The familiar sensation of traversing worlds engulfed Alex, but something was different—he felt a distant pull that started faint, then suddenly grew in intensity. The sensation hit like a freight train. Alex’s knees didn’t buckle and his body didn’t falter, but his mind registered the unrelenting force that pulled against his entry as the world around him—no, something deeper than the world—shifted. His body turned weightless, his stomach lurching like he’d been thrown off a cliff.

  The air cracked like a thunderclap and for a moment, there was only a deafening roar in his ears, as though he had been yanked through the heart of a storm. Then it was gone, replaced by an unnatural stillness as he appeared suspended, floating in midair.

  [For entering his world, Deity class being designation ‘Vyragorastushemayxar’ of planet designation ‘Serra’ has granted you the feat ‘Serra Born’ and ‘Blood Child’]

  [Error— User is not a native to world designation ‘Serra’]

  [Feat ‘Serra Born’ removed]

  [Feat ‘Blood Child’ removed]

  [Assessing means of world entry…]

  […]

  [Feat ‘Blood Summoned (Temporary)’ gained!]

  [Feat ‘Hero (Temporary)’ gained!]

  Well… that’s new, he thought idly through the sensation, observing his new surroundings.

  His stomach churned softly as gravity returned, landing him gently on his feet on a cold, unfamiliar surface. He knelt slowly to press his palm against the surface beneath him—smooth, faintly warm, filled with enough mana to power all of his skills many times over. A ritual circle of some kind, he surmised. Massive, perfectly drawn, lines interlocking with unnatural precision beneath them. Light exploded into being as whatever ritual had pulled him here finalised, stretching out in all directions. Alex shielded his eyes and extended his senses in all directions, an instinct honed from constantly dealing with forces that had no regard for human life. One moment, he had been on his way to a random location in this new world, most likely somewhere separated from civilisation. The next, he found himself pulled to a grand, circular throne room filled with opulent designs that felt alive in their detail. Walls stretched high, an almost cathedral-like expanse, but carved in something magical and not quite stone. His wrapped and covered feet scuffed against the marble floor, the sound sharp in the calm stillness. He squinted upward.

  He wasn’t alone.

  Around him, others were landing. They appeared in flashes of light and sound—disparate figures materialising like fragments of a broken mosaic being pieced together, one after another, each arrival accompanied by a breathless collapse, their bodies unable to withstand the force as he had. So far there’s twenty of us, and more are arriving each second, Alex counted each flash of light and collapsed figure as they appeared. They sprawled, gasped, or staggered upright, confusion plastered across their faces. Some among them arrived to stand undisturbed, each radiating an aura of something beyond human.

  To Alex’s right, a woman with sharp features and cropped hair was already standing, her arms folded across a chestplate of some strange metallic weave. She clenched her fists, and Alex noticed her knuckles bore calluses—evidence of someone used to hitting things, hard. Her gaze darted around like a hawk. To his left, a tall man with dark skin and a silver streak in his braided hair was staring at his hands, flexing them experimentally. His hands crackled with energy that Alex didn’t immediately recognize. It wasn’t mana, but it coursed through him like a second heartbeat. A young man amongst them knelt to place his hand against the floor in excitement, muttering under his breath as he examined the bright network of symbols underfoot, his fingers tracing the flowing patterns with keen interest. His clothing appeared to resemble that of some kind of student.

  “What the hell is this?” a gruff male voice amongst the crowd questioned. Alex turned. Across the room, a hulking figure rose unsteadily to his full height, easily seven and a half feet tall.

  Some ways ahead, water splashed onto the ground, coalescing into a fluid humanoid form. Its surface glistened with faint reflections until it slowly solidified, resembled a young woman in form-fitting clothing who looked as though she was constantly submerged, her hair swaying slowly through the air.

