They arrived in groups of two, three, four, five or even more people, beings of all races and all kinds. To their arrival was added a deafening hubbub which was the sign of a future headache for the Hero who was the kind of person who preferred solitude to the gathering of hundreds of individuals in the same room - whether it was large or not. He easily identified the groups of friends who entered the reception room and could perceive which champion belonged to which protégée. Then suddenly he saw the one whose arrival he had been waiting for since his arrival in this place: Thoosa Miriakia, whose full name is Thoosaranélia - the added "ra" is a rare form among the names of this kingdom.
Strangely, she was not accompanied by her champion. He would have thought that in a month, he would have recovered from the fate of his princess and the humiliation that Beneltig had inflicted on him. Speaking of the wolf, he saw him arrive in the company of his princess, she opened wide eyes when she saw him, he took a deep breath and got up to greet her, he wondered if she was going to yell at him for arriving too early or congratulate him.
Heads or tails.
- But what are you doing here?" asked the Fairy.
- It was you who asked me to come, wasn't it? Why such a question?
- You're speaking politely today," she said, suspicious.
- It was required of me for this ceremony.
- Well, that's not the point! But I sent Mina to pick you up at your house because I was sure you would be late.
- For one thing, it will make her feet, for another, your hunch was really wrong, he said with an arrogant grin.
And the Hero turned to the Fairy's companion and held out his hand.
- It's been a long time since prison.
- Yes, it's true," Beneltig replied, "you have acquired the gift of speech in the meantime.
By the way he spoke, the Hero suspected that he was not at all surprised by his voice - which was deeper than the average young man of his age - it meant that he remembered very well what had happened in the hospital. At least he remembered that he owed him for stopping Tarkus from turning him into a diamond ornament.
They were joined by the group he had met coming out of the hospital room, they all greeted each other and went to their assigned seats. The Hero would have thought that he would only be in the presence of heroes and champions, but apparently they had obtained the right to bring their friends to this reception. Everyone enjoyed the good food cooked by the best cooks in the kingdom of Sylvania, the Hero fell in love with the Tombesta squid, which had an extremely sweet taste. He shared it with one of the Fairy's friends, Lin, who also loved this animal. Both of them got to know each other, but the human had a strange impression of this elf, it was as if something was wrong with him, but he put it down to his extreme paranoia. Not forgetting the reason of his coming, he looked for Thoosa's whereabouts, as soon as he would have finished tasting all these dishes and they would have the possibility to move, he would go to see her to whisper two, three words about this sect that was spreading in the kingdom.
A bard came to the stage built for the shows that were to be presented to them, and he began to serenade them and was accompanied by a band. Then, it was a show of bubble players who came on stage and showed them a show where they gave shape and almost life to the bubbles they created with their hoops.
There was a good atmosphere in the room, although he was watched from the corner of the eye, that low masses were made against him, they must surely curse his birth, his race, make fun of his unattractive physique, but he did not care, the meal was so delicious and he had the opportunity to taste all exotic things.
- If not, my good friend, where did you come from?" asked Lin.
- If you gave me a map, I could point it out to you because I wouldn't know where we are yet!
You'd be surprised if people stare at him if they see him spit.
The Fairy intervened by closing her mouth and pinching her lips with her fingers.
- Hold on better, she ordered him.
He rolled his eyes, but obeyed her. After all, he was her representative and had to honor her.
From the corner of his eye, he observed the couple that the Fairy and her companion formed, he perceived all the love that she carried to him by having the head on his shoulder, and he seemed to return it well to him. Had he mellowed after his warning when he was stuck in the diamond?
- Do you like the pariah?
He looked up at the person who seemed to be addressing him, it was the fairy-princess named Marine who had asked him the question. She seemed much younger than the other fairies of the reception but her gestures and her speech showed a greater maturity than the Fairy or the other noble fairies that he could cross.
- Please?" said the Hero, taken aback.
- I don't know, for a mere human passing through our territory, you seem more than close to the Fairy.
- It's logical that if you spend time with someone, you end up considering them," said the Hero.
- It's true, I understand that. But you... His eyes that I observe show me something else.
- Yeah, well, I'm not going to deny that she's not ugly.
