The hero opened up his eyes to find the day was done
lying in a smoking crater, night had just begun
he brought himself up to his feet, and climbed out from the hole
and looked around to see a wasteland, dead and black as coal
Vaguely he recalled a storm of magic, death, and fire
monsters like a nightmare fighting as the flames grew higher
as he looked around he barely recognized the dead
charred remains and melted swords, not even blood was red
The hero wandered slowly through the dimly moonlit night
fires weakly smouldering, the only other light
every ally with him had been caught and killed with ease
every foe he’d faced was now just ashes on the breeze
He wandered to the wagons where the slaves had all been chained
and found a place to sit where only piles of wood remained
at least he’d had revenge upon the ones who had attacked
for the all the comrades he just lost, it wasn’t strength he lacked
Reflecting on the nature of the army he had slain
never had the hero seen so zealous a campaign
mercilessly executing every foe they meet
full of smiles and laughter in the face of sure defeat
Giving up on understanding why they fought to die
the hero moved his weary feet to bid the scene goodbye
just as he began to walk though, something caught his ear
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somewhere in the ashes, something he could barely hear
Breathing weakly, buried under black and charred debris
the hero found a single injured girl in agony
only recognizable by rusty, weathered chains
a slave he’d travelled with for many months across the plains
Tempted by the feeling he could save a single soul
the hero quickly broke her chains with little self control
he brushed away the dirt and with the magic that he knew
healed her cuts and broken bones, until her pain withdrew
He hadn’t spent much time around a girl throughout the trip
they tended to remind him of an old relationship
he noticed that the slave girl looked the same age as himself
and by her pointed ears she was a forest dwelling elf
For a while, he watched her sleep atop a bed of ash
thinking of the luck that saved her from that fiery clash
so many lives had just been lost, he couldn’t comprehend
but all the same, he’d be a hero til the very end
Happy to have gained at least a small heroic quest
he put the elven slave upon his back where she could rest
carrying the girl, he soon was quickly on his way
running through the peaceful night until the break of day
Though the elven girl was fully healed she didn’t wake
the hero understood the heavy toll a war can take
after he had run across the plains another day
he ventured deep into the woods and found a place to stay
He built a little shelter where he placed the elven slave
and wandered near the campsite til he found a modest cave
there he found a monster like a boar with giant teeth
known for its tough hide and the delicious meat beneath
He’d lost his knives amidst the battle, but he did his best
he used a stone to kill it and his fire to do the rest
with little burning blades the meat was cooked as it was cut
as he worked he hung the meat up in his little hut
He worried that it smelled so good it might attract a bear
but there were no wild creatures which his presence didn’t scare
he passed the time in peace while he enjoyed his humble feast
thankful from his stomach for the blessing of the beast
With his stomach full, he lay beneath the shining stars
wondering if other heroes had so many scars
his healing magic wasn’t such an easy thing to use
he felt his spirit breaking even just to heal a bruise
Unexpectedly when he had healed the elven slave
it felt easier, despite the healing that he gave
“I must be improving, as a hero quickly would”
he fell asleep expecting that his dreams would be quite good