The rain was pouring outside. Then again, it wasn't as if Hera expected anything else. The sky had been overcast all day, teetering on the brink of a storm. And of course, it only started 30 minutes before she could clock out. Enough time to create large pools of water everywhere in the big city, but not enough to make it feasible to wait until it was over.

  Hera had just finished her shift at the bookstore. Today was hell, just like yesterday. Her legs were killing her from standing up for hours on end. Her arms and back were sore from carrying box after box of books from the storage to change half the displays on the shelves. Now she was just outside under the canopy, pondering if it was worth it to actually walk home in this rain or if she should go back and wait it out.

  With a glance, she saw the people were still in the store, working the night shift. Knowing her boss, if she stepped back inside, he would tell her to reorganize the shelves since she didn't want to go home. And he wouldn't pay her overtime, of course.

  Hera held an umbrella in one hand while her small bag was in the other, pressed against her chest. Her stomach was rumbling, her body begged for rest, and even her eyes were having trouble focusing. Yet, the cold rain made her desperate for cover. And to do that, she would need to move.

  There was just no winning.

  She was still debating whether to face the rain or not when a man came out of the bookstore. He wore a Bordeaux trench coat, a pair of mirrored glasses, and a pink Mohawk. Even with all that, the most eye-catching thing about him wasn't his looks. It was the fact that as soon as he walked into the rain, the water started to evaporate before touching him in tiny puffs of steam.

  Hera knew what that meant.

  He was an Explorer.

  Her breathing steady but quiet, making as little noise as possible. She had no idea why, but it was only when the man was clearly gone that she grabbed a small card issued to everyone on their 18th birthday from her bag. On that card, she could see her name and, by the side, an indicator.

  'Level 1.'

  This was her ID, or at least one of the options of identification she had. Explorers didn't have to carry something like that around since they had other ways of identifying one another, and most civilians used their driver's licenses instead. Hera was the odd one out, still carrying that card as if it were an ember that still lingered from her old hopes for life.

  She sighed and opened her black umbrella, revealing the stars on the inner part of the cloth. A small gift she gave herself. A promise of starry skies and the freedom she would have one day. With a sigh, Hera started walking towards the train station.

  Five years.

  It had been five years since the System crushed her only dream.

  As soon as she woke up on her 18th birthday, Hera rushed to the Guild alone. She knew her parents would be worried and wouldn't let her become an Explorer, but that didn't matter. Every fiber of her being believed that this was her destiny.

  That being an Explorer was what she was meant to be.

  Only to be told her attributes weren't good enough for that. Meaning that if she wanted to join the Guild, she would have to pay a hefty price. A price that her family couldn't afford, even if they sold everything they had.

  As Hera walked through the street, she could feel the water splashing on her pants and soaking her socks completely. At least the boots were still holding together. She couldn't afford to buy new ones right now, and cheap ones wouldn't last that long. Looking down, Hera waited for traffic to stop while giving her boots a once over. She was happy that, at the very least, something was working in her life. But she was too distracted to notice the car approaching.

  SPLASH!

  The driver moved the car intending to soak the most amount of people he could. It was so obvious that every single person waiting for the light to turn red had more than enough time to walk back and get away from the splash zone.

  Everyone but Hera.

  From head to toe, she was completely drenched. The bag she was carefully holding to avoid the rain had become a soggy mess. Her pants and jacket were now soaking wet. Hera shivered due to the cold water and the thought of what had become of her belongings.

  No one warned her. No one tried to drag her aside. And what hurt the most…

  No one laughed.

  Or even acknowledged that she was there.

  The System had decided that she was nothing, and now the universe seems to follow its lead. The light turned green for the pedestrians, and they started walking.

  Hera was still frozen in shock about the situation when someone bumped into her and kept walking without even apologizing. The sudden collision caused her to drop her umbrella, which was stomped by the crowd.

  That was it.

  That was her limit.

  Everything she endured through the day, her boss yelling at her for a mistake that wasn't even hers. The pain she felt in her feet for staying up for hours on end.

