Ardin, after being cared for by the very residents he would've once killed, despite his now monstrous appearance, was given a chance to break the curse. He must now protect those he once would've killed. Save the lands from the true evil that sometimes came to harm them. In doing so, he may redeem himself. In doing so, he may regain the humanity he once lost in his adventures. He may learn to have compassion once more.
Reference story: @internutter/challenge-03008-h085-thing-in-the-mirror -- Lessons
[AN: I have only just now realised that I changed the spelling of his name between tales. And even in tale. Yikes. Back to the original spelling in this one. Whoopsydoodle]
New Hope had a new guardian. He wore simple rags, and walked the borders of the haven for all of those with good alignment, but evil appearance. The outcast, the reviled, those who are frequently viewed as villains, or merely those who have been trying their hearts and souls away to be good and are tired of being viewed as evil anyway.
Some arrive under the escort of those who left to find others like them. Some arrive in the arms of others who just found them, and know where they will belong. Some flee there with whatever they could get along the way. Some come begging, not certain if the rumours are true. One came in a cage, carrying it all the way there because they could not break it or the lock. There is only one who looks like they belong there, but is certain they don't.
His name used to be Arden the Protector. He is still trying to decide what to call himself now, besides monster. He has no weapon and will not touch one. He only eats when it hurts too much not to. He sleeps when exhaustion forces it on him. Most of the time, he weeps. His self-appointed task is to guard New Hope until his curse is broken. He has become a nightmarish amalgam of all the monsters he has slain without due cause. He views every weapon he touches as 'soiled' but no effect passes in that way from him to a blade.
When adventurers come to rout out a nest of monsters, the creature that was once Arden the Protector still protects. He protects those he used to view as monsters. He sees their intentions, weighs their actions in his balance, and acts with appropriate force. He tells those who have been mislead the truth. He fights those who would kill the innocent anyway. He does not like to kill. That, he says, stains him more.
He cannot guard all of New Hope at once, and they all know this. There is a system of summoning runes if trouble is coming where he is not. The citizens of New Hope only activate them if it is a true emergency.
The adventurers have been rare, lately, though that hasn't stopped the creature's permanent patrol. The latest to approach without apparent cause was a maiden. She carried a bread-knife, but it was in her basket. What she was doing as she walked was spinning with a spindle. She didn't seem alarmed as he blocked her path.
"So," she said, winding her work up on its shaft. "You're the monster everyone fears. The grizzly guardian of the gruesome."
"That is not my name," said the creature.
"I figured. They sent me because they think I'm pure of heart. Apparently, I'm either going to tame you, or be your lunch."
The creature made himself as comfortable as he could given his twisted anatomy. "I do not eat intelligent creatures... and I am not wild."
"I told them as much."
"Then why are you here?"
"Five hundred gold to my family is hard to ignore."
He snorted. "Five hundred gold is not going to stop me protecting the innocent."
"They also want me to find out what happened to Arden the Protector."
"That... used... to be me." He told his story[1]. "For my misdeeds, I was cursed to be the true monster I am. Until such time as I understand... whatever that means."
She considered this. "I can work with that. A little bit of truth, a lot of embellishment. Perhaps I can keep all but the really stupid ones from bothering you. Give you time to think about things, at least."
"I have not been good at thinking," confessed Arden.
"Evidently," said the maiden. "And thank you."
"Whatever for?"
"For the new story." She got out her work once more. "I'm sort of a Bard, I guess. I'm great at spinning a yarn."
"Have I not suffered enough?" the creature begged.
"You're right. You need better company. Someone to help you think it through." She gestured a farewell and started on her way back. "See you in one turn of the moon."
For the first time since he was cursed... he had something to look forward to.
[1] For those who want to know, take a look back.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / drohn]
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