The Hero of the Creative Parallels

The Star Who Lost Its Light

Do you like superheroes? How do you picture them? Perhaps a certain variety of superpowers are more interesting to you. Do you like it when they can fly? Super speed, strength, incredible intellect. Which one do you find most amusing?

There was once a superhero.

A superhero, powerful enough that he can overcome any challenges faced before him. A hero with a loving heart and eyes that tries to see the wonder in everything.

Yes, a hero of ideal choosing. One that would almost resemble the heroes in comics or children cartoons that a lot of people adore. A hero that the masses can look up to.

But here's the catch;

The world is full of superheroes and he can only save people whom others don't want to save.

From a loving family the Hero was born. A trouble child the Hero was in his younger days. Causing mischief and frustration to those around him.

Being in a world full of superheroes, he often had a lot of other heroes to admire or be envious of. He would see other heroes of his age defeat bad guys excellently. But what intrigued our Hero the most is something else besides these "excellent" heroes. He saw heroes, amazingly powerful that they defeated their enemies without even trying. To him, this was the kind of hero that he wanted to be. He admired the strength of raw talent.

With this thought, the Hero tried harder than before. He trained himself constantly so that he could surpass the others. He wanted to stand at the top.

The Hero grew more powerful than most. He grew so powerful that those whom he admired in the past, those heroes that he saw defeating enemies without effort seem weak compared to what he is now. The Hero felt confident. He thought, "My hard work is paying off" and for some time he was certain that he is getting closer to the top.

Then came one day, the Hero saw a magician. The magician showed techniques of incredibility that wowed the masses. For the first time, once again, the Hero found himself a potential rival in the same level. And so, with his arrogance, the Hero challenged the magician to a duel.

In the cold embrace of the evening, when the last speck of light descends to the edge of the horizon, the Hero and the magician fought. The Hero fought using his extraordinary speed and combat mastery while the magician bombarded the Hero with powerful spells of frost and flame. And throughout the night they fought. At the break of dawn the Hero was left standing. Heavily wounded both of them was. However, just when the magician was about to give his last breath, he cast a curse on the Hero.

"For you fight because of reckless ambition

And your heart is dark and heavy

Before the last light leaves my vision

You shall be weak for all eternity"

And the demons of the underworld took the magician's soul and brought to Earth a curse. Then, with the poisoned sword of the devil, the Hero was struck in the heart. The Hero fell.

But he did not lay dead.

Months passed since the Hero's battle and he has not fully recovered since. The Hero awoke from his slumber and decided to head out once again for the first time. As he was about to search his wardrobe for his battle attire, he remembered that his battle with the powerful magician damaged it beyond repair. With nothing but a casual apparel, he had no choice but to lay low. Feeling the cold city air in his cheeks, the hero tried to sprint his way through the city but he felt his legs were heavy. And to this, the Hero was baffled.