The world spun like a broken ride, colors swirling in a blur that made their heads ache.
Four young people tumbled through what felt like endless space, stomachs flipping, bodies weightless as everything twisted around them.
Then everything stopped.
They hit cold stone hard, the air knocked out of their lungs. Gasping, they scrambled to their feet, eyes wide, trying to understand where they were.
The air smelled strange. Like old dust, metal, and something… magical.
As their eyes adjusted, they saw they were standing inside a wide circle carved into the floor. Strange markings glowed softly beneath their feet, fading from blue to nothing.
"…What is this place?" the girl asked quietly.
She wore a red kimono with soft cherry blossom prints. A katana had somehow appeared in her grip, her fingers now wrapped tight around the hilt.
Her long black hair flowed down her back, swaying as she turned, eyes sharp and alert, taking in every corner of the strange chamber.
The two young men and the other young woman standing beside her looked just as lost.
One guy held a glowing sword, his knuckles white around the grip. The other had a long spear, eyes darting around like he expected something to jump out at any second.
The second girl held a curved dagger, her stance low and ready. She wore a snug black tracksuit that showed off her toned body, her dark hair tied back in a ponytail.
They all looked to be in their twenties, still dressed in the same clothes they'd had on just moments ago, jeans, t-shirts, sneakers. The girl in the tracksuit had clearly just come from a run.
None of it fit this chamber lit by flickering torches.
"We did it. The summoning of great hero was a success!"
In front of them stood several robed figures, their faces hidden under heavy hoods.
The one in the middle stepped forward and slowly lowered his hood. He was an old man with a long white beard and tired, kind eyes.
"O, Great Heroes!" he said, his voice echoing through the stone chamber.
"Welcome to the Kingdom of Erotika. I am Magician Eldrin, Royal Court Wizard."
"Heroes?" the young man with the sword stepped forward, his jaw tight, eyes blazing.
"Is this Earth?"
"No, great hero," Eldrin said gently.
"Did you bring us here?"
"Yes, great hero."
"We didn't ask to be heroes," the man snapped. "Send us back. Now. You brought us here without our consent!"
His name was Arthur, though none of them had spoken their names yet.
His hands still shook from the shock of being pulled into another world, but he raised his sword anyway, pointing it at the robed figures.
"He's right!" said the guy with the spear, stepping up beside him. His voice was tight with anger, and the metal of his weapon gleamed in the torchlight as he leveled it forward.
"This is kidnapping! You dragged us here without warning! We have lives back home—families, jobs, people who'll wonder where we went!"
His words echoed in the chamber, raw and real.
The magicians shifted uncomfortably. One of the younger ones leaned in close to Eldrin and whispered something quickly.
Eldrin raised both hands, his voice calm but edged with urgency.
"Please, great ones. We understand your anger," he said, trying to keep his tone steady.
"But we had no other choice."
"Our kingdom is in danger," he continued.
"Real danger. The Demon Lord's army grows stronger every day. Our people are dying. Dungeon gates are opening all across the land. Monsters are pouring out and slaughtering innocents. Towns have already fallen. We've lost too much."
He paused, his eyes filled with quiet desperation.
"We followed the ancient texts," Eldrin said. "It was time to summon the Hero of the Cycle. The ritual… it was a last resort."
"A last resort?" the girl with the katana finally spoke, voice calm but firm. "You took us from our world without asking. What gave you the right?"
Arthur's voice followed fast, sharper and angrier. "You want us to fight your war? To throw ourselves at monsters and die for people we've never met? Hell no. Send us back. Now."
Eldrin lowered his gaze, voice barely above a whisper.
"Great hero… we can't."
The words hit like a punch. All four of them went still, staring at Eldrin in disbelief.
Arthur's jaw clenched as he raised his sword, fury burning in his eyes. The guy with the spear stepped forward too, shifting into a stance that said he was one second away from driving it straight through the old man's chest.
Then, the woman with the dagger—Min-ji—finally moved.
Her tracksuit made a soft whisper as she stepped forward, the fabric clinging just enough to show off her figure. She walked with quiet control, every step relaxed, her hips swaying just a little.
"Okay, look," she said, her voice steady but careful. "We're all pissed. I get it. But we're already here."
She glanced around at the others. "Maybe we hear them out first. Figure out what we're dealing with. Then we decide what to do."
Arthur spun to face her, eyes blazing. "You're actually thinking about helping them? They kidnapped us."
Min-ji stood her ground, voice steady. "I'm not saying help them. Just saying we don't know enough yet. We don't even know if going back is an option."
She tightened her hold on the dagger. "Maybe we should find out what we're up against first, then make a choice."
Arthur didn't lower his sword. His jaw tightened, eyes flicking between Eldrin and the others, torn but still angry.
The magicians exchanged uneasy glances. Eldrin nodded slowly.
"The Great Dagger Hero speaks wisely. Perhaps it's best you meet King Aldric. He can explain everything and talk about the chances of sending you back."
"Chances?" Theron, the spear-wielder, tightened his grip on his weapon. His eyes narrowed. "So you don't even know if you can send us home?"
Eldrin didn't answer.
The four shared looks, frustration clear on their faces. But deep down, they all knew, they were stuck here. At least for now.
Akiho Kuromiya, the girl with the katana, spoke up, her voice calm but sharp.
"Fine. We'll meet your king. But don't get your hopes up. We're only agreeing to listen, nothing more."
Theron looked like he wanted to argue, but the reality was sinking in. They were trapped in a strange world, surrounded by magic and strangers who'd dragged them here without warning. Starting a fight wouldn't help.
"Agreed," Arthur said, his voice tight.
"We'll hear what your king has to say. But after that, we want honest answers, especially about how to get back home."
Theron gave a grim nod, his spear still ready. Min-ji shrugged quietly, she was on board too.
Eldrin's shoulders finally relaxed, the tension fading from his face.
"Thank you, great heroes. His Majesty will be most grateful. Please, follow us. The palace is nearby."
The four stayed close, following the robed figures out of the glowing circle.
Their weapons stayed in hand, nerves tight. No one spoke, but they all thought the same thing: This wasn't a dream or a trick. It was real.
As they walked through the torch-lit halls, shadows flickered along the stone walls.
Each step took them deeper into the unknown, farther from the lives they'd left behind and closer to a future none of them had asked for.