The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 545: The Price of my Tears

Chapter 545: The Price of my Tears

Luke swept through the keep like a summer storm, moving with cold, swift fury. His aura stretched out in long, black tendrils, grasping at everything and plunging the keep into an icy chill. The shadowy staff in his hand pulsed with a malevolent violet light.

I stumbled after him, tears streaming down my face, drawn in his wake like a leaf caught in a whirlwind. A morbid curiosity, a desire to see this through, kept my feet moving. I had to know what was happening, if Luke truly was different from Soltair.

Luke slowed as we approached the keep gates, turning back to face me. Lost in my thoughts, I nearly bumped into him. He quickly steadied me with a hand on my shoulder, and I quickly apologized, lowering my head and wiping away my tears.

"It’s alright, Xiviyah. I’m not angry with you," he said calmly, reassuringly, as though talking to a child. "But there is something I have to do. You’re under no obligation to follow me, but I wouldn’t mind the company. It might even make things easier."

I nodded, keeping a respectful distance as he started again. The demons were still guarding the gate as we exited the keep, but Ixtra was gone, her post filled by another evolved demon. It was a fire demon, similar in appearance to Fyren’s demon form but much larger, standing close to thirty feet tall.

"My Lord," it rumbled in a voice like crackling ash.

The ground shook as it shifted its weight and performed a clumsy bow, nearly causing me to stumble into Luke. Before I knew it, his arm was around me, steadying me against his side.

"I’m alright," I mumbled, blushing slightly. I tried to pull away, but he held me for a moment longer before releasing me. I quickly put some distance between us, my tail twitching anxiously.

"Where is Commander Ixtra?" Luke demanded, glaring up at the towering demon.

The demon shifted nervously, its aura flickering as it became the sole focus of the apostle’s anger. "I-Ixtra returned to her forces."

Luke left without another word, and I was quick to follow him, overly conscious of the demons’ eyes following our retreat.

As we moved through the camp, headed for the city’s western sector, I could vaguely feel Fyren’s presence mirroring ours, following but remaining far enough away that Luke would be unable to sense him. I gazed worriedly in his direction, half wanting to reach out to him through the weak bond our souls had, but restrained myself. Luke wouldn’t be genuine if Fyren were there, watching him. I didn’t know what Fyren was up to, but as long as he stayed away and allowed me to see who Luke really was, it would be alright.

The abandoned ruins of the city gave way to a horde of demons. Scions had wandered all over the streets, yet now they clustered here, their souls marked with Ixtra’s signature. More eyes gathered as Luke ignored the outer evolved demon sentries and strode confidently into her territory. I followed, hurrying after him, afraid of being left behind and surrounded by the hundreds of demons watching our approach.

Ixtra herself had taken lodging in a fine, affluent inn. Though she should have been preparing her forces to march, she lounged on a throne-like chair outside its doors, a black onyx staff held casually in her lap.

Luke wasted no time adjusting his course toward her, stopping only a few dozen yards away. His face had smoothed into a composed mask, giving nothing away.

Ixtra frowned as we neared, a flicker of annoyance entering her gaze as she saw me hiding behind Luke. "And what does the great Apostle want of me at this hour? Should you not be preparing your forces for the march?" she asked in a smooth, silky voice.

"Ixtra, I’ve become aware that you’ve disobeyed my orders," Luke said flatly.

Her gaze narrowed at me, and I shivered, stepping back.

"I’ve done nothing that could jeopardize our mission, my Lord," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "But can you say the same? You’ve grown awfully cozy with that Tainted, and I’ve heard rumors you decided to take her in as your personal plaything. Was a pretty face all it took to make you forget your oath?"

I cringed, expecting Luke to erupt, but he remained calm. His aura didn’t even waver, continuing to curl around his feet in black shadows.

"Thank you, Ixtra," he said, a smile suddenly spreading across his face. "I was worried you might not be so willing to admit it, and I’d need to come up with an excuse."

"Admit what?" Ixtra scoffed, rolling her eyes. "That you’ve allowed filth into our glorious army? I’ve done nothing but remind that slut of her place. She is a Tainted that belongs beneath your boot or in your bed, nothing more."

Luke was silent for a long moment, and my heart sank, my tail drooping to the ground behind me. This was exactly what I had feared. I had no idea what Luke intended by confronting Ixtra, but whatever his plans were, they seemed doomed to fail. She was forcing him to choose between defending me and confirming her doubts about his loyalty or accepting my status as a slave or servant. He had nothing to lose by choosing the latter, as he would still have access to me, but defending me would cost him a significant portion of his army.

"Please, Luke..." I whispered, though, in my heart, I already knew what he would choose. Defending me would be a foolish risk considering how precarious their position was.

"Well? What is it to be?" Ixtra pressed, stepping closer, her face inches from Luke’s. "Is she your slave? Or do you insist on this foolish—"

"Oh, Ixtra, how little you understand," Luke interrupted, shaking his head. "I have only one thing to say to you: Go back to hell."

Her eyes widened in shock, and she grasped for her mana, but it was too late. Luke didn’t move, but he didn’t need to. The shadows at his feet erupted into tendrils of pure curse magic, lashing forward and binding the curse demon where she stood. Given her nature, curses should have had no effect on her, yet she screamed, writhing in agony as the darkness penetrated her soul. She collapsed to her knees, eyes rolling wildly, as Luke raised his staff.

"Annihilation," Luke murmured, his voice cold and emotionless.

Eight magic circles exploded from his soul, encasing Ixtra in a swirling vortex of black mana. Her screams intensified as the darkness consumed her, the terrible sound sending chills down my spine. It lasted only a few seconds, yet her pain was etched into mine, sounding just as fierce as anything the slave crest had to offer.

The circles stopped, releasing a pressure as intense as anything I’d felt before. It crashed in waves visible as distorted black light across the city, forcing the nearby demons to their knees. The buildings creaked and groaned, and those already destabilized by the battle collapsed.

A fresh scream broke the silence, Ixtra throwing back her head and howling in pain. Violet lines snaked across her skin, slowly widening and consuming her flesh. Her soul looked no different, cracking beneath the pressure of the curse.

It was slow and agonizing, and I soon turned away, unable to watch the torment any longer. I unconsciously gripped Luke’s sleeve, yearning for something warm to hug until the terrible scene left my mind.

The Apostle of the Descent had no such reaction, watching coldly as the violet light spread over the curse demon’s entire body. When she no longer had the muscle integrity to remain upright, she collapsed to the ground, writhing with the last of her strength. Once the curse had devoured her entire soul, she abruptly went limp, slowly breaking apart into glowing ash.

A stunned silence descended over the city, even the dumbest scions trembling against the ground, aware that drawing the Apostle’s ire now meant risking death. I finally allowed myself to look at Ixtra’s remains and gasped, a violent shiver crawling down my spine and tail.

Where the proud, sixth-level demon had once stood was a blackened husk. The desiccated corpse twitched as violet arcs of curse magic wound around it, slowly fading away. A stiff breeze blew across the street, stripping loose flakes of ashes and carrying them away into the city.

"You killed her?" I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth in shock. "But... but why? Why would you... for me?"He turned, taking my hands in his, his gaze locking with mine. My heart fluttered as I met his eyes, the warmth of his touch sending shivers down my spine. The anger had vanished from his expression, replaced by a gentle concern."You are no one’s slave, Xiviyah," he said softly, his voice a soothing balm to my frayed nerves, "and you never will be. I won’t let anyone hurt you like that again."