The Trials of the Hero

The road between the harbor district and working class section of town was crowded

with merchants, craftsmen, day laborers, and more. They were doing some evening

shopping after work, heading to cheap taverns, or merely making their way home.

Such bustle was nothing compared to the capital, of course, but this was still one of

Zoltan's busiest streets. And an armor-clad boy with a sword at his waist was standing

right in the middle of the thoroughfare. It was a horrible nuisance, but he was an

unfamiliar outsider and equipped for battle, so no one said anything. He ignored the

numerous irked glares cast his way.

"All right."

Van raised his shield.

It was a treasure he'd claimed from the salt dragons' lair—the Fairy King's Shield.

The object had been ensorcelled with many powers, one of which was the spell Send

Suggestion.

The effect spread low-strength mind control magic over a wide area using telepathy.

It wasn't powerful enough to seize someone's mind completely, and it couldn't force

them to commit suicide or fall in love with another whom they didn't care for.

All it could do was suggest. The spell whispered in the back of the mind, asking

"Wouldn't it be better if you did this?"

If an affected individual immediately refused, then the power dissipated. However, the

low potency of the spell gave it certain benefits over mightier magic like Dominate.

Mind control magic was very prone to being resisted, and the effects only lasted for a

short while. Although Dominate was a high-level spell, it couldn't affect any at or above

the user's level. Even if it succeeded, its effects wore off after a minute. This severely

limited its uses. Weaker mind control spells could still be defied, and their potency

expired just as quickly. However, because the manipulation was minor, a person

wouldn't realize they'd been affected, so long as the order was a natural one.

Someone unaware they were being controlled couldn't resist, and even after the magic

faded, they'd continue to act as instructed because they believed it to be their choice.

"Esta said never to use this, but to ignore such a wonderful power would be strange."

Van sensed great possibility from the shield. He believed that all heretics were

misfortunate and that the shield held the power to save and guide them back to the

path of righteous faith. What reason could there be not to use it?

Esta claimed there was no value in belief brought on by magic. A prayer was a prayer,

though. What difference in value was there to God? Inquisitors used the lash to draw

out faith. Whether by words, agony, or spell, human thought had no meaning when

paired against God's love. All that mattered was that everything existed in accordance

with the Divine Blessings—the proof of God's divine benevolence.

Van activated the Fairy King's Shield.

His message was to be "Summon your courage and fight the demon lord's army with

the Hero."

Undoubtedly, everyone here should have considered that notion before. All these

people had surely wondered if it was right for them to laze about peacefully while

others fought in distant lands. The Fairy King's Shield would give them the courage to

live according to God's will.

The Hero was a Divine Blessing meant to save the world. That was why it stirred

people to fight, to expend their lives. It was all in service of God's design.

Ahhh, what a wonderful world.

Holding the shield up, he shouted his command.

"Summon your courage and fight the demon lord's army with the Hero." The outburst

gathered many eyes, and the shield gleamed.

"Thorn Bind!"

However, before the magic could finish, vines wrapped around Van.

"?!"

The boy's body was ensnared, and the spell failed.

"That's far enough, Hero."

"Who are you?!"

A female high elf wielding a staff emerged from the crowd.

"Just a woman living in Zoltan." Yarandrala flashed a fearless smile. "In every land, the

use of mind control on a citizen is a serious crime. You must know that."

"Divine law supersedes that of mortals. Nothing takes precedence over faith."

"What a cruel Hero. I'm not really too big on laws, but I can't abide this kind of villainy."

"You impede the Hero, call the Hero a villain… You speak evil while masquerading as

righteous."

"Honestly, I'm not much for religion, but it stings a bit to be derided so."

"I am Van the Hero! Destroyer of evil!"

The boy poured strength into his body.

"Did you forget that you're caught in my vines? Struggling is going to hurt!"

"Grahhhhh!!!"

Van's face twisted in anguish. Yarandrala was relieved to see he didn't possess

Resistance to Pain like Ruti.

"Hrahhhhhh!!!"

Van tore the vines apart, evidently not bothered that he shredded his flesh by doing

so. Blood ran from the many wounds on his limbs.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

People fled from the terrible scene.

Van bled all over, but still smiled as he drew his sword. Hope shone in his expression—

a look befitting the Hero.

"Now the Hero shall defeat the villain!"

"…"

Yarandrala braced herself and readied her staff. Van's blessing was immature yet, but

he was still the Hero.

There…!

Yarandrala guarded, deflecting the boy's holy sword.

This strength!

Van's sword attacks already rivaled the greatest champions.

Yarandrala hadn't entered this battle carelessly, yet she now understood that she had

to take this more seriously. Anything less would spell defeat.

"Weed Sting!"

