Heroes 1

The question nagged at Luther as he swept broken glass into a pile. These mages had enough power to wreck the place, yet they spent time picking locks. It didn't make sense.

"Hey Luna," he said, pausing his work. "Why would they bother with lockpicks if they're that powerful?"

She stopped wiping down the bar, considering his question. "Good observation. They were trying to avoid attention... but not from us."

"What do you mean?"

"The city has..." she hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Let's just say there are ways to detect large bursts of magic. Our visitors obviously wanted to stay off those radar."

He frowned, trying to wrap his head around it. Back home, stealth usually meant avoiding security cameras or guard patrols. But magic detection? That was a whole new level of complication.

"Is that why you're using that crossbow instead of just..." he waved his hands vaguely, "...magic-blasting everyone?"

She actually laughed at his gesture. "Magic-blasting? Is that the technical term where you come from?"

"You know what I mean," he grumbled, returning to his sweeping. "Earlier you had those glowing daggers and that outfit change thing. Why not use that all the time?"

"Divine power isn't something you just throw around," she explained. "It draws attention. Besides, sometimes a crossbow is just more practical."

He nodded, though he didn't really understand. Everything about this world's power systems still confused him. Divine powers, regular magic, whatever those mages were using – it was like trying to learn a new language by being dropped in the deep end.

He watched as she pulled out some kind of crystal and dropped it in a glass of water. The water glowed briefly before returning to normal.

"Uh, what was that?"

"Sending a warning to some friends," she replied cryptically. "Don't worry about it."

"Right. Because glowing water is totally normal." He shook his head. "You know, where I come from, we just use phones."

"Phones?"

"Never mind." He gestured to the mess around them. "So what's the plan now? Those guys seemed to know who I was. Called me a 'failed hero' or something."

Her expression darkened. "That's what worries me. No one should know about you yet, let alone that you refused Ariadne's gift." She poured the glowing water into a bowl. "We need to figure out how they got that information."

He was about to ask another question when a soft chime filled the room. Luna immediately went to check the bowl of water, which had turned a deep blue color.

"What's happening?"

"Messages from the others," she murmured, studying the water's surface. Her frown deepened. "We weren't the only ones attacked tonight. Three other locations were hit at the same time."

"Others? What others?" He felt completely lost. "Look, I get that you're involved in some kind of secret... something. But I'm kind of flying blind here. If these people are after me—"

"You're right," she interrupted, emptying the bowl into a nearby plant. "You deserve to know what you're caught up in." She gestured for him to sit. "There's a network of safe houses in the city, places that help people the crown... disapproves of. People who follow the old gods, like Ariadne."

"I know this is one of them," he guessed. 

"Yes. Though apparently our security isn't as good as we thought." She rubbed her temples. "We need to get you some protection. Magic or not, you can't keep diving behind furniture forever."

"I don't suppose there's a magic shop around here?" he asked, only half-joking.

"Actually..." her expression turned mischievous. "I know someone who might be able to help. A blacksmith who specializes in enchanted gear."

"Let me guess – it's not exactly a legal operation?"

"Most things worth doing in this city aren't." She headed for the stairs. "Get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be interesting."

He looked around at the half-cleaned tavern, still trying to process everything. Divine powers, magical messages in water, secret networks of sanctuaries – it was like being dropped into one of those fantasy games his brother loved, except this was terrifyingly real.

'This is fucking fun that my body is literally shaking. I going to turn everything upside down.' He smiled villainously before going to rest. 

---

He woke before dawn, his mind already racing with possibilities. The book from Madame Vess lay open on his bedside table where he'd fallen asleep reading it. Despite Luna's warnings about learning magic from books, he couldn't help but feel excited about what he discovered.

'So much to learn about this world, I will have to set out and explore..'

He dressed quickly and made his way downstairs, finding Luna already up and working. The tavern looked almost normal—you'd never guess there had been a magical battle here just hours ago.

"You're up early," she commented, not looking up from the ledger she was reviewing.

"Couldn't sleep. Too many questions." He grabbed an apple from a bowl on the counter. "Like why those mages were so interested in someone who can't even use magic."

She closed her ledger with a sigh. "That's been bothering me too. Following Ariadne isn't exactly popular these days, but coordinated attacks on safe houses? That's new." She studied him thoughtfully. "They seemed particularly focused on you."

"Maybe they're worried that a sudden appearance of a hero," he took a bite of the apple, grinning. "Might mess up whatever plans they have."

"This isn't a game." She leaned forward, her expression serious. "Those mages weren't just random thugs. They were organized, trained and they knew things they shouldn't have known."

"Exactly." His grin widened. "Which means they're scared. People don't commit resources like that unless they're worried about something."

She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Maybe a little." He finished the apple and tossed the core into a waste bin. "So, about that blacksmith you mentioned..."

"We'll go after breakfast. But first—" She pulled out a small leather pouch and tossed it to him. "Put these on."

Inside were what looked like simple brass rings, three of them. "What are they?"

"Basic protection charms. Not much, but better than nothing. They'll at least give you some resistance to magical attacks."

He slipped them on, feeling a slight tingle as they adjusted to fit. "Thanks. Though I'm more interested in learning how to fight back."

"One step at a time." She started preparing for the morning customers. "The blacksmith might have something that suits your... particular style."

"My style?"

"Yeah. Reckless, unconventional, and too stubborn for your own good." She smiled to take the sting out of her words. "Most heroes rely on divine power or traditional magic. But you? You need something different."

He was about to respond when someone knocked on the front door—three quick taps followed by two slow ones. She immediately tensed, reaching for her crossbow.

She checked through a small viewing slot, then relaxed slightly. "It's Madame Vess."

She opened there and Vess rushed in, her face worried. "I know, I know how they found out about you. Those people are heroes, just like you."

"Huh?"