《I am Not A Hero》 Chapter 1: Baptism ¡°All males aged 17 to 45 are encouraged to enlist! Together we must fight the menace known as Pasha and reclaim the lands they have stolen! Ad Victoriam!¡± Onlookers are flocking infront of the mayor¡¯s house where Magic Knight-General Grandis makes his speech. Knight-General Grandis is the Katillia Kingdom¡¯s strongest general. Some even classify him as a national treasure. Possessing both wisdom and strength, he is loved by Katillia and feared by Pasha. As this village is near the border between the Katillia and Pasha this is the last recruitment stop of the main army before it goes to war against the neighboring Kingdom of Pasha. War has been a common occurrence for these two countries for more than 50 years however with each countries¡¯ Knight-Generals at the forefront this seems to be decisive battle for the Kingdoms. Looking at General Grandis I¡¯m overcome with emotion. I burn with passion and eagerness to do battle. I¡¯m inspired by the General¡¯s greatness. ¡°Will you follow me in the path to victory?¡± he shouts. ¡°AD VICTORIAM!¡± says the people Cheering erupts and morale is high. We raise our fists in the air as salute. As the cheering goes on I hear someone calling me. ¡°Louie! You¡¯ll enlist with Leppy and I right? ¡°Of course!¡± I shout This is one of my best friends Dolor. I¡¯ve known him and my other best friend Leppy since we were children. We all want to become a Knight-General one day. Today will be our first step towards our dream. While in the camp all the soldiers chat with each, sharing stories, introducing themselves. The mood was unusually positive for men about to wage war. We spend the night celebrating and drinking the night away and as I sleep I see crows hanging by a tree. The next day we prepare for war against Pasha. I along with the other new recruits will be at the forefront of the battle. The orders were simple, break through the enemy line and get to the enemy mage encampment. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. As we march towards the border Leppy, Dolor and I chat. ¡°We¡¯ll stay alive right?¡± says Leppy. ¡°Of course we will¡± I answer ¡°I can¡¯t help but worry though, I heard the General Omari will lead the Pashan army¡­¡± says Leppy ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much we¡¯ve got General Grandis on our side!¡± says Dolor ¡°Yeah if anything they should be afraid of us. Ad Victoriam!¡± I shout ¡°HAHA ADVICTORI¡ª¡° ¡°SHUT UP BACK THERE!¡± suddenly shouted by the senior officer ¡°hehehe¡± we all snicker After marching for two hours straight we pass by Cavina Forest. The clouds are dark and ominous. I see no animal nor monster in around when suddenly the ground start rumbling and flocks of birds flying the armies¡¯ way. Flashes of blinding light cover the sky and the senior officer shouts ¡°ENEMY ATTA¡ª¡° I wake up in front of Dolor screaming at me to stand up. I stand up and notice the smell all around me, the smell of death in the air. Lots our forces were caught up in the spell bombardment and perished. Only 2/3 of us remain to fight and as I walk around the stench of blood, burnt skin and sweat filled my nose. It was a massacre. Dolor, Leppy and I survived somehow and moved as a group. A Pashan solider went running towards me and I froze up. I¡¯ve dealt with animals and monsters before but never a human. ¡°DIE DIE DIE!¡± he screamed ¡°Haaaahaaaah¡± I whimpher I punch him in the face and as he staggered I quickly cut his head off. My knees buckle down and I collapse I still don¡¯t know what I¡¯d done my whole body shakes and I puke. ¡°This¡­ this is war. I want to live. I have to live!¡± I scream Dolor and Leppy get me up once again and we start fighting the forces. I was silent, gone was the bright-eyed face in place of it was blood and sweat. I was baptized. Slowly but surely I was changing. I had to fight more and more. BOOM!! The earth shook and ear piercing explosions were raining throughout the forest. It was General Grandis fighting General Omari. Each strike shook the earth and was sending shockwaves throughout the battlefield. "We¡¯ll settle this here"said Omari "Settle this? You coward! Launching a surprise attack like this¡­ have you no honor? Grandis shouted "Fool! History will only remember the victor. I tell you now it will remember me as the man who slew Kattilia¡¯s strongest man RAAAAGHHH!" Omari starts bombarding Grandis with flame magic dozens upon dozens of explsoion littler the battle. Grandis could only defend and evade him as he had spent most of his mana clearing a path to Omari.Looking at over his shoulder he sees his army, weak and in disarray. He calls for a sudden retreat. ¡°RETREAT!¡± I kept hearing, but we didn¡¯t mind it. More and more we thought. We couldn¡¯t allow this army to pass through the border. We kept on fighting and fighting until we lost consciousness. ¡°Restrain those Katillian savages!