Fate of a Tragic Hero

My heart was racing as I glanced around at the ships flying by. I lifted my helmet up a bit and wiped some sweat from my brow with the sleeve of my uniform. I took a deep breath and felt the hum of the engines from my starfighter. It relaxed me a bit. I took another deep breath. I was a prince now; I had to be in control. I’m not going to die here right before my eighteenth birthday.

“Group A, take your ships to the left flank,” I ordered into the microphone in my helmet. “Group B, take the right. C and D, try to plow through the middle, but watch each other’s backs.”

“Yes sir,” came the response from the group leaders.

That left me with my special squad of highly trained fighter pilots. “Okay everyone, get into formation. We’re heading for the enemy base,” I said.

“Aye sir,” the ten fighters said at once.

Starfighters darted this way and that. I was afraid of losing this battle, but my determination to win kept pushing me forward. I will win. These pirates I’m dealing with right now will be escorted to jail shortly. Fortunately for us, the battle ended quickly. Our formations dealt with the majority of the enemy’s fleet, so only stragglers were left. My squadron surrounded the enemy’s mothership.

“Surrender now,” I commanded, opening a link of communication to their ship. I did my best to sound calm even though I was exhilarated.

I heard whispers in the background, but in a matter of seconds their response came: “We concede defeat.”

I sighed in relief. These were space pirates. They terrorized anyone they came across, including my civilians. They were a bit blind to the way we saw things. “I, Prince Eric the third of the planet Karth, accept your unconditional surrender. Stand down. The Karth Defense Fleet will arrive shortly to proceed with your imprisonment.”

When I hopped out of the cockpit and onto Karthan soil, I was greeted with extremely open arms.

“Love live the prince!”

“Hail Prince Eric forevermore!”

I smiled at my people. I had done this. I am the best. None can defeat me. Yet, I could feel myself striving for more. This is not enough power. I need more; I need it all. I raised my arms above my head. They all hushed quickly; this was a sign that the prince was about to speak. “My friends, do not praise me, but your military. I am the one who leads them, but they carry out what I say. We have conquered another enemy who threatened our existence,” I said. “Let us rejoice.”

Hats were thrown into the air in celebration. Let them cheer. It only improved my public image, and I was going to need all the media hype I could get to gain more authority.

I walked inside to meet with my father. He wished me to discuss some matter with him. I paced silently into the hall and paused for his permission to enter.

“Come in, my son,” he said.

“Yes, Father,” I complied.

My footsteps echoed in the small room. It seemed empty, soulless, and it almost felt like it was carrying a heavy air. The room was nothing special; just a few windows concealed by some curtains, a double door in which I entered, two chairs, and a simple rug.

“You wished to see me?” I asked, taking a seat.

“Indeed, I did,” he replied. He turned to face me. “Eric, you have led the troops well. I’m glad I put you in charge of them.”

“Thank you, Father,” I said.

“I’m not done,” he said, stroking his graying beard. “Our people love and respect you greatly. You are just, noble, determined–”

“I’m grateful for your praisings,” I interrupted, “but is this all you wish to speak of?”

He chuckled a bit and then stared at me. “I suppose. I shouldn’t delay our prince for long. I must be keeping you duties,” the king apologized. “I’m sorry. We can talk when we are both free of time.”

I stood up and quickly bowed to him. “Thank you.”

Something had been buzzing in my pocket the whole time. It happened to be a small communicator my best friend and I made to better speak to each other. I could not let my father know. My best friend, Alex, was on another planet. The King knew conflicts arise swiftly and easily between others and our people; we are so full of pride. I was only allowed to speak to others on different planets during peace talks. However, my father had no idea Alex and I conversed nearly every day.

I hurried off to my room, my royal blue cape flowing in the air behind me and my jet-black hair going this way and that. When I reached my room, the door opened automatically after scanning my cornea. After a quick glance around, I briskly walked into my quarters. I sat on my bed, took out the communicator, and turned it on. A bluish hologram of Alex hovered in the air.

“Hey,” I greeted.

“Hey,” he said in return with a small smile. “What took you so long?”

