The monster that he’d found behind a tree then tried to run

but once he grabbed it’s neck the battle was already done

it flailed and kicked and scratched while being held up in the air

But even as it cut him, all that he could do was stare

Sure enough it looked like any demon he had fought

but something felt too strange about the one that he’d just caught

nostalgia filled the hero as he heard the demon’s cries

for it was not a demon, but a boy with golden eyes

His grip had loosened while the boy was flailing all around

before his mind caught up with him the boy was on the ground

the hero stared as chaos and confusion filled his mind

the boy looked like the very sons which he had left behind

His golden eyes and pointed ears were just like those he’d known

belonging not to demons but to loved ones of his own

the monster he’d uncovered who looked up at him through tears

looked more like the family he hadn’t seen in years

The boy no longer struggled to escape the human knight

feebly he resigned himself to dying there that night

but when the hero saw the boy prepared to face his death

a feeling hit the hero’s heart that took away his breath

He knelt and grabbed the shoulders of the boy without a thought

injured by the scene of one like his child so distraught

compelled to offer comfort to the little one he’d found

but still the boy looked numbly at the man without a sound

After he’d composed himself enough to try and speak

he cleared his throat and spoke although his voice was dry and weak

“tell me boy, how did you come to find yourself out here

I’m a friend of elves like you, so there’s no need to fear”

The hero tried to smile and then retreated quietly

but now the boy was looking at him more suspiciously

“it’s okay, just tell me where your family is from

it’s not safe here, there’s no telling when demons could come”

“no one calls us elves but humans, so that’s what you are

but humans fight the southern tribes, how did you get so far

if you plan to kill me, and I’m sure a human would

Please just do it quickly, though it won’t do any good”

“I’m not here to kill you, I’m a hero and a knight

tell me where you’re from and I can swear you’ll be alright”

the young boy’s golden eyes grew wider as the hero spoke

understanding what the hero said had been no joke

“If you’re called the hero, then it’s all because of you

if you’re here, then everything my parents said was true”

his voice began to fade as his reality sunk in

but now the hero’s own confusion echoed from within

“Tell me boy, where are your parents, are they safe somewhere

tell me where you’re from so I can take you safely there”

the fire he held grew brighter with the hero’s every word

and now the boy was growing angry with things he heard

“My parents were at war with something even worse than you

but now that you’re here, there is likely nothing we can do

we’ve already lost so much to all our enemies

they’re already everywhere, just hiding in the trees”

The hero couldn’t wrap his head around the young boy’s tale

he needed to know more and pressed the boy for more detail

“could the foes the demons face now threaten my empire

are they other demons or just monsters for my fire”

“You humans don’t know anything and yet you fight so much

my parents warned me humans destroy everything they touch

the ancient evil banished to the mountains has come back

instead of fighting with us, your empire chose to attack

Don’t you smell the poison in the air you’re breathing now

even if you spare me I’ll be dead soon anyhow

I might be the last survivor living in this town

if you want to help me, just go find a lake and drown”

The hero had heard many curses from his many foes

but something in the way the boy cursed hurt much more than those

he regained his composure and he tried to understand

how an elf could wind up stranded out in demons’ land

The sickly boy then started wheezing and coughed up some blood

and raw emotions came upon the hero like a flood

he wanted to know more but things were happening too fast

something about poison and an evil from the past

He looked around the town again and slowly understood

even for a ghost town it felt colder than it should

he saw his shadow flickering upon a house’s wall

and understood at once, the town was not empty at all

Every shadow he could see cast by his own fire’s light

Smiled and stared back into him with eyes all glowing white

he grabbed the boy and started running as fast he could

but the shadow didn’t fall behind him as it should

He ran right out of town until his feet began to bleed

the boy he held had fainted from the shock of such a speed

he stood beneath the starry sky upon a grassy hill

but saw a host of shadows staring back into him still

He dropped the boy upon the grass and with a fearful shout

he summoned fire that lit the sky as if the sun was out

he heard the shadows laughing but they finally were gone

in fear he kept the sky alight until the break of dawn

~