¡± ¡°Hold them down!¡± We got captured. Chapter 2: pre-Exodus Chapter 2 General Louie! Woo Yeaaaah! Hooray! I¡¯ve done it. I¡¯ve succeeded. I am now walking through the capital of Katillia. People are shouting my name in celebration. We have won and behind my back are my friends Dolor and Leppy, they also became Generals. With the subjugation of the Kingdom of Pasha and having slain General Omari we have become heroes. Everyone shouts General Louie! General Louie! Louie¡­ LOUIE!! I wake up¡­ It¡¯s dark out with only campfires lit. The sound of cheering deafens the ear. My hands and feet are tied. And behind us the pungent odor of blood and gore fill up my nose. After suffering massive amounts of casualties due to the surprise attack the main headquarters ordered a retreat. We fought and we fought but to no avail. We were captured, all three of us and put in these cells along with the rest of the captured Katillians. ¡°Where¡¯s Leppy? I haven¡¯t seen him¡± I ask [silence] ¡°Oi where is he?¡± I repeat [silence] ¡°Dammit Dolor WHERE IS HE?¡± I shout ¡°He couldn¡¯t make. When they put us in the cages he was barely breathing. He had lost his right arm fighting back. I tried Louie believe I tried but there was nothing I could do! This¡­ was the only thing that was left of him¡­¡± Dolor held in has hands a head. It was a very familiar one. It was one I had seen everyday for the past 17 years. ¡°¡­¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. I¡¯m lost for words. Leppy who I had known since I we were kids was gone. Just like that, the battle didn¡¯t even last an hour. I had just seen him yesterday. Tears started flowing down my eyes and my legs lost whatever energy it had. I cry and I cry but at this point sadness turns into anger. ¡°YOU FUCKING PIGS I¡¯LL KILL ALL OF YOU!¡± ¡°Hooooh what¡¯s this guy¡¯s beef?¡± says one of the gurads ¡°YOU FUCKING MURDERERS!¡± ¡°Huuuuh hey you three take care of that delusional dumbass¡± the guard says Three soldiers go inside my cell. I put my fists up and make a stance however they obviously outnumber me. They beat me to a pulp while berating me. ¡°the fuck you talkin¡¯ about it¡¯s war dumbass of course we kill¡± ¡°oi oi why¡¯re you quiet?¡± ¡°Heh so that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got?¡± As they start to leave the cell I quickly get the last guards¡¯ knife. I grab on to him and point the knife at his throat ¡°GET BACK DAMMIT¡± They start to back off and I exit the cell. As I exit the cell I see Dolor. I gave him a nod and he nods back. I walk towards the center of the camp. Everyone there has their weapon drawn, waiting for a chance to strike at me. ¡°YOU SAVAGES WITH NO HONOR, THE GODS WILL PUNISH YOU FOR YOUR DECEITFUL WAYS!¡± I shout. Behind me I feel a mass power just oozing out. The air suddenly became heavy and all my sense are screaming at me to just run. It was him. It was Knight-General Omari. ¡°How are you better than us now that you¡¯re taking a hostage? Is it really us who are the savages you claim us to be?¡± ¡°SHUT UP! WHEN GENERAL GRANDIS AND THE ARMY REGROUPS THEY¡¯LL FIGHT YOU TOE TO TOE AND WILL WIN IN GLORY!¡± ¡°Hmm this Grandis I presume?¡± Grandis tosses out an arm with armor donning coat of arms only available to the Knight-Generals. It¡¯s as if the whole world came down on my shoulders. I flinch for a second and my hostage quickly gets the knife and pins me to the ground. ¡°He¡¯s¡­dead?¡± I don¡¯t even care my hostage escaped as I can only ask him this. ¡°Maybe¡­or maybe not. Surrounding the confusion when he gave the signal to retreat I shot him my explosion that sent him of the cliff when we got inspected the area where he fell and this is what remained. He¡¯s probably alive but I doubt I¡¯ll see him on the battlefield ever again. Hehehe¡± I¡¯m surrounded, pinned down and without weapons. I accept my fate and ray that our country will win this war. Without General Grandis can there be anyone who can stop Pasha from decimating our country? ¡°Sir permission to execute the prisoner¡± ¡°Permission denied soldier. He¡¯s got some spunk in him. If I could brainwash him and train him enough he could be very useful to us.¡± As I hear that I start to struggle. I¡¯d rather die by enemy hands to be used by them to kill my own brethren. ¡°KILL ME!¡± I scream ¡°HAHA no can do I¡¯ll turn you into my new plaything. Take him back to his cell and double the guards¡± says Omari as he gives a hearty laugh They punch me in the gut and I pass out once more. I wake up and it''s at the dead of the night. It¡¯s quiet as everyone¡¯s asleep and few campfires remain. ¡°Oi oi Louie I can get us out¡± says Dolor. With thisthe exodus begins. Chapter 3 : Exodus ¡°I can get us out¡± He said ¡°Thanks to you making a commotion I was able to steal a key from one of the guards¡± ¡°We have to kill them Dolor. They killed Leppy¡­¡± ¡°We will but we have to escape first. We can¡¯t do shit as we are now¡± We then snuck out of the cells. After taking a small sword from one of the guards we made our way through the side of the camp, hoping no one could see us. We passing through the small crevice in between two tents when a patrol was by us. ¡°Hmm so one there?