《Anima: To Raise a Hero》


 Chapter 1 - First Encounter

    Demons have long plagued the lands of Aodia. Horrific, vile creatures that slaughtered indiscriminately and feasted on Humankind.


    Weak Humankind was but mere food for these impossibly powerful Demons, who used their unearthly Demonic Force to crush even the strongest of Human fighters.


    From the great war between Humanity and Demons, humans discovered that residing in the depths of their soul was a unique power that could be harnessed - The Anima Spirit.


    Each Anima Spirit was a reflection of their possessor. A mirror into their own truths and ideals.


    Influenced by one''s past and future, an Anima Spirit represented the innate strength the person was born with and the potential they were destined to possess.


    Each Anima Spirit was unique, taking in a different form in each Human, although similarities existed between those of similar lineages.


    From each Anima Spirit, one could draw Anima Force, a mighty power that was used in conjunction with their Anima Spirit to produce devastating strength on the battlefield.


    Humans born into great warrior clans could have powerful Sword Anima that could cut easily through mountains, or those born into noble scholar clans possessed Mind Anima that could produce strange Mental Force that stops rivers with just a thought.


    Those blessed with powerful Anima Spirit''s found themselves capable of hunting and defeating even the strongest of Demons.


    With the discovery of Anima Spirit and Anima Force, Humankind fought back. The once fragmented clans united across the land as they seized control of this new power.


    From this union, the Crusader Order was born, sworn in with the oath to purge all Demons from existence.


    Yet a thousand years after their founding, humanity''s defenders have now grown complacent. Once honourable and righteous, they now squabble meaninglessly amongst themselves over kingdoms and titles.


    Unwilling to improve themselves, they have turned their order into a stagnant puddle of self-satisfied nobles.


    Even with the advent of technology and the advancement of Humankind, the Demonic threat is not gone.


    I can already sense the storm clouds of the great demonic calamity brewing in the horizon. A disaster set to crush Humankind, yet none pay attention.


    But I cannot fight this evil off myself. I am not qualified to take on this task, and I can never become the hero that we desperately need.


    I must raise my own Paragon to defeat the Demons and save Humankind.


    -


    Walking on the crowded streets of Bardor city, bitter thoughts plague my mind.


    My gloomy and dark mood contrasts with the radiance of this city,


    The roads are crowded with merchants and shoppers, laughing and shouting, and their liveliness heard all over the entire district.


    As I walk down the long marketplace in the heart of the city, I could only see happiness and sunshine. There was no terror or fear on anyone''s expressions.


    These pure faces mock me. Burdened with the knowledge of what is going to come, I cannot help but feel anger at their naive thoughts.


    It seems that, even when they are so close, Demons are as far away from their minds as could be.


    I seem insane, don''t I?


    I want to scream out loud the horrific things I have witnessed. The terrible plans and bloody future the Demons are going to plunge us into.


    Yet no one will believe me. With the advancement of Humankind, we have attained immense power even without the usage of our Anima Spirit.


    Technology has reached such levels of height that we have declared this age to be Humans and humans alone.


    Modern weapons of steel and bullets shred through even the toughest of Demon''s hide, rendering them to nothing but a sludge of flesh.


    Around all of Humankind surrounds a wall that dwarfs mountains. No Demon could even scratch it, they think. Scaling or breaking it was an impossibility in their minds.


    No large-scale demon attacks have happened in millennia. Only tiny outbreaks in the extremities occasionally occur, and they are easily suppressed with the rain of death produced by the auto-cannons mounted across the wall.


    Perhaps the Crusader Order''s arrogance is justified.


    They think the Demons are defeated, that they have won the war and Humankind is safe until the end of time.


    They are wrong. Very, very wrong.


    The Demons are merely biding their time. Planning, scheming, thinking of how to best overrun and slaughter humanity for good. They have adapted to Humankind, just as Humankind has adapted to them.


    I know of their tactics, and of how unfathomably powerful the Demons will be.


    Their legions will be millions, billions strong. They will crawl out from the fringes of the land, from the shadows of their last bastion and back into the light of day.


    Behemoths a hundred meters tall will stalk the land, their impossible figures towering over even the tall walls Humankind is so proud of.


