Pits gushed out smoke as the sound of combat increased. The screams of monsters and the roars of dragons filled the air as the dark mountains flanked a crater that was in front of a fortress. In that pit flashes of flames and even more screams erupted from it as a corps wearing armor started to stumble away from the pit and to the fortress.

The corps started to walk closer to the fortress being pushed by its brethren as they too tried to get away from the sound of combat and flashes of fire. The more it stumbled around, the louder the battle becomes. The monsters empty sockets flashed red with hidden hatred before it's head promptly exploded from the force of a flying corps to its skull.

A hammer crushed into the line of zombie-like monsters as a figure rushed forward. His armor was dark gray with maroon. The black blood from the beast covered it and steamed off of it as the hammer flashed red with flames before striking the ground sending a burning wave of fire towards the line of monsters causing some to fly into the air ignited by a flame that would not go out. The obsidian black horns on the helmet of the Warrior gleamed like obsidian as a dark liquid dripped from them. The slits for the eyes had an amber glow coming from it as smoke also poured out. The fur pelt that hung partly down the warriors back was no longer a light gray but was ashen black with flickers of sparks coming off of it. The chest piece made in the image of a wolfs head had scratches upon it and appeared to be snarling.

The figure brought the hammer down onto its back with the spike plunging into the ground before he used it to lunged himself forward like a catapult would launch a bolder bring the hammer around again onto the front of the new line launching up the stairs to the main door of the fortress. The warrior let go of the hammer with one hand open as the wolf head on the gauntlet's front glowed with red and blue eyes flames and lightning launched out engulfing the main door and killing the rest of the monsters.

Lifting the hammer with one hand, the warrior placed it onto his shoulder and walked towards the gate. The fortress looked like an old Japanese castle with its unique kind of roofs and red clay tiles, as well as the cobblestone foundation. The Door had the symbol of a spire sword and bowed behind a shield with a hammer in front of it in the middle where the shield should have had its jewel. The figure opened the door and walked in closing it behind him as he barred it with a piece of iron. In front of him was a wide pathway flanking the right side was pillars and statues of 4 figures each with similar but different armor as well as hammers. The left side had more pillars with four spaces each space had a rock waiting to be inscribed with its image.

The last statue and first on the right was of the figure that was walking down the hall. The figure threw the hammer tossing the 5-foot weapon towards another pillar before it vanished like it never existed. The ashen pelt on the figure's back changed color to that of a white wolf's fur with black markings on it. The character walked down the hall to a pit where the was currently a burning fire. Then Without hesitation stepped into it and the flames wrapped around him cleaning the rest of the armor.

Once that happened, the figure walked out of the fire and started to walk up a flight of stairs to a balcony that leads to another pit, but this one had what could only be described as a portal with a deep red rail around it with golden trim. As the figure walked towards it, Lening onto the railing looking down into the pit seeing from a bird's eye view of one of the four heroes. He had been doing this for some time watching the Hero of the shield and his struggle. Reaching towards his back upon which a leather pouch was, he pulled out a book and a pen and started to write what was happening to the hero.

                                                                                              \[T]/

Sam sighed as he took off his helmet and wrote his next entry into the journal of the Hammer heroes. He had found it along with the temple when he came here after crawling and fighting out of the pit. In the journal was a well-documented entry some in different languages others in English but all seemed similar in the fact that they all concerned two heroes. The shield hero and the Hammer hero. Sam first wanted to see if it could tell him how to get home and from what he read there was no way back. In fact from one of the entries from the most recent wielder of the hammer. He appeared to have hunted down a High ranking demon lord to use the demon's magic to send him back home. In his fight with the lord, he found out that the summing of the heroes requires a sacrifice.

Being drawn from his thoughts by the fact that the hero appeared to have gone to the Red hourglass and the slight commotion Sam looked back at the hero as the other three "heroes confronted him." Sam watched his interactions with the other Sam was quite sad. These people thought that all this place was, was just some game — one where they could go back home without the consequences following them. 

That was not the case. Sam knew he saw the cost of the summoning of the Heros. It sickened him that these people would do this and then ASK FOR THERE HELP! Sam looked down at the group as they argued. He watched as the shield hero grabbed his partner and started to take her away. To say that Sam was not interested in the Demihuman would be an understatement. He was fascinated with her. She was the only thing that kept The Shield hero sane and the only thing that was keeping him going. 

He was even more intrigued by the fact that she also grew incredibly fast. Jolting down some more notes as the heroes left Sam smiled. This would be the time to go down. He would offer up his service to the shield hero under the gues that he was also a falsely accused being after all he was for just being the hammer hero he was considered a demon by the rest of the kingdom and was even more scorned than the other heroes. 

