Deathstalker 06 - Deathstalker Legacy

Robert had promoted an indirect branch, and made them Deathstalkers. And every damned one of them had been a Paragon. Lewis had never wanted anything else, ever since he was a child. The day he left Virimonde as its choice of Paragon, to go to Logres for his confirmation, had been the happiest and proudest day of his life.
    And yet it wasn't something he intended to do for the rest of his life. Being a Paragon was a young man's job; a job for a man without wife or family to grieve if he didn't come home someday. The job killed a lot of Paragons young. Finn was in his early fifties, the oldest serving Paragon, ever, and Lewis had to wonder why. It was a job worth doing, certainly. A necessary job, and with many rewards. But most Paragons retired in their thirties, to become media celebrities, wealthy men who could pretty much write their own tickets. But Finn just kept on going.
    Finn Durandal wasn't an easy man to understand. He rarely gave interviews, even to his own websites, and when he did he rarely had much to say. The usual stuff about justice, and what an honor it was to serve as a Paragon. And while there was no denying he clearly enjoyed putting it to the bad guys, surely that wasn't motive enough to continue in so dangerous a job for so long. What kind of a man chose such a job over the comforts of wife and children, family and home? There'd been women enough in Finn's life; he was always being seen escorting some new beauty in the gossip magazines. But none of them seemed to stick around very long.
    "Why?" Lewis said suddenly, and Finn turned to look at him. He didn't seem surprised.
    "Everyone asks me that question eventually. And you waited longer than most. So ... Partly because
    there's only ever been me. Just me. No family, no great love. No one who ever cared enough to stick around. I guess I'm just not good with people. And also . . . because I'm good at it. No one does it better than me. The greatest Paragon there's ever been. More medals, more commendations, more dead bad guys to my credit than anyone else. And now, I'm going to be Champion. Not just one worlds protector, but the whole Empire's. Someday, they'll have my image up in one of those windows. My name will even eclipse yours."
    "I'm glad," said Lewis. "Really. You earned it."
    "Yes," said Finn. "I did." He was still looking at the stained-glass windows. "Once, my ancestor was a hero. Lord Durandal. My family's history is packed with records of his exploits. Great adventures, amazing deeds. But no one else remembers him now. No stained-glass window for my ancestor. He went out into the Darkvoid, eventually, sent by his Emperor in search of lost Haden, and the Darkvoid Device. He never came back. No one knows what happened to him. He failed in his quest, and was forgotten. There's a valuable lesson to be learned in that, Lewis."
    Is that why you keep throwing yourself into battle? thought Lewis. Because you don't want to be seen to jail? Even by retiring?
    Aloud, he said, "I never knew your family were Lords."
    "It's not something it's wise to talk about, these days," said Finn, shrugging. "I can't say I miss the Families. I'd much rather be a Paragon. You could say we're the new aristocracy, rich and powerful and adored; but decided by feats of valor and merit rather than accident of birth. Hell, I'm richer now than any of my old Family ever were. Thirty odd years of merchandising and careful investments will do that for you. You should try it, Lewis. You're the only Paragon I know who doesn't even have his own action figure."
    "I never cared about being rich," said Lewis. "And trading on my name as a Paragon always seemed to me that it would . . . somehow cheapen it. I don't judge those who do. I just know it's not for me."
    Finn looked at him thoughtfully. "How very noble of you, Lewis. I have to say ... I did wonder, for a while, whether Douglas would make you Champion. Just because you're a Deathstalker. That name still means something. It has power. And God knows Douglas was always a real sentimentalist."
    Lewis shrugged quickly. "Legends . . . should stay in the past, where they belong. I have always preferred to be judged by my own accomplishments, such as they are. I've never wanted to be Champion, Finn. That's going to be a job for someone who understands politics, and can play the game.
    I've never understood politics, and to be honest, I've never given a damn. I'm a Paragon, and that's all I ever wanted to be."
    "Happy the man