"My name is Keiram, and I come from a world other than yours... the world of Eteria."
Gideon's eyes widened as he heard those words. "Another world... Eteria?" he repeated to himself to ensure that what he had just heard was true.
Keiram, who was stumbling around, nodded. "Yes, but for the time being, we are still on the border of both universes... and I am here to bring you to our realm."
Gideon responded immediately by slowly walking back while shaking his head. "I... I can't. My mom and dad... They need me, and I don't think they can afford to lose another son," he whispered softly. "Keiram, right? I'd love to help, and it appears that you really need it, but... I can't leave my family behind, especially now that we haven't fully recovered from the loss of my big brother, and losing me now will be very painful for both of them."
However, the person Gideon was speaking to looked down as he coughed, and the floor beneath him began to become wet from his own blood flowing out of his body. "You have my heartfelt apologies, and it saddens me to hear why you don't want to go, but... I have no other choice. The Serenity Heralds will ruin our world..." The black sword that supported him fell, causing him to crouch on all fours on the floor.
"Keiram, dude, you're bleeding!" Gideon attempted to run and help Keiram, but the moment he took his first step, he was stopped by an invisible entity, preventing him from approaching Keiram. "Is this some kind of barrier? What is this for?" he asked, banging his hands against the invisible wall that was blocking his path.
"To protect you from me... and the ability that is slowly corrupting me, but that barrier will not last long." Keiram raised his face again, his countenance calm despite the predicament. "One of our enemies has been attempting to take over my body; I won't last much longer." He coughed again and smiled at Gideon. "Our squad was no longer able to stop them... We used all of our remaining strength to cast the spell that summoned you as our last resort. Our entire squad was annihilated. The realization that we would not be able to save our world and that Eteria would perish filled us with dread. However, just as we were about to perish, you arrived and gave us hope. You have been chosen by the stone of the otherworldly hero. I implore you... Help our people save the world."
Gideon stopped banging on the barrier and furrowed his brows at Keiram. "Woah, Buddy. Hold your horses... aren't you asking a little too much from an 18-year-old boy? Do your injuries make you dizzy to the point where you can't see properly? Can't you see me? Look at me, what part of me made you think I was the right person to carry out that glorious mission of yours?"
Keiram's eyes brightened as his forced smile softened into a relief smile as he looked at Gideon. "For hundreds of years, everyone thought you were just a myth, that you didn't exist, but here you are, right in front of me... Hero, please tell me your name."
Gideon's pupils constricted. "That's a sudden change of topic, but sure..." He put his hands on his hips and looked Keiram in the eyes. "My name is Gideon Brangwen, and I am from Earth."
"Gideon Brangwen... I see," Keiram nodded slowly. He groaned as he forced himself up with the help of his black sword. He raised his head, a gentle smile on his face. "Don't worry, I'm not going to send you straight there... because even if I tried... To tell you the truth, I don't have the power, and I've never had the ability to do so... Take advantage of the remaining time to strengthen yourself... The battles you are about to face are difficult and dangerous, but I am confident that you will all win."
"Yo, I don't recall agreeing," Gideon objected. "And 'you will all'? Does that mean you summoned others besides me?"
Keiram closed his eyes and gently shook his head. "No," he said, opening his eyes again and looking at Gideon's face with visible conviction. "I know you can hear me well... I rely on each and every one of you."
Gideon looked around, hoping to see someone, but all he saw was himself standing in the middle of nowhere. However, his search for the other people who were with him came to a halt when the dark place he was in began to crack. Purple cracks appeared in the wall, gradually crumbling the entire structure.
"They were able to buy me more than enough time," Keiram explained. "It's time to go, Gideon," he said, his voice weak. "Be strong, make powerful allies, and save the world."
"Fuck!" was the only word Gideon could manage to utter while staring at his body as it slowly vanished into thin air. His widened eyes darted to Keiram, expressing irritation. "Bruh! Sending someone to another world without his permission is a big dick move, you know?" He tried banging his hands on the invisible barrier, but his hands had already faded away. "You! You deserve a beating for this! Remember this, I will find you and beat your ass!" As he exhaled, his face changed from irritated to compassionate. "So, until that time comes... survive... Don't die here." His entire body vanished, indicating that he had been transported to Eteria.
While the entire dark dome collapsed under the weight of the purple fissures consuming it, Keiram, who had been left behind, just gazed at the location where Gideon had stood. His soft smile didn't last long before he started giggling.
He mumbled, "It's all up to you now. Gideon Brangwen... I hope we meet again..." he said before looking down and the entire black dome crumbled at the same time.
After kneeling still for a few seconds. Keiram, who was believed to be close to passing away, got to his feet while still holding his black sword. His body filled with a purple glow that was healing all of his wounds. As the purple light dimmed, Keiram turned around, exposing his fully healed pointed, black horns, their tips pointing behind. He looked about the purple area dome he was in as soon as he opened his eyes.
"The overtaking procedure was successful," Keiram announced, using the same voice and gentle manner but a different tone. He had light purple eyes that were supposed to be dark crimson. "However, I was too late. I managed to summon and send the otherworldly hero, and even I don't know where I sent him. I did it to protect the new hero once I was overtaken," he said softly. "But I vividly recall his... or should I say, their... face?"