Inside a ruined, abandoned monastery within the forest, I drew a magic circle on cracked brick floor, on a spot where light fell through the open broken roof. I drew it with my blood, which I had gathered little by little daily.

Upon adding a final stroke with my crimson spilled pointing finger, the magic circle was finished. All that was left was for me to power it with my mana.

I gulped.

The fate of the world rests in your hands, Sefia.

This magic’s success: in summoning a fourteenth otherworlder, would be crucial to prevent impending catastrophes.

Though I was nervous; though I feared failure, I had to activate the magic. I placed my right hand on the summoning circle, then closed my eyes. I imagined a spark from within my heart, the place where the soul resided, and imagined it coursing through my blood vessel and onto my right hand.

I opened my eyes, poured my mana, and the summoning circle began glowing.

Initially, it was a dim glow that was hardly visible. So unnoticeable, that I thought I had failed. But, as seconds passed, the luminance grew brighter and brighter. Until it shone to a point where—to my eyes—it was as bright as the sun: a ruthless, blinding light.

Being inside this white space—reminded me of my conversation with the goddess in my dream.

*

Whenever I met the goddess in my dream, it was always in a space of white. Up, down, left, right, frontward, and backward, all I could see was a space of white that stretched beyond measure. A place where I always felt an odd sense of calm eeriness.

There, the goddess had appeared before me, her figure was a pitch-black silhouette, whose features I could not distinguish. Her silhouette was of neutral gender, and I called her goddess because her voice was feminine.

‘The fate of the world rests in your hands, Sefia,’ she had told me. ‘You’ll need to guide that fourteenth otherworlder whom you’ll summon. Without, he would create a catastrophe that’s far worse than what I’ve prophesied.’

‘Goddess, with all due respect, if he’s that dangerous, why would you risk summoning him?’

The goddess didn’t give an immediate response. I couldn’t distinguish her facial features, but I assumed that she was staring at me, thinking whether to answer my question.

Perhaps I’ve overstepped my boundaries, I had thought. I should retract my que—

‘In time,’ the goddess said, her tone happy, ‘you will get the answer on your own.’

*

As the light slowly faded, I was brought back to reality: that I had summoned the fourteenth otherworlder inside the ruined monastery. My vision was still a blur because of the blinding shine, but I could spot a figure standing atop the summoning circle. Though I couldn’t perceive the figure’s details yet, I could still use appraisal on him. Thus, I did.

Name : [][][][][]

Species : Human

Level : 0

Defense : 236/414

Mana : 22/51

Title : Otherworlder, Brigand King

Affinity : -

Skill : -

Him being a level 0 wasn’t surprising; every otherworlders who had yet to attune their souls started from level 0. What was surprising was that his defense was at 414! That was four times more when compared to an average person such as a farmer or merchant!

Not to mention—he had mana. His mana was at 51, which was equal to the mana capacity of a toddler, but otherworlders like him weren’t supposed to have mana at level 0!

Maybe, I thought, the reason why the goddess had chosen him is because of his extraordinary stats…!

I couldn’t repress a smile imagining his status’s growth once he attuned his soul with mine and gain levels. He would be the most ideal person to prevent the impending catastrophe.

No, Sefia, I shook my head, remember what the goddess said: that he could be the one causing worser catastrophe. I need to guide him.

My vision was coming back to me, and I could finally see the fourteenth otherworlder—

He’s a child?!

The fourteenth otherworlder, the person standing atop the summoning circle, was a boy who—by the looks of it—was perhaps fourteen of age, two years younger than I was. He had short white hair which was stained by crimson, and silver eyes that had abyssal depth. Dripping down his forehead was blood, which spoiled his gray yukata with red.

I had initially thought that this was a poor child who had suffered abuse, and that the goddess had made a mistake in summoning him. But, on his right hand was a short katana, dripping with fresh blood.

Presumably the blood of his enemies.

236/414 and 22/51. I looked at his stats again. Was he in a fight?

Regardless, just staring at him would yield no progress between us. Thus, I took the initiative.

‘Welcome, otherworlder, to Regalia. My name is Sefia Alcor and may I know your name?’ Normally I asked names due to common courtesy, but in this case, I asked because I genuinely wanted to know. The result of my appraisal didn’t show his name for some unknown reason.

