[center][h1][b]Interlude IV[/b][/h1]
[h3][i][b][Mountain Stars II][/b][/i]
[b]Hero / [color=9e0b0f]Monster[/color][/b][/h3][/center]
He could not explain it.

He had felt the waves of that concealed combat, he had perceived the existence of the monster, but that alone was not enough to justify him coming here in person. Why had he done so? It defied all reason. It was as if [i]something[/i] had spurred him along to do so, as if a wish formed by billions had pushed him forwards.

It was for this reason that he stood there. It was for this reason that he faced something he now recognized. Yes, there was no doubt.

This was not merely a monster. This was a Monster. This was a [color=9e0b0f]Monster with the authority to devour all heroes[/color]. 

Standing before it, he felt a mad maelstrom of emotions. Incredulity, denial, rage, melancholy, nostalgia, but above all of those was a pure, primal [b]terror[/b]. 

"...that spear..."

...but, none of these were due to the Monster.

In the first place, no Monster could make him [b]fear[/b] like this. The worst that it could do was kill. It was simply a beast of destruction and power, regardless of how much it eclipsed him. That did not matter to him. That could not matter to him. 

No, the terror was from the object in the Monster's possession.

It was worse than he had imagined. Infinitely worse. It was, without question, 'the most terrifying thing in this world'. 

He had merely thought that what was here was a monster. 

However. 

That spear was something else entirely. 

That spear was something that reached for a star beyond such trite words as heroes and monsters. 

[b]That spear was a prayer for the end of the world.[/b]

A torn laugh nearly sliced its way from his throat. How fitting, how heart-wrenchingly fitting that he'd see this again. 

He could not oppose it. He was weak. He was hopelessly, pointlessly weak. If the prayer of that spear was realized, that would be it. They would all be gone. Not merely him, not merely humans, but all of them. Their lives, their creations, their world itself would become dust. 

There will be no books singing praises of their heroes. 

There will be no statues vaunted in their name. 

There will be no children to carry on their story.

Yes, he was helpless to stop that prayer after it had been realized.

...but, for now, that had not come to pass. So, there was a chance. A fraction of a chance existed to prevent that inescapable end from falling upon this planet. 

His eyes glinted with a feral madness that found itself mirrored in the Monster's eyes. A single misstep here would be fatal, not merely for him but for 'everything'.

Well...I suppose it's time, then.

[b]Time to be a real hero for once.[/b]