It was as if a thunderstrike could be heard all throughout the continent shaking the foundation of the planet itself, resonating through every crevice where sound allowed and surprisingly not rupturing eardrums although causing pain to all, despite its almost universal hearing. Hiroshi Hisada, was slumped over his desk in his classroom, head resting on crossed arms, dead asleep a rest without dreams. He woke abruptly his entire body jolting, eyes shooting open as he jerked upright. He blinked a couple of time as his mind scrambled to catch up with what had just happened. His ears rang, but it wasn't painful—more like a persistent vibration at the back of his skull echoing through him.

'What….was that?' He thought to himself.

He glanced around the room, hoping, praying, he hadn't been the only one to experience it. Was it a hallucination? But fortunately, it seems he hadn't lost himself just yet. His classmates stirred, shifting in their seats as if they too had been pulled from some deep sleep. Their faces were marked by confusion and a trace of anxiety, fear, and or disbelief from the events beginning to occur.

"Did anybody else hear that?" A boy's voice broke the heavy silence that had settled over the classroom.

"Yeah, I heard that too, what the hell was that?"

One of the girls' voice resounded, "It sounded like a lightning strike…."

Just then, an explosion of light erupted somewhere in the distance. The brilliance of it flared to life like a falling star, casting harsh shadows against the walls. The students squinted, raising their hands to shield their eyes, some even turning away instinctively. The light's intensity was blinding, yet it was almost beautiful stupifying the students. Slowly, it faded into nothingness, retreating into the horizon like a tide. Entranced by its light and utterly confused on what was happening, the majority of the class stuck to the windows like newborn babes to their mother, all trying to see what was happening. Another burst of light bloomed bursting forth, this time much closer. It expanded rapidly, like a balloon, swelling until it seemed on the brink of tearing apart. Just as the previous one, it contracted and vanished, leaving behind not a trace. No rubble, no scorched earth—nothing. A space where something should be—buildings, streets, even the air itself—there was simply nothing. It was like a hole in space, taking its place in existence with what was missing.

More explosions occurred in the distance, more frequent and more in quantity as Hiroshi couldn't help but feel a terrible sense of impending doom and despair as nothing was left behind by the explosions almost as if death itself would claim those itself.

"What…. what's going on?"

"Maybe it's some sort of attack by another country?" Another offered, but his words sounded hollow, as if he didn't believe them himself.

"Are you serious? It doesn't even— it's…its not anything we've ever seen before! It could just be a lightshow!"

"A lightshow? Are you fucking kidding me?!"

And whilst they argued, none of them noticed what was happening beneath their feet—none of them, except for Hiroshi.

It started as a flicker, a shimmer at the edge of his vision. He looked down, his breath catching in his throat. A sphere of light, the size of a small marble tiny yet blinding, hovered just below him seeming to, pulsing softly. And then, like an overzealous painter splashing colors onto a blank canvas, more appeared, one under each student. In a heartbeat, the entire class was engulfed in the same light, seemingly having met the same fate as the rest—but still conscious. Eventually, and slowly, the light began fading, leaving the class in a obsidian-black void. A sweat dripped down Hiroshi's face as he took a couple of deep breaths that seem to make his entire body shake to calm his beating heart. He looked at his shaking hands, noticing a white energy outlining his form.

"Welcome, children of the other world."

A voice, a woman's voice, sounded out from all directions, as if being everywhere. Finally, the voice revealed itself, a physical form being materialized by an amass of light.

He looked at his other classmates, just to make sure he wasn't losing himself again. Every single one of them was there. There was no mistaking the girl who always sat two seats in front of him or the boy who perpetually wore that bored, half-lidded look. Even the kid who never seemed to pay attention during class stood, was wide-eyed and alert now, his face pale.

"You all, are the first few of many. And the hope for a struggling, better world."

A better world? What was that supposed to mean? With thoughts already running through his mind, he realized the woman's side. She was enormous, like some sort of giant. But swiftly, she began shrinking until she was at the size of an average human, floating over the crowd.

