Chapter 87: Who Are Heroes 1

Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Who Are Heroes 1

Arin didn’t return to sleep after a visitor appeared in the forest. Eluan had acknowledged Arins’s Dungeon Master Mark. He even spoke of a True Hero and disappeared after declaring his duty done. He left them with even more questions than he answered.

Arin took a seat opposite of Eldran while Ayan leaned against the windowsill. Saira sat in a chair next to Mira, and Adnan stood with his arms crossed against his chest and leaned against a bookshelf

"Chief Eldran, I’d like to know something," Arin stated. "What exactly are heroes?"

The elder elf rubbed his temples. "That question is a lot more complex than one may assume."

"Start with the simplest answer."

The simplest answer is that a hero has an impact on the fortune of others through their actions, but one may find a number of individuals that may take up that title and not all of them are created equal."

Eldran stood and walked to a bookshelf which held a variety of dusty tomes detailing the annals of history.

"As it stands, the title is commonly given to influential characters that may defend their homeland, put an end to conflicts, slay beasts of legend, or perform any feats that a single person would not be capable of on their own. Different nations and races value their heroes differently and some have more prestigious titles and titles given by rulers than others, but that does not signify true power."

Adnan asked, "So, it’s not a class ranking?"

"Absolutely not. Someone may be listed as a hero by their country but may not possess the strength to fight most of the legendary warriors that roam the lands, and someone may perform considerably more impactful actions and not gain that title at all."

Arin mulled it over. "Then what does it mean that Caelan is known as the Elven hero?"

"Our records indicate that he holds that title.

Eld ran resumed his seat. "However, the title does not give indication of what he was as a person, only speculation of his actions based on history. There are holes in our knowledge on him, specifically prior to his involvement with us."

Caelans’s record, Saira frowned, could have been fabricated then.

History is written by those who have survived, and sometimes those who have written it did not possess all the information.

"And the True Hero?" Arin inquired. "That’s what the old man referred to himself as, a servant of something larger than himself."

Eldran grew somber. That title, unlike that of the famed hero, appeared in historical records well before any of the annals of the present day. It would not be given to any singular entity across different nations, and the few surviving accounts all speak of a man who lived in an age of ancient legends and had companions of different heritages. However, we cannot confirm much else.

Mira questioned. "Were they heroes?"

"That, unfortunately, is impossible to say with certainty. Some accounts make references to a specific designation of True Hero, and others simply make generalizations on someone whose actions possess an altogether exceptional quality."

It was clear to Arin why the old elf had specifically requested him. He had been searching for a Dungeon Master. The old elf was not a hero, but a servant of one, possibly the oldest known.

Arin recalled the quiver at the old elves back as he vanished from their sight.

My duty has been fulfilled.

"That means all of those old legends were real," Adnan said, mostly to himself.

"Some of them, perhaps. We do not know the extent of the True Hero’s influence. It is possible they were a singular entity from thousands of years ago, or perhaps they are something entirely different. We cannot say for certain if the True Hero even still exists, and if they do, why their subordinates still serve them after all this time."

Arin slouched back in his chair. Heroes. True Heroes. Servants who had watched over kingdoms for millenia, and Caelan, who remained youthful despite the ages spanning his known history.

There was so much more to this world than he ever expected.

"And what does any of this say about the morality of a hero?" Arin asked.

"As with anything else, it says nothing of their nature.

A title is simply a tool given to a person by others, which makes assumptions about what kind of person they are.

Arin had to admit, that was a lesson he needed to keep in mind. The label did not define the person, only what others saw in them.

So, the elven hero could not be trusted.

"Then what did Caelan do as a hero?" Arin asked. "The records said he was an apprentice Dungeon Master, and we know he had served a True Hero. I don’t understand how those two could be related."

Eldran steepled his fingers against the desk.

"I cannot say for certain. There are gaps in our knowledge of him. He could have been learning the ways of Dungeon Masters under the True Hero’s guidance or he may have served two masters at once. There is no definitive history on the matter."

"Same with the masked man," Adnan said. "He’s tied to a True Hero, and now he watches over Caelan."

"That, unfortunately, is a mystery as well. Whatever task the True Hero set before him, it appears his master’s orders do not align with his nature."

Ayan turned from the window.

"Just because he is loyal to a single entity does not mean he will willingly follow Caelan."

"You think he has it in him to betray us?"

"We cannot know for certain one way or the other."

His words reminded Arin of what he had felt moments ago. The presence was not evil, not like the Dungeon Master’s, but it still gave him pause. He wasn’t used to sensing the likes of it in the wild.

Dungeon Master’s Authority was a powerful magic, but one that Arin was already familiar with. He had spent weeks around Elias after returning from the Forest of the Forgotten. It wasn’t difficult to pick up on the cues to the magic emanating from him. However, what the old elf had wielded was foreign to him.

"I sensed something similar to Authority earlier today, but different," Ayn explained. "Not unlike the magic of a Dungeon Master, but different enough that I could not name it with certainty."

Arin asked, "And is there a magic you can name?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"Of course there isn’t," Arin muttered. "Would you rather I make something up for your benefit?"

Ayan chuckled. "If that is what you require, I would be happy to provide."

"No, I’d rather you tell me the truth."

"Then we are both disappointed," Saira said. Her comment brought a smile to even Adnan’s lips, but it was a sad one. Arin knew why as he recalled the old elf’s words.

My duty has been fulfilled.

The visitor would not assist him, explain to him or allow him any reprieve from Caelan. When he appeared, it was only to fulfill one purpose and had no interest in staying for a second. What that purpose was and why it was important enough to last thousands of years he couldn’t say.