Chapter 289: On to Heartland City
Sunlight dappled through the ancient, twisting canopy of Heartland Forest, each shifting leaf casting playful shadows across Fable’s back. His paws fell with muted thuds on the hard-packed dirt road, the rhythmic sway like gentle waves on the sea. The wind rushed around us, clawing at my hair, teasing it out behind me in rippling, crimson waves.
Shivering, I crouched lower over his shoulder, pressing myself into his soft, silver fur, hiding from the chill. The summer had reached the peak of its season, but the air held the taint of the anomaly, growing colder the further we traveled east.
"What’s the plan once we get there?" Korra’s voice floated over my shoulder.
She was sitting but a foot behind me, yet her voice was faint and distant, nearly torn from the air by the absurd speed we were traveling at. To hasten our travel, Fable had returned to his full, forty-foot size, bounding through the woods at his full, peak fourth-level speed.
"What is there to plan?" I called over my shoulder, shouting as loud as my soft voice allowed. "We can’t know how deeply the Circle’s still embedded in Heartland, so it would be best to hit the shard and move on. With any luck, the guards will let us through without any trouble, and we can be at the church before anything happens."
"And if not?"
I turned around and met her gaze. Much to my relief, Korra had ditched the white inquisitor’s robes and armor for something a lot more flexible, clothes she claimed were specially made to enhance her fighting style. She wore a white halter top and soft, fitted globes that crawled up her forearms. A flowing white cloth was drawn around her waist with a white sash and bow, streaming over her tight, leather pants and knee-high boots. Her entire outfit flowed like ocean surf and was laced with powerful protective enchantments.
Korra must have liked whatever she found in my expression because a wide, confident smile spread across her face. "Good. If you didn’t have at least this much resolve, I’d have persuaded you to give up now."
I nodded, offering her a small smile. "I’ve lived my whole life surrounded by enemies. Something like this is hardly anything new to me. I’m more worried about you than anything. Are you sure you can handle having the entire world against us?"