The rest of the evening was a blur of activity as Exior's family prepared for his departure. They sat down to a quiet dinner, the atmosphere tinged with a sense of sadness.
"I'm going to miss you so much, Exior," Dora said, her voice trembling as she hugged her son tightly.
Kaiser placed a hand on Exior's shoulder. "We'll miss you too, son. But you have to go and learn how to become a great hero. Make us proud."
Exior nodded, trying to hold back his own tears. He knew that this was a big step for him, but he was also excited to start his new journey.
As they finished dinner, a knock at the door signaled the arrival of the Hero Academy's convoy. Exior's parents hugged him one last time, and then he was led out of the house to the waiting carriage.
As he climbed aboard, Exior caught a glimpse of his parents standing in the doorway, waving goodbye. He waved back, feeling a lump form in his throat.
The convoy set off, carrying Exior away from the only home he had ever known. He looked out the window, watching as the village disappeared into the distance.
One of the instructors, a mage named Lyra, sat across from Exior in the carriage. She was a tall, slender woman with long silver hair and piercing blue eyes.
As they rode, Lyra gazed at Exior's family in the distance, her eyes narrowing slightly. She sensed something unusual about Exior's mother, a faint aura of light energy that seemed to emanate from her.
It was a energy that Lyra had only seen in one other person before - a saintess, a legendary warrior-priestess who had been said to possess the power of the gods.
Lyra's eyes snapped back to Exior, and she studied him intently. For a moment, she thought she saw something - a flicker of power, a hint of greatness - but it vanished so quickly that she couldn't be sure.
She frowned, feeling a pang of doubt. Was she just imagining things? Or was there really something special about this young boy?
The sun was high overhead, casting a warm glow over the rolling hills and dense forests that lined the winding road. A group of families, all with six-year-old children bound for the Hero Academy, traveled together in a convoy, their horses' hooves clattering on the stone pavement.
Lyra, the mage instructor, had explained to Exior the importance of traveling in a convoy. "It's safer, especially for young students like yourself," she had said. "We have trained guards and instructors who can protect you from any harm."
But despite the precautions, disaster struck. As the convoy rounded a bend in the road, a group of goblins and an ogre ambushed them, leaping from the underbrush with crude weapons at the ready.
The families sprang into action, their varied backgrounds and skills coming to the fore. A family of cultivators, their bodies glowing with soft, golden auras, summoned powerful blasts of energy to drive back the goblins. A family of ninjas, their movements swift and silent, darted between the trees, taking down goblins with swift kicks and throws.
A family of warriors, their swords flashing in the sunlight, charged forward to engage the ogre, their battle cries ringing out across the landscape. And a family of berserkers, their eyes blazing with fury, transformed into towering, muscle-bound warriors, their massive fists swinging wildly as they waded into the fray.
Despite being outnumbered, the families fought valiantly, their skills and training honed to perfection. The goblins and ogre were quickly overwhelmed, and soon the road was quiet once more, the only sound the heavy breathing of the families as they caught their breath.
As the dust settled, Exior's convoy came into view, Lyra and the guards rushing to the scene to offer assistance. Exior's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the battered but unbroken families, their faces set with determination.
"It's okay, we've got everything under control," one of the cultivators said, smiling wearily at Lyra. "Just a minor ambush. We're all fine."
Lyra nodded, her eyes scanning the scene. "Good. We'll make sure to add some extra guards to the convoy. We can't have our young students arriving at the academy tired and battered."
As the convoy continued on its way, Exior couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the bravery and skill of the families he had just witnessed. He knew that he still had a lot to learn, but with examples like these to follow, he felt a sense of determination rising up within him.
As the convoy approached the Hero Academy, Exior couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. The academy was located in the western part of Tenria, where the land was said to be blessed with the power of the ancient warriors and mages.
In Tenria, the different regions were said to be dominated by different classes of warriors. The west was home to the warriors and mages, who valued strength, strategy, and magical prowess. The middle region was dominated by the berserkers, fierce warriors who tapped into their inner fury to unleash devastating attacks.
The eastern region was home to the cultivators, who sought to balance their internal energy, or "qi," to achieve enlightenment and unlock powerful abilities. And in the southeastern region, the ninja and assassins ruled, using stealth, agility, and cunning to outmaneuver their foes.
As the convoy entered the academy grounds, Exior's eyes widened in awe. The campus was sprawling, with towering spires and grand architecture that seemed to defy gravity. And at the center of it all stood a magnificent statue of the Sword Saint, Japhiex.
Lyra smiled, noticing Exior's fascination with the statue. "Ah, yes. The Sword Saint is a legendary hero, revered throughout Tenria for his bravery and skill."
As they walked through the campus, Exior saw students practicing their magic, summoning elemental forces to do their bidding. Others were training in the art of combat, their swords clashing as they sparred with one another.
Lyra explained the different types of magic and classes to Exior. "You see, Exior, magic is divided into several categories. There's elemental magic, which allows you to summon the power of the elements. Then there's spiritual magic, which allows you to tap into the power of the soul."
She gestured to a group of students practicing their summoning skills. "And then there's summoning, which allows you to call forth powerful entities to do your bidding."
Exior's eyes widened as he watched the students summoning creatures from other realms. He felt a surge of excitement and wonder, eager to learn more about the magical arts.
Lyra smiled, noticing Exior's enthusiasm. "Don't worry, Exior. You'll have plenty of time to learn about magic and the different classes. For now, let's just focus on getting you settled in."