  The last to arrive was a hulking mass of segmented silver plates, constantly shifting to reveal a mechanical figure taller than Alex by at least two heads. Its movements were unnervingly fluid, as though each segment of metal had a life of its own, and its body emitted a faint hum as its glowing eyes swept across the group with methodical precision.

  “Good, the last of them has arrived. Thirty is less than we expected… they must be powerful,” a voice called out, clear and commanding. Figures surrounded them in a wide semicircle. At the edges of the platform, a series of elevated balconies where pale-skinned figures in angular armour stood watching silently. At the centre balcony stood a central figure, unnaturally pale— so much so that she appeared pale as death, with piercingly red eyes and long pointed ears.

  Her attire gleamed, a mix of metal and flowing cloth that blurred the line between armour and regality. Her eyes met his, sharp and assessing. She wasn’t alone. Beside her, men and women stood as still as statues, their stares cutting through the space like the blades they held. Each of them seemed… more. Taller, sharper, brighter. They looked at him as though dissecting a curiosity.

  Alex didn’t like it.

  This… doesn’t feel like a random placement, he thought, his mind steady despite the chaos. His eyes turned from face to face of the armoured figures, cataloguing details—the curl of a lip, the grip of a hand on a weapon, the subtle shifts in weight that hinted at readiness. None of them seemed surprised to see him, and each seemed ready to act, as though their very presence was a contingency.

  “Heroes summoned from across the realms, we beseech your aid!”

  All heads snapped toward the source, looking past the surrounding robed figures with faces hidden behind ornate masks whose hands were outstretched in unison. Behind them, at the far end of the chamber stood a dais, and atop it, a massive throne loomed, carved from something that looked like gold and shining with veins of liquid light.

  Seated there was a man in elaborate robes of deep crimson, a crown of silver and jewels resting crookedly on his head.

  The king’s voice once again broke the silence.

  “You have been brought to this realm to fulfil a great purpose. Your power and your potential is undoubtedly unparalleled— only you can stand against the tide of destruction that threatens our world.”

  The man on the throne rose, spreading his arms wide. His voice carried the weight of rehearsed authority, though Alex noticed the slightest tremor in his hands. A speech. Maybe one repeated before.

  A low groan escaped Alex’s lips before he could stop it. Seriously? Chosen ones?

  Alex turned his attention back to the group he had arrived with. Some looked ready to fight, their hands raised or burning faintly with quickly gathering energy. Others seemed indifferent, scanning the room with measured precision. No one spoke.

  A man in the crowd crossed his arms. "You brought us here without our permission," he said flatly. "Return us at once."

  The king responded, undeterred. “We understand you may be confused. Afraid. Angry. But know that you were not chosen lightly. Your destinies are entwined with the fate of this realm, and only through your strength can salvation be achieved…”

  Alex zoned out the speech, only half paying attention as he spread his attention to those around him. A few still seemed ready to fire back, perhaps to escape or gain their return through force, but most remained silent, watching. Waiting. Each of the summoned individuals' bodies radiated tightly contained mana, about a tenth of what Alex held within his vast reserves, torrents of energy constantly pouring into their bodies. Some held slightly larger reserves than others and possessed mana that constantly cycled through them in a way that reminded him of cultivation, while others held complex circuit-like pathways of mana that threaded through their forms in intricate and layered arrays. This group wasn’t a random collection of people. They each had the look of individuals used to walking into dangerous situations and coming out on top. Alex let out a low breath through his nose, mildly impressed, though he had seen better.

  Directly in front of him, a serpentine creature coiled gracefully, its scales reflecting the colours of the moon as it stretched its arms. It had closed eyes, but the way it tilted its head suggested awareness. Across from him, the being composed entirely of flowing water eyed the armoured retinue above. Nearby, a figure cloaked in shifting shadows solidified, its features obscured but its presence imposing. Alex sensed muscle and claws buried beneath the shadows.

  "Well, this is different," Alex muttered.

  "Indeed," replied a voice like the rustling of leaves. The serpentine creature turned toward him, revealing a mouth filled with crystalline teeth. "I was in the middle of a hunt."

