There is a hero in every story; though the hero is implied to be good and that whoever is named a hero is to do good and save the world, the hero does not have to be good. For example, a protagonist does not mean a hero, but instead someone who is the main character of the story, while the antagonist is someone who is getting in the way of the protagonist and causing them to stumble or, more likely, being against them. In this way, the protagonist does not have to be a hero. The protagonist could actually be neither a hero nor a villain; instead, they could only be for themselves.

Most heroes though seem to be unstoppable. Why is this? Why does a hero have the ability to go against everything that comes in their way, never stopping to go forward? What makes a hero a Hero. Not a hero, but a Hero. What causes someone to continue going on? What is that force? Is it… Humanity? Do only humans suffer this? What makes a Hero keep going forward and never give up? That strength, that power, that ability to go against all odds, that determination, that will to live, that ability to not die. The force that keeps a Hero from not dying.

“Of course, that makes the most sense.”

“Then why would we not do that?”

“It is not the safest way to do so.”

“That does not mean anything.”

“Yes it does.”

“Why not take the route that would make sure that everyone, and I mean everyone, is safe?”

“That ‘route’ that you speak of is the most dangerous.”

“So you would rather only let yourself live and let no one else survive.”

There was no response from the other person.

“You would not sacrifice your own life so that others can live.”

No response.

“Exactly. That is what I thought.”

The person stood in front of the other person in a large hall. Light poured in from the windows.

“You would rather die?”

“If the act of me dying means that others will live, then yes.”

“How?”

“‘How?’ Because I care. Evacuate whoever you want, I am staying behind, because I know that even though you say ‘he decreed that everyone has to leave’, he will not let everyone leave. Only the important people will leave. Everyone else will be left behind.”

“That is a death sentence.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Rueh…”

“No. I am not going to listen to you. Enough is enough. You value both your own life and your own status over the lives of others.”

“That is not true…”

“Then what is true?”

Silence.

“Goodbye.”

The figure—the one that was presumably named Rueh—turned around. With the sound of feet tapping against cold, stone floors, they were gone. Rueh exited the building that the two of them were in, having light come into the great hall from the massive, ornate doors. Rueh stood in the doorway for a moment.

“Go and be with the ValKing.”

After saying this they went down the steps that came after the doorway, eventually disappearing from the view of the doorway.

Trees lined the sides of the staircase, and a ship—one that was common among the wealthy, powerful, and noble—sat upon a pad. The doors closed behind him, sending a boom sound all around him. The man walked to the ship and set his front foot onto the top of the first step that led up to the door of his ship.

A voice came from behind him.

“Why do you leave?”

He stopped in his tracks and turned around quickly to see a hooded figure behind him.

“What do you mean?”

“Why do you leave this place?”

He hesitated before answering.

“I need to. I am going to protect the people.”

“You are?”

“Yes, I am—”

“Or are you going to leave and not come back.”

“Why would I do that?”

The hooded figure walked towards the man, hands folded together.

“Everyone like you has already left.”

“But I am going to stay.”

“Are you?”

“Yes, I told you that.”

“Do not be afraid, man. Man, do not be afraid.”

“Why are you quoting that to me?”

“I know that you are afraid.”

The man was afraid. He was afraid that something would go wrong and all of the people that he wished to protect would die—have their mortal lives stripped away from them in an instant.

“How can you tell that?”

“I can tell that you are afraid.”

“I know, but I asked you how you could tell that.”

“You are afraid that I know that you are afraid.”

“I… I do not know how to respond to that.”

“That is obvious.”

“You are… One of those…”

“One of those what?”

“I have to go.”

The hooded figure did not respond; instead, the figure watched the man as he entered his ship. A sudden whirr came from the ship and the hooded figure stepped away, their cape fluttering in the wind caused by the ship. As it left, the hooded figure turned around and walked towards massive doors.