  Nothing was able to break her. Not until the umbrella was destroyed. The one thing that she allowed herself to spend a bit more on. Even if it was silly, even if it was unnecessary. It was supposed to be a reminder that things could improve. That even if she was struggling, she could still reach the stars.

  And now, those stars were in the gutter, covered in dirt, grime, and filth.

  That opened the floodgates. The tears that she had been holding ever since her boss screamed at her again when she was leaving came rolling down her face.

  The rain still poured, and together with the sounds of the cars, it was more than enough to hide her sobbing. Then again, it wasn't as though anyone would even care. After all, she had definitive proof that she was invisible.

  Or at least that's what Hera thought.

  She walked to a place covered by a small canopy to check the damage to her belongings. Still crying with her big brown eyes already swollen, she managed to look and see that her cell phone and wallet were still dry.

  Thankfully, she remembered to put them inside a plastic bag before leaving the store.

  But the bag was gone. The stitching wasn't able to handle the weight of the water, and the umbrella was destroyed. The fabric stained, and the metal bent and broken.

  Maybe she could fix it? Or at least clean the fabric and make something else out of it. She was lost in thought when a voice reached her ear.

  "Excuse me?"

  Hera snapped her head to the side while taking a step back the other way due to the surprise.

  She saw a woman looking back at her. A beautiful woman with dark skin, curly hair, and almond eyes that seem to glow faintly in the light. She was wearing what appeared to be a barmaid outfit, the same kind you would see someone wearing in a tavern in the movies.

  "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

  Hera fidgeted a little, trying to cover her crying face, "It's fine. What can I help you with?" she unconsciously went into her customer-service mode. Even managing to give a soft smile, instantly stopping her sobbing.

  The woman seemed to respond well to that, but her eyes seemed to be full of pain for some reason.

  "No, honey, I'm the one who wants to help you. Please come in. We have showers in the gym, and I can even make you some hot coffee."

  Hera looked at the woman, confused as to where she could work. There were no gyms in the area. Maybe there was something new? She doubted it, after all she knew the neighborhood well enough. Looking back at the place the woman was pointing at, Hera froze.

  Of course, the one person who noticed her worked at the one place she wanted to avoid the most.

  The Explorers Guild.

  "No, thank you. I don't want to give you any trouble," Hera replied. She could only think about getting away from that place. Coming here, to this very branch, caused her life to spiral out of control, she couldn't bear to have that happen again.

  The woman stared at Hera and then grabbed her hand.

  "Nonsense, it would be more trouble if you didn't come. I would be worried sick about you," and with that phrase, started to pull her towards the entrance.

  Hera wanted to run, she wanted to get away from here at all costs. But escaping someone who was trying to help you wasn't something she could do. It would be too mean, and the woman would be upset. Taking a deep breath, Hera allowed herself to be dragged. She could handle staying at the Guild for a few minutes. It wouldn't be the end of the world.

  After all, her world couldn't end a second time.

  ——//——

  "Since the beginning, people have gathered in places of power for the young adults to get their first level up. Then they would start working on growing their levels. The strong and brave ones would go on journeys inside the MAZE. Few ever returned from these explorations."

  The screen showed a picture of an orb and a white doorway in the background. The silhouettes of a few people appeared, moving from the orb to the glow of the door behind them. All of them were black with one exception, who was wearing a green sash. They all walked through the double doors and vanished. Seconds later, only one of them returned, and it wasn't the green one.

  The entire ad was, for the most part, a shadow theater instead of some highly advanced CGI or something that had the presence of actual actors.

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  "To lessen the lethality of those explorations, groups started to form in order to train and grow together."

  The scene changed. Now it showed a few people fighting, some with swords, others spears or axes. There were even a few archers in the back, aiming at targets in the sky.

  "In little time, small organizations were created around the entrances of the MAZE spread around the world, and eventually, they started to interact with each other."

