The hero spent the night beside the campfire by himself
he had no will to hear another word from any elf
the world around him faded as he stared into the flame
wondering what war would be the next to call his name
The fairies who had given him his power long ago
spoke of fate as if it was some power they all know
now these demons, or whatever they were, spoke of fate
as if it was something they could all anticipate
He looked into the fire as if to question what it knew
the glowing embers inspiring all the great things he would do
he’d always seen his fate in fire, the battles he would win
and every time it burned out, soon a new fire would begin
But now he felt no warmth and saw no magic in the flames
he heard no battle cries, only his fallen comrades’ names
what he saw reminded him of his own children’s eyes
that golden glow that filled him with more hope than a sunrise
The sun did rise again upon the hero as he thought
but no longer to free him from the darkness that he fought
no shadows haunted him that night, no monsters came in sight
but something far more terrifying came with morning light
The camp which came to life as night gave way to one more day
looked much like a human army in most every way
he saw no trace of evil in this land of enemies
only soldiers basking in the gentle morning breeze
He noticed elves and dwarves among them, like he’d known before
beastly looking men that didn’t shock him anymore
the hero couldn’t find a monster anywhere at all
and as his heart began to race he heard his new friend call
“We’re heading south to aid our brethren in the human wars
war was not our choice to make, but now you must make yours”
his golden eyes were cold and as he spoke the hero reeled
imagining these people dying on some battlefield
“You must not lead these men into the human empire’s hands
only death awaits you if you dare attack those lands
stay here and rebuild your cities, you’ve already won
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now that this great curse is lifted, let your war be done”
“You think that just because its bones are broken, evil dies
maybe you were blessed with strength, but you’re by no means wise
the evil in this land is older even than the fae
it isn’t something to be killed, it’s only kept at bay”
“But there are no more shadows here, they follow me no more
evil’s gone, so there’s no need for heroes anymore”
he desperately appealed but his new friend was uninspired
the hero didn’t even know what outcome he desired
“It doesn’t fall to me to judge a warrior or friend
but I am an imperfect man of conscience in the end
I’m not a saint or scholar, I’m a father and a knight
this northern land became my home, and this is where I fight
You are everything I thought a human was and more
I’ve never met so blind and cowardly a man before
some of us were there to see the humans’ first attack
I saw you kill our king, the human empire at your back”
Reminded of his purpose as the empire’s sword and shield
his mind returned to where awaited one more battlefield
but now he’d heard there was no end to evil in this land
this war was not the fated quest the righteous hero planned
“If you plan to stop us, we will fight you to the last
but what is done is done, the time for hesitance has passed
your fate is your own but I must follow mine to war
whether you’ve decided what it is you’re fighting for”
The moment that those words fell on the desperate hero’s ears
he felt like he’d been robbed of something he had held for years
no music echoed in his heart and everything was cold
he couldn’t bring to mind a single hero’s song of old
He didn’t notice he’d begun to summon forth his blade
and made to swing it down upon the friend that he’d just made
an arc of fire erupted as he ruthlessly attacked
so quickly that his elven friend had no time to react
But as the blade connected with the shoulder of the elf
and he began to realize his actions for himself
the flaming sword abruptly vanished in a cloudy haze
the hero hadn’t harmed him and he fell into a daze
The elf was oddly satisfied with what had just transpired
the hero fell, as if his every power had expired
“as I thought, the nature of your soul and sword is good
but there is much about your fate which you’ve misunderstood”
He looked in pity as the hero waved his arms around
trying still to fight him while he crawled upon the ground
but even when a sword would manifest within his hand
it wouldn’t cut the elf and still he couldn’t understand
The elf knelt down and placed his hand upon the hero’s back
ignoring ever feeble swing and every failed attack
“you do not know the nature of the blessing in your soul
fate has granted powers, but you’ve yet to know your role”
“I’m a hero, meant to slay the evils of the earth
the blood of monsters is the way a hero measures worth”
the hero’s voice was more a cough than some great battle cry
he couldn’t find the strength to fight the elf, but knew not why
“You’ve answered your own question but you’re too afraid to see
all you see are comrades where you thought monsters should be
I’m not here to guide you, and I have no time to wait
all that I can do is trust the guiding hand of fate”
While the hero flailed about like he was going mad
the elf packed up his things, but still his eyes were cold and sad
without another word he left along with everyone
the hero lay alone beneath the unforgiving sun
He summoned fire with every breath, and tried to burn them all
but when he turned his fire to them it wouldn’t heed his call
all that he could do was watch them march away in shame
he stared at the horizon until long after night came
“For this war I left behind my home and family
my strength and even all those shadows now abandon me”
had his powers left him when the shadows went away
had this battle been the mighty hero’s final day