A Tale Of The Lone Warrior

Prologue

Green. This is all I see around me.

I sit in the wide grass plains, with the cool breeze of the wind gently holding my face.

Tall mountains at the ends of the plains, guarding me from the danger outside.

The peaceful chatter of my people, though nearly silent as it is a time of rest.

...

I opened my eyes.

I stood up, grabbing the hammer of a fallen soldier.

A hammer that was used to defend. A soldier who died for my country.

My hometown burns. My house turned to ashes.

I could see no trace of the peaceful land that I cherished.

I could feel no gentle wind to comfort me.

I could hear the screams of my people from left and right.

..

Why does this have to happen?

Is this the strength of a group of people working towards one goal?

Unity, trust, teamwork, cooperation. These are qualities a country needs to succeed and reach prosperity.

They obviously have all of these qualities. Yet, why are we here, crying for our own land?!

Is this what success is to them?! Seeing men, women and children scream and suffer for the sake of the mainlands?!

If this is what it costs to be a successful, peaceful country, then we shouldn't even bother creating such thing.

A country living in prosperity while those outside are of no shelter, no food, and no family.

Leaders eating with their high class dinings, as we, the people, cry our for the unattainable help that we seek.

No. I will not let this go further.

To make a community living in joy and safety, we shall all live without the fear of being in debt to the leaders. The leaders should not think of themselves as higher beings to those of the people.

But that, is a suggestion waiting to be proven wrong. Something like that would never work.

Greed, envy, and hunger will never leave a man's thought.

Such community will not last long.

Yet even though this is a miracle to happen, I still seek for such community to exist.

...

But for now, I shall not leave myself with such wishes.

If a community, a group of people, has a small chance of achieving something for the good of all, then I shall move forward in life by myself.

Should I fight for myself for now? I do not see a reason to fight for, and with others when I will have the entire world against me.

Protecting others at this moment is something no one will benefit in. This is absolute defeat.

To save others will only slow down my escape.

I will be a target once I do such things.

...

Then so be it. I shall think of only myself for now.

...

With the hammer on my right hand, I ran towards the enemy soldier about to strike me with his sword.

I have no armor on.

With the speed advantage, I dodged and smacked his helm with the hammer.

He got thrown off balanced. I began throwing a barrage of hammer smashes.

I hit his hand, making him drop his sword.

He falls to the ground. I repeatedly smack him with the hammer.

As he is weakened, I grabbed the sword and stabbed him.

...

This is the first time I have killed.

My heart beats so fast, though I am unable to tell if this is caused by the rush of the moment, or the guilt of ending someone's life.

But I also feel a sense of relief. A relief from the fact that I can fight for my own now.

...

I took the soldier's gauntlets and wore them.

I have the hammer on my left, and the sword on my right.

Time to move away from here.

I came across a fallen ally's helmet, then wore it.

These are all I can manage to maintain my speed in combat.

I ran towards the side. Towards the burning forest.

...

This forest had almost all of my childhood memories. To see it burn, to see my hometown burn, fills me with the urge for revenge.

But I will let that pass. I have nothing against the natural urge of man for destruction.

...

I arrived at the other side if the forest. Almost out of the battlefield.

There are still soldiers fighting around. There are also archers fighting from afar. Thus, I cannot move freely.

I covered myself with the last bush that was unaffected by the burning forest.

At least there's still remains of the forest that I can hold on to.

...

My goal as of now, is to start a new life as a wanderer, to gain power, and expertise in the power of the ancients: Magic.

I shall use such power to bring people together not for the sake of prosperity, but for the sake of true unity.

...

With my thoughts and decisions collected, I took a break behind the large bush.

My heartbeat started to relax.

But all of a sudden, I heard something hit the bush.

I started to smell something burning.

Just as I was about to look at it, an arrow passed by, nearly hitting me.

It got stuck into the ground. It was burning.

I looked up, I found three burning arrows about to land my way.

There are enemy soldiers around me. Most of my allies are dead.

If I leave the bush, I will get noticed and gain the soldier's attention. I will have no choice but to fight all of them.

I will not survive that with mere combat using my hammer and sword.

I have to do something that can take out multiple people.

As I thought about these, another arrow landed on the bush. It increased the flame rising on the bush.

Two more arrows left.

...

I guess I have no choice.