The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 343: The Winds of Winter

Chapter 343: The Winds of Winter

The long line of soldiers wound through the narrow ravines and jagged chasms like a Crawler itself, dark against the pale blue stone. The sharp scrape of the thousands of steel boots echoed into the air only to be swallowed in the depths of the sky. Clouds, thick and endless as the sea itself, blanketed the entirety of Blue Canyon, turning everything gray and cold.

The Last Light Company pressed on through the chill with heads held high. They had been on the march for nearly three weeks now and were surely exhausted by now, but from my place at the head of the column, they seemed as neat and orderly as the day we left Bluerock City behind. Their armor glistened duly in the gray light, matching the sparkle in their eyes. A few young recruits caught me watching them and, without breaking pace, their faces lit up and they waved.

I blushed slightly and gave them a small smile, before quickly looking away. I shouldn’t be staring, not when they were enduring so much for my sake.

My thoughts turned from the army as a sallow wind descended from the clouds, cutting through the valleys and chasing through the ranks of soldiers. They failed to so much as falter, even the weakest among them was third level and capable of enduring far worse temperatures. I, on the other hand, shivered, drawing my cloak tightly about me. Instinctively, I reached for my mana but hesitated, then let it go with a sigh. Elinore still wasn’t happy about me using magic yet, and I’d no doubt receive a tongue-lashing if she discovered I’d cast a spell.

"Hey, isn’t it time for you to ride a bit?" Korra’s voice cut through my thoughts. She walked on my left side, her eyes warm with concern.

I shook my head quickly. "I-It’s only been an hour...I couldn’t, not when they’re all so..." I looked back over the marching ranks of soldiers, my stomach twisting.

"Xiviyah," she said, sighing, "You should ride. You’re just going to tire yourself out."

Fable whined in agreement, his starry golden eyes fixed on me. He’d been constantly brushing and rubbing against me ever since I demanded he let me off the last time, but I’d been ignoring him.

"Please, I can walk too!" I protested, my tail flicking anxiously. "No one else has been able to rest yet, and I can still–"

"Oh, just ride for a bit. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your legs trembling or how often you’ve had to catch your breath. No one would blame you for taking a break. Besides..." She shivered, checking over her shoulder to make sure no one else was listening. "Elinore said you shouldn’t be walking at all, and I’m not taking responsibility for anything again."

I shuddered too and nodded weakly. "M-maybe I am feeling a little tired. But just for a bit!"

I blushed slightly as her lips twitched into a smile, but the thought of the stern Life mage was more than enough to convince me. Fable rubbed my face with his cheek before lowering his shoulder and allowing me onto his back. The moment I sank into his long, silver fur, a wave of exhaustion swept over me, and I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around his neck and resting my head on his broad shoulders. His steps were gentle and sure, and I felt only a slight sway with every step, allowing me to relax without worrying about falling off or jostling my wounds.

As much as I hated to admit it, Korra was right. My body still hadn’t adjusted to the crippling power of the Sunpurge, leaving me far weaker than I normally was. But even if I were in peak condition, it wouldn’t have made a difference. The Sun God’s curse alone ensured I couldn’t keep the pace set by the Last Light Company. I was just a regular, untrained girl. Marching fifty miles a day for weeks was simply impossible.

But watching the soldiers struggle through the long hours of the day didn’t sit right with me. They put on a relentless, inexhaustible frontal, but I knew they were exhausted. Most were too disciplined to show it, but I’d heard the recruits, who had yet to finish their training, groaning and complaining whenever their commanding officers were out of hearing. They had every right to resent me for not suffering alongside them, but even if they didn’t, it wasn’t right for me to take the easy road. If they hadn’t waited for me to recover well enough to travel, they would have been relaxing at Bluegate already, not rushing at full speed through the bitter winter of the anomaly.

The wind rose again, and I held back a startled squeak as something cold and wet settled on my cheek. Quickly wiping it away, I looked up to find the sky dancing with snowflakes. The weather had turned cold a week into our journey, and frost covered the ground every morning, but this was the first time it actually snowed.

I smiled softly, my tail twitching in wonder. It was summer, and yet...snow. When was the last time I’d seen snow? It had to have been when the Ice Spirit froze Bluerock City, but what about before that?

Memories flickered through my mind, constricting my joy and wonder until they dissolved under a wave of sorrow. The crunch of wagon wheels. A bitter, biting wind. Cold, unforgiving chains. And stiff, frozen corpses leaving a trail of death in the snow. My hands tightened around Fable’s neck, and I bit my lip, holding back tears. It was another lifetime ago, the journey that heralded the horrors I endured in High Valley.

"Can you believe it? It’s supposed to be summer, yet it’s snowing!" Korra giggled cheerfully, blissfully unaware of the memories that tormented me. I buried my face in Fable’s fur to hide my unshed tears as she glanced over at me, holding up her hands to catch a particularly large snowflake. "Xiviyah? Is everything alright?"

I nodded, but she frowned as my tail betrayed me, lying limp across Fable’s back. My shoulders shook as I suppressed a sob, and I stiffened as her hand rested on my back.

"You’re thinking of the night they stole you away, aren’t you," she said softly.

I shivered, startled by her astuteness. How could she possibly have known that?

"After the battle at the Divine Throne, the church held me up for a few days. By the time I managed to slip away and start looking for you, the snow had covered your tracks. Not even R’lissea could find you, either. I’ve never been so frustrated in my life, but at the end of the day, I realized it was just snow. It wasn’t the storm’s fault I couldn’t find you. That’s fate for you, right?"

I raised my head and peered at her, my eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I was alone and forgotten in that slave wagon. It was the closest I’ve ever come to dying, to giving up. It hurts to remember, and I wish I could just forget it all and move on, but...they still have Sari. I can’t let her suffer like I did."

Korra nodded, letting her hand linger a moment longer, sharing just a bit more of her warmth. "And we’re going to get her back. I promise."

I still felt like crying, but I let out a long, heavy breath and did my best to smile at her. "Thank you."

Her lips curved back at me, but there was no warmth or comfort in her expression. "I’m not just here for Sari, or even you. I’m going to kill every one of those bastards. I don’t care who they are, or how important their position. The Circle of Chains hurt you, Xiviyah, and I won’t let that go unanswered."

My heart sank and I turned away, staring at the ground passing beneath Fable’s paws. "I...I can’t forgive them either, but he’s a king..."

"I’ve killed tens of thousands of demons and monsters," she answered coldly. "Why would I show mercy just because one happens to look like a human?"

I nodded and squeezed my eyes shut, but they flew open again as a new voice sounded in my ears. My breath caught as I looked up and found Jackal walking beside Korra. Had he heard her declaration? He was a loyal soldier of Brithlite! My fears were confirmed by his next word.

"That’s a dangerous thing you’re discussing," he said solemnly. "Even for a hero, killing a king is a serious crime, especially one as loyal to the church as King Alverin. Haven’t you already kicked the hornet’s nest by killing a High Inquisitor?"

I wilted before the gravity of his voice but was surprised to find Korra staring at him defiantly. Jackal blinked once, and then a savage grin spread across his face.

"By the gods, it’ll feel good to sink my blade into that bastard."

What? My lips parted in a gasp and my tail stiffened in disbelief. Korra looked equally surprised but quickly nodded in agreement.

"But why?" I burst out, "How could you fight your own so easily?"

Jackal shrugged. "I thought I made that clear earlier. These boys–" he glanced fondly at the ranks of marching soldiers, "they’ve already forsaken their allegiance to Brithlite. We’ve all seen the atrocities committed by our rulers. It’s like Elinore said. When there’s rot, all you can do is cut it out. It’ll be bloody, and I have no doubt a lot of innocents are going to die, but that’s the price of freedom. And I’m sure there’ll be just as many that stand beside us. After what that bastard did to the Commander, not to mention the Crown Prince and his fiancee, the people are already ready to rebel."

Before Korra or I could ask what he meant, Jackal tensed, raising his hand. The entire column of soldiers halted, a ripple of unease spreading through the ranks. An uneasy silence descended on the canyon, and my ears twitched as I made out rapid, hasty footsteps echoing from up ahead. A second later, it came into the human’s range of hearing, and Jackal stepped out front.

After a few, tense heartbeats, a lightly armored scout wearing the colors of the Last Light Company burst around the corner in the road ahead. He ignored the way gazes of the soldiers and stumbled up to Jackal and saluted, his exhausted pants misting the air between them.

"Commander Jackal, report from the forward scouts!" he cried.

"At ease. The report?" Jackal ordered.

The scout sagged, his chest rising and falling as he tried to catch his breath. "Commander, we’re approaching Bluegate, but..." he hesitated, swallowing hard before finishing. "The royal banner flies over the city, alongside the standard of the Divine. We’re too late."