The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 580: Borealis

Chapter 580: Borealis

The cloud of stars shimmered, growing translucent as it collapsed inward. The silhouette of the colossal bird vanished within its depths, the cloud shrinking past where its bulk had once been. When the last star winked out of existence, R’lissea and I stared in wonder at the ice demon.

"It’s...tiny?" R’lissea said, tilting her head.

Hovering just a few feet before us was a regular-sized, if icy, bird. Its transformation preserved the delicate beauty of its crystalline features while softening its savage edges. It reminded me a lot of Fable’s own change, which left him far gentler and more huggable than his full form.

The bird squeaked and lifted into the air, its wings catching the fading sunlight. Any fear that lingered from its previous appearance evaporated as it did a playful loop around us, but I didn’t yet lower my guard. Its soul no longer suppressed everything around it, but it remained in the seventh level’s middle stages. Even in this condensed form, it would be able to contend with anyone on a similar level.

Fable tossed his head and turned, no longer sparing it any attention. Most of the demons had moved ahead, but his powerful strides took only a few seconds to carry us into their midst. The ice demon trailed behind, diving and wheeling through the air as it slowly acclimated to its new size and maneuverability.

Tormod’s Breach wasn’t so much a valley as a sheer chasm cut through the mountains. The wall spanning the entire mile-wide entrance was gray and worn, rapidly aging into disrepair following the destruction of its magical wards. Gaping holes marred the structure where the mana cannons had exploded, acting like gates for the horde of demons to stream through.

Fable didn’t bother waiting his turn, opting instead to leap the wall directly. My heart lurched in my throat, and by the time I managed to breathe, we had landed smoothly on the other side.

"F-Fable!" I cried, pounding his back helplessly with both hands. "Don’t do that."

R’lissea giggled. "I thought that was fun! That wall must have been like fifty feet tall, but he cleared it like it was nothing. How far do you think he could jump if he really pushed himself?"

"Too far," I muttered, shuddering as memories of countless ’adventures’ with Korra and Fable in the Blue Canyon flooded my mind.

"It must be incredible," R’lissea mused, her eyes sparkling. "Soaring through the air without a care in the world, the wind in your hair, the world stretching out beneath you..."

Fable glanced back at us, eyes glinting mischievously. I was suddenly aware of how high the canyon walls loomed on either side. And how little that would matter on whether or not he decided to jump them.

"Don’t you dare," I said, fixing him with my sternest look. "And trust me, it’s not that great."

"Mhm, really?" she replied, her voice laced with amusement.

"No, really. Please, don’t encourage him."

She leaned forward, reaching past me to pet Fable’s neck. "If you say so."

They were all mad. R’lissea didn’t seem as bad as Korra, who had actively goaded Fable into taking every cliff and chasm at breakneck speed, but it was best to steer the conversation elsewhere before she gave Fable any ideas.

Thankfully, the ice demon provided a welcome distraction, swooping down towards us. It must have bored with its aerial acrobatics and now sought a place to land.

Unfortunately, that place was me.

It plummeted with alarming speed, transforming into an icy white comet hurtling straight at my head. I cried out in surprise, ducking and covering my head, tail waving back and forth frantically.

With a single, powerful flap of its wings, the ice demon killed its momentum, seeming to hang motionless in the air an inch above me. As it finally settled on my head, claws gently resting on my horns, I shrieked and very nearly tumbled off of Fable.

"Get it off!" I shrieked, a mix of hysteria and shock rendering me incapable of casting even the simplest protective spell. "Please, help!"

But R’lissea just laughed, her arms encircling me and holding me steady. I buried my face in her chest, trembling as I hugged her tightly. The demon flapped its wings, struggling to maintain its balance, but quickly stabilized again.

"You’re alright, Xiviyah," she soothed, amusement dancing in her voice. "It’s not going to hurt you."

The demon hopped from my head and settled in my lap. With R’lissea’s encouragement, I reluctantly loosened my grip and peeked at the demon. It was surprisingly light–much lighter than I expected for a two-foot-tall bird. It stood on its talons, but the points were little more than cool, glassy pricks against my thighs. A frosty mist radiated from its feathers, cool but lacking the chill of before. It was actually kind of refreshing.

