Logan did not know if he was blinded by the light or left in darkness.
He could not find his sense of direction; there was no up or down, and there was no sign of ground beneath his feet. He did not even know if he was alive, dreaming, or simply falling into an endless pit.
He tried to move, and yet his body refused.
It wasn't pain that stopped him, nor ropes or chains. It felt as though the world itself had decided he would remain exactly where he was, gravity doing its best to pin him in place.
Then something opened its eyes; two violet lights ignited in the darkness.
At first, they were impossibly large, wide enough to eclipse his vision entirely, like the gaze of a colossal being peering down at something insignificant. Logan's stopped breathing as they adjusted, shrinking and focusing until they hovered before him at a distance that seemed just close enough to have a talk.
As soon as this happened, a purple flame began to roar to life, showing a strange but beautiful feminine figure before him. Her body was as if it were somehow a shadow but in the form of a human, as in her shape did not possess skin; it was shadow itself.
It seemed as if only her eyes were real, that and a mouth that smiled as he was making out her face.
It was somehow mesmerizing.
"Greetings… human of another world, I am Velmora," she said.
Her voice was calm, smooth, and filled with regret, perhaps, or amusement or weariness. Logan somehow felt the emotion physically, like the warmth of a fire.
"So young," she continued softly. "Oh… Elios. How weak you've become to summon kids as heroes..."
As Logan tried to speak, his throat tightened.
"Where—"
"There is no time for that child," she interrupted, her tone unchanged. "I am holding time back just enough to inform you what is happening and about our deal."
As if to show the urgency of the situation, the flames that wrapped around her like a scarf began to lightly dim.
"You and your classmates were brought here by the other Great Spirits to ensure humanity remains dominant, to eradicate the demons and all those who stand in the way of humans. There was supposed to be only one of you: the Champion. But I interfered. I widened the gate to envelop your whole class."
A smile formed on her shadowy lips, as if she was proud that her interference had worked.
"I needed someone compatible with my power. Someone other than... that child, who harbors such disturbing tendencies. But alas, our time is short."
Logan was about to ask his earlier question again, but a cold finger made of darkness was placed on his lips to silence him.
"And so, you have all been brought. I can see your desires, your beliefs, and your true nature. And you... you are the perfect one. How about it? I will give you what you need, and in turn, you help me."
Logan squinted slightly. He knew he wasn't going to get answers to his original questions. He contemplated what he truly wanted, or, as she had stated, what he needed.
A quick answer didn't come to him, though.
He was completely fine for now. Sure, he could probably use money, maybe a new phone, or perhaps a functional family, but he didn't care much for any of that.
He felt empty.
"What do I need?" Logan finally asked.
"You will first need to understand what that is, but for that, will you do my task?"
Logan turned to his sides. He was in a strange void, with no one around. The light from the purple flames didn't reach far enough to show anything else. He was trapped who-knows-where by this strange figure. It was possibly just a dream. With that in mind, he shrugged and decided to go along with it.
"Alright, sure. What do you want me to do?"
"That is nice. To choose without desire… that is why you are the one," she said, her voice echoing. "You see, we the great spirits are the ones that helped shape this world. A world different than yours, where mana exists, where power is constantly shifting, and where what I created is being destroyed, so we will give you power. The other Great Spirits... they want you to kill off my creations and those I brought to originally help them, the demons. To make things simple, the task I will give you is to change humanity."
She paused, the flames flickering violently. "For this though, you will find what you thought you wanted; you will be loved, and you will love this. But that is when you will need to give it up to get what you need…"
Logan was stumped. Isn't that what I have gone through in life already? He was tired of the circles she was talking in.
"So, I will like this new world, and then there will be a part where I have to suffer to get what I need… nothing new, huh?"
He was confused, but he didn't care enough to dig deeper. His head throbbed, so he just nodded along.
"Perfect. Just what I foresaw. It was worth the wait," she said. "Now then, kid, you will get your power from Elios; after this you will wait for the banquet where I will bestow you with my power so the others won't know. You will keep this a secret until you find what you need; it will be then that you will know what you must do."
"Now then, you must go; my influence is weakening, so we won't talk much, but if you help me, I will give you what was promised. Goodbye, hero of taming…"
As soon as she said this, his body felt like it was now really falling.
He and everyone's bodies hit the ground with a loud thud, while the desks, chairs, and everything else the students had around them vanished without a trace.
Logan, using the last of his strength, managed to lift his head and take in his new surroundings, and what he saw wasn't to his liking.
