There was a great and terrible empire, the source of many of the world's woes and recently brought down in no small part by the actions of a certain hero.

  In a forest at the far edge of the empire's now-former colonies a group of men that once thought themselves up-and-coming masters of the world are attempting to turn a young boy – the distant-yet-nearest-living retive of the toppled emperor – into a figurehead and living symbol capable of starting a counter-revolution to take back what they believe to be rightfully theirs. But the child is still ultimately a child, no matter how much they attempt to burden him with fine robes and silver crowns and glorious purpose. And, as children are notoriously wont to do, the boy slips free of his keepers and into the woods.

  A certain hero – celebrated as a living legend in some pces and feared as an unholy terror in others – is on vacation and taking a walk through the woods. Their travels have yet to take them to this part of the world. The hero finds a young boy pying in a gde and joins in on the game of make believe until the two grow hungry and sit down on a mossy log to share the lunch the hero brought. The hero, consummate do-gooder that they are, begins to ask after the child's family and caretakers. Sympathy is expressed from one orphan to another, but seeing as the boy thinks well enough of his caretakers despite wanting a break from every now and then (and what child doesn't need that?), the hero walks the boy home.

  After the hero returns the repcement-emperor-to-be to his alleged guardians and goes on his way, the men who thought to rule the world are left in terror. Did the hero genuinely not realize who any of them – child included – were? Or was that a warning hidden behind those easy smiles and cordial words? Mercy shown today, but only this once. It is enough to make anyone pause and reconsider pns for world domination.