    They will destroy our unpenetrable barrier in mere moments, and let in the storm of hungry Demons ready to once again feast on us.


    Their skins will be so thick that no bullets will faze them, and their scales so tough no artillery shell could blast through them.


    Their fangs and claws will shred through all our armour like a hot knife through butter, and cities will be devoured to feed their insatiable thirst for blood.


    They will possess such powerful Demonic Force that no Crusader could fight them without being crushed.


    Demons have that have been tested and culled and tested and culled until the point where only those with monstrous power could survive.


    Then, there is the Demon Kings. Demons so strong, with such immense Demonic Force they have gained complete consciousness of themselves, It is these Demon Kings we must fear.


    They can flatten mountains in moments, drain lakes with their thoughts, and annihilate entire regions by themselves.


    I shake from the very thought of these vile creatures. Disgust wells in me as I stave off the urge to vomit.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.The only thing that can allow us to fight the Demons is Anima Force.


    Only with Anima Force, can we even stand a chance against them.


    Only with Anima Force, can we piece their hides and gut them like the evil beasts they are.


    Only with Anima Force, can we prevent Humankind from falling into extinction.


    I am so consumed by my thoughts that I do not pay attention to where I am walking. My face is obscured with a hood, and my head is bowed to avoid any conversation.


    "Ow!"


    Suddenly, my head smacks into the body of someone. I look up to the figure who I just ran into.


    A man in a white military uniform stands in front of me, donning a black cap and followed by two similarly dressed others. His uniform is lined neatly with various badges and awards, and a single gold emblem is embroidered on the right breast.


    C.O.


    Crusader Order.


    A Crusader. And clearly, someone who has never seen any action before. His spotless uniform screams of innocence and inexperience and his face are devoid of any scarring. The sword and sheath at his hip are unused and shine brilliantly in the sunlight.


    A man who personified everything wrong with the Order. Naive, stupid, and useless in a war.


    ''Who do you think you''re bumping into? Do you not have eyes?!"


    And arrogant too. Another trait of one of these modern Crusaders. There is a nasty scowl on his face as he stares demandingly at me.


    "I- I''m sorry!"


    I grit my teeth as I force the words through my mouth. I have to endure this. I can''t risk being interrupted now.


    "You better be!"


    He smacks me in the face with a vicious slap. My right cheek grows red and stings with pain,


    His followers are not as enthusiastic as he was. His actions and shouting drew the attention of the other market-goers, and they are already starting to stare.


    "Let''s get a move on, yeah?"


    "We can''t risk getting another demerit.."


    The other two Crusaders convinces the other man to leave. As they do, I could still see him with that arrogant smirk on his face.


    I ball my hands into a fist as I move on, my body shaking in anger.


    I had to accept this, for now, it was the current state of the Crusaders after all. They had all the power and had none of the strength to defend us.


    As I moved from the marketplace, the loud shouting and noise of the stall died down as I entered into the urban section of the city.


    It was very quiet here, with hardly anyone in the street at all.


    All around me was housing and the complexes of apartments that soared across the landscape.


    The tall buildings covered the sun, causing me to shiver from the sudden lack of heat and sunlight.


    I walked down the alleys of this area until I heard noise coming from a building at the end of the street. It was a strange sight, as it was the only single-floored building in the area.


    All the other apartments dwarfed it and covered around it like a concrete blanket, obscuring the sign that was displayed above the building.


    It was here that contained what I was looking for.


    I hurriedly walked towards it, eager to finally witness my destiny.


    Above the building, lay an old, broken sign that read:


    Bardor Orphanage


    I smiled. I was at the right place after all.


    This building was the only place in the street to have any noise coming from it. From the cobblestone path that leads into the orphanage, I could see men in suits inside the rooms, their figures moving on the windows.


    "Our House can offer you the best training..."


    "No, no, only we can best harness your potential miss.."


    "Our academy has the most highly rated education system in the world..."


    Their deep voices argued against each other, and It was hard to hear, in particular, saying anything.


    This struggle for attention continued as I walked into the building and stepped inside the reception. An old lady sat there with a tired expression on her face.


    "Are you here with an offer too?" She asked me, clearly doing this for a ridiculous amount of times already.


