A Day in the Life: Sir Daniel Fortesque

The Day in the Life segment for Sir Daniel Fortesque is a micro-episode of Heart of the Hero, acting as a midquel to the pilot episode of the series. 
It introduces the world, and what the character had been doing up until the series began
==Logline==
This micro-episode is true to the spirit of MediEvil: Resurrection, featuring comical, derisive narration the sums up the relevant events of MediEvil, and MediEvil 2, the first two entries in the series, and where Heart of the Hero begins.
The opening narration is accompanied by the Welcome to Gallowmere theme from the soundtrack to MediEvil: Resurrection, it also features A Hero Returns as the theme for Sir Fortesque, and Home of the Dead as the theme for Zarok.
==Plot==
===Pre History===
Gallowmere, England, 1286
In a time long ago there lived, in the kingdom of Gallowmere, a sorcerer named Zarok. The foul magician despised his fellow man for their simple ways, and their transgressions against him. In time, Zarok raised an army of shadow demons to rule over the land.
The noble King Peregrin assigned his greatest warrior, Sir Daniel Fortesque to do battle with the sorcerer and his army of darkness. If successful, Sir Dan would go down in history as the greatest hero in all of Gallowmere.
This did not happen.
Uh, well. Not exactly. You see, Sir Dan did indeed go down in history as a legend, just not a living legend. Legends of this battle spoke of Sir Fortesque triumphantly marching toward Zarok's castle alone, cutting down any shadow demons in his path. Storming the gates, finding, and vanquishing the sorcerer once and for all, whilst sacrificing himself to do so.
It's a bloody lie.
Zarok was indeed defeated, but not by Sir Fortesque. Sir Dan had been killed within the first few minutes of the battle. An arrow to the eye. Nevertheless, Sir Fortesque was hailed a legend, even in death, and buried among Gallowmere's greatest heroes, like Woden the Mighty, Kirk Steadfast and Bloodmonath Skull Cleaver.
Yet, in the afterlife, Sir Dan was seen as he truly was, a coward, and a fraud. The Heroes he was supposedly worshiped by were laughing at him from beyond the grave, then, as if by destiny, his chance came at last.
Gallowmere, England, 1386
Little over 100 years had passed, and Zarok had returned. Zarok had returned to take his place as ruler once again, but with no more heroes to protect the land, Zarok had succeeded in raising an army of the dead, but in doing so, had accidentally resurrected Sir Daniel Fortesque himself. Unfortunately for Sir Dan, he had been dead for so long, he had already decomposed to that of a skeleton. With one eye, and no jaw.
If ever there was a man for the job, he was not it.
Yet, we were all proven wrong, as when the time came to step up, Sir Fortesque finally, and for real, vanquished Zarok. He had redeemed himself at last, and was rewarded a place in the fabled Hall of Heroes, among his colleagues, an eternal rest awaited him.
No rest for the wicked, indeed.
Kensington, England, 1886
The body of Sir Daniel Fortesque lies on display in the British Museum for all to see, and as usual, trouble is just around the corner.
Reggy Palethrop, an aspiring sorcerer had finally gathered the last remaining pages of Zarok's famed spell book. With it, he unleashed a vast, magical outbreak that shook the city. The dead walked, and once again, so did Sir Fortesque.
It was a strange, new world. With the same old problems. This time, Sir Fortesque wasn't alone, he was greeted by the ghost of a young boy named Winston, who guided him through the museum, and to his mentor, and boss. Who introduced himself as Professor Hamilton Kift, magician, inventor, and master of the occult. Together they would fight Palethrop, now Lord Palethorn, and his army of the dead, and restore England to its former, undead-free glory.
It wasn't all hard work though. Returning to the museum, Sir Fortesque discovered companionship in the form of 2000 year old Princess Kiya, a mummified consort of Ramses II, in her tomb on display at the museum.
Tired of staying on the sidelines, Kiya offered to help Sir Dan in his private war on Palethorn. Concerned for her safety, he denied her, but the Professor insisted, seeing an opportunity to divide their efforts for two separate missions. While Sir Dan investigated the vampire-infested Wulfrum Hall, Kiya went to Whitechapel.
Disaster.
Sir Dan easily disposed of the noble vampire of the house, and saw that Kiya had not returned, and dashed off to find her. He had found what he had feared. Moments away from saving her, she was struck dead by the Ripper, a foul creature from the depths of the nether world. Sir Dan was too distraught to continue his work, and abandoned the mission.
