The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 518: A Matter of Friends

Chapter 518: A Matter of Friends

Fyren led me on a walk around the camp for almost an hour, allowing me to stretch my legs and rebuild some of the stamina lost during my extended slumber. The constant periods of inactivity had left my muscles weak and atrophied.

As we walked, he explained more about the meeting and why he had been invited. As the strongest demon on Enusia, he commanded respect and authority rivaling Luke’s, especially among the Devoted who had infiltrated this world. They were represented by one of the black dots on the map, a force numbering nearly ten thousand, operating without direct Apostle oversight.

The requirements to officially join the Devoted were stringent, so most of their ranks were filled with evolved demons or scions with enough sentience to grasp their complex mission, even if they weren’t formally recognized as members. A few powerful fifth and sixth-level demons led them while Fyren remained by my side. He didn’t mention what they were doing, or why their position placed them near several undefended villages, and I didn’t dare ask. Sometimes, ignorance was bliss.

The two demons present were low-level commanders in the demon hordes. Demon invasions required leaders at every stage, from the initial incursion to the final conquest. While the true power resided with the demon lords, they were forced to delegate authority to weaker demons until they could manifest in the mortal realm themselves. It was a gradual process; as stronger gates opened, more powerful and trusted commanders would arrive, escalating the war with their experience and might.

The presence of the apostles was a novel development in this realm, marking a departure from traditional demon invasions. This change was evident in the resentment and resistance shown towards Luke, who had usurped the demons’ traditional leadership role. It was Luke who had allowed mortals to participate in the war council, beings the demons typically subjugated and terrorized into obedience. Granting them an equal voice clearly rankled the demons, further escalating tensions in the ongoing power struggle.

"It doesn’t seem very effective," I muttered as Fyren fell silent, absently rubbing my horn. The Last Light Company hadn’t always been perfectly unified, but they were a paragon of cooperation compared to this chaotic mess of warring factions. How did the demons ever manage to accomplish anything?

"Indeed," Fyren agreed with a nod. "I’ve never had the authority to participate in such meetings, but I find Luke’s patience impressive, if naive. He would be better off annihilating the demons who resist his will, as they would do to him given the chance. Demons respect only strength, seeing mercy or compassion as weakness, befitting only those beneath them. While I don’t believe Luke is weak, most demons lack that perspective."

I shivered, drawing my cloak tighter around me. Demons were more human than the Church claimed, with minds, thoughts, and complex emotions, but that didn’t make them mortal. Their philosophies were shaped by their immortal nature, and such casual violence was impossible for someone with a single, precious life to truly understand. Even Alveron, the vilest man I had ever known, wouldn’t resort to killing his subordinates at the slightest provocation.

Fyren returned me to my tent shortly after. The gentle exercise left fatigue creeping on the edges of my mind, but it vanished as we found Elise and R’lissea waiting for us. They had prepared something of a breakfast and smiled as we approached.

"Xiviyah! You’re back," Elise said, embracing me with enthusiasm.

I grunted as her arms squeezed the breath from my lungs, but I let myself relax in her embrace. The tension that had gripped me since the war council faded away in her arms, and when she pulled back, I, too, wore a small, weary smile.

Fyren’s demonic face twisted in a smile at seeing our joy at simply meeting again. "I shall leave you here, for now, little one. I must go and prepare my forces as Luke requested."

The smile faded from my lips, and I turned to him, solemn. "So you’re going to fight too?"

"Perhaps, though, that depends on him. But my forces need power, and a fortress defended by soldiers of this level is the only place to harvest it."

His tail twitched, and he seemed uncomfortable with the disappointment that overshadowed me. Still, he gave no indication of changing his mind and, looking at the Life Hero, said, "Hero, I place her in your hands. If the dark mists return, I expect you to hold them off until I arrive."

R’lissea nodded firmly. "Of course. I would never let anything happen to her. I’ll never stand idly by again."

"Wait, Fyren!" I called out, half-raising my hand towards him, a sudden wave of panic washing over me. It hadn’t even been an hour since he promised to stay by my side, and even though I had Elise, R’lissea, and Fable, the thought of being without him filled me with a sense of vulnerability. It was a deep-seated dependence that had taken root when he held me, his fire chasing away the shadows of Haven. Now, an instinctive need for his presence and warmth clung to me, causing my tail to twitch anxiously.

Fyren’s gaze softened as he looked at me. "I won’t be gone long, little one," he reassured me, his voice gentle. "Just a day. Surely you can last an entire day without me, right?" He flashed me a cocky grin. "If you really can’t handle it, you might as well take a nap. Resting would do you good, and with how long you sleep, I’ll be there when you wake."

