Blinding light enveloped everything that he could see

deafened by the roaring flames, he stumbled silently

few had managed to prepare a strong defensive spell

and most had perished in a way the hero knew too well

Stupefied by such a force like none he’d ever known

showing just as much mercy as he had ever shown

the hero noticed something in that sea of flames was wrong

he wondered how he’d managed to survive the fire so long

He looked down at his hands expecting nothing there but smoke

and found that he was wrapped in flames like some protective cloak

nothing near the hero was affected by the flame

the grass beneath his feet was green despite the fire that came

Then upon the grass he noticed two men that he knew

the prince and red-eyed demon quickly came into his view

and when he reached his hand out to them then he understood

the fire around him felt the way his missing magic should

He wasted no time saving both the men from certain death

though they had been injured by the dragon’s fearsome breath

expanding his own spell as far and quickly as he could

succeeding just before they would have both been lost for good

Surrounded by the chaos of the dragon’s might flame

a feeling of nostalgia soon displaced his fear and shame

finally he felt the power he had missed so long

and with each second bathed in fire his power grew more strong

From where he stood he could confirm his friends were both alive

now that he was strong again, his friends would all survive

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no longer would fate lead him through this long and senseless war

he wouldn’t have to fight without a purpose anymore

He laughed with glee at how much clearer things were suddenly

again he’d walk the the hero’s path he claimed so rightfully

smiling as he let the dragon’s fire dance all around

taking in the beauty of the embers on the ground

Time was hard to tell but when the fire began to die

he looked up through the clouds of smoke and saw a starry sky

later when he finally released his shielding spell

he realised he’d chased away the dragon back to hell

“No matter when or where, that dragon knows I can’t be beat

it just took some time for me to get back on my feet”

one the ground had cooled he sat beside the sleeping foes

the soothing smell of smoke and ashed dancing on his nose

He took a deep breath, daydreaming of what was next to come

he wondered if he might even look too happy to some

but suddenly he felt a chill crawl up and down his back

he looked around and wondered what on earth would dare attack

The smoke was hard to see through but his senses now were keen

nothing that would stalk him had a chance to go unseen

he strained his eyes to make out what was out there in the haze

feeling like a helpless little child lost in a maze

Away from both his friends, the hero stumbled through the night

but anywhere the hero looked, no monster came in sight

the more he strained his eyes to see, the darker it became

it didn’t even help him see to summon his own flame

The fire he held in both his hands was there behind a shroud

as if he’d been enveloped by a sickening black cloud

he shouted out for help but couldn’t hear his voice at all

not that anyone was there to hear the hero’s call

“Do you not know who I am you monster, show yourself

are you some old wizard, some old mage or forest elf”

though he’d long been justified in taking lives to live

he knew their must be some who’d find him harder to forgive

He cried out countless times but all his senses seemed to fail

as if he’d fallen from the world into a formless jail

he couldn’t even feel himself, the darkness there was all

then somehow he saw a figure near him, standing tall

He was unsure how so dark a figure could stand out

he tried to calling out to it, but still he couldn’t shout

then the shadow in the darkness seemed to turn around

the hero saw a face that drove his heart into the ground

A ghostly smile that split the darkness filled him with despair

he tried to run and then to fight, but he was still nowhere

the shadow moved toward the hero holding out its hand

it whispered something in a voice he couldn’t understand

Finally the hero’s fear began to manifest

flames of chaos swirled within the mighty hero’s chest

he heard the shadow laughing as he landed with a thud

blacking out soon after to the taste of dirt and blood

~