    I nodded at her.


    "Go inside, she''ll be in the first room to the right. You can''t miss it, it''s where the other representatives are as well."


    "Thank you."


    As I drew closer and closer to the room, the voices grew louder and louder.


    "Your academy is not as well-known as ours, clearly only we can..."


    "Look how amazing our dormitories are, Miss, we can even give you an extra-large room.."


    Then, their monotonous drone was interrupted with a different voice.


    "Stop, that''s enough this."


    Although her voice was not as loud, it rang clearly like a bell and carried a powerful authority with it. Everyone else immediately stopped their talking.


    "I will have a think over your offers overnight. You can leave now."


    I could feel the disappointment in the room, yet what could they do but listen to what she said? With a groan, each stepped out of the room after each other and I moved to let them through.


    After they left, I stepped inside the room.


    "Another representative? Who are you?"


    A girl of the age of 9 sat on the chair next to a table. Rich, golden hair flowed from her head and rested on her shoulders.


    Her eyes were dark like cocoa, and they seemed to bury inside you when she looked at you.


    She was not dressed finely like a girl her age desired but donned a simple, pearl dress that draped over her entire body.


    She exuded an aura of power as she sat there, and despite her tiny stature, I could feel the threat of Anima Power radiate from her body.


    It was this girl that I sought. It must be her. Only the Hero could have such a presence that shook Humans and Demons alike.


    I stepped forward, uncovering my face and raising my hand.


    "I am Roland, former Crusader General of the Crusader Order."


    Her eyes narrowed at my words.


    "And I come offering only one thing, Ellenia, last scion of House Leonar."


    I drew close, my madness-filled eyes reflecting off her''s.


    "Power."

 Chapter 2 - The Journey Begins

    "Power?"


    Ellenia''s voice is filled with confusion. She had been offered riches, glory, and comfort by the various representatives beforehand.


    Academies, Houses, and Organisations all crawled before her in an attempt to get her family name into their system. They valued her blood and name, not herself.


    "Power. Great, pure power. It is the only thing I can offer you." I answer her.


    Yes, it was power that Ellenia wanted.


    I know this from the way her eyes glow when I say its name and the way her Anima Force swells uncontrollably from the thought.


    Her desire for power was almost fanatic. She knew of her potential - of the burbling, immense power locked away inside her.


    No orphan wishes to become a simple doll to be paraded around. Least of all someone with such great Anima Force like Ellenia.


    Ellenia''s eyes snap to attention, but she does not speak. It seems like she has not prepared for someone to offer such a strange thing to her.


    "It is what you truly desire, is it not?" I question her, attempting to wrestle out an answer.


    "And why would you think that to be my desire?" She questions me.


    "Because," I step forward, my figure towering over her. "Why else would your Anima Spirit tremble in excitement?"


    Surprise flashes across her face, and I can feel her examine herself internally. It appears that her excitement was involuntary, and she hadn''t realized how she was reacting.


    Ellenia sighs as she accepts reality.


    "So how would you give power to me?"


    I grin at her, although it must appear to be the smile of a devil to her.


    "Training. Bone-breaking, soul-shattering training. I will make you run and tumble and struggle until you drop dead every day. It is the only way in the natural order for someone to get stronger.


    Forget the life of a noble or orphan, you will live life like a rat in a warzone. You will be lower than the insects of the forest, and you must fight every day like it was your last."


    My words are harsh and uncompromising. The Crusader trainees I used to train flinched at my introduction. Sometimes even old Crusader Knights would be startled at how brutish I was.


    They were all used to the soft, easy life where they would never fight a single Demon in their whole careers. Something like this would be unacceptable to their ears.


    They all knew that they would be unlikely to ever even be in real danger after their training, so they had all adjusted to an expectation of luxury.


    Technology has replaced them, they think. They thought they would never do anything Demon-related ever again. Bullets and cannons now do their job for them.


    This is why they are so averse to what I say.


    Yet, Ellenia does not break against my words where the others have.


    Instead, a wild grin slowly appears on her face.


    Good. Good. This is exactly it.


    Everything is aligned.


    She will be the Hero. Her talent, personality, and situation are all perfect.


