There seems to be a huge gap in my memory seeing that I have no idea as to where I am or how did I get here. My name is Nathan Turner and I'm seventeen. My goals in life is to be a doctor and help people. I like to play video games and learn physics, but that's irrelevant to my current situation. Right now I seem to be in a library. Books stretched as far as the eye can see. The shelves seems to go on and on into the abyss. There I saw in between the two shelves lies a table draped with an ornate blue cloth. A deck of cards laid on the table and a short well-dressed man with a comically long nose and blood shot eyes sat across the table.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room my dear guest. My name is Igor and I will be assisting you today" He said in a smooth yet sagely voice. His gloved hands were crossed. He seems to be expecting me.
"Velvet Room? Where is that?" I asked. It seems like a valid question I should be asking. I looked around to see if there is a book I could recognize. Though the books seem to be vast in number, most of them are in different languages.
"The Velvet Room exists between mind and matter. You are unconscious at the moment, but rest assured your body is safe." He replied. At least I got an answer though it didn't help a lot. "I'll tell you why you have been summoned."
"But first," He slides a black folder with a blue butterfly embossed on the cover. "you must sign a contract. This merely states that you will take responsibility for your own actions."
Seems simple enough. I opened the folder and inspected the contract. I squinted my eyes to check for a fine print, but nothing much to my avail. Across the paper it reads, "I chooseth this fate of mine own free will. I will take responsibility for mine own actions."
I guess I'll sign it. Maybe I can find some answers while we're at it. I signed across the line with an x on the side and the contract vanished into thin air. Igor smiled and said, "Now that the contract has been sign, I will tell you everything you need."
"There are many worlds other than the one you live in. Though there are many similar to yours, there are others with drastic differences. One world in particular has befallen to a great catastrophe. We are sending you into this world to fix it and bring about progress in this stagnant world."
"But why me specifically?" I asked. I was getting frantic. I needed answers now. "Why should I abandon my friends and family for another world?"
"All will be revealed in due time my guest." Igor said in an ominous tone.
"I see." I said solemnly. "I'll play along, but you better give me an explanation later."
"You seem to be very accepting of this." Igor observed.
"Yeah, well no use crying over spilled milk. You said my body was safe. What do you mean?" I asked.
"The vessel that is your physical body has been recovered and is heading to the other world." He answered.
"Back to my other question, why me?" It seems too surreal at the moment. Me out of billions of other people is just too much of a coincidence.
"I came to give you a second chance because you have been chosen by the cards." He grinned. He reached for the deck and displayed it for me to examine.
"The cards? Playing cards or Yu-gi-oh cards?" I joked. I swear if the Egyptian god cards are real, I'll burn this library down to the ground. I had bad experiences with those cards and now is not the time to be talking about it
"They are tarot cards. Do you believe in fortune telling young guest?" Igor shuffled the deck that was in the middle of the table
"Nope." I have been raised as a Christian after all. My family didn't believed in fortunes and so I grew up with it. Yes, I do believe in Creationism and the whole nine yards.
"I see. Regardless, I shall tell you what the cards revealed." He shuffled and spread out the top three cards on the table. They have a strange design on the back. A mask that is split with black and white. Wasting no time, he flips over the first one.
"Ah. The upright fool which represents the beginning of a great journey ahead of you." He proceeds to flip the next card.
"The reverse emperor which means you will be facing powers of extreme dominance." He finally flips over the last card.
"The upright ace of cups which means the love and compassion in your life shall guide you through it." As he places the cards back into his deck, a green portal appeared beside.
"It is time to go my guest, but be assured we will meet again and hopefully with my new assistant." He waved goodbye as my world becomes engulfed in green.
xXx
In an open courtyard, students gathered to perform a summoning ritual for second-year students. It was a familiar summoning ritual that marks the caster as a true mage should the ritual be a success. Everyone at the courtyard had summoned their familiars, but one girl. The pink-haired girl named Louise did not summon a familiar yet. It was her turn and she felt like a nervous wreck. She stepped forward in the middle of the crowd. The students watched intently as she began to chant.
"My servant who exists in somewhere in the universe." Students were confused at her chant.
"What kind of chant is that. She seems to be a bit pretentious." Students were whispering. She ignored it and continued the summoning spell.
"My divine, beautiful familiar. I wish from the bottom of my heart for you to answer my guidance!" With that, an explosion occurred. I stood in the middle of the crater with my dark blue jeans, a navy blue jacket, and a plain black shirt. My messenger bag seems to be intact considering the explosion was at a decent size.
I looked around to see students surrounding me and this pinkette. They seem to be laughing at her for whatever reason. Did she have to do anything about this green portal? Anyways, I saw different creatures of all sizes and legends. I saw strange and mythical creatures and of which looks like a pokemon. This is a fantasy setting which does not bode well for the science side of me. What caught my attention was a blue dragon and a short blue-haired girl reading a book.
"Louise summoned a commoner!" One of the students jabbed as they interrupted my thoughts. That was a very rude comment, but I wouldn't blame them if my assumption of this world is correct. That this a magic-oriented country with mages being a focal point of some kind.
"I knew Zero couldn't perform it correctly." The students began to laugh. The pinkette blushed with embarrassment. I couldn't just stand by and watch so I decided to speak up.
"My name is Nathan. Could anyone tell me where I am?" I asked. I hoped that one of the students would answer me. A bald man approached me and answered my question.
"I am professor Colbert. I am a teacher of this facility and you are in Tristain's Academy of Magic." He replied.
"Magic? Tristain? First off, I have never heard of Tristain before. I come from a far off land. Second, really Igor? Magic?!" I yelled into the sky. Colbert coughed.
"Anyways, Louise please finish the ritual." The pinkette, Louise, looked agitated. She went to her teacher.
"But he is a commoner! Can I do the spell again!" Louise begged. Colbert nodded.
"No. That would blasphemous to Brimir's sacred ritual. Now please complete the ritual or face expulsion." Louise was disheartened. She trudged up to me and glared into my eyes. She was very short compared to her classmates.
"You're lucky that a commoner such as yourself receives such an honor from a noble." She immediately grabbed my head and brought my face to her lips. Her lips pressed against mine which was not what I anticipated. I pushed her off and I felt a burning sensation in my left hand. The pain was unbearable. I gripped my left hand and pulled a Fight Club.
"Is anyone not going to help me?!" I gritted my teeth as letters slowly burns into my skin. I have to say, this is a terrible way to get a tattoo.
"Interesting." Colbert was scribbling down the brand that seems to be searing into my skin. The pain was unbearable to the point where I blacked out.
xxx
Author's notes: This is my first fanfiction. Any constructive criticism or review is welcome.