"Now I know you all must be brimming with questions. Worry not, I'll explain the most frequently-asked questions. Then, I'll allow you to speak."

She snapped her finger and in an instant, the dark void around them twisted and folded like a piece of fabric. Colors exploded into being—blues and greens mixing with shimmering golds and swirling mists. The students would find themselves standing on some sort of invisible platform high above its atmosphere, allowing them to look down at the world.

"This is my world, Neroth, that I created. It's much different to yours, creatures and unique energies that your world considered mythical run about freely." She paused as she gazed over the planet. "It is under attack. By an entity known as the Demon Lord."

She turned back towards the culmination of students, "That is why I have summoned you here. I request your help to save my world."

Hiroshi's head was seriously throbbing now. What was she talking about? Going on some adventure to save the world? He's just a highschool student for Christ's sake! Hell, he barely even knew how to fight, let alone take on some world-ending entity. He just wanted to go back home, go back to—….

'My mom…. What happened to my mom!?'

He hadn't even thought about it until now. The sudden realization hit him like punch in his gut. Was she okay? Where was she? Had the light taken her too? His mind spiraled, a thousand scenarios flashing before his eyes—each one worse than the last. He gripped his head, willing the pain and the despair to go away, but it only intensified.

"But, you will not go without help. I will awaken a potential within you, so that you may acquire special abilties to assist you on your journey. I will now allow you to speak any concerns you have."

Immediately, one of the students from the crowd raised her hand. She was a nerdy girl, her glasses slipping down her nose slightly as she peered up at the woman before them.

"Yes, child?"

"I'm sure we weren't the only ones summoned here, right? If I'm remembering what happened only a couple of minutes ago correctly."

"You are correct. My world needs all the help it can get."

Soon, everyone began raising their hands.

"Please, one at a time, children."

Just then, Hiroshi raised his hand, his arm shaking slightly. The goddess turned towards him, her smile softening as she regarded him, though there was a hint of irritation in her eyes.

"Yes?"

Hiroshi cleared his throat before speaking, "What happened to our world? Can we return? And what's going to happen once we defeat this entity?"

Silence. Just silence.

"...."

Her smile swiftly faded, her expression hardening. Hiroshi looked at her with an incredulous and disbelief look on his face.

'Nothing? Really?!'

But just as quickly as the goddess's smile had vanished, it returned, as if she were a seasoned actress.

"Of course. You'll be sent back to your world once your adventure is done. Now, anyone else?"

Hiroshi's eyes widened as he came to a realization. A lie, that was obviously a lie. He may be a bit slow at times, but he wasn't dumb. But why was it only him who realized this? Turning to the rest of his classmates, they still seemed encapsulated by the whole magic of the situation. He couldn't believe it. How could they completely forget who they were only minutes ago?

Hiroshi grabbed at his shirt, struggling to catch his breath as his heart hammered furiously in his chest. The edges of his vision blurred, and the voices of his classmates became a muddled buzz in his ears. Everyone was conversing, some expressing their excitement and others their concern, but Kota was far away in his own mind.

"Settle down, children. The awakening selection shall begin. Who will be the first to step forward?"

For a long moment, no one moved, the students exchanging uneasy glances at eachother. Until eventually, someone they could all recognize began to walk forwards. It was their class president, Kaori.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Kaori Mizuno."

"Well then, Kaori. I am Fauna. Please remain still, so I may awaken your abilities."

Fauna placed her hand on Kaori'a head, a faint white glow radiating from her hand. At that moment, it was as if something clicked inside Kaori's mind—a hidden door swinging open, unlocking something was previously dormant. Her eyes widened as a name appeared within her consciousness, a word she could read.

REWRITE

"Rewrite?" She asked in slight confusion.

"Yes. It seems this ability will fit you well."

