The Forsaken Hero

All thoughts of Fable vanished as I sensed the powerful aura of his opponent. The island we stood on, home to a few small cottages, was several hundred feet above the mountainous island. It was impossible to see exactly who was battling below, but both auras were unmistakable. Luke and Fable were definitely fighting.

Elise led us across the floating stone pathway down to the mountainous island. The path was longer than most, falling at a steep angle until it reached the rim of the lower island.

The island was massive, easily the largest island aside from the fortress in the middle of Haven. The mountains were steep and rugged, forming natural walls that shielded the hollow center. Thick clusters of trees dotted the mountainside, with sparse undergrowth sprouting through the rocky ground. A narrow pass with sheer cliffs for walls proved the only entrance into what Elise had called the "Colosseum."

More shockwaves roared through the canyon, making me wince and cover my ears. Here, close to the epicenter of the fight, they carried the force of a stiff breeze, clawing at my hair and clothes. I quickly wove a Sound Ward, and we continued on.

The rocky floor of the ravine turned to sand as we crept through the narrow pass. Thick ribbons of earth magic laced the stone, strengthening it to withstand even eighth-level magic. I paused, leaning over a particularly dense cluster of magic, only for Elise to take my hand.

"You can look at them later," she said with a giggle. "They’re hardly the most interesting thing in Haven."

With some reluctance, and an encouraging smile from R’lissea, I allowed her to guide me. After a few winding turns, we broke out into the open.

The inner reaches of the island were as spectacular as the outside, with towering, dramatic cliffs and ancient trees. The center was a gaping hole in the mountains, forming a spacious circle a thousand feet across. The circle was made of thousands of delicate runes carved into the earth, glowing like miniature stars. There were, perhaps, thirty feet of open ground beyond the radius before the cliffs. A single remnant, dressed in leather armor, a long sword at his waist, leaned against the wall beside the entrance.

The cliffs towered far over my head, blocking the night sky except for a small circle high above us. The stars felt far away, and despite the spacious circle, the walls loomed over me, seeming to close in from every direction. The only exit was the chasm behind us.

"Isn’t this place awesome?" Elise asked, gesturing wide at the sweeping scenery. "It’s way cooler than the dueling grounds at Western University."

I swallowed hard and clutched Elise’s sleeve. My chest felt unnaturally tight, my tail twisting in panic.