CHAPTER 757: TOGETHER

Luke jerked, sitting up with a gasp. His head nearly bumped my chin, but he caught himself, relaxing back into my lap. My hand rested on his head, idly stroking the hair between his horns. My face warmed as his eyes suddenly widened, and he realized what was happening.

"Xiviyah?" he asked slowly. "What are you...what happened? Am I alive?"

"I...I’m sorry. I healed you," I whispered.

"Healed?"

His hand flew to his chest. It froze when his fingers touched smooth, unblemished skin.

"It’s gone...?"

Disbelief crept into his voice. I flinched, my tail twitching restlessly.

"I had to, or you would have...died," I said in a small voice. "I’m so sorry."

Luke blinked slowly, not quite seeming to register it yet. His finger traced a circle over his chest, where the heart of the corruption had been.

His eyes focused, swiveling up to stare into mine. I shied away, not quite meeting his gaze. It had been almost twenty minutes since Requiem lifted the corruption from his body and soul, yet my guilt only worsened.

"I thought you couldn’t heal corruption," he said.

"I-I didn’t want to lie to you, I just..." I looked away, unable to swallow the lump in my throat. "I couldn’t take her away from you."

Luke’s hand tightened into a fist, pressing against his heart. His lips pressed in a thin, firm line, but he didn’t say anything. He just stared through me, looking at something only he could see.

I broke first, sniffling as tears sprang to my eyes. "Why? Why did you do it? You never hesitated to hurt me before, not if it meant getting your revenge. You could have had everything if you had just surrendered me. So why?"

It all came tumbling out one word after the other–all the thoughts, fears, and emotions I’d never been able to verbalize before. Luke lay there silently, his expression never changing, even as I started to cry, struggling to explain how much it hurt when he told me to leave, or how lost and confused I felt after we watched the sunset together.

Eventually, the words trailed off, evolving into gentle sobs. I flinched when a hand touched my cheek, opening bleary eyes to see Luke reaching up.

"Why won’t you say something?" I cried, covering his hand with my own.

"And what do you want me to say?"

His question caused my tail to freeze mid-twitch. It wasn’t one I’d ever had the courage to ask myself before.

"Did you want me to tell you that it’s your fault? That if you’d only done better, if you had been enough, this wouldn’t have happened?"

"What? No, I just–"

"That’s what he told you, isn’t it. That’s what everyone has always told you." He shook his head, chuckling wryly. "And I told you the same thing. I promised I would protect you."

"But I–"

"No, not you. Me. I led you on, and when you finally decided to trust me, I turned my back and left. What were you supposed to think? I promised I would never let you be hurt or alone, and yet you were. And then I left. Who else was there to blame, then, but yourself?"

"What are you trying to say?" I managed to whisper.

"That I’m sorry."

The words went through me like a lightning bolt. My mouth parted, but no sound came out.

"You chose to trust me, and I...I didn’t trust you or myself. I wanted to protect you from Rash’alon, not knowing you were the entire reason he was here in the first place. I was fighting a war that was already lost, and because of me, you were hurt. I’m sorry."

"I’m sorry," I repeated, still in a daze. "Korra said that once."

"You didn’t believe her, did you."

I shook my head.

He sat up, turning so he kneeled across from me. He took my hands in his, gazing deep into my eyes.

"Do you believe me?"

Another shake. He sighed, drawing my hands to his chest. I had to lean forward slightly, our faces just inches apart. His skin was warm and smooth, his heart beating just under my fingertips.

"You didn’t take my sister from me," he said quietly. "I nearly let her take me from you." He squeezed my hands, a tremor in his voice. "I traded the light of the rising sun for the memory of the one that had already set. You didn’t do anything wrong. I did."

He swallowed hard. His eyes glistened in the golden light of my aura, a depth in the blackness that had never been there before.

"It’s not too late, is it?" he asked. "Has the sun already set again? Will you forgive me?"

"I don’t understand. I...I don’t know how," I said, blinking back tears. "No one’s ever...asked me that before. But I’ll try. I promise, I’ll try."

He smiled, brushing a tear from my cheek. "Thank you. I will too. Like you said, we’re on the same path."

"Even if we’re walking in different directions?"

He flinched, but didn’t look away. "Maybe what we want isn’t so different, after all. Maybe we don’t have to walk away from each other. Are you willing to find out?"

