'500 years ago, the world was a different place. It was still fresh and beautiful, the scars of conflict long healed. Mankind was flourishing, discovering new and efficient power sources to run our vehicles and homes. Our cities pushed the limits both in size and in height. Adventures continued to discover, braving the local wildlife and unmapped terrain.
However, this peace was not to last. Over one of the world's largest cities, the sky cracked open in an event forever known as the Fracture. Those that saw it and survived the aftermath described the scene through the cracks as Hell itself. The fracture unleashed monsters that looked far different from anything in our world, and held power far beyond what mankind had seen, and they only ate one thing, human flesh. These beasts were given a fitting name: Demons. We fought back, but it was all for naught. The city fell within minutes of the facture, the country fell in the first hour. By the end of the day, a fifth of all mankind had been wiped out.
For 100 years, the war waged on, mankind being pushed further and further back, our powers and weapons unable to stop the demons assault. Until no more than 100 thousand were left. All hope was lost, then one day in a small church at the end of the world, a miracle happened. A boy no older than 18 prayed. Prayed for the power to protect the ones he loved, to protect all of humanity. His prayers were answered. A beautiful goddess descended from the heavens and approached the boy. She sympathized with the humans suffering, and gave them all a helping hand in the form of roles. These roles gifted him and all other humans unmatched power. With this new power, the young boy became the world's first hero and led the charge against the demons. Finally, we were able to push them back.
After 400 years, mankind has managed to reclaim 40 percent of the land, and more still remains unexplored … Gale? Are you paying attention?' GALE! WAKE UP!
Gale jerked out of his sleep to see his teacher glaring at him. "You fell asleep, Gale. I know you find this class boring but at least try to pay attention." Quiet giggling could be heard throughout the room as Gale shrunk in on himself.
"Sorry Mr. Smith, won't happen again"
"It better not."
Mr. Smith backed away and resumed the lesson. Gale shook his head to clear the haziness and went back to taking notes. It wasn't long before the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Gale began packing his stuff when he heard a group of footsteps coming closer. He sighed, knowing who it was without looking up. "Hey there Morri, I was wondering where you were." said a voice dripping with arrogance. Gale looked up to see a tall boy with red hair and blue eyes looking at him, a cocky smirk on his face.
This was Aiden Prowse, the 'top dog' of the school. He challenged any and everyone to a fight and won, even some of the teachers. These victories went to his head and now he walks like he owns the place. He and his two friends were notorious. Always getting into trouble. And who was their favorite target? Gale.
"Hey there Aiden, you know I don't like that name" Gale said with his eye twitching.
"I know. Anyway, that is not why I am here. Look, I am running out of cash here, won't you help an old friend out?"
Gale sighed. This was the third time this week that Aiden and his gang shook him down for cash. "Look, I can't do that, ok? why don't you ask someone else."
"Come on, we're friends right? Help me out. For some reason, no one else brings cash to school."
"Gee, I wonder why." Gale muttered under his breath. Aiden's eyes narrowed in a glare. Gale gulped. 'I'm dead aren't I?'
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Gale was thrown roughly into the alley, his clothes scraped and smoking from where he was hit.
"Couldn't have done this the easy way could you? You just had to be stubborn."
Aiden stood over Gale, flames crackling from his fists.
"It is one of my best qualities." Gale responded with a cough.
Aiden hit him with another fiery punch, sending Gale flying.
Aiden looked at him with disgust.
"Why are you still here? You have no family, no friends, you don't even have a power. You are worthless."
Aiden's friends laughed in the background, jeering along with their master, or I mean friend. Aiden raised his hand for another punch when a loud voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Hey, what is going on here?"
The boys turned to see a figure in armor running at them, an angry look on his face.
Aiden cursed. "Come on guys, let's bail." The three bullies started running away, leaving Gale as he struggled to his feet.
"Hey, you good?"
"Yeah, Sean. Was just about to get my second wind, if you hadn't come I would have taken them."
