Second Heart

The room hushed to silence, though the air was loud with anticipation.

Sato's compatriots wore a myriad of expressions, from fear to intrigue, each awaiting the old man's next words with tense stares and bated breaths.

'You're exposing yourselves,' Sato silently chided. While he shared in their curiosity, he refused to bare any vulnerability to the world. Unlike the others, the soldier kept his muscles relaxed and his gaze steady.

Instinctively, Sato shifted his back closer to the wall.

'Can't have anyone sneaking up on me,' he thought, eyeing those in front of him with suspicion.

Then, after a deep breath, the old man interrupted Sato's thoughts. He flung out his arms in an exaggerated gesture of excitement and loudly proclaimed, "My Dear Heroes, all of you have been chosen as the sacred warriors of humanity! Heroes!"

His voice thundered throughout the room with a practiced fervor. Then, as if to add a dramatic effect, he adopted an exaggeratedly solemn expression.

"Yet alas, the knowledge of your whereabouts, I regret to inform you, holds little significance."

A voice erupted from the crowd, followed by several others.

"And why's that?!"

"Yeah! How could you not know where we are?! You kidnapped us, didn't you?!"

"Don't lie to us, old man!"

The old man chuckled, raising his arms toward the ceiling. "Well… It's because you're all in a new world! Welcome to Gaia!"

Silence followed his declaration, punctuated by the murmurs of Sato's countrymen.

"Huh? Did he say, 'a new world?'"

"Yeah, like does he mean we're in a different country, or something? He can't mean literally, right?"

"I don't know. Never heard of a country named 'Gaia.' Either way, I don't think his mind is all there. Definitely off his meds."

As more conversations sparked among Sato's countrymen, the soldier pondered.

'A new world...huh? The man must be lying. If he believes what he's saying, then he's delusional. I don't know which is worse.'

Glancing again toward the figures, Sato nodded to himself. The old man's forced smile and rehearsed gestures revealed his true nature, a nature of subtle deceit. The lack of authenticity within the old man's niceties and ominous pressure beneath his smile only confirmed the soldier's suspicions.

'He's lying. But what could the motive be? If they're deceiving us, why choose something so unbelievable? What's their endgame?'

Sato's brow furrowed in frustration; he despised playing into the games of others. He'd certainly had enough of it with ignorant politicians and foolhardy superior officers.

Then the young woman spoke again, her confidence shaken by the old man's words.

"Not…in the same world? What does that mean? You can't be serious."

The old man grinned, his face contorting into a canvas of branching wrinkles.

"Oh, but I am serious, Dear Hero! Our encounters with your kind taught us that those we summon are from another world!" He pointed a bony finger toward the young woman before uttering, "Your world…"

His words, delivered with such confidence, slowly eroded the certainty of Sato's countrymen.

"Do you think it could really be true?"

"I… I don't know. What is going on? I don't even know anymore."

"Of course it isn't true you idiots! Why would you even listen to this crackpot?"

Arguments burst forth within the crowd like exploding geysers. Even so, the young woman stood her ground, unfazed by it all. 

She swung an arm toward the old man and shouted, "That's stupid! You realize you'd have to prove something like that, right? If we're in another world, why can we understand you? You're speaking Japanese as fluently as I do. That seems kinda convenient, doesn't it?"

"Hmmmm… I suppose that would be slightly misleading." The old man chuckled and performed the flourish of a bow. "I'd love to answer your question. However, would you do me the honor of enlightening me as to your name first, Dear Hero?"

"W-What?" the woman's body visibly shivered with disgust. She staggered a step back, clearly unnerved. "W… Why do you need to know my name?"

"I'm simply curious! Now, if you would indulge me." 

A few moments passed as the young woman visibly pondered with a hand to her mouth. Finally, she nodded and relaxed her shoulders, a sign that her resolve had been strengthened. 

"Fine. My name is Agawa Sayaka, alright? Now answer my question!"

"A fantastic name, Miss Agawa! Thank you! And it'd be my pleasure." 

The old man paused to gesture toward the cloaked men at his side. Each bowed in unison as he declared his next words.

