Five years after the battle of Monument Tower, Marco Flores wasn't much of a young man any more. Not that twenty was an old age by any means. But Marco's "friends" from back then were celebrated Heroes with several major victories under their belt. Leo was of course known throughout the kingdom. Nissa was engaged to be married. Others still were having babies.
Marco, meanwhile, had a window in a small, lonely room.
From his window, he could see almost the entire city of Sunheight stretch out below him. Sunheight was the capital city of the the Kingdom of Irelios, named because it was built on the highest point in the land. Or, to be precise, the more important buildings like the palace and Monument Tower were built on the highest points in the land. The land that Sunheight was built on was naturally stacked, like giant steps made of earth. The people of old built the palace at the very top and the homes of the peasants on the bottom. They must have thought they were clever, Marco thought, building the city so that potential invaders would be fighting a literal uphill battle. It also meant that the common folk always had to look up and remember that the nobility were above them.
Marco happened to be on a higher plane, working in a rather important building himself. Although he would be quick to say that the building was important, not his job. His job was entirely mundane, which is why he often found himself gazing wistfully out the window.
It was more of the same today. The summer sun threw a sweltering heat over Sunheight, and the people lazily went about their routines. Traders hawked their wares in the market, children played in the streets, and mothers barely minded them. With nothing of interest going on, Marco found his attention drawn directly across from his window to the palace.
The palace always drew Marco's attention. Its white stone was as pristine as the day it was built. Marco read that it was enchanted to never dirty or even be scratched. But it wasn't its beauty that caught his eye. It was the people. Even though, at his distance from the palace, he could really only see the people as little dots going to and fro.
Still, he envied those dots. He imagined them to be Heroes leaving to go on epic quests and coming back to claim their rewards. He couldn't help but think of what life would be like if even one of those orphans saw him back then. It would be him going to the palace to claim rewards...
"Marco!"
Marco snapped out of his daydream, and back to the tiny room in the Irelios library where he worked. His boss, a toothless old man in a blue robe named Sebastian, glowered over him. "Another afternoon passes with you staring out that window I see."
"My apologies, sir. But I've made good progress–"
The old man put up a hand. "Enough. Honestly, in all my years, I've never seen anyone copy books as quickly as you can. But I've also never seen anyone lose themselves in fantasy as often as you."
He looked out the window, tracing Marco's gaze to the palace.
"What makes the palace so interesting to you anyway?" When Marco didn't answer, Sebastian continued. "Perhaps I should have a wall built over this window. Then you'd actually work enough to earn what I pay you."
"You just said I was the fastest worker you've ever had," Marco replied.
"You'd be faster if you actually cared about your job. And you should. Who else would give Marco the Coward work?"
Marco winced. At first, Sebastian didn't know the story of Marco the Coward. The library was his life. He even slept there, so he didn't get out much to take part in gossip. But one day, as Marco was entering the library, someone did him the kindness of shouting out Marco the Coward. Once Sebastian learned its meaning, it became his favorite way to "motivate" Marco.
Seeing Marco pick up his quill and resume working, Sebastian nodded in satisfaction. "Whatever life you dream about, it won't happen. No palace. No Heroes. This job is your life. Understood?"
Marco didn't respond. Instead he tried his best to write neatly without letting his emotions show.
Sebastian grabbed the quill from his hand. "I asked you a question. Do you understand me?"
"Yes sir," Marco replied coldly.
"Good." Sebastian tossed him the quill. "By the way, once you finish copying that book, I need you to make a delivery. I don't care how late it gets, it's important."
****
At sundown, the people of Sunheight started to retreat into their homes. Or the pubs. But even as the streets were emptying, Marco was skulking through the alleyways, delivering books on Sebastian's orders.
When he was first branded as Marco the Coward, he couldn't go out in public with facing ridicule. He developed the habit of taking alleys and side streets everywhere he went to avoid meeting other people.
The path he was taking now was particularly empty. He went past a set of stables where travelers could rent horses. No one was looking to travel at night, and the horses didn't mind Marco one way or the other. To the sounds of them munching on their dinner, Marco looked at the two books he was meant to deliver.
One was a hefty treatise on the benefits and risks of magic on the kingdom's economy. It was a dull read, Marco knew because he was forced to transcribe it a year ago.
The other was a rarity, a book even Marco had never seen before. Titleless and covered with a glowing magic circle, its contents were a mystery. Sebastian specifically told Marco not to open it or he would "be in for a whopping! And not just from me firing you!" Naturally he tried to open it as soon as he left, but before he even cracked it he felt an ominous force push back at him.