"I'm sure you could" A hint of fondness and humor could be heard in the knight's voice. Eighteen years ago he had found Gale in a destroyed village and brought him to the Columbia district, where he grew up at the town's orphanage. Sean would always try to make time for Gale and the two had grown close over the years.
"So did the patrol go alright?" Gale asked out of concern.
"As best as it could, we had some skirmishes with the local wildlife, but nothing we couldn't handle."
The two walked through the town passing by a new patrol heading out. The soldiers and knights flanking the vehicles as the gates to the outside world opened.
Soon, Gale and Sean were sitting at the local pizzeria, chowing down on their meal. Gale had just bitten into his slice when Sean got his attention.
"Are you sure you are doing alright? Those boys were pretty rough, and you can't defend yourself as well as others." Sean had a look of concern
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"You say that, but surely it is a little hard right? Being one of the only people that are born without a power."
"I guess I am a little salty, but it's not like I will never get abilities of my own. I just turned 18 and the annual bestowing ceremony is next month. I am sure I will get something good."
On the same day, every year, every person that had turned 18 before that day would journey to the church where the first hero was born. They would partake in a ceremony and be given their Roles. Hopefully, he would be given a role that would finally allow him to defend himself from his bullies.
Sean watched Gale as he stared off into space. "Ok, if you say so. Just be careful, and don't let your new found power go to your head. You don't want to turn out like Aiden now do you?"
Gale snickered. "No I do not."
They continued to joke until the sun began to set.
"I got to go, I still have a curfew after all. Thanks for the meal, Sean."
"Always, little man."
The two said their goodbyes and went on their way.
One month later…
Gale was shaken awake by the rocking of the vehicle, the sound of the engine echoing from the front. He rubbed his eyes and stretched, then looked around. The other occupants were still sound asleep, their snores being heard above the sound of the engine. Gale decided to climb up to the front to see where they were. The driver turned and greeted him as he climbed up to sit next to him.
"I see you are the first to awake."
"Yeah, did anything happen while I was asleep?"
"Nope, it has been quiet all night."
Gale looked around at the other buses. Flanked by tanks, soldiers, and knights with giant birds patrolling the skies. In the past, mankind would have flown in vehicles called planes, but with the arrival of the demons, all forms of air travel were reduced to dragons and other creatures, which weren't large enough to carry the supplies and people this convoy held. The only way to get to their destination was on the ground. That wasn't fully safe either, even without demon attacks. The local wildlife could get large and were dangerous when provoked.
"You should wake up the others, there is our destination."
Gale looked forward and his eyes widened. Framed by the rising sun, was a large city, bigger than any he had ever seen. The buildings reached higher than the walls which were already at least 30 meters tall. Above them, the silhouettes of large winged beasts could be seen hovering. This was the city of Amal, the capital of the human world and the birthplace of the first hero.
The occupants stared, open-mouthed, around the city as they drove through it. Everything was shiny, sunlight glistened off of the buildings like gems. When the buses reached the inner rim of the city, they had to deboard as the paths were no longer big enough. The inner rim was a bit more familiar to the towns and villages they came from, but still breathtaking. The streets were lined with stalls advertising refreshments and trinkets to all who passed by. They heard large bellows above them and looked up to see three wyverns zip past them, their riders hooting and hollering.
A few hours later they reached the hotels they would be staying at. As Gale settled in, he took a long look out the window. In the distance, he could see a grand complex of walls and towers. The grand castle, the home of the royal family and descendants of the first hero. Next to it, he could see the cathedral in which the bestowing ceremony would take place.
Gale could feel his nerves acting up again. Tomorrow was a big day for him, after all. Once again, he prayed for a Role that would finally allow him to prove his worth to the others. His fist clenched involuntarily as he was lost in thought. Gale realized what he was doing and went for a walk to calm down.
The setting sun painted the sky red as Gale walked through the streets of the inner rim. His mind wandering, he continued on when he heard small cries coming from up ahead. He looked up to see a little girl standing in the middle of the street, her teddy bear gripped tightly as tears dripped down her cheeks. Gale walked over and kneeled down in front of her to get her attention.
