The Forsaken Hero

The Spatial Rift had taken us to the heart of demon-controlled territory, somewhere in the ruined territories between Brithlilte and Blacksound. It was where I had found the horde the night Luke came to find me, deep in the foothills beneath the peaks where they held council. We stood in the middle of a shallow canyon, with broken walls crawling with corrupted ivy. The gathering twilight painted the rocks black, casting long shadows across the uneven floor.

The mountains were absent of bird calls or the cries of animals, replaced by the scrape of claws on stone, the rasp of scales, and the distant screeches of scuffling scions.

They didn’t stay distant for long, drawn to our arrival by the glittering light of my aura. Scions appeared from the crags, creeping from fissures and crevices. Towering evolved demons scaled the cliffs, held off by Luke’s aura alone. I shrank close to him, clutching his arm.

"We’re not done talking about this," Luke muttered, finally tearing his gaze from where the Spatial Rift had closed.

The thunder of hooves accompanied by a whinny announced the arrival of the first demon lord. The fire avatar cantered to a stop, looming over us. His equine eyes focused on me.

"Yes, I’ve brought her as promised," Luke said. "So call the others."

The horse knickered, a flick of flame escaping its nostrils.

Luke just rolled his eyes. "I’m not going to gloat, Firemane, as much as I’d like to. We have more important things to discuss."

The demon snorted again, then reared, stamping his hooves. A wave of infernal mana exploded outward, and within moments, a half-dozen powerful auras responded, rolling down from the hills and mountains around. With another glance at me, it turned and left, returning up the

"That’s a lot of infernal mana," R’lissea mumbled to herself, shivering.

"Stay close," Luke said.

Leading me by the arm, he ascended the mountain trail. The wind howled as we rose from the gulleys and foothills, traveling deeper into the horde. The higher we went, the more demons we passed, gathering into thick throngs. They watched us with lustful eyes and salivating jowls, but none dared approach.

"I thought you would have at least called Fable," R’lissea muttered, keeping a tight grip on her staff.

"He’d probably end up provoking a fight. He’ll be here if I call."

In reality, coming alone with R’lissea hadn’t been my idea, far from it. But Incinduers had insisted upon it, something about keeping the hordes guessing as to our true strength.

I thought he just wanted to keep the fate demons secret for a little longer. There was no guessing how demons, much less demon lords, might react to such a development. According to Fyren, there hadn’t been a new demon species created in millennia. Probably longer.

The mountain path rose out of the canyon, ascending in steep, uneven switchbacks. It climbed a ridge, bringing us to a small bench where the Infernal Council had assembled.

"Your return was swifter than we anticipated." Lord Bloodsteel said, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "None of our scouts detected your coming."

I felt Luke’s arm tense against my hand, beginning to pull away. I held him tightly, and he looked at me, his face softening. When he returned his gaze to the council, his tail was still, curled against mine.

"Did the apostle of gravity return?" he asked simply.

"Yes, all are accounted for," Lord Bloodsteel answered.

"And our numbers?"

"Numberless," Firemane said, speaking directly into everyone’s mind.

A blade demon lord nodded. "Indeed. Perhaps there was wisdom in calling apostles, after all. Never have I seen so great a horde assembled. They’ve filled this land from horizon to horizon, and beyond."

"Ten million, with nearly a hundred thousand evolved demons," Lord Bloodsteel answered. "Enough to break any world, even a core one such as Enusia."

"So tell us, oh great apostle," Hag spat, her eyes glittering with malice. "What is this all-mighty plan you’ve kept hidden from us for so long. How are we to tear down the World Barrier?"

The demons quieted their musings, all eyes focusing on Luke. He accepted the pressure with an unbothered calm, not the least ruffled by the mockery.

"The Oracle of Eternity shall destroy the barrier. She and her allies will strike at the center of its formation, destroying it from within."

"Is such a thing possible? World barriers disable Demonkin magic as surely as pure demons," one objected. "Would it not be better to risk the element of surprise and seek to break it from the outside? I’ve seen many a barrier fall before a horde of this size."

