As some of you may be aware of, I have been searching for an archetype of a story protagonist that I, as you may have guessed, wish to write about, but I have not found anything that accurately describes the protagonist I had in mind. Therefore, I have decided to invent this archetype myself.
I had settled on “Evil Hero” initially, but it turns out that this name is taken for something else, so it will have to be “Villainous Hero” instead (the name is not as strong as “Evil Hero” but it will do, I suppose).
- Villainous Hero
A protagonist in a story that is evil and aspires to commit evil acts but, due to circumstance or incompetence (either on the protagonist’s part or on their minion’s part, or both), the protagonists actions lead to a beneficial outcome for those he/she tried to harm, which could lead the protagonist to be hailed a hero instead of a villain.
The inspiration for this new archetype came from a children’s story, if you can believe that, which has led the protagonist of that story to be wrongly described as a Dark Hero. At first, the protagonist was as devious and malicious as any typical villain, even if the protagonist’s schemes did not always go according to plan. To my dismay, the creators of that story copped out, making the Villainous Hero into a typical Dark Hero almost instantly. It soon became rather boring after that, devolving into a typical children’s story like any other. The one truly unique thing that story had was the protagonist’s original character, which is the source of my inspiration.
Out of interest, which character / children’s story do you think this is? I am curious if anyone else here knows of it.
Anyway, the story below is a “pilot” chapter / short story on a possible Villainous Hero. Do let me know what you think.
Hope you enjoy!
<~~~Start~~~>
I believe introductions are in order:
I am Darklord Dracon, a lone nobleman from a far-flung land on a quest to claim the title of Dreadlord whilst spreading my infamy across the world. It is no easy task but someone has to do it, and who better than I, the great Darklord Dracon, the most brilliant and handsome man in all the world!
My exploits have… not been as successful as I had hoped, but I do not give up easily. Now, approaching the Kingdom of Ressel, I shall once again unleash my full villainy upon the unsuspecting, and I shall show them why they should fear the name Darklord Dracon. He he he he heee.
Dracon, marching along the road toward Ressel, finally comes to see the Kingdom’s capital city as he meets a cliff overlooking the valley. On the other end of the valley stands a great mountain with the royal castle perched at its peak, and the city hugs the mountain whilst sprawling over the surrounding plains.
“Ah, now this is the perfect place to demonstrate my abilities.” Dracon thought aloud, “Its ripe for the picking, I just need to get there…”
Dracon walked up to the edge of the cliff, and looked down. The height was immeasurable, and the sight of it turned Dracon’s stomach. He suddenly heard a rumbling and, before he knew it, the ground he was standing on gave way and he was soon plummeting toward the earth.
Screaming in his initial panic, Dracon knew only one thing could save him now. He clicked his paw; magic smoke enveloped his body to reveal his true self, the Darklord, adorned in his signature full body leather armour, which only left his head and tail exposed. Dracon summoned his magic and cast a levitation spell just before hitting the ground, saving his life. He released the spell, dropping himself to the ground more safely but not much gentler.
“That was close.” The Darklord said to himself, recovering from his decent. He got back to his feet, brushed off the dust from his armour, and he picked his paw once again to return himself back to normal.
Dracon has the ability to use magic. He uses magic to disguise his true self, that of a vulpine Darklord, by summoning the unassuming appearance of an ordinary vulpine. In his disguise, Dracon wears a red top with white bottoms and a backpack that is strapped round his body first by coming over his left shoulder and over his torso down to his right hip before returning up his back to the backpack. In his Darklord appearance, he wears all black leather armour with a black cape, a glimmering silver sword with a black shealth, and a black fabric mask that only wraps round his head covering only his eyes.
Dracon enjoys it when people recognise him as a Darklord but this can lead to complications at times. For this reason, Dracon mostly travels in his disguise and mostly remains unassuming until he is ready to strike.
The vulpine suddenly noticed that he was still on the same road leading to the capital but now much closer to the valley floor. “Ha, sometimes I amaze even myself.” He smugly thought aloud before he resumed his march toward the city.
~~~
Dracon walks along the streets of the capital, taking in the sights and smells of the city. As much as Dracon likes to unleash chaos, he still needs to eat and sleep, and after a long journey, he needs to rest now more than ever. Touring the city, he spots a little commotion in a back alley. A closer inspection revealed that a rabbit had a ferret pinned up against a wall back there, and, in curiosity, the vulpine decided to watch the scene while keeping himself out of sight.