Sam sighed again. He felt like he had been doing that too much lately. Looking down at the portal he saw that the shield hero was staying. Sam lifted his hand over the gateway moving his hand as the portal also changed scenery so that it would be outside of the kingdoms about a few yards from the walls in a nearby forest. Sam smiled as his armor started to change into a leather version with slight metal; he still had the wolf gauntlets, but his main armor was changed to a lighter leather version.

His helmet was changed to a more tribal wolf one. Smiling he placed it onto his head as he walked over to a part of the rail with an opening. Looking down he grew a stern look. Sam would have to be bluntly honest with the shield hero. Other ways he would be unable to become a partner of the hero and get close to him but Sam knew what to say and what to do after all they were from the same world. They should stick together. With that Same fell through the pit into the world that was begging for justices and ripe for the slaughter. As he reached the portal all of his vision went black. 

                                                                                           \[T]/  

Naofumi pulled Raphtalia out of the temple still in a state of anger at the other three heroes. Walking as fast as he could he let go of Raphtalia's arm knowing that she would keep up with him. The whispers of the people as they shunned him and some scorned him caused his anger to increase then it happened

"Sheild Hero!! I wish to speak with you."  a voice shouted in a language that he could understand but with an accent that was from a place he never thought he would hear again. Naofumi world around looking for the individual. There behind him was a man,  No a giant, He had an imposing figure at what Naofumi could only assume to be 183cm. He wore dark leather armor that was tight to his mussels, with pieces of armor cloth over his wast. Two silver gauntlets with a wolf head on the wrist whereupon both arms as well as silver gauntlets for his feet. His dark leather chest piece resembled that of a wolf. But the Face the face was covered in a white mask with black tribal painting making it look like the wolf that was on the chest piece. 

"Well go ahead speak I don't have any patience for anyone today." The man looked at him. Well, at least that was what Naofumi assumed as he couldn't see the mans eyes through the mask. 

"I would wish that we had this discussion in privet and I think you would not want your party member to hear this." The man said again as Naofumi looked at him. The man looked at the people around them as they left with a spirit of fright in their steps. 

 "This has something to do with certain accusations that I wish to unravel." Naofumi looked at the man as he simply stated: "I was falsely accused." With that, the man nodded. Looking at him he stepped forward reaching out a hand. 

"Naofumi to this witness before us I would like to offer you my hand in friendship and as a party member." Raphtalia looked at the man before her master with a look of concentration. 

 "How do I know that I can trust you?" Naofumi asked. The man looked at Naofumi before letting out a sigh.

"Sir Shield Hero. Do you know why my appearance is that of a wolf?" The man asked as he looked down at him. "The Wolf is a symbol to my people of loyalty, guardianship, ritual, and the Spirit wolf which tells me to follow my gut." With that, the man lends in. "And my gut tells me that out of the other heroes your the only one that gives a damn about this place." Naofumi bit down in anger.

"JUST ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!?" Naofumi shouted as he looked at the person before him. The man backed up.

"Honestly you don't know but how about this. What about a pack. If I betray you in a way that would harm you, then you will have me as a slave Unless it goes against the Code these Three rules. 1 You tell me to kill an innocent, 2 you indanger or try to kill innocent not counting the waves, and three you order me to do something that is against my religion and trust me it is not the Church of the Three heroes. Also If you ask a question I will answer it without hesitation this will last until the end of the next wave." Naofumi looked at the man before him with a frown. 

"Where can we get this pack?" Naofumi asked. He could hear a slight chuckle from under the mask. 

"Why from a Simple handshake with the mark of the wolf." The man said, taking off his right gauntlet revealing a pale hand with a glowing wolf semble cut into the flesh. Bring his hand out for Naofumi to shake. Naofumi reached out and took it as he also felt a slight burning sensation as a wolf head also appeared on his hand. With a smile, Naofumi asked a simple question to the man.

"What is your intent with me." The man's mask looked down to him. There was a slight grunt as the man spoke.

"To help create and protect you as the only person worthy of being called a hero." With that, Naofumi nodded. 

"Then I order this deal to be disbanded." The man took a step back with a look. As the image of the wolf was gone from Naofumi's hand. 

"congrats you are now apart of the most hated heroes party imaginable," Naofumi said as he made the man a part of his party. The man nodded his head before reaching out his hand. 

"You can call me Sam. I really should have said that in the first place." The man said as he put the gauntlet back on before reaching out his left hand for a shake. With that Naofumi took it. A hint of a smile on his face. 

(Welp that took some time but here we go to chapter two. And at 2,096 words wow. Not my most significant chapter amount but the most fun. Know thanks to those people who read my story and as of music for the end well here you go.)