Parallel story, Chapter 1: Invocation

[A/N: This chapter is written in first person, it's the first time I've done it so please comment what you think!]

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<Oh my beautiful and little children, who have answered call for the sake of world, I implore you to excuse me bringing here...>

What?

I couldn't help but stare in disbelief at the beautiful angel-like woman in front of me. What did she just say? Invocation? Another world?

I quickly looked at my classmates, desperately hoping that some of them would know why we were in this place without walls or ceiling, with only a pure white color spreading to the surroundings...

However, everyone seemed just as confused as me. Even Kayla, that girl who could stay calm even when she was fighting five men at the same time, had a shocked look on her face.

"H-hey, what's going on?! Take us back to our school, you big-breasted kidnapper!" Vito, the chubby boy in our classroom, suddenly screamed.

Even in this situation, it is like this... This is why they call you a perverted fat. I couldn't help but look at Vito speechless. I knew that fatty for a long time and I knew that he was not a bad person, he was just very "frank" with what he said...

<...I regret to inform you that I cannot do that, at least for now. My power has been reduced by the act of summoning all you, so unless defeat demon lord, who stole part my power, will not be able return>

Everyone gasped at the angel-like woman's response.

Although none of us had free time to watch series, anime and manga culture had reached us somehow, so everyone had an idea of what that meant.

But although for some this might seem like a dream, for most of us it was a nightmare. This entire class was full of children from influential families who had great responsibilities that they wanted to take on proudly.

I looked with some anger at the angel in front of me. They had all been doing their best since young to make their families proud. They couldn't just take them to another world and ask them to forget the life they had been leading until now!

So, outraged and angry at the nonsense coming out of the mouth of the "Goddess" in front of us, I screamed in the firmest voice I could muster.

"B-but that's very unfair, we're just normal students! How can we defeat a demon king?!"

Some people nodded at what I said, hoping that the "Goddess" would reconsider and send them back.

But the Goddess did not even look at them when she answered.

<Calm down my lambs, for I, as the Goddess of this world, know very well how dangerous it can be, so I will bless you all with abilities beyond your world>

I couldn't help but look at the "Goddess" speechlessly. That wasn't the problem! What they wanted was to return home, not skills or whatever!

I tried to scream again, but someone grabbed my shoulder and stopped me. Larck, my childhood friend, shook his head in my direction and pointed his gaze toward the rest of the class.

I followed his gaze and was a little stunned. My companions, who should be angry or sad, actually had a small smile on their faces as they were lost in thought.

It finally dawned on me. Of course, not everyone is happy carrying the responsibilities that their family gives them...

I sighed. There was nothing else I could do. She did not believe that the "Goddess", who was completely unaware of how they felt, would decide to send them back just for her. Not to mention that she might gain a lot of enemies if that happened...

I guess I can only defeat that demon lord as fast as he can to return home...

<My lambs, I would love to explain things you myself, but can't keep here for long, so let my believers everything well you... Goodbye, children>

The "Goddess," apparently tired of keeping us here, waved her hand before a light blinded me, and my consciousness was enveloped in darkness.

...

"...O chosen ones of the Gods, please wake up!"

Oh shit, shut up...

I couldn't help but wake up from the unknown screams around me. Who are they?...

"Hey Lyli, wake up, quick!"

Suddenly, I felt someone shaking my body and heard Larck's screams.

"Ah!" I finally opened my eyes and looked around confused. "...What's going on...where are we?"

"I don't know... I also just woke up, the only thing I know is that these old men are calling us chosen ones and things like that" Larck also seemed confused as he looked around.

I also looked around and was stunned.

My companions and I were facing something similar to a sacrificial altar, only this one seemed more holy than diabolical thanks to its white and gold colors on the pillars and the floor, although in essence, it was still the same thing.

And we, who were on a platform slightly raised from the ground, were being watched by a dozen people dressed in ostentatious and old-fashioned clothing, plus some knights in full body armor.

Finally, when we had all woken up completely, the leader, a stooped old man dressed in clothes similar to a Pope of some religions, spoke.

"Oh, chosen ones, you finally woke up…" The old man looked at us with a certain adoration. "Allow me to introduce myself... I am Augusth, the supreme Pope of the church of Life who is devoted to the Goddess who brought you into this world, Siorr."

