The wind was blowing through the forest.
It was a clear day, a truly wonderful day for a holiday.
In the Amazzon Forest, the oak trees rose unnaturally tall, giving the place a unique appearance, as if it were a natural cage.
Above one of those trees was a figure: a boy. He looked like a curious young man, with blond hair, red eyes, and elongated, pointed ears. He was, in fact, half-elf.
Kon leaped from tree to tree with incredible agility; he moved quickly, as if he were being chased.
He was indeed in a hurry. That day, in the capital of the Itama Kingdom, Rokka, the selection to become an adventurer would take place.
Adventurers were the most loved and most hated men in the kingdom. Becoming one meant losing one's freedom in exchange for a privileged life. Kon sought that pact with the devil.
He was in a hurry for two reasons: first, the selection would begin at three o'clock on the 3,045th day of the royal calendar; second, he wanted to avoid having the orphanage follow him.
Come to think of it, they probably would have breathed a sigh of relief knowing that that scoundrel Kon was gone.
Kon grew up in the Holy Queen Gazelle orphanage, a woman beloved even by the Goddess. According to legend, during the Great War that took place during the previous royal dynasty, the queen protected and guided all the faithful.
Kon had a difficult relationship with the nuns, both because of his non-belief and his personality. He was curious, but incapable of sitting still; not a single person, among the nuns and the children, loved him. And Kon knew it wasn't just his attitude.
He was half-elf. His mother was a prisoner of war bought by his father, who had fallen in love with her. Elves were considered demonic: during the time of the Arokan Empire, the Eternal Empire, fallen 112 years earlier, they supposedly made a pact with the devil, obtaining a cursed relic that would make them masters of the world economy.
It's unclear how true this story is, but it's certain that humans always have to find an excuse for their failures. Some believe that it was the elves themselves who caused the Empire's downfall, despite its tolerance for them.
It was the Kingdom of Gamerik that pointed the finger at them and started a war. All the kingdoms joined forces, using the elves as a symbol of evil to unite the people against a common enemy.
Despite everything, Kon was alive. This was because his father was the legendary adventurer Jamal, who disappeared when he was still young.
His father was a real big shot, so powerful that he became difficult to manage: he enjoyed great authority.
Thanks to it, she hid her son and fought for reform, so that elves would have the same rights as humans. She only succeeded in granting rights to the half-humans of a human father.
His mother died shortly after Jamal disappeared and Kon ended up in an orphanage.
Kon was approaching the citadel of Lucera, a small hilltop town with just over 5,000 inhabitants. He intended to stop there for the night. He had some money stolen from the orphanage's safe: eight silver coins.
On the continent of Eukorium, the monetary system was simple. The lowest-value coin was bronze. One hundred bronze coins were equivalent to one silver coin, and one hundred silver coins to one gold coin. For international trade, Golden Stars were used, which were equivalent to one thousand gold coins.
She walked through the streets of the city; despite her small size, she seemed alive and vibrant.
Children were running around having fun, old ladies were walking and chatting, a man was bargaining with a greengrocer.
There were also less pleasant aspects: a homeless man sitting on the ground was being teased by boys Kon's age, while some men passed by without saying anything. Kon was no better than them.
He turned right and noticed some police officers on a morning patrol. They were displaying a wanted man's picture from door to door and offering a reward of four gold coins.
It must be pretty dangerous, thought Kon.I might try to catch him when I become a famous adventurer.
He stopped in front of a building with the sign: "Thought Shack."
Enter and stay for 60 bronze coins: one night with dinner and breakfast included.
He spent the time walking and, at sunset, returned for dinner. He needed to be strong for the next day's journey.
He entered the inn and saw that, besides himself, there were four other people waiting for dinner. He sat down at a table.
As he waited, he observed the other guests. One boy in particular caught his eye: silver hair, blue eyes, perfect features, and such a self-confidence that, if he hadn't been staying in a cheap inn in a remote village, he would have thought him a nobleman.
Observing him secretly, he noticed that he wore a necklace with a ruby around his neck that, in the candlelight, seemed to pulsate.
Is he really a nobleman? In fact, such a jewel would cost at least ten gold coins.
…
It was late at night. Everyone was asleep.
Outside, all that could be heard were a few drunkards returning home and the sound of horses' hooves on the road.
Kon's room was simple and bare: a bed and a wardrobe. Not surprising, after all, it was an inn in a remote village.
Kon couldn't sleep. He wasn't sure if he was feeling anxiety or excitement. Finally, he could prove his worth, prove that he was much more than just a half-elf.
The moon shone through the window, illuminating the silent village.
An almost eerie silence.
Which didn't last long.
Kon was finally falling asleep when he began to hear terrified screams. He jumped up and, as soon as he stood, felt the ground shake like an earthquake. He left the room and found himself faced with chaos.
Crumbling wood, breaking tables, and a strange smell reminiscent of vomit.
The inn was collapsing. At the center of it all, a huge blue sphere of energy.
Kon knew what was happening: he had read about it in an adventure book.
It was time to make his entrance and save everyone. He had been preparing all this time; even without a relic, he had always been physically gifted. Yet fear gripped him completely.
He didn't have time to escape. He slipped on a curtain, rolled down the stairs, and was sucked in.
A Dungeon was being born