He looked around, assessing his surrounding, seeing that he was inside a monastery with cracked walls and open roof, and checking behind to determine if I was talking to him. Only then did he reply: ‘I forgot.’

‘You… forgot?’ I asked with concern. If there was a gap in his memory, it could be faulted because of the summoning. It would be bad if he remembered nothing about himself.

He shrugged. ‘Everyone’s been calling me boss, or king, or emperor.’

Hearing the explanation, I was lost for words, unsure whether him forgetting his name meant a positive or negative fact. On one hand that meant his titles were simply that important, on another hand he might be too easy-going.

Perhaps tired of standing, he lowered himself and sat down on the brick floor.

He had folded his legs, placed an elbow on his knee, and rested a cheek on his palm. His silver eyes stared at me, observing me.

‘Thanks, Sefia, I guess,’ he said.

‘What for?’

‘Nothing.’ He started leaning sideways and dropped to the ground. Then turned so that his back rested on the brick and his sight was at the blue skies.

So carefree, I thought.

‘When you called me otherworlder, I thought you’re messed up in the head—no offense intended, Sefia—but that bird flying up there, I don’t think that’s even a bird. So, I suppose you’re not insane and I’m actually in another world.’

My initial impression of him that he was a laid-back character, but it seemed that I was judging a grimoire by its cover. Hidden behind his lax attitude is a calm mind that’s able to quickly adapt.

‘What’s the name of that creature, anyway?’ He pointed.

Where I was at, I couldn’t see the skies. So, I approached him, then looked up. In the skies was a black dot which I couldn’t recognize. ‘I don’t know, it’s too far to tell.’

‘I think it’s coming closer.’

The black dot was indeed increasing in size. ‘I think you’re right.’

We both stared at the creature, which grew closer and closer at an alarming rate. Until I could distinguish its shape, identify its species, and realize that it was heading toward us.

‘We need to run!’ I shouted.

I turned toward the otherworlder, concerned because danger was approaching, but it seemed that concern was unwarranted. Because when I looked atop the summoning circle, there was no one.

He had bolted out before even hearing my warning.

If he had realized faster, he could’ve warned me!! I protested in my mind.

The creature crashed down into the monastery, quaking the ground beneath my feet, pushing me away by the force of its landing, raising a screen of dust which got into my eyes. Immediately, I rubbed my eyes, and when the dust screen settled, I was standing face to face against a wyvern.

Name : -

Species : Wyvern

Level : 19

Defense : 3512/3412

Mana : 1279/1279

Title : Tamed Creature

Affinity : Fire

Skill :

* Protective Scales

Halve the damage received from sharp weapons.

The wyvern roared; its voice shook the air.

Though it was not a dragon, it was still a being to be reckoned. Its tail was a destructive whip, its claws tore flesh like butter, its skin tough, and its small size—at least when compared to a dragon, though it was still three times my height—was meant for speed and agility than strength.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Why would a wyvern come here?

‘Where’s the fourteenth otherworlder?’ a masculine voice came from the wyvern. I was surprised, because wyvern wasn’t supposed to be capable of speech, but it seemed that someone had rode on the wyvern. The figure showed himself, someone with dark-purple skin and long pointy ears, wearing a black robe.

Name : Fel Kard

Species : Dark Elf

Level : 22

Defense : 953/953

Mana : 1894/1894

Title : Tamer, Otherworlder’s Underling

Affinity : Darkness

Skill :

* Manipulator

Increased success rate when using control magic.

He looked at me, eyelids half closed, disappointed.

Fel Kard sighed, ‘I came here for the fourteenth otherworlder because I’ve sensed summoning magic, but it seemed that he’s perceptive of danger. Regardless, you must be his guide, and killing you here would be beneficial. Go, wyvern.’

The wyvern heeded his order. Its throat began to glow a fiery red, which surged toward its mouth. Its sharp eyes were seeing me as prey.

Flame Roar (Lv. 3)

Harsh flames traveled toward me; it took all my might to jump sideways and dodge the attack. Looking at the destruction that it had caused: of the melting bricks which had been behind me, it seemed that not even my bones would be left behind if I took that attack head on.

