Mistaken Identities

Jasmin woke up, the taste of blood still in her mouth. Losing all feeling in her arms and legs.

"You ask her." Wataru said, talking to Yong.

"No, you do it." Yong said, pushing Wataru towards Jasmin.

So many mistakes in such a short amount of time. What was I thinking, rushing into the castle with no support?

"Hey, um, magic lady." Wataru said, rubbing his arm, not making eye contact with her as Jasmin's neck strained from her head hanging down for so long.

"I think she's still out." Wataru said, looking back at Yong.

Jasmin lifted her head, immediately feeling light-headed as blood dripped onto the floor. She gazed at them, confused. "What happened to all of you? Why are you being held in such a weak cell?"

"Is she talking to us?" Wataru said.

"I think so. She's staring right at us?" Yong said.

"Maybe she's crazy." Yama said.

Wataru and Yong nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I'm talking to you. You were all so strong. I saw it before I transported you all."

"WHAT?" Everyone said in unison. All eyes immediately turned to Jasmin, as they all moved closer to her.

"So, you're the one that did this? Do you know what you've done? Half of us are dead because of you." Jin yelled at Jasmin, grasping the iron bars.

"Jin, calm down. We don't know the whole situation." Yama said.

"I don't know what happened after their landing. But I can assure you, they didn't perish because of that."

"So, Mei Lee is alright? She's alive?" Jin said, hope lighting up his face for the first time since he arrived.

"That I'm not so sure about. Once they landed, they could've gone anywhere or encountered anyone. This world has a lot of crazy people."

"I'm glad the others are alright, or potentially. But that doesn't explain why you transported us here." Sora said.

Jasmin, still feeling light headed from her fight and the blood loss, explained to them, similar to what Lemir explained to the others.

"It's my worst nightmare. I'm literally in an isekai." Junichi said with his palm in his face.

"You don't like those?" Wataru said.

"What's the point if there's no one to write about it or film my heroic acts? Hmm?" Junichi said, aggressively asking Wataru.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Jasmin. We would be of little use in this war." Sora said.

"But where is everyone? The elders? Us?" Wataru asked.

The elders, instead of uniting and helping take down the army, most of them joined Callimor, turning their backs on everything they once believed in. Valier and Masildur are the only elders who fought with us, alongside all of you. Until we lost you two." Jasmin said while looking at Jin and Wataru with much pain and sorrow in her eyes." Both imprisoned, tortured, and shortly after, killed by Rathmal."

"Jin and Wataru die? But they're the main part of the show." Yong said, Yama quickly covers Junichi's mouth before he can object.

"This war sounds like it differs vastly from ours. Soon after their deaths, Rathmal attacked, slaughtering innocent people and burning everything in his path. Some saw the heinous acts by the Kingdom and left to fight against them." Jasmin gestured to Sora and Sungwoo.

The war culminated when the army for the people marched to the Kingdom with killing intent. Too many innocent lives lost. "No more." Everyone said, demanding justice. The battle took thousands of lives on both sides. Blood sprayed across the land, bodies everywhere with no end in sight. The few that remained had almost all their magic spent. Valier and Lemir fought with everything they had, but little did they know, a second wave approached them, led by Tazul. Archers from the top of the castle flooded the battlefield, not caring that their men were still down there. Multiple arrows pierced Valier, sending her to the ground, deeply wounded. Lemir saw more and more men entering the battlefield and looked at Valier and at the pending doom approaching. He fled. Yelling to everyone to retreat. Unfortunately, they surrounded Masildur and I, with no way to escape. Masildur's wounds left him immobile. I attempted to pick him up, but he immediately stopped me and handed me a scepter and a book. I stared at it and realized. It was the book of legend left by one of the earliest sorcerers of this world. I only heard about it in passing until that point. He brought it as a Plan B. In case the battle wasn't going our way, he could escape to find warriors in another world. Masildur used his remaining magic energy and sent me to your world."

"I flew through the vortex, but unfortunately, an accident sent me into a coma lasting several years. But upon my wake, I saw all of you fighting in this box. I couldn't believe it. I thought it was showing me the past, but in the end, we won. The glorious victory everyone wanted."

"I remember that. That must've been our third season." Wataru said.

"I waited a year for the vortex to be opened again and rushed to all of you. Now we're here. But sadly, you aren't the warriors I believed you were. I am very sorry for causing you this trouble. My mistake might have cost all of your lives. I promise you I will try to find your friends with all my power and hopefully you all will be free when the portal reopens in four years."

"What? Isn't there someone here who's more powerful? That could open it up sooner?" Wataru said.

"Yeah, my fans will be disappointed if I cancel my tour."

"No one cares about your boy band Yong." Junichi said.

"Not true. They're great. I would be very disappointed." Yama said.

"Thanks, Yama. I didn't know you were a fan."

"How can I not be? Your songs are so catchy."

"Will you two save this fan meeting for later." Sora said firmly.

"Sorry, you two, but she's right. We need to first focus on getting out of here and finding the rest before thinking about going home." Jin said.

"No one can open the vortex before then. If opened too soon, there's no telling where the vortex will take you."

Junichi slouches and hits the back of his head on the cell. His mind races after hearing the news, not knowing what to feel, but right now he doesn't feel anything. But what does it matter when the vortex opens, if they're stuck in here.

Gindloc and Tazul sit by a table in a dark room located at the top of the east wing tower, the only light in the room comes from an orb in the center of a round wooden table. King Rathmal appeared on the orb. Nothing showed behind him, but a faint purple light surrounding him.

"I will be away longer than I thought. My training is moving slowly."

"Why is that, my King?" Tazul asked.

"I suspect Callimor isn't showing me everything. He is intentionally holding me back. I must find my answers within this castle for myself. Once I do, I'll bring it back, and we will no longer need him.

"Understood, my King." Tazul said.

"Did you find out where Jasmin was hiding this whole time?"

"No sir, with her magic being constantly drained, she's unconscious every time I check. But what do we do with the prisoners, sir?" Gindloc said.

"You are sure they are not the same warrior from before?"

"Yes, sir. They are very weak, no traces of magic."

"Find the rest, and report to me as soon as you do. Who knows, the Kingdom could always use more knights."

"Yes, sir." Tazul said.

"We will soon have this world at our mercy, and not even the Dark King Callimor will stand a chance."