Chapter 1 – Not an Ordinary Day
The day began like any other in Gold Angel City.
A man of entirely ordinary appearance crossed the street, his reflection flickering across a store window plastered with BIG DISCOUNT signs. The television inside played the news — a hero in mid-air, arms outstretched, straining to keep a falling passenger jet from crushing the skyline.
He continued walking, passing by a newspaper stand. One headline announced, Owl-Man Sighted Again, while another offered Ten Ways to Protect Your Home from Meta-Crimes. He ignored them, like the society that had become accustomed to such extraordinary occurrences.
He stopped at a red light.
A crowd of students caught up behind him — a school field trip, judging by the matching uniforms and the guide frantically counting heads. Laughter filled the air; camera shutters clicked; the smell of roasted nuts drifted from a nearby cart. The man waited, amid fragments of daily life.
The light shifted, not overhead at the intersection, but from beneath their feet.
It started as a shimmer, a stray reflection perhaps the man thought, until it flared into a blinding radiance that swallowed sight, sound, and sense.
For a heartbeat, there was only brilliance and blindness.
Then silence.
When vision returned, the asphalt was gone.
The crowd now stood within a vast chamber of polished stone and pale gold. The ceiling arched so high it vanished into shadow; its walls lined with luminous runes. What moments ago had been the hum of traffic was now the hush of reverence.
Figures ringed the newcomers — men and women clad in silver armor, robes trimmed with jewels, and garments that looked torn from some medieval dream. At their center stood a young woman whose very presence commanded attention.
She stepped forward, flanked by robbed attendants. Her eyes shone like gems under sunlight, her beauty so flawless it silenced even the most talkative students.
"Welcome," she said, her voice graceful but steady. "I am Elizabeth, Princess of the Crescent Kingdom."
For a heartbeat, no one spoke. The words "Princess of the Crescent Kingdom" hung in the air like a riddle no one knew how to answer.
Some of the students glanced wildly, their faces pale beneath the strange golden light. Others clung to each other, whispering fragments that made no sense even to themselves.
"Where are we?"
"What just happened?"
"Is this... a dream?"
A tall, athletic young man who exhibited natural leadership qualities attempted to maintain composure as he spoke. "Let us remain calm; it is important to assess the situation before reacting." His name tag identified him as Tom.
Beside him, a girl with long black hair and sharp green eyes crossed her arms. "Calm? We just vanished from the middle of a city."
Another boy adjusted his glasses, his tone precise despite the tremor underneath. "He's right, though. We need information before we do anything reckless."
The princess watched them with quiet amusement, then bowed lightly. "You will have answers soon. For now, allow me to thank you, noble heroes, for answering our summons."
Her words tightened the air. Summons? Heroes?
Tom stepped forward. "My name's Tom. I'm seventeen. We were on a field trip when... all this happened. Can you tell us what this place is?"
"I am seventeen as well," Elizabeth replied with a smile that was both kind and calculating. "This is the Holy Temple of Heroes. You stand within sacred ground. We called across worlds to find those worthy to aid us."
She gestured, and one of the priests unfurled a scroll inscribed with glowing sigils.
She went on, "My kingdom is fighting the Demon Kingdom of Balor. Their king has sent his dark armies to attack our borders. We've lost many lives, and we're out of options. We are desperate and you are our answer."
Tom stared at her, struggling to process the words.
A temple. A war. A demon king.
None of it made sense. One moment, asphalt and neon; the next, marble and q. "This can't be real," he whispered. "It's… It's impossible."
Elizabeth's expression softened. "I understand your confusion. But please, believe me when I say this — your arrival was no accident. You are the chosen ones, the bearers of hope."
Some of the students, wide-eyed and trembling, began to whisper excitedly.
"Superheroes…"
"We're really in another world!"
"This is like the games or comic book about them!"
Others said nothing — fear and disbelief carved across their faces.
Yet the princess's voice, calm and melodic, wove through their doubt like a spell.
"On behalf of the Crescent Kingdom," she said, bowing low, "thank you for answering our call. The world itself prays for your courage."
And though none of them understood why, several students felt a mysterious pull deep within, as if an unseen force had already set their destinies in motion. For these few, a sense of purpose began to stir, subtle yet undeniable. However, for most of the group, uncertainty lingered. Fear clung to their thoughts, and disbelief clouded their faces, the first faint tremors of acceptance just beginning to surface amid their confusion.
And above them all, Princess Elizabeth smiled faintly—graceful, enigmatic, as if the outcome had already been decided.