¡± The air was tense, if they had found out that we had escaped we would have been executed right on the spot. Just a little more and we were out. If we could just pass through the back side of the camp and disappear in the forest we could have chance at living. Just as we saw the camp¡¯s south gate it was then that they found out.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. DONG DONG DONG ¡°Shit the prisoners escaped!¡± ¡°Search for them immediately and when you find them, kill them. They should make a good example for other Katillians.¡± We could only run while the arrows were barely hitting us. I believed in ourselves that we could do this. We¡¯ve always been in tough situations before right? This isn¡¯t any different right? I was wholeheartedly trying to convince myself that we would be all right. However, things seemed bleak. ¡°Dolor just a few more and we¡¯re free!¡± ¡°HAHA dammit these Pashans just won¡¯t give up!¡± While we were running however an arrow struck Dolor¡¯s right leg. ¡°AGHHHH!¡± he screamed ¡°FUCK GRAB ON TO ME WE¡¯LL MAKE IT. NOW HURRY!¡± I said ¡°Fuck I can¡¯t move anymore. Go on ahead without me! I¡¯ll stall them¡± ¡°I can¡¯t leave you. We¡¯ll be generals right?¡± I tell him ¡°You have to live, for both Leppy and I! Go back to Katillia, become a General and avenge us!¡± ¡°NOW GO GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!¡± ¡°Shit¡­¡± I mutter as tears start flowing down my eyes. I ran and ran, not stopping for anything. I didn¡¯t even know which direction I was going. All I was doing was crying and running. Both Leppy and Dolor meant the world to me. We were all destined for greatness together. Now I had nothing, nothing but hate left in me. I hated the Kingdom of Pasha and I hated war itself. I wanted to die right then and there. Chapter 4: Mad King Ja-eer It was then I heard a voice. Come here it said. Closer, more, right you¡¯re almost there. By the time I gained a sense of myself I was in front of a cave. I went inside and upon going deeper into the cave it seemed like it was connected to some ruins. The wall to the entrance of the ruins showed a mural of a benevolent king who loved his citizens dearly. He would protect them until his final breath. He was called the Wise King Ja-eer and on his tomb lay his sword that the King used in order to protect his Kingdom. I need that I thought. If I were to stand on equal ground against that damn Omari then I need that sword. Having rested in the cave I felt some of my mana go back. I used magic to light a flame on branch and proceeded to go down the ruins. The main hall of the ruins had three pathways that divided it. Each of the pathways had a symbol on top. A tablet in middle of the hall described each symbol. There it said : I am the Owl, the wisest. My wisdom will lead the people to prosperity. I am the Wise King Ja-eer. I am the Phoenix, the most benevolent. My kindness shall earn me the love of my people. I am the Benevolent King Ja-eer. I am the Dragon, the strongest. Having lost my people I vow to avenge them. I am the Mad King Ja-eer. ¡°Mad King huh? Fufu perfect.¡± I ran straight to the entrance with the dragon symbol and as I pass the entrance the earth suddenly tremors shake the ruins and I put myself on guard. Expecting the worst I draw my blade and slowly walk forward. While walking forward I hear faint noises which sounded like little footsteps. It is as I feared these ruins are infested with monsters. Around a dozen or so spider-like creatures called Arachnida. I lunged forward and sliced one of them in half. The second one shot with my [Fireball]. I kept on slashing slicing and dicing however there too many of them. I was loosing my stamina so I ran. I ran with all my might and found small hole of which I could hide. Luckily the Arachnida couldn¡¯t fit through the hole.With the imminent danger gone I crawl in this vent like passageway.