The Forsaken Hero

As the turmoil faded, an impenetrable mist of ice shards and frigid water droplets arose over the land, obscuring the entire micro world from view. The soldiers of the Last Light Company shifted, fingering their weapons as they peered about. Our position on the mountain that held the entrance to the gate was relatively stable, rising above the fog. A few other glacial peaks, many created during the quake, jutted above the sea of white.

After a few aftershocks filled the air with a low rumble, everything fell still. The mists started to settle, dropping below the tops of the smaller hills and ice formations. We watched anxiously as the crevasses and rivers appeared, revealing a transformed landscape unrecognizable from before. There were no signs of demons or men, a shattered landscape devoid of all life.

My mana tingled, refusing to settle down. "It’s too quiet," I whispered.

"What the hell happened?" Jackal asked, hand twisting nervously on his sword.

"Felt like an earthquake," Bethiv guessed, "But in a gate?"

"A trap," I said softly. "They baited the army below. Look," I said, pointing at a long series of depressions in the ground. "They collapsed the tunnels."

Bethiv squinted, staring few a few seconds before shaking his head. "Those demon eyes are something else. It’s hard to see from here, but I think you’re right."

"A cave-in might threaten some of the weaker soldiers, but with the two heroes, they should be able to dig themselves out in no time," Jackal said. "It’s just ice, after all. I wouldn’t be surprised if a single attack from the Fire hero melted to the surface. All the demons did was buy some time."

I shook my head, clenching my fists. "That’s not the point. The gate’s barely a few hours from breaking. They don’t need to fight the heroes or the army. All they have to do is..."

"Stall and the breakthrough here," Bethiv finished somberly. His eyes narrowed, and he raised his voice, commanding his men, "Fall back to the door! Jonas and Yetha, take the perimeter. I don’t want a demon within a mile of here without hearing about it."

The soldiers sprang into action, adapting to the new circumstances with surprising versatility. I stepped forward, standing on an icy outcropping overlooking the crags and canyons leading up to our position. As I scanned the tundra for signs of movement, thick, billowing geysers of Infernal Mana began to ooze from the ground, rising into the air and joining the clouds of mana gathered in the sky. There was only one time I’d witnessed Infernal Mana on such a scale, a sight I never hoped to see again.