True Hero

The Letter

Dear Luna,

I hated you with my entire heart before I met you and I am fairly certain you hated me with all of yours as well.
Bumping into you in the middle of a demon-hound infested forest is not how I expected us to meet. I had hoped to meet the Moon Clan's "Chosen One" when she unexpectedly found herself beneath my sword.
I never expected what was to happen in the days to come.
We met each other in a time of need, and so we made our agreement; we would use our combined skills to survive the next three of the five tasks. Our agreement would end when we reached the Sun Goddess Rhea, there we were to face each other for the final challenge.
The more time I spent with you, the more I got to know you, the more I began to admire you. You were always good at thinking on your feet. You were creative, brave, and kind.
I was very impressed as I watched you lure Tronchios the fire-breathing bull into the water in order to put out his flames. I was awestruck as I watched you leap from tree to tree when you realized that the demon-hounds could not climb.
I thought you were better than me and I hated you for that.  That is why I took every opportunity to taunt you, to bring you down. I hoped that this might discourage you. I hoped that you might give up, but you never did.
As time passed I found myself teasing you instead of taunting you; withholding smiles, rather than snarls.
I grew close to you. I enjoyed your companionship. You were the first person I had really spoken to in months. You began to fill the hole in my chest that had been eaten away by loneliness.
Perhaps, though, one of my favourite things about you was your signature line, "Chaol you're an absolute idiot," which was of course always followed by an elbow to the gut.
You were right though.
     I regretting building that wall between us. I wanted to hate you, and for you to hate me. I thought it would be easier that way.
    I thought about it many times, how I would end your life. Every time I thought about it, it hurt; and I found that hole in my chest chipping away once again.
    When we finally reached Rhea for the final challenge, I thought I could do it. I really thought I could kill you. But when Rhea told us to face each other, to fight to the death; I couldn't do it, I realized there was no way I could ever hurt you. So I told Rhea I would not, could not harm you.
    I felt her rage, but yours was stronger; more powerful.
    I heard you shout, "No!" I watched as you leaped in front of me. I watched Rhea's power strike you. I watched your body jolt. I saw a flash of white light emanate from you, and ripple across the land. I heard Rhea unleash an unholy shriek as she turned to dust. Then I looked down, and my heart broke in two.
    You body was completely limp. Your chest did not rise, nor did you heart beat. Completely and utterly dead.
    I did not speak nor breathe as I beheld you. You looked so strange without a frown upon your face, no unlike yourself. I found myself hoping, with all of my heart, that you were in some place as peaceful as you seemed.
    I soon realized what that flash of light was; the power to seal the darkness. This was the gift that was promised to the champion. The champion was the person that saved a clan. You saved me, and I was the last of the Twilight Clan, in doing this you won the power to seal the darkness; you release this with your dying breath.
    In saving me you became the Twilight Clan's Champion, their and my saviour. To me you're more than that though, you were, are my hero.
    I wish you peace and happiness for the rest of your second life.
    With Love,

    Chaol Casanova