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. At the end of the passage was a huge space probably twice as big as the main hall from which i came from. In front of me there lay a Minotaur, it was meter a high and bloodlust oozed from its body. Behind it was a huge door presumably the entrance to the tomb. ROOOOAARR Haven¡¯t I had enough? I thought to myself. I ran forward intending to slice him. After dodging one of its punches I slice his right leg but to no avail. His skin was too thick that the cut was very shallow. I try again and stab him in same leg. Again it didn¡¯t work and now my sword was stuck in his skin. Using the delay the Minotaur punches my whole body and I¡¯m sent flying to the wall. The damage was too great. I couldn¡¯t feel my left arm anymore and sword was stuck on the Minotaur¡¯s body.One more hit and I¡¯m done for I thought. My mana only had enough for around 5 intermediate spells. I run around the Minotaur, encircling him, dodging and evading him. I look for any weakness I could find and there I found that his right leg had not only been bleeding but it had been changing color. It must have been the Arachnida. Its blood is poisonous but I don¡¯t think its enough to kill it. But it¡¯s weak enough that I can make it stagger. Once again I ran towards him and tries grab me, however I slide through. Now that I face his back I gather mana onto my right arm and cast [Fireball]. The damage was enough to make him kneel. I pull the sword out his skin as fast as I could and soon as I get the sword out of the Minotaur¡¯s skin I jump on his knee and jump once more to reach his head. Quickly I grab onto its neck and stick my sword in his neck. It let out a huge cry but it was still not enough. As I grab hold onto his face I gather even more mana to my hand. [FIREBALL] ¡°DIE¡± I scream ¡°DIE DIE DIE DIE¡± And as I exhaust my mana I can¡¯t feel any life coming from the Minotaur. I get off it and limp my way towards the huge door. I can barely walk and comprehend things around me. But I have to keep walking not just for my sake by for my friends as well. I open the door and a voice greets me: ¡°Congratulations hero you have succeeded in¡ª¡° ¡°IF I USE YOU WILL THEY DIE?¡± I shout ¡°What?¡± Questions the voice ¡°I¡¯LL ASK AGAIN IS THAT SWORD ENOUGH TO KILL MY ENEMIES?¡± ¡°You¡­ HAHAHAHAHAHA interesting brat to answer your question, YES THIS SWORD WILL BRING DEATH ACROSS THE BATTLEFIELD! Fufufu that look in your eyes, you¡¯ve gone mad haven¡¯t you? Brat you are weak, very very weak however you are smart. I ask you this will you form a pact with I, Mad King Ja-eer, who has lost his people and can only seek battle?¡± ¡°I will for the sake of those I¡¯ve lost and to ensure their will stays alive , I accept the pact.¡± Thunder rumbles and its sound penetrates the ears, the earth shakes violently as I say these words ¡°Very well, take the sword from my tomb and with it, its power!¡± I take the sword of Ja-eer and put it on my waist. The tremors won¡¯t stop. It seems that the ruins are crumbling. I hurry my escape and as I leave the ruins I whisper. ¡°Leppy, Dolor, I am sorry it looks like I won¡¯t be a hero¡­¡± Chapter 5: A stroke of luck? Having escaped the ruins I start walking the direction of what I assume is my country. With nothing but the clothes on my back and my new sword I trudge on, even using my sword to support myself. I walk and I walk but I see no end to it. With only my emotions to fuel me I go on. ¡°I have to live on¡± ¡°Live on¡± ¡°Live¡­¡± It was then I collapsed. I can¡¯t do anything anymore. My legs have given up on me. I can barely keep awake. ¡°Not yet¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Hmm these clothes¡­ are the Katillian armies¡¯¡­¡± Why are we sending young kids like this to the front. Isn¡¯t it our jobs as adults to foster the next generation? Instead we¡¯re sending them to their deaths. How many young soldiers have I passed on the way back to the capital? All of them entrusted their lives to me, to their country. Because of that they paid with their lives. And for what? The Pashan army still head on its way to the capital. There is no way of stoping them right now especially now that I¡¯m here away from the front lines. I need to hurry back I can still salvage the situation. But what about this young boy here? He¡¯s¡­still alive! What resilience! This boy shall live. I will make sure of that. I swear as a General of Katillia that at the very least this boy shall make it. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª I don¡¯t know if this boy is lucky or cursed. Honestly if he had died here he would at least be at peace. This man saving the boy just set a chain of events that even I don¡¯t know what the conclusion will be. I¡¯ve stayed in that cave for more than 200 years, wondering if I would ever be set free. In that span I learned that hatred never did solve anything. I know nothing of the world as it is right now however I do know that strength and wisdom are absolute. Will this boy be consumed by hatred just as I did or will he go down a different path and watch a scenery even I had never seen. Time will tell if he¡¯s worthy of holding this much power in his grasp. And till then he must be guided. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª With that the man carries the passed out Louie and continues to walk into the dead of the night.