A bright, golden light envelops a large area of the mountains. When it vanishes, a tour bus stands amidst the rocks. Everyone looks around, but they can only see mountains stretching endlessly, where the heat is absurd despite the altitude. Gabriel stands and speaks to the students:
"Everyone stay calm. I'm going outside to check the place. Don't leave the bus!" He then turns to the driver: "Please keep an eye on everyone, Mr. Wagner."
"Of course, no problem."
Upon exiting the bus, Gabriel notices something bizarre. There were no roads nearby, not even a trail. "How did we get here? There's no road! What kind of godforsaken place is this?" Rocky mountains surround them on all sides. As he approaches an edge, Gabriel realizes they're halfway up one of these mountains, yet there's no way this bus could have driven up there. His heart pounds with anxiety and fear of this unknown landscape. "What are we going to do? My phone has absolutely no signal," Gabriel says, growing increasingly worried.
Just then, one of the mothers accompanying the group approaches him.
"Excuse me, Mr. Gabriel, what is this place?"
"I'm trying to figure that out too, Ms. Mara. But I still have no idea, and to make matters worse, my phone has no signal at all."
"Mine too. No GPS, no cell service. How are we supposed to know where we are?"
"I guess we'll have to walk until we find a gas station or something. But I don't see any roads nearby. In fact, I can see water in one direction, wilderness in another, and mountains in all the others. Things are pretty complicated."
"How could the driver have gotten so lost?"
Gabriel, surprised by the woman's calmness, struggles to hide his worry. He has no idea where they are, and he can't for the life of him come up with a decent plan to get everyone out safely. "Honestly," he states, "I don't think that's the case. I don't remember us going up this high to be on a mountain like this, nor do I recall mountains of this type on our route. Plus, it feels like a volcano, it's so hot here."
Meanwhile, inside the bus, the students haven't yet realized the trouble they're in. Some decide to take photos of the area and end up wandering nearby, further complicating the situation.
"Amanda, are you just going to sit there? Let's go outside and take a look. This looks like it's going to take a while," says a girl approaching her.
"Nah, Sensei Gabriel said we should stay on the bus, and I want to be 100% when we get there. You guys should settle down a bit too," Amanda replies.
"Ugh, come on, don't be such a bore, Miss Goody Two-Shoes," the other girl says, rolling her eyes.
"Sorry, Rae, I'm not in the mood," Amanda replies, closing her eyes again.
At that moment, a resounding crash shakes the entire bus, and shouts erupt. Amanda jumps, looking around frantically, trying to see what's happening. Looking out the window, she sees something that makes her believe she's dreaming: A group of enormous red lizards attacking the bus. They appear from various directions, surrounding the group. Regis, usually so talkative, is pale and paralyzed, his eyes fixed on one of the monsters scratching the side of the bus with its sharp claws.
Gabriel sprints towards the students who had strayed from the bus, to help them. However, before he could reach them, one of the lizards unleashes a flaming breath at the kids, who have no time to react and are instantly carbonized. A wave of hysteria sweeps through the bus. Luca tries to force the door open in a desperate attempt to escape, while Sarah grips Amanda's hand, knuckles white, without taking her eyes off the door. The sound of screams mixes with bestial roars and the shriek of twisting metal.
Gabriel is paralyzed with shock as the others descend into despair. Completely losing their minds, some decide to run out, only to be devoured by other lizards that hadn't approached the bus yet. Seeing more young people killed by these monsters, Gabriel snaps out of his trance and rushes back to the bus, yelling:
"Get in the bus! All of you, run to the bus!"
"Come on, hurry!" Amanda shouts from the window, trying to help.
"Move, guys, let's go!" Sarah encourages, her eyes wide and an incredulous expression.
However, the lizards follow them, relentless, and begin attacking the bus.
"Damn, they're going to roast us alive in here!" Gabriel shouts, his gaze sweeping over his students and fellow travelers, his breath heavy and labored with tension. "Here's the plan: I'll break through them somehow. When I do, use that opening to run! Adults, keep the young ones safe. Got it?"
