The rain poured relentlessly on the windshield of the car as Chris and I drove in silence.
2 months after our mother's death we were still not able to recover from the loss, and then we decided to take a break from everything. It was Chris's idea and he insisted that we needed time to clear our heads, and a road trip seemed like the perfect escape.
Chris was a medical student while I worked in the police force, used to dealing with life and death on the streets. But this… this was different… The loss felt like a bridge that I couldn't pass. So, we packed our bags, got into the car, and left the city behind.
The landscape was blurred by, a mix of rain-soaked forests and empty highways. Chris tried to make small talk, discussing his studies, and his plans for the future, but my mind kept drifting back to mom.
"Hey, you okay?" Chris asked, glancing at me.
"Yeah," I replied, forcing a smile. "Just thinking."
"We'll get through this," he said, his voice filled with optimism I could never muster.
I nodded, but before I could respond, a blinding light enveloped the car. I slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. The light grew brighter and brighter until it consumed everything.
What I saw and felt next is very hard to explain.
It felt like the gravity around me increased.
My body felt squeezed. It was like I was feeling claustrophobic in my own body.
My mouth was shut tight, I wanted to scream but I couldn't open my mouth.
All I could see were multi-color lights traveling very fast.
Really what the hell is going on I was in my car and with my brother…
Right, Chris,
WHERE IS HE!?
Then,
My conscience stopped.
Then….
Then I opened my eyes…
When I opened my eyes, a splitting headache greeted me. "Damn, it feels like this headache will split my head," I muttered.
I looked around, confused. "But where am I?"
Chris lay beside me, unconscious.
I slowly shook him awake. His eyes fluttered open, reflecting the same confusion I felt.
"Where are we?" he muttered.
"I don't know," I replied, my voice barely audible because of my parched throat. "Are you okay?" I asked in the same tone.
"Yeah, I think so," he said, sitting up and rubbing his head. "But what happened? The car? The light?"
I shook my head, trying to make sense of what happened. "I don't know. One moment we were driving, and then… this."
We looked around and saw a grand hall painted in white and gold.
It resembled a French palace, like the ones we had seen in books and travel photos but never visited.
We were exactly at the center of the hall, where a large circle with weird symbols was drawn. A big gate stood behind us, with pillars, paintings, and statues lining the left and right walls. In front of us, a series of stairs led to a throne-like structure, a combination of a seat and a bed.
As Chris looked around, I noticed a woman. She was lying on a throne-like structure with her back facing us.
She wore a white dress and had golden braided hair adorned with clips and jewels. Her arms were covered in jewelry, and her dress shimmered with jewels as well.
I tapped Chris on the shoulder and signaled to him that someone was there.
I signed to Chris, explaining that my throat was parched and I was having difficulty speaking, so we needed to communicate using sign language. He nodded in agreement. As a cop, I had learned some sign language during a case, and Chris knew a bit of it too.
Chris signed back, asking "What should we do? Should we call out to her?"
I signed back, expressing my concern "She could be a kidnapper or someone dangerous." I had an ominous feeling about her.
Chris signaled "We won't get anywhere just by standing here"
So, I reluctantly agreed that he should try to talk to her, though my intuition was still kicking in and I found the situation very shady but as he said we didn't have an option.
As Chris was just about to speak, a melodious voice interrupted us.
"Welcome."
Chris asked cautiously. "Who are you? And where are we?"
The woman remained facing away from us. "You are in Arcanium's Hall of Judgement, a place where I judge souls. I am a Goddess, and you have been chosen."
"Arcanium? Judgment of souls? Goddess? And chosen? Chosen for what?" Chris asked, confused.
"Arcanium is the world, the world that I control. By judgment of souls, I mean that I judge souls who are going to enter the reincarnation cycle or not. Worry not you are not dead, I transported you here. See that circle beneath you. It is the circle of isekai'd… A holy and revered circle that every otaku dreams of… Cough…" She explained in a very patient way, like how a mother would teach her child… but the last part was…
I looked at Chris and he also looked back at me, the look on his face screaming 'I think we are making the same face'
'But really another world…'
We weren't given enough time to think more and her voice was heard again…
"You are chosen, to be the hero who will save our world from the demons who want to destroy the peace of the world," she explained. "Our world is on the brink of destruction. The demon king wants to conquer everything, to enslave all races under his rule. Countless lives will be lost if he succeeds."
"What does that have to do with me?" Chris asked. "I'm just an ordinary person. How can I fight demons?"
"Our world forces are not capable of handling him, and those who stand a chance in defeating him don't want to participate. So, I was left with no choice but to bring a member of another world, who according to the prophecy stands a chance of killing him… You have a destiny greater than you can imagine. Your skills, your heart, and your spirit make you the perfect candidate to lead the charge against the darkness and be the perfect hero candidate."
I wanted to speak, to protest, but my throat was still too dry, and I could only listen as Chris continued to question her.
Chris was still not convinced "I don't know if I can do this," he admitted. "I'm just a student. I'm not a hero."
The goddess's voice softened, becoming almost tender. "You have the heart of a hero. You have the compassion and the courage. You will undergo training in the Holy Kingdom. You will learn to harness your abilities and become the hero our world needs."
"And what if I refuse?" Chris asked, his voice barely a whisper.
The goddess replied "If you refuse, countless lives will be lost. The world will fall into darkness. Can you bear the weight of that on your conscience?"
The goddess waved her hand a a screen popped up in front of us…
[BOOOOOM]
[AAGGGGHHHH HELP!]
[DON'T HARM THE KIDS PLEASE! NO!!!]
[MOMMY!!]
[SLASH! SLASH]
[BOOOOOM!!!]
We could see several videos of humans, and what I believe to be elves and beast-kins getting tortured by an army of demons…
It was terrifying.
I looked at Chris only to see his face full of guilt.
"No you idiot don't do it" I signaled to Chris but he looked at the goddess and…
"I'll do it," he said finally. "I'll help save your world."
"Thank you, Chris. You are making a noble choice." Said the goddess.
As she spoke, a bright light enveloped Chris, and I felt a sense of panic rise within me. "Wait!" I wanted to scream, but my voice failed me. The light grew brighter until I couldn't see anything.
When the light faded, Chris was gone, and I was left alone with the goddess. My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to process what had just happened.
'In an instant, Chris disappeared.'
'Why am I still here?'
'Does she not know that I am here?'
The goddess remained silent for a moment before her demeanor changed entirely.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" She laughed a cruel and mocking sound, her goddess-like voice now filled with contempt.
"How gullible he was," she sneered. "Humans are nothing but bugs. So easy to manipulate. That boy is nothing more than a fool."
"WHAT IF I REFUSE? I AM ONLY A STUDENT? GODDESS? HAHAHA, HOW STUPID WERE HIS QUESTIONS WAS HE SLOW IN THE BRAIN HAHA. R*TARD HAHAHA… IF HE DIDN'T DO IT THEN DID I THINK I REQUIRED HIS PERMISSION? I AM NOT DOING ANOTHER RITUAL BECAUSE A DUMB PRINCESS REFUSED KAKAKA."
So… this is the real goddess… her mask finally cracked…
Now that I think of it she only talked to Chris and not me… So that means only he was meant to be transported and I just came along and she is not aware of my existence...