The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 426: Truth of the Spirit

Chapter 426: Truth of the Spirit

Stars surrounded me on all sides, glimmering like diamonds scattered across an endless expanse of black velvet. As I glanced down, I was startled, even a little frightened, to find that I stood on nothing but air. There was no island, no altar, just stars stretching infinitely in every direction. It wasn’t that I floated, exactly, but rather that I seemed to stand upon a foundation invisible to my eyes. Gentle ripples of starlight constantly radiated from my feet as if I were a small pebble dropped into a tranquil pool. The same was true for Fable, and I suspected it would be the same for anyone who ventured into this ethereal realm.

It was a breathtakingly beautiful scene, and for a moment, I could only gaze at the sky around me, eyes wide with wonder. Only when Fable nudged me with his nose did I snap out of my reverie and remember why we had come here in the first place.

"Come, spirit," I said softly, my voice barely a whisper. There was no need to raise it in this ethereal space.

Stars, which had seemed as distant and untouchable as the night sky itself, suddenly shifted and moved. They streamed together, merging into a figure just a few paces before me. The figure stood nearly seven feet tall, clad in gleaming plate mail with a broadsword taller than I was strapped across its back. A cape of shimmering stars drifted behind it like mist, eerily reminiscent of the dress Fate always wore. Its head was obscured by an ornate helmet, with only its eyes visible. They emanated a soft, golden glow, devoid of any discernible pupil or iris.

"My Lady," the knight said in a decidedly masculine voice, saluting in the manner of the Last Light Company.

I looked him up and down, frowning slightly. My tail twitched, the tip flicking back and forth in confusion. "What happened to you, and to this gate? I thought you were, well, an ice spirit?"

The figure chuckled, the sound echoing through the starlit expanse, and folded its arms, filling the air with the rasp of scraping metal. "I warned you of the dangers of entanglement, did I not?"

My breath caught in my throat, and my tail froze with a shudder. "Entanglement? I...I didn’t mean to...I just, um... I’m sorry."

"There is nothing to apologize for, my Lady," the knight reassured me, his voice echoing with a calm resonance. "I knew this was my fate from the moment you summoned me to this world. The truth is, my existence was rather transient as it was, sustained solely by the power I absorbed from the ice gate. We spirits are unique entities, hailing from a realm beyond the reach of gods or demons. The manifestations you summon with magic are mere echoes of our true selves, meant to fade and disappear. Somewhere, in that other realm, the real me continues without any knowledge of this existence. It was your call that awakened my sentience and caused me to Ascend."

Ascend? Other Realms? Transient? His terminology was so foreign that even though I knew the definitions of the words, it still sounded strange and incomprehensible. Nothing I’d ever read or heard about summoning magic implied what he said was true, or even a thought in the minds of mages.

"So, um, it’s okay then?"

His tone shifted, taking on a lighter note as though he were smiling beneath his visor. "Yes, it’s ’okay.’ One of my status and power isn’t meant to exist in the mortal realm for long, and I would have naturally dissipated before the year’s end. Now, at the very least, I can serve as this realm’s will and fulfill your every desire."

"So that storm wasn’t just about your impact on the world, was it?" I said slowly, a realization dawning upon me.

He shook his head. "No, I’m afraid I might have exaggerated the presence of a ninth-level soul. It is still there, but most of the snow was simply the manifestation of Enusia slowly burning my power away. I apologize for the deception, but I did not wish to burden you with worry while you prepared to heal your soul."

"I...I see. Don’t do that again. Please."

It nodded solemnly, its golden eyes dimming slightly as it noticed the slump in my tail and the tremor in my voice. I averted my gaze, my fingers tightening around my skirt, and sighed heavily. The stars dimmed slightly as if responding to me, taking on a melancholic glow that perfectly matched my feelings.

After a few long moments, the spirit said, "My Lady, There are others who seek access to your realm. Would you like to grant them passage?"

"Is that possible?" I asked, furrowing my brow in contemplation. The stars immediately brightened again, their former glory restored as several thoughts distracted me from dwelling on the spirit’s deception.

If he could sense who was entering the gate and presumably control its functions, what other powers did he possess in this realm? Was he responsible for the change in the gate’s nature, or was that my doing? The longer I lingered in this ethereal space, the more familiar it felt. The gate core was gone, and yet, I sensed a faint connection to the gate, similar to the one I experienced when I held the core in my hands. Could it be...?