“Sorry. I was talking to my dad,” I said, sighing.

He laughed a little, but when he stopped he looked very serious and also very tense. “Eric?”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“Are you aware of how everyone thinks of you?” His voice was thick with apprehension.

“Er…what do you mean?”

"Everyone on my world despises you. They believe you think you’re the ruler of the universe.”

That wasn’t good. “What?” I asked, worried.

“You and your army,” he explained. “Don’t you understand? Day after day, you go off to some other planet, save them, and then you’re off! They feel as if you’re always watching them. You’re like their mommy and daddy.”

“They should be grateful,” I nearly yelled, becoming frustrated. “Alex, please tell me you’re just joking.”

“I wish I were. Yet…I can’t help but take their side.”

“What!” I exclaimed. Now my best friend was turning on me? “Why?”

“You’re constantly defending us. We have an army, too, you know. In fact, have you forgotten I’m the one who leads them?”

“No, of course not!” I’m just a better leader.

“Are you saying we’re too weak? That I am too weak?”

“Alex, no. I’m not. You’re just…”

“Just what?”

“Just…less experienced.”

“Ha! So the noble Prince Eric does think his best friend is just a weakling.”

“I never said that.”

“Eric our alliance is gone. The peace between our planets is over,” he spat.

Suddenly, I felt rumbling. Then screams followed it. The communicator strapped on my uniform beeped.

“What’s going on?” I yelled into it.

“Prince Alex’s troops have invaded!” the leader of Group C reported in. “We’re under attack!”

“I’ll be there in just a minute!” I said back to him.

I began to panic. What was I supposed to do? Did Alex know about my conquest for dictatorship? How could he? Have I been acting like one recently? Regardless of my uncertain questions, I needed a weapon. It wasn’t on my belt. Maybe it had fallen out of the holster when I was talking with my father. With haste, I ran out of my room, down the hallway, and into the small room. I walked in slowly.

“Hey,” a voice said.

My body froze. I knew that voice. I spun around and saw Alex. He had been hiding in the corner; the huge double doors had shielded his body. He smirked. His ice blue eyes almost seemed to look past my emerald-green eyes and into my soul. His own black cape hung from his back, over his white uniform the military on his planet wore.

“Going somewhere?” he asked in a mocking tone.

I swore under my breath. Everything had happened so quickly – but why? He was my best friend. Why would he declare war on us? I thought the peace would last forever. Had I been so naïve to allow this to happen? I clenched my hands. But how did he know? Was it because he was the only person who knew me better than myself?

He pulled out a gun and pointed it straight at me. “Don’t even think about escaping this room alive,” he threatened. “Much less running away.”

I swore once more. Had I really been so foolish? Surely there was some indication that this as going to happen. I’m so stupid. A fool down to the core.

Now it all makes sense. I always thought fate determined where we would go in life, but there was never any godly fate. Only you yourself are responsible for your fate, and I was the one who made all of the events leading to this happen. If I had been less ambitious and power-hungry, maybe I wouldn’t be on my deathbed. I don’t know why I acted how I did, God of the Galaxy. Deep down, I wanted to have it all; to be tyrant. Well now maybe to atone for some of what I’ve done, I’ll face my death head-on and with honor. Just try to come and get me, Alex.

Quickly, I turned my back to him – a fatal mistake I soon realized. But it didn’t matter anymore. My gun was just feet away from me. If I could jump to it in time, maybe I could save myself.

I heard the trigger of Alex’s gun pulled twice and the two laser shots coming towards me. Is this the end? Had fate really desired me to fall this way? If so, then let it be.

Two shots to the back of the head ended it all.

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I hope you enjoyed this! I wrote it for an assignment in English after reading Julius Caesar. We had to write about a tragic hero, like Brutus or maybe even Cassius from Julius Caesar (CASSIUS RULES! XD “And why should Caesar be tyrant then? Poor man! I know he were not a lion but Romans were doth not sheep.” XD Oh yeah!). So…that was it. I hope everyone thinks I did a good job. (And I just hope I get a good grade on this.) Please review and tell me what you thought of it.