"Are you ok? Did someone hurt you? Where's your mama?"
"I don't know, I was just walking, but when I stopped, I couldn't see her," the girl explains through her tears.
Gale frowned. He didn't know the city well enough to help her find her mother, but he didn't want to leave the child on her own. He looked around and spotted a bench.
"Hey, how about this? You see that bench there? We can sit there and wait until you see your mama, ok?"
The little girl nodded. They walked over and sat down. The girl was still crying as they waited when Gale remembered the small pack of cookies he had taken with him before he left.
"You must be pretty hungry right? Here, I have some cookies. Want them?"
The girl's eyes brightened as she took the pack and began munching on them, quiet giggles leaving her as she enjoyed her treat. They continued sitting in silence when the girl let out an excited gasp and began pointing at something.
"That's her! Mama!"
Gale looked where she was pointing and saw a red haired woman frantically looked around.
"Well go on, don't keep her waiting."
The little girl nodded ecstatically. As she got up and ran towards her mother, she stopped and turned around.
"Thanks mister!" She waved with a big smile.
She continued running towards her mother. The mother finally saw her daughter and ran to embrace her. The woman fretted over the girl for a few moments before they began walking away, laughing and smiling. Gale watched with this with a smile before it slowly slipped off his face. He slowly got up and began walking back towards the hotel, unaware of the silent tears dripping down his face.
After a short dinner, Gale laid down in bed. Soon, he drifted off to sleep.
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The sun shone brightly on this warm summer day. The ceremony was scheduled for late in the evening, so Gale decided to pass the time by exploring the city in full. He couldn't get a good look at the outer rim when they drove through it yesterday, so he took in the sights as he walked through. The tall buildings glinted in the light, and the sound of engines and horns echoed through the streets. Gale was in awe. He had never seen a city like this.
In his distraction, he didn't hear the pattering of footsteps growing closer around the corner. Gale let out an "oof" as he walked straight into a moving mass. He was able to stay on his feet, but he heard a thump and a high-pitched yelp from the person he just ran into. Gale immediately turned to help the person up with an apology on his tongue when he stopped dead.
The person he ran into was a girl about his age with long, silver hair, and sapphire blue eyes. Her skin was pale white and she wore a blue jacket with a black skirt. In short, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He couldn't help but stare, before he came to his senses and reached out his hand.
"I am so sorry about that. I was not paying attention to where I was going. Are you okay? Can I help you up?"
The girl stared at him, open-mouthed, with a strange look in her eyes before she seemed to realize he was trying to help her up.
"No worries. I was also in a rush and ran around that corner without looking." The girl reassured him while taking his hand.
'So soft' went through Gale's head as he pulled her up.
"No, I take full responsibility, I was the one looking around like a tourist. Well, I am technically a tourist, but you know what I mean."
The girl giggled. She has a nice laugh Gale couldn't help but notice.
"As the person who just about ran you over, I should introduce myself. I'm Gale, Gale Morrigan."
"I am Alejandra Valentina" The two introduced themselves as they shook hands.
"So, what had you in a hurry on this fine day."
"My father is meeting with some business partners later this afternoon and asked me to attend with him before the bestowing ceremony. I decided to explore the market and lost track of time."
"You are here for the bestowing ceremony as well? I decided to kill some time by looking around the city before making my way to the cathedral."
"I see, then I wish you good luck."
"Same."
The two continued their talk for a few more moments before Alejandra had to leave.
"I better be on my way, don't want to be any more late than I already am. You take care of yourself Gale."
"Same to you Alejandra, see you at the ceremony."
The two said their goodbyes as Alejandra walked away. Gale watched her as she left. 'She really is beautiful. The way she talks is very refined, and that name, Valentina, where have I heard it before?'
"Got an interest in the Valentina girl do ya?"
