I am floating inside a green light.
Suddenly the light disappears, and I slam onto a dark floor.
That hurts.
Where am I?
I lift my head and freeze.
Right in front of me stands a girl around my age, staring straight at me with sharp green eyes. Her hair is golden. A foreigner?
A bunch of people stand behind her, all wearing strange clothes.
The room is fancy and cold.
Everyone looks shocked. They're talking among themselves, but I can't understand a single word.
Are they discussing how to eat me?
I look around for an escape route. Found one! A door on my left.
I don't waste a second. I get up and sprint toward it. I burst out of the house and find myself in a field.
I keep running.
Wait… are the leaves pink?
Not my problem. They should consult a tree expert. I need to get away from these maybe cannibals.
Suddenly, I start levitating again.
What the....
How the....
Why the....
Who the....?!
I'm being pulled backward in midair. Is this magic?! Then I notice the sky.
What! The sky is orange now?
I fall to the ground.
Okay, why are these idiots treating me like a basketball?
I look back. They're all standing behind me, laughing.
Are they celebrating catching fresh meat?
The girl from earlier walks toward me, absolutely burning with anger.
Alright, that's it for me. Where's the curtain?
I ask politely, "Can you at least sedate me before eating?"
She places her hand on the left side of my chest.
Is she aiming for my heart?
She closes her eyes, chants something like a rhyme, opens her eyes, and removes her hand.
Okay… that was....
A sudden sharp pain explodes exactly where she touched. It's unbearable. My whole body screams.
Everything goes dark.
I guess I haven't reached the "other side."
I open my eyes.
The angry girl and a man are standing beside me.
I'm lying on an absurdly soft cushion. I think, they murdered a thousand birds to stuff this bed.
It's a room this time.
Both of them are staring at me with curious green eyes.
Idiots… you're the aliens!
Wait. Pink leaves, orange sky… no. I'm the alien.
Anyway, we don't share a language. They won't understand me, I won't understand them. So they might as well eat me and be done with it.
Wait.
I don't feel any pain in my knuckles.
I remove the band-aid from my face. No pain there either. I rip off the rest of the bandages. The wounds are gone.
What's going on here?!
- "Something wrong?" the man asks.
- "Yes, the wounds...."
What?
How the hell do I understand him? And why can I speak his language fluently?!
- "What wound?" he asks.
- "How can I understand your language?!"
- "Oh, that's probably because of the Turner Spell she used on you earlier. That spell automatically puts our language into your brain."
- "Turner spell? What is that, an injection?"
He points at the left side of my chest. I quickly unbutton two buttons .... and freeze.
There's a blue feather-shaped symbol exactly where she touched me. Definitely not a tattoo.
The man says, "I should go. Both of you stay here for a while."
The girl asks, "But what should I do with this?"
He smiles. "You're very lucky. You've gotten a unique familiar."
- "How is this lucky for me? Maybe the spell made a mistake. Sir, can't I perform the ritual again?"
- "No. You know you can summon a familiar only once. And that spell never makes mistakes. I have to go now. Let me know if you have any problems."
He leaves.
She really is beautiful. Green eyes, long golden hair, the cutest face.
She yells, "Why are you looking at me like that?!"
- "Nothing. May I know your name?"
- "I am Iki Electeriya."
- "Wow. That's an unusual name… but cute. Anyway, I'm Dhruv Gupta."
- "What?! Dhruv? That's a weird name."
- "Hey! I haven't heard your name getting nominated for a Nobel Prize either."
- "What?"
- "I mean, where I come from, it's a very decent, popular name."
- "Still weird. Where did you come from?"
- "Earth."
- "Where is this Earth of yours?"
Oh my god. Should I take her to the top of Burj Khalifa and throw her off three times?
- "Can I ask you something?" I ask politely.
- "What is it?"
- "You know this universe has countless galaxies?"
- "Yes."
- "And each galaxy has countless solar systems?"
- "Yes."
- "And those solar systems have multiple planets?"
- "Yes."
- "And some planets have many creatures?"
- "Yes. I still have no idea, why are you asking basic stuff?"
- "I'm asking .... out of ALL those countless creatures… WHY did you bring me here?"
- "Because the spell thinks you're perfect for me. Though I'm sure it made a mistake."
- "Explain the whole summoning thing. Including that spell."
- "Fine. I'll tell you once. So listen carefully."
- "You're so kind."
Iki explains a lot. Most of it sounds insane, but I have no choice but accept it.
This planet is named Rukaris. Human of this planet are called Rukarian. What makes Rukarian different than humans, is their magical abilities. Yes, this aliens do magic.
The planet has 12 continents, each ruled by an Emperor. Each continent has several kingdoms. And each kingdom ruled by a king.
Iki is a princess of the Electeriya Kingdom and currently studies in this Academy which is a bit far from her kingdom.
Rukarians perform a summoning ritual at a certain age. They give a drop of blood, and the spell summons their perfect familiar, a creature that stays with them for life, assisting with extraordinary powers.
And in my case, I am Iki's familiar. That spell kidnapped me from my world and made me Iki's familiar which is the ultimate joke of my fate.
Alright I accept that she is the most beautiful girl, I've seen in my life. But outside self is completely different than her inside.
Hey! No, I didn't mean her Liver, lungs, Intestines. I am talking about her behaviour. She is one mannerless creature, I can assure you that.
Iki sighs, sits on a chair, and says, "Why does bad luck always follow me? Everyone gets such cool familiars. And I got… THIS."
I protest, "Hey, I am cool too. Handsome, wise, strong."