  Another shift, now showing two people clasping hands in an agreement. Behind them, an emblem started to form. But it was just the frame, the middle was still empty.

  "It was decided to create a way for people to specialize themselves. Something that was shared among everyone to allow for even better collaboration. With that, we created the roles. Fighters, the ones who charge at their enemies head on. Mages, the masters of magic. Healers, those who can heal even the most gruesome wounds. Hunters, masters of tracking and capturing creatures. Controllers, those who can wield the battlefield as their weapon. Assassins, shadows that move unseen to get rid of enemies. Crafters, the only ones capable of creating items with the power of the System. Researchers, experts on learning new topics and creating new inventions. And Explorer, those who focus on braving the unknown depths of the MAZE. "

  With the frame still in the background, silhouettes of every one of those roles appeared in an action pose. The warrior brandishing a sword, the assassin jumping from the shadows, the mage casting a spell, and so on. The Explorer, the role that Hera always wished to get, had a large backpack and was climbing a mountain to place a flag on top.

  "Each role represents what their skill and status were able to provide to the Guild. And together we became able to travel deeper into the MAZE. Since ancient times, people have called any adventurer that dared to enter the MAZE an Explorer, and despite our best efforts to change that, due the existence of their own role. The name is now a synonym to those who explore this strange world. All people who travel the MAZE are called Explorers by the public, no matter their role."

  A horde of monstrous shapes appeared in the background. They slowly grew bigger, moving as if marching towards the screen.

  "800 years ago, during the great invasion, the world realized that having many small organizations was far from being the best way to increase our strength."

  A white round table appeared, followed by many hands signing a long scroll. One of those hands was black with a golden line around it. And then, the frame in the background came forward. Now showing a doorway in the middle. In the center of those double doors, a shield and a sword were placed as if they were locking that passage. The symbol of the Guild.

  "And so, the Explorers Guild was created, unifying all the information and strength available under the same place. Of course, that would mean the new organization would be indifferent to political matters, and it has been like that since our foundation."

  There was another change in the image. Now showing five monstrous shapes, more defined than the rest and much bigger. Each filled with sharp spikes, or long claws and teeth.

  "Unfortunately, that was not the last MAZE related problem humanity had to deal with. A little over 200 years ago, the Great Devil Hunt reduced the number of Explorers to a quarter of what it once was. Yet, we endured."

  A single shape appeared in the middle of all those monsters. A woman with a blue ponytail and red clothes. The entire screen glowed in fiery red, orange and yellow before all the silhouettes vanished, leaving behind only the symbol for the Guild.

  "Due to the heavy casualties, the Guild decided to increase the requirements to enter its ranks. It was a decision made with a heavy heart. Even if they desperately needed more Explorers, no one was willing to put the lives of their members at risk. Their lives were not worth the risk. For the dangers present in the MAZE grow with each passing day."

  The symbol changed, showing its evolution across the years. First gaining color, then returning to a more basic interpretation until it was the current version, which had gone for a minimalistic style. The frame was wood brown, the doorway pure white, the shield golden and the sword silver. Simple colors with blocky strokes.

  The three figures that had color in the silhouettes appeared. The man with a green sash, the black knight with a golden aura, and the woman with blue hair and blue clothes right beside him.

  "Thankfully, that dark past is gone! Today, we have more Explorers than at any other moment in history. We are not just a Guild, we are a family. And we wish to make our great heroes proud, Undine the Fire Bringer, Khan the Wall Breaker, and our greatest hero Cyrus the Golden. Today we care to make sure that each member is able to deal with the dangers of the MAZE. Come join our family today!"

  Hera had watched that video more than a thousand times when she was little. But not once since they rejected her.

  "Since the beginning, people have gathered…."

  It was the third time the video looped while she was waiting. The woman had brought her to the gym area to take a shower and dry her clothes. However, since she was not a member, she had to wait in the reception hallway. Thankfully, they had a few tracksuits, so she was at least not naked in the middle of the room. Still, it was very uncomfortable to be without her underwear in a strange place.

