The Farmer

The sun stood high in the sky, casting its scorching rays over the vast fields that stretched endlessly.

A light breeze whispered through the golden wheat, carrying the earthy scent of damp soil and fresh crops.

It was a peaceful scene, yet the heat made it anything but comfortable.

Amidst the fields, Rain Solaris, a seventeen-year-old young man, stood hunched over, gripping a small sickle as he carefully cut away the weeds threatening the crops.

His light brown hair was damp with sweat, and his simple, worn-out clothes were covered in dirt and dust.

But that was nothing new to him, after all, he was just a farmer, and farmers knew only hard work.

He paused for a moment, wiping the sweat from his forehead, before scanning the field he was responsible for.

His late father had always told him,

"The land rewards only those who are loyal to it." That belief was all he had left of his family.

"Rain! Stop staring at the horizon and get back to work! There's no time for laziness!"

The sharp, commanding voice came from a towering man with a scar running across his right cheek Jaren, the farm's owner.

He was the man who had taken Rain in after his parents passing, but not out of kindness. No, Jaren saw him as nothing more than an extra pair of strong hands to work the fields.

"Yes, sir…" Rain responded softly, lowering his gaze before returning to his task.

That was how it always was, he worked while others reaped the benefits.

He had no other choice. He wasn't born noble, a knight, or even a gifted mage like those he had heard of in stories.

He was just a simple farmer, with no power, no wealth, and no future to speak of.

But that never stopped him from dreaming.

A Dream That Faded Before It Began

Every night, Rain would lie on his small wooden bed in the barn, staring up at the sky through the cracks in the roof, imagining himself traveling across kingdoms, fighting battles, facing dragons, and saving cities from villains.

But deep down, he knew that was just the foolish fantasy of a naive boy.

The world was not fair, and it didn't hand out opportunities to people like him.

And so, every morning, his routine remained the same.

Wake up before dawn.

Milk the cows, carry buckets of water, clean the stables.

Work under the scorching sun for hours.

Eat a miserable meal of stale bread and cold soup.

Work again until sunset.

Sleep in the barn, only to wake up and repeat the cycle.

A life without meaning, without excitement, and without an escape.

But on that particular day, fate had different plans for him.

As Rain carried heavy sacks of grain to the storage barn, the distant sound of galloping hooves caught his attention.

Looking up, he saw a group of knights riding into the farm, their silver armor gleaming under the sunlight.

Their cloaks bore the emblem of the Kingdom of Altheria, a golden dragon wrapped around a sword of fire.

Everyone stopped working, their gazes fixed on the knights as they dismounted from their horses.

One of them, a man with silver hair and piercing eyes, stepped forward and called out in a commanding voice

"We are searching for all young men between the ages of sixteen and twenty! Gather before us immediately!"

Murmurs spread among the farmhands as the young men hesitantly gathered.

Rain stood among them, though he had no idea why he was being summoned.

The silver haired knight studied them carefully before speaking again,

"You have been chosen to participate in the Trial of Heroes."

A heavy silence fell over the farm, followed by a wave of shocked whispers.

The Trial of Heroes?

It was a legendary event held once every ten years to choose the Great Hero the one destined to wield power strong enough to protect humanity from the coming calamities.

But… why them? Why now?

Rain's heart pounded, not with excitement, but with fear.

He didn't want to be a part of this. He could barely handle farm work, how was he supposed to become a knight or a mage?

He instinctively took a step back, but before he could retreat further, a firm hand gripped his shoulder.

Turning, he saw Jaren, grinning cruelly.

"Don't back out now, boy. This is your one chance to be useful."

The words sounded encouraging, but Rain knew their true meaning.

Jaren didn't care about his fate, he was just happy to get rid of him.

And just like that, he found himself standing alongside the other young men, watching as the knights prepared the carriages that would take them away.

Without understanding how or why, Rain Solaris had taken the first step toward a destiny he had never imagined…