- That would be a lie.
- Exactly.
- Just remember that she already has a lover.
- As if I was going to put myself with her, he insisted while tearing off a leg of hairy Litiop with his teeth under the frightened look of the other guests, you must be hundreds of years old compared to me, like you could be my grandmother.
- What are you talking about?" she said, "I don't care. Tell me your age.
- Fifteen years old.
- You say to me that I am eight hundred years old whereas you are older than a part of the assembly here present! she laughed.
- Even of the big pole, there? she says by pointing of the finger to the fairy that he had frightened during the parade.
- Who? Mana? She is your age.
- Anyway, she's way too young for me.
Marine raised her eyebrows at this strange statement.
- Or maybe you're just talking nonsense bigger than yourself...
- Knowing that I'm not very fat..., he joked.
- Or you're blatantly lying.
The Hero bit his lips and shrugged as if he didn't see what she was getting at, sucking on the inside of a Crimson Crab's leg.
- Just remember that she's in a relationship.
- I don't think he knows.
Marine smiled a little, meaning that she had detected his insight. Then she went back to talk to her friends, including Mana, the girl he had heard was named Diasiré.
All busy talking with the decoys, the Hero got up from his seat and left to join Thoosa. But as soon as he left his seat, he was stopped by a group of fairies who asked him to join them outside. He followed them under the complicit glance of many champions and princesses.
Led into a rather poorly lit corridor, the Hero did not pay attention to the trap that was being built around him, his mind was obsessed with that same phrase "Break the ice!", so he ignored any trap that might be set up in front of him, even the most obvious ones. They stopped in a dark corner, and it was then that the hero thought it was time to ask them what they wanted from him.
- Humans are so backward as to let themselves be led into ambushes..., declared one of the three champions.
In the great hall, the party continued, laughter and singing filled the room, the Fairy and Beneltig cooed together, telling each other things that the Hero would find boring. She grumbled at him for spending more time with their friends than with her, he reminded her that he was locked in a diamond block not so long ago, so he really didn't know what she was talking about, which forced the airy fairy to make a pouty face to defend herself. Suddenly the face of his lover darkened and he took a serious tone.
- Princess.
- Yes ?
- I would like you to get away from this human.
- Why?
- It is strange.
- I know he may seem strange, but I swear he's nice and funny, at least he makes me laugh even though his jokes are lame. You should get to know him.
- He can be anything you want him to be, but the fact that he is human is detrimental to you. It was very kind of him to take my place during the tournament, but you have enough trouble with our countrymen without adding to it with this stranger, hero of the legend or not.
- You would not be jealous, by chance? she said to him with a teasing smile.
- From that badger? And what else?
She tapped his ribs with her elbow, but that didn't make him react, so she just turned her head away, sighing in weariness. She loved him madly, but he didn't seem to give it back and acted as if she wasn't aware that he was fooling around with other girls, but she didn't say anything because she was convinced deep inside that she was the one he had no eye for.
Beneltig saw the three champions who had taken the Hero out of the party room and all four of them nodded before they took their seats and returned to their amusement.
The Hero was slumped on the floor, his mouth bleeding, staring at the distant ceiling of the corridor. He would never have believed that, having become the hero of legend, he could still be beaten, when he could exterminate the whole kingdom in the blink of an eye. But more importantly, that he could fall into such a booby trap, it seemed like he was back to being that eight year old kid who was picked on all the time. The only difference with that time was that now he had that extra adrenaline that allowed him to ignore the pain... and that feeling of guilt when he imposed his supremacy on his opponents, not wanting to disappoint the people who supported him. But the curse could not be at its full power if he had remorse, and anyway, he was no longer h...
He heard footsteps coming in his direction, he lowered his head, but the darkness of the hallway limited his perception of the people coming to meet him. Expecting to be beaten again, he was surprised when this person wiped the blood from the corner of his lips.
- A Man who can stop Tarkus' blows can't afford to be thrashed by losers, the princess told him.
Indeed, it was not a champion, but a princess who came to support him. He looked up and saw Thoosa's long purple hair with braids. It was she who was taking care of him. And she had not come alone: she was in the company of Lin, Mina and Marina.
