Five Weeks Since Summoning Day, Ryan, Age 15
I sighed as I laid atop my new Goliath, a mechanical dragon, looking into the skies before sliding into the cockpit. I dunno how the Dwarves made it, and it's probably best I don't ask. They just told me to find a dragon and...well I did. Sorta underwhelming. Normally Dragons are these big bad monsters "Hey!! Watch it! I know what you're thinking, remember!"
"Oh pipe down, would you Ric?"
"I told you, stop calling me that! My name is-!"
"Your name is Ric now!" I argued, before looking around and seeing King Thaddeus. I slowly moved Ric's head down until to where I could talk to him, "Need something?"
"You and the Goliath don't seem to get along"
"Not really. I call him Ric after a robot dog from a show I watched back home. It pisses him off but I always wanted my own Ric"
"But if it makes him uncomfortable, you should..." He started before letting out a sigh. Why does he care? He's a king for crying out loud, "Never mind. What are you doing out here?"
"Thinking. I want to know the truth about this place," I admitted. I never was one to lie to people with 'authority', mostly because I know my true opinions are often the ones they don't wanna here, "This place looks beautiful, sure. But I've seen this quite a few times. You're hiding something and I refuse to get Naofumi'd"
Thaddeus was clearly confused by my statement but I wasn't going to explain and risk giving him ideas. With a sigh, he simply handed me something, an old book. The leather that made up the cover was already peeling off and I could barely read the front, "Here. I figured as much so I want you to read this"
"The hell is this? Something in your library? Probably scrubbed to hell and back to make it squeaky clean and King approved" I guessed but the king shook his head
"It's the journal of a dear friend. It has never left my care nor does anyone know about it but myself. If that is not enough, I don't know what else to do" He explained. I can't believe it isn't edited in some way but if I didn't take the risk, I'd never know anything beyond word on the street. Reluctantly, I accepted the request and hurried back to our room. Makoto was off in some town called Turtle Bay finding her own Goliath so the only one there was Jaune cleaning like a mad man
"Welcome back! Are you done brooding for the day?"
"Shut it. I don't brood. I just don't like you people," I responded before flopping down onto the couch, ignoring the news playing in the background as it only causes me confusion about why they have TVs and videogames but everything still looks like a fantasy world. I immediately tried to start reading before Jaune spoke once again
"What are you reading? More 'Super Move Names'?"
"Shush! You weren't even supposed to find those!"
"What were they? Flaming Red Punch? Savage Draconic Blast?"
"I said shush!" I repeated in embarrassment, throwing the journal at him. He laughed before looking at it
"What is it? Some sort of diary? A journal?"
"Yeah. The King gave it to me. Told me to read it. It's written in English too. So I'm guessing it may be a hero's" I assumed. The people of Zordonia had their own written language, though it looked like chicken scratch to me until Kai started teaching me. I'm guessing Jaune's dear princess was teaching him and Makoto too
"Indeed. I wonder why he gave it to you?" Jaune pondered before starting to read "January 25th, 1969. I find myself in a situation one can only call fantastical. Even dating this as 1969 may not be accurate to this world. At first glance, it looks like something straight out of Tolkien, until they pull out the laser spewing lances and tanks that would make my friends in Vietnam die of fright."
"We haven't seen anything like that while we were here. Would definitely help with the Shadows"
"Quiet. There's still more" Jaune interrupted "Once the initial chaos brought on by my 'summoning' died down, I was told that me and two others were brought here to help bring an end to some war that had been tearing apart their world and if I did so, they would send me back as if nothing had happened. Doesn't that sound familiar? Either way, I'll be writing in this journal when I can. If I die, then I'd rather this world remember what we did for them instead of forgetting about us like a common soldier"
I was shocked to hear the words Jaune read off the paper. They sounded almost like the hero had disdain for the situation he was in. Why would the King want me to read that if he wanted my mind to change. More importantly, "What's this about a war?"
