The Forsaken Hero

Tana and Sorrin were silent, although whether in surprise at my proactive declaration or the oddity of the name, I knew not. The half-elf gazed at me with her piercing green eyes, seeming to search my soul, before she slowly nodded.

"Starlight, hmm. Yeah, that fits. Who’s ’she,’ by the way?"

I immediately looked away, pressing a hand to my breast as my heart gave a throbbing shudder. Tana waited for a second, watching as my tail drooped, before sighing and sharing a look with Sorrin, who shrugged helplessly.

"The guild master’s waiting," he said abruptly. "We’d be best not to make him wait."

Brushing away the gathered moisture in my eyes, I followed after them, burdened with thoughts of Aurle. The staff hummed softly, warming until its strength coursed through my veins and my soul flickered with light. I gave it a grateful squeeze and picked up my tail, hurrying after the two.

Our path took us across a bridge and to the town square. The houses gave way to shops, hung with painted signs and bright bits of ribbon and cloth. It had all the bustle of commerce in the city, from the persuasive cries of the merchants to the buzz of conversation and laughter. The buzz of the indecipherable words filled my ears, coming from all directions and very nearly overwhelming me. Children were everywhere, running between legs, running errands for shopkeepers, or otherwise doing everything in their power to be a nuisance to the adults around them.

My presence caused quite a ripple in the village proper, but it remained fairly tame compared to the reactions of the past. There were no curses, slurs, or rotten fruit from villagers, only curiosity and the occasional frown and scowl. For a time, I felt as though I were among the citizens of Viriden again, but the relief faded as another memory followed hot on its heels, of the hundreds of casualties wrought among them by the almighty power of the ninth-level Demonkin. I had walked among and healed them, and they had supported me, yet because of me, they were brought to ruin.

While the village square felt crowded, it was relatively small, and the villagers could be counted in dozens. Helron appeared, sliding between two arguing housewives, and came to a stop beside Tana and Sorrin. I hung back, waiting a few feet away, as they spoke in hushed tones. Occasionally, one of the three would glance my way, sometimes accompanied by gestures. It became especially obvious what the topic of their conversation was when Helron dropped all pretenses and openly stared at my staff, curiously tracing the glassy, crystalline artifact with his eyes.

Pursing his lips thoughtfully, he drew an amulet from his spatial pouch. It was a gleaming piece of sapphire and golden wire twin, crafted in an intricate spire with simple runes inscribed around the exterior. It seemed to catch the sunlight, spending it spinning around in a startling array of white motes, catching my gaze instantly.

An amulet. Helron handed it to Tana, but his voice faded into the background. A tremor seized my body, starting on the smooth, clear skin between my breasts and radiating out to the tips of my horns and tail. A terrified weight settled on my chest, forcing me to gasp for air.

"It’s a magic amulet that allows you to understand any language." Tana was saying. Her eyes shone brightly with excitement, and even Sorrin held a small smile. "If you put this on, you’ll be able to understand everyone!"