“I know you stole it! Don’t lie to me again! Now, where is it!” the rabbit barked to the ferret, holding him up by the ferrets clothes.
“I… I sold it. It’s in that shop over there.” The ferret confessed, pointing to a shop across the street.
“You sold it?! That was all I have left of my family!” the rabbit bawled, pushing the ferret harder against the wall.
“Please, spare me. I… I’m begging you.” The ferret wept in sheer terror.
“I’ll make you pay for what you have done to me!” the rabbit announced, lifting his paw up into a fist, ready to strike.
The rabbit launched his fist forward but someone grabbed his arm, stopping him, and as he looked round, his victim pushed back and broke from his grip, and made a hasty retreat. The rabbit tried to give chase but the ferret vanished into the crowds on the streets.
“YOU!” the rabbit turned to Dracon, “Why did you interfere in something that doesn’t concern you!”
The rabbit raged toward Dracon, pulling out his sword on the Darklord but, in a flash, Dracon had the rabbit up against the wall using his own silver sword to pin him down whilst assuming his Darklord appearance.
“Because, my little friend, there is little you could gain by beating the man senseless, even if you feel he deserves it. After all, you don’t want to become a heinous criminal yourself, do you?” Dracon told him, releasing him, “Besides, you have his money now.”
The rabbit looked confused by that statement before Dracon threw a coin purse to him. “Go get your heirloom back.” he told the rabbit with a devious smile whilst sheathing his sword.
“Th… thank you, sir.” The rabbit said, passing a tender smile to his benefactor before running to the shop rather urgently.
The rabbit return to the Darklord moments later holding a pendent. “This is what that thief stole from me.” The rabbit said, “It’s a pendent that was left to me and my sister after our mother died.”
“If you do not mind me saying, you look remarkably like…” the rabbit began but Dracon interrupted by finishing for him, “…Darklord Dracon.”
The rabbit, in amazement, dropped to his knees before the Darklord, “It really is you, My Lord. Please forgive my prior actions.”
“You do not need my forgiveness, but there is something else I do need from you…” Dracon mentioned.
“Anything, My Lord!” He jumped to his feet in excitement, “I will do anything you command, My Lord.”
Dracon giggled mischievously, “Well, then, come closer and we will come to an arrangement.”
~~~
Shortly after, in the throne room of Castle Ressel…
“You cannot be serious, Mercel!” The King roared at his daughter. “This man is common, he is below our station, and he is unworthy of the throne!”
“Please, father.” Princess Mercel pleaded, with her fiancée standing awkwardly beside her, “If you only got to know him then you would not think so poorly of him.”
“There are many people in our Kingdom who are just as he is.” She continued, “Would you condemn them all just because of their lack of aristocratic heritage.”
“They are not the ones trying to marry my daughter!” the king scowded, “We have our prestige to maintain and the heir to the throne marrying anything less than a nobleman would bring shame to my court and to our Kingdom. We would be ruined!”
“But this is…” the princess tried, interrupted by a deep thudding that grew louder and louder, shaking the very foundations of the castle.
Suddenly, through the wall behind the throne, a gigantic dragon burst into the throne room and screeched, paralysing those within the room in fear.
Guards poured in from the entrance at the other end of the room and they rushed to stand against the dragon and protect the royal family.
“Run, Your Majesties!” the guards barked but the royals were frozen solid.
The dragon breathed fire down onto the guards before swatting them like flies and throwing them against the other walls in the room. The guards were soon dealt with, and the dragon looked down upon the royal family venomously before it’s attention focused on the princess. The dragon swooped down and grabbed the princess in one of its clawed hands.
“RUPERT!” the princess screamed. “FATHER!”
Though they wanted to help, there was little either of them could do.
The dragon turned round, bolted toward the open wall and jumped into the skies, flying away toward the plateau with the princess.
“Mercel.” The King muttered under his breath before he turned his rage against his daughter’s fiancée. “Rupert! You call yourself my daughter’s fiancée and you just stand there, doing nothing, whilst a beast takes her away!”
“I… it all happened so fast, Your Majesty.” He said.
“You’re useless!” the King condemned him.
“In my power as King of Ressel,” he declares, “the man who defeats that dragon and returns my daughter to me shall become the next Prince of Ressel.
“And that is all I needed to hear.” A voice called out into the throne room.
