, filled with a heavy silence. The sun had yet to reach its zenith, sending sunbeams through the smoke-stained windows in low, blinding angles. Bilev stood behind the counter, polish rag in one hand, glass mug in the other, idly whistling a folk tune.

The Glory Chasers, joined by Korra, were arraigned around the central table, listening intently as we shared the things Ror had revealed. The Circle of Chains had stolen Sari and the others, though where the foxkin hadn’t known. As the table descended into silence, I cleared my throat, clenching my hands in my lap to keep them from trembling.

"There’s something you all should know," began, looking around the table.

I deliberately met each of their gazes, noting the curiosity, distraction, and even suspicion within. Korra leaned forward, propping her chin on her hand, and smiled encouragingly. Nodding, I swallowed hard and continued.

"I’m the Fate Hero. You know that by now."

They all nodded.

"Heroes are given many special blessings and abilities upon their awakening. One of mine is the Eyes of Fate, which allows me to see souls and mana."

They nodded again, and I took a deep breath, butterflies dancing in my stomach.

"They also let me see through Fate, granting visions of the future. Among other things, It’s how I knew inquisitors were hunting me. It’s also shown me where Sari is, and the true power of the Circle."

I closed my eyes, not daring to meet their gazes any longer. I could imagine the disbelief, suspicion, perhaps even fear, dancing in the eyes of my friends. Korra was a hero, familiar with the kind of power we wielded, but could the others possibly be so calm about something so dangerous?

"The future? Like a revelation from the gods?" Dyson asked, frowning thoughtfully.

Rasce shook his head. "I hadn’t even thought something like that possible. But if you say it’s so, I’ll believe you."

Sorrin glanced at Tana, who nodded, before meeting my anxious gaze. "Starlight, if what you say is true, things are far more dire than we realized. Is that why the church sent a full team of inquisitors after you?"

Everyone looked at Korra, who just shrugged. "Part of it, though I didn’t care too much for those politics. It was enough for me that they were willing to ’help’ me find Xiviyah."

Tana gripped Sorrin’s hand tightly. "How much can you see? You said you knew where Sari was?"

I looked around the circle of faces, holding back tears. Fear? What fear? They looked at me the same as they always had–eyes filled with faith and trust. For the thousandth time, I offered a silent prayer to Fate, thanking her for guiding me to such true friends.

I rubbed my eye, subtly wiping away a tear, before noticing they were still gazing at me expectantly, waiting for an answer. "S-sorry," I stammered, rubbing my horn self-consciously. "The visions aren’t always reliable. They come and go as they please, but always show me things relevant to my Fate. Most of the time, it’s of things that could happen in the future, but sometimes, like last night, I see something happening close to the present. Sari is in Brithlite, a slave to the king himself."

"The king? If you think that’s happening now, it just doesn’t add up," Rasce muttered, folding his arms. His voice was laced with a sympathy that only deepened the pit in my stomach. "The slave trade is a relatively slow industry. Slaves must be properly judged and evaluated before being placed on the market. There’s no way Sari could have been sold to someone as prominent as the king so quickly. If he even took a slave, it would be one carefully curated, not some child from a no-name village."

His rejection, no matter how gently presented, set an uneasy shiver down my tail. I gripped the hem of my skirt tightly as a soft murmur of agreement rose around the table. Feeling the others’ eyes upon me, I fidgeted with the end of my horn, taking a second to raise my chin and meet their questioning gaze.

"The King of Brithlite is Alverin, the Lord of the Circle."

My quiet declaration sent a shock through the room. Sorrin’s eyes widened and Tana sat up, her mouth slightly agape.

Dyson narrowed his eyes, leaning forward. "Are you sure? Is he the one responsible for hurting Bell?"

"I’m certain." A surge of anger bubbled up my throat, restricting my voice to a forced whisper. "He had a chain around her neck, parading her before his generals and advisors like some kind of animal. To be enslaved and humiliated like that, convinced you’re worthless and alone...I can’t leave her. I can’t let anyone else suffer like that."

Tears gathered in my eyes, but before they could fall, something warm and soft settled in beside me, a head pushing itself beneath my hand. I looked down and found Fable staring up at me, his starry eyes calm and reassuring. My hand curled between his horns, and I took a deep breath, finding comfort in his presence.