Yet, there was hope.
Forging pieces of a run-down, incomplete invention of the Professor's, Sir Dan was able to finish the Professor's time device. He went on a one-way journey back in time, to face the Ripper in combat, he rescued Kiya from her fate. Yet, awkwardly, the Sir Dan who originally arrived in time to see Kiya die arrived right on schedule.
Meeting face to face with his alternate self, they shook hands, and something strange occured, something the likes of which had not been seen before, nor likely ever seen again. They were illuminated by a golden light, and combined into one, merging both of their alternate timelines together, and forging a new one, along with a new golden suit of super armour. 
Benumbed by all they saw, Dan and Kiya returned together to face Palethorn at long last.
They were too late.
Lord Palethorn had already gathered the souls of the living necessary to cast his final spell. He summoned a giant demon, and set it loose on the world. The final battle took place on the crumbling Cathedral Spires, and Dan was terrified. Yet, he persevered and used Palethorn's own might against him.
Sir Dan's strategy was to redirect the fire from Palethorn's gunship onto the Demon itself. The Demon would then return judgement, and tear down Palethorn's ship, it was a sight to behold.
The Demon retreated underground, but Palethorn wasn't defeated yet. In one final act of malice, he set off dynamite and blew himself, and the cathedral to pieces. Sir Fortesque was able to escape in time, and regroup with Kiya, and the Professor.
Their mission successful, they rejoiced, and said their farewells. The Professor gave Dan his time device to keep. So, Sir Dan, and Kiya decided to take one last trip through time, back to Dan's home, Gallowmere.
===Ancient History===
Gallowmere, England, 1387
Many long years had passed, but, Sir Daniel Fortesque had finally returned home, now with his new companion, Princess Kiya, Dan would live a life of adventure, traveling through time and space, until they both chose to move on to the next life together.
It was not to be. 
Sir Fortesque wasn't the technical expert he was in his legends, their time device had broken down, and they were stuck in Gallowmere, just one year after Sir Fortesque had defeated Zarok. Sir Forteque opened the back compartment of the machine, and pulled out a glowing, green gemstone. It was cracked, and fell to pieces in Dan's hands. Dan had explained that the Time Stone is what makes the machine work, without it, it's useless. Almost as if reacting to the Time Stone's disintergration, Sir Dan's golden super armour began to glow, and faded away, and reverted back to his original silver. Both Dan and Kiya shrugged it off, assuming the paradoxical nature of his armour disappeared because of the Time Stone's unique properties, holding both timelines together.
Dark clouds were gathering around the ruins of King Peregrin's castle. Already it seemed the world was in turmoil again. If one believed in destiny, one would think Sir Fortesque had arrived in the right place, at the right time.
So, Sir Dan, and Princess Kiya journeyed toward the now haunted ruins, it had been a century since the kingdom was populated, but since Zarok's spell, there was nothing left. 2 days had passed, but they finally made it, the castle ruins were just as Dan had left them, buried under a pile of rubble, and rock. The volcano under the castle had recently become active, and devoured the castle from below, Sir Dan had managed to escape just in time by launching himself out of castle on a catapult.
Sir Fortesque's stories of his past deeds to defeat Zarok had amused Kiya for the moment, but they both regretted leaving the Professor behind, and the sight of Dan's former home now destroyed wasn't helping. Now it is home to ghosts, and forgotten memories.
The Earth shook beneath their feet, Dan and Kiya nodded to each other, and ran back to the time device, a 2-days journey now only seemed to pass by in a few minutes, Sir Dan's daring dash hadn't failed him, he was scared to.
Dan and Kiya couldn't stand seeing the time device sit there, going to waste, so they disassembled it, as carefully as they could, while the Earth rumbled around them. They constructed a crude chariot from the wreckage, it looked partially inspired from ancient Egyptian transport, as well as medieval. They looked stunned, then that faded when they had no way to move it. Kiya suggested they don't need the Time Stone to move it, it was still a functioning machine, and referred to the engine at the back. It was still rocket powered.
Dan and Kiya sat inside. Dan pulled the golden lever, and the machine powered up, and rocketed toward the coliseum. The very same arena in which Dan vanquished Zarok a year ago. The closer they got to the coliseum, the louder, and more intense the earthquakes seemed. Kiya had surmised that the source of the quakes was directly ahead of them inside the arena.