Gale turned to see a blonde haired giant smirking at him, blue eyes glinting with mirth. Gale couldn't help but blush.
"No, I was just curious about her. I thought her name sounded familiar."
"It should. The Valentina family is a prominent noble family. They own the Red mountains region to the west and they are close to the royal family."
Gale couldn't help but feel impressed. "Wow, I didn't realize she was so important."
"Well, now you do. Oh, I should introduce myself. I'm Thomas Barbaras, but you can call me Tom."
"I'm Gale Morrigan. Nice to meet you."
The two shook hands.
"So Tom, what are you doing here?"
"Well, I was just helping my mother with some errands, saw I still had time before the ceremony and went wandering around when I bumped into you."
"Really? I thought you were older than me."
"Yeah I get that a lot. Comes with the height."
Gale and Tom continued chatting as they walked back to the inner rim.
"So, you came here for the ceremony?" Gale asked.
"Nope, I was born and raised right here in the capitol. How about you?"
"I came from the Columbia District, but that is not where I was born."
"Really?"
"Yeah, don't worry about it. You mentioned your mother, do you have any other family?"
"I have three younger sisters."
Gale couldn't help but feel pity.
"Wow, that must be hard."
"It can get crazy, but I love them. How about you? You said that you were born in a different town from the one you came from. Did your family move there or..?" Tom asked curiously. Gale couldn't hide his wince.
"No, it was destroyed by demons only a few months after I was born. I was the only survivor."
Tom's eyes softened.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up something so painful."
"It's fine, I was taken to the orphanage and Sean, the guy who found me, has been looking after me my whole life." Gale reassured him. They walked in silence for a while before Tom spoke up.
"So, you said you were here for the bestowing ceremony, any wishes on what Role you'll get?"
"Well duh, who doesn't have one? The type of role you get decides how people see you."
"You are not wrong. There was a family that lived next door to me, some of the nicest people ever. Their son was like the neighborhood's big brother. Then, he ended up with the Assassin Role. Now no one trusts him anymore."
Gale felt a wave of sympathy for the boy.
"Is he at least living ok?"
"Yeah, he went to the Amal Adventurers Academy and is now an A-ranked adventurer, protecting everyone he can. I hope to follow in his footsteps."
"Oh, cool."
Every region, city, and town has its own military charged with defending the area. If you can hold a gun, you can join them. Adventurers are different. They have two roles in society. The first is that they handle small, menial tasks for the everyday citizen. The second is demon hunting. They are the ones that push into the lost and unfamiliar territories lost to the demons centuries ago. Being an adventurer is not for the faint of heart and very few ever become full adventurers. There are multiple academies scattered throughout the globe, but the most prominent one was centered in Amal.
"So, what kind of Role do you want, Gale?"
"To be honest, I would just like to be able to defend myself. You see, I don't have any powers. I have been isolated and harassed my whole life. Maybe that will make them stop."
Tom looked at him with sympathy.
"I can kind of understand that, but what do you want to do with that power? How do you want to live your life?"
Gale was about to answer when he stopped. 'Huh, I never thought about that. I have been so busy thinking about how to fit in that I never thought about what I want to do with my life.'
"I don't know."
"Well in that case, why don't you join me at the Adventurer academy. It could give you a chance to get some payback on the demons that killed your parents."
Gale stared at him. Tom's words echoed in his ears, reminding him of something Sean said to him a long time ago, and his answer.
"Gale, is something wrong?"
"No, not at all. Thank you, you reminded me of something I forgot about. I think I'll take you up on that. Not for payback though, but to make sure it never happens to anyone else." Gale looked up with a determined smile.
Tom stared at him before smirking.
"You know what? I like you Gale."
The two fist bumped.
Tom and Gale continued chatting as they walked down the streets, only stopping when they reached a building as tall as the castle. It was painted white and had large, stained-glass windows. The image of a beautiful, shining woman reaching her hand down towards a bowing man was painted on them. This was the cathedral, and in just a few minutes, the ceremony that would change their lives would begin.
