"The beauty of heroes exists only through their innocence... as an assertion, that would be truly concerning. But beyond that, there are reasons to directly relate ignorance to this so-resorted-to heroism.
Take the example of all the mercenaries who daily leave the safety of the city in an attempt to earn a few coins, risking their lives on missions they consider good for the act of being paid. Do they never think of their lives when their arms can no longer hold their weapons? Their ability to walk diminishes, but not their desire to continue in adventure, in fear and glory. They are not evil; their conduct might even be considered relatively clean. But those who go out on some kind of crusade against evil, who go and annihilate a tribe of wolves that were migrating in search of hunting grounds just because the farmers tell them there are ugly animals that might consume their livestock—there is not even a remuneration proper. They merely receive a little food, a few coins. They leave happy while behind them, they eliminated dozens of animals that were only acting as what they were. A perfect example of heroic culture.
Citing a deeper example, we have the problem of the Dark Forest—so-called by those seeking to invade it. The original Dark Forest was this one, bordering the boundaries of my magical field, warning of risks. Now, thousands of new heroes from the city come, use it to toughen up, assuming the living beings in that area are evil and that eliminating them will give them enough practice to kill a person or being in Lilith's forest without asking why they remain inside. Who makes them defend those lands that belonged to no one but the Forest Elves, who were simply seeking a means of subsistence, to be creatures under the open sky again? I have spoken with several of those who chose to decline the Overlord's offer. None hate their brothers or wish for their destruction. This was not achieved with the millennial knowledge of their species. This was only achieved with the understanding and empathy they developed over millennia enslaved by the Blood Elves. They live in the forest and little by little build their lives.
The Blood Elves live in the shadow of their past, self-proclaimed 'bloody' elves, living attacking without the slightest provocation, limited to their thirst for power, with the great arsenal of money, magical items, and power they do not know they are recovering. They are the most difficult element to deal with. They accept no authority greater than their past, in love with the unreal ideas of their existence. Even with the rejection of the elves who returned from the sea, these scum characters do not limit their attacks to financing. They were recently involved in poisoning one of the anti-heroic figures by definition.
From knowledge, I must say that letting a snake that is cold into your house is a risky bet. Not because the snake cannot appreciate the gesture—it is because of its instinct, something proper to it, which lives by instinct and will die by it. The elf king who returned to the continent lost many in his attempt to remain in power—a sad situation where I saw him face to face, just a man covered by his father's past, with the burden of the young elves' death on his shoulders... which is incredible to think, since at five thousand years old, they are the young. He currently lives in the human city, leading a reserved life. I think he waits for his father, the true elf king, to tell him what to do—a terrible shame because as a leader, he is a good man, responsible for his people. If he corresponded to the idea of the hero, his people would have died long ago in a revolt against his father.
That is where I direct my thoughts. In the Dark Forest, people live calmly, knowing that anyone can request a trial whose result is the death of the involved parties and even a third party. There are no heroes here; they do not need them. Everyone is responsible for their actions. Everyone helps in the attacks received from outside. Most live in resignation of a horrible death, but day by day, they fight to avoid it. Everyone grows up determined not to die. None think in terms of great ideals—unlike those who claim to serve a higher interest. For them, there is no greater interest in making it through the night, then through the weekend. By their strength, by their means, Lilith achieved in that place that no one gives up fighting. None of them ask for help; they know they would receive it in a trial that could cost them their life. There are deaths, bad actions, and envies there, but people oppose them—they do not resign themselves. In my opinion, that is more valuable.
In short, in this treatise, I only try to show the reader that being a hero without considering others is wanting to be a cloud that covers small sections of the ground without understanding the usefulness and purpose of this act in order to be a great example to the rest. So when people fail to see him, he will be blamed, for the man who waits for the hero is someone who takes no responsibility for anything that happens—be it good or bad—and merely waits in the mental rot of passivity.
Level Nine Mage, Greybeard"
The hand closed the parchment. It took a little time for me to notice it was mine. At least this time, I had no blood in the stories my friend sent me. With some effort, I moved my feet back to the workbench. There was still much to do but little time to achieve it... Judeus, Judeus! What were you involved in that you could not finish before the great attack? I must achieve it—it would be my retirement as a leader. I would not lie if I said I looked forward to it. But my best friend would not be here for the party. I could not allow it. I had done much damage when I lived in ignorance, as he said: I lived too much in the passivity of invention. How many crimes could I have avoided...
Sad my destiny, that I would pay so much for a moment of freedom. But I would not march alone where I was going—at least I would have company.