"This has been a weird experience so far..." Kumari said, dressed in priestess attire as she sighed on a red fancy couch.
"I couldn't agree more, Kumari-san." Xander added, dressed in knight armor and sitting right beside her.
Moments ago:
"Our beings of protection have arrived!" One shouted, bowing and worshipping.
"Our beacons! Everyone kneel and worship!" Another which seemed to be the leader said, as he bowed and started worshipping the two.
"W-What... even is all this?" Xander muttered, only audible by Kumari.
"Please, oh beacons won't you lend us your light?" The head mage asked, as he rose from his bow.
"Where are we?" Xander countered, with his own question completely ignoring his plea.
"O-Oh, you are currently in the Alondia Kingdom, in the land of the freedom: Elysvara". The head mage explained.
"Alondia Kingdom? By any chance is this earth?" Kumari asked.
"Earth? I don't think I've ever heard of such a place." The head mage answered.
"So my inference wasn't wrong, this is a different world..." Kumari said.
"Indeed, is that what you beacons of light call you planet?" The head mage asked his head tilted in curiosity.
"Indeed. Then may I ask, why did you summoned us?" Xander pressed.
The head mage's face grew slightly grim.
"You see, oh beacons, this world has been graced with the devilish creation known as 'The Anti-Hero Protocol'. It destroys anyone who is considered a hero by the masses or does things deemed as too heroic." The head mage explained, clenching his fists.
"The wretched dark lord, has taken that to his advantage, using it to elevate his power as heroes crumbled left and right. Since we lack heroes we decided to summon you dear 'beacons'."
Kumari was a slightly stunned from the revelation. Xander, remained composed somehow, even though what they were basically asking them to do is risk their lives for this world they had just found themselves in.
"I see, what happens to someone who is considered a hero yet hasn't done anything that would warrant it?" Xander asked.
"Well, you see that anomaly is... complicated." The head mage admitted. "Clearly if one uses that term in vain, it won't cause harm, as if sentient and knowledgeable. However, it won't delete someone who is clearly a hero yet has hidden their identity. Giving us evidence that it clearly is being restricted, despite its immense strength."
"Huh, I see... Then could you give me and my partner some time to think about it?" Xander asked with a warm smile.
"P-Partner?!" Kumari thought, her face flushing slightly.
"Go right ahead beacons! Anything you wish we will fully respect." The head mage said before they left the room.
After the mages left the room, all that remain was Xander and Kumari. They then exchanged glances. Kumari brushing off the sentences before then started speaking.
"This isn't a dream is it senpai?" Kumari asked softly.
"Nope, not even in the slightest." Xander replied, letting out a low sigh.
Kumari chuckled, before continuing. "You were so composed and calm, like always Xander." She teased.
"I was? Hehe, guess I still have a habit of turning serious when something important is going on." He said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"So what are going to do? We could trust them but we barely know anything of this world—or them. Still, this structure seems close to a game so I don't think this should be too hard to understand though." Kumari started.
"Honestly, reasonably speaking. We follow their lead, if anything look suspicious or like a trap we run for it. If everything they said was true... then we might as well give them a helping hand." Xander continued.
"Perfect, we have a game plan. Now to put it into action—first, let's go find the person who seemed to be the head of the mages. We'll find somewhere safer to discuss the rest of our plan." Kumari concluded the discussion.
Xander shook his head in agreement and the two left the summoning dungeon in search of the head mage.
As they walked out of the dungeon they were greeted with an elegant smooth tiled floor with a red carpet laid down upon it reaching from the beginning to the end of the hall. The hallway walls nice and clean decorated with lined with lanterns and banners, the banners bearing an image of a bird with a flower in its mouth.
"Ah, beacons! Have you made up your mind already?" The head mage questioned, who was near the door of the dungeon.
"Oh! Yes indeed. We've decided to try to help!" Kumari responded.
"Excellent! I will make your decision known to the prince and-" The head mage said.
"Before that I have one more question." Xander interrupted.
The head mage looked sort of conflicted, though it was unclear whether is was due to him having ulterior motives or just due to the way Xander had been acting.
"Huh, oh... please ask away dear beacon." The head mage replied.
"Have any other beings been summoned before us? Maybe between the last day or so? Granted I'm not a hundred percent sure if our worlds share the same time flow." Xander questioned.
"From this kingdom, no. You two are the only ones we've summoned recently." The head mage confirmed. "However, I have heard news and rumors of a being appearing in the Illusionary Forest and another being who is said to be a god has descended upon this land."
"I see... then I have no further questions." Xander concluded.
