Not A Hero

Outside the tall gray brick castle, I walk through the sand villages of my kingdom, happy to greet the mortals and undeads living here.

The little kids all run along to see me, one of them, a little boy holding a stick for a sword.

"Look! It's Hero! He's right here!" They trip on each other trying to get to me first.

 I turn around them with a smirk, they smile even more.

"Okay, okay… Who wants a ride?" I say getting on one knee with a smile and a softened heart.

The 6 kids immediately start climbing on my armor, my arms, my shoulders, my back, and sitting down on my pauldrons. I stand up with a little struggle, taking them with me on my walk inside the village.

"Hero! Hero! Thank you for everything! You're a real hero." One of them says.

I chuckle a little sad.

"I try my best, but not anymore of a hero than any other. I mean, have you ever heard of the people that came before me? They were fearless, haha, ask your parents."

"You're crazy! They wouldn't stand a chance against you!" They all laugh a lot. I smile. "You wouldn't die, they eventually would. You're the only necromancer that can survive the sword. It's like we've all been waiting for you to arrive this entire time!"

The kids are too young to know the full extent of it, but it surprises me that they know something. This kingdom has already lost enough leaders. The necromancer sword gives our ruler power and protection in exchange of, one day, the sword taking your soul away. They deserve feeling secure at least once.

I remember being their age and being terrified when the curse passed down to me.

"I want to be immortal just like you Hero!" The one with the stick says. I blush.

...Even if I'm not a real hero outside this kingdom, I can rest at peace knowing that, for them, I'm an unprecedented savior. The only hope they have of not losing their leader out of nowhere.

"I hope someday you will." I sigh. Not knowing exactly what to tell them. "But you're all too little to be thinking about that, got a whole life ahead. Go play with sticks, stop thinking about death." I say giggling as I reach the huge walls around the kingdom.

I kneel down again and they all jump into the sand, laughing, running away.

"Thank you for the ride again Hero! It's so fun!" One of them says waving. I wave back.

They leave my sight, so I finally break the smile in a deep breath.

"I really hope Masao is wrong about me dying someday. The sword has tried to kill me many times to no avail. I've lost my head, half of my face, every limb a dozen times each... I can't be taken down, I can't leave them... I counted on it for so long that if I really am just a self healing lucky bastard and not immortal... I'd have no one to pass down the sword to after I die."

I leave the gates, making my way out, deeper into the desert. Off to meet the only person I know can help me with everything that I'm going through.

Not even halfway of the long walk, my feet start to tire me.

"Where we heading?" Someone squeaks next to me.

By the sound of it, I know who.

"Bunny. Oh. Hi." I sigh disappointed, continuing my way over the dunes.

She holds onto her suspenders, marching right besides me.

"Missed you too! It's been years, huh? Look at you–"

"What do you want?"

I don't see the point in her being nice.

"Geez, you're in a bad mood? Bad day? Bad night?" She giggles.

"...Cut it out, just kill me already." I sigh at the unwanted talking reminder of the dream I just had. "Why are you following me?"

She doesn't seem as happy as she's trying to look. It doesn't take too long until she sighs too, losing the smile.

"Alright, alright… I'm… I'm here because I want to say that I'm… sorry… I didn't mean to threaten you." She says, staring at the ground in shame as I honestly think about the words. "...So... You single?"

"What--" I wasn't expecting much, but this is way worse. "You can't be serious to ask that just after apologizing."

"So you are single."

"...Of course." I mumble creeped out.

"Great! Then go out with me." She smiles like she has never even been sad.

"OF COURSE NOT." I jump back as she leans in. The mere idea of it repulsed every bone in my body.

"Oh, come on kitty. I haven't murdered you yet, the least you could do to show you're grateful is to take me to dinner!"

I refuse to answer, taking a step back, and looking at her in disdain.

"...What? You think I'm gonna fight you for that?" She say's shocked, and then breaks into cackles. "I'm not gonna force you, dummy. I wouldn't mix those things up. If I tried to kill you, it would be for real reasons, not because you won't go out with me." Her giggles slowly cease. "I just think you could give it a shot. If you don't like it, I never talk about it again. Just a chance!" She says hopefully smiling.

