Arc: The Summoning
Chapter: The Summoning
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Being kidnapped wasn't something Naofumi had planned for, but by the time he had realized what happened, it was already too late.
When he woke up, there were three other guys next to him in various states of confusion. Surrounding them were a group of people dressed in robes not unlike those worn by the church. They were smiling, but that quickly turned to unease when they looked at him.
He scrambled to his feet, noticing for the first time that there was something strapped to his arm. A shield? He barely had time to register this before his attention returned to the people surrounding him. Shock, anger, and fear were written on their faces. His eyes widened when one of them stepped forward, raising a sword.
"Enough!" A man shouted. Unlike the others dressed in white robes, his were black. "There will be no conflict here, least of all one instigated by the Church of the Three Heroes."
"But -" The guy with the sword looked like he wanted to protest, but a stern look had him step back.
Naofumi felt his heart pound inside his chest. "Who are you?"
The man who had spoken earlier gave him a sharp look. He hesitated for a moment, before lowering his head. "My apologies. We could not have known that the summoning would be successful."
"We've been summoned?"
The one who had spoken was a young boy with brown hair and gold eyes. For some reason he held a bow in his hand.
"That is correct, hero of the cardinal bow." The man said with what could have been respect. Naofumi's confusion intensified when he noticed that the other people kept their heads lowered. Their eyes refused to meet his.
"Who are you?" A boy with black hair stepped forward. There was a sword in his hand. "Where are we?"
"I am a priest of the Church of the Three Heroes." The man bowed. "As for your question, you are in the land of Melromarc. We have successfully completed an ancient ritual to summon you here."
Naofumi felt his mouth open and then close. This ... this was too much. He half expected someone would come out saying this was all some sort of prank. But the look on the man's face was dead serious.
"Is this a joke?" A guy with blonde hair asked warily. There was a spear in his hand.
"I can assure you that this is no joke." The priest said. "We, the Three Heroes Church, have summoned you here to save the world from the waves of calamity."
"This is all so surreal." Naofumi shook his head. He still wasn't completely sure this wasn't some kind of joke.
"Shield Hero." The priest's eyes seemed to freeze when he looked at him, causing him to tense. "It is an honor to meet the cardinal heroes."
"I'm sorry, but what's this about heroes?" The guy with the spear looked annoyed.
"You are the four cardinal heroes of legend." The priest answered. "By the holy scriptures, you are the ones who will save this world from destruction!"
The guy with the spear took a moment to process that. "What?"
"This is just like a video game ..." The boy with the bow remarked. The confusion on his face was slowly being replaced by a smile. "Does that mean we'll be expected to go on some kind of quest?"
"I guess that makes sense." Naofumi said. This whole story was beginning to sound like something out of a Japanese manga. "Although, something about our situation still seems ridiculous."
"I would prefer if you do not make light of our situation." The priest said. "The fact that our world is in peril is no exaggeration."
"Ah ... sorry." He had probably been a bit rude with that last remark. "So does that mean we'll -"
The sound of the spear hitting the floor made everyone pause.
"So let me get this straight. We're supposed to be heroes that you summoned to save the world from some waves of calamity?"
"That is correct spear hero."
"I have a name." The blonde frowned. "Motoyasu Kitamura."
"Of course, lord Motoyasu."
"That ... never mind." Motoyasu sighed. "So what exactly do you want from us? If this is all real then what now?"
The priest nodded. "I can understand if you are confused. With your permission, please allow me to introduce you to his majesty. He will be able to explain things further and provide rewards for your accomplishments."
"I don't really care much about these rewards, but lead the way."
"Of course."
They followed the priest and church members. Now that the conversation was over, Naofumi had time to examine his surroundings. The room they had used to summon them didn't look like a church, but its size was massive. Sunlight trickled in through windows made of stained glass. At the center of the room was a circle decorated in intricate patterns and designs. It glowed with a faint light, probably the remnants of whatever energy they had used to summon them in the first place.
