The hero spent the night beside the campfire by himself

he had no will to hear another word from any elf

the world around him faded as he stared into the flame

wondering what war would be the next to call his name

The fairies who had given him his power long ago

spoke of fate as if it was some power they all know

now these demons, or whatever they were, spoke of fate

as if it was something they could all anticipate

He looked into the fire as if to question what it knew

the glowing embers inspiring all the great things he would do

he’d always seen his fate in fire, the battles he would win

and every time it burned out, soon a new fire would begin

But now he felt no warmth and saw no magic in the flames

he heard no battle cries, only his fallen comrades’ names

what he saw reminded him of his own children’s eyes

that golden glow that filled him with more hope than a sunrise

The sun did rise again upon the hero as he thought

but no longer to free him from the darkness that he fought

no shadows haunted him that night, no monsters came in sight

but something far more terrifying came with morning light

The camp which came to life as night gave way to one more day

looked much like a human army in most every way

he saw no trace of evil in this land of enemies

only soldiers basking in the gentle morning breeze

He noticed elves and dwarves among them, like he’d known before

beastly looking men that didn’t shock him anymore

the hero couldn’t find a monster anywhere at all

and as his heart began to race he heard his new friend call

“We’re heading south to aid our brethren in the human wars

war was not our choice to make, but now you must make yours”

his golden eyes were cold and as he spoke the hero reeled

imagining these people dying on some battlefield

“You must not lead these men into the human empire’s hands

only death awaits you if you dare attack those lands

stay here and rebuild your cities, you’ve already won

now that this great curse is lifted, let your war be done”

“You think that just because its bones are broken, evil dies

maybe you were blessed with strength, but you’re by no means wise

the evil in this land is older even than the fae

it isn’t something to be killed, it’s only kept at bay”

“But there are no more shadows here, they follow me no more

evil’s gone, so there’s no need for heroes anymore”

he desperately appealed but his new friend was uninspired

the hero didn’t even know what outcome he desired

“It doesn’t fall to me to judge a warrior or friend

but I am an imperfect man of conscience in the end

I’m not a saint or scholar, I’m a father and a knight

this northern land became my home, and this is where I fight

You are everything I thought a human was and more

I’ve never met so blind and cowardly a man before

some of us were there to see the humans’ first attack

I saw you kill our king, the human empire at your back”

Reminded of his purpose as the empire’s sword and shield

his mind returned to where awaited one more battlefield

but now he’d heard there was no end to evil in this land

this war was not the fated quest the righteous hero planned

“If you plan to stop us, we will fight you to the last

but what is done is done, the time for hesitance has passed

your fate is your own but I must follow mine to war

whether you’ve decided what it is you’re fighting for”

The moment that those words fell on the desperate hero’s ears

he felt like he’d been robbed of something he had held for years

no music echoed in his heart and everything was cold

he couldn’t bring to mind a single hero’s song of old

He didn’t notice he’d begun to summon forth his blade

and made to swing it down upon the friend that he’d just made

an arc of fire erupted as he ruthlessly attacked

so quickly that his elven friend had no time to react

But as the blade connected with the shoulder of the elf

and he began to realize his actions for himself

the flaming sword abruptly vanished in a cloudy haze

the hero hadn’t harmed him and he fell into a daze

The elf was oddly satisfied with what had just transpired

the hero fell, as if his every power had expired

“as I thought, the nature of your soul and sword is good

but there is much about your fate which you’ve misunderstood”

He looked in pity as the hero waved his arms around

trying still to fight him while he crawled upon the ground

but even when a sword would manifest within his hand

it wouldn’t cut the elf and still he couldn’t understand

The elf knelt down and placed his hand upon the hero’s back

ignoring ever feeble swing and every failed attack

“you do not know the nature of the blessing in your soul

fate has granted powers, but you’ve yet to know your role”

“I’m a hero, meant to slay the evils of the earth

the blood of monsters is the way a hero measures worth”

the hero’s voice was more a cough than some great battle cry

he couldn’t find the strength to fight the elf, but knew not why

“You’ve answered your own question but you’re too afraid to see

all you see are comrades where you thought monsters should be

I’m not here to guide you, and I have no time to wait

all that I can do is trust the guiding hand of fate”

While the hero flailed about like he was going mad

the elf packed up his things, but still his eyes were cold and sad

without another word he left along with everyone

the hero lay alone beneath the unforgiving sun

He summoned fire with every breath, and tried to burn them all

but when he turned his fire to them it wouldn’t heed his call

all that he could do was watch them march away in shame

he stared at the horizon until long after night came

“For this war I left behind my home and family

my strength and even all those shadows now abandon me”

had his powers left him when the shadows went away

had this battle been the mighty hero’s final day