"Well, this is it. I gotta go join my group from Amal. See ya at the academy Gale."
"Right. See ya then."
The two said their goodbyes and went in. The inside of the cathedral was even more grand than the outside. The polished tile floors reflected a giant mural on the ceiling, illustrating the events of human history across the centuries. Hundreds of people were there, from small kids, to long lived elders. The large room echoed with the sounds of nervous and excited chatter as Gale looked around for his group. He soon found and joined them, sitting down as he waited.
"It's almost time."
"Hey, what role do you think you'll get?"
"Oooh, I hope it is something good, maybe something like Archer or a type of Mage."
"Ha, I bet you'll get something sneaky like Thief."
"Hey, that's not funny."
Gale couldn't help but overhear the chatter as he tapped his leg. Somewhere to his right, he could hear Aiden boasting about how he is guaranteed an amazing Role. He rolled his eyes, used to this type of thing.
It wasn't long before all of the chattering ceased. Gale looked up above the sea of people to see a large stage. On it stood four people. The first was a good-looking man in a suit and tie. He had green eyes that shone with strength, and an unnatural wisdom. His black hair was smooth, and he had a sharp face that was softened with a comforting smile. The second was another man dressed in armor. He had dark skin, brown eyes, was shaved bald and wore a proud smile. His shiny armor was complimented by a green cape that draped to his knees and a painting of a dragon on its chest.
The third was an old woman. She wore a cloak all around her body with the hood up to cover her ears. Her hair was gray, and her skin wrinkled with age. However her eyes sparkled with life and wisdom, as if she could see something no one else could. The fourth and final was a middle-aged man with long, black hair and blue eyes. His polished armor was surrounded a blue cape that stretched to the ground, and he held a longsword in front of him. One could tell he was an important man, as his presence itself seemed to demand respect from all.
Behind them, was a life size statue of the same woman painted on the windows of the cathedral. There was silence for a few moments, before excited chatter resumed.
"The one in the suit, isn't that Frode Rainford? The headmaster of the adventurers academy?"
"Oh wow, it really is him. Do you think he is scouting for possible talent?"
"Oh my god, the bald one in the armor, that's Eric Douglas! The Hero with the most demon kills to date!"
"Oh, he is so hot. Do you think he is single?"
'Wait, what?' Gale couldn't help but double take at that last one.
"And the other one in armor, isn't that Torin Pendragon? The King of the unified world?"
"Yeah it is. I never thought he would show up for this."
"But, who is the woman?"
"I don't know, I've never seen her before."
The chatter continued before the king stepped forward and signaled for silence. He then spoke in a powerful voice.
"500 years ago, the first Fracture unleashed a new creature that brought humanity to the brink of extinction. However, in these very halls, the Goddess granted a teenaged boy the first Role of Hero, and we were able to persevere. The Goddess has continued to grant Roles to our people for the last four centuries. Now, it is your turn. You are the next generation, the ones that will inherit our wills, whatever your Role may be. I wish you all the best of luck."
The king finished his speech and the hall erupted into cheers. The old woman left the stage. When they began to quiet down, A knight with an orb in his hands stepped forward.
"I shall now begin the ceremony. When I call your name, you will first enter the door to your right where our Seer is waiting. After, you will come up and place your hand in the goddess' where you will be given your Role."
He called the first name and soon, a girl with long, black hair stood on the stage. She placed her hand in the statue's. As soon as she did, a yellow glow surrounded her for a few seconds before disappearing. The knight looked at his orb before smiling at her.
"Congratulations, you are a Druid."
The girl smiled before walking off the stage.
After her, a brown haired boy did the same thing. However, he didn't glow. Instead, his aura began pulsing, as if it was demanding submission. The knight told him he was a Beast Tamer.
Next, a blonde haired girl stepped forward. When she put her hand in the statue's, the smell of fresh fruits and vegetables wafted in the air. The knight looked at his orb and said "Farmer". Gale could hear Aiden tittering as she walked off with her head hung low.