"And lose half of our forces?" Luke shook his head. "No, we cannot waste the strength we’ve gathered on the first line of defense they’ve mustered."

"What then?" Firemane asked, tossing his mane in a shower of sparks. The nearby demon lords glared at him in annoyance. "To attack across the sea would be to risk just as much."

Luke answered readily. "That is where Enusia is different. We will not march as one united horde, for how could we truly maneuver so many effectively? But a few thousand could engage any fortress at a time, the rest hungry and wasted."

"True. That often plagues hordes of our size," Lord Bloodsteel said. "But what do you propose?"

"Everywhere. We hit the entire continent at once. Every fort, every keep, every city."

Silence greeted him. Even the Fire Demon’s thoughts fell away. The council members exchanged looks. Hag’s crackle split the silence, grating on the ear.

"Absurd. Impossible. You’ve just proven yourself an even bigger fool than I thought possible. Not even the great demon mages could pull something of that scale off! Not even an emperor could deploy forces in thousands of locations at once."

"That is true," another said, though lacking the same vitriol. "It would be possible to cross the ocean and hit along the entire continent, but sieging fortified positions from the sea will devastate our numbers. It would be more effective to hit a few locations hard, even if that means wasting the majority of our strength."

"Luke," I whispered, tugging on his arm. "I think they’re right. Where did this idea come from?"

He glanced down at me, his brow furrowed. "There will be a way, even if it’s not apparent now. I’ve seen it."

I tilted my head, pursing my lips. Seen it? In a vision? Not any that I’d given him. Not intentionally, at least. But I didn’t push him further. What was more important right now was destroying the world barrier.

Luke raised his voice again. "Do not concern yourselves with the how. It will be done."

Demon expressions were almost impossible to judge, but it was obvious none of them bought it. I wasn’t even sure I did, either. But Luke was unfazed.

"I’ve nothing more to say to you on this. Now that the Oracle and other apostles have arrived, we must hold our own council. I shall call for you when you’re needed."

"Is that all we are?" she spat. "You forget your place. You are the tools given to us, not the other way around. And you’ve put far too much stoke in this ’oracle’ of yours. No mortal could wield that power as well as a demon. Let me consume her, and I shall--"

"No." Luke’s voice was deadly quiet, his aura a ripple on a glassy pond.

Her forked tongue slithered from between her lips, tasting the air as her features contorted in distaste. "You mortals are all the same, spurning true power just to slake your carnal hungers on a pretty face to warm your bed."

The demon’s words stung, making me flinch. But more than their sting, I shrank from Luke, carefully gathering my mana to shield against his outburst. He’d grown so volatile, so violent in the time we’d been apart, surely he would--

"You think so?" Luke’s voice was calm and measured, lilted by genuine curiosity. He continued, "You believe Xiviyah is weak and useless?"

"Hmph, so you’re listening to reason now," Hag snorted. "Of course I do. What mortal isn’t?"

"And what of the rest of you?" he asked, looking around the circle of demon lords.

Most returned challenging stares. Lord Bloodstell lowered his head, refusing to engage, while Firemane knickered, shaking his head.

"I have little faith, but no cause for doubt," he answered. "If the Lord of Ash holds her support, that is enough for me."

"The Lord of Ash," Hag spat, rolling her beady eyes. "You show him too much deference. Never have I heard of his victory in a world. Don’t you think there’s a reason no emperor has offered him a position as a demon lord?"

"A reason? Yes, I daresay there is. But you are young, poison demon, barely a thousand years into your reign. You couldn’t know of what you speak. Of who." Firemane’s voice, though telepathic, held a reverent tone.

The other elder demon lords nodded. But the younger, those who had spoken most vocally against Luke so far, shifted uneasily.

Luke cleared his throat. "If you, Hag, or any of you, doubt my Oracle, then I shall not interfere. Prove her worth yourself. But I warn you, those who have crossed her, even Demon Lords, do not often escape unscathed."

"You mean Rash’alon?" Hag’s nostrils flared. "Is that a threat, mortal?"

Luke shook his head. "A promise."