Dyson sighed, leaning back in his chair, his voice low and defeated. "We can’t just fight an entire country. Even finding the time to leave Heartland is a chore. What with demons and infernal monsters wandering down and the last vestige of the circle on the outskirts, trying that now would expose the entire area. I’m not saying we abandon her," he added quickly, catching my defiant glare, "but this needs to be considered carefully."

"Oh, come on, it’s not so hard," Korra said. As everyone turned to stare at her, she leaned back in her seat, flicking a lock of hair out of her face. "The answer’s pretty simple, though I know none of you will like it. Xiviyah and I will go to Brithlite, while the rest of you stay here."

Tana stood, planting both hands firmly on the table. "There’s no way in hell I’m letting that happen. You’re an inquisitor, remember? You can’t just waltz in here and take my friend away. How do we know this isn’t just a new trick to recapture your precious Fate Hero?"

Korra raised an eyebrow, meeting the half-elf’s skepticism with her own. "And how would I do that? Xiviyah can see through magic, remember? Besides, do you really think Xiviyah would trust someone who might do something like that?"

I looked down at my lap, fidgeting with the hem of my skirt. If only she knew. Just how many had it been? Soltair, Fyren, the high inquisitor...the list went on and on. A record of the betrayals that had marked my path. Once, Korra had been on that list, agreeing to the plan to quietly put me away, but she had turned, attacking the Divine Throne itself to try and free me.

"She won’t betray me," I said, flinching as their gazes switched on to me. I turned to Korra, my eyes pleading. "You wouldn’t...right?"

Korra nodded. "Of course not. If I planned on allying with the church, I never would have sacrificed my mana. I mean no offense, but given how desperate you are, I could have easily fooled you into believing me despite claiming to have left the church and yet retaining my mana."

She was right, though it stung to admit it, even more so as the others began to nod reluctantly. My tail fell limb against the ground, and I bowed my head, rubbing a horn like I was massaging my temple.

Korra looked at me, her mouth parting, then bit her lip. After a moment, she looked back at Tana. "I will do everything in my power to protect Xiviyah, of that you have my word. But supposing we all go, and sacrifice this place to the demons or whatever. What do you think would happen if an adventuring party from Heartland were to invade the royal capital of Brithlite and raid the castle? Considering how integrated the Circle is with their aristocracy, do you think we could remain unscathed? Even insulting the king is a crime worthy of public whipping. Directly stealing one of the king’s personal slaves? With how experienced the Lord of the Circle must be in inflicting pain, I can’t even imagine what sort of creative punishment he’ll contrive. Are you prepared to bring that down upon your friends and loved ones?

Tana blinked, her lips parting, but no sound came out. Sorrin laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, staring hard at Korra. "What difference would it make if it were just you two?"

"The difference is simple," she replied. "We’re heroes."

She said is so simply, so matter-of-factly, even Sorrin looked taken aback. "Heroes?"

"Heroes. We can do things you can’t begin to imagine. You already know something of Xiviyah’s power, but considering the rumors and legends I encountered in my search, it’s only a small portion. I hold similar secrets and powers, although my accomplishments seem rather modest compared to hers." Korra chuckled softly, though her smile faded as no one else joined in. "In all honestly, I’d rather you come with us, as your skills and abilities would prove invaluable. But a smaller, more concentrated group will have a better chance of infiltrating a castle. With those increased odds, as well as the need to protect Heartland, the choice becomes clear."

Dyson frowned, giving a slight shake of his head. "I’m still not convinced that–"

"There’s something else you should all know," I said softly. After bowing my head in apology for interrupting him, I looked up to find them watching me closely. "I didn’t want to tell you, because...well, I guess there’s no fear of you hating me, but it still’s hard. Demons are driven by a consuming lust for power, for pure souls. It’s my fault they’ve been wandering south so far from the war. In my vision, one of the generals reported heavy attacks in our direction. The most powerful demons have gathered there trying to break through, drawn by the power of my soul. As long as I’m here, the threat will continue to grow, until this entire region is overrun by demons and infernal monsters."