My hero: WARDEN:
A war between Heaven and Hell, the ultimate clash between Good and Evil. Many religions mention it, from God's battle with Lucifer to Norse mythology's Ragnarok. As these two powers duke it out, the humans are caught in the middle, unable to do anything other than die.
A group of magi intended to change that final bit. Knowing that the War of the Divine would someday be upon them, they set out to create an ultimate warrior, a champion to save mankind.
But how? Compared to the divine, humans had nothing; their bodies were weak, their souls easily tempted. In fact, men had one thing that many of the holy and demonic did not have: emotion. Emotions are some of the most powerful things in the world, capable of driving even the most steadfast and brilliant men to do bizarre or terrible things. If one could harness them, they could create something of unimaginable strength.
These magi did everything they could to create such a thing, and after many generations of horrible, inhuman experimentation and magicks that should never be repeated, they succeeded; human only in shape, their creation ran on emotion; no need to eat, no need to drink. Only emotion. One, to be precise.
The group had debated for quite some time as to which emotion to use. The strongest, of course, was love; as many corny songs have stated, love is an immensely powerful feeling. However, one of its qualities caused the magi to hesitate to use it: love is fragile, so very fragile. So they used the second-strongest one, one much more durable:
Pain.
And so it was; this was a hollow shell, devoid of any thought not associated with combat. As long as it was in pain, it could do incredible things; move at speeds unheard of, lift objects of immense weight.
Most of all, it could not die.
The group died out, however, when an American team, specializing in the supernatural, discovered what they were doing and seized their precious creation. The weapon is still in their custody, always in pain, always prepared for that war.
The protector of our little world of sinners. Our warden.
My villain: Lakke Gorge:
Allow me to tell you a tale, children. One of strength, of greed, of a fall with no redemption.
Lakke seemed to be an ordinary lad, born to parents of no special status, farmers who owned a small plot of land. He led a normal existence throughout his childhood, making friends and enemies as would any other youth. However, a tale of a normal life would be dreadfully boring. Lakke's life was anything but.
Though many wise men have pondered it, none have as of yet managed to discover what Lakke is, what granted him such strength, such speed, such ferocity. When he first took a woman's maidenhood, these gifts were granted him. He had dreamed throughout his life of being a great hero, one whose name and deeds would be sung by bards for generations, and now his dreams could be realized.
He did many heroic deeds and underwent many grueling trials, defeating evil, protecting the innocent, everything a hero was expected to do. Unfortunately, with power comes pride. He was unbeatable, unmatched; who was there to tell him what he could and could not do?
And so he gave in to his impulses, robbing, demanding tribute from those he saved, even killing those who had slighted his honor. Yet the people were accomodating of his actions; he had protected them. Why should he be forbidden from engaging in tasteless actions?
So his life went, indulging in his every whim. Soon, all of his sins began to form chains in his mind, leaving him unable to be a hero, bound only to his lusts.
And then, one night, the chains became real.
He awoke after a nightmare to find his body encased in innumerable chains, the links digging into his flesh. He screamed. One of his servants ran in to check on him, and he slew her in a fury. Gazing upon his blood-drenched hands, he noticed something: one of the chains had broken, and for a moment he was free of the pain. But, just as soon as it the relief had come, it departed, the torment returning in force, diminished almost imperceptibly. He went on to slaughter every being in his household, and was about to move on to massacring the inhabitants of his home city when his conscience spoke up for the first time in years. No, he could not do this; he had to redeem himself, to end his life before he could cause any more harm. He grabbed the blade he kept near his bed and thrust it between the interlocking chains into his chest.
But the chains bound him to the world. They would not let him die.
And his mind broke.
His home, the surrounding cities, the countryside; all inhabitants fell before him. The few survivors recall hearing, intermingled with the sounds of slaughter, chains rattling, the sound merging with choking sobs and screams. Lakke has starved, been parched with thirst, beaten and bloodied, but he cannot die, not while the chains tear his skin.
What created those chains? Was it some unknown enemy out for vengeance? Had the gods tired of his sins? The question will forever remain unanswered.
Lakke Gorge wanders to this day, killing all before him. Be wary, children, for valor can turn to villainy at any time, with nothing to let you note the change.