What does it mean to be a hero?
A child once wondered. At the age when the children followed their peers on the streets while playing, his mind was filled with such questions.
Why? One would ask. After all, even if the child wanted to be a hero, for what reason those thoughts were implemented into his head?
Was it natural? Was it his innate desire or his very being that was selfless?
The answer would certainly vary from person to person and maybe even evolve with the exploration of the science.
But for the boy, his desire came from his dreams.
Standing in the middle of the battlefield…Against countless different beings that he deemed as his enemies….
Behind him, his comrades, standing proud of their choices…..
It was the scene he continuously saw in his dreams….
But what were those dreams about? Was the person standing in front of everyone with a spear himself?
That would be cool.
That was certainly true. In the eyes of that young kid, the man who swept through enemies looked incredibly cool.
Cooler than anything else in this world.
However, the reason why the man looked cool in the eyes of the boy wasn’t because he was flashy and destroyed his enemies efficiently.
After all, not all the time, that man faced the enemies.
The reason was the fact that the man always pushed himself to the limits, so much so that the people standing behind him would never suffer.
Maybe he himself had suffered, or maybe not.
He knew what it meant to suffer. He was gentle yet firm. Whenever he was in front of the enemy, he didn’t hesitate, but he never lost his gentleness.
Even faced with betrayals or harsh words, the man never stopped.
He was injured, and his body was tattered. Yet he still kept moving forward.
But at the end of the day, the boy knew one thing. The fact that that person he saw in his dreams was the hero.
The boy admired the hero in his dreams for his selflessness and commitment to protect others.
Amidst the echoes of clashing swords, he found the embodiment of his aspirations and a symbol of strength in character and determination.
And what was this boy’s name?
“Ethan.” The voice called out, pulling the young child with wavy blue hair and shining eyes from his thoughts. He turned to find his older brother, a mirror image with the same captivating eyes and similar features.
“Ah, brother.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I was just thinking about heroes.”
His brother chuckled, ruffling Ethan’s hair affectionately. “Heroes, huh? What brought that up?”
Ethan’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he recounted his dreams and the heroic figure that dominated them. “I dream about this amazing hero, you know? He stands in the middle of battles, protecting everyone behind him.”
Hearing this, his brother couldn’t help but smile a little, as if reminiscing about his childhood.
“No matter how beaten up he gets, he never gives up. He’s strong, kind, and determined.”
However, as Ethan’s enthusiastic words echoed, a subtle change swept over his brother’s face. The playful glint in his eyes vanished, replaced by a more serious and contemplative expression. His features, once softened by affection, became stern and guarded.
“Ethan,” his brother began, his tone more measured, “heroes are admirable, but the world out there isn’t as pure as the dreams in your head.”
Ethan looked up at his brother, confusion flickering in his eyes. “What do you mean, brother?”
Ethan’s excitement began to wane, replaced by a somber realization. “But, I want to be like the hero in my dreams. The one who never gives up.”
His brother placed a hand on Ethan’s shoulder, his grip firm and reassuring. “And you can, Ethan. But being a hero means facing the harsh realities of the world. It means understanding that sometimes, protecting others comes with a price. You have to be strong, not just physically but mentally and emotionally. It’s a heavy burden to carry.”
Ethan absorbed his brother’s words, the echoes of clashing swords in his dreams now carrying a weight he hadn’t considered before.
The world his brother spoke of seemed more complex, less black and white than the heroic tales he envisioned.
“Remember, Ethan,” his brother continued, “true strength lies in wisdom, in making choices that are for the greater good, even if they are difficult. It’s not always about standing in the middle of a battlefield; it’s about knowing when to fight and when to find other ways to protect.”
However, no matter who said those words, how could a child who had yet to experience the world himself understand all those things just from a bunch of words?
Even if he had absorbed some of them in his end, at the end of the day, he continued to see that dream again and again…..
*******
But then again, does the world operate in the way people wish?
Sometimes it does, but sometimes it doesn’t.
That is the harsh reality. ʀᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛʀs ᴀᴛ ovl(ꜰ)ir(e).nt
“Ethan Hartley. Awakening test results. Negative.”
Standing in front of the person with a white robe and glasses, the same young boy with wavy hair looked down.
“Ah….” A small exasperated sigh left Ethan’s lips as he stood before the person in the white robe with glasses. The words, ‘Awakening test results. Negative,’ echoed in his mind, and for a moment, it felt like his dreams were being crushed.
The person in the white robe looked at Ethan with a soft smile, “Ethan Hartley, don’t be disheartened just yet. Awakening is a process, and sometimes it takes time.”
Ethan glanced up, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes. “But… it says negative.”
