The Forsaken Hero

The demon army was spread out over the canyon, small and black like a swarm of insects. Their position was dangerously close to the ridge where the Last Light Company waited for our return. Their forward forces engaged with the cursed soldiers in light skirmishes, battling for dominance of the road approaching the first fort.

Fortunately, they didn’t advance beyond that, seeming content to wait outside the gate. They’d already begun to entrench, using magic to terraform the ridges and valleys to create natural barriers that protected them from anything the soldiers tried to throw at them. From my vision, I knew they were planning to wait for reinforcements, but that position wouldn’t last for long.

Groaning, I rubbed my horn, tail lashing in frustration. Why in the world had the Staff of Fate dragged a gate here? From the chaotic energy swirling within, it would rupture in less than a day. This far along, there should have been a hero inside, or at least on the way, preparing to raid it. Were they stuck inside, or now scratching their head, wondering why the gate was gone?

I could worry about the details later. The moment Fable killed the last of the soldiers atop the wall, he leaped back over the edge, falling the fifty or so feet to the inner courtyard. I squeaked at the sudden acceleration, gripping his fur tightly, but the landing came easily. For me, at least. The cobblestone cracked beneath the force of our fall, but Fable absorbed the brunt of it.

"Thanks for clearing the wall, Lady Xiviyah!" Orion called, pulling his sword out of the chest of a soldier. The man clutched futilely at the massive hole between his ribs, gasping a final scream before collapsing in a twisted heap of blood and steel.

The rest of our party was cleaning up the remaining soldiers in a similar fashion. A few tried to flee, but Jenna blasted them with lightning, and Gith’s arrows picked off any she missed. By the time Fable padded over to them, the final guard fell beneath Korra’s fist.

"What’s next?" I asked, trying not to look at the corpses lying strewn about. I didn’t mind their deaths anymore, not if meant freeing Sari and Elise, but the stench of blood was already making me nauseous. Actually seeing the literal heaps of bodies and pools of blood only made it worse. Sometimes, I regretted having such delicate demonkin senses.

Orion’s face twisted in a grimace. "It’s not looking good. The shard is through that building–" he gestured to a large, cathedral-like tower, "But it’s going to be a fight. How are things looking on the other side of the wall?"

I shook my head, grip on my staff tightening. "We have three, maybe four minutes before the advance forces of the church arrive. The demons marched in a bit ago too, but they seem to be avoiding our forces on the ridge. For now, at least."

"Damn it, they’re too soon. Any idea if they’ll move to attack?"

"Well, yeah. Once we take the shard," I replied. "That’s what happened in my vision, at least."