Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Summoned to a new world

With my arms in front of me to cover my face, I slowly realize that I am not splattered across the front of a truck. Relieved and confused, I slowly lower my arms and look around. Shockingly, I am not on a sidewalk in Japan, I appear to now be in a European style church.

Looking around, I see that I am currently on a slightly raised platform, with steps in front of me. Below my feet, a strange looking glyph composed of circles, triangles, and squares is giving off a gradually fading white glow. Surrounding the platform are men and woman in regal robes and knights in splendid armor. Directly before me, a stunning young woman is kneeling in front of the steps leading up to the platform, her golden hair flowing over her shoulders.

Next to her is a middle-aged man, also kneeling, his shoulder length grey hair neatly combed, and his goatee trimmed. Both are wearing regal old fashioned and expensive looking clothing, and the man has an elegant crown adorning his head.

“Greetings oh great heroes, I am King Elrick Reinhart, ruler of the Virtus Kingdom. The time foretold by the prophecy is approaching. Our world is in great danger from an ancient evil, and we have summoned you to this world like in the legends of old so that you can defeat it.” All of kneeling people, almost fifty in total, suddenly plead “Please save us!” and stand up. Naturally, I am a bit shocked at this sequence of events.

Unfortunately, before I can even ask a question, a screeching voice belonging to a crimson haired demon that has plagued me for weeks now bursts my eardrums with her surprised scream.

“WHAAAAAAAT?”

I feel a cold chill creep up my back, causing my neck hair to stand on end. “No, oh god no, it couldn’t be…” I whisper to myself as I turn around and my face pales. My nightmare has come true; standing before me, in all their disturbing glory, is a pretty boy, his young sister, a red haired howler monkey, and a quiet doll with silver hair.

I have been summoned into another world with Hiro’s harem.

As the King begins to explain the situation, my already furrowed brow wrinkles further and further, and the faces of the four others with me quickly turn from looks of confusion to ecstatic smiles. I’m sure the four of them are happily dreaming about how they will become great heroes, saving a world from evil, and then return home after a grand adventure.

Apparently the prophecy the king mentioned told of the reincarnation of a powerful evil sorcerer, Nazrax, who will plunge the world into another age of war and death. Nazrax was originally defeated by the first four heroes from another world, but they knew he would return someday, and left behind the tales of their journey so that those summoned in the future can use the information to become stronger and defeat the sorcerer Nazrax once again.

“Heroes, we beseech you, please follow in the footsteps of your predecessors and prepare for the second coming of Nazrax, we need you if we are to triumph over his evil once again!”

With that final proclamation, the king seems to have finished his sales pitch. Naturally I have questions, but before I can say my piece, a justice idiot steps in front of me and shouts with resolve, “Do not worry good people of the Virtus Kingdom. I, Hiro Ikehara, will train to become powerful enough to save you from the evil that is to come!” The three girls that form his shadow also step up, and proclaim how they will help Hiro and fight by his side.

I will admit, I am a little shocked that these kids are so willing to train for a life or death final battle against an ancient evil in a world they know nothing about. But they seem happy with the situation, and the king said he needed four heroes, so I don’t really care what they do.

“Excuse me your majesty,” I say with as much eloquence as I can muster, “these teenagers seem to have this covered, could you send me back? My students here are free to have fun and fight in another world, but I just want to go home.”

The king's face seems to pale slightly, ‘oh, I guess they can’t send people back’, is my immediate thought. “I am truly sorry sir, even if we could send you back at this time, we cannot do so. You are the Witness; you must record the journey and victory of the four heroes!” While I did notice his evasion of my question about sending people home, it looks like I have a purpose in this world after all.

Upon seeing my curious look, the king explains: “The witness is the person who wrote the original four heroes tales. He is the reason we have the records from that time, he also played a crucial role in the first battle against Nazgrax. Without a witness, the heroes would of failed in the old legends!”

Well shit, looks like I’m stuck here, guess I’ll have to help save the world after all.

“Your majesty,” Akane interrupts before I can ask my next question, “What powers do we heroes have?” The king grinned as he answered, “Heroes are blessed by the spirits with great power! You all assuredly have an incredibly large amount of mana, and each of you have a unique power!”

The king takes out an ancient looking tome, “This is the record written by the previous witness. If you place your hand upon this book, it will tell us the abilities the spirits have gifted you.”

The king walks up to Akane, and she places her hand upon the book. It begins to glow and the book talks, much to the surprise of the Harem and I.

“THE HERO AKANE FUKUSHIMA, YOU HAVE THE BEEN GIVEN THE GIFT OF FURY, EVIL SHALL COWER BEFORE YOUR RIGHTEOUS ANGER.”

I am now a bit excited; hero’s,villains, magic, gifts from spirits. Even my cynical self can’t help but be excited when I’m told I get to be a mage and throw lightning everywhere. I wonder what abilities I will be granted. The king then approaches Izumi and she places her hand on the book.

“THE HERO IZUMI HIGUCHI, YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GIFT OF FORESIGHT, WITH IT YOU CAN STOP EVIL BEFORE IT OCCURS AND PREDICT A FOE'S MOVEMENTS IN BATTLE.”

Hiro’s sister, Kamiko is approached next; she places her hand on the book after a little coercion from her brother.

“THE HERO KAMIKO IKEHARA, YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GIFT OF CLAIRVOYANCE, YOU CAN FIND EVIL NO MATTER WHERE IT HIDES.”

Up next is the harem lord himself, Hiro. He puts his hand on the tome instantly when it is presented to him.

“THE LEADER OF THE HEROES, HIRO IKEHARA, YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GIFT OF LEADERSHIP, YOUR FRIENDS AND ALLIES WILL NEVER KNOW DESPAIR SO LONG AS YOU ARE STILL FIGHTING.”

The crowd before us begins to cheer after the four heroes abilities are revealed, Hiro’s harem are grinning like idiots, obviously pleased with their current situation. I of course am a bit unsatisfied; it appears that I have been forgotten in all the celebration.

Thankfully a certain pretty boy has also noticed my predicament, and quickly rushes to my aid; I don’t know what I would do without his benevolence. At times like this, I wish my thoughts could have a sarcastic tone and my brain could roll its eyes.

“Your majesty, Sensei hasn’t been told his abilities by the book yet.” The king looks confused for a second, then seems to remember that we have no clue what is going on. “Oh I apologize, Witness, I forgot you do not know the tales. The Witness always has the gift of recollection. The book is unnecessary to determine your ability.”

“I see.” While I am a little disappointed that I don’t get a cool introduction, recollection does sound interesting. Maybe I’ll be some kind of super rainman. Perfect memory would undoubtedly be useful if I am expected to be recording the group’s adventures.

The rest of our day was spent being introduced to a variety of nobles, knights, and court magicians. We also met the queen, the princes and the princesses. The first princess, Alice Reinhart, was the blonde young lady present during the summoning. Apparently she is a gifted magician and assisted in the summoning spell.

After a day of speeches, feasts and greetings, my first day in the new world ends. I retire to my room and sit in quiet contemplation. While I was a little angry that I most likely will not be able to return home, being a powerful hero and having an adventure in new world would most likely be a more interesting life than teaching English to Japanese high school students.

I fall asleep excited about the coming adventure.