Cowardice

And the last we heard of him, was yet again nothing.

Let us move back a little in time, for hindsight, is perfect, and perhaps stories should be. So back at where we last left our hero. Betrayed by his sword, and cut by his own blade, our hero was back to where he first began, without a sword and without a name of his own. Troubled by his past and pessimistic of the future, the hero travelled across the great ocean, 'to find his name again', as the local bard will say. Others yet will say, he is running from this land too familiar to him, too many bad memories some would say.

But to this new land he went, alone, and unarmed. But people here did not welcome him as the barbarian, he was the barbarian no more in his polished steel, his earthly wisdom, and his new-found charisma. The only person the barbarian did not find comfortable with is perhaps himself. Underneath the greetings and politeness he knows that the barbarian still hides somewhere, between the cracks on the floor, and above the ceiling boards.

Into recluse our hero went. He had a few friends, with whom he would gather sometimes to feast and to dine. He had a few needs, provided for by the new rich land beyond his requirements without end. He had even fewer wants, still wounded by his brush in the past. He was healing, some would argue he has healed, but we all know an injured arm will never be as good as the uninjured one.

But then one day, our hero decides to take a walk in the forest around his home to just have a look around. What harm would it cause you may ask. And truth be told, no harm came about. In fact, something a little wondrous happened.

There in the forest, in a little clearing, lies a sword emitting an eerie glow, not unlike his original sword. And though the sword did not call for him like it did last time, It was a really beautiful sword. And in the barbarian rose a little feeling. 'How nice it would be to hold a sword again', he asked himself in his head. He crept closer to the sword. It shone brighter to him. He knows that perhaps this is the sword for him.

So, we all know what happens after this.

But no. Instead of picking up the sword. The barbarian walks away, in cowardice.

He is still no knight after all.