Dawn arrived all too quickly, and a gentle shake on my shoulder pulled from the depths of my soulspace. I had spent the entire night lying beneath the vast expanse of the starry sky, wrestling with the undeniable conclusions that had been thrust upon . It had been so easy to cloak myself in fear, to keep Luke at arm’s length. But now, stripped of my excuses, the fragile tendrils of hope within dared to unfurl. The part of that yearned for connection, for trust, could no longer be silenced.
"Xiviyah, wake up."
R’lissea’s gentle voice penetrated my thoughts, causing my eyelids to flutter open. I gazed blankly up at her face, lost in soft green eyes, before everything I witnessed the night before ca crashing down. Any lingering remnants of sleep fled as I stiffened, a dark blush warming my face. She would have no idea I’d eavesdropped on what was ant to be a private conversation, but it wasn’t so easy to forget their discussion.
Her brow furrowed in concern as I instinctively shrank back, burying myself deeper into Fable’s fur. Her hand settled on my forehead, her touch cool and feather-light, yet it sent shivers down my spine as her fingers brushed against the edges of my horns.
"Are you feeling alright?"
When I nodded, my eyes darting away from her intense gaze, her frown deepened. It wasn’t until she sent a pulse of life magic washing through my soul that she finally relaxed, though her eyes remained clouded with worry.
"Another bad dream?" she asked softly.
I nodded again, allowing her to take my hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. The misunderstanding wasn’t far from the truth. The prospect of facing Luke now, stripped bare of my convenient fears, felt far more daunting than any nightmare.
Her expression softened, and she rose, gently pulling up from Fable’s side. A jolt of resistance ran through as the winter chill crept in to replace his comforting warmth, but I quickly suppressed it and steadied myself.
"What’s happening?" I asked, my gaze sweeping across the scene before .
The sun was still partially hidden behind the horizon, casting long, luminous beams that danced across the snow-covered hills. The demons were restless, their movents chaotic, like ants whose nest had been disturbed. An excited hush hung in the air, punctuated by the eager growls of the scions.
"It’s ti to move," Luke’s voice cut through the tense silence.
I jumped, startled. My gaze was drawn to his figure seated across the remnants of the fire, his dark cloak seamlessly blending with the lingering shadows. Before I could stop myself, I had slipped behind R’lissea, peering at him with anxiety and apprehension, my tail twitching wildly. The mory of his words from the night before flooded back, making my face burn even hotter.
"Good morning," Luke said, his lips curving into a patient smile as he rose and dusted off his cloak. "I’m sorry to hear you’re troubled by dreams."
"I-I’m fine," I stamred, my gaze fixed on the ground, unable to et his eyes.
R’lissea sighed and gently pulled away, keeping a hand on my shoulder to prevent from following and continuing to use her as a shield. "Please, it’s alright. He’s not going to hurt us," she said.
I cringed, realizing R’lissea was just as shy as I was, if a little less wary than Luke. Definitely not soone who wanted to stand between our conflict or tension.
"I-I know. I’m sorry," I mumbled, lowering my head to the apostle.
"It’s nothing," he reassured , his voice soft. "There’s nothing to be worried about."
"Thank you," R’lissea said, smiling in relief.
With a snap of her fingers, she rekindled the fire, banishing the lingering gray shadows. The sudden wave of light and heat roused Elise from her slumber. She yawned, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"What’s going on?" she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.
"It’s ti we made for Tormod’s Breach," Luke explained. "The other apostles are in the process of taking the rest of this kingdom, and it falls to us to form the vanguard and break into the Empire."
Elise blinked, her eyes slowly focusing. "Ah, I... see," she replied, her gaze shifting to . I was more wondering what Xiviyah was so worked up about."
"Nothing!" I squeaked.
How could I possibly explain the knot of anxiety that tightened in my chest every ti I was near Luke? None of them knew I had overheard their conversation, but the weight of his words and vulnerability made it impossible to et his gaze without a blush creeping up my neck. Every second I spent cowering in embarrassnt only amplified my discomfort. The knowledge that my fear was unfounded and my excuses unjustified added another layer of sha.
Elise, now more awake, fixed with a curious frown. "Really?"
"It was just a bad dream," R’lissea interjected smoothly, coming to my rescue as she placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "But it’s all over now. We should get ready so we don’t burden Luke."