In the next moment, adrenaline surging through his veins, he nods to the driver—a silent, desperate signal. The door hisses open, revealing the terror outside, then slams shut behind him. With more courage than strategy, Gabriel charges. His foot connects with the first lizard's scaly hide, sending the creature reeling like a kicked soccer ball, surprising everyone with its sheer force. Yet, the satisfaction of seeing it hurled away was momentary. "Push through; this is my only shot!" Gabriel's mind races, his body a blur of kicks, shoves, punches, and throws. His years of martial arts training roared to life as a primal instinct. But a sudden, scorching blast of fire hit his face, forcing him to recoil. The raw pain of the burns ignited his nerves, yet he wouldn't let himself fall. "I need to hold out so they have a chance."
Then, a razor-sharp, searing pain exploded in his shoulder, forcing a scream from his throat and making him stagger. Gnashing fangs sank deep, piercing flesh and muscle. He immediately grabbed the monster's neck, his fingers digging into the rough texture of its scales. Desperation, raw and primal, fueled him as he twisted and pulled, feeling the sickening, wet snap of the spine. Hot blood gushed, bathing his face, a metallic, repulsive taste coating his tongue. At that moment, in the distance, dark shadows in the sky approach, flapping menacingly.
"Are you serious?!" Gabriel bellows, a raw roar torn from his aching lungs. He's panting, every breath a struggle, body already screaming with exhaustion and pain. He sees it then: his plan has crumbled. The students, frozen in terror or perhaps clinging to a foolish hope he could win, missed their only window. The opportunity is gone, vanished like smoke, and guilt, sharp and suffocating, strikes him harder than any monster's bite. He has to stand firm for them, has to protect them, but his body, betraying him, simply won't respond anymore.
Just then, arrows began to rain from the sky. The flying beasts were, in fact, imposing hippogriffs—creatures with the hindquarters of a horse and the powerful forequarters of an eagle. Each carried an armored rider. As they finally began their descent, a mysterious, pale blue light enveloped the bus, bringing an abrupt halt to the lizards' assault. The students watched, eyes wide with a mix of awe and bewilderment, not knowing if this was salvation or just another turn in their bizarre nightmare.
With practiced precision, the knights immediately drew their gleaming swords, their armored forms a blur as they charged headlong into the fray against the lizards. From above, two mages descended gracefully near the bus, their hands already glowing with protective energy, while a third armored rider remained airborne, a watchful commander hovering above the chaotic skirmish, his voice cutting through the roars as he barked orders to his comrades below.
The knights, swift and coordinated, managed to scatter the lizards after cutting down some of the menacing creatures. As the beasts finally broke and fled, Gabriel desperately scanned for his students. But his vision blurred, edges darkening, and then, completely spent, he simply collapsed from sheer exhaustion.
No one dared to leave the bus until the knights had fully encircled the vehicle. Only then did the armored rider who had commanded from above descend, his heavy boots echoing as he approached.
"Hello," his voice rang out, clear and authoritative. "I am Captain Viktor Shield, of the Knights of the Kingdom of Avakar. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"Hello. My name is Regina." One of the mothers, a practical woman with a hint of bewilderment in her eyes, leaned out the bus window. "Excuse me, but I don't know this place you mentioned. Actually, we're completely lost. We were on our way to the children's karate competition, and before we knew it, we were just... here. Wherever 'here' is."
The knight's gaze shifted to one of his mages, who gave a subtle, affirmative nod. Addressing Regina, Captain Viktor's voice was firm yet polite:
"Would you mind stepping out? It would make our conversation easier."
"Of course. Just a moment," Regina replied calmly, turning to the driver. "Mr. Wagner, could you open the door, please?"
"But of course, Ms. Regina," the driver stammered, visibly aghast at her composure as he quickly opened the bus door.
Regina steps out of the vehicle, her shoulder-length red hair framing an athletic build that would make any young person envious. She walks confidently towards the captain of the knights, a large, powerfully built man. As he approaches, he removes his helmet, revealing a stern face framed by a neatly trimmed, voluminous beard and hair, both streaked with age's gray.
"Thank you for your cooperation," Viktor begins, his voice devoid of unnecessary pleasantries. "Again, I am Captain Viktor Shield, of the Knights of the Kingdom of Avakar. Now, can you explain who you are and what you're doing here on Red Dragon Mountain? I understand you have injured people, but our next steps depend entirely on your answers."