As they walked towards the dormitories, Exior couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. He knew that he had a lot to learn, but he was eager to get started on his journey to become a great hero.
The day of the entrance ceremony arrived, and Exior found himself standing in a grand auditorium filled with hundreds of other young hopefuls. The room was abuzz with excitement and nerves as the students waited for the ceremony to begin.
At the front of the room, a dignified-looking instructor stood at a podium, surveying the crowd. "Welcome, young aspirants, to the Hero Academy! Today marks the beginning of your journey to become a true hero."
The instructor paused, a hint of a smile on his face. "But before we begin, you must first prove yourselves worthy. The entrance exam will test your physical and mental abilities, and only those who pass will be eligible to become heroes."
The room erupted into a chorus of cheers and applause, and Exior found himself grinning along with the others.
The instructor held up a hand, silencing the crowd. "The first exam is a simple one: a race. You will run through a challenging course that will test your speed, agility, and endurance."
Exior's eyes narrowed as he listened to the instructions. He knew that he had to be careful not to reveal his true abilities, so he decided to act like a clumsy child and hide his past experiences.
The students were led to the starting line, and with a loud bang, the race began. Exior took off like a shot, his legs pumping furiously as he sprinted down the course.
But despite his efforts to appear clumsy, Exior's natural athleticism and agility soon took over. He dodged and weaved through the obstacles with ease, his senses heightened as he navigated the challenging terrain.
The course was a grueling one, winding through steep mountains and treacherous ravines. But Exior tackled it with ease, his breathing steady and his movements fluid.
As he crossed the finish line, Exior glanced around to see that he was far ahead of the other students. In fact, more than half of the examinees had already failed, unable to complete the course.
Exior's face broke out into a wide grin as he realized that he had passed the first exam with flying colors. But he quickly suppressed his smile, remembering that he had to keep his abilities hidden.
Lyra, who was watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow as she gazed at Exior. There was something about the way he moved, something that seemed almost... familiar.
But she pushed the thought aside, chalking it up to her imagination. After all, Exior was just a young boy, barely six years old. What could he possibly know about the ways of the hero?
The instructor's voice echoed through the tournament grounds, signaling the start of the second exam. The students, paired off against each other, stood facing their opponents, their eyes locked in fierce determination.
Exior, classified as a warrior, stood tall, his eyes fixed on his opponent, a baby necromancer. The necromancer, his eyes gleaming with malevolent intent, raised his hands, and a dark energy began to swirl around him.
"Go!" the instructor shouted, and the battle began.
The necromancer summoned a swarm of undead minions, their bony fingers grasping for Exior like skeletal claws. But Exior was no ordinary warrior. With lightning-quick reflexes, he dodged the minions' attacks, his feet moving in a blur of motion as he weaved between the undead horde.
His fists flew in swift, precise arcs, striking the minions with deadly accuracy. The necromancer stumbled back, his eyes widening in shock, as Exior's attacks tore through his undead minions like a hot knife through butter.
Finally, with a swift kick, Exior sent the necromancer crashing to the ground, defeating him. The crowd erupted into cheers as Exior stood victorious, his chest heaving with exertion.
Meanwhile, other matches were underway. A mage, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air, clashed with a ninja, who darted and weaved around her spells with ease. The ninja's speed and agility proved too much for the mage, and she fell to the ground, defeated.
A berserker, his eyes blazing with fury, charged at a warrior, who stood firm, his sword flashing in the sunlight. The warrior's superior technique won out in the end, and the berserker stumbled back, defeated.
As the tournament progressed, the field was narrowed down to just twenty students. There was one paladin, Exior (who was still hiding his true abilities and was classified as a warrior), two mages, two summoners, three berserkers, two warriors, five cultivators, one necromancer, one ninja, one assassin, and the remaining students were all archers and clerics.
The instructor smiled, surveying the remaining students. "Well done, all of you. You have proven yourselves to be worthy of the Hero Academy. But the real challenges are only just beginning."
As the students caught their breath and tended to their wounds, they couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead. Would they be able to survive the rigors of the Hero Academy and emerge as true heroes? Only time would tell.
The Dean of the Hero Academy, a wise and venerable high elf sage named Eriol Brightshore, stood on the stage, surveying the remaining students. His piercing blue eyes twinkled with warmth as he smiled, his long silver hair cascading down his back like a river of moonlight.
"Congratulations, young heroes!" Dean Brightshore declared, his voice like music. "You have proven yourselves worthy of the Hero Academy, and we are honored to have you join our ranks."
The students applauded, relieved and excited by the Dean's words. Exior, still grinning from ear to ear, felt a sense of pride and accomplishment wash over him.
But then Dean Brightshore's expression turned serious, and he continued, "However, I must warn you that the next four years will not be easy. You will be pushed to your limits, tested and tried in every way. You will study academics, magic, combat, and strategy, and you will be expected to excel in all of these areas."
The students' faces fell, and a collective sigh swept through the crowd. Four years of academics? It sounded like a prison sentence.
But Exior just grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He knew that he had a lot to learn, but he was eager for the challenge. Bring it on, he thought, his mind racing with anticipation.
Dean Brightshore smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I see that some of you are already eager to begin. Very well, let us start your journey as heroes. Your first year will be spent studying the fundamentals of magic, combat, and academics. You will be divided into classes, and you will begin your training immediately."
The students nodded, some looking more enthusiastic than others. Exior, still grinning, felt a sense of excitement and anticipation building inside him. He knew that this was just the beginning of his journey as a hero, and he was ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead.