I'm a hero

Unfortunately, if you'd compare me to other heroes, you'd be incredibly disappointed.

Yes, who would've thought that the King would choose me to slay the terrifyingly ferocious dragon that wrecked utter havoc on Deccelapines.

Sure, with a name like Alexander Grand, you'd assume that I'm some noble hero, out to save the townsfolk from this savage beast.

And just like I said, you would've been tremendously disappointed.

Because the truth is: I, Alexander, am just a thirteen year old boy.

Yes, I know. It's incredulous that the King chose me out of everyone who was begging him to let them destroy this dragon.

He could've chosen one of them, but somehow, His Majesty decided that I was fit to vanquish the monster.

And up to this point, I don't have even the slightest idea what he saw in me. I don't exactly know why King Luke entrusted the lives of his subjects into the hands of a meek child, who had no experience in slaying beasts whatsoever.

Yet here I am, painstakingly thinking for a brilliant way to reach the dragon's lair, which is surrounded by an enormous mass of rocks and lava.

See, the dragon lives inside a dark burrow that rested nearby an volcano. As far as my knowledge takes me, the volcano last erupted around a hundred years ago, and it supposedly formed a deadly dragon out of it's burning hot lava.

That must've explained why the dragon survived in such conditions. I couldn't bear to stay near the lava for more than a couple of minutes, so I examined the lair and attempted to cleverly sum up an approach from a distance.

I sighed and slid a disheveled brown satchel off my shoulder. It was made by my mother for this purpose.

Sticking my hand inside it, I tried grasping around for anything that could possibly be of use.

Alas, I only carried around a handful of coins and a sword that I could barely lift.

"This is, without a doubt, pointless." I declared.

Yes, I had a pessimistic attitude and an awfully sarcastic way of words. I surely wasn't the most courteous child in the kingdom.

However, there was certainly something about this undeniably impossible quest I had been sent on that made me tingle in excitement. It was probably the tempting opportunity to prove my worth to everyone, or maybe the promised fame. And who knows? I might even get the attractive girl who I definitely wished would take note of my existence.

I slipped my hand into one of my tiny pockets and felt around for the familiar touch of a ruby.

When I was a young lad, and I dared to wander around Deccelapines endless fields, searching far and wide for anything to do other than sit around the cottage helping Mother sew, I stumbled across a gorgeous ruby by chance.

I've kept it since then, and it's been my charm. I wouldn't dare to add the word "Lucky," there, because it hasn't really done anything extraordinary.

I pulled it out of my pocket and glanced at it's brilliant red shimmer.

Rage filled me, and I hurled the ruby to the ground and watched in petrifying terror as it smashed into a hundred pieces.

"Worthless little piece of rubbish!" I yelled at it. I must've looked like a fool, but I didn't care.

And suddenly, something utterly impossible happened—

Silvery streams started slowly inching out of the shatters. My eyes widened in curiosity, and I carefully brushed the silvery light.

And it stuck to me. The streams of light were suddenly attached to my hand. I certainly couldn't feel them, but I could see them.

And as far as I knew, there was only one unreasonable explanation for this occurrence.

Magic.

"Is it really magic?" I whispered to myself. Unsurprisingly, I didn't get any response. "Well then, let's test it."

I held out my hand towards a small rock.

Nothing happened at first, but I wasn't letting up.

"Move," I muttered, intensely concentrating.

And the rock started slowly raising itself off the ground. It was incredible! I was now assured there was no other reason but magic.

•

And suddenly, I found myself standing outside the dragon's burrow, desperately praying that it wouldn't be tempted to turn me into it's next dish.

So I held my head high and marched inside without another doubt.

And yet all my hesitations came back once I saw the terrifying monster I was approaching.

The dragon was enormous. It had menacing ash black and red scales, and it's eyes were as red as the pieces of my ruby.

It noticed me and growled menacingly. It's eyes glittered with delight as they focused on me and my meekness. And yet, I still held my head high and stood tall like some deranged lunatic.

"Hello." I said weakly.

It snorted, almost like it was teasing me for being such an idiot.

"I've been sent here to slay you!"

The dragon didn't do anything at all.

"You're just making a huge waste of your time," It said with it's raspy voice.

A gasp escaped me. "You have the ability to speak?"

"Yes. Although no ones ever really understood my words before. This is my payment for my foolishness." It nodded it's huge head.

I sat down on the ash covered floor. "Payment? What for?"

The dragon sighed. It closed it's blood red eyes and started speaking once more.

"I was once a young man." It spoke. "I lived in a time when the kingdoms of Deccapines and Hesatom were enemies. I was born and raised in Hesatom, and yet I never agreed with the unpeaceful banter between your homeland and mine. And so I grew up and became a man. Eventually, all thoughts I had of peace between Deccapines and Hesatom disappeared, and I was sent to rob Deccapines' royal family."

I gaped at the dragon. It never really came to attention that it might've had a history and life just like all the rest of us.

"I managed to sneak into the castle without calling anyone's attention. I swiftly made my way into the castle's throne room—Where all the magnificent treasures are kept. And so I opened one chest and behold the largest amount of gold and silver I've ever seen. It was like I've struck gold. I was sure I would please Hesatom greatly. And just as I scooped up as much gold as I could carry, I heard shouting. I made a dash for it, running across the castle, finding an exit."

It paused for a while and shook it's head, as if moaning about it's past choices.

"I escaped the castle, but the guards had seen me. They chased me madly, yelling. I knew that it would only be a matter of minutes before the guards clambered aboard their horses and chased after me once more. And so I ran. I ran endlessly, crossing the fields, brief forests and towns. Upon seeing the crest of Hesatom that was sown unto my clothing, and the golden loot I was carrying, the townsfolk would yell and curse on me and the kingdom I resided in. One particular elderly lady yelled a jinx on me. She cursed all dishonesty and arrogance I had. She cursed all my wrongdoings to surface and mock me forever. And she locked it with a spell. I neared a volcano after some while. I was exhausted and frightened, so I collapsed there."

I listened to every word the dragon said. I knew there was no way this could've been a lie, because it said it's tale with so much sincere emotion.

"And the volcano erupted right then. I tried running again, but the lava just flowed out of it too quickly. Eventually, I drowned it the searing lava, but instead of scorching me, my skin absorbed it. After a while, I turned into what I am now—A terrifyingly ugly beast that everyone hates. The old lady's curse became reality."

It ended it's story and silence fell upon us.

I stood up and faced it. Somehow, I found the hard task of looking it in the eye much easier now that I've heard what it has to say.

"I won't slay you." I said. "I can't bring myself to hurt you, now that I know there is a person inside you."

The dragon sighed. "Bless you, lad. But I feel like I deserve the pierce of your weapon. Look at what I've become! A reckless beast that doesn't have anything else to do but travel from kingdom to kingdom, bringing terror and fear. I've become a monster, boy."

"But what if I told you that you could restart your life." I blurted. "I have magic, and I refuse to kill you. So what if I could turn you back to a normal human?"

•

And so, all went well. I turned the dragon back into a human and took him to the King.

He explained what had happened a hundred years ago and the King pardoned him, and allowed him to return to Hesatom.

I was rewarded by the royal family and a huge celebration was held throughout Deccapines.

And as for you, the one reading this right now—Let my story prove that even the unlikeliest of people can do the greatest deeds