The moment she began speaking the attention and gazes of nearly everyone, not just the students, turned to her. Her enchanting and elegant voice drew much attention, but once many of the students got a look at her, her appearance did the same and more. Prior to her speaking many of the students had been too concerned with themselves and the sudden situation they were in, a few of them were muttering amongst themselves. During the brief silence many of the students started to speak up, but that died down as Kara raised one elegant arm to gain their attention.
“I realize that you are confused and most likely are seeking answers, but please be patient.” She paused for a moment before she continued speaking in her soft and elegant voice. “This world is called Aethion, and you are in the Kingdom of Light, Blessed Kingdom of our Goddess Tamara. We have summoned you to aid us in our time of need. I hope you forgive our selfishness and find it in you to aid us. Now that I have gotten that out of the way, are there any questions you Heroes have before we begin the more in depth explanation?”
The first of the students to ask their question was Diego Montoya, a tall muscular teen of Hispanic descent. “Tell me Querida Princesa, uh Dear Princess, Is there a way for you to send us Casa, home?” He spoke in an accented voice that flared when he spoke certain words.
Kara chuckled slightly before she nodded briefly before she spoke. “We most likely will be able to, unfortunately we are not certain as during past summoning’s, nowhere near this many Heroes have been summoned before, and more magic was used to pull this off than in the past. I apologize if my chuckle offended you, but that question was essentially what the last Chosen to be summoned asked, but it was put less eloquently.”
As she finished few of the students noticed the sad yet angry look in her eyes when she mentioned the previous Hero while she was speaking. Diego nodded and resumed his position back in the crowd. Jonathan opened his mouth to speak, but paused as Theresa stepped up, with the crowd parting around her as she walked forward, she stopped as she started speaking, and one could practically feel the chill from her cold and indifferent voice. “Though you said you will give a more in depth explanation, tell me, what have you kidnapped us from our world for and why should we even help you in your endeavor?”
Though Kara responded in an amicable tone as she had previously to the others, Theresa and a few of the other students who were trained in certain ventures could sense barely contained anger, superiority, and disdain. “As I said I would get to that but seeing as how you lack the patience and graciousness of some of your compatriots I will answer you.”
As she paused several of the students held back snickers, as few would talk towards Theresa in such a manner. “We have always faced danger from Monsters and Demons and even other countries, though that has changed in the past few months. Up to 7 months ago the normal attacks we have faced from monsters and the like stopped." Kara paused as melancholy seeped into her voice as she continued.
"At first we were overjoyed, unfortunately as we let down our guards several towns were attacked at the same time and nearly entirely eradicated. We later found out that our country was not the only one to suffer such losses and to experience this strange occurrence. Every country has experienced this and in the past few months we have formed an alliance, a Coalition of sorts to defend against this threat. To fight against the Demon King, every country is mustering their forces; we have used the secret Summoning Ritual granted to us by Our Goddess to that end. Does that answer your question?”
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Theresa nodded slightly and gave a cold smirk before she turned around and walked back into the crowd, who parted around her once more. At the smirk several of the guards who saw it became slack faced and just stared after her as she walked back into the parted students. Many of the students had similar reactions as even though her smirk was cold; it was still a rarity for many to see. It transformed her indifferent look into something hauntingly beautiful. The Princess frowned briefly and shook her head as one of the guards behind the crowd move forward to apprehend Theresa.
She then continued speaking in her elegant voice; it lacked the tone it had when she spoke to Theresa. “Seeing as how I have already explained that far, I might as well continue shouldn’t I.” She paused for a moment as a few of the students chuckled at that. “Some of you may have noticed already, but you now have a status screen much like that of some games in your world we have been told. If you speak status into your mind, or out loud it will appear in front of you, for the most part it is only visible to you unless you choose to share it with others or someone uses a skill such as Identify or Appraisal to see it.”
“I’m a Paladin—My class is that of a Ninja--.” Many statements similar to those two could be heard as many of the students started to check out their Status Screens they exclaimed their findings.Many of the students were excited, as the terms used for the Classes invoked a sense of anticipation for what adventures they might face.
Kara once again raised an arm to get the attention of everyone. “I am glad to see that some of you are excited about the changes and Blessings the Summoning has brought to you. I will need you all to get into an orderly mob and then when we call on you to say your Name and your Class. While this might seem strange to you, it is so that we can determine what path your training will go and who will train you, so that you can get stronger faster.”
She stopped speaking to let them begin; the first to speak was Jonathan Adams. “Jonathan Adams, Class Hero of Light.” At his words many of the assembled people glanced at him, as though others had impressive classes, he was the only legitimate 'Hero' among them, so far.
The next was Diego who spoke in his accented voice concisely. “Diego Montoya, Conquistador, I think.” After he spoke several of the other students spoke up as well. Many of the students were Fighters or Archers or some variation thereof. The first two to speak had rather unique and impressive classes. Unknown to them a scribe was copying down the more unique classes in secret, while another one was copying all of the classes.
Name Class Theresa Marietta Nicoletti Frost Witch (Elemental Archon of Ice) Hasegawa Mina ShadowBlade Dancer Jonathan Adams Hero of Light Gerard Silverman Magnetic Mage Diego Montoya Conquistador/Armored Blast Mage Tracie Bronson Elemental Archmage Richard J. Davidson Battlemage Krystal Jackson Beast Enchantress Jacyn White WarCrafter
After their questions were answered and everyone had calmed down, many of the students separated into their own groups to look at their Status Screens more in depth. Though they pretty much knew what class everyone was due to the sharing they had earlier. Though many of them were in their own groups, they were small, more students were gathered around the ones who had the more impressive Classes, probably to pander to them and gain some semblance of security in this strange world.
Theresa and Mina were both separated from the others, though that did not mean they were separated entirely. They were in a corner of the room speaking to one another, although they were secluded many of the students and the Guards eyed them both, as the their appearances and auras seemed to change as they spoke, the mocking coldness and indifference they had sported was absent as they delighted in each other’s company.
Unknown to this group of students they were not the only beings summoned this day, nor were they the only ones that were summoned recently. In adjacent and nearby Kingdoms, similar summoning rituals were taking place at the same time. Nor were all these rituals were the same though, nor were the people summoned by them. Centuries later this series of summoning’s would be known as the Dawn of the Chosen. It would mark the dawn of a new Era for Aethion, though it would not be all fun and games for all those involved. That however is a long story for another time.