Episode 2: "Let the Adventure Begin"

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Hero Kuronaka came to his senses.

The area he found himself in was open and sparse, save for verdant foliage.

Casting his eyes away from the scenery, he took a gander at himself.
He was wearing comfortable, blue clothes.
He recognized such clothes.

A hero's clothes...

...Or so he presumed.
He was a hero, after all.
"Hero Kuronaka."

Finally taking his surroundings in, he realized he stood atop a sheer cliff.
The panorama was impressive, surrounded by mountains on all sides.

And right in the center stood the stone-carved visage of a goddess.

A goddess statue...

Visually impressive, its divinity was awe-inspiring.
Bathed in warm and gentle sunlight, smiling down upon all who admired her.

Goddess Statue
"Welcome back, Hero Kuronaka."

The statue spoke in a soft, feminine voice.
It soothed Kuronaka's heart.
Right. This was how the goddess always guided him.

Goddess Statue
"I will always watch over thee.
So that you may you be safe as you embark onward onto adventure yet again."

Adventure...?
Confusion flashed across Hero Kuronaka's face.

(What... What kind of adventure?
I can't remember.)

Much as he tried to recall, his mind only drew a blank.

(Nothing's coming back to me.
What do I do? Where should I go...? I... I don't know.)

Goddess Statue
"What troubles thee?
Hast thou forgotten thine path?"

Two choices appeared in front of Hero Kuronaka after her question.

Select
"Yes" or "No"

He didn't hesitate to choose yes, and the goddess's reply came swiftly.

Goddess Statue
"Trouble thyself no longer. I am here to guide thee.
I had instructed thee to purchase a medicinal herb from the village's shop."

The goddess's words illuminated him, unearthing a somehow forgotten memory.
Buying herbs from the shop. Right.

Goddess Statue
"Head straight down the road ahead of thee to find the village.
Then head to the shop. Understood?
Oh, and let's not forget the payment."

A metallic clang at his feet caught Hero Kuronaka's attention.
Glancing down, he noticed ten coins at the base of the goddess statue.
He swiftly pocketed them.

Goddess Statue
"Now, onward you go, Hero Kuronaka!"

Following the goddess's instructions, he headed on down toward the village, his goal in mind.

The path from the cliffside area toward the village was peaceful and lined with flowers.
After following the trail for a while, he came upon the village.

This is where he'd been living.
It was a quaint little village, surrounded by trees and populated by brick buildings.
With a river running through it and the hustle and bustle of its inhabitants, it was a picture-perfect idyllic place.

Kuronaka followed the main road, marked with neatly-lined red bricks.
As he kept on down his path to the store, he crossed paths with a young girl carrying a woven basket in each arm.
Messy hair, despite being woven into a braid, still framed her sun-kissed, freckled face.

Village Girl
"Hey, Kuronaka! Are you all done with training?"

She smiled warmly as she called out to him.

Village Girl
"Keep working hard on becoming a full-fledged hero and I just know you'll defeat the Demon King!"

She waved and walked away after that.

Kuronaka just kept on walking into the heart of the village.
That was, at least until an older man beckoned Kuronaka to approach the bench he sat upon.

Old Man
"Remember when I found you? You gave me quite a shock, young man! All alone in the rain, and not a single memory to call your own."

The old man spoke, reminiscing.
He spoke of the day when he brought Hero Kuronaka to the village.

Old Man
"And a hero, to boot! I never would've even guessed.
I'm rooting for you, young man! Become a hero and defeat the Demon King!"

Despite the encouragement, Hero Kuronaka's expression remained blank.
All he could think of was fulfilling his quest.
Keeping on along his path, he thought only of purchasing the goddess-requested herbs.

Hero Kuronaka suddenly sensed something.
Hiding amongst the brush at the side of the road was a slime, lurking in the shade.

Slime
"I'm noooOoot a bad slime! ProooOooOomise!"

The slime shook as it spoke, frightened.

Slime
"I can teEEEeeeEell you where to fiiiiIiiIIInd merchant, yes! He's somewhEEeEeere with lotsa poOooOots!
SeeEEeeeeEE? I'm a good slime, yeEeeEees!"

Hero Kuronaka approached the slime, wordlessly swinging his sword.
The blade cut with no resistance, the slime vanishing amongst the glint of steel.

Hero Kuronaka Defeated A Demon!

Cat
"...Meow?"

A cat approached him.
It looked up, tilting its head.

Cat
"Meow..."

Maybe the cat was a friend of the slime's?
It continued to meow as it searched the brush, looking for the no-longer-existing slime.

Cat
"Meow... Meooow..."

But that didn't matter. Hero Kuronaka had a mission. To purchase herbs.
He turned his back to the feline and continued on his path.
He spotted the gate that headed out the village a little ways forward.
A large and stout warrior stood guard, axe in hand.

Warrior
"It is my duty to protect the village from demons."

With a tilt of his wrist, the warrior's axe now stood in a battle-ready stance.

Warrior
"And as such, I cannot permit you to go through. You're yet to become a full-fledged warrior.
Continue training under the goddess."

Hero Kuronaka walked past the warrior, further into the village.

Soon, he spotted a small hut, quietly standing at the village's edge.
Pots lined the little hut.
A shopkeeper poked his head out from the pot collection as Hero Kuronaka approached. He raised his voice in surprise.

Shopkeeper
"Ah! You've arrived! Welcome to my humble shop."

Hero Kuronaka reached the village shop.

Shopkeeper
"You're here for the medicinal herbs, right? The goddess let me know ahead of time.
That'll be twelve gold, young lad. Would you like to purchase it?"

Once again, two options appeared in front of Hero Kuronaka as the shopkeeper asked.

Select
"Yes" or "No"

Hero Kuronaka chose "Yes."
However, he only held ten coins in his hand.

Shopkeeper
"Oh? What's that, young lad? You seem to be short two coins."

The shopkeeper shook his head in disbelief.

Shopkeeper
"How silly of our lady goddess.
'Tis all right. Ten gold will do just fine."

Hero Kuronaka purchased the medicinal herb for a discounted ten coins.

Hero Kuronaka
"Thank you."

His words were more a reflex than an active thought.
It caught him off-guard.
And at the same time...

...He could feel his empty heart being warmed.
Lit by the warmth of lost emotions.

Shopkeeper
"Not a problem, young lad. Thank you for your patronage!
Hope to see you again!"

Surprised at the newfound change within himself, Hero Kuronaka left the shop.

He retraced his steps back to the clifftop.
He glanced around the village.

Though the way back must've been the same as the way in, something felt...different this time.

The howl of the wind...
The rustle of the trees...
The echo of the flowing river...

He wanted to protect it all.
He took that sentiment and held it deep within himself. A hero's conviction.

As he kept walking, he eventually spotted the cat from earlier.
It was still meowing, desperately looking for its friend.

Cat
"Meow... Meooow..."

Though he'd felt nothing when the cat cried out at first...
...Kuronaka couldn't help, this time, to feel an ache deep in his heart.

He ran, back to the goddess statue, away from the cries, if not the pain.