Hiro’s Hero Triumphs PT.25: Triumphs of Old: Tree of Death

**85th Generation Hero, 237 years ago**

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I walked through the valley, readjusting my black wide-rimmed hat that curved around my head. The grass was a decaying brown, with all of the remaining flora wilting, nearing the end of their lifespan. There wasn't an animal in sight; no birds chirping, no bugs, and no other woodland creatures that might try to make themselves known.

In its own right, the place I was in a wasteland devoid of life, but not like what the far-off future holds. Fitting that its name was called the Valley of Death.

Apparently, there was a great war that took place in this valley, and the blood, bones, and tears of men turned this place into a site that only Death would appreciate. At least, that's how the legends go anyway.

"But that isn't true at all, is it?"

I stopped, looking at the sole piece of rock that was no bigger than my big toe; I guess calling it a pebble would be more accurate.

I reached out my hand, the odd feeling that I had grown accustomed too while fighting for the TRTF washing over me, changing but one thing about my surroundings.

Before me now stood a great Tree, taller than any tree in existence, with its life all but gone. The bark had blackened beyond all belief, the roots starting to shrivel up from disease, and the leaves were all decaying into dust. The only thing that was holding onto life were the many branches that spread out far and wide above me, splotches of black creeping their way outward.

This was the real reason why this valley had turned into a desolate wasteland, because of this one, great, dying tree. I continued my slow march, gazing at the tree with melancholy weighing heavily on my heart.

"Oh, this is worse than I feared…" I felt my black and blue dress sway in the wind as I reached the base of the tree.

I took off my dark blue gloves, pressing my hand against the tree before gasping.

"P-poor thing. So much pain, what could have caused it?" The branches whistled in the wind, and I nodded, feeling tears welling up.

"I see, and then?"

"Oh, oh my, that truly sounds awful. There's more?"

I continued my one-sided conversation with this great tree, my tears falling onto one of the roots.

"Why am I crying? Because of how much pain and sadness thou went through." I pressed my head against the tree, sighing. "And you have so much more sadness within you, so much more. It overwhelms you, pains you, sickens you so to this degree. And you've stayed here with this sadness for so long, for over a millennium now. They left you here to rot, after everything you did for them. They tried to rip you from this place, take you away forcefully, and you felt anger, rightfully so as well. Over and over, they tried and failed, and with each attempt the depths of your sorrow grew, until now."

I looked up towards the branches that towered above me, sniffling. "You always asked what it was worth. If you knew it would all lead to this, might you have chosen a different path? Was all this pain, grief, and sadness worth it? Overwhelming questions, regret, and here it festered and here you lay for far too long on your own."

I gave the tree a smile within my falling tears. "But, it'll be alright now. It's why I'm here."

I felt the tree shudder, the wind starting to whip around, the branches swaying wildly. "It's not what you think, I promise. I shall grant you the rest you deserve, if you allow me."

The tree shuddered once more, and I let out a small laugh. "It is no farce. I shall put you at rest, at peace. Fret not, I shall be okay. All I want is your permission before I start."

The branches swayed once more, and I nodded. "Don't worry, it shall be done. I will tell her."

I felt a sigh of wind, and I nodded again, taking a step back away from the tree. "It shan't take but a moment. Now, brace thyself."

I put my hand against the blacked bark, taking a deep breath. "Let thy pain become my own pain, thy grief become my grief, thy sadness become one with my own, so thou may fully rest in peace, fully be happy, fully accept thy outcome in life.

"Now come, be one with me!"

Whispers, pained and labored breathing, never-ending suffering, death, death, so much death, love that crumbled to despair, death, death, even more death, rage turnt sorrow, and at the end of all this, lay waste nothing in return. No happiness, no light, nothing in return for all that effort.

But…

I watched the tree's disease vanish, covering my hand before creeping up my arm. The bark turned back into a lustrous brown, the roots digging their way back into the ground, the leaves becoming a shining green that casted their green light down onto the Valley of Death.

But not just the tree, the Valley as well turned back to life. The disease riddled land turned back into a vibrant landscape, the desolate grey clouds that hung overhead finally clearing up; all of it, all of that pain that was entwined into this land, I took into me, as my arm became fully covered, creeping up and around my neck, before it finally stopped.

A young man stood next to me, his hand also on the tree. He looked over at me, wiping my tears away from my face.

"Thank you, for all the hard work you did for us," I said, holding onto his hand gently.

He gave me a smile; not a happy or a sad one, just a simple smile.

"Thank… You…" I felt him vanish from my grasp, as his visage faded away, before reality cracked beyond belief and shattered, the time loop now broken.

"Even if no one else remembers, I shall, for as long as I live. I'll tell everyone willing to listen of your brave deeds, of everything you did for us, no matter what.

"So rest in this Valley of Life and Peace, oh 4th Generation Hero, known to us as the Hero of Betrayal." I shook my head, looking up at the tree.

"Nay, Perses, for who struggled more than all others, you were gifted the epithet, The Hero of Struggle, to recognize his achievements and journey to become the 4th Hero."

Doing what simply hadn't been done before, Hero Ania successfully freed Perses from over a millennium of suffering, preaching his deeds that the TRTF refused to acknowledge.

For successfully completing her last Triumph, she was given the epithet The Hero of Pain-Taking, to commemorate her astonishing deed.

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"Oi kid, you sure you're ready this time? I don't see any extra weaponry on you like last time."

I was walking to the portal room with Roberto's squad and Anna, having finished up seeing my second to last Hero.

"I won't need it this time. I'm going to rely more on Anna this time around."

"You know, if you're not able to bring her back this time, we'll have to resort to killing her," Rachel said, and I felt my blood almost boil before Roberto spoke up.

"Hey, let's not get carried away. This mission was always going to take a while. It's a damn miracle we even managed to get back here in one piece. We're gonna let the kid hero do his thing for a little bit longer, alright?"

"It won't be a little while longer," I said, stopping in front of the portal. "After all, they say thirds time the charm."

I looked back at everyone, nodding to myself. "Don't worry, I will get her back today, no matter what. Can I count on you all?"

"Master can always count on Anna."

Roberto scoffed. "Well, after that stunt yesterday, I can't help but think you might be able to do it after all. Alright, we're following the kid's lead today!"

"Sir yes sir!"

I turned back to the portal, taking a deep breath.

"Alright, let's make this the final day we have to show up in this hellhole!" I got a chorus of cheers from behind me, and together we walked through the portal, with only one thought in my mind.

"I swear, I will get you back, for Blake's sake, and your own."