The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 463: Spreading Scars

Chapter 463: Spreading Scars

The moment we stepped into the Hollowstream Inn, a roaring fire greeted us, its warmth pushing back the encroaching evening chill. I shivered involuntarily as the heat washed over me, not even realizing how cold I’d become. Accustomed to the Anomaly’s perpetual chill, I’d forgotten the bite of a real winter settling over the land. Summer had come and gone, and autumn was now painting the world in hues of gold and crimson.

"Gith, anyone here?" Luxxa’s voice, sharp and alert, cut through the cozy atmosphere.

Gith’s eyes narrowed, his lips pressing into a thin line. I caught a faint pulse of mana emanating from his soul before he relaxed and shook his head. "No, it’s clear. A few souls in the back rooms, but that’s it."

"I’d still like to look around," Luxxa muttered, her hand instinctively drifting towards her sword hilt.

The innkeeper, who’d been hovering nearby, glanced between them, a worried frown creasing his brow. "Is something the matter?"

Luxxa met his gaze directly. "If it’s alright, I’d like to look around. This is a hostile place for us, and I’d rather not encounter any surprises."

"I would never!" the innkeeper protested, his voice rising in indignation. But then his eyes fell on me, and he seemed to notice the lingering pain and worry etched on my face. His shoulders slumped, and his voice softened. "I understand. But I truly mean no harm toward you. You’re our savior, after all."

"How do they know?" I whispered to Jenna as Luxxa and Gith disappeared up the stairs.

She shrugged. "Word travels fast when someone’s moving around with three thirty-foot-tall elementals. It’s only natural for people to be curious, and I’m certain our soldiers were more than happy to brag about your accomplishments. I’d be surprised if anyone didn’t know by now."

"Oh." I sank back into my chair, my tail flicking nervously. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing that everyone knew, but the weight of their expectations and admiration felt heavy on my shoulders. The more attention I garnered, the less confident I felt, and the stronger I felt I had to appear. Even now, all I wanted was to curl up and sleep, but how could I with so many eyes on me?

The arrival of dinner brought a welcome distraction, but as the innkeeper lingered, watching me eat, I froze, my fork halfway to my mouth.

"Yes?" I asked, slowly lowering it back to the plate.

He shifted uncomfortably, scratching his cheek. "Well, the thing is, I wanted to thank you. You saved my son from a burning building, him and his whole family. I can only apologize that what I have to offer isn’t more."

I opened my mouth, then closed it again, at a loss for words. Jenna laid a comforting hand on my shoulder. It was meant to be on my unscarred one, but I flinched, realizing her fingers were dangerously close to the sunpurge. Had it really spread that far?

"It was the least we could do, right, Xiviyah?" Jenna prompted gently.

I nodded quickly. "R-right. And your hospitality is more than enough. It’s been ages since I’ve had a properly cooked meal like this."

He smiled, visibly relieved. "I’ll pass that on to my wife. She does all the cooking, after all. Oh, and I think we have a couple of pastries saved over from this morning. Would you care to indulge a little?"

Though the hot bowl of soup was right before me, I couldn’t help but salivate a little. Just how long had it been since I’d had a sweet? He smiled as my tail began to flick back and forth, and I quickly blushed and shook my head.

"N-no thank you," I said, suppressing every urge to accept.

He left shortly after, a newfound lightness in his step. I shook my head and abandoned any pretense of restraint, devouring the food with a speed that nearly caused me to choke. Jenna laughed and patted my head, her fingers brushing between my horns. "Slow down a bit there, it’s not going anywhere. Besides," she said, grinning mischievously, "Don’t you want to save room for sweets?"

I froze, a blush warming my cheeks. "J-Jenna, I’m not a child, remember?"

"Is that a yes?"

I lowered my head, my face growing hotter. Was she really doing this after I’d already refused? "...please."

I bit my lip, hardly able to believe the word had slipped out. Jenna giggled like a little girl and twirled away. "On it. Kahlen, keep an eye on her until Luxa gets back."

The demon, who’d been leaning against the wall in the most shadowed corner, snorted. "Unlike the rest of you, I’ve never taken my eyes off her."

Something about the way he said that sent chills down my spine, and I peeked at him over my shoulder. He returned my gaze evenly, a slight frown on his face.

