orionheights

[orionheights]

Short Story

His blond hair caught the eyes, his blue eyes caught their hearts and his noble heart caught their lost dreams.

He was their hero, the one that would change their lives. He would rid the world of this evil and he would set them free.

This he had been told and why would they lie? He was the chosen one, that once in a lifetime hero whose name would live forever.

  His name was John Salvo. Decked out in his silver armor, he was the most eye catching sight on the battlefield. He swung his sword and minions fell,

 inconsequential as they were, they should be honored to even die by his blade. Standing in their midst, he felt no fear at all. He raised his head and looked in the direction of his ultimate goal- The Usurper, the man responsible for this terrible situation that the entire Kingdom found themselves.

The throne room was not too far from him now. He would truly slaughter his way from the Castle gates to the throne room and kill the Usurper.

The Usurper had killed millions of young men just like him but none had his talent nor were they chosen.

  He would avenge their deaths.

He roared, his voice at its highest just like his courage, This battle cry signified the start of the massacre for him.

"Onward!!!"

Onwar-

...

Onward??

He recalled shouting that once as he was forced to kneel in front of the Usurper. His ribs were a bloody mess and his left eye was half closed and blood flowed down from his head to coat that same area of his face.

How did this happen?

"You seem surprised..."

  The voice sounded somber, almost sad.

"Did you think that you could storm a castle and fight your way to the throne room alone?"

John looked up at the owner of the voice to find the Usurper with a sad expression on his face. His anger flared.

This was the man that caused the deaths of the all the previous warriors before him and made the lives of the common folk a living hell.

  "I will kill you for your misdeeds and you will beg for mercy. I, the Chosen one, John Salvo swear this on my life."

His declaration caused turmoil in the throne room and the murmurs spread like waves in a restless sea.

This reaction was what he wanted to see the most. Yes, he was still capable of this and all he needed was a little time to recover. He could still win, after all he was the chosen one.

"Chosen one.... yes, the others all said the same thing." the Usurper said in a low tone that was barely audible but John still heard it.

The others?

Seeing the puzzled look on the boy's face, the Usurper sighed deeply and got up from his throne.

"Did you assume you were the first? The only one perhaps? A special existence chosen by the heavens?"

The every word of this cruel Usurper was like a small dagger stabbing at his convictions until it was full of holes.

"Before you there were others. One named Arthur, a good swordsman with a mother waiting at home; fooled into believing these same lies. Then there was Nicolas, his archery skills were outstanding but wasted on me and he was by far the smartest of your bunch but he was still foolish enough to believe their lies."

"There was also Tasha.... Natasha Coleman: aged 16 and a truly talented girl for her age. She reminded me of my daughter: resilient and tenacious, strong willed and determined. Yet they overlooked her age like the rest, built up her hatred and sent her in to die."

John listened attentively but his brain failed to truly understand the words that the man spoke. Still it registered the bitter tone in which he spoke, it registered the pain and anger on his face.

  Recalling these details brought him pain as well. Why would he feel pain for his victims, people he killed? And what was this nonsense about him not being Chosen?

Yes, they must be lies.

John refused to believe it. He had been chosen, this was a certainty!

"After that came dozens of you, children barely through their teens, talented every one of them but they all bore the same hatred and delusion: they were Chosen and they would bring my reign of tyranny to an end. I remember all their names."

By this point, he was at the end of the staircase that led down from the throne to where John was kneeling.

"I will ask you the same question I asked them- Who chose you? Was it not men? Was it not the foolish brother of mine clinging to the throne he convinced himself was his? What makes you special except for the fact that out of the many youths, you were singled out to die?"

The Usurper's voice kept slowly rising like his anger but John wasn't listening anymore. He was trying to figure out how to break out.

  The villain had finally started his monologue. This was his chance!

"They gave you an impossible task and provided you with nothing but hate and delusions of grandeur and you took it gingerly and ran to my doorstep asking to be killed."

"Why must you all be so hopelessly stupid?! Can you not see the truth?!" The scream jolted John back to his senses and he realized how close the Usurper was to him.

Chance!

He twisted his way out of the guards hands like a viper, his actions quick and lithe. In one fluid movement, he had disarmed the a guard and sent him flying with a kick- this was what it meant to be Chosen!

Before the Usurper could react, he had stabbed out and his sword was buried in his chest.

John grinned. He had done it. He had fulfilled his mission. He was truly the Chosen One that would bring an end to the Usurper King.

...

"You teenagers are all truly impulsive..."

The words shocked him beyond despair and into panic. This was the Usurper's voice and it didn't sound in the least bit strained.

"Did you even listen to the words I spoke or were your ears stuffed with your hatred?" the Usurper asked rhetorically.

John looked at the man he stabbed pull the sword out of his chest like it was nothing and his mind shook.

What was this???

The Usurper sighed.

"Even fate chooses its favorites and you are not one of them. This is the sad truth. You are talented, yes, but you needed time to grow into that talent. Sadly though, you were dealt a bad hand and played it instead of folding."

John struggled to speak but couldn't find any words. He just couldn't understand. The Usurper could not be killed?

"I cannot die. My brother, knowing that still sent you here to torment me for this is all he can do to retaliate. I have taken his kingdom and he has vowed to take my conscience. You were but a pawn."

"In consolation, you were Chosen- sadly you were chosen to die. It was an unfair and unnecessary choice."

John didn't know what was happening but he couldn't accept it. There must be a way to kill the Usurper and stop him from spewing this nonsense.

He sent out a kick hoping to use it to create some distance between him and the Usurper King but the reverse happened. His kick was blocked and his leg was used to pull him closer as the same sword he stole from the guard was plunged into his heart.

He felt the cold steel in him. Being this close to the Usurper King, he saw the tears in his eyes as well.

He could also feel his breathing slowing down and his thoughts slowly becoming muddled.

How did it end up like this?

He was Chosen...

"I will remember you, John Salvo, Chosen One. This much I can promise you, sadly."

This was the last thing he heard.

#orionheights shortstories