Gale heard the knight call Tom's name and soon, he was receiving his Role. As he did, he was surrounded by a blue glowing barrier. The knight glanced at his orb, smiled, and told him he was a Heavy Knight. Gale smiled and clapped for his friend.
As time passed, more and more people got their Roles. Some held their heads high in triumph, others gave no reaction at all, and some slumped in defeat.
Soon, it was Aiden's turn. When he put his hands in the statue's, a raging fire seemed to burst around him. The flames roared high, crackling with power before dissipating. The knight looked at his orb.
"Ah, a powerful Role. Flame walker."
Aiden smirked with confidence as he strutted off the stage.
'Great, his ego just got even more inflated.' Gale couldn't help but think.
The knight looked at his orb and called a new name.
"Alejandra Valentina"
The girl began walking to the stage, whispers following her.
"That's the Valentina girl?"
"Wow, she is so pretty."
"What Role do you think she is gonna get?"
After meeting the Seer, Alejandra arrived on stage and put her hands in the statue's. As soon as she did, a pure white aura erupted from her body, shaking the stage and almost blinding the onlookers. It continued on for a few seconds before finally fading. The knight rubbed his eyes to clear the spots and looked at his orb. His eyes widened in shock and delight.
"Congratulations Alejandra! You're a Hero!"
Alejandra's jaw dropped as cheers and applause rang through the crowd.
"Wow, she's a Hero? There are only five of them in the entire world."
"Amazing."
"Of course she is."
Gale was also clapping when he heard a small 'hmph'. He turned to see Aiden crossing his arms with a frown on his face. It didn't take him long to realize he was pouting. Gale couldn't help but snicker. 'It's about time someone took the wind out of his sails.'
More names were called before it was finally Gale's turn. When he walked into the room on the right, he saw the old woman from earlier sitting on the other side of a table. She gestured for him to come closer with a warm smile.
"Come, take a seat, and give me your hand"
Her voice was cracked with age, but held an ancient wisdom. He did what she said, and her eyes softened as her smile became sad.
"Life has not been fair to you, has it."
Gale looked away. She continued.
"I sense many feelings. Confusion at your predicament, anger at your treatment, and desperation."
"Desperation?" Gale couldn't help but ask.
"For love. For acceptance. You want to know what it is like to have friends, to have family. You believe that power will allow you to obtain that." She answered.
"However, I also sense kindness. Despite your treatment, you have no wish to harm those that have hurt you."
The woman's smile turned into a thin line as she looked into Gale's eyes.
"Be warned. The path you will walk is shrouded, but from what I can see, it will not be easy. You will toe the line between light and darkness, good and evil, and whichever one you side with, will be up to you. Do not fret. For you will not walk alone. There will be others that will walk beside you, help you, and guide you when you are lost. Trust yourself, trust them, and you will end up where you need to be."
Gale was lost. "What do you mean?"
The woman did not answer. Instead, she gestured to the door leading to the stage.
"It is time."
Gale walked out onto the stage. The knight waved for him to go to the statue. He took a deep breath and stepped forward when he heard Aiden's voice.
"What are you psyching yourself up for? It's not like you'll get anything good."
Giggles echoed from the group around Aiden. Gale felt anger burn in his belly and his fist tightened as he walked towards the statue.
'Why?'
Gale stopped in front of it.
'Why can't they just leave me alone?'
'He reached towards its hands.'
'Why can't they just…'
'Gale's hand touched them.'
'Disappear.'
A dark aura burst from Gale's body, knocking the knight off his feet and cracking the stage. The darkness squirmed around, flowing throughout the building and dimming the light from the setting sun. The air became cold and heavy, and fear filled the onlookers. Finally, the darkness dissipated leaving a confused and stunned Gale stepping away from the statue.
What happened?
He looked around, seeking answers but everyone was silent. The knight got back on his feet and looked at the orb. He paled as he looked up at Gale.
"Y-y-your Role is…Demon Lord!"