Unlike the dreamlike area he was just in, he now felt they were back to reality, in a pitch-dark room with no natural light.
Only two faint orbs hovered in the air, casting a dim, eerie glow over the space. The entire class now stood inside what looked like a dungeon.
It was cold and damp. The glowing blue magic array that had brought them here had already faded, leaving Logan with a sinking feeling that there was no way back.
Worst of all, around the edges of where the array had once been, over a dozen bodies lay motionless, people who might already be dead.
Some students were too sick to even lift themselves off the ground. Others, slowly recovering, began to focus on what Logan was seeing. Two of them stumbled away, unable to hold back their nausea. One even tripped over a nearby body, making for a very nasty scene.
Logan wasn't doing much better himself.
A wave of nausea twisted his stomach, and he clutched it tightly as the room erupted into panic. Cries, screams, and confused shouts echoed off the dungeon walls. His breathing grew erratic, but he forced himself to inhale slowly, calming his nerves just enough to think clearly.
He ran toward the nearest body. It was a young woman, possibly in her early twenties, her black cloak soaked with sweat. As he crouched beside her, he saw her chest rise and fall faintly.
She was still breathing, even if it was labored.
Logan exhaled in relief. At least it wasn't a murder scene.
But that brief moment of comfort was shattered by a sudden bang behind him.
A door materialized on one of the walls. A chill ran down the students' spines as four towering figures stepped through, each clad in heavy armor, the thud of their boots echoing across the stone floor.
The class huddled together, terrified. There was nowhere to run.
Even more figures entered behind them. Around ten robed individuals rushed in, chanting incantations in an unfamiliar language. As they did, glowing orbs of light formed around the room, fully illuminating the dark chamber.
With the new light, the class could finally see clearly, but the clarity only made things worse. A group of knights stepped into view, clad in shining armor and equipped with swords, spears, and shields. Every piece of metal appeared expertly crafted. The sight shattered any lingering hope that this was an elaborate prank.
None of the armored figures made a sound. In perfect unison, they took their positions and raised one arm to their chests in a rehearsed salute.
As the knights settled, three girls entered the room, accompanied by a retinue of maids. Logan frowned, confused by the sight despite Velmora's earlier explanation.
The three girls stood out starkly against the soldiers.
"Sister, look! There are so many... at least twenty heroes, not just one!" the youngest exclaimed, her soft voice ringing with excitement. She appeared no older than thirteen. She spoke a foreign language, yet somehow, the entire class understood her perfectly.
"Yes, I can see that," replied the second girl, gently raising a hand to silence her sibling. She looked to be about the same age as the students. She carried herself with calm poise, directing a thoughtful look toward one of the knights.
Both girls wore elaborate, floor-length dresses fit for a royal gathering, along with finely crafted tiaras. The younger of the two wore a delicate silver tiara studded with emerald-like jewels that matched her platinum blonde hair and strikingly European features.
As for the older sister, she wore a gold tiara that sparkled with multiple jade-colored gems.
Anyone who saw them would likely share the same thought: these girls looked exactly like princesses from some medieval fairy tale.
A taller woman stood behind the two girls, clad in light silver armor. Her vibrant blue hair stood out prominently, making it clear it wasn't just dyed. She emitted a faint blue aura that gave her pale skin a bluish hue. Even her sapphire-colored eyes and matching eyebrows added to her otherworldly but very attractive appearance.
The younger girl was likely the first to notice the mood of the class. She glanced between the group of students and the nearest knight, her expression growing more thoughtful.
Everyone, including Logan, watched silently, uncertain of what she would do next.
After a moment of hesitation, she stepped forward and gave what appeared to be an attempt at a polite bow, but her movements were awkward and hurried.
Her golden-platinum hair slipped forward, obscuring her face as she leaned down.
Despite being older, the girl she called her sister also panicked and quickly lowered herself into a less pronounced bow. It wasn't until the faint sound of something metallic clinking on the floor echoed through the room that the younger sister realized her mistake.
Her silver tiara had slipped off, bouncing twice before rolling to a stop near Logan's knee.
Still crouched beside the cloaked figure, Logan looked down at the tiny crown and picked it up.
"Ah! I'm sorry about that!" the girl cried, hurrying over to retrieve it.
Logan handed the tiara back, surprised by how light it was. He felt a strange power radiating from the metal.
"Umm, it's fine… here," he mumbled.