I stay in the same stance, with the same disgusted look on my face.

She sighs.

"Why? What's stopping you? Got someone else on your mind already?" She smirks by the end.

I close my fist tightly.

"Think very well about what you're going to say right now." I say as I take one step into her direction.

"Everyone knows you like her way too much."

I stop walking, staring down at her sadistic smile. I sigh, giving in.

"That's it. Bring it on."

I raise the sword horizontally in front of me. I can't see her face but I'm sure she's still smiling. All I feel is my body being pushed behind for hoards away as she punches the blade. So hard I can barely hold the impact, shocked at how far back that dragged me.

Deep breathing, I unbury my feet from the sand. I stare at her far away from me, smiling and waving. I sprint in her direction, compelled to slash her no matter what it takes.

She's even faster than Hiro, every swing of mine is too slow as she dodges them with ease and a smile. She's having so much fun that the panic is unmeasurable when I suddenly lose her from my sight.

"She was just in front of me... Wher--" I look just below my nose to see her there just waiting for me to look.

"Boo."

She opens her palms and blows mounts of sand straight into my eyes, they burn in agony. I should have fled before she punched my stomach, sending me rolling down the dune, slamming my body against a hard wall.

"Hero?" I hear the voice of the kid from earlier, still holding the stick.

I manage to open my eyes even if it hurts so I can make sure I'm not going crazy; I'm all the way back on the outside of the gate I came from.

I can't believe she threw me this far. As I hear the faint sound of steps on sand, the disbelief of her image already on my sight sets me in despair.

"No, how did you get here so quickly? G-go back inside, now." Without thinking, I shout at the boy.

The fractions of second I have to react only allow me to kneel and jump, charging up the desert inhumanly fast as if my entire weight didn't matter to the sand. All in a wretched attempt to keep her away from the people.

Before she can land her fist on me, the frenzied yielded blade strikes first, lacerating through her torso as if it were silk. I see it in front of my eyes, her body coming undone with the wind, and then popping as she dissipates into thin air.

My spine goes cold.

"Right here!"

I turn around to see Bunny standing far behind me, with her hands behind her back.

"Right here!"

"Right here!"

"Right here!"

"Right here!"

"Right here!"

"Right here!"

The sound comes from every possible direction, one after another, progressively louder with no signs of an end. The trembling fear barely lets me turn my face to meet the apocalypse of replicates of the little loose maniac, getting closer and closer to me.

As they all rampage in my direction I instinctively swirl my body and sword as hard as I can, cutting through them one after another. All of which explode into confetti to the touch.

After I see every clone is dust, I am left alone. I try to not fall in the sand, hyperventilating, looking at every single corner for her true self, knowing not a single effort mattered.

"Right here, brain rot!!" She giggles like a kid behind my back, punching my face as I turn around.

I had no idea falling onto the sand from so close could hurt just like concrete.

Dizzy, my head spins even more than before. She stares down at me with a smile, making me hope for mercy for one second before she lifts her arms reaching into the sky.

The horizon turns black. Everything around us starts to melt. All sunlight disappeared, and before I could scream, the horror in my eyes stares in despair as the sun comes crashing down, closer and bigger than I could ever imagine it.

"I'll do whatever you want. Just please..." I say under my breath.

She instantly lowers her arms, still smiling. Everything goes back to normal, except I have no idea of what I just witnessed.

"...Leave the village... and Hiro... alone… Do whatever you want to me, just spare them."

I didn't think her smirk could grow wider... But again, I was wrong.

"Finally giving in and showing who you really are…" She chuckles, walking circles around me, then leaving into the direction she came from. "Thank the gods. It would be a shame to kill you…"

I stare up at her, defeated.

"I expect to not have to warn you again. Do everything I tell you to, and you won't have to worry." She says in a deeper tone staring down at me, so seriously I couldn't believe it was the same person.

I take a deep breath.

"...Yes, Bani. Of course." I say defeated.

"Good." She looks back at me, smiling more than ever before. "I'll ask you about the date again later. You're the best, Hero." She giggles a lot, like all of this was only a mirage.

She hops off as quickly as she appeared.

I stay behind, catching my breath on the sand, trying to figure out what exactly just happened.