The Hero Nobody Asked For
“I belong to no one now, so I can convince neither camp of my fidelity.” – Flynn, Rebirth of the Seer
Most great men come heralded with some sort of fanfare – be it a prophecy or a revelation – to accompany their arrival. In many fantasy novels, kings are given parades and, with each venture into their kingdom, the standard train of pomp and circumstance follows in their wake. Heroes are set apart from their peers and every soothsayer and sorcerer who crosses their paths knows the triumphs they are destined to accomplish.
But what happens when the only marker of your potential is the color of your eyes?
Throughout Eyes of the Seer, the vampire Flynn experiences the fall even before the mythical cross is placed upon his shoulders. The man who crawls out from the rubble is more villain than hero, thrust into power for which even his dark and selfish desires have no use and placed on a game board he would have sooner avoided. His first brush with temptation comes at the capricious hand of his maker, Sabrina, and by the culmination of the story, he has barely managed to make right all of the wrongs he committed when first turned immortal.
In Rebirth of the Seer, however, a villain tries to be a hero. The penitent vampire reluctantly accepts the tasks he was given by The Fates. His past prevents him from receiving the fanfare of a hero, though; no matter how many times his ethereal eyes are referenced as a mark of distinction, he still has blood on his hands. Sometimes, the trust of another is not so easily won and sometimes the pilgrim on the path of redemption is viewed with skepticism, no matter how earnest his pursuit. The fact is Flynn was never the ‘one who was promised’. And the world doesn’t know what to do with him as a result.
The place he once called home is no longer an alcove. The society which should be a haven has already condemned him. His only ally is a sorceress named Monica, who has wagered against the odds and thrown in her chips with a long shot. Flynn is not completely immune to the charms of darkness or the depravity of his nature, a fact he comes to terms with through each twist and turn along the road.
“There is a chess match for my soul, it seems.” – Flynn, Rebirth of the Seer
But The Fates have called a champion anyway – without any signs and wonders – trusting that a villain can be changed and from the ashes, a warrior might rise. It is the thing of legends in a time of cynicism and what remains to be seen is who might be right – the ones who remember the murderous assassin, or the few who believe in a heart that can be molded into a hero. A destiny trails him, but so does the realization that he has become a country without affiliation, about to be presented with an offer too enticing for him to refuse.
“You belong to me,” she said. “And I know you too well by now to doubt you. There have been many times throughout all of this that you looked ready to buckle and brought yourself back to your feet”
“Damn quixotic woman. How did I wind up with a watcher whose singular ability is to trouble me?” – Monica & Flynn, Rebirth of the Seer
Where would your wager lie?
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Peter Dawes is the author of The Vampire Flynn Trilogy. The first book – Eyes of the Seer – is available through Amazon.com in both print and ebook formats. The second book – Rebirth of the Seer – is scheduled for release on July 25, 2012 and will also be available on Amazon.com.
Thank you to The Ink Puddle for allowing me to guest post on your blog. It has been an honor.
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Thank you so much for stopping by Peter! Be sure to check out Eyes of the Seer. Click here for a review of the book.
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