"Luke?" Elise tilted her head, her eyes darting between R’lissea and the apostle. The elf blushed slightly. "But I thought you–"
"We’re on better terms than before," Luke said with a faint smile. "That actually reminds . I wanted to speak to you three about that. The truth is, I never intended to hold you as captives."
"So we can leave?" Elise asked, her jaw dropping. "After everything that’s happened, you’ll just let us go?"
From how her eyes rested on , it was obvious what she was asking. Luke hesitated, his gaze shifting to R’lissea, who bit her lip, her fingers tightening on my shoulder.
"I... don’t think it’s a good idea," she said, her voice faltering under our combined scrutiny. "It’s dangerous out there, and we don’t have anywhere else to go."
Luke nodded, seeming relieved. "Indeed. However, I want to clear up any lingering misunderstandings. You three are not prisoners in any way, and can leave as you wish. If you remain here, I will not force you to fight alongside anymore, but I also expect you to stay out of my way."
"Really?" I asked, barely daring to breathe, terrified that the slightest sound might shatter this fragile offer.
He nodded firmly. "You’ve done enough, Xiviyah. Thank you."
My heart fluttered as he dipped his head in acknowledgnt. I pressed a hand to my chest, a wave of conflicting emotions washing over . His words echoed the sincerity of his earlier promises, yet this wasn’t a future freedom, a dangling carrot; it was happening now, in this mont. He was saying I could go find the Last Light Company!
"Do you, um, know where Korra is?" I asked hesitantly.
Upon hearing my question, and the implications of my desire to leave it carried, his expression fell, and his eyes flickered to R’lissea again. The elf hesitated and I turned to her, my hopeful expression reflected in her large, green eyes.
She took a breath, mustering her confidence. "Xiviyah, we should remain here a little longer."
"But why? Is this because of Fyren?" I asked. "Why won’t you tell what’s going on?"
She shrank back, avoiding my gaze. It was Luke who answered.
"I suppose you have a right to know," Luke said with a sigh, his expression turning serious. "Xiviyah, you’ve drawn too much attention again."
A shiver ran down my spine, my tail instinctively curling tightly around my leg. Drawing attention was never good. I’d learned that from my first months in the Divine Throne when the Slave Crest had punished any ti I’d taken credit for myself. It had only been reinforced when the growing power of Adaptive Resistance had been noticed, and I’d been shackled with the Soul Binder.
Fable, sensing the sudden spike of fear, rose and wound himself around , his flank pressing against my side in a gesture of silent comfort. I let my hand trail along his soft coat, finally gripping the fur on his shoulder.
"Again?" I asked, my throat constricting.
Luke sighed and rubbed his horn, a troubled look creasing his brow. "We’re not certain of the exact threat, but Fyren learned of so plans to either kidnap or kill you. Sohow, the church has learned of your involvent in Whitecliff City and has deed you a significant threat."
R’lissea’s hand slipped into mine, her eyes filled with anxiety. "They spoke a little bit about it before when we were coming to defend Brithlite. The church is worried that if they let you stay with the demons, you might decide to join them."
"I’m not that strong," I protested, my voice barely above a whisper.
"That’s not true," Elise interjected, her eyes flashing with conviction. "You saved , didn’t you?"
"It’s not like that. I just... did what I had to," I mumbled, my grip tightening on R’lissea’s hand. "I couldn’t let him hurt you anymore."
"And ’what you had to’ ended up destroying an entire kingdom," Luke responded, his voice grave. "What’s more, you’ve earned the loyalty of at least two, maybe three of the heroes."
"But it’s not like we want to fight the world, right?" I asked, seeking reassurance in R’lissea’s eyes.
She hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face as she chewed on a strand of golden hair. "I... I don’t know. I don’t want to fight Ronin, but after everything they’ve done, and all they’re doing..."
"I imagine Korra feels the sa. From what reports I’ve gathered, the Last Light Company has left Brithlite. I’m unsure where they’re going, but it seems southward," Luke added. "If the church left things as they are, they could end up fighting as many heroes as they have left."
I groaned and released R’lissea’s hand, sinking back against Fable’s warmth. "I never wanted this. I... I just—"
"What’s done is done. All that matters now is we walk the path we’re on. Isn’t that what you said?" he asked, a smile tugging at his lip.
He was right, but I couldn’t help frowning at him, a flash of irritation suppressing my embarrassnt. His grin widened, and even R’lissea and Elise smiled. I pouted slightly, folding my arms.
"Sothing like that," I muttered.
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