What it Means to be a Hero

  “Where have you two been?”

  Rei was sitting at the kitchen table in her human form. She’d just woken up to find that she was all alone. 

  “I was just showing Maximus my garden.”

  Rei looked at the two with suspicion. “You could have told me.”

  Rei had made sure she was looking directly at Elizabeth when she spoke so that it was still clear she wasn’t speaking to Maxwell.

  “You looked so relaxed we didn’t want to bother you.”

  Maxwell took a seat by the fire place and closed his eyes letting the warm of the flames wash over him.

  “Did you two talk at all while you were out there?”

  Elizabeth took a seat next to Rei and began carving a small piece of wood.

  “Only about how hard it was for you two to travel with all that fog. It comes from the lake this time of year. Makes the forest kinda spooky, don’t you think?”

  “I don’t know what he’s talking about but I could travel with my eyes closed. This fogs nothing.”

  Elizabeth giggled. “Is that so? You must be very brave.”

  Rei blushed. “Yeah, well I try to be.”

  “It looks like Maximus fell asleep. Let’s try not to wake him.”

  “I should drop a rock on his foot for when he stepped on my tail earlier.”

  “I noticed you two seemed distant, what happened between you two?”

  Rei sighed. “You’ll think it’s silly of me but I haven’t spoken to him since we left Dulciena. We had gotten into an argument over what’s happening in Dulciena.”

  “What’s happening in Dulciena?”

  “That’s right we haven’t told you yet, but there have been goblin attacks all over Dulciena.”

  “Oh my, I didn’t think that goblin were capable of such a thing.”

  “Neither did I, until Buros was killed and Maximus was horribly injured.”

  “My gods, Buros is dead?”

  “I’m afraid so, he and Maximus were attacked on the first night we arrived.”

  “And your sure that goblins are to blame?”

  “I’m not so sure about that, but King Midas and Maximus seem to think so.”

  “It would seem you two have been through a lot together, so why exactly aren’t you speaking to him?”

  “Maximus thinks that the citizens in the capital are to blame for the king not acting sooner to stop the goblins. He believes they knew about the attacks and chose to ignore them until Buros was killed.”

  “I can see why he would think that.”

  “So can I! I’m not blind to the idea that some people chose to ignore what was happening but the idea that everyone could be so cruel and selfish. I can’t believe that, and I can’t believe a hero like Maximus could have such little faith in people.”

  “Even if he isn’t the real Maximus” thought Rei.

  Elizabeth placed a hand on Rei’s shoulder. “You have a kind heart Rei.”

  Rei’s heart beat a little faster and her face grew a bit warmer. “Th-thanks Elizabeth.”  

  “You should try telling Maximus how you feel, I’m sure he’d understand.”

  “I’ve thought about it but I just don’t know how. He just seemed so heartless when he spoke.”

  “He has been through a lot. First his battle under the catacombs that left all of Arion believing he was dead and now the death of a fellow hero who he wasn’t able to save. I suppose anyone would seem a bit heartless.”

  “But heroes are supposed to be different! They’re supposed to see the good in others, even when no one else does and inspire them to be better.”

  “Everyone is different Rei, heroes are people just like you and me. They get scared, they make mistakes. The most important thing is that they never give up on trying to make the world a better place. No matter the cost…”

  “But what if the cost is too great?”

   Elizabeth yawned. “I’m sorry, do you think we can continue this in the morning? I’m feeling awfully tired.”

  “Of course, you should get some rest. I’m sure Maximus will explain more tomorrow.”

  “Good night then Rei.”

  As Elizabeth went to bed Rei was left sitting alone at the kitchen table. She hadn’t mentioned the king’s ridiculous claim that she was a witch. 

  In the morning, she’d tell her all about it in the morning.

  She looked over at Maxwell still fast asleep in the chair. Elizabeth was right, she needed to talk to him. She needed to explain her feelings to him so that they could continue working together.

   Trusting Maxwell may be a mistake. She knew nothing of him other than the story he’d told her about being a hero from another world. He and King Midas would make for great story tellers, the hero summoned to another world and the king whose sister was kidnapped by a witch.

  Both told such outlandish narratives and yet Rei was expected to believe that both were telling the truth. 

  She’d agreed to aid Maxwell since his task to uncover who had taken Maximus’s life since it seemed like a noble one. Although she suspected there was more to his story that he was letting on.

  Whether or not she truly believed in Maxwell’s story wasn’t important at the moment. She had seen undeniably evidence that something was wreaking havoc on Dulciena.

  For now she’d put aside her doubts about Maxwell. Together they would work to uncover who or what was behind the attacks happening in Dulciena.

  If Maxwell wasn’t going to act like the hero Maximus was, then she’d have to do it herself.