Chapter 392: Ambush
No sooner had I spoken that my mana reacted, confirming my conviction and then escalating into a sharp, violent warning. A subtle ripple in fate stirred my very soul, sending a wave of tingles down my tail. My head snapped up and met Gith’s gaze, whose mouth had dropped open in disbelief.
"Something–no, someone–is coming," he said, panic in his voice. His fingers trembled as he reached for an arrow, looking about wildly. "Someone strong!"
I nodded and looked at the demon, who remained focused on me and me alone. "Kahlen, I will give you a chance to prove your loyalty. The Justice Hero approaches with the intent of taking me in chains. He is seventh level and extremely powerful against any who have committed crimes against the laws of the land and the divine."
The Star Guard froze as I spoke, their eyes widening with disbelief. Even Korra did a double take, but understanding entered her eyes, and she nodded. I hadn’t had the chance to explain my vision to her yet, but Korra knew I had seen something and believed in me.
The demon rose to his full height, his blades scraping together. "You would ask a lowly demon like myself to defend you against a full-fledged hero? I am but sixth-level."
"Then return to your master and tell him his gift was of no worth to me," I said, forcing myself to sound callous.
His core vibrated gently, like a soft chuckle. "Hmm, interesting. I was led to believe you were less decisive than this. Don’t fret, though," it added quickly when my tail twitched, "Such ruthlessness is becoming of one such as yourself. Regardless of the Lord of Ashes’ will, I would never stoop to serve one who lacked the strength to lead."
"That...wasn’t what I was worried about," I muttered, self-consciously rubbing a horn. Ruthless? The word could never apply to me, not even in irony. It took all the confidence I could muster every time I raised my voice or gave a command, leaving me feeling drained and embarrassed. Being ruthless was for natural-born leaders like Soltair or even Luke. Not me.
Even the thought felt absurd, a wave of shame washing over me.
"Come!" the demon called to its companions at the bottom of the hill. "We have a mission!"
I watched, bewildered, as the four spread out around us, forming a loose perimeter a hundred feet away. I wasn’t particularly worried about their deaths, but the sudden change of heart caught me by surprise.