- You didn't have to come and help me.
- I know," Thoosa replied, "but I owe you a debt, maybe even two, so I owe you.
- And you?" he addressed the other three.
- Beyond the fact that you are friends with the Fairy?" asked Lin.
- We're friends with you, dumbass," Marina and Mina replied in unison.
- And that's more than enough," the elf continued.
- If you say so...
The hero stood up, leaning against the wall, and discovered, in exasperation, that his clothes had been soiled with his own blood. Thoosa put his hand on his chest and cast a spell that restored his clothes to their brilliant color.
- You don't want to get your beautiful clothes dirty.
- There's a spell for everything, right?
- Indeed. Except to defy the destiny, isn't it? she said with a soft melancholic voice, otherwise what do you want to follow me with your eyes since a while? asked the princess with the long purple hair.
He whispered in her ear the reason of his coming to this reception, she nodded and told him to wait for her outside in an hour.
- What are these low masses?
- They are secrets between champion and pri...
- I was asking her to be my wife, lied the Hero.
Thoosa's face turned tomato red and she reflexively kicked the Hero in the back. He didn't think she was so sensitive to such a stupid remark. She left furiously, followed by Marina who was smiling and wanted to know more.
- No matter the race, women are always the same...," grunted the Hero, stroking his back.
- Who are you telling," Lin shook his head and put his hands behind it, "if not why are you on the floor when you are the one who should be standing up to evil?
- Ah, because you believe in the legend of the hero? asked the Hero.
- You are the proof of its existence, unless you lied, which would prove the dwarf here right.
- Yes, unfortunately I am. But this legend that I am undefeated is fallacious, otherwise I would never have been the hero, if they had succeeded in saving the world.
They started walking to the party room.
- You're lost," Mina said, "they asked you why you're on the ground. So answer.
- I'm on the floor because I lost, that's all.
- Not because you're afraid of scaring people again, Princess?
- You say that like when I ripped a Fenrir in half, you weren't in a panic.
- As if it happened every day that someone, moreover a human, a race that was not known for its inordinate strength, could cut a giant wolf in two with the simple strength of his hands.
- It's true, when you put it that way," Lin said.
- Because you saw some? asked the dwarf.
- In this world everything is possible. It wouldn't be the first feat of its kind. Like, I've seen a human woman in a circus break coconuts with her buttocks.
- But that has nothing to do with it!
The conversation was going nowhere, and this made the Hero laugh, he found his two companions funny. Lin was a boy whom the Hero thought was silly and stupid because of his kindness. But he admitted that he had judged him too quickly, he was just good, despite his lame puns on his last name. And Mina, he'd figured her out, a scrappy girl who didn't go easy. He wrapped his arms around them and pressed them against him.
- You never stop, the two comedians, tell me, laughs the Hero.
- At the same time, you don't see the nonsense he's spouting, she defended herself.
- Roh! You just don't have a sense of humor, dwarf," said the elf.
Thoosa turned around, came to the Hero and flicked him on the forehead.
- Ah, also, stop letting yourself go and holding back. You are the greatest of heroes. So live up to your legend and make your mark.
Then winked at him before leaving.
The Hero thought that she was right, it was not by letting herself be done that things would change for him. Thoosa had almost said the same words that Zelda had said in her youth. And also Sawyer in another context.
When he arrived in the party hall, the Hero surprised his assailants; they saw him in good health while they had beaten him up badly until he bled. Outraged by the nonchalance of this human, they took no more gloves and attacked him in front of everyone. The Hero pulled his new friends away from him so that they would not be caught in the battle. One of the champions grabbed him by the collar and tried to lift him off the ground, but the Hero stopped him by squeezing his wrist, the champion ignored the pain and growled at him:
- Didn't we make ourselves clear, "heroes"?
- What's the skunk from the Ashen Mountains doing to me?" spat the Hero, "Do you think you can do anything to me with your weak strength? I'm the hero of the legend, so I don't care about your two-bit threats from prepubescent delinquents.
The champion wanted to punch him, but the look on his victim's face told him that he was not going to take it lying down and that he was going to hit him back if he started to fight. One of his companions, a male fairy of small size, more intelligent than the other two and endowed with a strong eloquence, turned towards the audience and invited them to listen to his indictment.