  The video kept playing, and Hera was done with it. If she heard another mention of the Guild being a family, she would snap. She wanted to be part of them. That was everything she always dreamed of. Yet, they rejected her.

  She walked along the hall until she noticed an archway. That was new. As much as she hated this place, she still remembered every part of it. But not this one.

  Looking inside, Hera saw the most beautiful stained glass art she had ever seen. It was a simple image of the three heroes. On the left, there was Undine in her blue robes and a tight ponytail, with flames surrounding her in a mix of red, yellow, and orange. On the right, Kahn could be seen as if he were breaking through the glass and walking forward, with his long beard reaching his chest and a bald head, along with a heavy-looking brown and gray winter coat with a green sash around his waist.

  And in the middle, the great hero Cyrus, wearing black armor and holding his white sword with both hands pointed down. Around him, there was this golden aura, and mixed in that aura there were dozens of banners and weapons raised to the sky.

  She could hate the Guild for rejecting her, but the heroes were always with her. She grew up reading about them and never let go of their teachings. Kahn helped her learn never to give up. And if all paths seem to be blocked, she should make her own. Cyrus taught her about the power of union. How many people could move mountains. Something she hoped to take advantage of someday. Since, right now there was no one by her side.

  And then came Undine. Her favorite hero. The woman who sacrificed everything to end the Devil Hunt. Hera always admired how Undine was willing to die to stop monsters from invading the rest of the MAZE. And she never really understood why Cyrus got more praise. Yes, he united the various organizations and made the Guild, but Undine was the one who vanished after killing the Devils. She was the one who fought, on her own, against those creatures for months on end. Leaving behind only a wasteland bathed in fire.

  Remembering what one should do to honor the heroes, Hera started to move.

  She bent down on one knee, placing the right hand on the ground and the left on her chest, making sure never to lower her head. This salute was not one of servitude or obedience. It was one of respect and wonder. She knew that and refused to do it wrong. They fought for people like her. They worked, they struggled, they died, so that the next generation could live. Even if the whole world would ignore her, these three still deserved her utmost respect.

  Staying there for a few seconds, not a single muscle in her body shifted. No itch appeared to bother her senses. Even her breathing became so steady that her chest wasn't moving. Her entire being was resolute on honoring the heroes.

  And after 30 seconds, as the most formal version of this salute was supposed to last, Hera slowly got up. Making the exact same movements only in reverse until she was standing upright again.

  "I don't remember the last time I saw someone doing the Salute so well."

  Hera jumped up, turning around as fast as she could. The woman who brought her there was standing by the archway, with a soft smile on her face. Hera only did that salute because she thought no one was watching. Now that she knew that wasn't true, the only thing she wanted to do was dig a hole and bury herself in it.

  "Sorry, I.. I thought I was alone."

  The woman shook her head and stepped forward. Revealing that she was holding a few folded clothes.

  "There is no need to apologize, dear. I shouldn't have interrupted your moment."

  She walked a bit closer to Hera while looking at the stained glass.

  "That feeling you get when looking at them is not just because they are beautiful. They all have been infused with energy from the heroes."

  Hera looked at the woman in shock, wondering if someone had done something with the corpses of the heroes. Noticing the reaction, the woman chuckled softly.

  "Sorry, I should have explained better. Each of the heroes left an energy crystal. Those crystals are symbols of their power. They are renewable as long as no one empties one out. So we can take a few drops to make stuff like this."

  "Oh," Hera felt stupid for even considering other options. It was one of the few pieces of information that people from Earth knew about the MAZE. If an Explorer got to a high enough level, they could use their own power to create a crystal. There were many reasons for doing so. From making powerful items to creating a safe zone somewhere, whatever that meant.

  The woman smiled and gave Hera her clothes, "You can change in the locker room or the bathroom if you want a bit more privacy, some of our Explorers are using the showers now."

  After thanking the woman, Hera grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom at the end of the hall. The last thing she needed was to deal with other people.

