Toll of a Loved One's Loss (Hero Stories)

"Toll of a Loved One's Loss" is a mini-story that takes place in the HERO: The Guardian Smurf story series. It takes place several months after Wonder's passing.

The Story
It was a calm night over the forest, and in the Smurf Village, Hero was still awake looking at pictures of himself with Wonder. He had tears flowing down his face, and he had a terrible pain in his chest, it was the pain of losing a loved one.

"Wonder! I wish you were still with me," Hero thought to himself, as he looked at the pictures.

Just then he could hear a voice in his head that sounded identical to that of Wonder.

"Hero! Hero! Smurf to me, Hero," the voice said.

Hero held his head, "I must be losing my smurf, I'm hearing things," he said.

"Smurf to me, Hero," the voice said.

Hero tried his hardest to ignore the voice, but it became so frequent that it drove him crazy.

"It seems that I smurf no other choice," Hero said, "The only way that I will be able to smurf with Wonder again, is to end my life."

Hero then proceeded to write down a farewell letter, kissed his sleeping daughter on the cheek and left the house.

...

The next morning, all the Smurfs were gathered at the speaking mushroom, ready to hear the mornings work. Most of the Smurfs noticed that Hero was not with them.

"Does any Smurf know where Hero is?" Hawkeye asked.

"I haven't seen him since last night," Dempsey said.

Just then they could hear Saviour running towards them with a letter in her hand.

"Grandpa Smurf! Grandpa Smurf!" Saviour shouted.

"What is it, Saviour?" Papa Smurf asked.

"My Papa Smurf's going to smurf himself," Saviour said.

All the Smurfs gasped with shock.

"But, why?" Papa Smurf asked.

"He left a note, Grandpa Smurf!" Saviour said, handing him the letter.

"What does it say, Papa Smurf?" Smurfette asked.

"It says, Dear Papa & fellow Smurfs, I just can't smurf the fact that I'll be smurfing the rest of my life without Wonder. I loved her very much. As of right now, I'm planning to re-unite with her by smurfing myself into the fires of Mount Versmurfius. I thank you all for the smurfy memories. Farewell, Heroic Smurf." Papa Smurf said, reading the note.

"What do we do, Papa Smurf?" Smurfette asked.

"He's delirious, my little Smurfs, Quickly, we've got to stop him," Papa Smurf said, as he, Hawkeye, Smurfette and Saviour got on board Feathers and they headed towards Mount Versmurfius.

"I didn't know Mama Smurf's passing would smurf this bad, Grandpa Smurf," Saviour said.

"Neither of us knew as well, Saviour, but all the same, we still have to stop him," Papa Smurf said.

"I just hope we get there before he smurfs his life, Papa Smurf," Smurfette said.

"We will, Smurfette," Papa Smurf said.

...

At the summit of Mount Versmurfius, Hero stood at the ledge overlooking the boiling lava below.

"Well, Wonder, we'll soon be together again," Hero said, as he prepared to drop from the ledge.

"NO, HERO!" a voice shouted out.

Hero turned round and seen Feathers land close to him. Papa Smurf and his chosen Smurfs dropped from her neck.

"Why did you stop me, Papa Smurf?" Hero asked, "I just want to smurf alongside Wonder again."

"I know you do, Hero, but this isn't the way to smurf it," Papa Smurf said, "You'll smurf alongside Wonder again when it's time you to smurf into the smurfy hereafter."

"Hero! We've been best friends for as long as I can remember, but I've never once seen you smurf this bad," Hawkeye said, "You still your fellow Smurfs, as well as your daughter in your life."

"He's right, Papa Smurf, I know Mama Smurf's passing was hard on us, but she did tell us to not mourn for her, I never knew it would smurf this bad," Saviour said.

"I just want to hold her, one last time," Hero said, before dropping to his knees and started crying.

Smurfette came over and held his hands in hers.

"I just want to smurf her again," Hero cried.

"Hero, look at me," Smurfette said sweetly.

Hero looked up at Smurfette.

"Wonder may be gone, Hero, but you still have me, Saviour, and the other Smurfs. You can't smurf that up! I'll always be here for you to help you through this," Smurfette said comfortingly.

Hero just looked at her, he wasn't too sure what to believe.

"This is to prove that I'll always be here for you," Smurfette said, before she gave Hero a kiss on the lips.

"Oh smurf, what have I smurfed," Hero said.

"Don't worry, Hero," Smurfette said, "Everything is going to be smurfy."

"Can we please just go home," Hero said.

"Of course," Papa Smurf said, as they got back onboard Feathers and headed back to the village.

On the way back, Smurfette got close to Hero and told him eveything would be okay.