The answer is option C (heroic characters).
Step-by-step explanation:
In literature, an epic is a long poem in which characters have heroic qualities. The epics narrate oral tradition adventures. 
For example, Beowulf is a British national epic written in old English. Its protagonist is a hero of the Geats. 
Another famous epic is The Divine Comedy by Dante, in which the main character has the ability to visit souls in hell, purgatory, and paradise.