The teacher taking attendance started to yell,
Yuki Benemaru… yuki BENEMARU….. YUKI BENEMARU ARE YOU HERE."
The teacher got louder and louder as he got more and more irritated. He clearly saw that I was present. However, not responding in the eyes of the teacher was a sign of disrespect.
The sound returned to the room and I turned around back to the teacher..
"Here.."
As I spoke the lights in the room exploded causing the room to go dark. The once dim light coming from the book in the back of the room started to pulse. Each second that passed the light got brighter and its light covered more and more of the classroom.
The sudden eerie red light caused panic. As I looked at my club members I could tell. We all knew what was happening. All of us in the club realized it was the book from the day before, and we were in fact the third.
A visibly angry Mr. Zheng walked back to the book that was glowing.
"Oh? What do we have here..... Why is this book lighting up like this? He reached for the book to open it. Where are the LEDS hidden back here! Is this some practical joke!"
Akira stood and spoke up,
"Mr. Zheng, I don't think we should open the book!"
The teacher sneered and looked back at him,
"So you're involved in this are you? Big scary old looking book with a mysterious aura? You all have really gone all out with this... what the"
He opened the book and a giant red circle spread around the whole classroom. The light that once was concealed within the pages was now pouring out onto the ground spreading runic letters and symbols.
Panic started to ensue as the red light from the pages now illuminated these symbols on the floor shining ever brighter. Students started to leave their desks, some even attempting to leave the room yet the door wouldn't budge.
Light a bolt of lightning within a cloud the room flashed with red, moments later it was revealed that everything but the people disappeared.
This isn't good. No… no.. no!
Mr. Zheng in a visible daze started to yell with a slightly paranoid tone,
"What is going on here! Students! What is with these lights! These symbols!" Not being able to make rational sense of what is going on he blamed his students, thinking they drugged him.
He thought to himself.
That has to be it! They put something in my tea!
He continued,
"Students, I will get you in trouble for this! I will have you all expelled for what you have done! As his yells quieted he started to panic. Grabbing at his mouth he became erratic. He moved his mouth attempting to talk but no sound came. From the floor a slight red lightly slowly began to envelop him.
A deep and disturbing voice came from all around,
"The sacrifice has been chosen, the blood has been shed. The Third. The Third. The Third. The Third summon has been declared and most shall end up dead"
Suddenly Mr. Zheng was fully engulfed in the red light. In a deathly throws he shoved students and desks aside attempted to run for the door. A heat could be felt from even 10 feet away as his blood began to bubble under the outer layer of skin. Moments went by until he was evaporated into nothingness, a red mist that spread throughout the whole room.
Students started to scream as the runes on the floor started to glow brighter, light raised around us like mist and then after a flash we were all sucked into the pages of the book. With the book quickly disappearing after, re appearing in a distant library a continent away.
---
It got quiet and I couldn't tell where we were. One thing was for sure, were no longer in our classroom.
The original voice was back and a golden silhouette of a woman appeared.
A demonic voice bellowed,
"Hello summoned heroes."
*Cough cough*
The deep demonic voice turned to that of an angel.
She said again,
"Hello summoned heroes."
White light burst from the circle around the class and we could no longer see. Just blinding white with the voice of this golden woman seeping into our minds.
The voice continued,
"You heroes are now being taken to Avalon. Where you will live out the rest of your days. We thank you for accepting our summon, answering our plea. Let your mind be at ease, It is not possible to return."
A devilish grin could be seen from the silhouette of yellow light.
"I wish you the best of luck in your new world of magic and adventure, you're going to need it. Become prepared, choose wisely, your destiny will now be decided."
The bright light was now gone. I was now alone in what looked like deep space. I could see the stars above me and yet a white cobblestone path illuminated before me. I walked forward and suspended torches of golden flame appeared on either side of me, igniting as I pass by. The flame lit my path all the way to an entrance to a new room.
When I approached I was met with the words of a different goddess. They were graceful, as if a queen calling upon her subject to plea before her.
"Enter."
I walked into a room where the most beautiful woman I've ever seen was sitting before me. Even thought I knew she was beautiful, every time I tried to get a better look at her face, the light behind her blinded me.
"You and your companions have answered the call. "
I stood in shock for a moment at the audacity of the statement,
"What call? I didn't sign up for any of this."
The goddess raised her hand and my casted hand was raised before her while a sense of gravity like oppression forced me to one knee.
The cast disappeared and a dragon tattoo was revealed beneath it. Wrapping from my finger to the center of my hand. This was not your typical western dragon, but an eastern. A long snakelike body with four legs and no wings. The head of the dragon was pointed horns protruding backward along the sides its head.
The goddess explained,
"In blood you consented to the call for the summoning. You were given time to prepare. Since then, we have been watching you. If you hadn't closed the book in fear last night this would have been explained to you then and there."
I stared at my hand.
What is this tattoo, it looks like a dragon in chains wrapping around my finger and the rest of my hand.
Shakily I looked up to her and asked, "So choosing a class, abilities, it's all… real?"