Swiftly, excitement spread through the crowd. Conversations flared up once more, students whispering eagerly amongst themselves. They began stepping forward one by one, driven by the desire to find out what would be their ability. All except for Hiroshi, who stood still, lost within his own swirling thoughts. Even as the awakening continued around him, even as names and abilities were revealed, he barely paid attention to it. The second one to gain his ability was a delinquent that Hiroshi would easily recognize if he wasn't drowning in his own anxiety. Jun Takagi, whos ability would be manifested as, Pride. This cycle would repeat, until…

"Hiroshi? Hiroshi!"

Hiroshi snapped out of it when he felt Kaori poke him on the shoulder repeatedly.

"You're the last one."

Hiroshi glanced around at the rest of his classmates, verifying her words. Every eye was now on him, waiting.

"A-Ah, right. My apologies…." He managed to stammer out.

He walked up to Fauna, his heart pounding in his chest.

"You should be honored." Fauna murmured softly, raising her hand as the faint glow began to envelop him.

Just like before, it was as if a panel had opened up in his mind, flooding him with a strange sensation, like the flipping of countless pages in a library that only he could hear. The somehow imperceptible sound filled his ears, rhythmic and almost hypnotic. Then, out of nowhere, a word materialized in his consciousness.

LEARN

Hiroshi blinked, his mind struggling to grasp the meaning behind it. LEARN? What kind of ability is that? He looked up at Fauna, hoping for some kind of explanation, but her face twisted with an expression he wouldn't expect—contempt.

"What a useless ability." She muttered under her breath, barely hiding the disdain in her voice.

Hiroshi's heart dropped, "What—What'd you just say?"

Fauna's eyes narrowed, a glimmer of irritation in her glare. Without another word, she snapped her fingers. And suddenly, a translucent barrier appeared around them unbeknownst to Hiroshi, encasing the two of them in an isolated bubble. No one would be able to hear their conversation like this.

"Did I stutter, you brat?" Fauna's voice cut through the air like a blade, dripping with scorn

Hiroshi's eyes widened in disbelief, almost choking on his spit by the blunt response.

"What is- What's that supposed to mean!?"

Fauna merely stared at him, unflinching, "Your ability is of no use to me. Meaning, I don't need you, shunned one."

"…Does that mean you can return me home?"

"Return you home…?"

Fauna scoffed with a wide grin on her face, chuckling at first, before bursting out into a full-blown, manic laugh. She threw her head back, her shoulders shaking as she grabbed her face in a hysteria.

"Hoho….do you really think… there's a home waiting for you?"

Hiroshi's eyes widened even further, the weight of her words hitting him like a punch to the gut. He felt his heart plummet, sinking deep into his stomach.

"You… What did you do?! What if I told everyone else about this?!" he yelled, voice shaking.

Fauna simply chuckled, waving her hand dismissively as if brushing off an insect. "It won't matter." She said lightly, clearly mocking him. "Since you'll be dead soon enough anyway."

The bluntness of her words stunned him into silence. Panic surged through him as he stumbled back a step, unable to look away as she reached out a hand towards him.

"Please don't make this more difficult for me." She cooed, her tone almost gentle. "You might scare your classmates. Now, if you'll just stay still…"

Hiroshi was absolutely frozen in fear, like a deer caught in headlights. The divine aura radiating from Fauna, no longer felt gentle but seemed almost wrathful, suffocating the very air around him. He couldn't move—couldn't think. The sheer force of her presence was enough to send him into shock. But he had to do something. Anything. More than ever, he just wished he could spend more time with his mom.

He couldn't let himself go down like this.

Hiroshi grit his teeth, his gaze snapping up to meet Fauna's as her hand inched closer, an ominous energy gathering at her fingertips. A bead of sweat dripped down his face. Summoning every ounce of strength, he let out a desperate shout and threw his fist toward her face.

But just as his fist was nearing her face, it came to a sudden halt—an invisible barrier, shimmering faintly, blocked his strike mere inches from her face.

"Fool," Fauna sneered, her expression twisted in disdain. "Did you really think I'd let someone as low as you hit m—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Hiroshi let out a roar and pushed harder, forcing his way through the barrier as if fueled by some unknown power. With a surge of willpower, he managed to break through and land a solid punch to her face, the impact sending her skidding back several feet. At this point, everyone had noticed the conflict that had suddenly started, gasping at Hiroshi's rather erratic actions.