We all stayed silent for a moment, finally processing that we had truly been summoned into another world...

After a few seconds of silence, I noticed that someone finally dared to speak.

"Father… Augusth, if I can call him that." Jose, the member of my class' communication committee finally spoke for us, like he used to do on earth. "I think we all have a lot of questions... So we would be grateful if you could give us a summary of our situation."

"Oh what a polite young man, and of course, you can call me that, they are people chosen by the Gods after all…" The Pope smiled warmly at us. "And before I give you any explanation, I think it would be better if you ate something to relax from this sudden situation"

All my companions relaxed slightly at the Pope's warm words, however, a shiver ran through my body when I looked into his eyes.

Those eyes are not those of someone normal... The obsession behind that old man's gaze was something I had never seen in my life, it was disgusting...

"Sure... That might be for the best." Jose finally accepted the Pope's proposal after some thought and looked to the rest of us for confirmation.

I looked at our classmates and saw that they all seemed to agree. Yes, we all need to relax... Huh?

I suddenly froze when I noticed someone's absence.

"Hey…" Larck touched my shoulder, apparently noticing the same thing as me.

We exchanged glances and our faces instantly paled. Why isn't he here?!

I panicked and screamed at the Pope.

"Hey, where is Kayla?!"

All our companions gasped when they noticed his absence. Although Kayla wasn't very close to any of them, she had always helped everyone when they needed it. So almost everyone had a favorable opinion of her.

I quickly ran towards the Pope in an attempt to grab the collar of his white robe, but two knights standing next to him stood in my way and drew their swords, in a clear sign of threat.

"You!" I looked angrily at the guards and Larck ran to my side, ready to fight the knights, not caring in the slightest that they had weapons. Although fortunately the Pope raised his voice loudly before the knights or Larck did anything.

"What do you think you are doing against the chosen ones of the Gods?!" The Pope looked at the two knights who protected him. "I think I said before that these kids had to be treated the same way I was! Then why did you raise your swords against them?!"

The knights bowed their heads, not knowing what to say. It was obvious that they did not want to treat us with the same respect as the Pope...

"And leaving aside this embarrassing accident... I think it would be best if you rest a little before hearing what happened to your friend." The Pope looked at us with pity, scaring me a little.

"What?! Of course not, we want to see or know what happened to Kayla right now!" I yelled at the damn Pope, who kept looking at us with that stupid pity.

"Sigh... well, I guess it doesn't matter much if you hear it now." The Pope spoke sadly, apparently feeling the same sadness as us. "Her friend of hers has had problems in the process of summoning her, so she has been sent to another place…"

"What?! "How could that happen?!" Larck, who was next to me, shouted in his characteristic deep voice.

"I don't understand how this could happen under the supervision of our Goddess either, but we suspect that it had something to do with the demon king, who surely tried to eliminate the heroes before they fully developed…" The Pope avoided our gaze, apparently embarrassed.

My legs shook and I felt like the world was turning. My voice shook as I asked the question that kept running through my head.

"S-so...Kayla is d-dead?"

The Pope did not respond immediately, fueling my fear. But fortunately, he opened his mouth when he noticed my state.

"I'm going to be honest with you, chosen one of the Goddess, the church nor the Gods are sure of the status or whereabouts of your friend, she may be alive or…" The Pope did not need to finish speaking for him to understand what he wanted to say.

"N-no…" Tears began to gather in my eyes. I began to remember all the moments I spent with Kayla, feeding my sadness...

However, there was someone next to me who still held out hope.

"There's nothing we can do to find her?! I'm sure that bastard is still alive, she's not someone who would die easily!" Larck shouted to the Pope with conviction, without any doubt in his voice.

Yes...Kayla is someone who would survive even if she was suddenly thrown into a war. I quickly raised my head with my hopes renewed. Larck was right: There was no way Kayla was dead!

The Pope looked at us surprised, but quickly regained his composure and nodded.

"Well, the only thing I can think of is for you to become stronger and collaborate with the search that we are doing, maybe you, as chosen ones of the Gods, can do something that we cannot"

I exchanged glances with Larck and I could see in his eyes that we thought the same thing.

Wait for us Kayla, we will definitely find you!