A man stood in a snowy forest. He gazed down upon the bloody corpse in front of him, the blood dripping from his mighty blade. He looked into the eyes of the fallen warrior.
It was his brother.
And he had slain him.
He took a deep breath. He closed his eyes.
He allowed himself but a moment.
And then he turned around, thrusting his sword high into the sky while letting out a shout of victory.
Later that night, he would smile and laugh and regale his merry band of his mighty victories that day.
But his eyes…his eyes did not smile even once.
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A man laughed, his eyes wide opened as he swung his blade through the crowd of warriors, cleaving off three heads at once. He bathed in the blood, laughing all the more. He shouted at the soldiers all around him, daring them to come.
He forced himself to laugh.
For he no longer had anything else to laugh about.
He had lost everything he cared about, save the fight.
And yet, the war went on.
His strength was needed to win it.
So…
He forced himself to laugh.
He drowned in the indulgence of war, the thrill of the fight, the slaughter.
He found joy in his labors.
For he had none anywhere else.
And he needed to endure until it was over.
And so he laughed as he reaped countless lives, praying for the day someone would reap his own.
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A woman stood at the top of the hill, her hands resting on the hilt of a greatsword pointed to the ground. The wind blew around her feet, the edges of her bearskin cloak kicking up around her metal greaves. She gazed down at the host assembled below her.
“What are we going to do, Jarl? There are too many of them…”
She glanced to her side. A young boy trembled, his sweaty hands fumbling to hold his sword and shield. She heaved a sigh.
All around her, young men who had seen too few winters and knew naught of the terrors that awaited them. Many of whom were unlikely to see any more, should she give the command this day.
And many more like them down on the beach below, disembarking from their ships. A great many of whom would die at her own hand, should she take up her blade this day.
Many mothers and fathers would weep this day, should she give the order. Many children would be orphaned, many young women widowed. Countless specters that would curse her name, faces gripped with death and despair that would haunt her dreams.
Her sword pulsed faintly with light.
She heaved a sigh.
She lifted her blade.
She gave the command.
And then she leapt into hell once more.
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Arvid’s eyes shot open. He was drenched in sweat, gasping for breath. He groaned and sat up, clutching his head as he swung his feet over the side of the bed.
It was all a mess, ever since the assault on his mind. Memories colliding, previous personalities bleeding into his own. He could barely touch his sword without falling into another time and place.
He heaved a sigh.
And it wasn’t just that.
The fight with the Kaiju. Nemesis battling for the fate of the world…twice in a row. The saga had started to grow once more, his deeds finally worthy of inclusion. Which was strengthening his connection to the blade, to his ancestors.
And pulling him into the role he had abandoned.
Arvid rested his arms on his knees, clasping his hands in front of him as he stared at the ground. He sat there like that for a long time.
And eventually he heaved a sigh.
It looks like…it was time. He could put off making his choice no longer.
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Bob raised an eyebrow.
“You’re leaving?”
Arvid slowly nodded.
“‘Twas a fun time with great comrades…but ‘tis time I depart. I’ve been in one place for too long as it is.”
Bob heaved a sigh but nodded.
“Well, that’s your right, if that’s what you choose. You will be missed.”
Arvid made a wry smile.
“And I shall miss you all. But the time has come to part ways, and it would not do to delay.”
Arvid paused. He fidgeted for a second before heaving a sigh.
“Um…if I may…I have a request…”
“Yes?”
“Could you…take care of my blade?”
Bob raised an eyebrow.
“You aren’t taking it with you?”
Arvid slowly shook his head.
“I need…to be my own person for a bit. Truly this time. But it would not due to leave it unattended. Even I will not neglect that duty. So, could I have you take care of it for me?”
Bob sighed again but nodded.
“We can do that.”
“...thank you.”
“On one condition.”
Arvid tilted his head.
“Yes? What is it?”
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Bob looked the boy in the eye.
“You tell the rest you’re leaving…including Elise.”
Arvid’s eyes widened.
“Ah…”
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Arvid walked to the center of a storeroom, carrying a large boulder. He placed the boulder in the center and then held his blade.
He winced as voices of the past spoke to him. He shook his head and then looked over the blade, frowning as he gazed at it.
“I…am sorry. You’ve been at my side through a great deal. You chose me, counted on me. But…I cannot be who you ask me to be. And I cannot continue like this. I hope you can understand. Know that I leave you in good hands for safekeeping, you will not be misused here. Please rest…until someone worthy arises to wield you once more.”
With that, Arvid held the sword up high…and drove it into the center of the boulder. He panted for a few seconds.
Then he let go of the blade.
And walked out of the room.
The sword pulsed with faint light as Arvid closed the door…
After that, Arvid set on his greatest battle yet…
Convincing the others to let him go.
Especially Elise.
