A man paces an impossible office while a doll twirls in excitement, because today was the day. Sure it had only been last night he was talking to her about possibly taking a Hero or two while he was out. It was a great idea, to the point Nicki wondered why he didn’t think of it before. Except, it was all happening so fast.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” Nicki asked the bouncing doll again. She had been restless ever since he asked her if she wanted to do this. Bouncing talked about how the atmosphere was just as important to putting new Heroes at ease. How she needed to get a new wardrobe. To Nicki she had made some good points, but he had some doubts.
Drystia bobbed up and down on the desk, “I’m ready!”
He stared at her anxiously, “Maybe we should do one more Hero together.”
“NO.” She denied him so vehemently that it startled him. “I know what to do, and you have your own task.” She said switching to her larger Amazonian form. She began to direct him towards the door.
Seeing he lost his case before it began started to mention some last minute things, “Don't forget about the tutorial. Or the armory. Those should be in the app to.”
“Yes I know.” She said this time more gentle, “You walked me through it enough times last night.”
The two were standing at the door as Nicki looked down unable to look at her. “I know. I know I'm just a bit nervous.” Nicki was terrified of not only setting her up to do this, but also of seeing what it really meant to make a Hero. She would do an amazing job. Yet.
“It's ok.” She smiled down at him as she lifted Nicki and placed him on the other side of the door.
“Text me if you have any questions, or call. Ill help best I can.” He said lamely.
“Text? Can the app text?” She asked lifting up the tablet.
Did I not give her- . “Wait no. Here.” Nicki ran into the apartment and came back with a brand new name brand phone. “I almost forgot to give this to you.”
Drystia looked down at the phone in disbelief. “A real phone. For me?” Nicki nodded/ With almost reverence she grabbed the phone from my hand. “I-I Thank you.”
Surprised by how touched she was he replied with a smile. “Your welcome.”
Then she shut the door leaving him back in his apartment. with a binder sitting on his bed, filled with six spells that would work and a few he thought might have a chance, and a couple that were very conditional.
Maybe I should. He lifted his hand towards the door nob feeling anxious about going out alone. No she's got this. And you've been out plenty of times on your own since you've been back. Despite her only being a door away. He took in a few breaths trying to calm himself. You can do this.
#
A woman in plain clothes stands in line at a coffee shop waiting for her turn. Her mind, a million miles away, as the world constantly shifts just out of phase with reality. Ghostly images; fleeting and momentary overlaying reality only to vanish the moment she tries to focus.
“Mam?” A young woman asks Ali
Alice snapped back into focus looking down to the much to chipper barista. She must have been looking at the menu longer than she thought if they had to snap her out of it. She was just about to apologize when she looked back at the girl behind the counter for a moment she swears she saw her skin sparkle a rainbow of colors like freckles across her face. Only for them to vanish the next second. She froze, wondering how tired she really was, or if that had been weird
“Didn’t mean to startle you.” The barista giggled awkwardly.
“It’s alright. Just a little…slow in the morning.” She said sheepishly.
“It’s alright what can I get you?”
She gave her normal order for a latte and a scone.
“That will be 11.50 and can I have your name?” She asked holding a cup and pen.
Alice handed her her card and nearly dropped it when she looked back to give her, her card. Only to see the sparkle again.
She must have been staring as the barista looked uncomfortable. Alice felt her face flush as she swiped her card, and was about to walk away when she had stopped her.
“Mam name?
“Alice.”
“Ok, Alice well get that right out for you.”
“Thanks.” She muttered, feeling mortified. When the larger implications of what she just saw her heart quickened as she sat. She closed her eyes trying to calm herself down. The world is bigger than you think Alice. You are not going crazy. It’s just the book waking you up to the world.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
The visions weren’t the only things since she started reading the book. Lately, she had actually felt more alive, and healthier than ever. Though recently she had been putting off a horrid stench after making it halfway through the book. It was a smell that could have been used as a biological weapon. Not to mention the weird black dandruff that flaked off her skin when she would sit down to read. It got to the point she read the book in the shower itself, just so she wouldn’t gag. She was seriously hoping it was the book causing this as if it was anything else then she seriously needed a doctor.
Thankfully just an extra shower or three cleared up any remaining scent, or so she thought. Gerald down at the surveillance house had a sharp nose, even asking her not to take a dip in the sewer. None of the others could smell it but she made sure to exfoliate after every session now to make sure she didn’t smell.
He would still crinkle his nose when she got close but at this point, Alice just thinks he’s an ass.
The rest of her morning journey was rather ordinary. She grabbed her latte and scone and made her way to the surveillance house. Checked in, and sat down at the monitors. Everyone looked bored and ready for relief.
“Anything new?” She asked expecting something weird again.
“He actually left the apartment,” Gerald said sounding tired. “Mercer is tailing him.”
“Really? It’s been what three days?” Gerald nodded “Any more of the...”
“What?”
“You know.” Makes a gesture of casting a spell.
