So You Want to be a Hero?

1 A

"Huff huff huff, well maybe it wasn't a good idea running that far." I attempt to say to myself almost out of breath. I look in front of me again, and is that really it? Giant walls, lots of buildings, and of course the dungeon.
I rub my eyes to make sure I'm not seeing anything. Maybe Leo said that has motivation, if it was any longer or shorter I may have just walked. Darn old man, but I guess I'm glad to, he even offered me a map. Now let's see what this piece of paper holds.
I unfold it and, it's actually not as big as I thought, basically the size of normal paper, but it has a lot of detail. There's an inn, dining places, the dungeon, and wow there's so much more here than I thought.
Hm I feel a hand push me out of the way
"Oi watch it." It's a guy with white hair and blue eyes. With eyes like that he wouldn't seem like a mean person.
"Hey don't do that to people, it's rude." A girl came up behind me to help me up.
"No it's alright, makes sense since I just got here." The guy turns away with a grin on his face. Then I turn towards the girl, her hair is black, and her eyes are red, almost looks like a devil, but her face looks so innocent, she couldn't be related to something so evil.
"Damn confidence is gonna get you killed one day." She breathes a sigh of relief. "Sorry about that, his confidence makes him do stupid things, are you alright?" She asks me, but I'm still in awe, she looks so innocent, it's really cute.
I shake my head, no no no, you just got here, you can't be thinking about that right now. "Yeah I'm fine, sorry for spacing out."
"It's alright. What brings you here?" She asks me, and quite a few people look towards me, some of them I can't tell if their smiling or furious.
"Well I have a dream to become a hero." I hear laughter and many voices.
"Does she really think it'll be that easy to become a hero?"
"I know right, not any of the adventurers have even come close to becoming a legend, and now one wants to become a hero?"
"How ridiculous, you should just go home." They continue to laugh, then I hear footsteps coming back, I turn towards the sound, and it's the guy who pushed me down.
"HEY!" They all quieted down, "this may be a newbie, but have at least a little respect." They looked away in disbelief, that this man just said that to them, and judging by their reactions he's not low level. Then he looks towards me and gets in my face, "Don't think I did this because I feel bad, I don't want to be seen as a jerk who leaves people behind."
The girl speaks up "Then maybe you should apologize for pushing them down, right?" She says while pinching his arm.
"No" she pinches him harder with a slight smug look, and he finally speaks, "Fine, sorry for pushing you." He stomps off after.
"Sorry about that, he can be stubborn."
"It's alright. I was actually kind of kicked out of my house."
"Really, why?"
"Well when your in a place that's all about work, and no real dream, it gets kind of boring, so I chose to stop working because I wanted to become a hero. And they saw it as stupid and basically kicked me out."
"So they kicked you out because of your dream, that's horrible."
"It's probably better though, I wasn't really good at work, and it also led me to Stites, which is the city I'm looking for."
"Well your in luck, because this is the place." She says with a big grin, it makes a relaxing atmosphere. It puts a smile on my face.
"So is there anything you want to know?" Well as of right now there's really only one thing.
"Uh how do you start a party?"
"Well first, you gotta be found by a god or goddess."
"Oh that sounds, kind of easy." I say a little down.
"Don't worry, you seem like a worthy person of one, you'll probably be found by one as soon as you walk through the gate."
"You think so?" I ask.
"Yes" she says with a bright smile. Well that makes me feel better, but what if I'm not chosen, maybe it's not best to worry.
"Well even if I'm not chosen, I'll start as soon as I can to level up." I say trying to reassure myself.
"Levels you say, do you know how they work?" She asks.
I respond, but a little shaken, "Kind of?"
"It's alright, I'll explain, but how about we start heading into the city." She says while pointing towards the gate.
"Yeah"

