This story does not have a happy ending, as you'll soon learn.
The heroes of this story, some of them any way, win in the end. Perhaps some of them will survive to pass the story down to the next generation of heroes. The story will be told like some sort of old legend, Beowulf, maybe. Storming into battle, heads held high. Blows striking, shots being fired. Everyone acting bravely and chivalrous.
But that is not how it actually happens. Some heroes are cowards going into battle, scared for their lives, the lives of their friends. The lives of the people they have come to consider family. That's what they say about being a hero, right? It's being scared and going anyway?
Whoever said that probably never faced down a demon army.
Some will turn tail and run before the blows even begin and though no one stops them (though a few will try to call them back), they will remember running away till the day they die. Abandoning people they care about to save their own skins. That's punishment enough.
This story does not end with the knight returning to his lady fair. They do not share a chaste kiss, she does not embrace him, they do not marry in the springtime in a garden of flowers surrounded by friends and well wishers.
He does tell her he loves her though.
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Facing her on the battle field is possibly his worst nightmare come true. She's taught him how to hunt, been there to patch him up when the hunt got too rough, made sure his head stays firmly on his shoulders. To be facing her in battle hurts worse than a thousand knives cutting into his skin.
Her hair hangs in her face and her eyes can be seen behind that curtain, shining as golden as her hair is. She smirks and it's nothing like the smirk she used to give him if he made some nerdy reference to a movie or TV show. No, this smirk is cold and cruel and unforgiving. The demon inside her is loving the torment he feels, knowing he cannot save her. Knowing he can only end her suffering by snuffing out the demon inside.
Hello Andy, she coos, flashes teeth with a smile.
Hello Jo.
He can manage no more. If he says anything about cutting her down or 'saving her', it will surely break him and he can't break yet. Breaking is what the demon wants him to do and he can't allow that.
For her sake, at least.
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Heroes die in battle.
Sometimes this is ignored, for the sake of the happy ending promised, but there's no sugar coating here. This story does not have a happy ending and so, heroes die in battle. On both sides, good and evil. They are cut down like wheat while their friends what.
One can only hope that fuels their fire and that, before they die, they take down some one else with their axe or sword.
Because that just means one less evil being in this world, before the hero gets his eternal rest.
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He ignores the shots and screams around him. One distraction and this demon will be upon him, not give him another chance to get the first blow in. Jo taught him that in her training. Strike first, if you can manage it. Never surrender, never give up.
She gives a mocking laugh, as if she knows he's thinking back to their training days before she rushes at him.
And he digs into her.
The slice on her arm steams and she hisses in pain, tearing away from him and clutching it. He glares at her and holds the silver knife up. The runes carved into the silver can be seen, shining despite the lack of light.
You came prepared.
If he were stupid, he'd think she was praising him for thinking ahead. Arming himself with a silver knife, blessed by many. The knife she presented to him when he 'passed' his training.
And all he had given her was a kiss.
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The fires set by many are dying down now and the wounded are being tended to. You will not find this hero amongst any burning bodies or being bandaged and scolded. No, this hero has fallen next to his maiden, her blow taking his life as she has taken his.
They lay fallen next to one another, her golden hair fanning out behind her like a halo. He beside her, fallen on his stomach, staring at her even in death. His lips still parted from his dying words. Telling her that he still loved her, despite the demon that took her body.
Perhaps, in a way, this story does have a happy ending.