“No none of the ritual shit. He did have a binder though maybe that filled with all his spells.” He said mockingly.
Alice laughed, at the idea of spells being kept in a cheap office binder. “Bet he has them in those clear sheets. You know keep the blood off.”
The two laughed at the absurdity.
#
A little doll is frantically running around an office straightening books and organizing files. The place needed to be perfect for her first official hero. If her heart beat it would be beating out of her chest in excitement, possibly having a panic attack. Drystia, every so often in her preparations found herself twirling in anticipation. She knew it was going to be so much fun. She was going to help so many people and make the greatest Heroes ever. She would even take more the one Hero in a day. She didn’t know how Nicki justified a single Hero a day. It was just lazy.
Then it happened her tablet dinged as a manila folder materialized on the desk. She was halfway across the office when she scrambled to get a look. She didn’t even trip on her dress especially not next to the chair where she tumbled upside down into the chair. She had totally meant to do that. Straightening herself she grabbed the folder and took a quick look at the tablet curious. He didn’t say the tablet would ding.
The screen showed a timer and below it said: Hero will auto-arrive in five minutes—open the app to accept now.
She squealed in excitement as she quickly opened the folder to read about her new Hero.
Name: Dafydd Llwyd
Age: 14
Sex: Male
The folder went on to explain his background. Hopes, dreams, of one day becoming a hero. How he lead a paranormal club at his school even leading a couple expeditions to a haunted house or two. It even showed what he had been doing right before he was taken. He had been hit by a truck on his way home.
She quickly skimmed the folder, knowing she wouldn’t be able to read the entire thing in five minutes. She looked at the tablet wondering if the option to experience the final moments of Dafydd like Nicki did. However, that terrified her a bit. The way he described the experience for lack of a better term was intense. With the way he looked after assimilating she believed him.
When she looked down at the tablet feeling she had the information she needed, Drystia noticed barely two minutes passed. Slowly, so slowly, the time ticked down. She constantly rearranged herself from sitting in the chair, standing on it, or the desk. Only to finally settle on sitting on the edge of the desk. Still, it was all happening too slowly. She grabbed the tablet and accepted the transfer.
A young skinny teenager appeared across the desk. His eyes were completely vacant. He sat there unmoving, Drystia had seen this a bunch of times, watching Nicki. The Heroes always took a minute to come back to themselves.
Dafydd blinked and began to move slowly, “Where?”
“Hello! Welcome to Hero Inc!” Drystia’s voice was loud.
The boy winced, “Hero Inc?” He asked still confused his head searching for something.
Drystia waved, “Hello, I will be your Hero placement agent.”
“AHHHH!” The teen began to scream, as he fell back in his chair.
He must be remembering the truck. Drystia hopped down to help Dafydd only for him to crab walk backward as fast as he could away from her.
She frowned. This was not going how she’d expected. The boy was scrambling against the wall trying to open the locked office door. She was quite proud she thought of that after what Nicki said happened with the Djinn. Dafydd was breathing fast his eyes panicked as he frantically scanned the room. “What what?” Drystia lifted a hand to help calm him down when he shouted, “Stay away!”
In an attempt to calm him down, she made her way back to the desk and hopped up. Calmly and as soothing as she could, “It’s ok. Calm down. No one is going to hurt you.”
“I was walking.” It took a moment for Drystia to realize he was just talking to himself. “Then there was a light. Now a talking doll.” He looked up at her his eyes still terrified. Tears fell on his cheeks.
“It’s ok. They.
“Did I get taken by aliens? Are you an alien? Is that why you’re a doll to put me at ease with something familiar.” He seemed to be calming down at the thought of being abducted.
Weird guy. “Technically, I am an alien.” She thought about it more, “I think?”
“Are you going to study me and then send me back with no memory?”
"Sorry no. Not an alien abduction and I’m just a doll.”
Confusion seemed to override the boy’s panic as he asked, “Then what?”
How could she explain it in the simplest? “Well, You’re dead.”
The boy began to scream again.
She had to cover her ears at how loud he was this time. Why did you say that Drystia? All you had to do was say isekai. His damn file said he was familiar with it. But Noooo you just had to blurt out he was dead.
#
Nicki thought he looked insane going to the park to do ritual magic. What he didn’t expect was that as he made his way into a more private area in the woods off the main path, was to find other people doing the exact same thing. He even felt woefully unprepared by some of the rituals and camps. Cow skulls hanging on large leather tents, effigies, cauldrons, and groups of people holding hands chanting.
Sure most were just goth teenagers trying there own form of witchcraft, but only once or twice did he see someone looking desperate. The others just appeared to be having fun. Once or twice he did see the tell tale wisps of mana around a working but only a tiny amount. If it wasn’t for the fact he knew his spells would work much better then there's he might have even asked for advice.
Instead he just made his way deeper into the woods he need a rotten log for his first spell, or really just a group of mushrooms with a small mycelium network. As he walked deeper in he had one odd thought. Should I get a robe?
* * *