For some reason, the promise rang hollow, a sliver of doubt creeping into my mind. But I pushed it aside and reluctantly nodded. "Alright," I agreed, my voice barely above a whisper. "Just come back soon. I-I have a feeling that, well..." I trailed off, unable to articulate the unease that settled over me.

His eyes narrowed at that, and I felt a small measure of relief knowing he wasn’t taking me lightly. "I’ll return."

Elise’s fingers slipped into mine as Fyren strode away, giving my hand a comforting squeeze. "He really cares about you, doesn’t he?" she said, and I heard the surprise in her voice. "To be honest, all these months, I felt there was something off about him. Turns out I was right."

I glanced at her, surprised. She still didn’t trust him?

"Oh, don’t look at me like that," she said, shaking her head, sending golden curls rippling around her shoulders. "I only mean he’s different from the other demons. Like he has a real sense of empathy."

I nodded in agreement. For whatever reason, Fyren had attached himself to me, something for which I was truly grateful. He had proven to have the same cold, ruthless instincts as the other demons but was also capable of suppressing them, whether to comfort me or even tease me. It was a strange blend, and as Elise mentioned, not one any other demon I’d met had.

As Fyren disappeared beyond the nearest ridge, I allowed Elise to pull me towards their campfire, studying her face as we walked. There was a glimmer in her eyes that hadn’t been there before, a spark of her old self. Even her voice was a little more cheerful, less hesitant. The shadows were still there, and her smiles seemed tinged with sadness, but it was progress nonetheless.

"Looks like you had quite the adventure," R’lissea remarked, giving me a curious look. "How was the war council?"

I shivered, drawing my knees to my chest as I settled beside them. "It was fine, I guess," I mumbled, unable to meet her gaze.

She frowned, sensing my hesitation, but decided not to press. "Well, that’s good, then," she said with a small smile, though a hint of concern lingered in her eyes.

I felt a pang of guilt for brushing them off, but I simply rested my chin on my knees, staring into the flickering flames. Elise nudged R’lissea, who promptly passed me a bowl of stew.

I ate in silence, my mind preoccupied with the disturbing revelations from the war council. The slurs of the demon and claims of my enslavement weren’t things I could explain away, or just not care about. I was too sensitive for that, and any attempt only left me feeling worse. In contrast, R’lissea and Elise seemed carefree, their laughter and easy conversation filling the air.

They were close, I realized with a start. Of course they are. How many months had they been trapped here, with only each other for company? Given Elise’s fragile mental state and R’lissea’s compassionate nature, it was only natural they’d come together, and both being kind and likable would only cement their relationship.

The more I thought about it, the more isolated I felt. I had spent a handful of months with Elise at Western University and shared only a few short conversations with R’lissea. Hadn’t they been together longer than I had been with either of them? Why wouldn’t they be fast friends by now?

"Is something the matter?" R’lissea asked, her brow furrowed with worry. "Does it not taste good? I’m sorry, but I’ve never had much practice cooking, and Elise..."

"We found it’s best if R’lissea does what she can," Elise finished with a slight blush.

I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts, realizing I had been frowning. "I’m...sorry," I apologized, "just lost in thought."

They accepted my apology and returned to their conversation, discussing a fifth-circle Life Magic spell, if I remembered the name correctly. I continued to stare into the fire, my tail limp and lifeless. Was I... jealous?

The thought was absurd. Why wouldn’t I be happy they had found solace and friendship in each other? But I couldn’t shake the darkness that clung to my heart, the guilt gnawing at me. First Korra had found Gayron, and now Elise, for whom I had sacrificed so much, was closer to R’lissea than to me.

Sensing my mood, Fable curled up beside me, nudging me with his nose. I tried to ignore him, but he persisted, gently pushing me toward the others, making me realize how far apart I had settled respectively to them. Perhaps I’d been feeling this way unconsciously before I even realized it.

Fable growled softly, glaring at me. I sighed and sat up, letting my hands fall into my lap. "I know, you’re right. It’s just..."

He stared at me, daring me to find an excuse, and I sighed again, rubbing my horn. "Alright, fine."

Something Korra told me long ago in Heartland came to my mind, something I knew but could never seem to live. Relationships were forged through shared experiences, common interests, and vulnerability. I was close to believing that forming meaningful connections with others was impossible for me, but that simply couldn’t be true. If Elise, still burdened by her trauma, could reach out and befriend a Life Hero, then surely I could too.

If I wanted to change, I couldn’t wait for Korra to appear and push me out of my comfort zone. I had to take that risk myself.

So, before I could overthink it, I leaned forward and asked, "R’lissea, Elise, have you ever heard of soul casting?"