Maleficus

A Fable Fanfiction

By: Ryan B. Cooper

The Hero walked with the Guildmaster to the experience pool. All knew that if they delved long enough inside the pool's ray, knowledge and power unknown would come to them. As the Hero entered the pool, the Guildmaster spoke, "First, you must select the area in which you wish to train. Strength, Skill, or Will."

Slowly, the Hero thought of the choices inside his mind. Strength, the power to defeat his enemies with melee weapons. Skill, the power to defeat his enemies with ranged weapons. Will, the power to defeat his enemies with magic power. He remembered a time he had a talk with the Guildmaster as a child. 'When a Hero chooses an area to train in, he also chooses his lifestyle. Any choice you make that day will ultimately affect how you save or destroy.'

The Hero closed his eyes, "Strength."

"Ah, you've chosen strength. You could be a powerful melee fighter. Now choose the one of the three aspects of strength."

The Hero had studied every aspect with detail, knowing which to choose on instinct. "I wish to improve the power of my attacks."

The Guildmaster nodded, "Very well. It has been granted unto you."

The Hero walked out of the pool, feeling the strength course through him. He soon was standing by the Guildmaster, walking to the entry doors of the Guild. "There is little else for me to teach you. It is time you took your place in this world." He faced the Hero. "There is a quest card in the map room. If you wish, you may take it."

He placed a hand on the Hero's shoulder. "Now go. Make a name for yourself. And if you ever need my guidance, just ask."

The Hero nodded, grasping the arm of the kind old man. He smiled, walked to the map table, grabbed the quest card, and walked out.

The area outside the Guild was bright and cheerful. It gave an inner peaceful feeling to the Hero. It irritated him to the core. The gloomy halls of the Guild gave him a place of solace and contemplation. Through these times of solace, he thought of the Oakvale Raid. The fires that scorched the buildings now scorched his mind. The death of everybody there drove him to the peaks of anger. If he ever found the leader of those bandits, he would kill him.

No matter the cost.

Soon, his focus returned as a man ran towards him, frantically waving his arms. "Hurry! They're in the picnic area! Please, you've got to save my friends!"

Needing no other warning, he ran to the picnic area, armed with his iron long sword. Not a few seconds after he entered the area, screams filled his ears and the images of wasps attacking villagers flashed in front of his eyes. He removed his blade and ran at the nearest wasp, striking it down with ease.

The thankful villager fell to his knees, "Thank you! I'll tell everyone about you!"

Just then, as the man was standing up, a strange alien thought entered his mind. Kill him.

The thought enticed the Hero, and ever so quickly, he swung his blade upon the man. The blade tore through the man like tissue, and the man's head sprawled to the ground, and blood sprayed like a fountain. The Hero felt a strange delight and pleasure at the death of the man, but was distracted by the shriek of the next villager. He ran to their aid, killing the wasps around her. Once again, as the woman bore her thanks, the thought entered his mind.

Kill her.

He ran his blade through her stomach, removing it and chopping the remaining wasps in half. The woman's entrails fell to the ground, and the wasps blood stuck to his blade and clothing. He searched for more wasps, and when he spotted none, he turned and left. Not soon after he took a few steps, the sound of large beating wings came from behind him.

As he flipped around, the giant Wasp Queen sat flying in front of his eyes, its large stinger was poised and dripping with poison. Blade still in hand, he prepared his battle stance and rushed to the grotesque insect. As he neared it, it swung in a large spiral, sending him sprawled on the cobblestones by the picnic tables. As he stood up, the Wasp Queen charged at him, stinger aimed at his chest.

He rolled out of the way, watching as the Queen flew head first into a tree, destroying a picnic table in its way. He once again ran at the Wasp Queen, sword aimed for the pincer. This time, his sword tasted the Queen's blood, sliding quite simply through the Wasp's flesh. It squealed in pain as he removed the blade, and then began hacking at the monster.

Once again, it spun, but the Hero easily maneuvered around the attack, then jumped into the air and stabbed the Queen in the head. As she screamed once again, he pulled downward as he fell, tearing the Wasp Queen in half. The screams diminished as sword finally pulled through the thorax, and the lifeless, split body fell to the ground.

The Hero sat there, barely breaking a sweat as he felt the bruise on his chest, where the Wasp Queen had collided with him. Blood was clearly shown on his body, but it didn't matter. Villagers gathered around him, cheering as they observed the amateur spectacle. Some cheered and some cowered, as they had seen the bodies, and the wounds that were surely not made by the insects. He stood there smiling, taking in the moment of glory. Suddenly, one of the villager's comments cut in his mind, "What's your name, Hero?"

He thought for a moment. What was his name? It had been so long since he had been called by his name. In the Guild he was only referred to as 'Boy' or 'Hero', even 'Farmboy' by Whisper. He had to think of a name for himself, something that would stick and be remembered by the ages.

"My name is…Maleficus." His deep voice replied.

"Maleficus." The people murmured, some in awe and some in fear.

He nodded as he sheathed his sword and walked by the people. He would return to the Guild and let the people discuss his victory and spread it throughout Bowerstone and surrounding towns. However, now he had started to make a name for himself.

Maleficus.

Author's Note: I would like to thank Lyle the Saber for giving me awesome advice on how to improve this story. (If you're reading this Lyle, this is for you now!) I'm basically trying to do the whole story (minus the introduction) with a few adjustments. Keep reading if you want to see what they are! Thanks everyone, and please, all critique is welcomed!