The goddess began to laugh and excitedly replied,
"Yes child, now what you once called fiction is your reality. Can you cope with your whole world being changed in the flash of an eye? How will the others turn out? So many stories for us to see. Make sure to make it interesting."
She started to grin menacingly.
Something isn't right about this lady.. What does she mean for us to see, who is us?
She clapped her hands, she was done answering questions,
"Now, since you're the one with the blood contract you have the opportunity for something truly wonderous. You get the opportunity to bind yourself to one of the demons that was captured thousands of years ago. Though, in the future you will only to be reincarnated in this world evermore. Slightly cursed. Yahda yahda..
I asked, "I'm cursed? Reincarnation? What does all this mean!"
The goddess continued,
"Curse… err some would call it a blessing. You're being brought here by the Demon god of Death's tablet. Given to humans thousands of years ago. The blood price you paid consenting to come here initially started the summoning, the sacrifice who opened the book back at your classroom had their soul extinguished as the price for the transfer."
The goddess looked at me like I was dumb,
"All a part of the process."
Angrily I responded,
"So murdering my teacher, was your version of a sacrifice?"
The goddess stood up and began walking towards me gracefully,
"He was nothing compared to you. We must continue, you now will be bound with a demon spirit. The power of this contract is determined based on compatibility. Raise your hand and place it on this."
A floating crystal ball appeared in front of me, she then took my hand, placing it on the orb.
A purple flame appeared within the ball, in front of the goddess causing her eyes to widen.
She thought to herself,
how could someone from their planet possess this.. Are there demons there as well? How is this... Oh never mind, it should make things more interesting.
She collected herself and started explaining,
"The power of your contract is determined by the color of the flame. From weakest to strongest being white, orange, red, blue, green, purple and finally black. Purple belongs to those of noble archdemon lineage. You could be descended from one of the original demon's bloodline or of those of high ranking within the ancient demon king's court. This is incredible. Who would have thought on a back alley planet like yours ...."
I questioned her,
"A noble demon? What are black flames tied to then? If purple could be the noble demon lineage shouldn't I possess black flames?"
This lady is saying I could be a demon, what the actual fuck. I look like a normal person how could this be. My paren---- wait a minute...
She responded before I could fully imagine all the secrets my parents could have had,
"Only one who has transcended from an archdemon to a progenitor can use black flames. Now we will find out what demon you contracted with…."
The orb started to shake until it burst and the purple flame fell to the ground creating a pentagram. From the flames someone emerged bathed in purple light.
From that light, a demonic woman appeared. Ethereal purple flame horns floated near her head, she has a dark complection, long red hair with purple eyes. She was beautiful, more beautiful than even the goddess. The dragon tattoo on my hand became restless, a roar suddenly came from my hand. A chain started to shoot from my finger and wrapped itself around the demons neck.
The blood contract was forged and the demon began to speak grinning ear to ear,
"My prince, I Akuma, accept. Something given, for something taken."
The chain from my hand turned dark black and was engulfed in purple flames. The purple flames danced around her neck burning the shape of a collar around her. The burn turned into a black tattoo around her neck.
She winced at the paince before winking at me and disappeared, turning into ethereal mist that faded into the tattoo on my hand.
In that instant it felt like my humanity was stripped from me. My blood felt like it was boiling, my skin started to feel as if it was being pierced with knives… The goddess stepped back as a purple flame engulfed me. In searing pain I fell to my knees, I was molded into a demon that resembled a human. My very DNA was altered in the flame. I was now stronger, taller, and even had a darker skin complexion. I could feel power running through me.
The goddess started to laugh,
"You're a lucky one aren't you. They said you were unique. Hahah! You were so entranced by her beauty you didn't ask what kind of demon she was."
A mirror of mist appeared in front of me. I could hardly recognize myself, I started grabbing all over my body and face.
The goddess kindly enough created a mirror out of thin air to see the new me.
"My eyes… They're purple... My skin, tan... my hair is white like that of a pearl... What have you done to me!"
The goddess ignored my question and said,
"You remember the ranking of the flames? Purple was the strongest obtainable for now. You're a demon now and you possess access to flames from the center of hell itself. This is only the beginning."
She started to walk around me grazing my shoulders with her hand as she walked by.
"Those who also are coming to Avalon have been waiting on you in darkness, you will now go to the second stage of your summoning process. Good luck, "my prince." Bahahahahah "
Before I could respond a golden pillar appeared around me and transported me.
I was lost in thought.
Lots of information to take in. I'm a demon, I'm a noble demon. But I look human….mostly. Who was that girl… and contract? What is this all about? I guess since I'm the one who pressed the diamond button on the back that was the blood contract. Still, it doesn't explain why I'm a demon now. Will my friends even recognize me?
A different goddess now stood before me, with snow white hair matching my own. Still beautiful but at least I was able to look at this one.
She saw me and paused. Her lip trembling, she shook her head and gathered herself before explaining,
"You will now choose from a list of classes to become. At random you can have more than one class, even two or more. In this world you can become most classes and acquire abilities you want with some work. However when you're a summoned one, you start with one of your choice. Oh? It looks like you have some that are already chosen for you.."