Chapter 7: Ch7 - Toris
Ryan stood there, speechless, as the doors opened by themselves.
Ryan began walking toward the opening doors, but before he could get too close, Toris stuck his hand out in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.
Five humans suddenly rushed out, spears and swords in hand, ready for a fight.
They quickly halted when they realised who was in front of them.
"Toris! How did the hunt go?" Exclaimed one of the guards, a young, black-haired adult, who seemed overly eager.
"Pretty good, killed a couple elves," said Toris with a melancholy voice.
"Good job Toris!"
"Who’s this fella, a new recruit?" said the oldest of the five guards, his weathered face showing years of experience.
"This is Ryan, he’s saying he’s a hero," replied Toris.
"What?" They all said in unison, exchanging puzzled glances.
"Is he actually a hero?" said the young guard, his eyes widening with curiosity.
"I’m not sure, but he seems to be," said Toris, furrowing his eyebrows due to the torrent of questions.
"All right, let’s get inside before we alert the whole world to our SECRET hideout!" said the old guard, taking charge of the situation.
While closing the massive doors, the guard softly uttered the words: "Mors omnibus oppressoribus nostris," causing the illusion outside to reappear.
The old guard swerved around, his eyes staring into Ryan’s.
"Are you a spy, Ryan?" The older guard questioned, his eyes turned from dark brown to light blue.
Ryan tilted his head, his thoughts racing. "No?"
"Are you a hero?"
Ryan’s head tilted further. "Yes?"
A grin was etched onto the old man’s sunken face. "He’s telling the truth," the old guard said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.
After a sudden burst of cheers, Toris and the guards ushered Ryan deeper into the headquarters, leading him through a labyrinth of dimly lit corridors. The air was cool and damp, echoing with the sounds of distant voices and the clanking of armor. Rooms were also carved out. Ryan passed by many different types of rooms; A kitchen, bedrooms, toilets, even a break-room.
Following a long while of navigating through the maze, they reached a spacious chamber at the heart of the hidden cave hideout. Torches lined the walls, casting flickering shadows that danced across the rough-hewn stone. A large table dominated the center of the room, surrounded by chairs occupied by various individuals engaged in animated discussions with one-another, completely ignoring the guests.
Toris gestured for Ryan to take a seat at the table, while he approached a figure seated at the head of the table, who seemed to be the most important person in the room. He was a formidable-looking man, with broad shoulders, piercing eyes, and a sheathed greatsword accompanying him.
After maybe a minute of Toris whispering into the leader’s ear, Toris said, "His name is Ryan, Commander" addressing the leader with a respectful nod.
The leader scanned Ryan with a scrutinizing gaze before nodding in acknowledgment. "Welcome, Ryan. I am Commander Marcus," he said, his voice resonating with authority. "Toris tells me you are a hero."
Ryan swallowed nervously, feeling the weight of the commander’s gaze upon him. "Yes, sir," he said, trying to project confidence despite his apprehension.
Commander Marcus leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers thoughtfully. "Tell me, Ryan, what brings you to our humble headquarters?"
Ryan, gathered his thoughts, "Uh... Toris brought me here," he admitted. "I woke up in this world not long ago, and everything has been a whirlwind since then. Toris took me here when we met by accident."
"Why were you chosen as a hero?" Asked the intrigued Commander Marcus.
"I died saving another person’s life. I doubt I was a good choice for being a hero though."
Commander Marcus nodded. "Humble," he said. "We’ve been waiting for a hero such as yourself for a while now. Are you prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead?"
Ryan met the commander’s gaze with determination. "I hope so."
A hint of approval flickered in Commander Marcus’s eyes. "Very well, Ryan. We would love for you to join us, I would accept you with open arms. You would undergo training and prove yourself in the field. Hopefully, with your hero abilities, you could learn quickly."
Ryan nodded, a surge of determination coursing through him. "I understand, sir. I won’t let you down."
"I hope not. Especially as you are the first human hero ever, a lot of weight on your shoulders."
Ryan’s eyes widened in surprise at Commander Marcus’s revelation. "The first human hero?" he echoed, his mind spinning with the implications of what that meant. "What about the other races? Do they have heroes?"
Commander Marcus’s expression grew solemn. "Yes, they do. The elves, giants, and dwarves all have their champions, the elves have two! And even worse, we have heard rumours, unconfirmed rumors, of another elven hero arriving to our world a few days ago...
But for humans, it has always been different. We’ve endured centuries of humiliation for never having a hero up until 30 years ago, when the Elf extremists took the prejudice to another level and began the Great War."