A sudden realization prompted me to extend my hand and summon my staff. The moment I grasped the smooth haft, a rush of sensations flooded my mind. For an instant, I was the gate itself, acutely aware of every intricate thread of mana and fate that wove through it. The overwhelming flood of information quickly subsided, reaching a manageable level within seconds, but the connection remained, a subtle hum of energy between me and the gate. It occupied the same space in my soul as my bond with the ice spirit, or perhaps it was my bond with the ice spirit.

"My Lady? Should I allow them through?"

The spirit’s voice startled me, and I jumped, blushing slightly. "Y-yes, please."

The space in front of me warped in an event horizon, the stars drawn in like light toward a black hole. The light streaks condensed, and Korra appeared with a little pop. She gasped, her eyes wide, as she gazed around in awe.

"What is this place?"

"My gate, I think," I replied.

She glanced at me as though noticing me for the first time and nodded. "Oh, that’s cool...wait, Xiviyah? What are you doing up?"

I giggled but quickly smothered it with my hand as I noticed several other figures behind her. "I woke up yesterday, and haven’t had a chance to see anyone. I wanted to study this place alone because I knew you guys would come, and I’d want to spend time with you instead."

The blips of starlight formed four new people: Luxxa, Jenna, Gith, and a demonkin I didn’t recognize.

"Good to see you up," Luxxa said with a nod.

"You look good!" Jenna exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "I love the wreath. It really brings out your eyes. Don’t you think?"

The demonkin glared at her as the wind mage elbowed him in the arm. "Damn you, woman. I told you not to touch me."

That voice felt familiar, and my tail twitched as I scrutinized the demonkin. He was tall and strong, with muscles as big as any warrior in the Last Light Company. Even in this realm of stars and darkness, he carried the faint scent of ash with him. It was his soul that finally made me take a step back, my hand instinctively flying to my side—or, more accurately, the thin scar cutting through the sunpurge.

I reacted instinctually, seizing the gate’s mana before my mind fully grasped the situation. The others tensed as the entire gate responded to my call, and Gayron opened his mouth to shout a warning, only to freeze mid-motion. The spirit materialized before him, holding the demon lord captive with his aura alone, the sword that had been strapped to his back now gleaming ominously in his hand.

"Why are you here?" the spirit asked, putting voice to the question in my heart.

Gayron strained to seize his mana and break free from the spirit’s aura, but he was utterly powerless against it. I tightened my grip on my staff, and he cried out as the pressure intensified, directly assaulting his soul and squeezing it like a grape in a vice.

"Xiviyah, stop it! He’s not an enemy!" Korra shouted, struggling to maintain her footing against the waves of power that radiated from me. "Let him go!"

"He’s the Apostle of Fire," I said, my gaze fixed on Gayron. "He must have snuck in and..."

My words trailed off as Korra’s statement finally registered. He had entered the gate with Korra, who was fiercely protective of me, more than anyone else. A glance at Fable revealed him watching me curiously, his bright, golden eyes devoid of suspicion.

I dropped my staff with a strangled gasp, letting it dissolve back into starlight. The knight immediately relaxed and drifted back to my side, releasing Gayron, who collapsed onto the invisible ground, gasping for air. Stumbling backward, I clutched my hand to my chest, shivering as the realization of what I had almost done washed over me.

"I-I’m sorry," I whispered, my voice barely audible, my gaze fixed on the shimmering stars beneath my feet. "I didn’t realize."

Korra was at my side instantly, taking my hands in hers. I flinched at her touch, but she held me tight, refusing to let me pull away.

"Don’t worry about Gayron. He’ll be fine. The bastard’s absurdly hard to kill. And I don’t blame you one bit for trying. He did try to kill you, after all."

"Go to hell," Gayron said, glaring at her even as he picked her up off the ground. "I let her go, didn’t I?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "You think I’ll forget it that easily? You hurt her, remember?"

"And now we’re even," he said with a groan, rubbing his chest. "What the hell was that, Oracle?"

I looked between the two, my tail swishing in confusion. What was with this exchange? Neither Gith nor Luxxa looked concerned, and Jenna even smiled! The last I knew, Gayron had attempted to kill me before their very eyes. Just what in the world had happened this last week?

They bickered for a few more seconds before I worked up enough courage to interrupt. "Um, excuse me, but Gayron, what are you doing here?"

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