"If you attended the classes Eliza held, you'd know he's likely talking about the Unity War. To my understanding, it was the last and most violent war in this world's history, so much so that it made all but the dwarves demilitarize save for the Guard Corps once a proper alliance between the races was forged"
"Well sorry, I don't want to learn government mandated history. I want to know the truth"
"Very well, then how about we visit some of the places he lists. If what he says is true then surely there must be some imprint left behind"
I thought about it for a moment. Part of me really didn't want to pursue this any further but I couldn't deny my curiosity about this world and I didn't have many options. With a reluctant sigh, I got back up and took the journal from him. I flipped through the pages, skimming through it until we found a location. The first few entries went over his first few days as a Hero, how he was assigned to be a leader and his conflicts with the Hero Blue of the time, a former German soldier. I could definitely see how that could be a problem if the timeline of events proved true. Eventually though, I stopped on a page, "Here. March 3rd, 1969. I have befriended one of the royals of this world, a prince named Thaddeus. We went to the sight of one of the first battles of the war, long before my team was summoned. It was calm, away from the thunderous sounds of magic and technology being used solely for what could only be described as mass slaughter. We relaxed on a hill under a single tree and traded stories. I told him about Vietnam and how this war made that look like Black Friday while he lamented the state of his world. They were already leagues ahead of ours in terms of technology, to the point of being science fiction, but it was used only for war, not to improve the livelihoods of the people. It wasn't just the warring nations either. Many noble families had their eyes on the throne and would see him and the rest of his family dead. It was then that I made a promise, that we would not leave until true peace was brought to this world. We left a mark on the tree, an eloquently carved handshake engraved into the wood. When the war was over, we swore to return and the hands shaking would be real ones, not just some drawing"
"He can certainly write a lot. Still, it paints quite a different picture than the world we've come to know," Jaune admits, "So, shall we go? He said it's the site of the first battle of the Unity war. I'll book us a carriage"
"Do we seriously not have cars?" I grumbled, making him laugh, much to my confusion
5 Weeks Since Summoning Day, Riley, Age 15
I quickly flipped over Cass as she was launched in my direction, much to her annoyance. It was just another sparring session with the royal brat but every fight, he seems to improve. He'll definitely be ready for the Black Shifter in no time. Cass quickly dug herself out of the crater she left in the black and gold wall of the training room Ritto made for us. Think of it like a Danger Room of sorts, "What the hell, dude! You couldn't catch me!?"
"I could, but Style Points are more important"
"You jerk!"
"I'm sorry, did you expect the Hell Heroes to be good guys?" I mocked only to be hit by Jarred, knocking us both to the ground. I groaned and quickly flipped up in time to dodge as the kid tried to run us both through with a pole he had turned into a spear. We dodged his jabs before catching it when he went for a swing as Jarred swept his leg, allowing me to snatch it away
"You do realize do don't swing with a spear right?" Jarred asked, almost mocking the little guy who simply kicked him in the groin
"I did better than last time, did I not?"
"Yup. Keep improving at this rate and you'll be back on the battlefield in no time," I assured him, patting him on the back. We all sat down and shifted back into our normal forms. Normally, the air on the Dark Island was toxic to us so we needed to stay shifted to stay alive. However, the air in the castle was somehow purified enough to where we could relax, "Anyway, let's grab some grub. I'm starving"
"You're always starving," Cass teased, lightly hitting me over the head, "But yeah, c'mon cutie. Let's do something!" she insisted, hugging Xandric's arm much to his own discomfort. I groaned and started to leave. I know the best way to get over one chick is to get under another but she's laying it on thick. As we were talking though, Lord Zeddral came in with Ritto in tow, and we immediately bowed
"Arise," He commanded, to which we complied, "I'm glad to see my son is improving. But I have a task. It should only require one of you"
"Does it involve the rookies?" Jarred asked
"That foolish king has given a very important piece of information to the new Hero Red. I would like one of you to reclaim it"
"Say no more. Leave it to me," I spoke up, stepping forward, "I've been dying to see a clear blue sky again, if only for a little while"
"Very well. I only make one request. Whatever you do, do not read that book," He insisted, almost pleading. It's actually rather entertaining how pathetically humble he can act at times. It's hard to say no to the guy
5 Weeks Since Summoning Day, Ryan, 15
It didn't take long to ride out to the location mentioned in the journal. Surprisingly, their carriages move faster than most modern vehicles back home. Guess we're not shifting to turbo any time soon. What are they feeding these...well I don't know what to call them. They look almost like velociraptors besides their feathery mohawks and wings that they would throw backwards for extra speed. I later learned that these guys were call Qraptors. Real original name, oh goddess or whatever made this world. Can't doubt their usefulness though. We made it to the town the hill was built around. Given this is the place paradise technically started for them, the name 'Angel Hill' was pretty fitting I suppose. Still, must be inconvenient having a massive hill in the center of the town. When we arrived, a well-dressed man in the bizarre mix of medieval and semi-modern attire we had become used to approached us with a large smile across his face. His bowler hat, pointed out Elven ears and singular gold tooth really gave me the shady businessman vibe, "Well hello, Heroes! Welcome to my fine town!"
"Wow, we're already famous?" Jaune asked, seeming shocked
"But of course! News spread fast of the Heroes who saved our beloved Capitol Eltaria and the Dwarven State of Korinthar in less than a year!" The man proudly explained. I would say it was a failed attempt at stroking our egos to lower our guard but...
"Well, it's just in a day's work for us" Jaune assured, releasing a boisterous laugh. Seems it worked on someone. I quickly slapped him over the head
"Thanks for the warm welcome but we're looking for something, Mister..."