- My Fairy friends of all races and peoples! I come to you to speak of an anomaly in our midst. We who have lived so long in autarky far from Men and corrupt Faerics, here we are in the presence of one of our former persecutors, who laughs and drinks with us without any embarrassment, with an unconcealed hypocrisy while his people slaughter and enslave us in the four corners of the world!
But wasn't I their slave, not a few months ago? thought the Hero.
- I'm telling you straight out, even though the queen has him in her good graces because of this stupid legend without a tail or a head that's making her lose her mind!" he continued his indictment with an even more flamboyant tone, "don't you have any pride in leaving a human among you?
- I think you should stop, Sicione," Lin stopped him.
- Your natural kindness is admirable, but in this situation, you are despicable, he inveighed him by pushing him to make him fall on the ground, we must already accept the participation of the wingless fairy who is the look-alike of the Feline and of her fallen and poor counterpart, both rejected by the destiny and by our ancestors because of their face and their soiled blood. All three have no right to be among us, these outcasts, but especially this monster who takes on a human appearance!
The tension in the room was rising, the faces of some of the Fairy folk became frightening, twisted by rage and hatred. They began to surround the Hero and Princess with menacing faces. Seeing the concern in the eyes of his new friends and the vehemence with which the Faerics treated their own, he decided to defend them.
The Hero grabbed the back of Sicione's neck and lifted him off the ground, as the other champions and fairies looked on in horror. Some wanted to intervene, but the Hero's glowing eyes made them tremble with fear. Many of them clenched their fists or clenched their fangs to confront the defender of the Faerie Earthlings, but held back because of the memory of the Hero's power and unpredictability.
- Hey, midget!" growled the Hero, "you've been spouting the same nonsense for months without taking the time to think about it! You look like the clowns who think they're smart and superior in the "computer agoras", but they're just clowns slumped in their putrid filth, who lose their big mouths when confronted with reality.
He threw Sicione into the crowd, and clapped his hands, miming their cleaning, enraging the little fairy.
- Yes, humans enslave other species, but they enslave themselves and the Fairies do the same, and what are you going to tell me? We are civilized Fairies", what a joke! To put on a circus to see humans being eaten by monsters or gladiators fighting in the blood of their predecessor. It doesn't mean that just because you live almost equally in this relatively peaceful place that you are different or superior to the Faerie or humans outside. And given your judgment of past grudges that have nothing to do with you, I can't imagine if you knew the secret of some people. You'd be completely out of your mind.
He took the glass of a princess filled with exotic citrus juice for the Men of Francilia and siphoned it to refresh his voice, before returning it to her and resuming his speech.
- And, yes, the hero legend is stupid!" he continued, "the sky is always black because, no matter if they're Fairy or human, heroes have always been bloody losers hanging on for dear life. Whether it's my mom or the others. And I fucking understand them! With seven thousand years of memories in my head swelling my skull, I can tell you: whether it's deep black or bright blue, the malice of the hearts of the people of Fayiera Terra won't change because of the color of that foul, destructive sky. So I don't see why I should save you, why we, the heroes, should sacrifice ourselves for wretches like you? You find me contemptible? I'll have you know that the feeling is mutual! he laughs out loud.
They had really succeeded in pissing him off, it was irritating him, even giving him headaches, but he was quickly carried away by his own anger and went on a crazy rant, teeth clenched and eyes bulging, spreading a macabre smile. The adrenaline was going to his head, so much so that any moment now, he would end up unleashing himself without any restraint, as if he was intoxicated by his own fury, chipping away, little by little, at his mind.
- Especially since you are stupid as fuck, you defend your princesses from me while I will inevitably have to take one of them with me to fight with the Evil One. But rest assured, for in memory of my oath: "No being shall suffer the burden of my own existence," he said, pretending to reassure them, you will all stay here! But let's stop this nonsense, even if they say that violence is the strength of the weak, compared to words, it is the only one that makes this world move forward. So come and fight if you have any honor to defend, you little shits. Whether it's boy or girl, the house doesn't discriminate. After all, I'm far better known as the Faceless Demon than the hero of the legend, so you might as well kill me here and now, if you think you're exorcists!
