The monster that he’d found behind a tree then tried to run
but once he grabbed it’s neck the battle was already done
it flailed and kicked and scratched while being held up in the air
But even as it cut him, all that he could do was stare
Sure enough it looked like any demon he had fought
but something felt too strange about the one that he’d just caught
nostalgia filled the hero as he heard the demon’s cries
for it was not a demon, but a boy with golden eyes
His grip had loosened while the boy was flailing all around
before his mind caught up with him the boy was on the ground
the hero stared as chaos and confusion filled his mind
the boy looked like the very sons which he had left behind
His golden eyes and pointed ears were just like those he’d known
belonging not to demons but to loved ones of his own
the monster he’d uncovered who looked up at him through tears
looked more like the family he hadn’t seen in years
The boy no longer struggled to escape the human knight
feebly he resigned himself to dying there that night
but when the hero saw the boy prepared to face his death
a feeling hit the hero’s heart that took away his breath
He knelt and grabbed the shoulders of the boy without a thought
injured by the scene of one like his child so distraught
compelled to offer comfort to the little one he’d found
but still the boy looked numbly at the man without a sound
After he’d composed himself enough to try and speak
he cleared his throat and spoke although his voice was dry and weak
“tell me boy, how did you come to find yourself out here
I’m a friend of elves like you, so there’s no need to fear”
The hero tried to smile and then retreated quietly
but now the boy was looking at him more suspiciously
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“it’s okay, just tell me where your family is from
it’s not safe here, there’s no telling when demons could come”
“no one calls us elves but humans, so that’s what you are
but humans fight the southern tribes, how did you get so far
if you plan to kill me, and I’m sure a human would
Please just do it quickly, though it won’t do any good”
“I’m not here to kill you, I’m a hero and a knight
tell me where you’re from and I can swear you’ll be alright”
the young boy’s golden eyes grew wider as the hero spoke
understanding what the hero said had been no joke
“If you’re called the hero, then it’s all because of you
if you’re here, then everything my parents said was true”
his voice began to fade as his reality sunk in
but now the hero’s own confusion echoed from within
“Tell me boy, where are your parents, are they safe somewhere
tell me where you’re from so I can take you safely there”
the fire he held grew brighter with the hero’s every word
and now the boy was growing angry with things he heard
“My parents were at war with something even worse than you
but now that you’re here, there is likely nothing we can do
we’ve already lost so much to all our enemies
they’re already everywhere, just hiding in the trees”
The hero couldn’t wrap his head around the young boy’s tale
he needed to know more and pressed the boy for more detail
“could the foes the demons face now threaten my empire
are they other demons or just monsters for my fire”
“You humans don’t know anything and yet you fight so much
my parents warned me humans destroy everything they touch
the ancient evil banished to the mountains has come back
instead of fighting with us, your empire chose to attack
Don’t you smell the poison in the air you’re breathing now
even if you spare me I’ll be dead soon anyhow
I might be the last survivor living in this town
if you want to help me, just go find a lake and drown”
The hero had heard many curses from his many foes
but something in the way the boy cursed hurt much more than those
he regained his composure and he tried to understand
how an elf could wind up stranded out in demons’ land
The sickly boy then started wheezing and coughed up some blood
and raw emotions came upon the hero like a flood
he wanted to know more but things were happening too fast
something about poison and an evil from the past
He looked around the town again and slowly understood
even for a ghost town it felt colder than it should
he saw his shadow flickering upon a house’s wall
and understood at once, the town was not empty at all
Every shadow he could see cast by his own fire’s light
Smiled and stared back into him with eyes all glowing white
he grabbed the boy and started running as fast he could
but the shadow didn’t fall behind him as it should
He ran right out of town until his feet began to bleed
the boy he held had fainted from the shock of such a speed
he stood beneath the starry sky upon a grassy hill
but saw a host of shadows staring back into him still
He dropped the boy upon the grass and with a fearful shout
he summoned fire that lit the sky as if the sun was out
he heard the shadows laughing but they finally were gone
in fear he kept the sky alight until the break of dawn
~