"What are you trying to say? You know what, never mind. We’ll talk later," Jenna said, giving him a pointed look.

Luxxa and Gith returned a few minutes later, followed by Jenna, triumphantly holding a pastry aloft. I refused to meet her eyes as she placed it beside my now-empty bowl and took a smiling seat beside me.

"There, just as I promised," she said, grinning widely. "And cheer up a little. No one cares if you eat sweets here or there. We all love them, right Luxxa?"

Luxxa sniffed and turned her head, a hint of disdain in her voice. "On occasion, and only socially."

"Damned arrogant nobles," Jenna muttered, though the sparkle never left her eyes.

Still, more than a little hesitant, I gingerly lifted the pastry and took a small, bashful bite. My eyes widened, and my tail went rigid with delight. "I-it’s good!" I squeaked, hastily taking another bite.

They all laughed as I finished it off in a few blissful bites, then quickly wiped my fingers on my dress. After a moment, I couldn’t help but smile too, my tail swishing happily behind my chair. It had been a hard, almost impossible fight, but in the end, I’d made it. Maybe even grown a little, too. But mostly, I was just glad I could still smile, that even after the near-enslavement and the agonizing pain of the fire and spreading sunpurge, I could still find joy in something as simple as a sweet treat.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and a thick, oily presence rolled through the room like a suffocating fog. This time, I didn’t react with surprise, recognizing the familiar aura, though my tail tensed involuntarily, and my fingers instinctively tightened on my skirt. It was the feel of curse magic, of Wisp, the curse demon. I’d never quite been able to relax around him, and my recent brush with the Circle only made my discomfort all the more apparent.

"Xiviyah!" Sari’s voice pierced the thick atmosphere, followed by the girl herself, her tail wagging with unrestrained excitement as she burst through the doorway. Her demon protect, Wisp, trailed behind.

Sari made a beeline toward me, and I instinctively shied away, clutching my skirt even tighter. She couldn’t have seen such a subtle gesture, but she must have sensed something because she slowed, a flicker of confusion crossing her face.

"Xiviyah?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her voice laced with concern.

"I-it’s good to see you," I stammered, fighting to regain my composure. But I didn’t rise to greet her, nor did I lean forward as I often did, hoping for a comforting hug. I fought the urge to fidget, but the moment dragged on, and I felt as though everyone was staring at me.

Sari took a small step forward, reaching out to take my hands in hers. "What’s wrong? Did you get hurt?"

I tried to shake my head, but the world swam before me as a searing pain erupted around the edges of the sunpurge scarring my back. The fire slowly crept across my skin, consuming nearly half an inch of flesh before the pain receded once more. I managed to stay upright through it all, my knuckles white as I clutched Sari’s hand, but tears escaped my eyes, trickling down my cheeks.

Why? Why Now? Why was it spreading now? My soul had already recovered, and the sunpurge had almost entirely died away! Elinore had said it shouldn’t spread if my soul were strong!

Sari’s eyes were wide with panic as I released her and clutched at my shoulder as another stab of pain touched my arm, this time spreading onto my forearm. I could faintly hear her shouting, everyone shouting, and the next thing I knew, Elinore was there, gently prying my fingers away. My thoughts were a haze, but I vaguely wondered where she’d come from. Had she followed behind Sari?

"Damn it, this is bad," the healer muttered, her voice distant and filled with worry. "Innkeeper, her room?"

His reply was muffled, and I was vaguely aware of Kahlen looming over me, then the sensation of weightlessness as he scooped me up in his arms.

"Forgive me, my lady, but the situation demands as much," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle.

In a daze, I started to nod but cried out again as the movement caused the scars on my back to scrape against his armored forearm.

"Damn it all," Jenna’s voice floated through the haze of pain, "Why didn’t I see that? I nearly grabbed it just a second ago!"

"She should have told us," Luxxa’s voice chimed in, filled with concern. "But how did that even happen? What the hell happened in that tower?"

As I was slipping into unconsciousness, Korra’s voice echoed in my ears, a comforting warmth slipping between my fingers, filling a need I hadn’t realized I’d felt. It must have been her hand. "It’ll be alright, Xiviyah," she whispered. "I’m here now. Just sleep."