…it was a great deal of time and perhaps a beating or two before Arvid was finally able to leave.
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Arvid went on to do as he had done before. He pillaged, he feasted, he fought, he flirted.
But he felt no joy as the bills fluttered in the air about him.
The food tasted bland.
The drink merely made his head pound.
His heart did not beat during the fights.
And the flirting…well if he was honest he had never succeeded even once with that. Not that he would ever admit it to anyone who asked.
And even if he did succeed…theirs was not the companionship he wished for…
All he could think of…were the friends he left behind. And the blade he had abandoned.
He sat at a bar. He thought to order a drink, or maybe to start a fight. And then he sighed. He got up out of his seat and left the building, wandering off into the night.
Eventually he found a bench and sat down on it, heaving a sigh as he stared up at the sky.
And then he heard a gasp.
He looked down…and found a familiar girl staring at him with wide eyes, holding a shopping bag. She shook her head.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just, you reminded me of someone…”
“You’re the one they call Icy Rose, are you not?”
Her eyes widened.
“Then, you are…”
Arvid chuckled softly.
“Have you come to apprehend me, then?”
“N-No, um…just, what are you doing here?”
Arvid leaned back into the bench as he looked up at the night sky once again.
“What indeed…”
“Um…”
“You need fear naught. I have since parted ways with my comrades at Nemesis. I am your foe no longer, lest you have your own reason to fight with me.”
“I see…”
The wind blew down the street as they stood in silence for a moment.
“Um, may I ask you something?”
Arvid shrugged.
“I don’t see why not.”
“Why…did you leave?”
“It was time to go…that is all…”
Icy Rose frowned.
“But…is that…alright? That cyborg girl…Elise…she was very concerned about you all back then. Did…something happen?”
Arvid heaved a sigh. He felt a twinge of pain shoot through his chest as he remembered his farewell.
“...I suppose it wasn’t truly alright…”
“Then…”
“But still…I needed to go.”
“I see. I’m sorry if I prodded too much.”
“No, that is fine. I can see you are a compassionate soul.”
The two stood in silence for a bit more. Icy Rose made no move to leave, her face scrunching up in a frown. Arvid heaved another sigh.
“Look, I know you mean well. But you are a hero, and I’ve no love for heroes. ‘Tis best if we part ways now.”
Icy Rose’s frown grew.
“I understand that…but…”
“What?”
“It’s just that…something about you…reminds me of myself. I’m not sure why. But I just…I don’t want to leave you alone tonight, for some reason.”
Arvid raised an eyebrow.
“Is that a proposition?”
Icy Rose’s face went red.
“What?! NO! Oh, I’m sorry, but no, definitely not!”
Arvid chuckled.
“What I mean is…you seem like…you’re carrying some sort of burden…”
“And what would a hero like you know of that?”
Icy Rose winced and looked down. Arvid heaved a sigh. Well, if she wanted to know…
“Fine. You want to know? I’ll tell you then. You see, little hero, I once was like you. The best of you, in fact, for I was chosen by destiny for great deeds! Judged the most worthy of my line and imbued with all the power of my ancestors to carry on their legacy. A chosen hero with mighty strength and glorious purpose! Everything someone like you wants to be.”
Arvid frowned.
“And then I learned the truth, about what it really means to be a hero. Do you know what a hero is, little girl? Not the costumed fools galavanting about and waxing long about justice, but a real hero capable of great deeds and mighty victories? A murderer, that’s what. Someone who kills all who opposes him, who slays evil without hesitation or remorse. Whoever that might be.”
He spat out the words. He felt his chest grow hot. He stood up, glaring at the girl.
“I had a friend once. We were always together. We laughed together, we ate together, we played together, we even fought together. We were brothers in all but blood. And then…I was chosen to be the hero.”
He grit his teeth and clenched his fists.
“But power was not all my ancestors granted me. A family of heroes has many enemies, one of which revealed themselves shortly thereafter. A sworn enemy of my ancestors. One plotting to destroy my line, once and for all. But I was a hero, so with a courageous heart and a truly empty head I took up my blade, and set out to do what all heroes do. To face and destroy evil, to win mighty victories, to hear my name sung in song.”
“And I did just that. I defeated them all, slew those who dared opposed me. Until…I found him. It was my friend’s line that I faced. And his family had just been brought into the fold. He too, had been granted glorious purpose. And then I slew them all.”
His eyes began to quiver.
“I tried to talk to him, but what could I do, covered in the blood of his line? So he fought…and my body moved without my command. All my training…all my power…just to hold my friend in my arms as the light drained from his eyes.”
He closed his eyes, trying to will the moisture back inside.
“And that…that wasn’t the end of it. When I returned home…my family sung my praises, just as I had always wanted. They feasted and cheered, and expected me to as well. And do you know what happened when I told them of my grief? When I asked for but a moment to myself?”