I wiped my tears away, giving him a small smile. "Together?"

He nodded. "Together."

He stood, taking me by the hand and raising me to my feet. I winced, falling against him as pin pricks stabbed into my legs. They’d fallen asleep in the time it’d taken him to wake up.

Luke laughed, ignoring my protests and sweeping me off my feet.

"You’ve worked so hard today. Go ahead and rest, I’ll carry you," he said.

"I can walk!"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I don’t think so. I can barely feel your aura. You wouldn’t make it ten steps before you fall asleep."

I blushed, tucking my head against his chest. It was so warm I forgot my embarrassment, and found myself nuzzling him with my cheek. His face turned a shade darker, but he pretended not to notice.

The battle between my allies and Rash’alon’s had faded away following the demon’s death. Bereft of their leader, the hostile demons had retreated and were currently massing in the hills some miles away. Borealis and Zephyriss remained in the sky, circling slowly. I could feel Fyren’s presence nearby, as well as a vanguard of evolved demons of my horde, but they seemed content to give us some distance.

That changed as Luke picked me up, and Fyren was there in an instant. Luke tensed as he sensed an infernal presence approach, keeping his guard up even once he recognized him. His grip on me tightened as Fyren, in his demon form, loomed over us, soul ignited.

"You. What did you do to her?" Fyren growled.

"I’m okay," I said, squirming in Luke’s arms, trying to get free. "It was a trap; he wanted Fate."

"Where is Rash’alon?" Fyren asked.

"I killed him," Luke said.

"You?" Fyren’s surprise leaked into his voice.

"H-he saved me," I said. "I escaped into Haven, and Luke...he almost died."

"I sensed another demon lord with him. I don’t believe it would have allowed this outcome without interfering," Fyren said.

"It followed me into Haven," I said.

Fyren snorted. "Ah, I see. Lead with that next time. I assume the Firstborn stepped in?"

"Um, firstborn?" I blinked. "Oh, you mean Arantius? He was...scary."

Fyren nodded. "I suspect you’re right. He seemed rather...tame compared to the stories of other Firstborn I’ve heard, yet I felt like a mere scion before an emperor."

"What do you mean by ’Firstborn?’ And if demons made it into your realm, won’t they just stage an invasion?"

"The demons are gone," I said. "Arantius did something to their place in the pattern, erasing them completely. Their souls are in...oblivion now."

"Oblivion. A term I haven’t heard whispered in millennia," Fyren muttered.

"How old are you?" I asked.

He tilted his head slightly–a gesture I’d noticed he’d been doing more often. It looked almost comical in his demon form.

"Age is immaterial to a demon. The better question is, what have you done? Power and achievements are all that matter to demons."

"Oh, okay. Then, um, what have you done?" He flashed his teeth in a grin. "I’m afraid I can’t reveal that. My place is somewhat...special amongst the infernal realms, and it wouldn’t do to jeopardize over idle curiosity."

Luke snorted. "Is that right? Well, if you’re done interrogating me, I ask that you step aside. With Rash’alon’s death, there is much I must do."

"Oh?" Fyren crossed his arms, claws scraping against his chest. "And why, exactly, do you need Xiviyah to do that?"

Luke glanced down at me with a frown. I looked up sullenly, and he blinked, as if remembering he still held me.

"I can walk," I said.

Fyren returned to his human form, a smile tugging at his lips. "Perhaps it would be best if I took her. There are still plenty of hostile demons amongst Rash’alon’s supporters. There’s no chance I’d allow Xiviyah to accompany you to them.

"I suppose that’s fair. She needs to rest," he said, lifting me toward Fyren.

Fyren accepted me like some sort of prize dog, cradling me as gently as Luke. "I understand. I’ll see her off to her friends. They’ll know how to care for her."

"Hey! I’m right here," I said, squirming. "Let me down!"

The demon and apostle shared a look, sober and serious. I hushed as they exchanged a nod, realizing I was wasting my breath. As Luke turned to go, he looked over his shoulder.

"Xiviyah, I’ve instructed my horde and the other apostles to accept you and yours. I would, err, like it if you traveled with us to the elves. Perhaps we can discuss your request later, in more detail. I may have been hasty in refusing it."

I broke into a smile. "Thank you, Luke. Thank you."