"I and my compatriots are members of an esteemed order known as Acumen. Our purpose is to solely dedicate ourselves to the summoning and managing of new heroes such as yourselves. As such, it is our duty to learn your mother tongue, is it not? It'd be rather difficult to acclimate you all to your destiny if we couldn't understand one another!" 

The old man started to laugh. His hoarse, bold voice filled the room like water to a glass. As his jovial chuckling subsided, he mused, "Hmmmm… But I suppose, if you require more convincing, the pain you all endured is worth mentioning."

"Pain?" Agawa frowned.

"Indeed!" The old man tapped a finger over his heart and continued, "Right here. Did you all not feel the most excruciating sensation while crossing the Aetherways?"

Scattered gasps accompanied by stunned expressions followed the inquiry. The soldier's countrymen clearly knew what the old man was referring to. And so did he.

'That did happen?' Sato brought a hand to his chest and shuddered. 'I thought I might've imagined it. I never would've thought that something so painful could exist… These people know what happened to us. Could they have caused it?'

Sato's chest twisted and churned with unease. The prospect of having foreign, possibly hostile hands rummaging through his flesh like a box to be opened was disturbing, to say the least. But there was a silver lining.

'This might be good. At least I might be able to figure out what happened.'

Meanwhile, another from the crowd stomped forward - a young man that looked to be in his mid-late teens. Unlike Sato, the fuse for his patience was short - only a quick burn from calmness to a broiling anger.

"You bastard… What the hell did you do to me?! I'll give you five seconds to convince me not to beat the answers I want out of you!" 

The young man's fingers flexed, each knuckle cracking with a sharp sound of popping joints. His actions paired with his expression - something that could only be described as his best impression of a ferocious demon.

'A bit of a hot-headed guy.' Sato shrugged. He'd met many like the kid before him on the battlefield. All reckless and full of emotional baggage.

Just like his personality, the young man's coordination in clothing was equally as chaotic. His outfit's only uniform detail was its "punky" theme. 

A pair of jeans and a baggy black hoodie covered his body. The jeans were littered with variously sized tears and blemishes. Finally, there was a column of earrings piercing the teen's right ear to complete his image of delinquency.

"You're certainly a feisty one!" the old man chuckled. "You misunderstand, sir. We merely performed a ritual to summon you. The pain you felt was your second heart awakening from dormancy - an unfortunate but minor side effect, I'm afraid."

"MINOR?!" the punk roared. He bared his teeth at the old man and gave a murderous glare. "That side effect was way beyond minor! And a 'second heart,' what the hell is that? You better start making sense soon. Restraint isn't something I'm good at."

The old man hummed to himself and fingered the strands of hair in his beard. "Hmmmm. Well, I suppose it isn't surprising you don't understand what I'm speaking of. I've heard tales that aether is but a fictional concept in your realm. It's quite the intrigue."

The old man paused, then raised a hand with a single finger, almost as if to stake his declaration in the air. "However! No amount of unawareness will change the fact that all living beings are born with the organ."

A challenging smirk appeared on the punk's face. "Ohhh, why don't you tell us what this 'second heart' does, then? Given you're such an expert and all."

The old man presented a respectful bow. "As you wish, Dear Hero. First, I must ask, you're aware of the functions of your normal heart, correct?"

"Yeah, yeah. Get on with it."

"Wonderful! Well, your second heart acts in much the same way as your physical one. The difference is that it regulates the flow of mana rather than blood. Because of the organ, all creatures under Lady Sky's grace can metabolize aether to produce extraordinary phenomena!"

The punk grunted and crossed his arms behind his head. "...and? Even if I did believe you, what's this got to do with the 'side effect?'"

The old man shrugged. 

"It's all straightforward, really. Mana and what it's metabolized from, aether, seems to lack form in your world. Without the element vital to magic, your second heart has had no need to materialize and thus remained dormant. Ungrown, if you will. That is..."

The old man narrowed his eyes.

"...until now."

The loud echo of a sneaker's sole smashing into wood resounded. The punk stomped forward and raised his fist.