With a quick turn, Dan steered the former time device onto the railroad tracks, and followed them up to Zarok's keep, which help the Arena inside it, he abruptly hit the brakes, as the track was out. Dan had suspected that his final showdown with Zarok had led the arena to collapse in on itself in a mighty crash. There was easy way across. Kiya suggested they could use the time device to rocket as far as they could to the other track, and jump off before the device falls into the dark chasm below.
Realising this would sacrifice the time device, leaving them trapped in a ruined Gallowmere, Dan hesitated, and refused. Still concerned for Kiya's well being, he pushed her out of the machine onto the tracks. He enacted her plan without her. He turned on the device, and rocketed forward over the gap in the tracks. Dan's armour weighed him, and the device down, as it began to plummet into the abyss.
He ran as fast as he could, with all of his daring dash behind him, he leaped, and made it to the edge. He climbed over to see Kiya on the other side, looking worried, then annoyed. He declared her to stay, and that he would investigate the quakes in the arena alone, and that he would return for her.
Kiya refused his attempt at chivalry, declaring it to be So 13th Century. She told him to stand back, and prepare a dagger. Sparing what little of her mummification bandages she had, she unwrapped her arms, and tied them together, she threw the knot to Dan's side of the track, and he struck the bandage with a throwing dagger, as it lodged into the stone pillar.
Without blinking, she jumped, and swung downward toward the track, hitting the pillar, as the bandage held. Always buy Egyptian.
Kiya climbed up to join Dan at the bridge connecting the track to the arena. Dan had no lower jaw to speak of, but had he still, it would only be dropping now. Dan and Kiya stepped forward and moved toward the gates, pushing them open, minding the crumbling debris, from Dan's last fight, around them they entered the arena.
Inside the arena lay massive stone pillars, broken and scattered across the ground, the ceiling was barely held together, and could collapse at any moment. The ground was cracked beneath them, and continued to as they walked to the heart of the arena. The earthquakes had stopped for a while, and at the centre of the arena was a golden chalice, it lay on the ground in perfect condition, unlike all they saw around them.
Dan and Kiya approached the Chalice of Souls, as what appeared to be little streams of pink light shooting out of the bodies that lay around the arena and meet inside the cup, when they did, it began to glow, and it rose into the air. Dan reached out to touch the chalice, but had his arm blown off by a strong, invisible force. Kiya was shocked, but Dan reassured her that it happened all the time.
Dan and Kiya both turned around to see a figure in a green, hooded cloak, their sickly, grey skin and glowing, green eyes were of no surprise to Dan, they matched the description of Zarok. What was strange was their bare feet making the ground turn to ash as they walked toward them.
Dan directed Kiya to walk backward with him, as he drew his enchanted broad sword, it's glowing, golden light filled the dark arena. The figure raised their arm, revealing themselves to be a woman, with bizarre facial tattoos, and merely bearing resemblance to Zarok's former visage. When she raised her arm completely, the sword's glowing aura faded, and the golden light was absorbed her.
Nevertheless, Sir Dan stood his ground.
Truly marvelous isn't it?, uttered the Lord of Chaos, in her voice that like poison to a wound. Magic.
It's mortals pretending to like they're gods. Sorry about your sword, but I needed all the magic I can get.
It was at this moment that Sir Dan cleverly retorted back at the Lord of Chaos. Unfortunately, due to his lower jaw now missing, his words are garbled, mumbled, and almost incomprehensible, to Dan, what sounded like I've killed sorcerers before, you won't be any different., actually sounded like Iff klld srcrrs bfr, eyuu wnt behh ennh dffrnt., utter nonsense, really.
The Lord of Chaos was dumbfounded, and tried to hold in laughter, but quickly returned to a scowl, and she grabbed the chalice. You're a gibbering fool, and I've wasted enough time on you, Sir Knight., she bows to Sir Dan, and he returns the gesture, while looking confused.
While Sir Dan's bow reached its apex, his fragile skull fell from its place on his neck, and onto the ground. Kiya was shocked at first, but giggled a little to herself. The Lord of Chaos however broke out into hysterical laughter, she dropped the chalice of souls, and fell over backward. She continued laughing, as the earthquakes began again. The chalice rolled right by Dan's skull, and over to the fallen stone pillars. Dan's skull looked rather embarrassed, as it gestured to his body to pick him up.