  A low chuckle came from the shadowed figure beside it. "I was hunting too, though not in the way you’d imagine."

  The king continued his short speech, spewing rehearsed sentences about their collective potential, weapons and rewards they would receive, and something about a god’s blessing, though nothing else he said seemed to hold any real value or information about their circumstances. A closing sentence from the king brought Alex back to attention due to the sheer strangeness of its contents.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “…You are now bound to this land and its people, chosen to protect them from annihilation. Your arrival is a blessing beyond measure.”

  A woman in the summoned group stepped forward, her sharp features illuminated by the unnatural light of the braziers. Her crimson cloak shifted slightly as she moved, revealing glinting plates of armour beneath. She crossed her arms, her expression neutral but her voice biting.

  “Chosen? Bound? Summoned without permission?” Her tone was calm, but her words carried weight. “Explain. Now.”

  At this, one of the robed men stepped forward. “You must understand,” he began, “Our world is under siege,” he said, their voice steady, holding the lack of inflexion one would expect from practised words. “Not by armies, nor by war, but by stagnation. The balance of power has tilted too far in one direction, and the natural order is breaking. You have been chosen to restore it.”

  The metallic being shifted, its voice a series of overlapping tones that sounded like words. “Chosen? By what mechanism?”

  The robed figure continued. “You have been summoned through the Rite of Stars,” the mage began, his voice measured and flat. “A ritual devised in the ancient days, when mortal kingdoms faced destruction at the hands of powers beyond their reckoning. Through the ritual, we draw individuals from distant realms—those whose strength, skill, and potential surpasses anything this world could offer. The ritual is precise. It brings only those capable of altering the tide of fate. You see—”

  The king interjected with stern impatience. “The mechanism is irrelevant. What matters is that you are here. Without your aid, my kingdom—no, this entire world—will fall. We have no alternative.”

  The darker-skinned man stepped forward, his boots clicking against the stone platform. “Let’s cut to the chase,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “What exactly are we restoring balance from? And who decides what that balance looks like?”

  The King paused before continuing. “Our world was once ruled by the Blood God, a being whose power still influences all life here. His progeny, the Demigods and Sanguinari walk among us, enforcing their will and extracting tribute. For centuries, this has been our way. But now, their influence grows unchecked. Entire regions are collapsing under their demands. If this continues, our world will fracture and all will be lost.”

  The tall man with the braided hair raised a hand as though he were in a classroom. “Yeah, question. What if we don’t care about your realm?”

  The metallic being shifted its segments again, this time louder. “Define all will be lost,” it rasped, its voice a strange inhuman rumbling.

  A young man amidst the crowd of summoned was kneeling, his gaze excitedly fixed on the magic patterns surging through the floor. He paused, straightened, and tilted his head, his expression thoughtful as he looked up. “So, you want us to take on a literal god and his children? Sounds like a raw deal.”

  The king hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line. He looked to his mages, and one of them—a gaunt figure with sunken eyes—stepped forward.

  “I understand your anger,” he said. “And we do not ask this lightly. But you must understand—this is not just our fight. If the Blood God’s influence continues to spread, it will reach beyond this world. Your own realms will not be safe.”

  Alex almost scoffed at the sentence. If they wanted to present him with an otherworldly threat, they would have to get in line.

  The group of summoned heroes paused, before the mechanical figure finally spoke, its voice a deep, resonant hum. “There is no evidence. Provide proof of this claim.”

  The robed individuals stood in a wide circle, their hands raised, trembling from exertion. Glowing symbols on their garments matched the ones on the floor. Some of them faltered, collapsing to their knees, their breaths ragged and shallow. Blood dripped from the edges of their sleeves, pooling silently at their feet.

  Alex felt a tug, a pull of responsibility stemming from the mana released by the spoken words of the surrounding robed men, though he didn't fully understand how it had even managed to affect him. With a thought, he rallied his internal mana to expel the foreign influence.