Naofumi's eyes drifted to the guy with the sword trailing behind them. He looked young, around the same age as his brother in fact. With the way the hair framed his face, it wouldn't be hard to mistake him as a girl if he had been wearing different clothes.
That wasn't what bothered Naofumi. It was the sword in his hand and the near death-grip he had on it. His face was pale and his eyes were glued to the floor.
"Are you okay?"
He blinked slowly as he took a moment to register the fact that someone was talking to him. "Yeah ..."
Naofumi frowned. The guy's hand was clutching the side of his chest. "You don't look okay."
"I'm fine." The guy said with a bit more force. Blue eyes met Naofumi causing him to take a step back.
"If you say so ..." Naofumi frowned. He didn't look fine, but it was probably best not to push the issue.
"My name is Naofumi Iwatani." Naofumi smiled as he extended his hand. The guy hesitated for a moment before taking it.
"Ren Amaki."
Naofumi smiled, even if Ren seemed a little uncomfortable with their exchange.
"It's a pretty weird situation isn't it?"
"Yeah ..."
"It's still taking me some time to process. I mean this entire situation sounds like something straight out of an anime."
"It's more like a video game." Ren sighed. "But I get your point. I never expected to be summoned."
Naofumi noticed the way his hand moved to his stomach again. It was clear that something was bothering him. Naofumi wondered if there was something he could say, but it didn't look like he wanted to speak about it.
"Hey guys! Are you coming?" The boy with the bow waved at them from down the hall.
"We'll be right there!" Naofumi shouted back before turning to Ren. "Will you be okay?"
"I'll be fine." Ren said as he walked past. Naofumi sighed as he followed him from behind.
It took Naofumi a moment to realize that they were probably in some kind of castle. It made sense given that they were going to see the king. What was interesting were the number of soldiers and servants they passed through the halls. He felt more than a little uncomfortable as they stared at them. For some reason, he felt that their eyes lingered on him a bit longer than they should have.
His eyes quickly turned toward the other guys. The boy with the bow had a smile on his face as he waved. Ren looked uncomfortable and kept his eyes locked ahead. Motoyasu ... Naofumi wasn't so sure what to think about him. He didn't look uncomfortable with the attention, but he seemed distracted.
It really was a different world. Sunlight shined through windows on stone walls weathered from age. Looking outside, he could see the fields of grass that stretched beyond the castle.
"It's different from what I expected." Ren said suddenly.
"What were you expecting?" Naofumi asked.
Ren thought for a moment. "Everything I guess. The air is a lot fresher than what I'm used to. Video games don't really capture the feeling of everything being this real."
"I was thinking the same thing." The boy with the bow smiled. "And the scenery is beautiful."
Motoyasu frowned. He didn't say anything, but Naofumi noticed the way his eyes widened when he looked outside. The view really was breathtaking. Light reflected off of rivers that shone like crystals. Further beyond the walls, he could see a city.
"Where are we?" Naofumi asked.
"Castle town. It is the capital of Melromarc." The priest replied.
"It's beautiful."
"It is." The priest hesitated. "If I might ask Shield, what exactly are your intentions in this land?"
"Shield?" Oh right, that was him. "Um ... I guess I'll be helping people. I'm not really sure what being a hero entitles and I won't be able to make a decision until I meet your king. Was there something else you wanted me to say?"
"That will be enough." The priest nodded. "Despite my misgivings, I sincerely hope that your presence in Melromarc is for the best."
Naofumi raised an eyebrow. Before he could respond, the priest had already moved ahead.
"That was strange." The boy with the bow stepped next to him.
"You could say that." Naofumi frowned. "Is it normal for everyone to be giving us this much attention?" He gestured to the people surrounding them.
"I think it's because we're all heroes." The boy commented. "In any case, I expect it's something we'll have to get used to."
"I don't think I could get used to this." Naofumi sighed.