Yarandrala's spell caused a plant with razor-sharp leaves to sprout. Ordinarily, it

should have been impossible to use any magic during a furious exchange of blows,

making a small trick like this unexpected and dangerous.

"Gh?!"

The plant cut into Van's legs through gaps in his armor. The keen leaves had been

strengthened by Yarandrala's power, slicing all the way to Van's muscles. Seizing upon

that opening, the high elf leaped back to summon her most powerful spell, Tyrant

Spirit.

However…

Clang!

Yarandrala's staff was knocked upward.

Van had dashed forward to deliver a rising cut, unconcerned with the state of his legs.

Oh no!

Yarandrala's defense had been broken in an instant. With nothing to stop him, Van

brought his weapon down at her neck. Yet halfway through the arc, the boy suddenly

felt his blade grow heavy.

"Nice one, spider!"

A large shadow flew through the air.

"Martial Art: Meteor Kick!"

A heel sped forward like an arrow.

Van reflexively protected himself with his shield, but the strike blew him away.

A man gracefully flipped backward to land on his feet.

"That got a bit close."

"Danan!"

"One-on-one against the Hero'd be rough, right? Figured I'd lend a hand."

Danan wore a ferocious smile as he raised his left hand and assumed a combat stance.

"He's strong. I almost thought I was done for there."

"Yeah, I can tell just lookin' at him."

Danan watched the Hero carefully. Van was well and truly bloodied, but he stood and

raised his sword regardless.

"Why doesn't he heal himself? The Hero should have access to Healing Hands, right?"

"Who knows."

"No matter how incredible he is, being all torn up like that has to hurt."

Van grinned, caked in dark red. "Two powerful villains! But I am the Hero. The Hero

will not yield to evil!"

"I see. You draw motivation from faith in your blessing." Danan exhaled and lowered

his center of gravity. "I bet you've never known any sort of failure, so you can't imagine

that your conviction might be wrong. In which case, a proper ass-kicking and a nose

fracture for good measure should do the trick. Hope you're ready, Mister Hero!"

"Almighty Demis, please guide me in battle!"

Danan and Van dashed forward at the same time.

"Martial Art: Tiger King's Claw!"

"Martial Art: Holy Blade!"

Van's ability empowered his blade with a holy aura, increasing its reach. However,

Danan had leaped over the boy to deliver his attack.

Van's sword caught empty air, and Danan's fist struck the Hero's shield.

"I'll support you!"

Yarandrala fired off a thorny seed like an arrow.

Had Van guarded against the high elf's spell instead of Danan's attack, he would have

undoubtedly been defeated. Knowing that, Van elected not to defend against

Yarandrala's projectile. Barbs pierced his left eye, yet he slashed at Danan without

flinching.

"Hah, that's a bad move!"

Now blind in one eye, Van could no longer perceive depth. Thus he was unable to

dodge when Danan hurled a punch his way. Buckling at last, the Hero struggled to stay

on his feet.

"Gah… Hahhh… It hurts… But… the Hero doesn't fall… Healing Hands Mastery:

Reversal."

Light shone from Van's body.

"Wh…?"

"Danan?!"

The burly Martial Artist jumped away, clutching his left eye as blood erupted from all

over his body.

"This is the first time I've fought such powerful foes! You are truly worthy of being the

Hero's enemies!" Van sounded excited. And all of his injuries had vanished.

"I'll heal you!" Yarandrala used spirit magic to mend her friend's cuts.

"…What was that?" Danan demanded.

"Amazing. That really hurt me, but you endure it like nothing at all."

"Transferring wounds hardly seems like a power fit for the Hero."

"What would a villain like you know about being the Hero? That was Reversal, an

ability granted by mastering the Hero's unique inherent skill, Healing Hands."

"Reversal?"

"Healing Hands allows me to heal someone using my own magic power and vitality, so

its culmination is the free control and distribution of those energies. Reversal allows

me to use another's vitality to regenerate. And since Healing Hands is a restorative

skill, not an attack, its damage can't be prevented."

"What's so heroic about that?"

"With this skill, I can turn things around no matter the situation! The Hero shall never

give in, no matter how mighty the evil!"

"You're babblin' about how you'll never quit while goin' around pushing your pain

onto everyone else?" Danan spat blood. Yarandrala was still tending to his injuries.

"Even an idiot like me can tell you're no Hero."

"It is Almighty Demis who gave me this path. You deny the word of God. There is no

greater heresy, and, as the Hero, I cannot forgive such evil!"

Van raised his sword again and ran forward. Yarandrala raised her staff in response.

"Van's skill is too strong against a Martial Artist! I'm taking over!"

"Ah? You tellin' me to turn tail now just 'cause of that?! No way!!!"

Danan and Yarandrala stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to face Van.

Suddenly, the sky darkened.

"What's happening?"

