Summoned Against my Will

The "Goddess" Arrives

When I came to, I was met with a horrifying scene... at least for an introvert like me.

The first thing I noticed was my body. I was laying down on some sort of ancient stone alter, clothed in eerily similar robes to that shitty god. I could feel that something was different about my body, something I was confused and shocked to feel, but before I could discover it a voice interrupted my thoughts.

"A Goddess...." A deep, husky voice whispered reverently.

My head snapped up from studying myself. I immediately began surveying my situation. Oh shit, this might not be good.

The room that I found myself in resembled a grand ballroom that looked like it came right out of a fairy tail. Complete with a crystal chandelier as large as my car hanging from the vaulted ceiling, the room held a majestic air that made one feel small yet poised. The ceiling was covered with golden mosaics of past celebrations, perched on a backdrop of white stone. The floor was made completely of red colored marble, so pristine one could see their own reflection on it. All the decorations that hung on the white-colored walls were elegant and reeked of money; one could see that this ballroom spared no expense in its construction. The only things in the room currently appeared to be the stone alter I was laying on and the shocking amount of people surrounding me. There must have been at least 50 people who cluttered close to the stone altar, all decked out in various silk robes or armor appearing to be carefully and elegantly handmade, tailored to the person who wore them.

The people in the room all stared at me shell-shocked, awe blanketing their faces and their eyes shinning in marvel. More then one of them were slack-jawed and making indiscernible sputtering noises, staring at me as if they've never seen a person before. This... may not be good. That damn shitty god! If I ever see him again I'll kill him.

"Uh...hello?"

Collectively a shiver went through the crowd. Many eyes closed as if those who wore them were listening to a euphoric symphony, so pleasing to the ears one could get themselves lost in the sound. I could feel vile rising up my throat at the sight.

"Could anyone tell me where I am?" I questioned anxiously. This shit was getting too weird too quickly.

Silence still blanketed the room. I looked around helplessly; can these people even understand me? "Anyone? Who are you people?"

It was another moment before someone spoke up. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Lautus, my goddess." The same husky voice I heard before responded breathlessly. I looked over to the voice's owner and immediately stilled.

The man looked like he was a work of art. He wore a glimmering silver breastplate placed over a tight, pitch black tunic that did nothing to hide is well-endowed arm muscles. If I were standing, he would be well over my 5'7 height; I estimated that he was at least 6'3. His short, black hair was styled so that it was parted to one side, leaving his stormy, clear grey eyes visible to my own pair; his eyes seemed to hide a hint of playfulness and awe that seemed to envelop the populace in the room. He almost looked like a more robust, facial-hair free version of Ian Somerhalder, only if he were clad in medieval-like armor and were 5 inches taller.

Slightly lost in those eyes, I seemed to have trouble responding. A smirk lit up the man's face. Taking a step closer to me, he came out of the circle of people that were surrounding me. "Goddess?" he inquired, amused.

Shaking myself out of my stupor, I sat up on the alter so that my back was a little straighter and questioned, "The Kingdom of Lautus? What? Who are you people?" Having another thought, I added, "And who the hell are you calling Goddess?"

The man chuckled at my insistent questioning, his eyes sparkling with humor. "Well, I'm glad you seem to find this amusing." I muttered.

"Ah, my dear goddess, please don't take it the wrong way. I was just not aware that our savior would be so... inquisitive." He took a step closer in my direction. "I also was not aware that you would be this charming."

He was now so close as to reach out and touch me. Uncomfortable, I made a move to slide off the alter, but the man noticed and was in front of me in a flash. Placing both of his arms on either side of me, he breathed out, "And where do you think you're going?"

A little flustered, words began spewing from my lips. "Whooaaa, hold on there buddy. Too close for comfort. Respect the personal bubble please." I leaned back onto the alter to put some space in between us. "I'm just trying to find out where the hell I am!"

Seeing me uncomfortable, the man removed his hands and slightly blacked off so that he was in front of me, no longer trapping me onto the alter. I sighed in relief at the distance. Still smirking, he placed his right hand over his chest and slightly bowed. "My name is Lucian Van Lautus, current king of this kingdom. You were summoned into this world as we are in a great peril and are in need of need assistance." His eyes sparkled as he straightened and looked at me. "Legend tells of a mighty hero who came from a different world. He vanquished a great evil in ancient times, the same evil that has appeared in this world today. We've tried all we can to vanquish this evil, but to no avail. After much bloodshed, we were out of hope." He looked down and clenched his fist. "Many of us lost people who were very close to us." The crowd around us murmured in agreement. Lucian then looked back up and met my eyes, his filled with hope and mine with dread. "We, the main rulers, then remembered this legend and met to decide what to do. The rulers main Kingdoms of this world agreed that it was worth a shot at summoning another hero to end our people's suffering."

"So? What fancy words for such a load of bullshit. Basically, your plan is to just dump your troubles on a random stranger?" I snorted. "What a well-thought out plan."

Lucian, still amused, slowly surveyed me. "We ran out of other choices. You're our only hope."

"'Help me Obi-wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.'" I mocked.

Confused, Lucian stopped his wandering eyes and looked at mine again. "What?"

I shook my head in disappointment. "Its nothing that you would get. Now, why in the hell do you think I'll help you? One minute I was at practice going about my day, the next a shitty god declares I exist for his damn entertainment and sent me here, and now you want to dump your problems onto me. You said you lost many who were important to you, I'm now in the same boat by being here. I'm alone. My friends and family are gone. Put yourself in my place, would you really help the people that took you away from those you cared about?"

I was seething. Why in the hell did this happen to me? I've always done the right thing. Or at least tried to. Who hasn't skipped a class once or twice? That doesn't mean I deserve this shit.

The silence in the room returned. The people who were silently staring at me before seemed to shake and not be able to meet my eye, as if my anger at them physically hurt them somehow. Could it be an effect of those blessings the shitty god forced on me?

Unsettled, I realized that taking my anger out on them won't get me anywhere. I sighed. "What is this great evil you mentioned?"

Lucien, looking a little remorseful, responded quickly. "It will take some time to explain everything and we should wait for the other rulers to arrive, so they can meet you as well. Please, what is your name?"

The people in the room all began looking at me anxiously, as if hearing my name is the most important thing in the world to them. I looked past Lucian to the people around us, studding them more closely this time. Are all the people in this world attractive? There wasn't an ugly face in this entire ballroom! Stop looking at me with those eyes.

Suddenly an image of Sue, Riley and Lauren reaching out to me flashed across my eyes.

"Goddess?" Lucian drove my attention back to him. "Your name?"

Closing my eyes in a sudden burst of tiredness, I whispered out, "Its Rey. Rey Knight."