The Hero's Revenge

This was it; this was the moment he had been waiting for his entire life. Sword barred and muscles poised to strike, he charged the enemy ahead. He cut down each and every foe, but one monster remained. A demon named Epehzial and he was more powerful than any monster Fidan had ever faced. Fidan laughed at Epehzial to taunt him, and Ephezial responded in kind.

“You humans are so foolish, you come in here time after time hoping to slay me, but you fail. Look around you, these are the so-called heroes of your time.”

“They all thought they were stronger than me, but their might failed them even in the end. I will commend their stupid bravery though; they died like ants squashed under my feet, but bravely.”

Fidan felt fear kick in for the first time since he had entered Ephezial’s lair. He wasn’t sure he could slay the demon in front of him, but he was going to die trying. He had too many people counting on him and Edmund his best friend was with him. “That damn fool Edmund,” he thought to himself. Edmund had followed Fidan and disobeyed his orders.

Edmund turned to Fidan and said “I guess it's too late to turn back huh?” and let out an awkward chuckle. Fidan whispered “If I can't win, promise me you will run to save yourself.” Edmund nodded in agreement.

With Edmund supporting him with magic, Fidan attacked. Ephezial seemed bored, but as the battle wore on, he found himself on the defensive. He screamed in rage “I will crush you pathetic humans, how dare you stand before me the mighty Epehzial.”

Fidan yelled to Edmund “lets end this with a final combo”, and Edmund began casting a greater pyro blast, but he needed a moment. With Fidan holding the demon’s attention, Edmund sent a molten blast of fire at Epehzial, lighting the demon on fire. In pain, he writhed around and swung blindly in front of him. Fidan rolled to the side ready to serve the finishing blow, but he was too late.

Epehzial started charging at Edmund who was casting another pyro blast, but there wasn’t enough range to avoid damage. The blast went off combusting the two in proximity and Epehzial went flying across the room with a hole through his chest. Edmund was set back into the cave wall head cracking on impact.

Fidan rushed to Edmund’s side but not to cherish his dying friend. No, Fidan was full of rage and anger. “How could you do this to me Edmund, I told you to stay back. I was the one supposed to die a hero, not you Damit.”

“That was MY DREAM, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY HEORIC DEATH,” he yelled with a force that echoed through the cave. Fidan had been cheated out of his born duty, to fight and die as a hero. He would receive nothing but his own regret.

As Edmund bled out, Fidan turned back towards the demon. His eyes ablaze, his hand steady and sword gripped tightly. He stood above Ephezial who laughed in his final moments.

“You weak human, so easy to succumb to your own rage and hatred at your own friend. You truly are the lesser creatures.” Fidan hacked away at the demon's head in a frenzy.

Head in hand he walked out of the cave alone. Leaving behind the body of his friend for others to carry back. He held the head up in front of his men and they cheered, but he knew the truth that he was no hero.

Back in the capital he was praised as the hero once more, cheers to the demon-slayer. No one knew his shame and his fury that was building through the cheers.

“Fidan the demon-slayer, the mighty hero, three cheers!”, he cringed at those words. Inside him grew a festering beast one born of vengeance. He knew what he had to do. Once he had received his awards and gold, he left the capital in search of those with knowledge of the arcane. Edmund was going to pay for his betrayal by his hands. That was the only thought on Fidan’s mind as he rode off into the night.

https://vocal.media/fiction/the-hero-s-revenge-pt-2 Link to part of the series!

If you liked this series, here is another fantasy series I have written.

https://vocal.media/fiction/the-fallen-citadel-pt-1