While Dan's body tried to pick up his skull, the chalice had hit one of the pillars as it rolled, its perfect, golden frame was chipped by the stone. It was then that the wispy, pink streams of light escaped the cup, and flew around the main pillar. The souls were span and flew around in circles increasing with speed, until they shot down into the ground, the Earth shook twice as hard, as the pillar began to crack.
Even the Lord of Chaos contained herself, as she noticed the empty, broken chalice, and the souls seeping into the ground. She was furious, the ground beneath her shattered, and left a small, burning crater. She rose into the air, greenish-black smoke surrounding her, as she flew toward the crumbling pillar. She stopped by a surge of green lightning, which shot out the now shattered pillar, the lightning struck her down. The dust around the pillar had settled, but the lightning would not.
Dan's skull was reattached at the perfect time, the dust cleared to reveal his nemesis, Zarok, return once more. This time by his own doing, while indirect, was still painfully ironic to him, about as ironic as Zarok and Palethorn accidentally resurrecting Dan himself in their plans.
The Lord of Chaos got up, and demanded who Zarok was, Zarok picked up his golden trident, and proclaimed himself to be the future-ruler of the world. The Lord of Chaos dismissed him with a tsk. Claiming that it was her job, and that she was tired of jokes, gesturing to Sir Dan.
Zarok was awestruck, to be in the presence of his nemesis again was both infuriating, and inspiring. Sir Fortesque, how it pains me to see you again, but... Zarok laughed to himself.
I suppose I have you and the temptress to thank for my return, ha ha ha.
Temptress, eh? responded the Lord of Chaos. That was MY magic he sabotaged to bring you back. I was going to use it.
So? What are you going to do now? It is my power now. You need me., Zarok said, derisively.
You want to work with me?, the Lord of Chaos said, as she slowly walked toward Zarok, as he looked concerned, Dan walked back over to Kiya.
I can sense the power within you, and the unspeakable evil, of course, but mostly the power. said Zarok
The Lord of Chaos grabbed Zarok's lapels as the greenish-black, smoky aura began to surround them both.
Now, you come with me, perhaps we'll find a place for you. said the Lord of Chaos
We'll meet again Fortesque! For the last time! echoed the words of Zarok, as he and the Lord of Chaos disappeared into the smoky cloud, and into nothing.
Kiya asked what else could go wrong, as blue light, surrounded by lightning appeared in the centre of the arena. The light began to glow brighter, blindingly so, until it took the shape of a man.
Dan and Kiya were in the presence of the Master of Order, as the light faded, Geno, his emissary stepped forward from behind him. Dan and Kiya looked confused, and shocked. The Master spoke softly and briefly, as if out of breath.
You are needed. You enemy has joined mine... You must come...
The Master of Order was tired, and beaten, with his recent encounter with the Lord of Chaos, and her newly assembled agents. He had decided to join Geno on his quest to retrieve the last destined hero to join their cause.
What my master means is, Sir, is that we're gathering a... Band. A band of rogues and adventurers, and we need you., said Geno.
Maybe we should listen to them, Dan. After all, it's kind of your fault about Zarok. said Kiya.
What was that? asked the Master of Order abruptly.
Nthng! Wll hlp eyuu. mumbled Sir Fortesque reluctantly
Excellent, I'll take you to meet the others, now that we have 7, we may stand some chance against the Lord of Chaos and her friends. said Geno.
Who would be friends with that foul woman? asked Kiya
You will soon find out, Your Highness, Sir Knight. said Geno.
The four of them gathered in the centre, the blue jewel on the Master of Order's forehead began to glow, and they were surrounded by a blue aura, and disappeared from the land of Gallowmere to a world beyond.
==Characters==
HOTH Sir Daniel Fortesque.png|Sir Daniel Fortesque
HOTH Princess Kiya.png|Princess Kiya
HOTH Geno.png|Geno
Master Of Order.png|The Master of Order
HOTH Zarok.png|Zarok
Lord Of Chaos.png|The Lord of Chaos
==Trivia==
The events of Heart of the Hero take place immediately after MediEvil 2.
Category:Episodes
Category:MediEvil (Series)
Category:Heart of the Hero
Category:Micro-Episodes