"Tsk, you're pissing me off, old man! I told you to start making sense, remember? What the hell was that pain?! Last chance!"

Seeing the hostility, the cloaked figures around the old man reached for their daggers and steadied their stances, all ready for a confrontation. Meanwhile, like a vulture to a ripened carcass, Sato smelled an opportunity.

'Is a fight breaking out? Rioting and confusion will likely follow if one does - a perfect distraction to get out of here.'

Sato looked at the punk, then at all of his countrymen. Aside from the former, each wore an expression of distress, clearly hoping for a hero to guide them through this troubled time.

'Hard to believe I would've gone out of my way to help them in the old days. I would've thought it was the "noble" thing to do.' The soldier sighed to himself, then raised a hand to view. 'Now look at me, planning to abandon them on a moment's notice. '

Oddly, a pang of sorrow punctured Sato's heart at that moment. He briefly reflected on the many moments he'd spent trying to help others, to guide and protect them. Who he once was plagued his mind like a suckling parasite.

Yet, the soldier felt no shame or guilt in his decision. He could only recall being brutally sacrificed and tossed aside by people much like these. He was nothing but a small, rusted cog in an otherwise gargantuan war machine, all for the betterment of complete strangers who couldn't care less about his life or values.

'I think I've done enough. Let the idealistic and idiotic play the "hero."'

Sato nodded his head and hardened his gaze on the door, ready to make a mad dash when an opportunity presented itself. Only he was wrong.

Unfortunately for Sato, there would be no chaos to take advantage of. The flames of confrontation fizzled out as the old man chuckled to himself. 

"Hmmm, perhaps I shall explain it with a metaphor. Yes," the old man confirmed, nodding slowly. "That seems prudent."

Then, he cocked his head to the side and pointed to the lobe of his exposed ear.

 "Suppose a man is born deaf," the old man began. "He would have been living a life of extreme silence, deprived of the symphony of sounds we so enjoy on a daily basis. Now imagine that just as the man attains his ability to hear, he's subjected to the loudest sound possible." 

The old man paused, then laughed boisterously as he added, "I imagine that man would be in quite a bit of agony! That's essentially what happened to all of you."

Most of the audience exchanged puzzled glances, their faces reflecting confusion. Among the few who remained unfazed was none other than Sato - a chord of understanding had been struck within him.

'It makes sense. If one's body isn't acclimated, it's only natural it'd be hypersensitive. Although that's only if he's telling the truth. Only if this "second heart" actually exists.'

Like the rest of his countrymen, the soldier was nowhere near convinced.

Meanwhile, an irritated, feminine laugh echoed. 

"Mana? Aether? Second heart? You know, the more you talk, the less sense you make! By mana…you mean magic, right?" 

Agawa took a deep breath as if to dramatically embolden her next words. 

"Magic. Doesn't. Exist! It's FICTIONAL! Make believe! Even kids know this! Are you crazy?!"

"Oh, on the contrary, Miss Agawa! In your world, magic may be vacant from daily life. But here, I assure you it's quite present."

Though his mannerisms and tone seemed friendly, the old man's confidence only stoked Agawa's frustration. 

The girl crossed her arms and sneered, "Why don't you prove it then? So far, you've just been talking. Let's see you actually do something! If everything you've said is true, then you can perform some magic trick with the flick of your hand, right? Get real!"

Dozens of others followed in the young woman's tracks, shouting and snickering as they egged the old man on.

"Hey, yeah! Do something! Prove you're not a liar!"

"C'mon! Don't wimp out on us! Show us what you've got!"

"Ohhhhh, this should be good… I wonder if he'll do a card trick?"

"Maybe a rabbit from a hat? Or some flowers from his sleeves!"

After a few moments of clamor, the old man sighed to himself in defeat.

"Very well…" he mumbled. However, his face of dejection soon transformed into a grin so wide it nearly split his face in two. Though he pretended to dislike this turn of events, his genuine joy only told otherwise.

"Watch closely now,' he said with a mischievous glint in his eye, slamming the book he'd held shut. 'You're all about to witness something amazing…"