“He tried to heal a servant of the king of death, but why”

“doesn’t he know they get more annoying when they die”

“can’t you see he’s just as bad as they are if not worse”

“quiet, fools, you’ll only aggravate the young lad’s curse”

The hero could hear voices, but the world around was black

he wondered if he’d fallen to some archer’s sneak attack

he felt like he was dreaming but his entire body ached

perhaps his foes’ unseemly deaths had somehow all been faked

He felt like he’d been poisoned and he couldn’t move at all

never had he suffered so from any wound or fall

after what felt like an hour of venom in his veins

finally he felt a spell begin to ease his pains

“It’s lucky that the healing he was blessed with was enough

even with the strength he had, that reaction was rough”

he opened up his eyes and with his vision mostly blurred

the hero realized whose chipper voices he had heard

He couldn’t move a muscle as he slowly looked around

dizzy but aware that he was lying on the ground

surrounded by the same old fairies he had always known

all the same, except for how their number may have grown

“Who would waste their healing magic on the living dead

he may as well have tried to heal a pile of rocks instead”

“still though, the reaction might have cleansed him in a way

the dark lord’s presence on him was much worse the other day”

“But still that evil watches over him, I feel it now

even if he wakes up he’ll meet ruin anyhow”

“we are not to judge him, we are just agents of fate

do as destiny desires before it is too late”

The fairies’ argument then ceased and everything turned white

but in the light he saw a shadow laughing with delight

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he couldn’t hear it but he felt the words it meant to say

“let them try and keep me from you, go wake up and play”

He woke up in a cold sweat where he’d fallen by the mage

several days had passed and now fatigue replaced his rage

he stood up and he looked around, and everything was still

not a single enemy left living he could kill

The town was ruined, as was all the land for miles around

the sun was high and chirping birds were now the only sound

he started walking back toward the capital alone

trying to recall the vision which he’d just been shown

In the end, no matter how he tried, it slipped away

he did recall a shadow, but not what it had to say

he had no way to justify the things which he had seen

but knew his quest was still the same as it had ever been

He marched into the capital and barely saw a soul

shops were boarded up and there were few guards on patrol

when he reached the castle where the emperor should be

he found a single messenger, a worried young sentry

The man could not believe his eyes when first the hero came

the sentry was so happy he could barely say his name

“I was left to tell you, should you manage to get back

the emperor is hiding somewhere, fearing an attack”

The hero laughed and told him that the battle had been won

and though it was a complicated tale, the war was done

“all you need to know is that they’ll never come again

I fear no one, be they mages, monsters, beasts, or men”

Before the emperor returned, he travelled home that night

relieved to see that both his wife and children were alright

every pair of golden eyes was full of joyful tears

he hadn’t felt as lucky in his many fighting years

“I think I may have won the war to end all wars this time

were I any stronger then it might just be a crime”

his wife just smiled and shook her head, but didn’t disagree

“whatever wars you fight you’ll be the same hero to me”

His family had waited even while their neighbours ran

they knew that he’d return again if any war began

he sat with them beside the fire until the light went out

but as they slept he lay awake annoyed by fear and doubt

Everything that he remembered of that brutal war

made him wish that he could fight them just a little more

there was little satisfaction in the battle’s end

enemies that fell before him, calling him a friend

His thoughts were interrupted by the emperor’s return

and once again the empire’s fires of war began to burn

tales confirming what the hero had accomplished spread

the evil army came to end the world, but died instead

Yet another round of grand parades were held that year

the empire could continue its expansion without fear

the continent and lands beyond would all be safe from harm

he’d protect his people out in every town and farm

Everywhere he travelled he could hear his hero’s songs

celebrating one he alone who rights the whole world’s wrongs

keeping people safe from any threat no matter what

there was nothing, dead or living, his sword couldn’t cut

He even heard his children singing of him when they played

telling stories of his deeds while resting in the shade

but every time he told his stories by the fire at night

something crept into his mind that didn’t feel quite right