"Argh!? You little brat…." Fauna hissed, her voice filled with a mix of fury and bewilderment as she rubbed the spot where she had been struck. "How do you already have some understanding of your soul?"

In an instant, she had broken the invisible barrier she had set up, letting the others hear their voices.

"He's been corrupted by his power, children! Hold him down!"

She reached out her hand towards him, a sudden dark and red energy outlining his form. He looked at his hands in disbelief  before looking at Fauna and then looking towards his classmates, who were staring towards him without a clue in the world. He groaned as he held his head in pain, whatever that energy was, it was messing with his head.

"G-Guys… she—"

He tried to warn them, but his words faltered, caught in his throat. It was as if an invisible force had clamped down around his vocal cords. He coughed and sputtered, struggling to push the words out, but they wouldn't come. Panic surged through him as he realized he was completely unable to speak. No matter how much he fought to force the words free, it felt like he was being suffocated, his voice strangled by an unseen hand.

Curse of Speech.

Whatever Fauna had done to him, it was preventing him from speaking. He strained against it, his mouth opening and closing uselessly. The words died before they could leave his lips, his message to the others locked away. His classmates stared at him with a mix of confusion and fear, clearly uncertain of what was happening. They glanced at each other, then back at Fauna, who's eyes never leaving Hiroshi's struggling form.

"Please, children," Fauna called out, her voice adopting that same soft, nurturing tone she'd used before. "I know this is frightening, but we have to protect each other. He's been tainted by his power, and we need to subdue him before he harms anyone."

Hiroshi shook his head violently, his vision blurring as the red energy tightened its grip around him. "N-No, it's not… like that…!" he choked out, barely managing a hoarse whisper, but it was already too late. His classmates began moving hesitantly towards him, their uncertainty waning in the face of Fauna's words.

"Don't worry, we're here for you!" One of his classmates shouted.

Hiroshi's looked up, panic flashing in his eyes as he realized what was about to happen. They were going to listen to her. They were actually going to listen to her. He tried to speak again, but the curse clamped down harder, and all he could manage was a strangled gasp.

'I need to run.'

The thought screamed in his mind, overriding every other impulse. His breaths came out ragged and uneven as he forced himself to move, turning on his heel and breaking into a desperate sprint. His legs, fueled by adrenaline, carried him faster than he thought possible, each step pounding against the invisible platform beneath them.

"Hiroshj, stop!" A familiar voice called out behind him, but he didn't dare look back. There was no time to explain, no time to reason. He had to get away—now.

But the moment he began to flee, his classmates sprang into action. Some hesitated, clearly unsure of what to do, but others quickly gave chase. The look in their eyes was filled with conflicted determination as they reached out, trying to grab him, trying to pin him down.

"Hiroshi, don't make this harder on yourself!" One of them shouted, their footsteps echoing as they closed the distance.

His heart pounded painfully in his chest. He pushed himself harder, dodging and weaving through the mass of his classmates. But Fauna quickly grew tired of their little game, her eyes narrowing as she watched Hiroshi dart around like a cornered animal. With a dismissive flick of her wrist, she snapped her fingers, and suddenly, the ground beneath Hiroshi rippled and distorted. Before he could even process what was happening, a massive, gaping portal opened up beneath his feet, pulling him in with a immense force that yanked him off his feet. Hiroshi's scream echoed through the air as he began to free-fall.

"Hiroshi!" Kaori shouted, but he was already far gone, his terrified voice fading as he plummeted into the distance.

Fauna sighed dramatically, raising a hand to her chest as if in genuine remorse. "I'm sorry, children. I know he may have been dear to you, but there was no other way." she said with feigned sorrow.

She glanced down at the portal, the corners of her lips curling into a dark, amused smile as she muttered under her breath, "And if that fall doesn't kill him, the creatures down there certainly will." A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she waved her hand, the portal snapping shut.