- "Oh really! Show me how strong you are. Fight me."
- "What! No! I can't hit a woman. I haven't taken the gender equality part seriously."
- "So, you aren't strong enough to face me, huh?"
This brat! Should I accept all feminist's suggestion and present gender equality here and now? But it's against my morality.
Well I will just stop my punch before it touches her. That will scare her enough.
I am about throw a punch on her. In that moment, I notice some ball made of fire circling me while floating in the mid air.
What!
Iki smiles and says, "This is my favourite spell. They surround my opponent and explode when I want. And they are enough powerful to take down a big orc.
I quickly rise my arms. I say, "Hey, I give up."
Iki says with a confusion, "Why? Show me your powers."
I hesitantly says, "Actually, I don't have any fancy powers like that. I have only physical strength, not like monster level though."
- "What!"
Iki kneels on the floor and starts crying like a baby.
I notice a mirror on the left wall. I stands in front of it. My shirts are seems to be tight seens I got here.
I take off my shirt.
Damn, Dhruv!
My muscles are in a very good shape. I did have some muscle back at my world. But not like this. I think I can register myself as a bodybuilder. I try some posing on the mirror.
- "What are you doing, you shameless pervert?"
Ah! I forgot this mannerless brat. I put my shirt back on.
She stands up and says, "Let's go now."
I follow Iki to the outside. A girl comes to Iki and asks, "Hey Iki, where is your familiar? I heard, it's very peculiar."
Iki points a finger at me.
That girl scans me from head to toe and says, "Sure is charming."
Iki comments, "Yes, like Tidi."
What? Teddy?
That girl chuckles and asks, "What kind of power does he have?"
Iki replies, "This useless thing doesn't have any."
That brat!
That girl exclaims, "What! Really?"
Iki replies, "Yes. And now I am stuck with him."
That girl says, "Look at the bright side. You are stucked with someone handsome. Anyway you should go to academy's garden. I'll join later." She waves at me, saying, "See you later charming boy."
She leaves.
Iki says, "That's my best friend Riki."
I immediately ask, "Why did you told her that I look like Teddy?"
- "I said, Tidi."
- "What is Tidi?"
Iki points at something and says, "That."
I follow her finger. There is a tree near us. She is pointing at a squirrel on the tree.
Seriously!
We reach a field in the garden.
Many boys and girls at my age are gathering here. Maybe they all are students of this academy.
Now, the terrifying matter is, besides every students, there are some scary looking creatures are standing. Scary animals which I've never seen before, mini dragon, mini dinosaur looking animal etc.
Each student have one.
Iki sighs and says, "Look how amazing their familiars are! And I got you."
Amazing? More like terrifying.
I can confidently say that I am more good looking than they are. At least I won't try to eat my summoner.
We stand among them.
I feel dozens of eyes judging me. Not only the students, but also their familiars.
Now I know how zoo animals feel.
After a while, some middle aged man arrive. They must be the teachers.
Every students bow. Iki hit me with her left elbow.
That hurts!
I say, "Already done acting like princess?"
Iki whispers, "What?"
- "Why did you....."
- "Bow your head. Now!"
- "Why?"
- "Can't you see everyone is bowing?"
- "Yes. But can't you see that no familiar is bowing? We familiars have more honour than you Rukarians!"
Iki almost snaps, "I'll cut off your head, you don't bo...."
Iki shut up quickly. Because those teachers are now standing infront of us. The eldest teacher looks at me like, he is seeing thorough my skin. A teacher whom I saw in the room with Iki, says, "He's the one."
The eldest teacher says, "Show me your chest."
What!
Is that raging? Is this world doesn't have the concept called shame?
Iki says gritting teeth, "Do it!"
They are playing with my honour in public.
I unbuttoned my shirt.
The eldest teacher stares with wide eyes at the mark on the left side of my chest. And mutters, "But how can this be possible."
If you I ask me oldman, from what I've seen today, the word impossible already has lost all meaning.
That teacher from earlier says, "I am sure, he's the one."
What is he bubbling about?
The eldest teacher raises his hand and whispers something. A golden staff appears.
I guess, He is a part time magician.
He swings it at me. My right hand instinctively moves to block it. The staff hits my arm. A loud sound and the staff breaks into pieces. It doesn't hurt a bit though.
Is this some kind of prank?
Everyone is staring at me with wide eyes. Some with surprise, some with fear.
Hey, it's not my fault!
The eldest teacher stares at me for a moment, then leaves.
What was that!
The teacher from earlier asks me, "What is your name, boy?"
- "Dhruv."
- "Druuv?"
- "No! It's Dhruv."
- "Alright Dhruv. I am Ruka. I am a teacher here. If you need anything, talk to me."
Ruka leaves with other teachers.
Iki asks quickly, "Tell me honestly, what did you do?"
- "Other than tolerating you? Nothing?"
- "How did you break The Taruki?"
- "I didn't break anything."
- "You just did a moments ago."
- "You mean that golden stick thing?"
- "Taruki. It's a powerful magic weapon. Usually uses in battle. An unbreakable staff."
- "Well, it did break. So maybe it already passed it's expiry date."
- "What!"
- "Forget that. Tell me, why I am not feeling sleepy? I was kidnapped at night."
- "You slept from morning to afternoon."
- "I see."
- "Yes, I know you can see. So what?"
I look in her eyes and say, "Nothing."
In the evening, Iki leads me to a room. She says, "This is my room. The academy gives only one room to each student. Anyway, we'll sleep here."
What! I have to sleep with her?