  A few minutes later, she was walking back to the entrance where the woman was. She needed to do something to thank her for all the help. Maybe she could wash the tracksuit or bring a cake later.

  "Thanks for all the help," Hera tried to smile, but even that felt awkward. Even then, she was very grateful. Especially since taking the train with wet clothes would be awful, but at the same time, she didn't want to talk about why she was crying, "Is there anything I can do to repay you? I mean, I don't think there is anything I can do to help an Explorer, but if there is anything, please tell me."

  Hera knew that most people who worked in the guild were also explorers. There was the rare outlier, but that was a safe guess.

  Hearing that question, the woman gave a warm smile.

  "Actually, there is. I lost a bet with the receptionists and have to wear this stupid costume until I can beat the record on the raffle sales for a day. Or until the raffle is over. Could you help me?"

  Hera was caught off guard. A raffle? Her luck was terrible, and the last thing she wanted was to waste money on something like that. Still, it was the least she could do.

  "Sure, and how many do you need? I don't have a lot of money, but if it's not too expensive, I can buy a few."

  The woman grabbed her hand.

  "Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's just five gold each. I need three more in the next ten minutes to beat the record."

  Fifteen gold was not cheap, but it wouldn't be enough to give Hera problems to pay rent, maybe just a couple of days making smaller side dishes.

  "Sure, I'll take three then." Hearing that, the woman gave a big smile and rushed Hera to the counter.

  "Thank you so much. This costume was fun for the first couple of days, but after a week it gets really annoying."

  Hera smiled and remembered the day she had to wear a cat costume for work. It wasn't something she wanted to do again.

  The woman took the money and gave 3 oversized golden coins to Hera. Despite everyone using 'gold' as currency, it wasn't actual gold. Not on Earth at least. It was all bills since gold had more use in other places. Still, it felt strange to see a gold coin like that. Especially since they seemed to be real.

  "Now, all you have to do is put them in the candy machine and see what comes out. I said it was a raffle, but it's actually a gachapon. Our boss went to Japan during his vacation and got a bit obsessed with the culture. There is no candy in the machine, by the way. Sorry for that."

  For the first time in the day, Hera laughed a bit. It was a shame she's not even going to get some candy. She put the coin in the machine and twisted the lever, making the first prize drop, and she did it two more times. Each prize was inside a round black capsule that didn't let anyone see what was inside.

  "Ok, ok, now open. Let's see if it's your lucky day!" The woman seemed excited, but Hera was not. She knew what all of them were.

  Nothing.

  The first capsule was opened, and inside there was a piece of paper that says.

  - No prize, sorry :( -

  The second one had another piece of paper.

  - You can't get lucky every time! -

  'Or any time,' Hera thought.

  The woman seemed to be a bit down and gave a sad smile towards Hera, "Third time is the charm."

  Hera let out a sigh and opened the last one.

  It took a moment for her to realize what she was looking at. It was a coin that looked like some sort of rainbow crystal. On one side was an arrow and on the other the number 1 followed by UP. She was still staring at the coin with a confused expression when the woman opened a big smile and started to jump behind the counter.

  "You won. You won!"

  "I… What?"

  Hera turned to the woman, but instead she only saw a strange darkness moving slowly towards the ground. Suddenly, in front of her, the woman reappeared as if spat out by her shadow. The woman gave Hera a big hug before she could even register what happened.

  "I'm so happy you won! Since I essentially extorted you into buying the raffle, I was worried you wouldn't get a single thing. Boy, was I wrong. You won the jackpot!"

  Hera came out of her stupor and blinked a bit, looking at the rainbow coin in her hand before asking.

  "Ok, but what did I win?" She looked down as soon as she asked. It seemed stupid to have bought the raffle without even knowing what the prize was.

  "So, you were buying it just for me?" the woman gave Hera another big hug that only made her more uncomfortable, "Thank you so much. But you just got a level up, sweetie."

  Hera looked at the woman with wide eyes.

  "I got what?"

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