Inspiration from Reddit 4

The hero values friends more than anything else, but he no longer has any 

Submitted by Umbra_R (r/Writingprompts)

The gesture was sweet. The hero declined the riches and titles from the King. Instead, he demanded more soldiers posted in his hometown, or repairing the old worn-down buildings. People would say how noble the hero was, how he still stuck to the roots even after everything that happened. The hero would still remember to be modest and thankful to his friends and family.

As demanded, the hero’s hometown was enriched. The small town was happy.

One day, while walking around the town the hero overheard how some of his friends were talking about ambitious dreams of becoming a soldier or a noble, the things young people would chat about. Seeing the twinkle in his friend's eyes, the hero took on a quest, too dangerous for anyone or even any country to take on.

Several months passed by and the hero returned. He had finished his quest!

In the court and in front of the King of the Country, he demanded that his friend who had just enlisted in the army to be promoted to Captain, give the title of a Noble to another and give the prize money from the mission to his other friends who dreamed of a better life.

The hero was showered with thanks, but the eyes of his friends changed. Whenever the hero walked around they would join him, or invite him to a drink at the bar. During these times the friends would complain and sigh over how tough it was, that they wished a happier life, suggesting that they didn’t live well enough.

The hero once again took on a dangerous mission, only to return after a year later, with huge success.

Once again in the court, the hero demanded the Captain be promoted to General, his now noble friend to earn the title of Baron granted more land under his rule and build new glorious houses for his other friends. The hero was once again showered in thanks from his friends, and people hearing about the hero’s generosity flocked to him. They would all join him on his walks around town or treat him to drinks in a bar, hoping to become another friend to the hero.

The friends were happy.

The hero walked his hometown once again, to hear from his friends complaining about not being part of the royalty. And the hero traveled again on a dangerous mission.

Upon returning to the court after finishing his dangerous expedition, he got to hear that his friends have died in accidents on the road. Not knowing what to do with his boon from the king, he once again asked for prosperity in his hometown.

The hero went for a walk as usual but this time something was different. The people of the small town would greet him and shower him with thanks, but they no longer strived to become friends with the hero. No one would share a drink with the hero, or follow him on his walk to strike up conversations. Merely greeting and thanking from a distance.

The hero could do nothing but walk to the graves of his fallen comrades every day, wishing them a happy afterlife.

The hero didn’t have any friends anymore, and the country was happy.