  [User 'Hiden' has affected you with the debuff 'Vein Song' - your will shall be shifted to align with the user's goals for the duration of the skill’s activation.]

  [User 'Valen' has affected you with the debuff ‘Veiled Vision’ - you will be unable to view debuffs selected by the user in your status sheet for the skill’s duration…]

  [User 'Homen' has affected you with the debuff ‘Minor Blood thrall’ - For the skill’s duration, You will find yourself unable to resist any reasonable commands set by the user. ‘Reason’ is determined by your ‘intelligence’ stat.]

  [User…]

  [User…]

  Notifications flashed before him, alerting him to an apparent plethora of debuffs, each solely aimed at subverting his decision-making and clarity concerning refusing to aid the kingdom. It was curious, that the combination of mental skills didn’t seek complete control over the summoned heroes, only to ensure that they were incapable of refusing the mission. Alex wondered if that was due to moral reasons, or simply because the kingdom didn’t have skills powerful enough to completely bind high-level people and were merely limited to suggestion. Either way, it didn’t bode well.

  [You have resisted debuff ‘Vein Song’ - effect removed]

  [You have resisted debuff ‘Veiled Vision’ - effect removed]

  [You have resisted debuff ‘Minor Blood Thrall’ - effect removed]

  [You have resisted…]

  [You have resisted…]

  [You have resisted…]

  A figure stepped forward from the king’s right, clad in ceremonial robes layered with protective enchantments. They raised a hand, and a translucent window of text appeared before them, likely projected by his skills. “The process is complete,” the figure announced. Their voice carried authority. “The summoning has stabilized. The variables are contained.”

  The word contained didn’t sit well with Alex.

  He had ensured not a spec of foreign mana existed within his condensed domain the moment he had felt the debuff’s energy encroaching, his previous experience battling mind-controlling monsters back on Pyra causing him to do so on instinct, a muscle memory of sorts. He could have attempted to free the others of the foreign influence too, but he was only intimately familiar with the nature of his energies and pathways, whilst theirs were completely foreign. It was likely the attempt could lead to unpredictable results or cause more harm than good. And Mei said I should stay away from mental skills, how wrong she was, he thought idly as he regarded the others around him. If he had listened to her, he would have ended up willingly following their mission without ever being aware that he was being controlled.

  The robed figure beside the king raised a hand, this time towards them, summoning a large screen that revealed a desolate world. With the large screen before then, cities lay broken, lifeless expanses replacing oceans, and faint energy coursed through the air like an unfinished sentence. Two figures stepped into view, their movements deliberate yet unnatural. Alex knew what they were without needing to understand the how or why. The vision shifted as a group of powerful equally powerful beings descended to oppose the newcomers. The clash that followed shattered the remnants of the world, one by one the entities fell until only a blood-cloaked figure stood. It absorbed the remains of its fallen kin, its form twisting with newfound power.

  The young student seemed unfazed, his head tilting slightly as he observed the scene. The hawk-like woman frowned, her glowing eyes turning piercing. The metallic being shifted erratically, its form becoming more human-like with each second that passed. The tall man with braided hair’s gaze remained fixed on the speaker, barely even paying attention to the scene before them.

  “Great. A movie. Super helpful.” The tall man with braided hair among the summoned sighed. “Fine. Suppose we agree to help. What’s your plan?” He addressed the king and then turned his attention back to assess the others, his expression filled with calculation, as though wondering how in the hell they were supposed to make this work.

  “Is there a handbook?” The young student joined in suddenly, pushing himself to his feet and appearing to agree. His voice came out steadier than he appeared, giving the impression of overconfidence. “You know, ‘So You’ve Been Summoned to Save a World’? Maybe some bullet points? Because right now, I’ve got a million questions and zero answers.”

