There was a little village once afflicted by despair

　　now a town so full of life that magic filled the air

　　fields that once were barren now were bountiful each year

　　children laughed and played where once a town had lived in fear

　　The village elder lived alone a little far from town

　　but when an invitation came he never turned it down

　　he shied away from wine but loved to watch the children play

　　and everybody loved to hear the wild things he would say

　　He told them of the village where his family is from

　　confessing that never was a boy so troublesome

　　he told them of his father, who had talent in the field

　　and mastered every farm tool that he had a chance to wield

　　He told them of his mother, who had filled him up with love

　　whose bread was so delicious, like a blessing from above

　　he laughed about his brothers, who were still doing his chores

　　hoy lucky they were to be free of hunger, drought, and wars

　　The more he spoke about his place of birth to his new peers

　　the more he noticed how little he`d thought of it in years

　　memories of all he`d run away from as a boy

　　present in his new life, and the things he would enjoyThis tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

　　But now was not the time to linger too long on the past

　　he was busy now, where winter snows came just as fast

　　and with a shadow watching him, he`d never soon forget

　　the path he`d taken from his home resounded with regret

　　And so he turned his eyes toward the joy in front of him

　　a place where he could work or play depending on his whim

　　a little realm where he was loved by all and feared by none

　　a kingdom where no war or hunger threatened anyone

　　What better way to spend his time, however much he had

　　"to be a hero to so few, it`s really not so bad"

　　and with his healing powers getting stronger every day

　　he may be able to spend many more years in this way

　　The population grew and soon new roads and bridges came

　　their passion for expansion spread just like an open flame

　　the elder`s knowledge of the land from when he was a child

　　helped to carve an endless fertile field out of the wild

　　The little girl who once appeared upon a hermit`s path

　　now taught children swordsmanship, some magic spells, and math

　　the elder laughed while fighting boys and girls with wooden swords

　　and never once was beaten though they came at him in hordes

　　They would sometimes ask him where he learned to fight so well

　　he`d laugh and say that only if they beat him would he tell

　　and so he passed these happy days in good health and good cheer

　　until the rainy day some chilling news fell on his ear

　　A traveller had not appeared in town for many years

　　but wind of their prosperity had caught a merchant`s` ears

　　and so one day a brave young merchant came to town to trade

　　to spread his name and see if there were profits to be made

　　The merchant found some interest in the foreign wares he sold

　　but what they wanted most were all the stories that he told

　　he`d travelled from a land beyond the mountains near the sea

　　and knew of many battles and an empire`s history

　　"Let me tell you all about the places that I`ve been

　　the stories that I`ve heard and all the wonders that I`ve seen

　　a world of war and magic, of betrayal and deceit

　　of demon lords and heroes, and the old empire`s defeat"

　　~