*Flashback*
3rd Person POV
The grand cathedral's halls echoed with the soft murmur of anticipation as the summoned heroes gathered. The ten of them stood together, their freshly adorned ceremonial attire marking them as the chosen ones destined to save this world. At the far end of the hall, the heavy doors opened, and a hush fell over the room.
She entered.
The Saint of Light. Harper Vivienne Blackwood.
Draped in pure white robes that shimmered faintly in the light, she moved with an ethereal grace. Her black hair cascaded down her back, framing a face that was both serene and otherworldly. Her eyes, a striking shade of purple, seemed to peer into the souls of those she looked upon. She greeted each hero with a gentle smile and a soft blessing, her words carrying a weight of compassion and hope.
When Carter Hayes stepped forward, the Saint looked up at him, her gaze unwavering despite his imposing size. She placed her hands gently on his and whispered the blessing. Carter stared, captivated, as if the world had fallen away and only she existed. By the time she moved to the next hero, he was still rooted to the spot, his heart pounding in a way it never had before.
*****
Later that evening, the cathedral came alive with celebration. Chandeliers lit up the grand hall, and tables overflowed with food and drink. Nobles and dignitaries mingled with the heroes they had sponsored, voices raised in laughter and toasts. But Carter wasn't mingling. He moved through the crowd, searching for the saint, but she was nowhere to be found.
Outside the cathedral, the night was quiet. Lucas Silver sat alone under a large tree on the front lawn, his back resting against the trunk. A simple sandwich sat on a napkin beside a glass of water at his feet. The music and laughter from the party filtered through the night air, but he paid it no mind.
"Skipping the party, huh?" The sudden voice startled him.
He looked up to see Harper standing there, her white robes stark against the dark backdrop of the night. She wasn't smiling, just observing him with curious eyes.
"Saint." he said, blinking in surprise and trying to get up and properly greet her, but she sat down and gestured for him to do the same.
"Is that what you're going to call me?" Harper asked.
"What else should I call you?" Lucas questioned.
"How about Harper?"
"I don't think I can refer to someone of your status so casually."
"Sooo...why aren't you inside? That's your celebration, you know. Big party, lots of food...You're missing out."
"You're here too."
"Yes, but you answer first. You've been grumpy since the moment you got here. You're the only one who hasn't been in awe of anything...the summoning, the cathedral, the magic...none of it. Why?"
"Do you want the fake answer or the real one?"
"The real one?"
"I want to go home, I didn't ask to come here. Didn't ask to be a 'hero'." He then gestured vaguely toward the cathedral, "All of this? None of it matters to me. I just want my old life back."
"I guess I can't blame you for that."
"Not exactly the inspiring answer you were hoping for, huh?"
"Maybe not, but it's honest. That's more than I can say for most people."
*****
*Present Time*
Harper POV
I woke up to the soft rustling of fabric and muffled voices. I caught a glimpse of Lucas and Mona quietly moving around the room. Mona was already stretching, her long-toned frame against the faint light streaming through the window, while Lucas was already changing.
"Morning workout?"
"Didn't mean to wake you." Lucas replied as he then gave me a quick peck on the lips before leaving.
I then buried my face back into the pillow and went back into sleep. The next time I woke up, the sun had climbed higher, its warm light spilling into the room. The house was quiet save for faint noises coming from downstairs. I then slid out of bed, tossing on my robe as I headed toward the source of the sound. Descending the stairs, I found Lisa in the living room, her small hands fumbling with the straps of a worn satchel. Her hair was a bit messy, and she was dressed in her old clothes.
"Lisa?" I called, "Where are you going?"
"I-I'm going out," Lisa stammered, "To pick flowers and make candies. Like I always do."
"For what?"
"To sell them?"
"Thank you for letting me stay for the night-"
"For the night, no, I think you misunderstand, we're not just letting you stay for the night, Lisa. We…we can take care of you. Stay as long as you like."
"But-"
"You don't have to worry about taking care of yourself, not here. You can stay with us for as long as you want. Unless...if you're uncomfortable, I know some orphanage that we ca-"
"No, not an orphanage." Lisa denied, "My mom said that they do bad things to children."
"Oh, I didn't mean to scare you." I apologized, "I promise, no one is going to make you go anywhere you don't want to go. And definitely not to an orphanage."
"But I can't just stay here for free, I don't want to be a problem."
"You're not a problem, Lisa, you're just a kid. You're supposed to be worrying about what kind of flowers to pick because they're pretty, not because you need to sell them to survive."
"...What if I make things harder for you?"
"You won't, and even if things do get harder, it doesn't matter. We'll figure it out. That's what family does."
"Then...I can't live for free...I need to do something."
"Do you want to go back to sleep?"
"No, I'm not sleepy anymore." Lisa shook her head.
"Then I have a task for you, for now, shower, and brush your teeth, then you can come help me cook. Luke did tell you about me being a good cook, but he ended up cooking yesterday, so I'll have to live up to my name. The other 2 should be here after a while, so we can all have breakfast then."
*****
Lucas POV
I pushed the front door open, stepping into the warm, welcoming scent of breakfast cooking. The sound of quiet chatter came from the kitchen, and I saw Lisa standing on a stool by the counter, grating cheese while Harper stood beside her, guiding her tiny hands as she was chopping herbs nearby. I didn't want to ruin the moment, so I went to wash up for now.
By the time I came back, the table was set with a large variety of breakfast. As we were eating, I unfolded the newspaper I'd picked up earlier and skimmed the headlines. Most of it was the usual mess, but one article in particular caught my attention.
Eastern Sun Empire Hires Hero Carter Hayes.
I stared at the bold text for a long moment, my stomach sinking slightly. Carter Hayes. That guy was unpredictable at the best of times and outright dangerous at the worst. The Eastern Sun Empire clearly thought they'd gained a powerful ally...well, he somewhat is, he's a hero, he's technically an automatic top 10 right now, but...
This could be a huge problem. Carter's strength wasn't the issue. It was his temperament. The man didn't care about alliances or loyalty. He cared about his own whims and whatever entertained him in the moment. If the Eastern Sun Empire thought they could control him, they were sorely mistaken.
But what troubled me more was the why. Why would they even hire him? Carter wasn't the kind of person you brought in unless you had no other options. Sure, he could win a fight, but the price of his loyalty was high. What the hell do you have to offer for a guy who already has everything?
He didn't need wealth when he could already take whatever he wanted. And he certainly didn't care about politics or the ideals of the empire. No, for someone like him, it had to be personal. Something he couldn't get on his own.