The boy hesitated for a moment. He had gold eyes that seemed to shimmer with curiosity. Short brown hair framed his face. In his hand, he held a bow.
"Where are my manners?" The boy smiled as he extended a hand. "My name is Itsuki Kawasumi."
"Naofumi Iwatani." He shook his hand. "You seem pretty comfortable with our situation."
"I guess I'm just excited." Itsuki tilted his head. "It's not everyday you're summoned to a new world."
Naofumi sighed. "It's still taking me a lot of time to process."
He glanced down at his arm where the shield continued to hang. For some reason he couldn't take it off. The emerald in the center of the shield flickered slightly.
Itsuki frowned. "Are you not able to take that off?"
"Nope." Naofumi tried using his hand to remove the shield. "It still won't budge."
"Huh. That's strange." Itsuki lifted the bow in one hand before hanging it over his shoulder. "It looks like you're the only one with that issue. If there are still problems you could always ask one of the mages."
"Do you think this world has magic?"
Itsuki frowned. "How else could we have been summoned?"
Huh. Now that he thought about it, he made a good point. "I guess these weapons are magical as well."
"Probably." Itsuki shrugged. "I still can't figure out the purpose of the crystal in my bow, but it doesn't feel unnatural."
Naofumi nodded. Despite the shield being practically glued to his arm it didn't seem to weigh much. In fact, he found that he could adjust its position around his arm despite not being able to take it off.
Magical weapons aside, he found that he enjoyed talking with Itsuki. He seemed more relaxed than him at any rate.
"If this is anything like a video game we'll probably receive a quest." Itsuki said.
"A quest?" Naofumi smiled. "I guess we'll have to speak with the king -"
"Stop!"
The voice boomed out across the hall. It was sudden, loud, and almost had Naofumi stumbling into Ren earning him an annoyed look.
"Watch it."
"Sorry." Naofumi stepped back. "What's going on?"
Instead of responding, Ren looked to a point further down the hall. Approaching them was a young woman with red hair. She was dressed modestly compared to some of the others in the castle, but even from this distance Naofumi could tell she was beautiful. Green eyes zeroed in on their group as the woman pointed a finger in their direction.
Naofumi knew something was wrong when the entire procession came to a halt and bowed. He panicked, noticing that he and the other guys were the only ones left standing. If Naofumi noticed the other people in the hall freeze at the sight of her he didn't comment.
"Is there a problem, your highness?" The priest asked.
The woman scanned each of them for a moment, before her eyes narrowed on his shield.
"What - " She seemed to choke on her own words "Who exactly are you?"
Naofumi looked around. His head turned left and right before he realized that the she was speaking to him.
"My name is Naofumi Iwatani." He said awkwardly. "And ... I guess I'm the shield hero?"
For a moment, the woman's mouth hung wide open before closing without a sound. Anger quickly morphed into panic as she scanned the rest of their group.
"Nonono. This can't be happening ..." Her voice came out in a strangled gasp as she stumbled back.
"Um ... do you need help?" Naofumi asked.
The woman ignored him as her attention turned to the head of their group.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"I am a priest of the Three Heroes Church, your highness." The man inclined his head. "As for them, they are the cardinal heroes. They have been summoned to save this world from the waves of calamity."
"We're going to see the king." Itsuki chimed in.
"Are you here to take us to him?" Ren asked.
The woman looked furious. "What? No!" She quickly turned to the priest. "Throw them back! Send them where they came from!"
"I am afraid that I cannot do that your highness." The priest replied. "By order of his majesty, king Aultcray, I am to deliver the cardinal heroes to meet with him."
Okay, Naofumi definitely wasn't imagining it. If the mutterings from the crowds were anything before, they were nothing compared to now.
The woman's face paled. There was fear in her expression, and anger, lots of anger. Her face was practically boiling red as she took a moment to process that statement.