"So levels aren't quite simple really, the highest anyone here has reached is, if I remember correctly, seventy eight? It could be lower or higher."
"Can anyone reach above level one hundred?" I ask curiously.
"Well from us mortals knowledge, we only see level one hundred as the max. However there is a myth that a hero made it past level one hundred, but no one truly knows if this myth is fact or fiction. Who knows you may be that hero."
"Oh come one don't say things like that your making me blush." Which is true, but it's also slightly concerning. What troubles I may come across.
"Heh heh, I found you, Ardis." A voice? To my right? She looks so small?
"Let's start your adventure."
"Wait, your telling me, your the goddess that's going to be helping me?" I ask in disbelief.
"Yes, now shall we begin?"
"Uh sure, but may I ask who you are?"
"Of course, I am Helaina, goddess of adventure." She says with a smug look.
"Are you famous?" I ask, and she seems taken back, like it was offensive?
"W-w-well not exactly, I'm only well known by fellow gods and goddess's, but not many mortals have actual heard of me." She sounds a little depressed, but it's actually kind of surprising, how is the god of adventure, not famous.
"Surely there must be a reason."
"Not exactly, I may have been looking for the right person, but many haven't met my expectations, even though they aren't exactly very high." Maybe it wasn't a good idea to ask that. "However, since I met you, I felt a spark that could make a hero." Her words seem cautious, like she's trying to avoid something.
"Uh if I may ask, have you had any other people in a party?" I know it may be a rude question, but i have to know if this will be worth it or not.
"Well it's a little rude to ask a goddess or a god that kind of question." She looks... flustered?
I feel a tug on my shirt, it's the girl, she whispers in my ear, "It's not wise to refuse a god or goddess, just because they haven't had a successful party, there's probably reason behind it." She read right through me, but she's right, just because this goddess may have not exactly had a perfect party before, doesn't mean that this will be bad for me.
"Well never mind that question, it was rude of me." I say trying to apologize, but I don't know if it worked.
"I-it's fine, we just have to start adventuring as soon as we can." She responds, sounding a little relieved, but I haven't gotten to see what she looks like, she's had a cloak on.
"What's with the cloak?" I ask, but maybe it sounded a little rash.
"Well I don't exactly like being seen in public, especially since no one really knows who I am."
"Your still a goddess though, would that really matter?"
"To the gods, if mortals barely know us then it's best to stay hidden, until their party makes them known."
"And that means the party has to be quite aggressive to progress."
"Yeah, and uh..."
"What is it?"
"That girl seemed to disappear."
"Ah, she did." I say looking around, but I still feel like I'm being watched by someone or something.
"Well we better head to my household." Helaina says pointing down the brick path. Hm I wonder if it's big or fancy, maybe it has something special inside. My thoughts put a grin on my face, but it doesn't seem that the goddess noticed, maybe she's trying to lay low.
I leaned towards her ear, "I know this might sound rude, but is it considered disgraceful if a god or goddess is not popular with the mortals?"
No response, maybe it wasn't a good idea to ask such a question.
"Well depending one what type of god or goddess you are, will depend if your supposed to be popular or not among the mortals." She continues to walk, but her head kind of hangs low. Maybe I shouldn't ask such questions.
"I'm sorry for asking such personal questions."
"No, it's alright, it's normal for new adventurers to be curious." She still seems down, I don't think I can do anything to fix this. Maybe something later on can fix this.
Before I even notice, she's pointing at a building.
"Is this the place?" I asked, because well, the place looks like an abandoned house.
"Yeah, it may not be much to look at, but I call it home." She says with a worried smile.
"Well if it's home, then there's no need to be worried." I put a smile on my face to try and see if it helps, but it doesn't really do anything.
Even the inside is pretty similar to the outside, but it seems like a good hospitality feel to it.
"Well it may not be much, but please go ahead and make yourself at home." She still seems down about earlier.
"Is there anything I can do to start?" I ask.
"Well you have to start a party, and to do that you need to have a party leader."
"And when you say that, you mean me?"
"Well of course, who else is here."
"I suppose that's true, but if I'm the only one in the party, it's going to be hard."
"That is true, but if you keep worrying, it's going to effect you badly." She seems a little better after talking, but there's still a negative feel around. Maybe the feeling will subside by tomorrow.