A figure in white robes stood against the tide rushing towards the final bulwark of humanity. The man held a staff in one hand and a black book in the other. On closer inspection, he had gray hair and a face full of wrinkles.

How many years have I been fighting? While the figure thought such as he moved his staff in the air to create a sevenfold magic array.

Why do I keep fighting?

He rambled within as he began to chant. “Holy light. Pierce through the darkness that lay before me. One Hundred Thousand Holy Spears.”

I don’t want it to end like this.

Thought the old man as he watched the rain of holy spears descend across the battlefield. The stench of demonic blood assaulted his nostrils as his spears impaled the incoming demonic horde. Despite the massacre of millions the demons climbed over the dead and kept charging.

What do you think you can do? You are but one man. The last hero of humanity.

The world is already… Just give up and…

Die.

---

Urist woke up in a start as sweat drenched his body. His breathing was heavy as tried to calm his mental state. As his head felt like it was splitting apart, his dream began to fade away bit by bit.

No, you can’t take it away. That's! That's… What was it again?

Like the memories that came before, it slipped through his fingers once again. He would have yelled in frustration if he didn’t notice others inside the room. In the room to his left was Briana who gave a quick smile before exiting the room.

His eyes followed her until his gaze fell onto Uria who sat to his right. He didn’t pay the girl who left any more attention as he stared at Uria not sure what to say. He had seen the Rat King rip her eyes out and now she wore cloth bandage over her eyes.

“Uria…” Urist had the urge to reach out and touch her but couldn’t bring up the spirit.

With a slight smile, Uria grabbed a nearby bamboo water bottle and held it up to Urist.

“You finally decided to wake up dummy. Here drink this slowly you’ve been in a coma for three days.”

“Uria I--”

Uria blindly felt around before being able to touch his chest and moved it up to his face to put a finger on his lips.

“Come on dummy I made my choice. You do not need to regret it. Lifes just a bitch sometimes.”

Holding back his tears Urist grabbed her arm and pulled her in for a hug, “I’m so sorry. I should’ve made a better plan. I should have tried harder to get stronger faster. I should’ve --”

Patting his back Uria whispered in his ear, “Come on you big lug you tried your best. Don’t blame yourself over this little injury. It’s not like I died now is it?”

“No, but--”

Pulling back from the hug Uria put on a stern face. “No buts. Pick yourself up, people need you to take command. The quicker you stop feeling like you're useless the quicker you can start getting stronger. We can fix my eyes eventually.”

Those last words threw Urist for a loop, “Eh? Fix them? How?”

Shaking her head in annoyance Uria sighed. “You didn’t check the marketplace well, did you? While you have been messing around in dreamland I’ve been studying it for the last few days and I found some interesting things. Although I can’t see the menus inside my head so I’m not as useless as you think.”

Urist laughed bitterly, “Oh course the market place why didn’t I think about that?”

“Cause you're a dummy. We can talk about it later, for now, I need to fill you in as to what has happened since you’ve been out.”

Turning serious Urist took a small drink from his bamboo water bottle and listen intently to Uria’s lecture.

---

It took twenty minutes before Uria finished her report and by the end, Urist was massaging his forehead and mumbling under his breath.

“How troublesome. Are you sure Ubel is thinking about rebelling? It would be a waste to lose such a strategist.”

Snuggling inside Urist’s arms Uria shrugged, “It’s just my instincts, although he hasn’t made moves to recruit a rebellion. From the knowledge, my informants gathered they told me he’s been alienating himself. I guess that he was waiting for you to die before making any moves.”

Hearing that the last line made the tense Urist relax and let out a sigh of relief, “Then he isn’t thinking about rebelling. More likely planning just in case I die which is fine. You don’t know this but we once had a talk on the wall and he said he didn’t want to lead. I guess that he was trying to figure out who was the next best choice to lead our brothers and sisters.”

“But that bastard--”

Urist hugged her close and whispered in her ear, “I know what you’re thinking. But I know what type of herson Ubel is. He’s a cynical dwarf to the tenth degree, he has a mouth most foul, and cares little for dwarven life. Yet, He does the job he’s given and tries to fulfill the requirements to the best of his resources and ability.

“If the leader cannot trust his generals to fight wars then those generals will rebel against the leader and so I shall trust Ubel. I wish not to repeat history and doom us all.”

“Whatever you say, dummy. If he betrays you I’ll kill him.”

Outside the room, Ubel smiled and shook his head.

Why am I surrounded by such hopeful idiots?

Although he wasn’t the kind of person to eavesdrop he felt glad that he overheard Urist and Uria’s conversation. One he learned she had spies and already knew of him starting to scheme. Two that it was good he hadn’t started making moves to take control. And most importantly he had Urist’s trust to lead which warmed his icy heart a tad.

I guess I’ll have to try my best to meet those expectations.