"Are you okay?" Naofumi stepped forward. The woman recoiled, staring at him like he was worse than the plague. He didn't know what he had done to bother her. Angry mutterings quickly grew into curses as she stormed off leaving them behind.
"Who was that?" Naofumi asked after an awkward silence.
"That was her highness, Malty Melromarc." The priest sighed. "She is the first princess of this kingdom."
"A princess huh?" Naofumi frowned. "Do you have any idea what was bothering her?"
There was a short pause as the priest turned to look at Naofumi. "I do not believe it would be wise to speculate on the princess's thoughts, Shield Hero. Now, please allow me to take you to his majesty."
"Oh right."
In the end, he never did understand what that was all about. It was clear that the princess was against their summoning. Naofumi didn't think much of it at first, but with every whisper he became more uncomfortable.
When they finally made it to the throne room, there was a small commotion. The soldiers stationed there looked confused to see them, nervous even. One of the guards stepped in front of their group, barring the way. After the priest presented some kind of seal, they reluctantly opened the doors.
Naofumi shared a glance with Itsuki. The boy met his gaze with concern, before turning his attention ahead.
When the doors opened, Naofumi was surprised by how large the throne room was. Banners hung on stone walls depicting some emblem of this country. At the center of the room was an old man sitting on a throne. His hair had already turned white and there were deep wrinkles in his skin. Despite this, his eyes carried a certain intensity as he watched them walk forward.
Naofumi felt more than a little uncomfortable when he noticed the church members stop behind them. That left him and the other guys to follow the priest ahead. There were guards lining the hall with the various nobles behind them. Their expressions were mixed. The soldiers did a better job of hiding their reactions, but the nobles were a flurry of whispers and pointed looks.
"Your majesty, it is my honor to present to you the cardinal heroes." The priest bowed.
"I see ..." The king's face was impassive as he gave each of them a long look. Naofumi couldn't help but feel like there was something wrong when the king stared at him.
The king's attention returned to the priest. "You may leave. Thank you for bringing the cardinal heroes."
"Of course." The priest inclined his head before exiting the room with the other members of the church.
As the attention of everyone in the room fell on them, Naofumi couldn't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable.
"I am Aultcray Melromarc the 32nd and the king of Melromarc." The king's voice boomed across the hall silencing all conversation. "Cardinal heroes, step forward and show me your faces."
Naofumi hesitated. It felt awkward to be taking orders from a king, but he supposed it wouldn't hurt to show a little respect. He froze when he noticed Motoyasu take a step forward.
"Your majesty."
Naofumi's mouth was left hanging open as Motoyasu bowed. After a moment, he quickly lowered his head. Ren and Itsuki followed him soon after.
"Interesting ..." The king look pleased. "Would you care to introduce yourself, sir Spear Hero?"
Motoyasu hesitated for a moment, before nodding. "My name is Motoyasu Kitamura, age 21. I'm a college student."
The king nodded before turning to Ren.
"Ren Amaki, 16 years old, high school student." Ren spoke quickly and cautiously. He hid it well, but Naofumi couldn't help but think that he was more than a little nervous. As he stepped back, Itsuki was already moving to take his place.
"Itsuki Kawasumi, 17 years old. I'm also a high school student." The younger boy smiled albeit a little nervously.
Finally, the king's attention turned to Naofumi. For a moment, he swore that the temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees. There was nothing off about the king's expression, but something about the way his eyes stared at him made him hesitate. Before he could speak, the king had already looked away.
"Sir Motoyasu, sir Ren, and sir Itsuki." The king spoke. "It is a honor to have you in my kingdom."
Naofumi frowned. Did the king just ignore him? The silence that had previously occupied the room was replaced by whispers as the nobles conversed. One of the advisors standing next to the king whispered something in his ear.
"And Shield." The king sighed. "What is your name?"
"Naofumi Iwatani, age 20." He hesitated. "I'm also a college student, your majesty."
