The Coward of Magen Village

The Village Chief brought the quivering Lach away from the villagers. He quietly talked with him so that no one could hear their conversation.

"Lach, are you sure you want to be the next hero?"

Lach was surprised and looked at the village chief.

"Is that possible?" Lach asked as if he couldn't believe it.

"It doesn't matter if it's possible; it matters if this is what you want."

"Yes, I really want this." Lach nodded.

"But.."

"But what?"

"Village Chief...I...I hate to say this, but I would feel wrong if I didn't tell you. Maybe you will change your mind after I tell you."

"Oh, is it a big secret?"

"It's huge, and maybe you'll not only refuse to let me be the next hero...it could be that you might want to run me out of the village." Lach looked down at the ground.

The village chief scrutinized Lach. It was clear how worried Lach was about whatever bothered him.

"Go ahead and tell me."

"I'm afraid you may not realize this about me. I'm a pretty good actor after all, but..."

"Come on, out with it!" The Chief was getting impatient.

"Well, the truth is that I'm...well, I'm..."

"Just say it, Lach."

"I'm, I'm a coward, sir!" Lach finally admitted what he feared to tell anyone.

The village chief looked slightly surprised and repressed a smile.

"A coward, you're right; I might need to consult others about this. But if the others agree, this is what you want?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Lach looked at the village chief in confusion.

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to be a hero so bad? You've already admitted to being a coward. We both know that to be a hero, especially a hero tasked to bring justice to the world, you can't be a coward."

"It's true that cowards can't be heroes Chief. But I hope you can make an exception. With the power of a hero, I can prove that it wasn't for nothing." Lach said passionately to the Chief.

"What isn't for nothing?"

"So many people died to protect my life, do you remember? My parents, Ubaid's parents, eve...even your son. Almost an entire generation of the village died for me, but if it weren't because of me, they wouldn't have died. You would have more grandchildren and your son...I'm sorry.

A worthless person like me shouldn't ask to be the most extraordinary person, but I have to; I have to." Tears welled up in Lach's eyes. He remembered back to the time of the great calamity—a calamity caused by him.

The Chief sat quietly and reminisced as well. But he stopped and put his hand gently on Lach's shoulder.

"I see. This might change things. It will be hard, but let's run this by the others."

"What? Others?"

"We need to find out if the others in the village are willing to let a coward become the new hero. Especially the coward that got so many people killed. My poor boy."

Lach froze, but his guilt continued to grow. He didn't have the strength to stay behind. Finally, his shaking legs returned, but he slowly followed the Chief despite his fear.

The Chief took the platform and gathered everyone's attention.

"It is time to choose the next hero of Magen Village. Usually, it is up to the Village Chief to decide who the hero will be. I wanted to choose Lach. It might surprise all that when I offered the job to Lach, he accepted it, but he was worried.

He revealed to me a secret of his. Usually, I'm not gossiping much, but I think you need to hear this secret.

Lach says that he is a coward! And he's worried because a hero shouldn't be a coward. That's why I thought I would let all of you decide if a hero can be a coward!"

The villagers were quiet for a while, but then they started whispering. Finally, one of the villagers spoke up.

"Chief, we don't understand. Why does Lach think he's a coward?" Grud Far, the mason, asked.

The village chief turned to look at Lach, hiding behind him.

"Tell them."

Unsure of what to do, Lach hesitantly walked in front of the Chief.

"I know I'm a pretty good actor, but I'm a coward. Everything scares me. I still sleep with a nightlight." Lach said as he backed away from the front of the stage.

"Sorry, Lach, sweety, but I still don't understand; how are you a coward?" Mrs. Mei Antie, the wife of Shubert Smiggins, asked.

Lach, confused, walked up to the edge of the platform again.

"Everything scares me; all I want to do is run away from everything," Lach said again, moving back.

"Yeah, but aren't you the one that saved my husband Shubert from the blue-toothed trout?" Mrs. Mei Antie asked.

"Yeah," Lach responded.

"Were you scared?"

"Yes, as I said, everything scares me."

"Lach, son, aren't you who saved my little Mindella from the hunchbacked caterpillar?" Mr. Zito Brit, the blacksmith, asked.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Were you scared?" Mr. Brit asked.

"Yeah, terrified."

"Haven't you saved my brat over a dozen times this month?" Mr. Lender asked.

"Yes."

"Listen, son; we do not understand you. How are you a coward?" Mr. Brit asked.

"Well, you see, whenever I do those things, I wind up crying, snot comes out of my nose, and nearly every time, I feel like my soul is about to leave my body. The crying is so rough; I always give myself a headache from crying so much."

"Yes, but you're saving people even though you're scared, right sweety?" Grandma Granny asked.

"Well, I mostly grab people and run off with them, but Ubaid usually faces the scary creatures. He saves me all the time. None of the people I saved would be alive if not for Ubaid."

"Ubaid, please come up here." The Chief said.

Ubaid walked up to the platform and stood before the podium.

"Please answer me honestly, Ubaid. Is it true? Are you always killing the creatures after Lach saves someone?" The Chief asked.

"Pretty much, although I think Lach accidentally poured some salt on a Salesman Slug once just as Windi Windo was about to sell herself as an eternal slave to it. Other than a few cases, I'm the one that kills things that try to kill Lach when he's saving people."

"Impressive, my boy, and as a person who routinely kills terrifying monsters. Do you feel as though Lach is a coward?"

The villagers looked at Ubaid. Lach looked worriedly at his friend; no one breathed. They were waiting for Ubaid's response.

"I think the only person who thinks Lach is a coward is Lach." Ubaid plainly said.

"In your estimation, do you think Lach should be chosen as Magen Village's new hero?" The Chief asked.

"Who else would you pick?"

"What about you?"

"Me? Don't make me laugh. I'm not half as brave as Lach." Ubaid said sincerely. All the villagers nodded their heads together.

"Does everyone in the village feel the same?" The Chief asked.

"Yes," the villagers all spoke with one voice.

"Then, I am pleased to offer the role of Magen Village's Newest hero to Lach, come and take the hero ring." The Chief pulled a big beat-up ring off his finger and held it to Lach.

At first, Lach was quiet as a kitten, but he noticed everyone around him was smiling and anticipating his acceptance.

Moving forward slowly, Lach reached for the ring and gingerly placed the tips of his fingers on it.

The Chief grabbed Lach's hand and raised it in the air.

"I present to you all, The Hero Lach!"