Once Upon a Time, There Was a Hero

The Story

Once upon a time, there was a Hero.

This Hero was strong, brave and intelligent. They fought for what was right and had many adventures saving people. This Hero was content with their life.

But then a great darkness ascended upon the land the Hero had fought to protect. The land began to grow frail and sickly. The darkness seeped into the hearts of the people. As the darkness filled their veins they became greedy and unkind. The children starved in the streets and stole. Women sold their bodies in hope of money. Men killed in the streets.

The Hero knew that something had to change, the Hero had to defeat this darkness. Even if it cost the Heros life. The Hero knew the sacrifice was great but they pushed on anyway. So the Hero went and traveled far and wide. The closer the Hero got to the darkness the more it had festered and stole the life force from the lands.

Finally after a year of searching the Hero came upon a decrepit castle. The darkness radiated off of the castle like waves of heat. After a moment of preparation for what lay ahead, the Hero charged forward. Only to be faced with enemies from all sides. The Hero braced themselves. Dust swirled at the Heros feet as they moved swiftly to the left, taking off the head of the nearest target. The Heros blade swung up and over , darkness seemingly to disappear into the weapon. The blade made contact with the head of the enemy, black blood and ashes filled the stale air. Two of the creatures made after the Heros throat only to be met with a swift demise. Three were left. Who would make a move first? The Hero scanned the line up. One step was made by the dark creature in the middle, it's disfigured body pulsing with dark energy. They were strong but not strong enough, the Hero thought as the great beast charged. The Hero smirked. The creature wasn't put off by this small gesture, but it should have been. The Hero moved with blurring agility. The creature exploded before it could process the moment. The other two creatures looked at each other and seemed to have a thought pass between them. They retreated into a gap in the castle's exterior, with the Hero following suit.

The Hero soon lost them in the maze like halls of this fortress. Engulfed in the darkness the Hero could only be lead to the source of this evil by their morals and how frighteningly easy it was to have them twisted. But with a twist of the blade, a glint of hope reached the Hero's eyes and with it memories of helping victims of the darkness. This only pushed the Hero to go faster .

Finally what seemed after an eternity, the Hero reached a set of doors. The doors that lead to the beginning of the darkness. The doors looked normal enough, nothing evil at all. The Hero opened the doors and inside found a child crying, with two stuffed dogs at its side. The Hero couldn't kill a child. It went against everything the Hero stood for.

The Hero cautiously approached the inconsolable child. The Hero asked what was upsetting the child so much. The child replied :

" I'm all alone. All except for my dollies." The child pointed at the stuffed dogs that lay at its feet. The Hero was confused at how a child could have caused all of this chaos. The Hero looked from the child to the stuffed dogs and back again. Was this all from the doings of a child's imagination? What was this being in front of the Hero and what could be done about it? It was obviously a lonely child crying out for help and the Hero felt compelled to help the child.

So the Hero gestured for the child to grab their hand. As the child did so, the crying stopped and the darkness ebbed away. The Hero promised the child a place to stay at their side and a warm home. The child gathered their dolls and meager belongings including a letter. The child offered the letter to the Hero to read because the child could not. The letter said this:

I'm sorry but I cannot take care of this child anymore for with the last of my strength have brought them here, because my last breath is drawing near. To whomever that finds this letter, just know that I love my child dearly and hope that they do not cause too much trouble. For the dark things that happen around a child of misfortune are chaotic. I am sorry that I cannot be there to prevent these events from unfolding. But I only sincerely hope that someone will find my child in time. If not then- I would rather not think of the destruction that would be caused by such a powerful force as a child's imagination. But if such a thing happens, simply just make the child laugh.

The Hero was solem. The child pulled on the Heros hand and looked up at the Hero with an innocent stare. The Hero in that moment knew what to do. They walked outside and in the first beams of sunlight in a year. The child smiled. Bits of grass and flowers grew where they stepped. The Hero and the child sat beneath a tree that had grew from one of the Heros steps. The Hero wanted to see the stuffed toy. The child happily handed the dog over and when the Hero touched the toy it came alive. It grew from the Heros grasp and into one of the creatures the Hero had fought before. The Hero tensed but then the dog-like creature nudged the Heros hand wanting to be pet. The child giggled at the Heros reaction and for as far as the Hero could see color flooded the grayscale landscape.

The Hero took the child and hugged them. The child immediately relaxed and eventually fell asleep in the Heros arms. The world grew to night and all was well again. Children were with full stomachs and happy homes, women could take care of their children and men grew docile. Everything was balanced. With the child never leaving the Heros side with two curious creatures following them, the land was safe.

The End