That's all it took for the champions to get angry and want to fight the impertinent human who had spat on them and attacked one of their own. The Fairy tried to stop them, but Beneltig caught her in the nick of time so she wouldn't get involved in the fight.
- I can't let him fight!
- And you seriously think you can help him in this free-for-all?
- Then do it!
Beneltig avoided her with his gaze, and only hugged her as he moved his gaze away from the Man.
The Hero succumbed to the rage and adrenaline that flowed through his veins, letting his blood flow out of his skull wounds, ripped off the sleeves of the beautiful suit that had been made for him, puffed up his chest, inflated his muscles, ready to fight and to combat the resentment of this young Faerie who had known nothing of the outside world, except for their diplomatic trips to the various oases of light that dot the world. It was a Pertasith with blond locks who first rushed against the Hero, who ran to meet him to give him the retaliation that was so much needed, without waiting any longer.
But suddenly, they were stopped before their exchange of blows could break out.
Did anyone have the strength to hold back the strength, albeit reduced, of the Hero?
It could only be a senior guard, a Saint of the Queen.
Helmir?
Sawyer?
Selia herself?
No.
It was someone else.
The Hero recognized the clothes of the servants, although this person's clothes were modified to make them a bit "fancier" than normal ones.
The Hero's fist had been seized by this girl's hand, she had managed to take the shock of the attack of the one who was destined to defeat the Evil One. He observed her in every detail: her biceps were well trimmed, the pose of her legs was correct to stop his blow, nails filed and neat, fingers beautiful and fine, she had a humanoid appearance, even human, but the Hero knew very well that they did not come from the same race - well, not to the same degree -, and her eyes confirmed it: they were starry.
However, although she had managed to stop the faceless human's attack, her body was leaning towards the Hero's assailant. She had used the strength of the Pertasith's blow to be able to stop the Hero's.
Was she, too, an unsuspected combat genius?
- I think that the spirits have warmed up enough for this evening," said the maid, "our queen has not organized this meal so that vain quarrels resound.
- Vain quarrels? bellowed the Pertasith, you say that because you are also a waste...
The maid compressed her fist to the point of bending her knee.
- You think you can stand up to me? Don't make me humiliate you or even kill you.
- Stop, there! intervened Lelelitio.
- What are you doing?
- I think they understood that they had to calm down.
The girl with the starry amethyst eyes glared at him before releasing the hands of the Hero and the Pertasith, and left with Lelelitio who reprimanded her.
She had the appearance, but also the strength to be considered strong.
This was the first time, aside from the Nemesis and the Queen - and even then, with Audiselia, he had held back like no tomorrow, though she too had - that he had met someone who could match his strength in some way - yes, he had lost many times but that was because of numerical superiority or his heart...
The Hero left the room as Sawyer and other guards came in to calm the crowd by clapping his hands and let them enjoy the evening quietly. He didn't notice that the Hero was missing at all.
In any case, he had much to do outside. He went to the place of the appointment he had with Thoosa to learn more about this sect that worried the queen so much.
Outside the Hero saw no one except, by chance, the moonlight, which is a rare phenomenon, for it meant that there was a hole in the clouds of darkness that allowed him to see it. It was the only thing he could see in the darkness of the night sky. Unfortunately, for some reason, the starlight was not reaching him.
He sighed and cleared his mind.
He had nothing to remember that made him nostalgic to say he enjoyed the good old days, he would have liked to remember good times from his past, but there was only here where he was able to move without ingesting half a dozen painkillers. Only here was he able to have fun without suffering. But no matter where he was, people couldn't help but make him suffer in every way.
Stop whining, you piece of shit!" he cursed, slapping himself in the face.
As the moonlight grew brighter, he saw a strange fruit above his head that swayed from left to right. Since he had trouble seeing in the dark night without his glasses, which he never wore, he decided to climb to the top of the porch.
Pulling himself up to the top, he saw that what connected the fruit to the top of the reception hall entrance was a rope, he pulled up what was on the other end of the rope and discovered to his horror that the strange fruit was nothing more than the lifeless body of Thoosa.