Because of the surging flames being a screen between me and Fel Kard, I was able to hide and recoup myself.

The dark elf’s title was “Otherworlder’s Underling”, he had come here because he sensed summoning magic, and was aiming for the fourteenth. It was possible that someone, the gods or other otherworlders, had caught wind of the goddess’s prophecy and was aiming to foil the fourteenth from stopping the catastrophes.

Hiding behind a rubble, faced with the rough start of my task as a guide, I muttered under my breath, ‘This is bad...’

‘Sure is.’ Beside me was the otherworlder I had summoned.

‘Fourteenth!’ I whispered; in my surprise I had referred him as Fourteenth. ‘I thought you’ve already bolted from here!’

‘There’s an invisible barrier around this place that blocks me from escaping,’ he said calmly. ‘Seems like defeating those two is the only way out.’ He then noticed that I was staring at him with awe. ‘What?’

‘I just thought it’s amazing how you’re able to remain calm.’

He sighed, then raised his hand, showing that it was trembling. ‘You’re the one who remains calm, even though you just dodged that fire.’

‘A game of hunt and prey, is it?’ declared the dark elf aloud. ‘Very well!’

The wyvern let out another roar of flame, at the opposite side of where we were hiding.

I realized that the time we currently had was valuable, and this was the perfect opportunity for me to tune his soul. Once he became level one and unlock his skill, he might be able to defeat them.

‘Fourteenth, I’ll need to tune your soul.’

He was popping his head and peeking at the wyvern and dark elf. ‘Pass.’

‘What do you mean pass?! Listen, once your soul is tu—’

‘It sounds like a chore.’

I shook my head in disbelief. Are you for real??

The wyvern had let out another roar of flame, fortunately not at the side where we were hiding. The heat inside was slowly rising to a scorching level.

‘Fourteenth,’ I said with all seriousness, ‘you can’t beat them without tuning your soul.’

‘Yeah, yeah.’ He bent down, picked a broken brick from the ground, then swung his arm and threw at the dark elf, hitting the back of his head. What is he doing?? Then, he grabbed the collar of my robe—Wait, what??—and tossed me out from our hiding place. ‘Try not to die.’

I tripped on the unsteady ground and fell frontward with a slide. He just tossed me out!!

The dark elf glanced over his shoulder and spotted me.

‘Er—hello,’ I said.

‘Seems like you have a death wish,’ he said with an irritated tone, his hand was easing the pain from the thrown brick. ‘Burn her.’

The wyvern’s throat glowed a fiery red.

Not again…!

Flame Roar (Lv. 3)

Pushing the ground with my hands and legs, I jumped to the side. The blaze of fire which I dodged by a hair’s breadth radiated a scorching heat that burned my skin. I might not have received the full impact of that attack, but I was still sustaining damage. After that dodge, it was as if my strength had been burnt to crisp. I fell to the ground and could hardly move.

If the wyvern was to launch its attack again, there would be no dodging another one at my current state.

I’m in deep trouble.

There I was, stuck inside a burning monastery; faced against a wyvern. Presumably having been used by Fourteenth as a bait.

‘It’s a shame that the otherworlder you summoned possessed no heroic qualities. Else he would’ve showed himself to save you. Regardless,’ Fel Kard shrugged, ‘I’ll cut my losses with your death. Go, wyvern. Burn her.’

The creature obeyed. I could see its throat glowing a fiery red.

It was then I realized an oddity.

Fourteenth had told me that this abandoned monastery had been surrounded by a barrier that blocked his escape. Using me as bait wouldn’t do him any good, unless if he was counting on the dark elf’s carelessness—that he would drop the barrier after killing me. But then… he had told me… ‘Seems like defeating those two is the only way out.’

It was then, right at the moment as the wyvern was gathering fire, Fourteenth appeared from the shadows—the opponents’ blind spot—with his short katana. He gripped the handle with both hands and ran up a huge rubble, using it as a ramp. Just before the wyvern was about to unleash its roar of flame, Fourteenth jumped and swung his sword.

‘No!’ I shouted. His attack wouldn’t work. His sword was a normal sword made of iron, and the wyvern’s skill, Protective Scales, would protect it from—

The blade connected and made a cut on the wyvern’s throat.