"Albert. Governor Albert Phineas Altabery. But you can just call me Al"
"Didn't ask but thanks, Mister Al. There's a tree up on that hill, yeah?"
"Why yes, that's the Unity Tree. It stood when the Unity War began and was the site of its end"
"Cool. We need to see it for sec," I explained then left, not giving him time to get a word in. For all I know, he may ask me to buy a demi-human slave or something
"Must you be so rude?" Jaune asked but I didn't respond. It didn't take long for him to get swept up in a swarm of adoring fans that I only barely escaped myself. Even as I approached the tree. Even when I got to the hill itself, it was swamped with tourists, wanting to get a picture at the tree. I snaked through but once I got to the front where I could see the darn thing, I felt sudden pain in my head as I felt back, groaning in pain
"I tried to tell you," said the voice of someone I know for sure that I left behind as a bowler hat fell on my head. I quickly shot up looking down at him, "Surprised? Call it a 'family secret'. Essentially I can teleport myself anywhere I've ever been"
"And you've been all over this town. Great," I said, rolling my eyes as I punched the invisible wall, "This thing your doing too?"
"Hmmmm, more accurately my predecessor's doing," he admits as he inspects it, "The barrier around the top of the hill keeps the site preserved, ensuring it maintains its natural beauty"
"I see so if I were to somehow get in there, I wouldn't find some super secret thing about the kingdom?" I asked to which he nodded. I then held out my hand, "Then prove it"
"But... I can't. I mean...you see..."He tried to insist but I noticed him slowly becoming more scared as he took my hand and before I knew it, we were on the other side of the barrier with him panting heavily as if he had just been suffocated, "You good?"
"Y-Yes just...exhausted..." He answered but I don't know anyone who expresses exhaustion like that. Didn't matter to me though. I approached the tree and there it was, a crudely carved handshake etched into the wood. Even though I was expecting it, a shock was sent through me. He never expected it to be real, especially with how cagey Al was being about not letting me in. I quickly flipped through the journal, trying to find another location. One is an incident, two is a coincidence but three is a pattern. If I can find two more things that line up with it then I'll have reason to believe it. I had Al transport me back to Jaune, still seeming tired before he stumbled away
"What's his problem?" Jaune asked, finally escaping the horde of fangirls
"As if I know"
"Maybe it's your power," someone suggested, making me jump. The crowd had already dispersed and yet this guy had gotten the drop on me. A black guy with very curly hair. He didn't have Elf ears and was roughly my height. Besides that, his clothes were modern, a red tank top and torn up jeans, drastically different from clothing here which at the latest, looked like something you'd see in Jack the Ripper's time, "We heroes all start off with the same gear and powers. Hero Red gets the Draconic Presence. Think of it like how in some cartoons, a guy is so strong, everyone else just gets pushed down or explode when they're around". Jaune and I just stare at him, quickly getting on the defensive. If he knows this much and dresses like someone back home, he had to be a Hero and there's only one group of those we know about, "Easy there you two, relax. I'm not here to fight," he insisted, putting his hands up but I didn't trust him for a second
"You look like us and know about our powers. So you're a Hero yeah?"
"Yeah, so what? You think you and those rogues are the only ones here?" He assumed before I realized, he didn't have a bracelet. He could fight even if he wanted to, "There are Heroes all over the place, ya know. Some baddies take longer to beat"
"Maybe we should hear him out" Jaune suggested and while I still didn't fully believe him, I calmed down and loosened up, "So, Hero Red 2, what can we do for you?"
"Just call me Riley, man. No need for confusing codenames," He insisted, "As for what you can do for me, nothing. I just wanted to check in on the newbies is all"
"Well then why don't you make yourself useful. You've been here longer, yeah? We're trying to confirm the validity of this book," I explained, pushing the journal into his chest. He then took a look and quickly sped through it. His speed was almost unrealistic, reading several pages in seconds, "Jauney boy and I came here to confirm something written in it"
"Can you not call me that?" Jaune asked nervously
"So you're going to sites revealed in the book? Well there is another one pretty close by," Riley noted before reading a passage, "Animus 5th, 1 AUY, the war's been over for a full year and progress has gone incredibly fast. Under Thaddeus, we were able to establish good relations. Where his late father wanted to conquer, he simply wanted Unity. As such, the four Kingdoms all got to maintain their independence and instead acted more as an alliance. All were allowed to practice their individual religions however, he made one request, to create a Temple of Heroes to honor those of us who were KIA'd during the war and the others that would come"
"That shouldn't be too hard to find. I'm guessing this place has one too" Jaune suggested and with that, we were on the move once again. Riley insisted we stick to alleyways and rooftops. He claimed it was to avoid getting swarmed like last time but I dunno. Something's not right. True to the book's word though, we found a large temple, no more like a miniature castle. It took up a sizable chunk of land just outside the town. It had a few folks, mostly people coming to pay respects as we came in, Jaune and I being extra careful to hide our bracelets. When we walked in, there were lines of statues, with plaques listing their names, hero colors and how they died. There were even colors we had never seen like Hero Green and Hero Gold, "Wow, now this is impressive"
"Yeah..." Riley said softly as he looked at one, an unnamed Hero Red who's status was MIA
"You know him?" I asked
"Not in any major way. I just feel bad for his team specifically," Riley answered, "He's the one before you. The way I understand it, they had it rough so when they got close to winning, they just... couldn't bring themselves to leave"
"Yeah, well they're morons if they think this place is all sunshine and rainbows either. There's no such thing as a perfect world" I said dismissively and continued all the way to the back where there was one that stood in the dead center, Louis Wagner, Hero Blue, died against the Tyrant King in the Unity War. Another passage proven correct
"Alright. One more"
"Okay, not that I'm not enjoying this little tour but how much do you need until you're satisfied? I have my own things I wish to do in this world, you know?"
