[Translated from Ancient Farlsian]
Tuesday
Doctor Anton, the mental healer at the school, recommended that I write stuff down. Something about helping me to adjust to the future. I haven’t before because… I thought I was doing fine. But in class today I panicked and started writing in Farlsian. There were questions that I didn’t know and suddenly I was thinking of everyone I left behind and I-
I will start at the beginning. Hopefully the Doctor is correct and writing will help me process my thoughts.
The instructor, Sergeant Surge, had us fill out this paper on Hero Basics. People ask us to fill out a lot of papers at school. Even Doctor Anton made me fill papers out before we could talk. But I suppose that the science of the future makes it easy to produce. Anyways. The form seemed simple enough.
Name: Kiln
Superhero Name: Blank. I am me. There is no reason for me to have a second name.
Motivation to be a hero:
…
…
Am I a hero? Back home, I simply did what I had to. Fought evil. Protected my people. But my people are gone. They disappeared to who knows where. Maybe they all died.
Was it my fault? Could I have done something? Played some critical role? Done anything to have saved my friends? My people?
Is there anything I can do now?
…
Gnega. He… he waited all those years to finally defeat Fluvis. Yet here I am, running around this strange future. Filling out sheets of paper. Living peacefully.
When was the last time I had peace? They expect so little of me here. Wake up. Go to class. Do work. Sleep. Repeat. I am simply floating along the river of time. What more is there for me to do?
At first - when I first woke up - I was dead set on fixing the Relic. But I do not know how it works. No one does. Even the expert mages who studied it thought it would heal me, but instead it sent me here, to this strange future! Can it even send me back? My people. My friends. My home. Will I ever see it again?
Would I be able to face them if I did?
…
This… peace… That I’ve been living in. What did I do to deserve it? Nothing. I failed my people when they needed me the most. I should be fighting tooth and nail to return home. To fix my mistake.
When I saw Gnega, I realized that I had become complacent. Become attached.
The people here, they are strange. Yet they welcomed me. Gave me a chance to build a new life. No expectations.
All my life, I have been told that I would become a knight, just as those before me. It was what was expected of me. I love my people and would gladly die for them again. But… a small part of me wonders… If I didn’t have to be a knight… Might I be something else? Someone else? Or is the only path before me that of war and bloodshed.
How could I possibly face my people while my thoughts race to desert them?
…
But here… Here I have that chance. A chance to start fresh. Where I don’t have to be a soldier. But even then, where does that path lead? They ask me my reason for being a hero, but I am not one. I am only doing what must be done. What even is a hero? My friends here, they tell me of heroes. Roddy speaks of Powertronic, talking for hours and hours of his exploits, while Alex shares moving pictures of heroes. Yet are they not simply doing what needs to be done? How does that make one a hero?
I do not know. Maybe if I stay in this school I will learn what they mean.
Yet by this strange definition, my friends are already heroes.
Joey speaks of his heart and his desire to do the right thing. He worries about his body, thinking people see a monster. Little does he know that monsters often come in the shape of man. He will do good. He cares about people, regardless of his gruff exterior. Can I claim the same love for mankind?
Mette works hard for the sake of others, even leaving her time in the hopes of saving those unknown to her. We are both out of time, but she… she stands above time. Seeing it all. Trying to save as many people as she can. I am awash in time. Drowning. Running from my responsibilities.
I do not know if Alex is a hero. They remind me much of myself. They have their orders to follow, just as I have. Did. I abandoned my duty. I remain here while my people die. They complete their orders and protect us at the same time. They… do not seem entirely with us, but I trust them nevertheless. They will make the right decision when the time comes. And by this strange futures definition, doesn’t that make them a hero?
Roddy truly is a hero. He throws himself headfirst into every situation. Risking himself for the sake of others. He does not do so on anyone’s orders, but rather for the sake of the individual. For every single person he can. I cannot compare to him.
I cannot compare to any of them. I am not a hero.
But for the sake of this world that I’ve found myself in. For the people who have provided me with a home. For my friends who have willingly placed their lives in my hands. I will be a hero. I will fight to protect all that I can.
I do not know if I can return home. I do not know what might await me there if I did. But until my time comes, I will follow this new path before me, wherever it may lead,
I am a hero.