The person in the white robe nodded, acknowledging the disappointment on Ethan’s face. “True, the initial test results may be negative, but that doesn’t mean you won’t awaken in the future. Keep in mind that everyone’s journey is different.”
Ethan’s shoulders slumped, but he nodded in understanding. “I guess… I just thought I could be like the hero in my dreams.”
The person in the white robe placed a reassuring hand on Ethan’s shoulder. “Ethan, awakening doesn’t happen for everyone at the same time. Some people awaken later than others, and that doesn’t diminish their potential.”
Ethan appreciated the attempt at reassurance, but deep down, he knew it was a consideration. Late awakenings were rare, and the odds were comparable to winning a lottery.
He knew this thing for a fact since he himself came from a renowned Hunter Family. From a young age, he had been training so that he could start in a better position once he had awakened.
But that was no longer the case.
‘What do I do now?’
FUSH!
As he got out of the awakening test room, reality weighed heavily on him.
The dreams of becoming a powerful figure like the hero in his dreams seemed more distant than ever. The disappointment lingered, creating a cloud over his thoughts.
As he walked through the corridor, lost in his thoughts, he suddenly saw his older brother standing in front of him. The times seemed to do wonders for his brother, as now he had an incredibly more handsome face.
“Ethan,” his brother greeted with a warm smile, but as he noticed the downcast expression on Ethan’s face, concern replaced the smile. “Hey, is everything okay?”
Ethan clumped his shoulders, taking a deep breath before responding, “I wasn’t awakened.”
His brother stopped for a moment, surprise flickering in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. With a comforting smile, he placed a hand on Ethan’s shoulder.
After all, if he were to abandon his brother just because he wasn’t awakened, how could he call himself a brother or a family member?
“Awakening tests can be unpredictable, Ethan. It doesn’t define your worth or potential. Late awakenings are not unheard of,” his brother reassured him.
Ethan appreciated the support but couldn’t shake off the weight of his own expectations. “I trained so hard, thinking I would awaken early. I wanted to be like you, to make our family proud.”
His brother’s gaze softened, understanding the weight of Ethan’s words. “Ethan, being awakened doesn’t make someone great. It’s the choices we make and the actions we take. Even without supernatural abilities, you have your own strengths and potential.”
Ethan nodded, appreciating the wisdom in his brother’s words. “I know, but it’s just… hard to accept right now.”
This was one of the days Ethan was the most disappointed in himself.
********
Sitting on his bed, Ethan looked at the small panel that had appeared randomly out of thin air. The characters and symbols on the panel indicated that he had finally awakened, a moment he had been yearning for with every training session.
“I did it… I really did…” Ethan whispered to himself, a mixture of disbelief and joy welling up within him. A small tear fell to his bed, a testament to the emotions he couldn’t contain.
PAT!
Wiping away the tear, Ethan took a deep breath, his heart still racing with the realization that he had achieved something he had hoped for so long. The panel congratulated him on his awakening, making it all the more surreal.
“Congratulations on your awakening.”
Following that, he wanted to take the test so that he could perfectly make sure that he wasn’t going insane and being schizophrenic.
Overwhelmed with a mix of emotions, he left the testing area, contemplating the newfound reality that awaited him. As he walked through the hallways, he encountered his father, a stern man with an undeniable presence and authority.
“Ethan,” his father’s deep voice resonated, and for the first time, Ethan noticed the subtle aura surrounding his father, a mark of his own awakening.
“Dad, I… I awakened,” Ethan stammered, still processing the magnitude of the moment.
His father’s stern expression softened, and a rare smile appeared on his face. “Congratulations, Ethan.” He extended his hand, grabbing Ethan from his shoulder. “You’ve suffered enough.”
His father also knew what Ethan went through. No matter how many times he was told to give up, Ethan never did, and that was something he had always respected.
Ethan felt a weight lift off his shoulders at his father’s words. The acknowledgment meant more than he could express.
As he made his way home, his mother noticed the change in Ethan’s demeanor. With a beaming smile, she rushed towards him, enveloping him in a warm hug.
“I heard the news, Ethan!” she exclaimed, her eyes shining with happiness as if she knew everything about his son’s suffering.
And she most likely did. After all, she was the first one to seek help from many known psychologists in the entire Hunter industry so that his son wouldn’t suffer from inferiority.
She lectured his other sons and daughters so that they would never make Ethan uncomfortable with his position.
Even if he stayed as a non-awakened, she was ready to accept him as himself no matter what, but she was now genuinely happy that his son finally got the opportunity he desperately wished for.
Ethan hugged his mother back, realizing that his awakening not only brought joy to himself but also to his family. The pressure and expectations that once felt suffocating had transformed into a sense of accomplishment and acceptance.