"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 delightStolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

　　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