It all began on a peaceful planet called Gaia, at least, that's what it was known as officially.
The people who lived there called it Earth.
Many would argue that Earth wasn't really peaceful. Wars, crimes, and corruption, there was plenty to complain about. But compared to other worlds, it truly was peaceful.
After all, Earth had no single person strong enough to destroy entire cities or wipe out nations with a wave of their hand. By the standards of other worlds, Earth was calm and balanced.
Equality also existed, at least to some extent. People of different races, genders, and beliefs lived together with fewer conflicts than many other realms. Sure, Earth wasn't perfect, but it wasn't terrible either.
Still, not everyone agreed with that view. One of them was a young man named Tyler Lockwood.
Back then, Tyler was just a high school student. Well, "ordinary" wouldn't be the right word. Because Tyler wasn't just any student. He was his class's errand boy, or as he liked to call himself, the all-purpose shuttle.
Need someone to buy snacks but don't want to pay? Call Tyler.
Need your homework done even when you didn't know you had homework? Call Tyler.
Need someone to stay up all night to level up your game character? Of course, call Tyler.
He did everything for everyone. Not because he wanted to, but because he had no choice. He was under the control of the class bully, John Kennedy.
Pow!
A sharp slap landed on the back of Tyler's head, the sound echoing through the classroom. His head stung instantly, a dull pain spreading as the skin turned red.
"I said bark like a dog, not moo like a cow!" John snapped.
Tyler was on all fours, hands and knees on the cold floor, while John sat on his back like he was riding a horse. John's hand gripped the collar of Tyler's uniform, pulling it tight around his neck.
"Hey," one of John's friends snickered, "shouldn't he neigh like a horse since you're riding him?"
John grinned without looking up. "Nah. Horses are cool, strong, majestic. This useless loser doesn't deserve that comparison."
He tugged on Tyler's collar harder, making him choke.
If this scene had been some kind of weird roleplay between consenting adults, maybe it could have been funny. But this wasn't that.
This was humiliation, plain and simple, taking place in front of a classroom full of students.
"Faster! Come on, move!" John barked, yanking the collar again.
Tyler tried his best to crawl faster, but it was nearly impossible. The boy sitting on him wasn't light. John was tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular, he looked more like a grown man than a high school student.
A very handsome, charismatic grown adult.
Every time Tyler's knees hit the floor, pain shot through his legs. His arms trembled under the weight.
You'd think that in a modern school, with dozens of classmates watching, someone would step in to help.
WRONG!
No one did.
Not a single person moved. They just watched, pretending not to see.
Tyler had once believed his classmates would stand up for him. When he first transferred to the school, he had that kind of hope.
He remembered the day it all started clearly.
Back then, he was the new student, unfamiliar with the school's rules and social structure. When he saw John bullying another classmate, Tyler couldn't stay silent. He stood up, thinking he could stop it.
That was his first and biggest mistake.
They say the choices you make define who you become. For Tyler, that one choice turned him into the class's personal servant.
After that day, John and his group of bullies made his life miserable. They forced him to run errands, do their homework, carry their bags, and act like their personal clown whenever they felt bored.
At first, Tyler believed that if he endured it, someone would eventually come to his rescue. Maybe one of his classmates would find the courage to stop John.
That day never came.
He tried reporting John to the teachers and school staff. That only made things worse.
Why? Because John's father was one of the school's biggest donors, a powerful man with influence.
When Tyler complained, the teachers just gave him fake smiles and said things like, "We'll handle it."
They never did.
The next day, John found out and made sure Tyler regretted it.
From then on, Tyler learned a painful truth: on Earth, or Gaia, equality only existed for those born into privilege.
If you were born poor, weak, or powerless, no one cared.
And John Kennedy? He was the perfect example of Unfairness, a spoiled bully born with a platinum spoon in his mouth.
Tyler often wondered if things could ever get worse.
He soon found out they could.
It happened during a normal school day. Everyone was in class, bored out of their minds, when suddenly, everything changed.
Without warning, the floor beneath their feet started to glow. A bright circle of light spread from under their desks, climbing up the walls and surrounding them completely.
The light grew stronger and stronger until it became blinding.
Everything went white.
When the light faded, they were no longer in their classroom.
They found themselves inside a huge hall filled with tall stone pillars and burning torches mounted on the walls. The air was thick with smoke and heat, and the walls echoed with faint chants.
Everyone looked around in confusion, murmuring in disbelief.
"Where are we?"
"What's going on?"
"Is this a prank?"
Tyler blinked several times, trying to adjust his eyes to the dim light. His heart was pounding in his chest.
In front of them stood a group of old men dressed in long robes of white and blue, decorated with strange golden patterns. Each wore a hood that shadowed their faces, adding to their mysterious appearance.
If they were trying to look wise and holy, they succeeded, but to Tyler, they looked like a group of creepy old weirdos.
The one standing in the center raised his hands and spoke in a deep, echoing voice.
"Fear not, brave heroes! I am the Great Magus, Gulepas. It is I who summoned you here to this world!"
His voice filled the hall, heavy and commanding.
The students looked at each other, completely lost.
"Summoned? Heroes? What's he talking about?" one whispered.
"Are we in some kind of game?" another asked.
Tyler just stared, his expression blank. None of this made any sense.
But one thing was certain, but this was no dream.
The Magus continued speaking with pride, spreading his arms wide. "You have been brought here for a great purpose! This world is in danger, and only you can save it!"
The students remained silent, too stunned to respond.
Tyler's mind spun as he tried to process it all. A minute ago, he had been a bullied high school student on Earth. Now, he was standing in some ancient-looking hall, being called a "hero" by an old man in a robe.
If this was a joke, it was a damn good one.