"Yeah, like what? Flirting with the royal brat?"
"Eliza is not a brat!"
"You two know Eliza?" Riley asked, drawing my attention
"Yeah why?"
"Oh nothing. Just a name I haven't heard in ages," He said with a soft sigh, "Anyway, one more right?"
"Yeah. Let's see, Anubis 20th, 1 AUY, with the world slowly adapting to the new way of life, I've been preparing for the day we would inevitably have to leave. Lu and I would rather not go home to a world that's dystopian in comparison but it's still our world and if we can change one, I'm sure we can change another. We decided to make one last trip, to a town we had grown fond of. We loved the beaches of Turtle Bay. After years of fighting, it does feel good to just relax"
"Turtle Bay? That's where Makoto is right now! We can pay her a visit"
"She's got her own business and we have ours. There'll be time for that later," I told Jaune but honestly, I just didn't want her hitting me in the ribs again. Still, if this guy is who I think he is, it might be best to have all three of us. Hoped back into our carriage and set course for Turtle Bay. This ride would take longer though and we would need to set up camp for the night. I rested in my sleeping bag, feigning rest when I heard something rummaging through my bag. It was honestly a simple trick but an effective one as I simply threw a rock at Riley who dodged with ease as he clutched the journal for dear life, "Called it"
"Wow, you caught on. What gave me away?"
"You were laying it on pretty thick from the start but two things," I answered, "First, your little exposition about what happened to the guys before us? I'm not the most attentive but even I can tell when someone's telling me their sob story. The other was you knowing Eliza. There have only been two teams of Heroes in her lifetime according to a little friend of mine. I told you Jaune!" I called out and Jaune came out of the woods
"Yes yes, you were right. For once that paranoia works in your favor"
"Now look, you don't have your bracelet. So just give back the book and we won't turn you black and blue. Deal?" I offered but he just laughed
"You've got nerve, kid. But who said I needed my shifter on me to shift?" he asked as he held up his arm to the sky, "Ritto. I need to borrow it back for a sec!" He called out and a bracelet, similar to mine but charred and the red crystal being replaced with a darker orange one appeared on his wrist
"Then I guess we've gotta duke it out. Ready, Jaune?"
"Ready," He answered as the three of us all pressed the button in unison
"Worlds Combine, Heroes Unite!" We transformed and I could only imagine what his looked like. Probably something to do with fire or bugs judging by the suit's chitinous design. Jaune and I immediately rushed in, using my Baphomet Set and his Taranis Claw. It didn't do much good though as he dodged around us, kicking Jaune into me and sending us to the ground. He then summoned a massive wall of flames between us but Jaune launched through with his Storm Step and slashed at his chest. He simply took the hit before using both fists for an overhead strike to slam him into the ground. I chopped through the flames and managed to kick him through multiple trees
"We need to go. Now!"
"If you see a way out, I won't complain!" Jaune argued but suddenly we felt something, almost like a wave pushing us down
"Didn't I tell ya? Draconic Presence works pretty well if you're weaker than me," Riley tsked as he took the journal. Instead of leaving though, he flipped through the pages, only burning a handful before tossing it back down onto the ground, "There. The boss man just didn't want you to see too much so I handled it"
"Wh-what are...you..." I struggled to get out as I barely managed to get on one knee
"Like I said, we just don't wanna leave. If you don't believe this world is leagues better than ours, look around you, then read about how that happened," he answered before vanishing in a flash of light. The pressure was gone and me and Jaune managed to stand again before falling back in dejection. Just in time, I saw a giant blue mermaid coming in our direction, swimming through the air as if it were water. Makoto rushed out ready to fight before noticing our dejected faces
"What happened?"
"What do you think? We lost" I admitted, gritting my teeth under my helmet as I turned back. I was powerless to do anything, just like that night. But it will never happen again