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 suspiciouslyThe author`s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

　　"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

　　~