New Beginnings (1)
A fly buzzed noisily in the air above a small wooden table where two figures sat opposite each other. It had landed for barely a few seconds when the sudden movement from one of the beings sent it fleeing back into the air.
"So, let me get this straight... You want 'me' to participate in a gruesomely bloody war with ancient heroes, monsters, and gods?"
Leigh Han stared straight into the eyes of the beautiful girl sitting opposite him. Her hair was straight and black, flowing over her shoulders, her face was quite cute, and her sky blue eyes nearly succeeded in distracting him.
"Yes."
"And I'm currently in another world?" He looked around at the somewhat wide ancient tent walls surrounding him.
"Yes."
"... Why me?"
"You were the only one we managed to pull from your realm. It was nearly impossible as the magic there was almost nil."
Leigh shook his head and frowned...
"Let me paraphrase with a few more questions... Who are you? How much isekai have you been reading? And how much is the ransom?"
She tilted her head, "Isekai? Ransom?"
"Tch. Don't play dumb, lady. I can read the situation. We're the only two people in this room; I'm naked and tied to a chair, there's a bucket of bloody water in the corner over there, and you're the only person with a sword here..."
The tension grew in his heart as Leigh felt a light breeze chill his naked form.
"..."
"I don't have a lot of money. My family is quite poor too. But my credit is good. I can take out a loan, as much as you want, just give me a few days."
"..."
"So, a few days is too much, huh! J-Just give me two! Two days and I'll have the money, I'll talk to a few friends..."
Silence.
"You? You! Its not my money you're after?" A horror stricken face swapped with his confused one as he stared down at his naked self,
"My body? You want that kind of payment? I'll have you know, It - It may be big, but its fragile! And I'm not the most experienced man in the world... so... so... please, be gentle"
A fist slammed onto the table.
"Enough!"
The girl wore a red face, as she stared angrily at his shy countenance, then soon calmed down and sighed.
"Perhaps I should have started with a self introduction after all," She raised her hand, the air rippled mysteriously and the next thing he knew, a tiny glowing white orb suddenly appeared at her fingertips.
Leigh didn't even have time to be surprised about it, because as soon as it had formed, it flew in a direct collision course with his head, and he blacked out, or at least he thought he did. He could see nothing, feel nothing, and hear nothing. But what happened next shocked him; a slideshow of vibrant images appeared before him, along with the girl's monotone voice resounding from each and every direction in the otherwise black space.
"This," A blurry vision formed of vast mountains, seas, and plains. It showed every possible environment and then more; it revealed mountains floating in the sky with ceaseless waterfalls pouring from them, and underwater ravines with odd plants and animals moving as if they were in the open air. Images all zoomed out to the extent that one could see the sheer vastness of the world.
" - Is Gaia: The Divine Plain, homeland and origin of the gods, the source of the original magics, most holy land of all creation! And until recently, it has been fettered with corruption."
The screen turned to reveal a swathe of land plagued by black soil that billowed strange, dark, and toxic purple fumes. On that land there were odd black crystals attached to porous fleshy masses that oozed liquid like blood, and tiny little things that he couldn't really see from this perspective flocking around its base...
"For the past 10,000 years most of this land has been recovering, and with the help many returning gods, it has started to flourish once more."
The "screens" turned to show various signs of life growing and prospering, like a deer nurturing it's newborn calves and fields of flowers sprouting. They then suddenly returned to the bulbous monstrosities again , which showed signs of movement. "movement" away from the toxic atmosphere and towards the distant land, covered in green.
"But it would seem the corruption which had begun to die, wishes to renew itself once more! As the gods, their people, and all other civilizations resettle this land, they must unite to drive away the corruption! They must expand and prosper!"
The bleak vision dissipated, allowing allowing the view to once more return to the girl standing up with arms raised, breathing hard, and eyes full of ambition. She turned her burning gaze back onto Leigh who was looking around the tent quizzically.
"What are you looking for?"
"The CGI team. That, or whatever hallucinogenic you injected me with, Lady. Besides, you didn't even explain who you are! You just gave me the cutscene version of your monologue from earlier!"
Her face reddened a bit more, before continuing on as if she hadn't heard him at all. Her hand hovered over her chest.
"I am a system , created by the realm, Gaia itself, to aid in the growth of your civilization! And you are mistaken! This," She raised her arms to the sides, "~ This is magic!"
Two balls of flame, both a few centimeters wide, hovered unsteadily over either of her palms. Barely two minutes passed before the girl's face started to sweat profusely, and her hands trembled, causing the two orbs to dissipate.
"..."