Suddenly, Dracon jumps down adorned in aristocratic clothing, landing in a crouched position, and kneels respectfully to the King.
“Who are you?” the King asked.
“I am but a humble nobleman from a faraway land who wishes to be of service to Your Majesty in saving your daughter.” Dracon told the King, bowing his head.
“You… are a nobleman.” The King asked with excitement.
“Indeed I am, Your Majesty.” Dracon confirms, looking up at the King, “After seeing what has transpired here, I could not leave without first ensuring that the dear princess is returned from the clutches of that vile beast safely.”
“You are going to leave my Kingdom?” the King asked with concern.
“Only if there were nothing to stay for, Your Majesty.” Dracon illuminated with a mischievous smile, “But if I were to marry the princess then that will be sufficient reason to stay here.”
“Then it is settled.” The King announced, “Defeat the dragon, save my daughter, bring her back safely to the castle, and you shall be crowned the new Prince of Ressel.”
“I promise I shall not disappoint.” Dracon said maliciously.
~~~
Dracon made his way into the mountainous plateau behind the capital city where the dragon was spotted heading towards after it fled the castle.
As the Darklord was about to continue onward to find the dragon, a panting voice called out to him from behind, “Milord, please… wait for me.”
It was, of course, Rupert, adorned in a ramshackle suit of armour accompanied with a sword.
“Rupert.” Dracon greeted him, trying to mask his displeasure of his company, “What are you doing here?”
“I… I want to help save the princess.” Rupert told him, rather worn out after the climb up to the plateau.
“I see, and where did you get that equipment.” The vulpine asked.
“It was my fathers, he was a soldier in the Kings Army.” He told Dracon, “You do not appear to have brought much, Milord.”
“I have all I need.” Dracon said, “But you, on the other hand, need better equipment than that. You will be torn apart in a matter of moments against a dragon.”
“I… I would?” Rupert asked in bewildered fear.
“Indeed, luckily for you, however, I know of a place where you can get what you need.” Dracon revealed, “It’s not far from here. Follow me.”
~~~
Dracon led Rupert to a small shop in the middle of the plateau. It was a little run down up it was still standing.
“What is this place?” Rupert asked.
“It’s a shop that specialises in rare pieces of equipment that are essential when hunting monsters.” Dracon told him, “There are beasts all over this area, and I know how to evade them, but such abilities are not much good when we have to actually fight a dragon.
“Since you will not last five seconds against a dragon,” Dracon added, “you need better equipment.”
“I… I don’t have any money.” Rupert said shamefully.
“Well, you are a real catch for royalty, aren’t you?” Dracon jibed, “I’ll pay for you then.”
“Really?” Rupert said, tears brimming in gratitude.
“Yeah, it’s fine.” Dracon returned, “Let’s go in.”
The two walked into the shop, the walls filled with all kinds of weapons, armour and all manner of other things. At the counter, a female rabbit stood expectantly.
“Good day!” she said in a bright and chipper tone, “How can I help you today!”
“My friend here needs the best armour and weapons you have, for we are hunting a dragon today.” Dracon told the shop clerk.
“Oh my.” The rabbit gasped, “Well, I will pull what we have here together for you.”
The clerk rushed, pulling bits and pieces from the walls and fixing them to Rupert to fashion new equipment. By the time she was done, everything of Rupert’s had been replaced with new equipment.
“Alright, you have the latest non-conducting Silverite Armour, a new and light weight Loresck Longsword, and a Vermite Shield with extra fire resistance.” The shop clerk told him.
“Thank you.” Rupert said cheerfully, “What about my old equipment?”
“We will dispose of it for you.” The rabbit kindly offered.
“Thanks again. Should we go, Milord.” Rupert asked, turning to find he had gone. “Milord?”
“Did you not notice that your friend disappeared some time ago now?” The rabbit queried.
“What!?” Rupert said in dismay, “But I need to find the dragon that kidnapped the princess so I can save her! I won’t find it without his help.”
“Ah, your hunting THAT dragon.” The shop clerk said, “I know where it had gone. It’s nested in a small cave not far from here.”
The rabbit turned and walked round the counter before pulling out a scroll of paper. “Here is a map leading to the cave I mentioned. If you follow the directions on here then you should be able to find it rather quickly.”
“Really? Thank you again.” Rupert said in gratitude before he shot out of the shop and raced toward the cave as quickly as his legs would carry him.
