At first, Ezera could only see light.
It was a blinding, all encompassing light. He could also not hear a single sound. It was as though there was a noise so intense it covered all others, so intense he could not hear it.
For a while there was nothing.
Then, there was only pain.
It was the pain of the scorching sun, and of sharp ice all at once. Ezera felt like his body was attempting to tear itself apart. It was the bite of a thousand sharpnels of glass diving into every inch of his skin.
It was the pain of 'too much'.
He could not breathe.
Then, everything stopped. Ezera almost fell on his knees.
His ears felt tired, hearing the static in the air, as if left empty from a leaving continuous sound. The light had receded. As had the pain. Now it was just the cold of the air, breezing past him as he could feel it once more. It pulled a shiver out of him.
He might not have fallen on his knees upon the unfamiliar, cold floor, but his students did. The reminder of their presence as soon as he felt the world around him again put Ezera on high alert. By instinct, he sweeped a glance through their environment, noting along the appearance of several dozens people, potential agressors, and their positions.
He could not let them hurt his students!
Ezera was quick to regain his balance, he stood with his feet firmly rooted in the ground, an arm extended in front of his students in a protective manner.
He could feel his students becoming aware, still disoriented behind him. It was Shuna who came to her senses first. Though she was a bit smaller than what her age suggested, she was the most mature girl in his class. She pushed a few chestnut strands of smooth hair out of her sight and took in her surroundings.
"What-"
Her lilac eyes widened as she realized the situation they were in, she quickly cut herself.
All of the strangers in the room were carrying a weapon of some kind.
"What is it?"
"Where are we?"
The others were starting to look around as well. They began to whisper to themselves. At least, until they noticed Ezera protectively in front of them.
The whispers were all shut down anyway when they took further notice of the few particular individuals their teacher was facing.
Ezera had had to make a choice. They were surrounded by what seemed like to be soldiers, and they were all wearing heavy protections. There was no way the lot of them could flee without taking any damage. The double door was guarded. At the other end of the room was a throne. A woman was sitting on it. She was accompanied by a standing young man, looking regal from his clothes to his posture. Next to him was a child, who couldn't be older than twelve years old. This one seemed quite nervous. On the other side of the woman was a figure enshrouded in a grey coat, with an imposing staff in his hands.
By all means, that group of people should have been the weakest, but they weren't. And Ezera had turned toward them, showing clearly his position regarding this situation, because he knew what the heavy crown sitting on top of the woman's head meant.
The room was once again silent.
Only then did the woman stand. She raised her hand, palm turned toward them.
"I mean you no harm."
The guards, until now with weapons at the ready, changed their postures to something more passive. There was no doubt that this woman was their queen, at least. She looked to be a middle-aged lady, with a healthy tone of skin. Although she didn't seem very old, the tired quality of her features, particularily the faint wrinkles under her eyes, betrayed her years. She had long ebony hair cascading down her shoulders, obviously well taken care of, and her dark eyes were so deep one could lose themselves in them. A scar of darkened skin picked through her hair, downing on her left temple. What Ezera could see of her arms showing in the shadows of her sleeves was also damaged.
He voice was smooth, neither meek or deep, as she spoke poisedly.
"My name is Lenacia Camille Luversten, and I am the Queen of the kingdom of Estella. There, by my side, are my sons, Ysmel Ludovic Luversten and Onyx Valentin Luversten. We, as the representatives of Estella and this world, welcome you, inhabitants from another world."
The three of them, as a whole, bowed. So did the figure next to them, as well as the guards. The entire room was bowing to them.
It didn't mean they weren't potentially in danger, but for the sake of diplomacy, Ezera forced himself to visibly untense. This seemingly encouraged the Queen to speak on.
"We apologize for our rude manners. If our predictions are correct, you must all have been students starting a quite ordinary day, and we have drawn you apart from your very world," she said with an apologetic tone before adressing him. "Are you their professor?"
Having been presented with condolences, it would be rude of Ezera not to answer just as politely.
As well as dangerous, seeing the number of trained soldiers in the spacious hall.
"I am. I am the person responsible of these children. My name is Ezera Gemstone. Pleased to meet you," he added with a deadpan tone.
If that didn't suffice, the cold look in his ice blue eyes served to prove he didn't mean the nicety.
She seemed to realize it. Lowering her eyes in regret, she acknowledged it.
"I am aware our welcome is quite lacking, and that we certainly do not inspire trust. Yet there is a reason for which I have brought you here. I must beg your pardon for forcing you through the veil between dimensions, but the matter for which we have summoned you, heroes from another world, is urgent, and concerns the whole of our world."
Heroes?
The whole world?
Ezera didn't like this turn of event.
The Queen, Lenacia, let herself fall on her knees.
"I must also beg you, heroes from another world, to become our champions through the impending apocalypse. Please, save my people."