"I understand..." Regina's voice trailed off, her brow furrowing. Then, a sharp gasp escaped her lips: "Wait, you said 'Red Dragon Mountain'?!" Her disbelief was palpable.
"Exactly. And from your reaction, I can conclude this was indeed not your intended destination," Viktor stated, his stern gaze unwavering.
"Our destination was the South American karate competition, in Argentina," Regina explained, trying to process his words.
"Argentina? Never heard of it. I hope you're not trying to deceive me." Viktor's eyes bore into hers, never leaving her face. Regina felt scrutinized under his intense stare, every ounce of her strength being tested by his mere presence.
"No. I swear," she pleaded, her voice gaining a desperate edge. "In fact, I don't know where we are or how we ended up here. We all left our city together. It was me and two other mothers, along with Mr. Gabriel and Mr. Wagner, our driver. The rest are the children..." Regina paused, her gaze drifting to where the bodies of three students lay. "...there were twenty when we got here. But now..." Her voice choked, the unspoken loss heavy in the air.
"I see. Red lizards are truly dangerous monsters. I'm sorry for your loss. And their parents?" Viktor asks, his tone softening slightly.
"Most of them don't have fathers. They're all young people from a social project Sensei Arthur developed, but he also passed away last weekend," Regina explains, her voice heavy.
"Regrettable. May the Goddess guide him safely to the other world," Viktor replies with a solemn nod.
"Excuse me." A young man with spiky hair and a red bandana on his head approaches them, a spark of bewildered excitement in his eyes. "I couldn't help but overhear, and you two... but this place is screaming 'another world' to me!"
"What do you mean, Regis? What are you talking about?" Regina asks, clearly bewildered herself.
"Look, Ms. C," Regis retorts, gesturing wildly. "I've never heard of lizards that big on Earth. Have you? And 'Red Dragon Mountain'? Seriously? That's straight out of a fantasy kingdom! Like, someone pulled us into an Isekai anime or something!"
"Well, that's true. But another world? And how did we end up here?" Regina mutters, the sheer absurdity of the situation starting to sink in.
Just then, Viktor's voice cuts through their bewildered conversation:
"Well, I have enough information for now. I'd like you to accompany us to the castle."
"Whoa, a castle?!" an excited Regis bursts out, his eyes wide with classic fantasy trope glee.
"Yes," Viktor confirms, his stern gaze sweeping over them. "Although I'm not yet sure of the next steps, it's dangerous to stay here too long. Red lizards are a significant problem on their own, but if the Dragon decides to appear, then we'll truly be in deeper trouble."
Regina nodded, then efficiently gathered everyone outside the bus.
"Alright, gang," she announced, trying for a cheerful, yet firm, tone that only a seasoned parent could master. "Looks like we're heading out with these Knights. Please, play nice. We're going to a castle!"
"What about your carriage?" Viktor asked, a hint of genuine uncertainty in his voice.
Wagner sighed, visibly disappointed. "There's nothing to be done, Captain. The lizards truly wrecked it. Even with a top-notch mechanic, it'd be a nightmare to fix, especially in... well, this place."
"I see. I'm sorry for your loss," Viktor replied, ever pragmatic. "But that does simplify things, as it would be quite complicated to transport."
"Well, shall we get this show on the road then?!" Regis piped up, practically bouncing with excitement.
And so, the weary group is taken to the castle. Gabriel, still unconscious, is swiftly sent for medical care, while the bodies of the three who died in the fiery assault are reverently prepared for proper burial. Of the other four devoured by the monstrous lizards, there's tragically nothing left but their abandoned luggage.
Their transport to the castle begins, one by one, as they are hoisted into the sky towards a magnificent vessel that looks like nothing short of a flying ship.
"Never flown in one of these?" a soldier asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Never," Regina replies, her voice tinged with awe. "I can't even begin to imagine how it flies."
"Magic, of course," another soldier calmly states, passing by.
The group exchanges wide-eyed glances, expressions ranging from sheer terror to bewildered fascination. They have no words. This is it. They are finally departing towards the Royal Castle aboard that impossible flying ship, leaving behind the fiery lizards and impossible beasts. They've met armored knights and now, truly, understand: magic exists. And their lives are about to change.