Prologue

  Shahero was once a world of quiet wonder, a land of hope and endless possibility. Grand cities rose from fertile plains, their towers catching the sun, their streets alive with laughter, trade, and promise. Across the world, beautiful structures stood as symbols of unity and progress, built by hands that believed tomorrow would always be brighter than today.

  That belief ended the day a spaceship tore across the sky. It split the heavens like a wound, blazing through the clouds, and in its wake came devastation. What followed was not a single battle, but a war that spread across Shahero like fire, consuming cities, kingdoms, and lives alike. When the fighting finally ended, the world lay broken, its people enslaved by the Shoven, a towering lizard-humanoid species ruled by the ruthless Emperor Slamm.

  With their dominion lost and their influence shattered, the gods of Shahero abandoned the world. Before they departed, the Shoven struck a final, devastating blow: they destroyed the Grand Tree of Shahero, the sacred source from which the gods had once drawn their power. Its fall marked the true end of the old world.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Yet the gods did not leave without hope.

  In secret, they entrusted six infants to families who had long struggled to bear children. These children were scattered across the world, hidden among ordinary lives. On their eighteenth birthdays, they would learn the truth, that extraordinary abilities slept within them, bound to an ancient prophecy known as The Chosen.

  The prophecy spoke of six saviours. Warriors who would rise to protect those who could not protect themselves. Champions who would challenge the Shoven, confront Emperor Slamm, and bring an end to the enslavement of Shahero.

  But not all believed.

  In a world shaped by fear and survival, many dismissed the prophecy as myth, a comforting lie from a forgotten age. Some humans, desperate to protect themselves and their families, chose another path entirely. They pledged loyalty to the Shoven, believing safety was worth any price, even if it meant standing against their own kind.

  And so Shahero waited, caught between hope and despair, for the day when prophecy would be tested. Six lives, hidden among the many souls of Shahero, carrying the weight of a broken world. Some believed they would rise and save it. Others believed that they would fail. Few considered the truth that history would later reveal, that salvation was never promised without cost, and the the worlds survival might demand more than victory. Whether the prophecy would free Shahero... or simply ask it to ensure another kind of loss, had yet to be seen.

  Thanks for reading!

  Every time someone spends a few minutes in the world of Shahero, it honestly means more than I can properly put into words. Seeing people follow the journey of Tyron, Samantha, Lazarus, Freya, Cid, and Zara makes all the hours of writing worth it.

  If you enjoyed the chapter, feel free to leave a comment or follow the story. I read every comment, and it genuinely helps the story reach more readers here on Royal Road.

  A few people have also asked how they can support the project as I work toward eventually publishing the book. If that’s something you’d like to help with, there’s a support link below that goes toward editing and preparing the story for print.

  No pressure at all though, reading the story is already huge support.

  Question for readers:What moment in this chapter stood out to you the most?

  See you in the next chapter.

  — Matthew Cooke-Sumner