That was the history of Azef.
But as the centuries passed, a painful truth emerged. Though millions were blessed by the angels, only a very few had ever reached the heights of the divine beings who once defended our world.
And of course, that wasn't enough.
For a time, they feared they were lost. That all they could do was wait, counting down the years, the days, until the barrier fall and darkness return.
Until, three hundred years ago… everything changed.
King Alan's ancestor, King Darmian Froste, received a vision.
One night, as he slept, a six-winged angel appeared in his dreams. They were radiant, awful, and holy in a way that defied description. Their voice… it was like fire and wind combined.
And the angel spoke:
'Seek help from beyond your world. In another realm, there lives one with power and potential greater than any born of Azef. They will be your salvation.'
And when he awoke, he shared the vision with all of Azef.
Just like that, a prophecy had been passed down ever since.
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As the King finished, his eyes returned to us.
"That's why you were summoned, why we called you heroes. Because we believe the angels' words still guide us. Because… we believe in you."
He gestured, exhaled.
"You may not believe it yet. But that's all right. You can verify it yourself. Here in Valeria, ask anyone, and you'll hear the same answer, the same story."
"So, please, kind heroes," he bowed down slightly. "For whatever path you choose… the Kingdom of Valeria will stand with you. We'll give all we can, hold nothing back. Because when the time comes… we want you to be ready."
"I see. So the reason you summoned us here… it's because of that prophecy?" I asked.
"Yes," King Alan said with a solemn nod.
I paused, choosing my next words carefully.
"And… do you have any proof? That it was really an angel who came?"
However, at my question, the king's expression shifted. His eyes sharpened, the air around him tightening
"Proof? You may not understand… but the presence of an angel cannot be faked. Not by magic, not by illusion, not even by the wildest stretch of imagination!" He then took a breath. "What King Darmian witnessed, without question, was an archangel of Heaven."
I see.
"…Thank you, Your Majesty. That does answer my question." I gave a small bow, more out of caution than courtesy.
But inside, honestly, that answer meant nothing to me.
We were pulled from our world, ripped away from everything we knew… because some random old man had a weird dream about a glowing bird-person three hundred years ago?
That's it?
That's why Anna was taken too?
Because someone long dead saw a shiny birdman in his sleep, and everyone since just accepted it as gospel?
And now, just like that, we're supposed to be the saviors of an entire world?
What the fuck?
The King couldn't even provide a solid proof that the event was real and not made up. There was no actual evidence, no way to verify it, just blind faith.
My blood simmered. I clenched my jaw tightly before I said something I'd regret.
Because I knew better than to push further. The king didn't seem like the type to tolerate too many questions, and I had no doubt he could end me with a single word. I could already sense the bloodlust in his eyes.
Still… one thing was clear. Whether the prophecy was real or not didn't even matter. He believed it. His people believed it. Every word he spoke rang with conviction. And that was enough for them to act. Yes, that reason alone was indeed enough for him to bring us here.
Anyways, there was one last thing I wanted to confirm.
"Then what if we don't want to do any of that? What if we just want to go home? Is there a way to return?"
A heavy silence followed.
The others flinched slightly at the question, as if the thought hadn't even occurred to them until now.
For a moment, the king simply studied me.
Then, he nodded.
"Absolutely."
At his answer, I was a bit shocked, I thought I misheard.
But apparently, I did not.
"We fully understood the enormity of what we were asking," he continued smoothly, "We know that battling demons and even gods is no small burden. But Rest assured, we would provide you with every resource, privilege, and support to ease your journey. However, if you decide that it's not enough, we can reverse the summoning spell at any time and send you back."
A beat of silence followed.
Then—
"Oh, that's a relief!" the schoolgirl sighed, clutching her chest. "Honestly, I was scared there for a second!"
"Same!" the red-haired boy exhaled, his shoulders relaxing.
The king smiled, as though pleased by their relief.
Then he made his final move.
He laid out the rewards: titles, power, wealth, and prestige, a life far beyond anything Earth could offer, a future where we wouldn't just survive but rule.
And so, with all those wonderful promises, it didn't take long for their doubts to crumble.
The young ones all agreed to take on their duty as heroes.
As for me? Of course, I would stay. I didn't come here for riches or glory. I came here for her. I came to find Anna.
However, one thing was clear to me now after that question: the king could not be trusted.
His promise that we could return whenever we wished was nothing but complete nonsense.