~~~
Rupert found the cave and cautiously crept inside while being as quiet as a mouse. As he journeyed further in, he found the dragon sleeping with the princess locked in its claws.
The princess spotted Rupert but kept quiet, though she smiled unreservedly to see him come to her rescue. He crept up close to the dragon and positioned himself at the dragon’s head. Its snore was a roar of wind at this close proximity but Rupert stood firm against it. He lifted up his sword over his head, braced himself, and he swung the sword down as hard as he could against the dragon’s head but, to his surprise, the sword bowed and snapped on impact.
This woke the dragon, and a dragon that is awoken by an intruder in the middle of the evening is going to be a very unhappy dragon. The beast roared at Rupert, the power of it knocked him back, and the beast got up and spat fire down on him.
The armour caught fire and burned quickly, to Rupert’s shock, and, as he rushed to throw the armour off himself, he found that the armour was made of wood with a thin layer of aluminium covering it.
The dragon approached Rupert, bearing down on him, and it swiped a clawed hand at him. He, in response, used his shield to protect himself but the shield broke into pieces the moment the claws touched it, and the impact threw Rupert against the wall on the far side of the cave.
“RUPERT!” the princess called out for him in horror.
“Tsk tsk tsk.” Dracon appeared, mocking Rupert, “You are having a bad day, aren’t you, Rupert.”
“Y… you!” Rupert struggled but fell to the floor in agony.
“Do not worry, my fair princess, I shall defeat this beast and return you safely to your dear father.” Dracon announced.
The vulpine raised his paw and used his magic against the dragon. The beast became enveloped in purple energy before it was pulled down to the floor and paralysed, held into position by Dracon’s magic. The princess was released from the dragon’s clawed hand.
Dracon approached the princess and stretched out his hand to her, “Are you alright, Your Majesty?”
“Yes, I am fine.” The princess replied before she turned to look at the dragon, “This is simply amazing! How did you do that?”
“You will find I can do many things, Your Majesty.” Dracon approached her, drawing close to her, “I can show you wonders you would never have imagined, Your Majesty.”
“Y… you can?” the princess murmured, slowly falling under Dracon’s spell. “Yes, Your Majesty, and all it takes is one kiss.”
Dracon lent in, wrapped his paws around the princess and drew her in to his embrace before being rudely interrupted and thrown down to the floor by an almighty punch to the face.
“She is still my fiancée, you gistard!” Rupert bawled, standing over the Darklord.
“Rupert?” the princess said, falling into his arms as though she were about to faint. “What… what just happened?”
“What do you mean?” Rupert queried, “You were about to kiss HIM.”
“I… I was?” the princess said, “I don’t remember anything.”
Then, finally, the penny dropped for Rupert. “Wait, you entranced her, didn’t you?” he said to Dracon.
The Darklord laughed, pulling himself back to his feet and turning toward Rupert and the princess.
“Indeed I did, you are not as stupid as you look.” Dracon commented.
“Why?” Rupert yelled, “Why do this to us?”
“Just who are you?!” the princess queried faintly.
Dracon scoffed, “You want to know, do you?”
The Darklord snapped his paw and revealed his true self. “I am Darklord Dracon, and now you will be mine, princess.”
“What is your interest in me?” she asked.
Dracon laughed, “My interest is all that you could afford me, princess. Wealth, Land, Subjects, Armies; a Darklord needs all these things, and I need them especially for I will become the next Dreadlord!”
“The chaos and terror I would spread across this land will wash over your neighbours until it consumes all the world!” Dracon proclaimed, “As long as my infamy grows, nothing will keep me from meeting my destiny.”
“But as for you, Rupert, you shall be destroyed!” Dracon asserted.
Dracon used his magic and released the dragon. “Now, my pet, capture the princess and kill Rupert!” the vulpine ordered it.
The dragon approached Rupert and the princess with vicious intent, but the princess stepped forward. “You are not the only one here with magic, Darklord!” the princess pronounced before she cast a spell on the dragon, which caused it to fly into a rage.
Dracon tried to used his magic to regain control but it was useless. The Darklord dodged out of the way as the dragon took a swipe at him. He turned back to the dragon, used his magic to paralyse the beast again, and he used his sword to severe the beast's head from its neck in one great slash.
“Such a waste.” Dracon muttered before he noticed Rupert and Mercel almost made it out of the cave. The vulpine cast a spell to grab the princess and pull her back into his arms.
