The sun rose over Gren, the adventure capital of the world.

Through the hustle and bustle of the early morning rush of adventurers and merchants, a lone young man strutted down the street proudly, his gaze fixed on the sky. Sunrays shone on his face, illuminating his determination as he prepared for whatever the day might bring.

For him, today was the day. It was the day he would fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming an adventurer. Coming from nothing, the boy had promised himself—and his long-passed family—that he would become the strongest and richest. He, and everyone he told, had laughed.

"The wish of a naïve child," they said. And he agreed. But nothing was going to stop him. He had finally reached the age limit to join the Adventurer's Guild and was now on his way to the center of the city.

With the wind blowing through his shoulder-length black hair, he felt unstoppable. He smiled at everyone he passed, though most returned his cheer with sneers and scoffs. To the hardened men and women of Gren, he was just another naïve dreamer. And in their eyes, adventuring was hell.

Thousands had come before him, wide-eyed and hopeful, only to be crushed by the brutal reality of what adventuring truly entailed. To the seasoned adventurers he passed, his optimism was almost unbearable.

Adventurers gathered in Gren for one reason: the dungeon. A high-risk, high-reward, seemingly infinite chasm of levels, rooms, and mazes. Survival meant wealth, as the monsters within dropped energy crystals that were highly sought after.

These crystals powered nearly everything in Gren. The young man had passed hundreds of streetlamps and glowing signs, all fueled by the very crystals he hoped to one day collect. With their near-limitless uses, they were a cornerstone of the city's economy.

And now, the young man was ready for his share. He stood in front of the Adventurer's Guild, staring up at the towering, multistory building. His breath caught in his throat.

I am finally here, he thought.

A pair of large wooden doors stood before him, behind which lay infinite possibilities. Heaving the dark oak doors open revealed a bustling hall filled with adventurers of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds.

"Move it, rookie!" shouted a gruff man, shoving the young man aside to make way for his party.

The young man stumbled but quickly composed himself. Nothing could have prepared him for this.

Spotting an unoccupied clerk at the counter, he made his move, stepping forward with purpose.

"Hello, sir. What can I do for you today?" asked a beautiful young woman dressed in the guild's standard garb.

"I would like to become an adventurer," the boy said, a smile plastered across his face.

The clerk returned his smile, though her eyes betrayed her doubts. The young man before her was lanky and scrawny, clearly from the slums. His height was his only notable feature.

"Okay, sir. What is your name?"

"Bane."

Bane was the young man's name—a naïve dreamer with ambitions of making it big.

"Alright, Bane. I assume you weren't scouted by a god or goddess?" Bane shook his head.

Gods and goddesses often scouted individuals to join their factions, the most common path to becoming an adventurer. Those who weren't scouted were left to join whatever faction would take them. 

It also did not help that Bane just turned eighteen, scouted adventurers usually had years of experience in other fields and would be called in by the gods if one was interested. As a kid from the slums, Bane didn't have such a luxury.

"Since you're not a scout, let me see who's currently accepting new recruits," the woman said with a smile. She bowed slightly before turning to a filing cabinet behind her.

Entering the dungeon without a faction was possible, but it severely hindered one's progress. Gods and goddesses bestowed blessings upon their recruits, granting them a fraction of their power. In exchange, adventurers were bound to their patron, sacrificing their freedom for a chance at survival.

The clerk returned with a piece of paper in hand. "You're in luck, Bane," she said, laying the paper on the counter for him to examine.

Bane stared blankly at the paper before looking up at the clerk with a sheepish smile.

"I can't read…" Growing up in the slums, Bane's life was far from ideal, the inability to read was one of his many drawbacks.

The clerk laughed, though Bane couldn't tell if it was out of pity or amusement. Even in his embarrassment, his smile never wavered.

"The goddess Eir is accepting new recruits. She's the only one at the moment," the clerk explained.

'Eir?' Bane thought. He'd never heard of her. Was he really going to be forced to join a no-name, loser faction? So far, his dream of becoming the strongest wasn't going as planned. But he couldn't complain, as they say, 'beggars can't be choosers.'

So Bane took a deep breath and kept a smile on his face, "Perfect! Where can I meet Eir?" he asked.

Factions typically resided on large plots of land, their compounds a testament to their wealth and power. But with a goddess like Eir, Bane didn't know what to expect.

"Eir is a relatively new goddess. She arrived just a few weeks ago," the clerk explained, pointing to a spot on a map. "She currently resides here."

Gods came to Earth for one purpose: entertainment. Humans knew little about the divine realm, but it was said that life "on high" wasn't as glorious as it seemed.

The clerk marked the location on the map and handed it to Bane. Though he couldn't read traditional texts, he could navigate a map.

"Thank you," Bane said with a nod.

"Anytime. If you need anything else, my name is Winter. Look for me if you come back to the guild."

Winter. The name suited her, with her snow-white skin and hair. She looked almost ghostly.

"I will! You've been a great help, Winter!"

Bane weaved his way out of the chaotic guild hall and back into the streets of Gren. The Adventurer's Guild and the dungeon were the heart of the city, with major roadways branching out in all directions. Lesser roads and alleys spiderwebbed from there, leading to the city's various districts.

Bane glanced at the map and began his journey to Eir's faction building. He had hoped to join a powerful faction like Hades' or Artemis', both of which boasted massive compounds and resources. But with Eir, he didn't hold his breath. 'But how bad could it be?' Bane thought.

After a few twists and turns, Bane arrived at the marked location. To his dismay, it was as if he'd never left the slums. The area was rundown, and Eir's "building" was barely standing. A dilapidated, rotted wooden structure stood before him, looking as though it might collapse at any moment.

He approached cautiously, aware of the building's precarious state. The door was missing, so Bane stepped through the empty frame and announced his presence.

"Hello?" he called, moving slowly through the dim interior. "Ms. Eir?" Bane walked, the floorboards creaking with every step, he swore he saw a few mice has walked.

"In here!" a sharp voice called from behind a door—the only intact one he'd seen so far. Hearing a voice startled him, almost sending him off balance.

Bane carefully gripped the handle and pushed the door open, wincing as the ceiling above creaked ominously.

"Hello?" he said, peering inside. His eyes locked onto the figure sitting across the room.

"Eir?" Bane asked, addressing the woman who appeared to be about his age.

"Yes. And you are?" Eir replied, scowling at him.

"I'm Bane," he said with a deep bow. He couldn't afford to mess this up. "I wish to join your faction."

He held his bow, waiting for her response. Instead, he was met with a scoff.

"And why should I choose you, a lowly human? You look like you haven't eaten a day in your life."

Bane cringed but kept his head low, refusing to let her see his reaction.

"The Guild said you were accepting new recruits. If you don't want me, I'll gladly excuse myself," he said, his voice steady. The last thing he wanted to do was leave this opportunity behind, but you could never fight against the gods. 

With his eyes downturned, he couldn't see Eir's reaction. But in truth, she panicked. Bane was the first person to visit her in a week. She couldn't let him leave, even if he wasn't the strongest. Getting herself back in control, she quietly composed herself.

"W-Well, you're right. I am accepting new recruits, so I have no reason to turn you away," she said, backtracking to maintain her stern demeanor. 

Bane looked up, a small smile on his face. "So, you'll accept me?" Bane asked maintaining his goofy grin.

Eir composed herself, her expression hardening once more. "Yes," she said firmly. The two of them needed each other in this moment, Eir needed an adventurer and Bane, a goddess. A fated meeting