What a Fool

The hero was a fool.

What a Fool

 

It was a dark day. Everything seemed part real and part imagined, and yet it all existed. Thick, uneven black clouds swirled in the sky. The center of their swirling pattern spun above a rock plateau that sat in the middle of a deserted plain. Atop the plateau sat the ancient ruins of some kind of stone walled building. The large, old stone bricks were fallen out of place, rotted, and broken. The roof was all but gone, and what was left of the structure was almost completely open to the vicious sky above. The world was all a grayish color, all of its usual hues dulled by the angry clouds above. The air was cold, with a light wind sweeping around the plain, following the spinning clouds. The scent of death and decay filled the air, as if there were corpses everywhere, but there weren’t; there was only the vast dirt plain surrounding the ominous ruin.

One lone hero rode his horse at a quick trot through the plain. His face showed no fear, only a valiant bravery to meet all opposition, a gallant determination to defeat all Evil, and a powerful love for all that is right. He rode through the plains, unseen by anything but the furious clouds.

The swirling black shape of the clouds above watched with hatred. What a fool. Some righteous hero out to prove his valor, to try to stop the relentless forces of Evil. What a fool. He actually believed he could stop the darkness, that he could somehow quench the bloodlust of Evil. Idiot. He would soon learn. The clouds looked down, waiting for this foolish young ‘hero’ to become wise and change his course.

But the hero did not waver. He continued to ride directly toward the Plateau, as the clouds continued to watch hatefully from above.

He approached the base of the plateau and dismounted. His sword’s sheath clinked against his armor as he dropped to the ground. He wore a few simple armor plates over a leather shirt and pants. His ruffled black hair blew in the wind. He looked heroic and capable, able to stop evil’s endeavors. Patting his horse’s side without looking away from the ruins before him, he started off up the side of the slope to the top of the plateau. It was steep, but he hauled himself to the top.

The clouds glowered down, detesting this young upstart’s foolhardy refusal to give in to terror. His very opposition to their evil might was insulting. He would feel the consequences of his dedication, the punishment for his purity. What a fool. His pathetic morals and beliefs could not spare him here. Here he was alone, here he would perish. What a fool.

The hero stood at the edge of the plateau, and strode toward the dark ruins. The atmosphere felt wrong, as if some dark spirit filled the place. He never faltered. He was unbreakable, his faith in the light unshakeable. Victory would be his this day, and evil would learn that it could not prevail against truth. He reached an archway that led into the ancient ruins, and as he stepped through, he heard an unearthly shriek tear through the air, echoing through the structure. He looked around as he walked, drawing his sword. The air felt tense, the echoes of the scream faded, and everything seemed very still. He was shielded from the wind by the broken down walls of the building. The sound of his boots on the dirty stone floor seemed loud, and he felt his adrenaline pumping as he anticipated a trap.

What a fool. The stupid young hero with his dreams of glory and victory had doomed himself. The clouds stared down in rage, building their fury. He was so confident, so sure, it was disgusting. His death would be very satisfying. What a fool. There was no hope for him now.

The Hero turned a corner, stepping through a crumbled archway into a small room, where he only found more broken and rotted stone blocks. He walked through the room, his sword held at the ready, braced to fight.

The clouds watched with hatred, and decided to finish this. There would be no mercy for this righteous hero. What a fool. He would die painfully, and know that he had fallen. Evil had no desire to become famous for its victories, but was glad to break another noble, proud young hero. What a fool. His time was up, he would face his eternal fate now. Evil reached down and struck.

The Hero was about to step through the next doorway, when he felt a sudden surge of feelings, and the hair on his neck rose. He spun around, knowing something was behind him. Before him was a shapeless shadow. It had no body, no face, it was just a spectral being of darkness, standing before him. He shouted a battle cry, and slashed his sword at the entity. The sword swung right through, but when it completed the swing all of the blade that had touched the shadow was gone. The majority of the blade had disappeared, leaving the hero with a hilt and the beginning of the blade. For the first time, he faltered in disbelief and fear. He staggered back from the shadow, shocked, but bumped against something else, cold and immovable. He looked back, and found another identical shadow behind him. He turned to dash to the side, but the two shadows expanded instantly, reaching around him to each other and connecting, closing him off and covering the top. What a fool. Trapped, he screamed, suddenly terrified, but the shadow cage suddenly shrunk itself until it melted into him. He shrieked and shook, but when the shadow was gone, he began to calm, and breath normally. He looked around. The darkness was gone, he seemed to be free. He started to dash for the exit, but suddenly he was overcome by terror, and felt the shadow inside him taking control. He couldn’t control his movement any longer, all he could do was scream, and stare wide-eyed as Evil filled his mind with horrible visions. His mind began to come apart at all of the nightmarish sights he saw. His resolve was ground to dust, his reason was destroyed, and his sanity was shredded. He fell to his knees, then to the ground, convulsing and shaking and screaming. Blood began to force itself out of his pores, spiders crawled out of his eyes, worms crawled out of his ears, his skin shed away and his entire body broke down into a mass of blood, bones, and meat. And he felt every second of it, until the end. What a fool. Evil grinned down at its work. Good and light had once again fallen. The clouds thundered without lightning. The stupid hero, he had actually believed he could win. What a fool. He had paid in full. His pathetic beliefs had been broken, and he had felt true horror in his last moments of life. Oh, one last touch.

A shadow reached into the horse, possessing it. The demonic horse galloped at full speed up the slope of the plateau, and walked into the ruins. It walked straight to the remains of its former master and without hesitation, began eating. It had only taken a few bites when suddenly, it choked and whinnied, it’s eyes grew large and bloodshot, it reared, and fell onto its side. It writhed on the ground for a moment, its fur falling out and blood spattering out from its mouth. The skin melted from its body and it lay still, dead. Evil was satisfied. The hero had come to bring victory for the light, and had been utterly crushed. He had come to prove the truth, and that he did, but it was not the truth he had expected. What a fool. In time, all would either serve Evil or join their fallen hero. The clouds looked down at the bloody scene. The hero had received his reward. What a fool. The clouds continued to swirl in the sky, content.

Author's Note

Just the expression of some feelings. I think it has a great feel. Reviews greatly appreciated, especially for this one.