The king nodded once before turning his attention back to the other heroes. Naofumi didn't know what he had done wrong for the king to be treating him this way. It was like he didn't even want to speak to him, but why?
As the king raised his hand, the whispers stopped.
"The reason I have gathered all of you here today is for this purpose, that I recognize the cardinal heroes. Let it be known that Melromarc supports their quest against the waves of calamity."
If the whispers were anything before, they were nothing compared to the conversations that we're happening now. The nobles and even the soldiers had mixed expressions. Many looked shocked, concerned. Naofumi caught more than a few pointed looks in his direction.
Naofumi shared a glance with the other guys. Itsuki looked nervous and Ren seemed uncomfortable. Naofumi himself felt like he was on the verge of panicking.
Why was this happening? He had no idea that news of their summoning would cause this much of a reaction. While some looked at them with interest, there expressions were ones of concern. No, that wasn't quite right. There was fear when they looked at him.
"Silence!" The conversations came to a halt as all eyes fell on the king. "I understand that there will be questions about my decision. However, as king it has always been my duty to protect the people of Melromarc."
As the king spoke, his voice carried across the room. He didn't need to raise his voice much to grab attention. Despite the age that was weathered in his face, his eyes carried a strong intensity as he looked at them.
"While there will most certainly be words from our neighbors, we cannot afford to wait while they bicker about who decides to summon which cardinal hero. By my order as king, I have summoned all cardinal heroes for the good of Melromarc, and the world."
The king leaned into his hand with a sigh "And … against my better wishes, I have also decided to summon the Shield. Despite his history in Melromarc, I sincerely hope that his presence will be for the better of the world."
And there it was, that shield. What was it that made him so special? It had only been minutes, but he could already tell that there were differences in how people treated him compared to the other guys. There was more suspicion in their gazes, more concern.
Throughout the entire meeting, the king had barely met his gaze. It was brief, but the moment the king's eyes met Naofumi he froze. The emotion behind those eyes was strong, livid, and something he couldn't quite place.
As the king looked away, Naofumi couldn't help but feel even more unsettled.
"Your majesty."
"Yes Spear Hero?"
Motoyasu hesitated for a moment. "I admit that I am more than a little confused. By your words, we are supposed to be the cardinal heroes?"
"That is correct." The king nodded. "The Spear Hero, the Sword Hero, the Bow Hero, and the Shield. You four are the ones prophesized to save the world from the waves of calamity."
Motoyasu nodded slowly. "I see ..." Naofumi didn't. "And if I might ask, what exactly are the waves of calamity?"
As the whispers submerged the court, the king's expression quickly became confused.
"Are you not familiar with this land?"
"I admit that I am a stranger to this world." Motoyasu replied. "By your own words, this is the first time we have been summoned here."
When Motoyasu turned toward them, it took Naofumi a moment to realize he was prompting them to speak.
"I've never been to Melromarc." Itsuki said.
"This is my first time." Naofumi added on.
The king nodded slowly. "I see. Since you are strangers to this world, it would make sense that you have no knowledge of it."
Well that much should have been obvious.
"Pardon me, but are we really the cardinal heroes?" Motoyasu asked skeptically.
"You have been chosen by the cardinal weapons, of that there is no doubt." The king replied firmly. "As for the reason for why you have been summoned, allow me to explain."
"Melromarc faces an unprecedented crisis. The waves of calamity threaten to destroy everything we hold dear."
As the king explained, it turned out that these waves of calamity were phenomena in which monsters would invade this world. Only a month had passed since the first wave. Between the kingdom's knights and adventurers, they had barely managed to survive.
The next wave would occur in less than three weeks. During that time, the kingdom had been mobilizing the rest of its army. However, without knowing where the waves would occur, they were forced to disperse their forces across the entire country. With the future waves said to increase in power, the kingdom had become desperate.
What was interesting was that this wasn't the first time the waves of calamity hit. In previous generations, the kingdom summoned heroes to defend them. Although, it had been several generations since the last group of heroes had been summoned.