—his sword. What??

The sight made my eyes open wide.

He just inflicted a cut on the wyvern! With his iron sword!

How?? I questioned. But there was a more pressing matter at hand.

Flame Roar was a magic attack that was inherent to wyvern with fire affinity. This magic attack was biological; therefore, before the wyvern could unleash the specific attack, it had to first gather fire and had it course through its throat.

The process took only a moment, and normally a wyvern could stop voluntarily.

But because Fourteenth had taken that wyvern by surprise, it didn’t stop its Flame Roar in time. The fire it gathered, which was supposed to be contained, now had an outlet due to the cut, and it began to leak out.

A burst of flame spread out, burning the wyvern’s vicinity: itself and the dark elf included.

Fourteenth had landed a lethal critical hit with his sword.

… Wait! It’s not the time to be amazed!

‘Fourteenth!’ I called out. He might be burned by the flames that had erupted. ‘Fourteenth!’

I picked myself up, then with my remaining strength walked as fast as I could toward Fourteenth.

I had thought that he had used me as bait, intended to sacrifice me for himself. But had he done the opposite? Did he sacrifice himself for me? No. I was supposed to be his guide. He couldn’t be dying here.

‘Fourteenth!’ I called out again, desperate.

When I was close, I saw what remained of Fourteenth. He was—perfectly fine.

‘I feel hungry…’ he said, holding his stomach with his hand. His kimono had been partly burnt, but all in all he wasn’t badly hurt. Just scorched from the heat like I was.

‘Are you just lucky or did you… fall here on purpose?’ I asked.

The place where Fourteenth had fallen was a sunken ground, with a big rubble that protected him from the burst of flame that had just occurred. Had the flames had more intensity, he would have melted along with the rubble. But that wasn’t the case.

He stared at me.

‘All of it was luck,’ he said. ‘I was lucky there was a big rubble for me to jump from, lucky that the wyvern nor dark elf spotted me, and lucky that there’s a perfect landing spot. All I did was just—grasping the only opportunity.’

That could hardly be called luck. I smiled.

Relieved, my knees weakened, and I fell to the ground on my bottom.

Just to be extra sure of his condition, I used appraisal on him.

Name : [][][][][]

Species : Human

Level : 0.5

Defense : 67/514

Mana : 0/61

Title : Otherworlder, Brigand King, Fourteenth

Affinity : -

Skill :

* Untuned Soul

Can tune one’s own soul. Soul can only be tuned by oneself.

Level 0.5? Untuned Soul?

The only explanation I could think of for his change of status could only be because he had slayed the wyvern, and its soul influenced his growth. However, since Fourteenth’s soul hadn’t been tuned, it caused that odd level and that—peculiar skill.

Due to my tiredness, I chose not to dwell on it too much. Instead…

Will everyday be like this with him around and me as his guide? I could only wonder.

‘Sefia,’ he called, ‘can you cook?’

‘Er… I can’t.’

Fourteenth groaned.

‘But I know how to pick good fruits and mushroom! And if we reach settlements, I’ll treat you to a good restau—’

‘Does wyvern meat taste great?’ he cut me.

‘… I think it’s too burnt to be eaten.’

‘I’m hungry…’

‘I’ll get us food after getting a slight rest.’

His hunger was infectious, because now I was also hungry.

Fourteenth, sensing something, broke eye contact and stared toward the wyvern’s direction. Where we were at, we couldn’t see the wyvern due to the big rubble which had protected him. Are they still alive? My mind expected the worst, and my heart skipped a beat.

It was then, a burnt hand grasped the top of the rubble, surprising me. The dark elf’s burnt head came into view, and he stared down toward us with hostility.

‘I’ve been… bested…’ he croaked. ‘But the others… won’t be…’ he let out a snicker. ‘The prophecy… shan’t be… prevented…’

Having spent his last energy, he crumbled to ashes, and the wind carried him away.

‘… Fourteenth,’ I said, ‘I still owe you an explanation about your summon.’

He didn’t respond. He was still staring at spot on the rubble where the dark elf had crumbled to ashes.

‘Fourteenth?’

He turned his head toward me. ‘Hm? Are you referring to me?’

