The hero opened up his eyes to find the day was done

lying in a smoking crater, night had just begun

he brought himself up to his feet, and climbed out from the hole

and looked around to see a wasteland, dead and black as coal

Vaguely he recalled a storm of magic, death, and fire

monsters like a nightmare fighting as the flames grew higher

as he looked around he barely recognized the dead

charred remains and melted swords, not even blood was red

The hero wandered slowly through the dimly moonlit night

fires weakly smouldering, the only other light

every ally with him had been caught and killed with ease

every foe he’d faced was now just ashes on the breeze

He wandered to the wagons where the slaves had all been chained

and found a place to sit where only piles of wood remained

at least he’d had revenge upon the ones who had attacked

for the all the comrades he just lost, it wasn’t strength he lacked

Reflecting on the nature of the army he had slain

never had the hero seen so zealous a campaign

mercilessly executing every foe they meet

full of smiles and laughter in the face of sure defeat

Giving up on understanding why they fought to die

the hero moved his weary feet to bid the scene goodbye

just as he began to walk though, something caught his ear

somewhere in the ashes, something he could barely hear

Breathing weakly, buried under black and charred debris

the hero found a single injured girl in agony

only recognizable by rusty, weathered chains

a slave he’d travelled with for many months across the plains

Tempted by the feeling he could save a single soul

the hero quickly broke her chains with little self control

he brushed away the dirt and with the magic that he knew

healed her cuts and broken bones, until her pain withdrew

He hadn’t spent much time around a girl throughout the trip

they tended to remind him of an old relationship

he noticed that the slave girl looked the same age as himself

and by her pointed ears she was a forest dwelling elf

For a while, he watched her sleep atop a bed of ash

thinking of the luck that saved her from that fiery clash

so many lives had just been lost, he couldn’t comprehend

but all the same, he’d be a hero til the very end

Happy to have gained at least a small heroic quest

he put the elven slave upon his back where she could rest

carrying the girl, he soon was quickly on his way

running through the peaceful night until the break of day

Though the elven girl was fully healed she didn’t wake

the hero understood the heavy toll a war can take

after he had run across the plains another day

he ventured deep into the woods and found a place to stay

He built a little shelter where he placed the elven slave

and wandered near the campsite til he found a modest cave

there he found a monster like a boar with giant teeth

known for its tough hide and the delicious meat beneath

He’d lost his knives amidst the battle, but he did his best

he used a stone to kill it and his fire to do the rest

with little burning blades the meat was cooked as it was cut

as he worked he hung the meat up in his little hut

He worried that it smelled so good it might attract a bear

but there were no wild creatures which his presence didn’t scare

he passed the time in peace while he enjoyed his humble feast

thankful from his stomach for the blessing of the beast

With his stomach full, he lay beneath the shining stars

wondering if other heroes had so many scars

his healing magic wasn’t such an easy thing to use

he felt his spirit breaking even just to heal a bruise

Unexpectedly when he had healed the elven slave

it felt easier, despite the healing that he gave

“I must be improving, as a hero quickly would”

he fell asleep expecting that his dreams would be quite good