    Her talent is immense, Anima Force almost overflowing out of that tiny body of hers.


    Her personality is irrational, delighting in things that would break other people.


    Her situation is obscure, no one will truly miss her if she''s gone. An orphan is inherently alone in this world, after all.


    "So," I ask her. "Do you accept my offer?"


    It was a question that really did not need to be asked at this point. I am the only one who offers her a route out of a fake life of a figurehead.


    "Yes."


    Of course, she accepted.


    "So when do we leave?"


    "Now. We have no time to waste. Pack your immediate amenities."


    I wait as Ellenia rushes around the roof, picking up items and clothing and stuffing them into a blue duffel bag. After a few minutes, the room is clear of most things and she zips her duffel bag shut.


    "I''m done."


    As she was preparing herself, a question burned in my mind. Although it was meaningless to my goals, I still ask it anyways.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "Why?"


    Ellenia gives me a blank stare.


    "Why would you trust someone like me? I don''t think I''ve done anything so far that would make you put your hope with me."


    My entire plan had hinged on the fact she could be willing to leave and train with me. I am unsure of how exactly it succeeded.


    Ellenia now has a smug look on her face.


    "You''re the only one who''s come so far that told me you were going to put me through hell."


    As she walks out of the room, Ellenia stops and adds:


    "And..."


    She turned around and scanned me, her eyes laughing at my tattered robes and mattered hair.


    "At least you didn''t wear a suit."


    -


    "I.D. and time stayed, please."


    The office worker at the gates of Bardor city asks me and Ellenia as we stand in the exit line. The line is completely empty save for the two of us.


    I hand over a card, and so tried Ellenia.


    "1 day," I say.


    "9 years." Says Ellenia, her arm unable to reach onto the high counter where I placed my card. As she struggles even on her toes to place her card, I laugh as I snatch it from her and place it down on the counter.


    She did not look very happy with my help.


    The worker examines the two cards. He looks and compares the records as he scans both of them onto the computer.


    "So," The worker asks. "Why is this Miss coming with you?"


    "She is my apprentice."


    "Apprentice?"


    He glares at me, his eyes full of distrust.


    "Yes, anything wrong with that?"


    "Well, it is quite unusual for a girl so young to be in an apprenticeship..."


    "She has talent." I snap back at him.


    "With an older man, it seems rather suspicious, doesn''t it?"


    He does not seem to buy my explanation, although he moves on.


    "And there is the problem of your I.D. card..."


    "My I.D. card?"


    I am genuinely confused. I was let in yesterday with this card, so what could be wrong with that?"


    "Well, it just expired today, a few hours actually."


    Oh. I think the person at the gates when I entered did say something about the expiry date, but I didn''t pay any attention.


    "So what does that mean?"


    "You can''t exit with this card anymore, Mister. You''ll have to register with the Administrative Council back at the Market District.."


    "And how long will that take?"


    "Depending on the time and availability, it may take up to 7 working days for a new one to be made."


    Frustration builds in me. Once the first hurdle is done, another one pops up to stop me. With time so short, I can''t afford to be bogged down by petty bureaucratic affairs.


    I subtlely unleash my Anima Force, it''s invisible energy slithering out of my body and silently approaching the worker.


    Ellenia notices, giving me a knowing stare. It seems that, even with the tiniest of fluctuations, she was able to tell the presence of Anima Force.


    Suddenly, the worker seizes. His eyes become unfocused as he loses control of himself.


    He types robotically into the computer for a minute. Then, there is a beep as he hands the cards back to me


    "You are free to leave now." His voice comes out forced and uneven.


    "Thank you," I reply.


    The electronic gates in front of us part, the path opening towards the outside.


    "Have a good day." Then, the worker becomes conscious again, blinking away what felt like a dream. He is so confused he does not bother to stop us.


    We left the gates of Bardor City, and as we walk on the asphalt path, Ellenia asks:


    "So what did you do there?" Her eyes glimmer with curiosity. I can already see the devious ways she wants to use it for.


    "It was just a fun little trick I picked up from an old book back when I was in the Order," I answered. "It''s useful against incompetent Crusaders."


    I looked back towards the distant city on the horizon.


    "Or annoying bureaucrats."