  The speaker smiled with a faint but genuine expression. “You will be briefed in detail. But first, you must understand that this is not a task you can accomplish alone. You will need to work together to combine your strengths.” the speaker gestured with enthusiasm. “Your abilities will awaken soon. Then you will be tested.” The speaker continued. “Answers will come. In time.”

  “Great. Super helpful.” The young student quirked a brow.

  The armoured woman stepped forward next, rolling her eyes. “You are all so eager to play hero. Fine, I’ll stick around for now— just to see how strong these ‘demigods’ are. But do not expect me to hold hands and play the loyal knight.”

  Curiously, Alex turned to regard the summoned beings he had previously spoken to. “What do you think?” He muttered to the strange beings directly before him.

  The water being sighed, a sound like rain on a quiet lake. "I cannot allow this realm to perish because I refused to act." She said.

  The serpentine creature nodded slowly. "If these demigods and Sanguinari threaten my new hunting grounds, they will face my fangs."

  The shadowed figure remained silent for a moment before shrugging. "I've been looking for a challenge."

  Hmm… Alex considered the abrupt change in their attitudes. That’s quite the change… A few seconds prior it had felt like a fight was about to break out. They’re all brainwashed, Alex thought. These robed men must have pretty powerful mental skills. This might not be their first rodeo… Either that, or they’re extremely well prepared. This kingdom is about as trustworthy as a handshake from a pickpocket, he thought.

  Alex glanced at the others again. He wasn’t thrilled about the idea of teaming up with complete strangers for a morally ambiguous kingdom that utilised mental influence—In fact, he had absolutely zero desire to do so—he wasn’t naive enough to simply believe any story they sold him without verifying it for himself, and the fact that they had just successfully utilised some form of mind control on the surrounding summoned ‘heroes’ was a major point against them.

  Alright, he thought finally. It’s time to leave.

  The group of thirty summoned heroes were guided to a chamber where long tables were set with an array of foods—some familiar, others entirely foreign. The aroma was inviting.

  "This place is incredible," one person remarked.

  "It is," another in the crowd agreed. "Whoever they are, they have resources."

  Alex looked at the other summoned heroes, his expression unreadable. He didn’t know them—yet—but he could still sense their strength. Whatever or whoever their enemy was, they would at least stand a chance with a group like this. As they walked, Alex moved to a more secluded section of the path, keeping the shadowy and obscure figure between himself and prying eyes, while staying in what he sensed to be the figure's blind spot.

  He activated his Dao, channelling a state of flux that allowed him to instantly slip through the floor undetected. Wrapped in flux that no barrier could resist and utilising the the near omniscience granted by his domain, he walked out of the palace's rear sections unimpeded—without alarm or discovery, heading out of the opulent structure and into the vast city that surrounded the royal building.

  The first thing he noticed was that his clothing was too conspicuous, clearly foreign and far out of place in this new world. Before anything, he would have to find a place to purchase more ‘ordinary’ clothing, then he would have to visit a local and well-inhabited place that allowed him to get a lay of the land and perhaps understand the true nature of the new world he had found himself in.

  Gods, Demigods… and Sanguinari? Was it? He thought as he made his way deeper into the city. I wonder what they’re like? What kind of skill crystals do they own?

  He had no real obligation to do as the king had said. He didn’t need to fight in some conjured conflict. He didn’t even know if they were telling the truth. They had been dragged into a war they didn’t ask for, summoned to a world that expected them to fix its problems.

  Briefly, Alex wondered how long there was left until his sword, eclipse had finished evolving. Perhaps a few hours. He would have to find a secure place to inspect that, too, once he had gotten a lay of the land.

  “And Mei said this would be a vacation,” he half-laughed, bringing up his status to inspect his newest feats, framed by the king as ’blessings’. His eyes turned to the palace that rose high above the rest of the city’s walls.

  He didn’t know what was worse—the arrogance and duplicity of the summoners, or the nagging feeling that this wasn’t going to be as simple as any of them hoped.

  The is up and running. So if you like, you can read ahead there!