Suddenly Marco was knocked to the ground.
"Move!"
A hooded figure ran past Marco and towards the stable. They went to a horse and seemed to be trying to untie it.
"Usually you have to pay first," Marco said as he got up.
"Ssh!"
The figure looked at him. Under the hood, he could make out a woman's face. She looked panicked as she shushed him.
"There she is!"
"Get her!"
Marco turned around just in time to be shoved down again. This time it was three men. Two stocky guys led by a skinny robed man with a huge nose. One of the big guys grabbed the girl just as she was about to mount the horse. With little effort, he pulled her off and threw her over his shoulder.
"Do you know just who you're manhandling?" she cried as she flailed.
"Oh, we know exactly who you are," said the skinny man.
In her struggle, the hood came off her head. Now that he could get a good look at her, Marco could tell who she was too. A royal.
He didn't know her by name, but she had a tiara on her head. Even without that, her neat blonde hair and fair, pale skin gave her away as someone who had constant access to fresh food, a nice bed, and clean water to bathe in. She also had big brown eyes that were currently staring right at him.
"You!" she yelled. "A handsome reward for you if you free me from these ruffians."
All at once, three menacing glares locked on to Marco. The big-nosed man approached him. He flicked his wrist and a flame appeared in it. He said, "It would be in your best interest to scram."
Marco met his eyes, thin and threatening. Then, he looked to the girl's, wide and pleading.
"I think you're right," he said. He gathered his books, got up, and turned to leave. This wasn't his problem. He could just go tell the city guard and let them save her.
"What? You're running away? Coward!" she yelled as he walked away. She couldn't have known how perfect the word she chose was.
Marco stopped in his tracks. He wasn't a coward. It was just...the guard would be a lot more helpful than a library worker.
But she took the choice away when she added, "At least go warn the city guard or something!"
The big-nosed man's eye's went wide. "Hey you! Come here."
Marco cursed to himself. Stupid girl! That was his plan! He knew where the closest guard base was, and he could have had them there within moments. But by saying it out loud, all she did was put him in danger as well.
He turned around to see a magic flame and a big nose right in his face. "Sorry lad, but we've got an important job to do here. Can't risk you running your mouth."
Marco backed away from him. "No! Please...I'm just a simple library worker. I'm not important."
This made the big-nosed man laugh. "At least you're honest about it. You hear that, milady? Don't expect this one to be your hero."
The two bigger men joined in on the laughter at Marco's expense.
It stung but it was true. Over the past five years, Marco was reminded many times that he wasn't a Hero. He was a commoner that would never go to the palace. He was a library worker. He was a coward.
He looked at the girl sadly, as if to apologize. Then he saw it. She looked at him like he was a disgusting bug. It was the same look Leo gave him that day at Monument Tower. The same one people he didn't even know gave him on the street. The one that Sebastian gave him every day.
That look of disgust really pissed him off!
"I am!"
The men immediately stopped laughing. The big-nosed man said, "What?"
"I am a Hero!" Marco yelled. "I'm not a coward! I'm a Hero dammit!"
The big-nosed man produced a second flame in his other hand. "Oh so you wanna play Hero after all? Does this change your mind?"
"Bring it." Marco said as he held up the magic book from his delivery.
"You asked for it!" Big nose extended his hands, shooting the two flames out. They fused into a giant fireball that flew straight at Marco!
But Marco didn't even flinch. Instead, he opened the magic book.
Fwoom!
A crashing sound like that of an explosion rang out. But there was no fire, just an invisible force that came out from the pages and blasted the area in front of Marco. The fireball was instantly dissipated, but the force kept going and smashed into the big-nosed man. The power stirred up winds around Marco, so intense that he had to close his eyes.
He only opened them again when it was finally over. The alley was silent once more, save for the munching horses. Marco looked around.
The big-nosed man had been blasted away by the book, his body now laying contorted several feet away. One of the big men had landed in the stable. The horses bunched together on either side to make room for their unconscious new roommate. As for the other big man, he was lying face down on the ground with the girl on top of him. She was just getting up.
Marco went to her and offered his hand. "Are you alright, Milady?"
She sprung to her feet, ignoring his gesture.
"You work at the Irelious library?" she asked.
"I do," he replied. "But more importantly, I saved you. I'm a Hero."
She turned to look at him. "Take me to the library."
"What? Why would I–"
In one swift move, she pulled out a dagger and pointed it at his throat.
"I wasn't asking."