"Wonderful! In that case follow me to your chambers. After all, as newly instated beacons of the kingdom you shouldn't be hindered by such shackles such as poverty or hunger." The head mage said proudly.
As they walked down the hallway, Xander gave Kumari a knowing glance and Kumari in turn gave one back. They were clearly on the same page with the new information they obtained.
Close to the end of the hallway, they had reached a very sophisticated brown door.
"Here is your chambers, I hope you enjoy your room. I'll be going to inform the prince—he shall be here to speak with you shortly." The head mage said.
"Got it." Kumari replied.
With that, the head mage departed from them once more. So Xander opened the door with slight caution as the door swung wide open. They were stunned to see such a refined and grand room. The walls etched with gold accents along with it beige-white color. There lied a fancy red couch close to the back of the room with a coffee table in front of it.
There were two massive closets, a polished desk for work and another a vanity desk with a mirror and make up accessories. If there was one thing that could describe this room it would be that it was radiating "nobility".
However, then came the big problem, there in the left side of the room rested one massive king sized bed. With a very elegant crafted design, complete with canopy curtains.
"T-There's only one bed?" Kumari stammered as her face flushed slightly.
"That's surprising... especially considering two closets, oh well." Xander said, shrugging.
"T-That's not the point! How are we going to sleep?!" Kumari shot back.
"On the same bed? It's clearly big enough for two people though?" Xander responded, as dense as ever.
"F-Forget it!" Kumari huffed, plopping herself down on the red fancy couch in a pout.
"H-Huh?! D-Did I do something wrong Kumari-san?" Xander asked, slightly panicked.
Kumari put her right hand into a fist before coughing into it thrusting the conversation back to order.
"Forget it, we have better things to worry about. That information he gave us." Kumari said, getting back on topic.
"O-Oh, right." Xander said, as he sat down right beside her.
"Before that, let's just take a break and evaluate our situation." Xander continued.
Kumari shook her head in agreement, gracing him with a warm smile.
End of Flashback.
"So now, we just wait for the prince right?" Kumari asked.
"Yup." Xander answered.
"So, those two he spoke of, do you think that it was Kuro and The Lily Princess?" Kumari asked, with a finger on her chin.
"Most likely, meaning our main objective is to meet up with them along the line." Xander concluded.
"Got it." Kumari said.
Just then a knock at the door could be heard.
"Guests? Are you in there?" A strangers voice called out.
"Yes, do come in." Kumari replied politely.
So the stranger did, as the door opened his figure was revealed and it was that of a young prince, at the age of 19 if an estimated were to be made.
"Welcome new beacons, I bet your still warry of us are you not?" The prince said, radiating a warm expression.
"I wouldn't say we fully trust you all, so yes." Xander said, with a serious face.
"Hey, come on now Xander." Kumari pouted.
"Deadly truthful, I see. I am, Prince Felix" The prince said.
"Sir Felix, can you explain everything of this world to us. We'd like to know everything." Xander respoded.
"Oh, why of course. The more knowledgeable you are the better." Prince Felix answered.
As such the prince explained everything that the kingdom knew, from the anomalies to the current rumors running around the world, as well as the two mystical places.
"I see... so anomalies are bad things?" Kumari asked, slightly puzzled.
"Why of course, when have we ever seen an anomaly be good?" Prince Felix answered.
"Not a single one?" Xander inquired.
"Not a single one. Either their being ordered to be evil by the Dark Lord or the God of Anomalies. That or they are natural disasters that will always ensue calamity." Prince Felix explained.
"Hm... what if we were to align ourselves with the anomalies if it appeared more beneficial to us?" Xander threw out, clearly a hypothetical.
"Well, then we'd have to turn our blades against you wouldn't we?" Prince Felix said offering a smile clearly that of malice.
"Then I have my answer." Xander ended.
"Right... Oh so Prince, do you have a task you need done at the moment?" Kumari said.
"Oh, no of course not. That would be far to harsh to treat our new guest with a mission on arrival so please just relax for now." Prince Felix replied.
"Oh, I see. Thank you." Kumari said, in kind.
"Your quite welcome young lady, now If that is all your questions I'll be taking my leave." Prince Felix said, before standing up to take his leave.
As he left he merely gave a look at Xander as if a declaration of war. Then came the sound of the door closing and footsteps getting farther.
"What an interesting individual." Xander said.
"He seemed nice enough, didn't he?" Kumari added.
"Doesn't mean we have to trust him, hell don't even think he trusts me." Xander said.
"I guess so, seems like we have a lot ahead of us don't we, senpai." Kumari said looking up at the ceiling smiling.
"Indeed." Xander said, turning to look to the window in the room looking up at the sky.
"A long road... indeed."