My breath caught again as it returned my stare. It gazed at me with intelligent, crystalline eyes, tilting its head slightly as if amused by my reaction. A blush warmed my face, and I quickly turned away, fidgeting with my sleeves.

"Y-you didn’t have to scare me like that," I muttered, puffing out my cheeks slightly.

I flinched as the bird stretched out its wings, giving a small flap as it settled in my lap. The soft, downy feathers of its underside tickled the exposed skin of my thighs, causing me to shiver.

Tentatively, with more than a little trepidation, I reached out my hand. The feathers were smooth and cool like polished glass, yet surprisingly soft. Instead of grating harshly, they tinkled like delicate crystal chimes, creating a beautiful, if somewhat chaotic, melody.

The demon stiffened at my touch, eyes flashing in indignation. Startled, I recoiled, but by then, its eyes had already glazed over, and it unconsciously leaned into my touch. I gave it another tentative stroke, smoothing the crest of crystalline features down its neck, and its eyelids slid shut completely. A few pets later, it had melted into my lap, nuzzling my chest with its head.

R’lissea giggled, reaching over to stroke its wing. "See? Nothing to be worried about."

I nodded, slowly relaxing as it continued to allow me to pet it. I didn’t even notice as we passed into Tormod’s Breach, or as demons began crowding in closer to us.

"Can it speak? Most of the other evolved demons can, right?" R’lissea’s voice shook me back to awareness.

I blushed slightly, quickly withdrawing my hand and looking around. There were steep canyon walls in all directions, the city having vanished behind us. Just how long had it been?

The demon shifted, craning its neck as my hand as it retreated. Its eyes slowly regained their luster, and it shook itself, cawing slightly in displeasure.

"Speak?" I said slowly, taking a moment to collect myself. "I don’t think so. Fyren said demons can evolve in one of two ways. The first gets smaller and usually more intelligent. The other kind gets larger but less intelligent."

The demon’s eyes flashed with annoyance, and it butted its head against my chest. I squeaked, covering my mouth with my hand. "S-sorry, that’s not what I meant! It’s just that--"

It squawked again and waved its wing at me, cutting me off. I glanced at R’lissea helplessly, now uncertain of what it wanted.

"I think it wants you to pet it again," she said, barely restraining a smile.

I tilted my head, staring at the bird as it butted its head gently against me again. This demon had fought on countless words, slaughtering hundreds, if not thousands, of enemies. After all this time, it was at the peak of its power and attained an evolution, putting it above the vast majority of other demons. And it wanted me to pet it?

Glancing at R’lissea, who nodded, I ran my hand down its neck and between its nestled wings. The demon responded instantly, relaxing and cuddling up against me. I let out a pent-up breath, shaking my head in disbelief.

R’lissea suppressed a giggle with one hand. "I know it’s a Devoted and all, but I think it likes you."

"But we’ve never even spoken before! I don’t even know its name."

"It probably doesn’t have one. Most demons don’t, remember?"

"But..." I looked down at the demon, whose eyes had glazed over again.

"We have to call it something," R’lissea continued, peering over my shoulder at it. The bird’s eyes sharpened, seeming expectant, hopeful even. "I bet it doesn’t mind."

I sighed, rubbing my horn with the hand I wasn’t petting the demon with. "I don’t know. Fyren made it sound like names were a big deal to the demons. It’s supposed to be meaningful and might be barging in on their customs."

She fell quiet, and the demon slumped slightly. It almost looked...disappointed? No, that was ridiculous. It was a demon, a killing machine that wanted nothing more than to...to...

That image was impossible to reconcile with the soft, crystalline bird in my lap.

"Well...okay, but what could we call it? You know I’m not good with naming things," I admitted.

She brightened, as did the demon. "How about...um....Borealis? That’s what we called the colorful lights on the poles in my old world."

I nodded, remembering something like that from my old world as well. And the demon did remind me of those colorful Northern Lights. Whenever a shaft of sunlight fell on its feathers, it sent beautiful, colorful lights dancing in all directions.

"Borealis," I repeated, resting my hand on its back. "What do you think?"

The bird cawed, nuzzling me. For some reason, I could practically feel the approval radiating from it, similar to how I did with Fable. A side-effect of the Nexus, perhaps?

R’lissea smiled and nodded. "Borealis it is, then."