"They were right. They were all right, yet I didn't listen, why? Why!? Why would I not listen to those clearly wiser than I? I can see it so clearly now. Power is useless without Wisdom to guide it, and Courage to use it. Why didn't I hunt those two wretches down and kill them before they crushed all that I had acquired? Maybe I'll never know, but. I will be sure to extract revenge on those that held which I did not."
"This is too easy, dear mothers. The fabled 'Child of the Forest' is simply bringing them to me. Ha! By the end of this fortnight I will have all the power in the world."
"Child, be careful as to how you tread. Power is useful, but what about Wisdom and Courage? They after all do support Power."
"Ha, we'll see dear mothers."
I then marched out of the place I once called home. The Child of the Forest did exactly as she prophesied. She in all innocent Wisdom saw that which I could not. He in all his Courage fought past horrible monsters to achieve a goal a silly girl in a class above him guided him to achieve. She guided him and he found them. Idiots. Both of them.
"She has done well. She has alerted her attendant of my affairs. She hopes by this time tomorrow I will be dead with my head cleanly detached… She is a fool."
Let the chase begin.
"The Forest Boy has done well. She has escaped, and he has defended her. He won't tell me where she is, no. But I will find out sooner or later. No doubt."
"Courage, what an idiotic attribute to define one's character. The boy has succeeded, yet failed. In his infinite courageous foolishness he has left me a clear trail to them."
"To them, The Attributes; the bodily forms of Power, Wisdom, and Courage. They are now mine. These Attributes are the one thing in land to give me what I truly desire. I need only to reach out and tou- What!? No! How!? Where!? Where! Did that cursed artifact go!? Wait, what is this? Power, on my hand? Ha. Haha. Hahahahahaha."
"With this one Attribute, why would I need Courage, or Wisdom? I have all the power in the world! I'll be a king. No! An emperor! No! The ruler of the world! Haha! Not even a ruler, a God! I. Will. Be. A. God!"
"Six years. And the Forest Boy has yet to be found. Neither monster nor man has heard a whisper of her or him. It seems they have both failed. Courage and Wisdom, a joke of the Gods."
"Seven years have passed since that fateful day. Word rises from the south that someone has released a Guardian. Pah. One Guardian. At least Six are needed to destroy me, that and The Hero."
"Another Guardian has been released. I have sent men to investigate and it seems a hero is rising to defend the people from my loving rule. No matter I will send an assassin to deal with this."
The assassin failed.
"Three more Guardians have been released. This may be The Hero. I will send my mightiest monster to deal with this rebel."
"All the Guardians have been released! How is this possible!? How did a monster of shadow fall to a being of light!? Augh! I will handle this 'Hero' myself."
"She has shown herself! Ha! Without her The Hero is useless. With a flick of my fingers she will be where she belongs. In the one indestructible prison."
"The Hero has sneaked his way into this fortress. Once again, how? It matters not. I will finish the boy myself! Courage is useless compared to infinite power."
"The Hero has defeated me. The Hero, the Child of the Forest! Has beaten me! He may have won the battle, but not the war. Not yet. If I must fail, so must he."
With what power I have left in my body, I will destroy the one place I have called home for the past seven years. This boy may have foolhardy Courage, but Courage is not enough to stop a castle's crumbling.
"The Hero has succeeded, and I have fallen into this Purgatory the Guardians have created for me. I will rise again; as long as Power is mine I will hunt you and your descendants, child!"