A dragon's roar thundered over Zoltan.

Danan, Yarandrala, and Van all stopped fighting to look up.

"Shit, this is bad! Summon something, quick!" Danan barked.

Fortunately, Yarandrala had already been working a spell. "I know! Heed my call,

Tyrant Spirit!"

The ground shattered, and the spirit of a giant, mighty tree emerged.

The powerful spirit spread its body to catch the flames that rained from the heavens.

"Damn. It's a salt dragon…!"

Yarandrala's powerful spirit crumbled as it was buffeted by the salt dragon's corrosive

breath.

Salt dragons were creatures of stagnation and destruction, capable of corroding plant

life and metal. Dozens of them crowded the sky, glaring below with cloudy, pearl-like

eyes.

"My plants won't be much use against those monsters!" Yarandrala exclaimed.

"Don't get in our way while we're busy dealin' with the Hero!" Danan roared at the

circling dragons.

They didn't seem interested in Danan at all, however. All of their attention was

directed at Van the Hero.

"Thou, who slew our brethren and stole our treasure, shall know our wrath and suffer

our vengeance!"

"Evil dragons! So, you're here to take back my shield!"

Van patted the item in question.

The salt dragons bared their fangs and roared. "That is ours, sneakthief!"

Flames gathered in the creatures' maws.

Danan scowled. "Damn it! I can't stop all of them in time! Sorry, Yarandrala, you gotta

defend the town with your spirit while I take care of them!"

"Got it!"

The high elf wasted no time, preparing a summoning again.

"You're mine!" Van leaped forward, sword poised to strike at Yarandrala's neck.

"You piece of shit!!!" Danan's fist collided with the Hero, sending him flying back.

A second great tree spirit arose, blocking the corrosive flame.

"Aww. I was so close." Even now, Van was grinning.

"Isn't the Hero supposed to be incapable of abandoning people in danger?!"

"This, too, is Demis's will. God loves the faithful and heretical alike. If salt dragons

destroy Zoltan, then its slothful people will be motivated to fight the demon lord's

army. Evil monsters exist to serve the almighty, too, just as it was written in the

scripture! I am the Hero. I shall not abandon anyone! I will even save heretics!"

"Spare me the crazy talk, you bastard! I'm gonna beat you to death!"

Danan's face was twisted in fury as he leveled his fist at Van.

Dozens of dragons swarmed in the sky, and people were fleeing in terror.

Van brought those dragons… What a mess…

Yarandrala was positively indignant but kept cool enough to recognize that the

situation demanded her attention.

I'm no match for the salt dragons' corrosive breath, and Danan won't have much success

against Van's abilities… But we have no choice but to win!

The great spirit's body paled and crumbled, eaten away by salt.

A single blast will devastate the city!

If Yarandrala allowed an attack to get by, it would mean widespread destruction. This

was why salt dragons had come to be feared as destroyers of civilization.

"Red…," Yarandrala whispered to herself.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"What?!"

"Lightning Speed."

A bronze sword streaked through Zoltan's streets.

"Wh-?!"

Van blocked the sharp attack from this new enemy, yet something managed to stab

into his hand gripping the shield.

"Gh!" Van's dauntless expression cracked a bit, and his brow tensed. Blood seeped

from his left arm.

"Guess it's a good thing I never gave Rit this knife back." Red had cut into Van's arm

using a small blade carried in his off hand.

"What are you doing?!" the Hero cried. The wound wasn't deep, and Van saw little

value in transferring the damage with Reversal, so he opted to attack instead.

Clunk!

However, Van swiftly discovered his shield was caught on something.

"Ah!"

The knife had cut the shield's strap so quickly that Van, a first-rate swordsman, hadn't

noticed.

Van frantically grabbed after the item, but he was too late.

"Nice! Perfect timing!"

Mister Crawly Wawly, who rode on Red's back, jumped in evident joy.

Spider thread reeled in the Fairy King's Shield, and Red quickly grabbed it.

Van slashed wildly to reclaim his shield, but Red deflected each strike using the very

item he'd stolen.

"Trying to block with my sword likely would've only shattered the blade."

The Hero's blows were tremendously powerful but careless and unrefined. Van's

stance was broken when his full-strength slashes were batted away.

"I'm not done!!!" roared the Hero. He touched the ground to steady himself, then

charged at Red. To Van's surprise, however, the object of his anger had vanished.

"He's gone?!"

By the time Van had righted himself, Red's Lightning Speed had carried him far from

the range of any sword.

"Phew."

I slowed to a stop on the road north from Zoltan.

I'd been watching the skies ever since we saw those monsters fleeing. Upon spotting

the salt dragons moving from the west, I used Lightning Speed to rush back to Zoltan.

