The Divine Demon - Book 3: Your Hero

1. Orientation

The stares and whispers on the bus were more obvious than ever.

Riarshi had been the lone rider for half the ride, seeing that no one ever took the bus from the commoner town of Westray to the sparkling metropolis of Spiritfield.  

Stops along the way to his destination allowed city workers, residents, and other people in need of transportation on this early morning to fill each seat available. 

Riarshi sat in the back, silently looking out the window and watching the glass-panelled office buildings, shops, and skyscrapers pass by as the bus rolled. The faint reflection in the window allowed him to see the turned heads, wide eyes, and open mouths of many of the other riders.  

"Dude, that's him," said one voice with plain awe. 

"What? How can you tell?"

"The scar on his face!" the voice hissed.

"Wait, the Tryout Hero? The guy who beat that demon?"

"Yeah, man!"

"No, no way. Why the hell's he on a bus?"

"Beats me, Joe. These kids are getting more eco-friendly every year."

 The men spoke soft in an attempt to be sneaky, but it wasn't enough. Magic-improved senses helped Riarshi hear it all. 

The newfound fame of his heroics at the Tryout had brought him attention and looks he was totally unaccustomed to. He heard praise and an assortment of other positive statements from those who secretly gawked, but the occasional threat or criticism from those envious or jealous of him left Riarshi on guard.

So accustomed to the abuse he'd received for his commoner origin, he couldn't truly appreciate the good things he overheard. 

This bus ride was no different. He was glad there were only two stops left until his. 

A cold, late fall air nipped at the back of Riarshi's neck as the bus behind him sped off down the distance of Hero Street.

The trees at the far end of the practice fields were bare of leaves, with only their skeleton-like branches reaching up into the bright blue skyline. No one had used the practice fields since the end of the first semester just two weeks prior. After the extensive damage the thousand of Newbies had done to the poor, lush green fields, it would surely take until the next summer for the barren battlefield to be usable again.

Excitement bubbled within Riarshi's gut. 

Today was Orientation for his new six-month internship. Nervousness crept in the back of his mind as he ruffled his sweatshirt and dug his chilly hands into its pockets.

Riarshi turned around and crossed the street until he stood at the front door of the Hero HQ. Two tinted doors started back at him as his eyes gazed upon his new home. He noticed his shimmering reflection, where his spiky brown hair fluttered in the passing breeze and his newly gained scar travelled from his right eyebrow down to the fingertips on the same side.

Before the doors magically spread apart to allow entry, his hazel eyes glanced upon the scar that shined a bright white in the overhead sun. Despite his nerves, Riarshi managed a smile.

He didn't care that he would bear this mark for the rest of his life - he already came to accept the burden. It was the price he had to pay to save his friend and the other Newbies in the Tryout from certain death.

His self consciousness was no more. In fact, he took pride in the hard, bumpy texture that graced his skin. The sensation told him he had survived his darkness, despite the ongoing battle raging inside.