It had been too many years since he could go all out

he had to mind his manners with the drunken prince about

at times he felt more like a babysitter than a knight

rarely did he get a chance to cut loose in a fight

He ran right through the night until the sun began to rise

and then a scene he often dreamt of filled the hero’s eyes

mages, knights, and sorcerers all clad in robes of black

wyverns in the skies and monsters leading the attack

The city they had landed on was already destroyed

the monsters weren’t a force that normal people could avoid

finally he’d have an opportunity to fight

he’d flex his magic powers and display his awesome might

He heard the screams of those still trying to escape the town

and with finesse he started cutting evil monsters down

some were quite familiar, and some were strange and new

but of the monsters in the wide world, those he feared were few

He saved the people he could find from death and heard their thanks

then noticed how the army used the dead to fill their ranks

those the poison killed would rise again without a soul

full of evil magic but there minds no longer whole

With pointed teeth, they growled like all the beasts they fought beside

the hero was surprised that even he was terrified

still he took his fiery swords and carried on his quest

relying on the power that he knew and loved the best

He made sure that he saved a few survivors while he fought

and some did manage to escape with moments that he bought

but that was not the reason why the hero felt relieved

for many of his foes were stronger than he had believed

The hero’s fire was not enough to burn his enemies

it took his mighty sword to bring the undead to their knees

once he’d taken care of those who’d risen from the grave

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

the town was fully emptied of the people he could save

In the distance he could see them running far away

doubtless they would tell the tale of how he saved the day

then he turned his sword upon the wyverns in the sky

and fired his magic upward and he watched the creatures die

As they fell upon the city with a gruesome sound

he started dealing with the stronger monsters on the ground

though they were controlled with magic, none were very strong

and only sorcerers remained to face him before long

The army was reduced to several hundred human shapes

some were more like shadows, all adorned in cloaks and capes

they gathered all around him in the ruins of the town

and then for just a moment all the chaos settled down

“Why have you attacked this place, do you not fear my blade

do you dare confront this sacred empire I have made”

the hero shouted angrily, but smiled with joy and pride

he could sense a power with which he was satisfied

He didn’t plan to chat with every foe he met at war

he’d only shouted words from one old song he’d heard before

but something happened once his words had reached the mage’s ears

thousands of them suddenly burst out in endless cheers

The spirit of the war was gone, the tension disappeared

the hero lost the will to fight a spectacle so weird

amidst the celebration, one mage walked to where he stood

the hero was defensive til the mage removed their hood

A fine young woman greeted him with captivating eyes

her innocent appearance caught the hero by surprise

“oh sacred one, we didn’t know you’d planned so far ahead

we see why you were chosen by the ruler of the dead”

The celebration quieted and all the mages bowed

the hero barely found the will to lash out at the crowd

“who are all you people, you who desecrate this land

why do you spread poison here, and under whose command”

The woman smiled sincerely to the hero and she sighed

“we are servants, but for far too long we’ve had to hide

just like you, we live for our immortal ruler’s sake

though we’ve lived in shadows, thanks to you, he’s now awake

We could never sacrifice so many souls so fast

with your empire though, we’ll sacrifice enough at last

please forgive our interference in your righteous plan

I thank you on behalf of our immortal poison clan”

The hero blankly stared at her, and then he heard a sound

mages everywhere in sight were falling to the ground

some were driving blades into their chests, while others burned

as if death was something for which all of them had yearned

“We’ll be going on ahead, but soon we’ll meet again

once our king is risen, we shall serve beside you then”

in front of him, a fire consumed the beautiful young mage

who might’ve been a normal woman, just about his age

The hero’s vision blurred as everyone began to die

he could even call upon his words to ask them why

he thought they may be fooling him, but they were surely dead

he couldn’t grasp a single word his enemy had said

He ran around in panic, but he couldn’t understand

every foe he saw had welcomed death by their own hand

then he heard a muffled groan from someone still alive

but it was just another mage with no will to survive

He ran toward the mage and found him bleeding from his side

he knelt and put his hands upon the wound before he cried

“why do you all die like this, what meaning can you see

how come while you poison others, you all bow to me”

The old man coughed and placed his hand upon the hero’s arm

“don’t be silly young one, death could never do us harm

now we’ll be immortal in the arms of our true king

thanks to you our work is done, good luck with everything”

The hero’s great confusion had evolved into a rage

he didn’t know if he should curse or heal the dying mage

his mind in chaos, he began to cast a healing spell

but just as it began to work, the bitter hero fell