I inspected the Fairy King's Shield. Van must have taken something precious for salt

dragons to come all the way to Zoltan. And an examination of the shield confirmed it

had never belonged to any fairy king.

Overhead, the salt dragons previously circling Zoltan were pursuing me.

That was to be expected, since they only wanted their stolen shield. Thankfully, this

would keep them from damaging Zoltan.

I also spied Van running along the road after the dragons.

"He's pretty fast. I guess he can use magic to boost speed."

Danan and Yarandrala were chasing him.

"I couldn't have drawn the dragons and Van away from town without you, Mister

Crawly Wawly."

The spider was currently taking shelter in a pouch on my hip.

After passing Tisse's message to Yarandrala and Danan, he'd contacted all his little

animal friends using another thread and had them guide me to the fight. Mister Crawly

Wawly had linked up with me when I rushed in and, without any planning beforehand,

helped me snatch the shield away from Van.

He really is reliable.

"Now it's up to me to make the best of all your efforts."

A dragon's roar echoed, and a salt dragon landed before me.

"The shield in thine hands belongs to us, human. Return it."

"Of course, that's what I came here to do." I held out the item in offering. "This isn't

some piece of fairy smithing, is it? It was made using knowledge from the dark

continent. I imagine you have always been the rightful owners."

"…Indeed. This was bequeathed to us by the original demon lord." The dragon received

the shield and closed its eyes for a moment. "We are the guardians who protect this

shield in preparation of the demon lord's return. Such is our covenant."

The salt dragon spread its wings to rejoin the others in the air.

"You have our gratitude, human."

The dragons roared and made for the western horizon.

It was fortunate and a genuine relief that they left without much issue. I'd worried

they'd want revenge for their brethren who fell to Van.

"Now then, all that's left is the Hero."

I raised my sword as Van leaped into the air.

"Martial Art: Holy Blade!!!"

A radiant sword came crashing down toward me.

I dodged by leaning back, letting the slash pass in front of me. Van's attack left a huge,

blackened cleft in the road.

He could have just cut horizontally. Seems he doesn't care if he destroys the road.

He didn't appear to spare much consideration for the problems he'd cause for those

who traveled this way.

"As a Hero, I think you come up short."

"Another heretic!"

Van tried a rising slash after his downswing, but…

"There."

…I pressed my sword against his.

His replica of the Holy Demon Slayer was far stronger than my bronze sword, and Van

was a capable foe. I would've had trouble parrying a cut from a blade that powerful.

However, even a simple bronze sword could catch a holy weapon before it had

momentum.

"Y-you! Let me go!"

Van tried to free himself from the bind, but my blade moved in time with his, all but

clinging to it.

No matter how keen a blade, it was impotent if it could not be brought to bear.

"I bet you can't use that Reversal ability unless I attack you directly, right?"

"Quit defending and fight me properly!"

"You seem to have raised your blessing level, but you lack genuine combat discipline."

"Paltry maneuvers concocted by mortals are as nothing before the power of the Divine

Blessing granted by Almighty Demis!"

"Ah, so you're one of those types, huh? That explains why you let yourself be lured

away from town, far from the rest of your party."

"If my sword doesn't work, then I can just use magic!"

The instant Van tried to form a seal, I pushed against my sword to knock him offbalance.

"Ah!"

Van was unable to maintain his spell, and it dissipated.

"Trying magic at close range is a poor tactic."

"What do you hope to gain by stalling?! The Hero can fight all through the night

without breaking a sweat!"

I didn't intend to hold him at bay that long. Keeping Van occupied for a minute was

already more than enough.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Big Brother."

A girl appeared behind Van: Ruti.

"Who are you?!"

"Not anyone worth remembering. Please just forget about us tomorrow."

There was a bang, and the air shuddered. Ruti's fist struck Van square in the face.

"Ghahhhhhhhhhh!!!"

The boy went flying.

One thundering boom sounded after another. His body broke through several trees,

dug into the ground, and finally came to stop in a massive cloud of dust far in the

distance.

"Whoa," I couldn't help but mutter. Even with the Divine Blessing of the Hero, Van was

definitely down for the count now. "His comrades are coming. We should leave before

they see us."

"Okay," Ruti answered, staring at Van, collapsed in the distance. "If it were me, I think

I'd want to leave Zoltan after that."

"Yeah, he's already recovered the Vendidad, and the dragons have departed with the

demon lord's shield. There's no reason to stick around. The Hero's goal is to defeat the

demon lord."

That was the best decision.

Although the Hero's journey involved many life-threatening perils, it was not a quest

that demanded its champion risk their life for no reason. The Hero's existence sparked

courage in people's hearts, and so too would their death steal that bravery away.

"But…"

After crossing blades with Van and speaking with him, I felt like I'd gleaned something

about the person behind the blessing.

He would remain in Zoltan… I was sure of it.