Everyone's bodies hit the ground with a loud thud, while the desks, chairs, and everything else the students had around them vanished without a trace.
Logan, using the last of his strength, managed to lift his head and take in his new surroundings—and what he saw wasn't good at all.
There was no natural light. Only two faint orbs hovered in the air, casting a dim, eerie glow over the room. The sight they revealed was far from comforting. The entire class now stood inside a vast, pitch-black dungeon. It was cold and damp, and worse still, the glowing blue magic array that had guided them here had already faded. Around the edges of where the array had once been, over a dozen bodies lay motionless—people who might already be dead.
Some students were too sick to even lift themselves off the ground. Others, slowly recovering, began to focus on what Logan was seeing. Two of them stumbled away, unable to hold back their nausea. One tripped over a nearby body, adding to the chaos with a disturbing scene.
Logan wasn't doing much better himself. A wave of nausea twisted his stomach, and he clutched it tightly as the room erupted into panic. Cries, screams, and confused shouts echoed off the dungeon walls. His breathing grew erratic, but he forced himself to inhale slowly, calming his nerves just enough to think clearly.
He ran toward the nearest body—a young woman, possibly in her early twenties, her black cloak soaked with sweat and clinging to her form. As he crouched beside her, he saw her chest rise and fall faintly. She was still breathing.
Logan exhaled in relief. At least it wasn't a murder scene.
But that brief moment of comfort was shattered by a sudden bang behind him.
The few students who had regained their composure were now forced to face a new horror: a door suddenly materialized from one of the walls. A chill ran down their spines as four towering figures stepped through—each one clad in heavy armor, the thud of their boots echoing across the stone floor.
The class huddled together, silent and terrified. There was nowhere to run.
And more figures were entering behind them.
Everyone realized they were no longer in their world when around ten robed individuals rushed in, chanting incantations in an unfamiliar language. As they did, glowing orbs of light formed around the room, illuminating the dark chamber.
With the new lights, the class could finally see the entire space clearly, but the clarity only made things worse. A group of knights stepped into view, clad in shining armor and equipped with swords, spears, and shields, each weapon and piece of armor appearing expertly crafted from precious metals. The mere sight of them shattered any lingering thoughts that this was some elaborate prank or illusion.
None of the armored figures made a sound. In perfect unison, they took their positions and raised one arm to their chests in what seemed like a rehearsed salute.
As the knights settled into place, three girls entered the room, accompanied by a group of maids. Logan couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion, furrowing his brow at the unexpected sight.
The three girls stood out starkly from the others, who were either in armor or dressed as attendants.
"Sister, look! There must be at least twenty heroes, not just one!" the youngest of the trio exclaimed, her soft yet clear voice ringing with excitement. She appeared no older than eleven and spoke in a foreign language... yet somehow, the entire class understood her perfectly.
"Yes, I can see that," replied the second girl, gently raising a hand to silence her younger sibling. She looked to be about the same age as the students, perhaps thirteen or fourteen. She carried herself with calm poise, her questions directed thoughtfully to one of the armored knights beside her.
Both girls wore elaborate, floor-length dresses fit for a royal gathering, along with finely crafted tiaras. The younger of the two wore a delicate silver tiara studded with emerald-like jewels that matched her platinum blonde hair and strikingly European features.
As for the older sister, she wore a gold tiara that sparkled with multiple jade-colored gems.
Anyone who saw them would likely share the same thought—these girls looked exactly like princesses from some fantastical fairy tale.
A taller woman stood behind the two girls, clad in light silver armor. Her vibrant blue hair stood out prominently, making it clear it wasn't just dyed. She emitted a faint blue aura that gave her pale skin a bluish hue. Even her sapphire-colored eyes and matching eyebrows added to her otherworldly but very attractive appearance.
The younger girl was likely the first to notice the mood of the class. She glanced between the group of students and the nearest knight, her expression growing more thoughtful.
Everyone, including Logan, watched silently, uncertain of what she would do next.
After a moment of hesitation, she stepped forward and gave what appeared to be an attempt at a polite bow, but her movements were awkward and unpracticed.
Her golden-platinum hair slipped forward, obscuring her face as she leaned down.
Despite being older, the girl she called her sister also panicked and quickly lowered herself into a less pronounced bow. It wasn't until the faint sound of something metallic clinking on the floor echoed through the room that the younger sister realized her mistake.
Her silver tiara had slipped off, bounced twice, and rolled until it stopped near Logan's knee.
Still crouched beside the cloaked figure he'd been examining earlier, Logan looked down at the tiny crown and picked it up.
"Ah! I'm sorry about that!" the girl cried as she hurried over to retrieve it.
Logan handed the tiara back, surprised by how light it felt in his hand. "Uhm, it's fine… here," he mumbled.
The young girl stared at him for several seconds, tilting her head as if puzzled by something. Logan, visibly uncomfortable under her gaze, gave an exaggerated cough and looked away.
"Myrea! The heroes must be brought into the reception area—but before that, we should begin distributing the potions," the older sister said, gently pulling the younger girl back and clearing her throat to regain composure.
She then turned to the class and offered a respectful curtsy, matched by her sister. Both girls lifted their dresses slightly in a graceful bow that commanded admiration from everyone watching.
"I sincerely apologize for this chaotic introduction. Heroes, please accept our welcome and forgive our clumsiness. This is a rare and unusual event, even for us," she said with poise.
