Years of memories came crashing down on him like waves

　　images of all the friends he`d made and lal their graves

　　it was clear as day to him, despite his righteous heart

　　destiny had made a fool of him right from the start

　　Even though he was a hero, pure of heart and mind

　　fate itself had wronged him and it started to unwind

　　after all his selfless years at war and righteous deeds

　　he was in a world where mortal problems grew like weeds

　　So finally in solitude he had a chance to see

　　"it`s not that i have failed, it`s just the fault of destiny

　　I should be rewarded, but i`m lying here in chains

　　there`s no justice in the world for all my aches and pains"

　　He deserved a life of luxury, alone in peace

　　not a life in servitude of wars that never cease

　　"surely I`ve done more than any hero in the past

　　I`m sure that the legacy I`ve left behind will last"

　　Rocking back and forth upon the cold and stoney ground

　　the hero felt content with the new peace of mind he`d found

　　and now it didn`t bother him to see the shadows smile

　　he welcomed any company he got after a while

　　For he had chased the life of heroes written of in books

　　Dreaming that the world is more exciting than it looks

　　Now he found that what he wanted more than anything

　　was only to enjoy the mountain air of early spring

　　The hero now a broken man, just wanted to be free

　　and for the first time wanted nothing more from destiny

　　maybe one day he would have a second chance at fateIf you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

　　but with his power so slowly returning, he would wait

　　So after years of waiting as his power slowly grew

　　watching as his body healed with nothing else to do

　　at first a snowflake then a spark, and then a feeble light

　　appeared in his grey hands much to the old hero`s delight

　　He summoned all the fire and ice his magic would permit

　　just enough to crack his chains and bindings bit by bit

　　the prison gate itself was easy to just push out of the way

　　the lock was rusted through and their were no guards in the way

　　up the dungeon stairs he ran into the castle hall

　　bursting through the door and slamming right into the wall

　　he didn`t stop to dwell on his escape but thought it strange

　　he had not expected for the castle halls to change

　　No guards came in sight, no paintings hanging anywhere

　　even in the throne room there was not a single chair

　　for whatever reason there was nobody around

　　the hero hurried out onto the dusty castle ground

　　His legs were feeling better, though he couldn`t run for long

　　time recovering in jail had left him fairly strong

　　and as the cool air hit his face he knew that he was right

　　to seek a place where he could rest away from any fight

　　As he ran he saw the streets where once the people walked

　　all the inns and businesses were boarded up and locked

　　through the night he ran until he tired and stopped to rest

　　looking for a village inn that might accept a guest

　　He wandered through refugee camp, more or less alive

　　and hoped that they could spare the bread to keep a man alive

　　humbly he approached an inn and opened up the door

　　happy to sleep anywhere but on that dungeon`s floor

　　The fugitive approached a man who sat beside a bar

　　and claimed to be a pilgrim who had travelled from afar

　　the man was old and kind and gave the pilgrim bread to eat

　　and told him he should stay a while to rest is weary feet

　　The pilgrim sat together by the fire with the old man

　　and once his bread was eaten conversation soon began

　　the elder asked for stories that the pilgrim had to tell

　　the pilgrim told a story of a hero he knew well

　　And so he told his story but was met with some surprise

　　a look of sadness growing in the elder`s lonely eyes

　　he wondered why the man would be offended by his tale

　　or how a story of a hero left his face so pale

　　Silence fell upon the inn that made the pilgrim think

　　the elder slowly rose from where he sat and poured a drink

　　once the elder had returned to sit upon the chair

　　finally he spoke to cut the tension in the air

　　"Thank you for your story, but I`ve heard it all before

　　stories of the hero that the empire did adore

　　the hero of those stories shone as brightly as the sun

　　but the hero of the empire killed my only son

　　Let me tell a story of my own if you don`t mind

　　for such a tale as yours was once a common tale to find

　　but this is not a village with nostalgia for that man

　　tales of heroes ended when the empire`s reign began"

　　~