The more Naofumi listened, the more questions he had. What were the waves and what caused them? Why were they chosen to be heroes?
"And that is why we decided to summon you here. To defend this land and save the people of Melromarc."
The kind paused. It had been a minute since Naofumi had been holding his hand up before the king acknowledged him. "Shield."
"Thank you." Naofumi stepped forward. "I have to admit that I am a little confused. What exactly are the waves and why did you choose to summon us?"
"If we were able to answer those questions, the threat of the waves would not exist." The king sighed. "As it stands, I am afraid that we do not understand why the waves occur. All we know is that every few centuries a rift will appear summoning monsters into this world. Unlike regular monsters, these creatures are without intelligence, fueled only by violence."
"As for you, it appears you are the current generation of heroes: the spear hero, the sword hero, the bow hero ... and the shield. We did not summon you specifically as the exact mechanics of the summoning are unknown even to us."
"Thank you." Naofumi stepped back.
Ren raised a hand. "So ... will we be expected to fight the waves alone?"
"We will of course do our best to support you heroes. Tomorrow, I will summon you here. We will have equipment and powerful allies ready to fight by your side."
Ren nodded slowly. It was difficult to tell what he was thinking. With the way his eyes narrowed, his expression was almost as much of a mask as the king's.
"I have a question." Itsuki said. "Will fighting the waves be the only thing that we're doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"The waves of calamity only come every few months." Itsuki explained. "We have all that time to prepare for them, but will we also be offered the chance to go on quests?"
"Of course." The king nodded. "I would not deprive the heroes the chance to assist my people. During the time between the waves, you may prepare as you see fit. Whether that be by gaining experience fighting with your party members or helping the people of this land."
Itsuki nodded satisfied. "Thank you."
Motoyasu stepped forward.
The king smiled. "Ah, sir Spear Hero, what is it?"
Motoyasu frowned. "My apologies your majesty. I understand the importance of fighting the waves of calamity." He took a deep breathe. "But is there a way for us to return home?"
Naofumi was not expecting that question.
"Legend states that some of the cardinal heroes of the past returned to their worlds after defeating the waves of calamity."
"So ... it isn't guaranteed." Motoyasu said quietly.
The king frowned. "Is there a problem Spear Hero?"
Motoyasu sighed. "My apologies your majesty. Let me make it clear that it is not my intention to abandon anyone. I only ask because ... there are some things I need to do back home."
The king's expression softened. "My apologies, Spear Hero. Your values of courage and loyalty are true to the people of your world. Let it be known that Melromarc will do all it can to assist you in finding a way to return back home."
"I see." Motoyasu's expression looked frozen.
The king scratched his beard. "I'm sorry for your circumstances, truly."
"And yet you've summoned us here." Ren remarked. "Against our will."
The king frowned. "Let me restate that Melromarc will do everything in its power to assist you, once the waves of calamity have been dealt with."
Ren's eyes seemed to harden a little before looking away. The atmosphere in the throne room felt strangely tense.
"I suppose I will have no choice to believe in the legend." Motoyasu spoke up. "And I thank you for your assistance, your majesty."
"Thank you, sir Spear Hero." The king nodded. "We will of course repay you handsomely for your deeds in this country. Let it be known that Melromarc is grateful for the sacrifices you have made."
Motoyasu nodded slowly, but Naofumi wasn't sure how much of that he caught. After hearing what he said, Naofumi couldn't help but think of home.
Finally, the king stood up. "Let it be known that Melromarc welcomes the four cardinal heroes!"
As the crowds cheered, Naofumi's thoughts drifted to his younger brother, his parents, and all the friends he would be leaving behind. It was uncertain if he would ever see any of them again, and after considering that Naofumi felt it difficult to smile.
Still, he tried his best to remain positive. This was a new world and a new opportunity to do something good with his life. He might not have felt like a hero, but in this world he had the opportunity to be a hero, the shield.
