Aaron adjusted his glasses for the third time in five minutes.
The scratch on the right lens blurred part of the board, but he didn't care enough to fix it.
Mr. Klein was droning on about calculus, and Aaron already knew he wasn't going to be called on. He never was.
Around him, the classroom buzzed with low conversations. Ethan was cracking some joke, Sophia's laugh following like clockwork.
Naomi scribbled notes while Kai leaned back in his chair, balancing a pencil on his finger.
Aaron stayed quiet, his head down. The notebook in front of him wasn't for notes — it was filled with messy sketches of dragons, mountains, and far-off worlds.
"Yo, Aaron." Victor's voice cut through the air like a thorn. "What's that? Another masterpiece?"
Aaron froze. He didn't look up. He knew better.
"Leave him alone," Naomi said without glancing up from her notebook.
Victor laughed, but the moment passed, and Aaron let out a small breath.
The pencil in his hand trembled for a moment before he started drawing again, pressing the lines harder into the page.
The air shifted.
Aaron noticed it first. The fluorescent lights above flickered, dimming just enough to make him glance up.
Nobody else seemed to notice — Mr. Klein was still writing on the board, and the chatter hadn't stopped. But something felt… off.
The hum of the lights grew louder, sharper.
"Anyone else hear that?" Mira asked, her voice tight.
Ethan waved her off. "It's just the lights, chill."
But it wasn't just the lights.
The ground rumbled softly beneath their feet, and then the sound hit — a low, grinding noise, like metal twisting under pressure. Aaron flinched as his pencil rolled off the desk.
"Earthquake?" Sophia asked, standing up.
Before anyone could answer, the walls started to shimmer. The beige paint rippled, like water disturbed by a pebble. Aaron's chest tightened.
This wasn't normal.
"Uh, Mr. Klein?" Lena's voice was shaky.
The teacher turned, but before he could say a word, the world seemed to fold in on itself.
Aaron felt the air pull at him, like a vacuum yanking him out of his seat.
He tried to grab the desk, but his fingers slipped. There was a flash of blinding light, a gut-wrenching twist in his stomach —
And then nothing.
Aaron hit the ground hard, grass cushioning his fall. The scent of earth and damp moss flooded his nose as he groaned, pushing himself up. His glasses sat crooked on his face.
Around him, the others were scattered across an open field, groaning and disoriented.
The sky above was a deep, fractured purple, streaked with blood-red clouds. Jagged mountains loomed in the distance, and the air felt heavier, charged with something he couldn't explain.
"What the hell just happened?" Darius asked, standing up and brushing dirt off his jeans.
"Are we… outside?" Sophia said, her voice shaking.
"No, really?" Ethan snapped, waving a hand at the surreal landscape. "Of course we're outside. The question is where."
Aaron adjusted his glasses, his heart pounding. This couldn't be real. But the cold wind brushing against his face told him otherwise.
"Everyone okay?" Naomi called out, already helping Mira to her feet.
Nobody answered. Nobody knew what to say.
Then, a figure appeared.
One second the field was empty, and the next, they were there — a tall figure cloaked in silver and black, their face obscured by a mask that shimmered like molten metal.
Aaron's breath caught in his throat.
"Welcome, chosen ones," the figure said, their voice calm but resonant, like it was coming from everywhere at once.
"Chosen?" Kai stepped forward, his tone sharp. "Chosen for what?"
The figure tilted their head slightly, like they were amused. "To save this world. You have been summoned to fulfill a prophecy."
"Summoned?" Ethan laughed, but it sounded hollow. "You've got the wrong people. We're not — this isn't some fantasy novel."
The figure didn't respond, their gaze sweeping over the group. Aaron shrank back slightly when they seemed to pause on him.
"This world, Drakonis, is on the brink of destruction," the figure continued. "Dragons scorch the skies. Demons rise from the rifts. Humanity is losing the war. And you… you have been brought here to tip the scales."
"Okay, no offense," Darius said, his voice rising, "but we're high school students. What are we supposed to do about dragons and demons?"
The figure's hand rose slowly, and the ground beneath them began to glow.
Intricate patterns of light spread outward, forming a massive circle that encased the group.
"You carry within you the potential for great power," the figure said. "This is no accident. You were chosen because your souls resonate with the magic of this realm."
Aaron felt a strange pull in his chest, like something deep inside him was waking up. His hands clenched into fists as warmth spread through his body — familiar but foreign, like he'd known it all his life but never felt it before.
"What's happening?" Mira whispered, clutching her arms.
The light grew brighter, and the air vibrated with energy.
"This is your awakening," the figure said. "Your gifts will manifest soon. But be warned: power alone will not save you."
When the light faded, they were no longer in the field.
Aaron blinked, adjusting his glasses as his vision cleared.
They were in a massive hall, its vaulted ceilings lined with glowing orbs that floated in the air.
The walls were carved from dark stone, etched with depictions of dragons and demons locked in eternal battle.
"This is the Sanctum," the figure said, stepping forward. "Here, you will begin to understand your purpose. Here, you will prepare for the war that awaits you."
Aaron's legs felt weak, but he forced himself to stand. Around him, the others were starting to recover, their expressions a mix of fear and disbelief.
"What if we don't want to fight?" Lena asked, her voice trembling.
The figure turned to her, their masked face unreadable. "Then you will perish. And so will this world."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
Aaron swallowed hard, his mind racing. He wanted to believe this was a dream, some elaborate hallucination. But deep down, he knew it wasn't.
He glanced at the others. Darius was clenching his fists, looking ready to punch something. Naomi had a hand on Mira's shoulder, steadying her.
Ethan and Sophia were whispering furiously, their faces pale.
Nobody looked at him.
They never did.