The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 431: Duel?

Chapter 431: Duel?

The abrupt disappearance of the gate seemed to leave a gaping hole in the sky. The morning felt unnaturally quiet without the soft hum of mana, and even the sunlight seemed dimmer without the swirling bursts of light that had emanated from the gate.

I didn’t dwell on the thought for long. With a self-satisfied nod, I motioned for Fable to lower his back, allowing me to mount him. His increased size, even in his condensed form, made it a bit more challenging to climb onto his back, but it also provided a greater sense of security. Whenever he leaped through the air, I no longer felt quite so small and vulnerable. While I would have preferred to walk, the sudden vanishing of the gate was sure to cause a commotion among the soldiers, and I’d rather be gone before anyone came to investigate.

"Wait for me!" Sari cried, scrambling up behind me. I winced as she wrapped her arms around my waist, and she quickly loosened her grip. "Sorry."

"It’s alright, just stings a little."

Luxxa finally managed to close her mouth, which had hung agape since I closed the gate. "Wait, Xiviyah, what the hell just–"

I was about to respond, but Fable took off first, whisking us down the mountain in a streak of silver. The sudden acceleration caused me to shriek and clutch at his tightly, hardly daring to breathe as the world turned to streaks of blurred light. My heart skipped a beat as Sari suddenly let go of me, but her joyful giggle in my ear let me know she was still there. She probably had her arms up, letting the wind drag through her fingers. Insane. She was just as insane as Korra.

After what felt like forever, but it was really only a few seconds, we reached the base of the massive plume of smoke. A large swatch of soldiers, mages, and camp followers formed half-circled around the training field, creating a space almost a thousand feet across for whoever was currently dueling.

As I caught my breath, I reluctantly loosened my grip on Fable’s fur. Still giggling like a child, Sari slid off his back and landed with an extra bounce in her step. My eyes narrowed as I searched the cloud, finding two glistening souls amid the billowing smoke. Korra and Gayron. Only they weren’t fighting. Not anymore, at least.

It was hard to tell through the thick smoke; the Oracle of Eternity only allowed me to see the general glow of a soul, not the physical body’s location, but it looked like Gayron was standing over her. My heart skipped a beat as I found his soul brimming with power, while Korra seemed much weaker than usual. Was he trying to–

"Ooh, they’re fighting again," Sari said, eyes lighting up. "I wonder who’ll win this time?"

Dueling? I relaxed at her words, feeling my tail go limp with relief. Gayron’s previous desire to kill the heroes and pave the way for the Descent was still fresh in my mind. Until now, he had challenged Luke multiple times and even disobeyed direct orders to take the matter of my life into his own hands. It made me wonder just what drove him to such extreme lengths, though fortunately, he seemed to have set that aside for now. At least I hadn’t jumped to the wrong conclusion and embarrassed myself. Korra would hate it if I interrupted one of her precious duels.

As the smoke dissipated, the two duelists emerged. Korra sat on the ground, leaning back on her hands, legs sprawled before her. She panted heavily, a thin line of blood trickling from a cut on her brow, yet a small, satisfied smile tugged at her lips.

Gayron stood a mere five feet away, leaning on a slender longsword, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The only other time I’d seen his demonkin form was in the dim light of Haven, which I now realized had done him little justice. All I’d noticed then was his relatively large build and smoldering red eyes. Now, bathed in the brilliant morning sunlight, I found myself staring.

The Apostle of Fire was tall and striking, with a strong jawline and impressive, heavily ridged horns. His hair was red, but where mine was lustrous and crimson, his was a vibrant, fiery shade. It was relatively short, covering his pointed ears, yet wild and untamed as if it had never known a brush.

"What the hell are you staring at?" Gayron grumbled, catching my wide-eyed gaze.

I squeaked and hastily averted my eyes, wringing my hands in my lap. "S-sorry. I just... hadn’t seen you like that before."

Korra chuckled, pushing herself to her feet with a flicker of restorative magic. "Smitten now? It’s a classic love story, enemies to lovers, but to think I’d witness it unfold before my very eyes..."

"Korra!" I cried, blushing crimson. "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. I’ve only seen your demon form before, and—"

Gayron snorted, crossing his arms, his tail swishing back and forth in agitation. "As if I’d fall for someone like her. Beautiful as she is, strength is the only thing that matters in a companion. Besides, if he found out I was eyeing her, then—damn it. Just forget it."

Korra’s smile widened into a mischievous grin. "Oh, so you do think she’s beautiful? I’d be careful if I were you. Things didn’t go so well the last time someone asked her out. It was your counterpart, actually, the Hero of Fire."

Gayron stiffened, but my mind was elsewhere. That had been the moment everything went wrong, the start of the starless night. Even the thought of that time, lying drugged and bound in Alex’s room, made my stomach tighten and bile rise in my throat. If Korra hadn’t found me when she did, I...I didn’t know what would have happened, but something told me I never would have had the strength and resolve to see it through.

A sudden tug on my sleeve startled me, and I looked down to find Sari staring up at me with wide, sparkling eyes. "He did? A hero tried to ask you on a date?"

"Things were...different back then," I said, shivering. "Sometimes, it’s better not to catch anyone’s eye. Being special or beautiful attracts people like the Circle, who just want to hurt and take advantage of you."

Korra’s smile faltered, her eyes softening with pity. "Oh, Xiviyah," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "I wish I could show you that’s not true. Not everyone’s like Alex and Alverin. One day, I hope you’ll meet someone you want to be beautiful for."

Sari brightened, her ears twitching happily. "Just like Tana and Sorrin! I wish I had seen their wedding. It must have been so fun!"

I nodded, forcing a smile to my lips, trying to dispel the gloom that clung to my heart like the morning’s fading shadows. "As soon as we save Elise, we’ll return to them, and you can ask about it yourself. I promise."

She clapped her hands, her face lit with a bright smile. "Then I can see Ror! I bet I’m taller than he is now."

"We’ll see about that. I’m sure he’s growing, too," said Korra with a chuckle. "He seemed pretty determined to train as a knight when we left, and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn he’s become a powerful adventurer by now."

I snuck a glance at Gayron, only to find him examining the edge of his sword with a bored expression. He had no idea who we were talking about, nor would he care if he did. Seeing someone so dismissive of the people I cared about most made my tail twitch, and I frowned at him.

"Gayron, why are you still here? Shouldn’t you be with Luke fighting the gods?"

He scoffed, "This again? I’ll go wherever I please, and unless you’re strong enough to make me leave, keep your whining tongue to yourself. But if you have to blame someone, blame Luke instead."

I tilted my head, the tip of my tail twitching in confusion. The last time I’d seen Luke, he’d been trying to convince Gayron not to kill me. There was no way he’d sent him to hang out with our army, not after everything Gayron had threatened. He’d probably come on his own to have me heal his soul, precisely as he’d said in Haven. I was just grateful he hadn’t turned on me immediately like Levin, but there was still the chance he was waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Why else would he still be here?

"Can you really not just say it?" Korra asked, rolling her eyes with an exaggerated sigh. "Demons these days..."

"There’s nothing to say," Gayron retorted. "Now, are we going to finish our set or not? You lost the last round, which puts us even. Next fight decides it all."

Many of the soldiers gathered around us had lost interest in our conversation, but the mention of a fight reignited their excitement. Korra surveyed the eager faces, her gaze finally landing on me. A tingle ran down my spine, and I shook my head, silently pleading with my eyes.

"I think..." she said, a smile slowly spreading across her face, "I think we should test your arrogance. Are you really so confident you can beat Xiviyah?"

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