The young girl stared at him for several seconds, tilting her head as if puzzled. Logan, uncomfortable under her gaze, gave an exaggerated cough and looked away.
"Myrea! The heroes must be brought into the reception area. But before that, we should begin distributing the potions," the older sister said, gently pulling the younger girl back and clearing her throat to regain composure.
She turned to the class and offered a respectful curtsy, matched by her sister.
"I sincerely apologize for this chaotic introduction. Heroes, please accept our welcome and forgive our clumsiness. This is a rare and unusual event, even for us," she said with poise. "We had prepared to summon a single hero… so please understand our surprise. We ask for your patience while we make final preparations. For now, we will distribute these potions. They were crafted for the mages who performed the summoning, but they should help ease the side effects of your arrival."
As they spoke, the girls finally took in the full sight of the heroes. Their expressions shifted to a mix of admiration and dismay as they noticed the students' disheveled state, torn clothing, dizziness, and a few who had clearly lost control of their bladders.
There was nothing graceful about the summoning.
Thank the spirits they were called upon while dressed… Vianell thought dryly.
"Now then," Vianell continued, "introductions are in order. My younger sister, Myrea, is the second princess of the Kingdom of Elris. I am Vianell, the first princess. As I mentioned, we will distribute potions, and if it's not too intrusive, we'd like to check everyone's condition."
Maids stepped forward with trays. Each carried towels and small glass vials filled with a faintly glowing pink liquid. The students reached for the towels but hesitated at the strange potion.
Logan was the first to be offered one. He eyed the pink fluid with suspicion.
"Uhm!" Myrea cried out, recognizing the problem. She rushed to a maid and snatched a vial. "Let me help! See? It's not poison. I'll show you!"
Without hesitation, the young princess took a sip, then closed her eyes and swallowed a large gulp. She coughed lightly but quickly smiled.
"You see? It's not that bad. A little spicy at first, but you get used to it," she said sweetly, holding the half-empty vial out to Logan.
"But you just… drank from it…" Logan stammered.
The girl continued to nudge the vial toward him, her innocent expression paired with a stubborn determination that made it impossible to refuse. Logan could feel the weight of everyone's expectations, especially the other students who looked at the vial as if it were a lifeline. He glanced at Lisa. She quickly turned away, but not before he noticed the same hopeful look in her eyes.
"Fine, I'll give it a shot."
He grabbed the bottle and took a deep gulp.
A wave of sweetness and heat burst across his tongue, like honeyed cinnamon. But the sensation didn't end there; the liquid seemed to turn into vapor mid-swallow, rushing into his lungs before it could reach his stomach. Panic flickered in his chest, but relief swept over him just as quickly. His limbs lightened, his aches vanished, and every lingering trace of pain melted away.
The rest of the class surged forward, grabbing their own vials. In the chaos, Logan slipped away from Myrea's curious stare and found a place to sit, wiping himself down with a towel.
It felt as though the damage from the summoning had been completely healed.
"Guards, rush the magicians to the infirmary!" Princess Vianell commanded.
The class stirred again as more soldiers entered. They moved to the fallen, robed figures, casting a spell that made the bodies hover onto glowing disks, carrying them off with practiced ease.
Afterward, the older princess informed the class that a brief health inspection was required. She held up a glowing object she referred to as a medical sigil.
Logan was the last to be checked. All he had to do was extend his palm.
Princess Vianell conducted the inspection herself, shadowed by her blue-haired bodyguard. Meanwhile, Myrea chatted amiably with a few of the girls nearby.
After a short scan of his hand, the princess gave an approving nod. She tilted the glass panel toward his face and offered a gentle smile.
"Thank you for cooperating, and please accept our sincere apologies for the delay."
Vianell gave a slight bow before rising. She clapped her hands lightly to draw attention.
"Now then, I'm sure many of you are eager to change into clean clothes. We've prepared bathrooms and changing areas nearby. Any questions you have will be addressed afterward. Please, follow me."
She rejoined her sister, and together they walked toward the only visible door, motioning for the class to follow. Ms. Claire attempted to restore order, urging the students into a line despite looking unsteady herself. Seeing this, Logan silently placed himself at the very end of the line.
He let out a long sigh, one of many since the chaos began.
He was slowly piecing together what Velmora had told him, even if he had to pinch himself to prove he wasn't dreaming.
As he followed the others out, all he felt was the sharp sting on his arm, his thoughts consumed by the task he had been given: finding what he truly needed.