The Rise Of The Great Hero

The cart jolted along the dirt road, creaking softly with every bump, as if protesting the long journey it had endured.

The air carried the scent of damp earth, mingled with the fragrance of old wood and scattered hay inside the cart.

The sound of hooves was rhythmic, like the ticking of an unrelenting clock, accompanied by the grinding of the wheels over the gravel beneath them.

Rain Solaris sat on one of the wooden benches in the cart, surrounded by other young men from nearby villages and farms.

Their faces were tense, silent, as if they were all trying to make sense of what was happening to them.

Some stared into the distance, while others observed the knights riding beside the carts, their stern faces concealing what was on their minds.

The road stretched endlessly ahead, flanked by vast green fields interrupted by towering trees whose leaves danced in the gentle wind.

Despite the beauty surrounding them, Rain didn't feel at peace.

Everything felt strange, as if he had been pulled away from his previous life and thrown into a world unknown.

He tried to break the silence, asking in a soft voice

"Where exactly are we going?"

One of the young men, appearing slightly older, with dark hair falling over his eyes and a face hardened by difficult years, glanced at him.

He replied in a low but firm tone

"To the capital, to the King's Castle. We'll be tested there to see who among us has the qualifications to undergo the Hero's Trial."

Rain's fingers twitched involuntarily, and he swallowed hard.

The Hero's Trial…

He had heard of it in stories told by traveling merchants.

It was a brutal trial, where only the best survived, and the rest… their fates were unknown.

But why them? Why hadn't they chosen the noble born or the knights? Why had they dragged a group of farmers, blacksmiths, and hunters into this fate?

As if reading his thoughts, the young man spoke again

"I'm Jake Alden. And you?"

"Rain… Rain Solaris."

Jake nodded slowly, his expression unreadable, before saying

"You better prepare yourself for what's ahead, Raim Solaris. Because we won't return to our old lives after this."

Raim observed the knights riding alongside the carts.

They wore gleaming silver armor, adorned with golden engravings representing the Sacred Dragon, the emblem of the Altherian Kingdom.

Their faces were stone cold, their expressions giving no hint of mercy.

It was clear they were accustomed to this task, as if they had done it hundreds of times before.

But why? How many times had young villagers been taken like this?

Were they searching for someone in particular? Or was it just a random selection?

Rain wanted to ask, but fear kept him silent.

As the day wore on, the cart shook more violently as they entered an area filled with hills and rugged paths.

The sun began to dip toward the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and red, while dense forests started to close in on both sides of the road.

"We'll camp here tonight!" came the command of one of the knights, and the carts gradually came to a halt.

Everyone slowly disembarked, some barely able to stand straight after hours of sitting.

There were fires being lit in the center of the camp, surrounded by small tents that were quickly set up with efficiency, indicating the knights' experience with traveling.

Rain sat by the fire, where several other young men had gathered.

Some whispered about what awaited them, while others quietly ate the food that had been distributed.

But Rain wasn't hungry… he was filled with tension.

Jake approached him, sitting beside him and placing a wooden sword in front of him.

"Take this."

Rain looked at the wooden sword in confusion, then raised his gaze to Jake.

"Why?"

"Because you'll need to know how to defend yourself soon."

Rain hesitated before gripping the sword. It felt heavier than he expected, but not uncomfortable.

He raised it slightly, but immediately felt an imbalance.

Jake chuckled softly and said

"You're worse than I thought."

Rain rolled his eyes, but couldn't deny the truth.

He wasn't a fighter.

He wasn't a knight or a mage.

He was just a farmer… just no one.

But what he didn't know was that tonight wouldn't be just any other night… it would be the night that would change his fate forever.

As the fire dimmed and everyone slept, Rain could barely rest his head on the cool grass.

Everything in this place made him feel uneasy, but he forced himself to close his eyes.

Then… it happened.

A sharp scream split the silence of the night, causing Raim to jump up instantly, gripping the wooden sword without thinking.

"They're attacking us!!"

The voice belonged to one of the knights, but Raim couldn't see who was attacking them.

Then, in the darkness, red glowing eyes appeared…