‘Right. We never discussed how I should call you.’ In the literal heat of the previous situation, I had decided by myself to call him Fourteenth. ‘What name do you want to be referred to as?’

‘Fourteenth is fine,’ he said.

‘But that’s not a name,’ I argued.

‘I don’t want to bother picking a name. And, by the sound of it, you’re already used to calling me Fourteenth.’

‘We should really figure a better name.’

‘Fourteenth is fine.’

‘… If you say so.’ I let the matter go. There was a more important discussion. ‘About your summon—’

‘I don’t want to talk about it without food. I’m hungry.’

‘But—’

‘I’m hungry.’

*

Sitting on a stump outside in the forest, where the light shone through the leaves and where the breeze was comfortable, Fourteenth ate the grape which I had picked. It was called crimson-grape due to its color, and it tasted sweet. Seeing his delight after taking a few bites, I believed that he liked it.

‘Can we talk about the summon now?’ I asked him.

‘Sure,’ he said. Finally.

‘I suppose I’ll start from the very beginning. Fourteenth, you’re not the only otherworlder in Regalia; there are thirteen other otherworlders beside you. They were summoned here before by gods with the purpose to bring prosperity to Regalia. Each were handpicked; therefore, each has their own special skills.

‘Goddess Noira, the one I follow, had prophesied that at least one of the thirteen otherworlders would bring catastrophes into this world. Her solution to prevent this prophecy is by summoning a fourteenth otherworlder, you, Fourteenth.’

Fourteenth continued eating his grape, eyes wandering toward a passing butterfly. He appeared as if he wasn’t paying attention, but I believe he was still listening. After all, he had shown that under his carefree attitude was a capable character.

‘You and I are tasked to judge the thirteen otherworlders, whether they would potentially bring catastrophes, and deal with them accordingly to prevent the prophecy.

‘I had thought that this task would be relatively simple, but it seemed that—judging from the dark elf and wyvern who attacked us—there are opposing forces who wanted the prophecy to come true. The road ahead will be tough, but I’m sure that we’ll get through it. You and I can prevent the prophecy from coming true.’

I stared at him with trust.

‘Pass,’ he said flippantly.

Pass?? I blinked.

‘Catastrophes will—’

‘Don’t care.’

‘You were chosen to—’

‘Never agreed to it.’

‘Regalia—’

‘Not my world.’

For the first time ever since a long time, I was growing frustrated. I suppose, technically he was in the right, since he never agreed to it, but that didn’t mean that he could casually ignore Regalia just like that! Show some concern! Or at least hear me out!

I pinched the space between my eyes.

I think I’m getting headaches.

I glanced at Fourteenth and saw that he was observing me. Was he gauging my reactions? Was he testing me? I—couldn’t tell.

‘… I want to go back, Sefia,’ he said. Having finished the crimson-grape, he threw the branch aside. ‘There are fascinating things in this world: magic, creatures, food. But I don’t belong here.’ Is that why he refused to tune his soul before? Because he didn’t want to be a part of Regalia? All things considered: I was in the wrong for not listening to him to begin with, for not trying to understand him. ‘I belong back in my own world. Not to mention, I have some unfinished business there. Can you bring me back?’

‘That’s… I’m sorry. You can’t go back until you’ve finished your task: to prevent the prophecy.’

Fourteenth stared at me for a while, then tilted his head up and let out an audible sigh. ‘Fine, fine. I’ll take the task. Here I thought I could convince you to bring me back, so I don’t have to bother with that troublesome prophecy. Looking back, I should have added some tears…’

Added some tears? ‘Was that—an act?!’

‘Whatever.’ He shrugged. ‘Anyway, let’s get on with it. The sooner the better.’

He stood up and stretched his arms backwards.

I thought I had begun to understand Fourteenth, but it seemed that his character wasn’t as simple as I thought it was. I still questioned why the goddess had chosen to summon him to Regalia, but I knew:

In time, I’ll get my answer.

I smiled, then stood up.

As his guide, it was my responsibility to make sure that he was on the right path, and I intended to take my role seriously. This was my beginning with Fourteenth, on our task to prevent the goddess’s prophesied catastrophes.

‘Let’s go.’