Hero's Journey

You are Cedric, a simple farm boy from the village of Dunford, nestled between rolling green hills and thick, untamed woods. It is a place so small it barely warrants a name, ruled over by Lord Addam, who rarely visits from his keep beyond the forest.

Every morning, you rise with the sun to tend the farm alongside your father, Beron, a man of few words and even fewer smiles, hardened by years of labor. He expects the same from you. But today, something weighs on your heart, something that has gnawed at you for weeks.

Your mother, Elise, passed when you were young. Your only memories of her are the faint scent of lavender and the warmth of her hands as she sang you to sleep. Your father remarried a woman named Margery, whose beauty makes the village men stumble over their words. You do not know whether you love her or resent her. She is kind, but she is not your mother.

And then there is Lillian, your childhood friend. The girl you ran through the fields with, stole apples with, dreamed beyond the confines of Dunford with. But you are eighteen now, and the weight of your future presses down on you. Is this all your life will ever be? The same fields, the same people, the same routine until you become your father, and then your father’s father?

But Dunford is not as safe as it once was. Something stalks the woods beyond the village, something with eyes that glow in the night. Sheep and cattle vanish without a trace, their remains found torn and mangled on the outskirts of the village. The people are afraid.

It is this fear that brings you to the village inn, a dimly lit gathering place where the scent of stale ale lingers in the air. The mayor, a stout man named Oswin, stands before the crowd, his face lined with worry.

“The beast grows bolder,” he says, his voice heavy with concern. “It will not stop with livestock. If we do nothing, it will come for us next.”

Murmurs of agreement ripple through the gathered villagers, but no one steps forward. Fear thickens the air.

“We must send a hunting party,” Oswin continues. “Men who will track the creature and slay it before it does any more harm.”

Silence.

You glance around, waiting for someone to rise, to take up the call. But no one does. Even the hunters and trappers lower their gazes, whispering among themselves. The rumors have spread, this is no mere wolf or bear. Some say it is a demon. Others claim it is a punishment from the old gods, a shadow lurking just beyond the lantern light.

You swallow hard. This is your chance, isn’t it? A chance to be more than a farm boy, more than another name lost to Dunford’s history. You have no sword, no armor, no training. But you have your father’s old bow, your wits, and a restless heart that longs for something greater.