Excerpt: A Warrior's Heart

“Four men went into battle. One fled, one was killed, one was captured, and the one left standing kills the remaining enemies and walks away the victor. Which one was the hero?” Dragon-Sensei said to the seven young boys sitting on the floor in front of him, each wide-eyed and calculating.
“The victor, of course,” a boy with silver hair and black eyes answered after a few moments of silence.
“Why do you say that?” Sensei asked. It wasn’t a challenge but a mere inquiry.
He was braver than the coward that ran away from the fight. The man that was killed wasn’t skilled enough to survive, and the one that was captured wasn’t quick enough to avoid it.”
“So, in your eyes, being a hero relies on one’s abilities, correct?”
“Yes, Dragon-Sensei.”
“Very well. Is anyone else of a different opinion?”
Blade—the second of the silver-haired twins—narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “The one that was killed,” he decided quietly.
“Your reasons?”
“One doesn’t die for nothing, especially in a battle. The one that survived may have been more skilled, braver, and quicker but it doesn’t imply anything about his character. When someone dies in a fight, it can be assumed that he died honorably and fought to the end and the matter meant something to him.”
“Being a hero is based on character then?”
“Yes, Sensei.”
He nodded once. “Jace?”
“I agree with Hawk. You don’t see anyone being honored for their character; you see them being honored for their skills or sacrifices.”
“Logical point. Nero?”
“I agree with Blade. Part of being a hero is being skilled, but it’s not all of it. You have to be willing to be a hero because it requires self-sacrifice and humility. For all we know, the one that died could’ve died saving the one that lived. Then who would you say was the hero?”
“Another valid point. Others?”
In the end, River and James agreed with Blade and Nero while Colton sided with Jace and Hawk.
“So, it’s between the victor and the dead man. Are we agreed on that the runaway and captive are not the heroes?” he asked, leaning forward on his elbows, his mane of curly black hair falling into his face.
They all nodded.
“Who’s the hero, Sensei?” Hawk asked, completely intrigued by the discussion.
His mentor looked over at the boy, his eyes the color of the grass that covered the surrounding hills. “Do you want to be a hero, Hawk-kun?”
His black eyes lit up. “Yes, Sensei.”
A ghost of a smile touched their mentor’s lips. “Then you want to develop skills, do you not?”
He nodded excitedly. “Yes.”
“Here is a good place to learn.”
“What is the answer to the question, Dragon-Sensei?” Blade asked quietly.
His eyes swiveled over to the second boy. “That is something you will have to figure for yourself. It’s a reflection of your heart, Blade-kun. Whichever one chose is what you are like. If you had chosen the runaway, I would know that you would be a cowardly student. If you had chosen the captive, I would’ve known that you would most likely give up easily when you were forced to go through something hard or dangerous.”
He nodded once.
“Anymore questions?”
“No, Dragon-Sensei,” the seven of them answered in unison.