snake.png [art]

short story

//in creative writing we had an assignment to take a common character archetype and tweak it. i chose "the sidekick"

Sidekick

“I’m right behind you, Alexander!”

I was always right behind him, from day one. Ever since the Lord of Darkness burned down his village and tried to kill him, I’ve been by his side. His right-hand man. His sidekick, if you will.

We met when he was just a refugee, fleeing from a tyrannical monster bent on exterminating his entire species, the Celestial Elves. He arrived at my military facility, ready to train and live like a human. He had a special mark on his hand that was left by a legendary dragon, the sign of the prophecy that was to come on his sixteenth birthday. While everyone else in the village had brown or blond hair, he had bright red hair. He stuck out- everyone knew he was something special, even if they didn’t even know his name.

I didn’t stick out.

My family is not poor, but we’re not rich either. My parent’s aren’t dead, and my siblings aren’t in alliance with the Empress of Darkness. We weren’t torn apart by a magical war. I wasn’t blessed by dragons, nor was I the “chosen one.” I was the guy beside the chosen one. For all intents and purposes, I was normal. Happy.

But compared to Alexander Silver and all his glory, it didn’t feel like enough. He was muscular, I was pudgy. He had magical powers, and I had my “sense of humor.” He carried a broadsword, I made due with a bow and arrow. He slaid monsters, and I was the one being rescued. He cast a mighty shadow, and I was the man stuck behind it.

When we met that fateful day five years ago, I had no idea what it would lead to. I had just said goodbye to my family, and our training was about to start. I remember it like it was yesterday: the air was cold, and it had just stopped raining. I was standing in the courtyard, practicing with the new weapon I was given. As a commoner, I was at a disadvantage, but I was aiming to become a general. I was willing to work tirelessly to increase my status and rank.

That’s when he appeared. A soldier dragged him in, covered in mud and soaking wet. From where I was standing, I couldn’t make out his face, but I saw his striking eyes-- the eyes of an elf. Alexander had been caught stealing food from a noble, a dire crime, but I saw a scrap of injustice in it. He was obviously stealing to eat, there was no malice involved. So I cried out in his favor, begging for the higher-ups to show mercy. I suppose it worked a little too well. That was when our friendship started, with Alexander’s head on the blade. I saved his life, and that was the only time I ever had the chance to.

After that day, our life turned into a whirlwind of supernatural mysteries and conflict that spread across entire kingdoms. We were assigned as roommates, so I had no other choice than to trail behind him. However, once we defeated our first evil sorcerer, I became a wanted man. Gone were my chances of ever leading a normal life.

All because of him.  

“Chuck, are you listening to me?” Alexander said, his wide smile falling on me. His hair fell perfectly across his face, shining like fire in the sunlight. “What, are you spacing out again? Now’s not the time to be silly, man. That’s what made you fail that test last year.”

I grinned, scratching the back of my neck. “Ha, yeah. That was pretty dumb.”

The nerve of him. I had failed that test because we had spent the night investigating the legendary dragon that had blessed him at birth. That test had been my only chance to become a general, to raise my rank in the army.

Alexander brought a finger to his lips as he crouched behind a bush, dragging me down along with him. I fell in an awkward heap beside him. He giggled.

“Now, Chuck, we’re in the belly of the beast. This is the Empress of Darkness’s fortress, so no stumbling around and being clumsy. One wrong move and we’re dead.”

No, I thought, one wrong move and you’re dead.

My hands trembled with feverish anticipation as I sat beside him, running through the plans in my mind. I had met with her only a few nights ago, and we had discussed her terms. I had agreed. I didn’t have anything to lose.

I watched as the sun crept higher across the sky. It had to be time already. There was no mistaking it. My face stoney, I stood, firing a single arrow in the air.

“Chuck!” Alexander cried, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“What do I think I’m doing?” I whispered, my voice shaky with solid resolve, “I’m getting my revenge for five years of pure misery. It’s always been about you. Your destiny, your family, your powers! How do you think I feel? I had to give up everything for you. I have no future, no home, and no hope of ever seeing my family again. You’ve dragged me across the world for what? Learning about some magical conspiracy that never really mattered? Killing the Empress of Darkness?”

Alexander’s eyes grew wide as figures crept from the brush, the forces of the Empress of Darkness. “You betrayed your best friend,” he breathed.

“You were never my best friend.”