Icy Rose stood in silence, waiting for him to continue.
“Celebration is the duty of the hero, they said. Victories are to be celebrated, not mourned. I could not live up to the legacy of my ancestors were I to be so gloomy, they said. This was something I just needed to get used to, they said. So I left.”
He took a deep breath, turning away from the girl and looking up at the sky.
“I explored the memories of my ancestors and what did I find? Death, destruction, despair. They pillaged, they raided, they burned, they killed. And every time, they came home to thunderous applause, horrific deeds that haunted their souls praised as beautiful and glorious. Murderers, each and every one. And it was all necessary. Not one of them could put down their blade, for the war needed to be fought, the battle won. No matter who was in the way. On and on they went until their bodies broke…or their spirits. A broken line of broken hearts. That is what it takes to be a hero. That is the end of the path you have chosen.”
He shook his head, clenching his hands into fists.
“I decided I wanted no part of it. So I left my family, found my own way. Did what I could to render myself unworthy. But still the blade remained at my side. And now, Nemesis’s deeds have grown too great. If I stay…I will be asked to become a hero once more. To meet those horrid expectations. To watch the blood flow…to shed it myself. I cannot do so. Will not do so. So begone from my sight, hero, until the day you too understand the mistake you have made.”
He heaved a sigh. What was he doing? This girl had done nothing to him, she was an innocent soul who knew nothing of the world. She did not deserve his wrath. But she was a hero, how could he help but anticipate her judgment? He turned around.
“...I’m sorry. But that’s why it’s best if you…”
He froze.
She had tears streaming down her face.
“I’m…I’m so sorry…”
He waved his hands about.
“Ah, don’t be. ‘Tis not your fault.”
“No, but…here I went, talking about how we were similar…but you had so much more pain. When I think of my childhood friend…when I imagine having to do what you did…I…”
She grabbed her face, sobbing. Arvid frowned, he slowly, gently reached out and pat her shoulder.
“...when he was in danger…that was bad enough…if I had to…”
“There there, ‘tis a tale long gone.”
“But…it’s not long gone to you, is it? You wouldn’t be crying, otherwise…”
Arvid froze.
He reached up to his eye.
He found something wet.
“And all this time…they said something that cruel…and you just had to hold it inside…that’s just too cruel…”
Something welled up in Arvid’s chest. When this girl spoke…when she cried on his behalf…
He didn’t know why.
But something inside him wanted to cry too.
He stopped himself at first.
But then…
He thought…
Why was he bothering to do that?
And so…
The chosen hero wept alongside his rival.
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Arvid and Icy Rose walked through the park, Arvid looking down at the street.
“I see, so you had a similar experience to my own. We both set out to be big damn heroes…and we ended up hurting the people we cared about instead. That is why you felt we were similar.”
Icy Rose frowned.
“I guess…but my experience wasn’t nearly as bad as yours.”
Arvid smiled softly at her.
“Pain is pain, no matter how intense. Honestly, it is simply nice to know I am not alone in these things. Sometimes I wondered if I was alone in my doubts. If I were wrong to feel this way.”
Icy Rose nodded. Arvid heaved a sigh.
“May I ask you something?”
The girl nodded.
“Why are you still working as a hero?”
Icy Rose took a deep breath.
“Some days…I wonder that myself. You know, everyone praised me when I changed my name. They thought I was getting back at the man who hurt me, trying to overcome him or something like that.”
Her eyes moistened slightly as she furrowed her brow.
“They were all wrong. It was because I didn’t deserve his name. I was the one who ended my hero. So at first…I thought I needed to replace him. Since I ruined him…I needed to be a hero in his place. So that I could tell them that they were wrong, that I wasn’t the hero, he was. But that was wrong too…”
She heaved a sigh.
“Now, I don’t think of myself as a hero at all. I know I can’t live up to that…and it’s not helpful to try. But…my friends are fighting, so I’m fighting too. I’ve come to care about Aurora Legion and the League…and Antonio is fighting as well. I’m not going to let them do it alone. So I’m trying to ignore what everyone else is saying about me and to just do what I can…to focus only on the people I care about.”
Arvid rubbed his chin.
“Just do what you can and focus only on the people you care about, huh?”
Arvid took a deep breath and stopped, turning towards the girl. She stopped and looked at him.
“Thank you, Icy Rose, truly. For your compassion…and for sharing your story with me. You have given me much to think about.”
“I’m sorry, you’ve gone through so much more. But…if I helped you at all…then I’m glad. I…”
Icy Rose suddenly froze, staring past Arvid. Arvid glanced behind him. There was a shop window, filled with televisions displaying the news.
Arvid, too, froze at what he saw there.
“...I have to go.”
Arvid didn’t respond as Icy Rose ran down the street, reaching for her phone.
What…should he do?