Chapter 470: Rings
I turned and looked back, craning my neck for a final glimpse of Liceria as it disappeared behind the rolling hills. The sky had been a muted gray when Korra pounded on my door, dragging me from the warmth of my bed. By the time we left the city, the sun had only just begun to peek over its walls. Now, Liceria was out of sight, but the memory of its resilient people lingered. They were the ones I fought for, the ones who needed liberation.
Just like Elise.
The Last Light Company had nearly doubled in size after absorbing most of the defeated army. The Church’s forces had been all but destroyed, their loyalty to the gods unshakeable to the bitter end. But those who surrendered after the curse was broken were spared. Bethiv welcomed those disillusioned by the crown to our side, leaving us with more recruits than we knew what to do with.
They all recognized me as their savior, of course, something I’d reluctantly accepted as inevitable. I didn’t mind the occasional thanks, but the near-fanaticism of the new soldiers was almost equal to that of the original company. Overwhelming by any standard, certainly by my own timid nature.
Thankfully, Fable and Kahlen stuck by my side at all times, their intimidating presence discouraging anyone from approaching. As we traveled, I rode with Sari on Fable’s back, sharing what I’d learned about enchantments.
"Look, am I doing it?" she asked, her eyes fixed on a small, folded handkerchief in her hands.
I smiled faintly, about to remind her of the difficulty of enchanting, when I paused, my tail stiffening in surprise. "S-Sari? How did you..."
"I did it!" she exclaimed, tearing her gaze away from the napkin and looking up at me with a triumphant grin. "Look, it’s so light!"
"That’s...well, amazing," I said, feeling a little light-headed, "I can’t believe you picked it up so quickly."
"All because you’re the best teacher," she said. "But it still took me, like, twenty minutes. I bet you mastered it in five, right?"
"Something like that," I mumbled, looking away, a blush creeping onto my cheeks. "But anyway, it’s really impressive. You should be proud."