The story of human heart - it is simply the best.

Once upon a time, in the era of dungeon and dragons, when wonders slides between might and magic, there was King Erathryan, father of all human kingdom.  With a burning sword and beastial shield he always won every epic battle with the inhuman dark forces. A true leader with passions to uphold the honor of every living human on earth, he became a living legend among his friends and allies, and gain a great respect from his enemies and villains.

As time goes by, he realizes that age was the only battle he couldn't win. He's getting old now.  One will die, and a thousand will rise up, he starts to think to prepare his only son Prince Lothares.  Like his father, Prince Lothares is a very strong front line General.  Leading an army beast cavalary group he always successfully plundered every enemy wall and defense, left them opened wide to be crushed by the main force of his father’s army. 

“I never doubt his power and ability to defeat any kind of monsters on middle earth,” King Erathryan said to his beloved wife, Queen Isabel.   “But your face doesn’t show confidence, milord ,” The Queen replied. 

“Yeah…. He seems a bit ambitious and he is enjoying fill his mind with a lot of wishful thinking sometimes.  You realize that don’t u my Queen?” the King ask.  “Well, yes my King… but every son or daughter will never be as perfect as we hope.  He has his own strength and weakness.” The Queen wisely speaks.

“Fine then, I will give him a special task.  And I hope It is worth for him after the completion,” the King finally gives his decision.

 It is the year of Black Dragon Rebirth, month 13^th, and day 7^th.  King Erathryan summons Prince Lothares into his private chamber and had a chit chat.

“Father, I’ve heard that black dragon rebirth is near.  I wonder if I have the opportunity to pull out his golden heart from his chest and become the next Black Dragon Slayer.” The prince talked enthusiastically.

“Is that your passion, Son? To defeat the mighty Black Dragon?” the King asks. “I just want to become the strongest man after you, Father.  That is my true passion.  We cannot overcome our enemy or defense our own land, if we are not strong enough. “Lothares explains himself.

 “Hmm… you have your point. Sooner or later you will be my successor.  If you really confidant to test yourself to the edge, you may bring 12 of my best soldiers to assist you to bring the golden heart home safely.”  The king lightly slap his son shoulder and pull up his eyebrows a bit.

“Ah…thank you Father, I will not let you down.  I will fight for the best,” Lothares replies happily.

8 Days later, the Prince and 12 super elite soldiers of King Erathryan, depart to Black Rock Mountain where the Dungeon of Black Dragon lies within.  It is not a game or race, the stake of human souls is on the table. 12 super soldiers and  1 Prince who will be his father successor.

After 30 days of journey, they finally reach the core of the Black Rock Mountain.  The heat of the melting rock is unbearable.  Only the best and strong men can survive this condition.  And not for long before the small super army meet the black dragon face to face.

The tasks have been settled before they enter the dungeon.  While the ten soldiers strap the tail, the wings, the feet, and the head of the Black Dragon, the young Prince will find the precise moment to stab the dragon chest and pull out the golden heart.  What a struggle.  12 super soldiers still not match to the black dragon power and acid fire breath.  They are crushed and burnt one by one to the cave wall without any chance to even draw their weapons.  The Prince was exhausted and desperate.

“Oh Father, how can I win this fight anyway? The mighty black dragon hasn’t sweated yet.  And how could I face the soldier’s family that I have just bring them to a slaughtered house like this?” he talked to himself. 

Now, only the black dragon and the Prince left one on one. Lothares felt that his time has almost ended.  Only the sword left on his right hand. When the dragon began to strike again, he decided to run and run, along the cave, as far as he can to stay alive.   The black dragon screams and starts to chase the prince.  Somehow, the winning feel has blinded the dragon for a split second.  It moves too fast without seeing a big rounded and hollow rock hanging from the top of the cave to the halfway down.  But it was too late until the dragon’s neck stuck inside the hole without any possibility to slide free from there.   The Prince stops running and look back for awhile to make sure that the dragon would not after him anymore.

“The rock is so big that it has pint the black dragon down.  I don’t think that he will be able to cut lost the trap. It’s just too strong. Wow. What a miracle for me,” Lothares talked to himself and slowly walked back to the black dragon.

 

People call it black dragon for a reason.  Although the black dragon is trapped, the power is still strong and the breath could still throw a burning fire around it.  So that the Prince decided to wait until the black dragon became very weak and exhausted before making any approach to it.   Another 7 days and 7 nights passed, and finally the dragon stop moving and only mumbling.   Lothares doesn’t waste the chance.  He jumped and hung around the rock, reaching the chest of the black dragon.  He stabbed the black dragon chest deep, grabbed its golden heart, and pulled it out of the body.  And the black dragon finally died.

 

The winning smile and heavy relief, carved on Lothares face.  “Thank you for your Pray and faith on me, Father” he prayed spontaneously.

Tired, dirty, lonely, but proud and happy, Lothares finally reached his father castle after days of riding.  The whole Kingdom welcomes him home with love and joy.  Lothares felt very honored and flattered.  King Erathryan smiled and gave him a very warm big hug.

 

“Son, after your success slaying down your Black Dragon and pull his golden heart out, do you feel stronger now?” the king asks his son.  At the first second, hundreds of words were racing down Prince’s head to his mouth to be spoken out. But nothing comes out. The next second, he felt like his mouth was stitched up.

Lothares spoke 30 seconds after that,” On the contrary, Father, I feel tired and weak. The proud can’t stand by me the whole time remembering I gave up 12 of your best soldiers to be killed by the black dragon there”

King Erathryan smiles to Lothares, “Son, I’m very sad losing  12 of my best friends soldier to the black dragon, but for me I hope this is the cost that I have to pay, to slowly open your eyes to comprehend the meaning of being a stronger man.”   The prince starts to get something from his father’s words.

“By the time you ripped off the dragon heart, it was the time after the dragon died by your sword, right? And before you can stab your blade into his chest, the dragon was accidentally trapped too.” The King continues.  Lothares just speechless and bowed his head down.  He couldn’t agree more with his father but a little bit of shame to admit.

“Father, you are right.  In the beginning of the free fight, the mighty black dragon crushed 12 of your best soldiers just in seconds.  He could have just wiped me out easily.  Not because of my strength that I survived, but because of my….” The prince stopped his sentence.

“Luck… yes my son, you are lucky”

“If only you didn’t fight the black dragon in a hurry, you might save some lives whether you were won or lose.  You were being too exciting, so you forget the essence of fighting something.  You may have the golden heart of black dragon, but you lose all of your guardian souls back there.  And what about their families they left behind now?” the king continues.   Prince Lothares’s body is shaking. He is now realizing the huge mistake he had been doing back there in the dungeon. He was losing best friends just for a golden heart of a dead black dragon.

“My son, the true strength of a man lies on his human heart. It doesn’t matter how many black dragons you can kill with just one swing of your sword, but it really matters how many men you could save with your bare hands or even with your own body and soul. “ Erathryan turn his body and takes a view steps away.

And he continuous ,“Human heart will always be the strongest power on earth, as long as it carries love and care to others.”

The prince Lothares down on his knees and view drops of crystal clear tears fall down his face too.  Now he is fully aware that to lead a kingdom, having a lot of allies, and getting an enormous respect by the friends and foes, doesn’t come because of only strength and power, but also require everything that lies in his human heart.

Human Heart could save other lives