Prologue

Once a long time ago I met someone who told me that sometimes its okay to be selfish. That sometimes you should put your own desires first. Sometimes it's the others who will have to wait and let you take care of your own things first. I followed that person. For a very long time. And I would've followed him to the end of time and back again.

I loved that person. Not in a romantical way. No. In the most platonic way possible. Like how an astrologer loves the stars, how a sailor loves the sea, how a farmer loves the land. And in a way ... I needed him. Like I needed air to breathe.

I spend many years of my life with him. Even if others of my kind will say that it was but a blink of an eye. After all we live so much longer than humans. But to me those years were precious. And I like to remember them as a very long time.

I travelled with him to tell about the amazing adventures he had to tell. Originally I never wanted to write these stories down. After all stories are so much better when they are told at campfire. But his story didn't end how I would've wanted it to end. How it deserved to end. And nowadays many people don't even think of my old friends as heroes anymore.

If you are not one of those, then this book will maybe help you see your hero in a new light. Not in a better or worse light. But in a different one. After all even he was a person first and a hero second.

But if you are one of those that believe my old friend to have been nothing more than a murderer, please continue to read. I didn't change what happened. All of this is my recollection of the events. And those should help you see what sort of predicament my old friend was in at the time. And I hope when you've read the last page of this book and closed it that you will see him differently too. That you remember all those stories you heard as a child. Of a great hero.

Because that is what this is. The story of a great hero.

I dedicate this work to all those that stood beside me as we walked the paths no one else wanted to walk.

Kos, Velya, Erin. I'm sorry for these last few months. I know I neglected my duties and the three of you did everything you could to support me. You never once complained and just continued doing your work diligently. Thank you.

Veris, Halia. Thank you for all the times you stayed up late or got up early, just to make sure I eat properly. No matter how much time passed, you two never gave up on reminding me that even I need to rest.

Mother, Father. You never played any role in my life. You just set me onto a path that was made up of domino pieces before sending me tumbling along that path. You two are dicks. Thank you for all the times you made me smile, even if I didn't know it was because of you two.

Delmar, Rhys, Shirin. You will never read these words. And I was always someone who said the right words far too late. But still ... thank you. For loving me. For being my family. For letting me love you. I will always keep you in my memory as we were on that faithful day.

And now that that's out of the way ... let's begin telling your story.