"We had prepared to summon a single hero… so please understand our surprise. We never expected so many to arrive. We ask just a bit of your patience while we make the final preparations for your grand entrance. For now, we will distribute these potions—crafted for the mages who performed the summoning—but they should help ease any lingering side effects from your arrival."
Following the introductions, both girls were finally able to appreciate the sight of the of the heroes before them. However, their expressions revealed a mix of admiration and dismay as they noticed the students' disheveled state—torn clothing, signs of sickness, and even a few who had clearly lost control of their bladders.
There was nothing graceful about the summoning. But perhaps that was due to the limited knowledge surrounding the spell. After all, it had only been performed once before.
Still, while the results may have been unforeseen, the responsibility fell squarely on the kingdom to correct this mess. The likely cause, Vianell thought, was the excessive number of mediums used in the ritual—an act intended to summon just one powerful individual, not an entire class.
As the older princess looked over the students, she reminded herself of her duty—to properly welcome these heroes and bring order to the chaos around her.
[Thank the spirits they were called upon while dressed…] Vianell thought dryly as she prepared to speak again.
"Now that you're aware of the situation, introductions are in order. My younger sister, Myrea, is the second princess of the Kingdom of Elris. I am Vianell, the first princess of this kingdom. As I mentioned earlier, we will begin distributing potions, and—if it's not too intrusive—we'd like to check on everyone's condition."
Behind them, the maids stepped forward with trays in hand. Each carried towels and small glass vials filled with a faintly glowing pink liquid. As they approached, the students instinctively reached for the towels but hesitated when it came to the strange potion.
Logan was the first to be offered one of the vials. He eyed the pink fluid with suspicion, hesitating to drink it.
"Uhm!" Myrea cried out, recognizing the problem at once. She rushed over to one of the maids and snatched a vial off the tray. "Let me help! See? It's not poison or anything. I'll show you!"
Without hesitation, the young princess took a small sip—then, closing her eyes, she swallowed a much larger gulp. She coughed lightly but quickly smiled, clearing her throat.
"You see? It's not that bad. A little spicy at first, but you get used to it," she said sweetly, holding out the half-empty vial to Logan with a hopeful look in her eyes.
"But you just… drank…" Logan stammered, unsure how to respond. Yet the girl continued to nudge the vial toward him, her innocent expression paired with a stubborn determination that made it impossible to refuse.
In addition to the pressure from the young princess, Logan could feel the weight of everyone's expectations in the room, especially from the other students, who looked at the vial as if it were the answer to their suffering. He hesitated a little longer, casting a quick glance at Lisa. She quickly turned away, but not before he noticed the same hopeful look in her eyes.
"Fine, I'll give it a shot." With no real way out, he grabbed the bottle and took a deep gulp.
A wave of sweetness and heat burst across his tongue, like honeyed cinnamon. But the sensation didn't end there—the liquid seemed to turn into vapor mid-swallow, rushing into his lungs before it could even reach his stomach. Panic flickered in his chest as his body reacted to the strange transformation—then, just as quickly, relief swept over him. His limbs lightened, his aches vanished, and every lingering trace of pain or discomfort melted away.
The rest of the class surged forward, grabbing their own vials and drinking the strange potion. In the midst of the chaos, Logan quietly slipped away from Myrea's curious stare and found a place to sit. He began wiping himself down with one of the white towels that had been distributed earlier.
It felt as though the fragile state brought on by the summoning had been completely healed.
Still, none of the students wandered far from the group, even as a few began striking up light conversations with the maids.
"Guards, rush the magicians to the infirmary!" Princess Vianell commanded.
The class stirred again as more soldiers entered the chamber. They moved to the fallen robed figures, casting a spell that made each body hover onto strange glowing disks—carrying them off with practiced ease.
Afterward, the older princess addressed the class, informing them that a brief health inspection was required to ensure no lingering illnesses or injuries remained. She held up a glowing object she referred to as a Medical Sigil.
Logan ended up being the last to be checked. All he had to do was extend his palm.
Princess Vianell conducted the inspection herself, always shadowed by her blue-haired bodyguard. Meanwhile, her younger sister was chatting animatedly with a few of the girls nearby.
After a short scan of his hand, the princess gave an approving nod. She tilted the glass panel toward his face and offered a gentle smile—the kind a doctor might give when confirming their patient was perfectly healthy.
"Thank you for cooperating, and please accept our sincere apologies for the delay."
Princess Vianell gave a slight bow before rising to her feet. She stepped toward the remaining students, most of whom were either seated or standing in the center of the room. With a light clap of her hands, she drew their attention.
"Now then, I'm sure many of you are eager to change into clean clothes. We've prepared bathrooms and changing areas nearby. Any questions you have will be addressed afterward—so for now, please follow me."
She rejoined her younger sister, and together they began walking toward the only visible door in the room, motioning for the class to come along. Ms. Claire, meanwhile, was attempting to restore some order, urging the students into a line. Though she had taken the potion like the others, she still appeared a bit unsteady. Seeing this, Logan silently placed himself at the very end of the line, hoping not to add to her stress.
He let out a long sigh—one of many since the chaos began—and reflected on everything that had unfolded that morning. He'd already pinched himself multiple times, but this time he did it harder, hoping for something—anything—to wake him up.
All he felt was the sharp sting on his arm.
No matter how surreal it all seemed, the truth was clear.
This wasn't a dream.