“Let go of me!” the princess commanded.
“You are not going anywhere, princess.” Dracon informed her before he used a spell to put her to sleep and lowered her gently to the floor with magic.
“If you want your princess back, Rupert…” Dracon stepped forward, holding his sword up against Rupert, “...you will have to go through me first.”
Rupert, dismayed but not deterred, marched forward and met Dracon for battle.
“You’re going to fight an unarmed opponent?” Rupert questioned him.
“I find it much easier this way.” Dracon said before he began to thrash at Rupert.
He dodged and ducked from the strikes the best he could but Dracon was fast and agile; Rupert slipped, fell back hard against a rock before he stared up at Dracon as the Darklord stood before him.
“Prepare yourself!” Dracon declared before he thrust his sword at Rupert with all his might, but Rupert threw the last of his energy into a final dodge and Dracon’s sword become cemented into the rock Rupert fell against.
The Darklord tried to pull the sword out of the rock but it simply would not budge. As he turned to face Rupert, the vulpine was met with a skull shattering punch that knocked the Darklord out cold on the floor.
Rupert collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, before he realised that Dracon’s magic over the princess had dissipated and she regained consciousness. Rupert picked himself up, darted over to the princess, and helped her back to her feet.
“It’s over, Mercel.” Rupert pointed to the vulpine, “Darklord Dracon is defeated.”
“And you are the one who defeated him!” the princess cheered, embracing him in her arms. “Once we tell father what happened here, he would have no excuse to withhold his blessing.”
“Yeah.” Rupert smiled before looking at the Darklord, “And I think I know how to make sure Dracon does not think to come back here.”
Rupert and Princess Mercel escaped the cave and returned to the castle. After a while, Dracon awoke from his unconscious state. He looked about him, realising that he had lost and the princess had escaped with Rupert, before merely slumping to the ground and uttered to himself, “Not again.”
By the time Dracon made it back to the Castle, Rupert and Mercel were married with the King’s blessing and, as Dracon found Rupert and Mercel perched at the doors to the castle making a speech to their people, Rupert spotted Dracon and announced, “Everyone, meet your new Hero of Ressel, Lord Dracon!”
To the Darklord’s horror, he was cheered by the people as a Hero, a bringer of peace and justice in the world. He was picked up by the crowds and carried off by a sea of adoring fans. The Darklord struggled to get free but none would let him go. By the time he was finally put down, he was so distraught that he bolted and ran as fast and as far as he could for as long as he could.
~~~
“Lost… again…” Dracon said to himself, sulking like a teenager over his defeat, “And, worse yet, my reputation as a Darklord is again in tatters!”
“Why do I even bother?” He asked himself, “Why didn’t I listen to mother and open that toy factory like she insisted? At least that venture would have been profitable.”
The Darklord stopped beside a rock next to the road and decided to sit there for a moment.
“Maybe I should just give up this “Darklord” business…” Dracon thought aloud as he sat their with his head in his paws, but a voice from beside him said, “Don’t do that!”
Dracon was startled to find the two rabbits, Ebony and Rhodium, standing beside him.
“Do not sneek up on me like that!” Dracon commanded.
“Apologies, My Lord.” said Rhodium, the male rabbit who Dracon helped to regain his pendent.
“We came to see you the moment we heard the horrible news of your defeat.” Ebony said, the rabbit that had manned the fake shop on the plateau.
“But do not give up, My Lord.” Rhodium pleaded.
“We believe in you, Darklord, we believe that you can and will succeed, one day, and we now know what we both wish to do.” Ebony implied
“We wish to follow you, My Lord.” Rhodium revealed, “We wish to be your most trusted servants and help you reach the title of Dreadlord.”
“You… really think I can succeed?” Dracon said with a lifted spirit.
“We do, My Lord!” Ebony insisted.
“Then it is decided.” The vulpine said, jumping back to his feet.
The Darklord turned to Ressel and declared, “I may have lost this round but the battle continues. I only need one victory in order to begin by ascent, and, when that day comes, I will return to Ressel, and all those other lands I failed to win, and conquer them all with my legions.”
“If you wish to follow…” the Darklord said to the rabbits, “…then follow.”
Dracon continued in his journey, tailed closely by his two new followers.
<~~~End~~~>
I am still unsure whether this is exactly what I was going for but I have spent far too much time on it to scrap it now. I shall read it through with a clear mind and see how he compares to the original sometime.
