A Failed Hero's Voyage Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Return of the Hero

Read chapter 9 of A Failed Hero's Voyage by churro on NovelPedia.

At the edge of the waking horizon, the sun rose slowly, casting its first golden light upon a vast human city. White stone buildings gleamed as they caught the morning rays, their surfaces reflecting a brilliance that made the entire capital seem almost radiant. Life stirred within its walls as people emerged from their homes to begin another day, merchants preparing their goods, laborers gathering their tools, and servants hurrying through the streets with practiced urgency. Along the towering walls that encircled the city, guards patrolled with disciplined routine, their eyes scanning the distant plains for any sign of movement. Yet their vigilance had never truly been tested. The walls of Kalisk, the capital of humanity, stood pristine and unscarred, not because they had been repaired, but because no enemy had ever reached them. High atop one of the watchtowers, a group of guards moved lazily through their patrol, the monotony of peace dulling their senses. One of them, a man with short brown hair and dark skin, stifled a yawn as he gazed out across the endless horizon. His posture straightened slightly as something caught his attention, a distant figure, barely more than a silhouette against the rising light. He narrowed his eyes. From the edge of the horizon, a lone man approached the city. A deep cloak concealed most of his form, yet beneath it, flashes of polished silver armor glinted in the sunlight. Strands of white hair drifted in the wind beneath his hood, giving him an almost ethereal presence even at such a distance. The guard’s eyes widened as recognition struck him. “Ring the bells!” he shouted, his voice breaking the stillness. “Our hero has returned!” The other guards snapped to attention instantly, their earlier lethargy vanishing as urgency took hold. Within moments, the great bells atop the towers began to toll, their deep, resonant chimes echoing across the entirety of Kalisk. The city erupted into motion. People poured into the streets, drawn by the sound, their movements shifting from confusion to excitement as the meaning of the bells became clear. Law enforcers quickly moved to establish order, forming a clear, guarded path that stretched from the city gates all the way to the grand Holy Temple at its heart, the destination where the hero would be received. Men, women, and children crowded along the edges of the cleared path, their voices rising into a wave of anticipation as they strained to catch a glimpse of the figure who had become legend. Few had ever seen his face, fewer still could claim to have stood in his presence. Among the crowd stood a boy. His black hair fell messily around his face, his pale skin marked by the wear of hardship. His clothes were tattered and ill-fitting, hanging loosely from his small frame, and though his blue eyes burned with curiosity, his height left him at a disadvantage amidst the sea of bodies. He tried to push forward, jumping in brief, futile attempts to see over the crowd, but each effort ended the same way, blocked, shoved back, and swallowed once more by the mass of people. Frustration flickered across his face. Then, his gaze shifted. Nearby, a stack of wooden crates sat against the side of a building. Without hesitation, he slipped through a narrow gap in the crowd and climbed them with practiced ease, pulling himself up onto a low rooftop. From there, he finally looked down upon the approaching procession. The cloaked figure passed through the gates, flanked by guards, the crowd erupting into cheers as the supposed hero entered the city. The boy narrowed his eyes, studying the man intently. For a moment, he said nothing. Then he exhaled sharply, disappointment overtaking his expression. “That isn’t Atherius,” he muttered to himself. This was not the first time. The Holy Temple, eager to maintain the illusion of their ever-present savior, often sent doubles in his place, figures clad in similar armor, hidden beneath cloaks, paraded through the streets so th