A quick, well it's not that quick of a rundown anymore:
When I woke up, I am surrounded by golden seats. There were people, some covering their faces with a mask, some looked at down at me with their colorful eyes. I have heard stories about this place.
This is the West Council hall. All the nobles, rich folks, royalty sat here to discuss a matter of the West. In fact, they were the one organized the war I just came back from.
One of them asked, their voice echoed. "You came back with the sword, where is the Hero of The West?"
He was old and sounded nasty. I don't like him instantly.
"Uh, I think he's dead."
"How so?"
"He was… burnt."
The people murmured, whispered, glancing down at me.
Then they stopped as soon another one asked a question, a woman now, still old and grumpy sounded. And Unlikable. "How are you still alive? Everyone else is dead."
They don't really care how I am still alive, I said to myself. They are more worried if I am a threat or not. I answered, "I am only a soldier, I came from an orphanage near the wall. I survived… away from the real battle."
"A deserter?"
"A unconscious-er"
"What?"
"An… unconscious-er?"
"That's not a real word you buffoon!"
Really?
Now the vibe switched, they all felt troublesome.
Feeling like I was about to be thrown into the gutter, I said. "Can I ask you guys not to kill me?"
I've heard from the people in the military that the Councils was not what they said they were. They'd resort to kill some people just to tie loose ends. Well that was not surprising since I found out women don't have a balls under their legs and my chest won't grow big like Miss Olivia. We live in the Compass, when you grow older you'd know this happens.
The Councils is silent. Their eyes were like darts.
"We can't kill you, soldier."
Really, woo-oho.
"People saw you face when you walked in the gate to the city. They thought you are the Hero."
Woo… hoo?
"Do you understand what's going on, soldier," the elder asked, "you were carrying the weapon only the Hero held, into the city without a mask."
Right… can't we just tell them it was a mistake?
"And I know what you are thinking. We also can't tell the people you are not. People are going to think the hero is dead."
"But the Hero is… dead?" I said, it was more of an impulse than a reply.
"You fools! We can't make anyone think that! Not the people of the West, not the people of the East, not the Center, not even your dead mother!"
Hey! That's just uncalled for, Geez…
The Councils then whispered among themselves, clearly frustrated. I have heard a lot of ideas like poisoning me and tell the people the Hero was assassinated. No! That'd tell the whole Compass the West have no hero! We'd be left vulnerable! What about picking a new hero and recreate the same mask? You fool! Don't you hear that the people dubbed him as the first non-masked Hero? People are going to doubt if our hero is wearing a mask now.
On so on so on…
Until one women gave them an idea. She is very young, white silver hair, and beautiful. I still don't like her since she gave the Council this one idea:
"Let the soldier be our new Hero."
They were silent. None of them laughed. None of them retorted.
Everyone thought, and they nodded.
Some who don't, the women convinced. "Give him the weapon, no mask, let him deal with the demon that got breached—the other regions are complaining about that as we're talking. Surely, he'd die dealing with one of them demons. When he did, people won't question. Hero kills demon, Demon kills Hero. The secret of the real hero and the war dies with him, too. When he's killed by one, by Law, we are protected by the center from the other regions until we found our new Hero, right?"
One of the council member shouts with admiration, "Truly you are the director of the Academy! What a wonderful display of intellect!"
She replied, "Oh come on, I just came up with that a little quicker. All of you would have thought of this already."
The council agreed.
She was very good at convincing people.
And even me who asked, "What if I don't want pretending to be the Hero, that I looked up to ever since I was a child?"
She laughed, "Oh, boy. You don't have a choice."
She pulled out a small straw doll. How cute. Oh! They look exactly like me!
A second later, I was already on the floor, clutching my chest. My heart squeezed, yeah they do that, but this time I don't think it's the good kind. I spat blood on the floor.
The women spoke, "We are ready to kill you anytime, soldier. Or should I say… hero…"
She let go of the doll and I finally can breath, "cough, cough…"
"Won't you rather die fighting the demon your Hero failed to kill?"
I guess so.
She smiled, "Good. Does everyone agreed with this decision?"
The council clap in unison. They all do.
"Hero, you'd be out of here first thing in the morning," she said, "we'd give you what demon to find and get killed. Of course, if we hear nothing from you, I'd assume you ran already. So you die.
"Also, since you're a hero now. You will need an assistance."
Really, how generous of you.
— — — — — —
And back to the present, my apprentice is now giving me a CPR on the chest.
I WAS ASLEEP NOT DROWN YOU DUMBASS!