I Was Kidnapped to Another World and Forced to Become a Hero

Ch. 9 - The Long Night

The fuzzy scene played out like a waking dream, and it wasn't the first time Kamiro had seen it, nor would it be the last. Warmth enveloped him while he laid under a shady tree partially covering the morning sun that shined above. It was peaceful and far too comforting for him to open his eyes, but a familiar voice called out to him that made him want to try.

"Kamiro, wake up."

The soft voice of a female child filled him with a sense of nostalgia. He struggled to open his eyes while the voice continued to call out to him. It was always the same, as if he was stuck somewhere between awake and asleep, and the most he was ever able to grasp was the silhouette of the small girl.

"Wake up, big brother."

The girl's fuzzy image continued, but as much as he struggled, Kamiro could not fully awaken.

As time passed, the voice grew louder, and her tone changed with every call. "Wake up."

The voice became cruder, and the blissful scene Kamiro experienced dulled and began to shatter, bit by bit. Until the point of no return.

"Wake up!"

The complete shattering of his dream snapped Kamiro's eyes wide open, and he found Ayu desperately shaking him.

At some point after his talk with Fleur, he had fallen asleep. So much for being on watch duty...

But after his initial confusion subsided, he realized that they would be in for a longer night than expected. Kamiro stared at Ayu's distressed face, which began to show a hint of relief now that he had awakened. Looking around, the dark campsite was filled by a pink gassy substance that lingered in the air.

"What is this?" He stumbled up after Ayu, and they checked their surroundings.

"It's a sleeping gas. We have to wake everyone!" Ayu struggled to awaken Earla and the others, and Kamiro headed towards Fleur in the carriage.

He wasted no time. He snatched the curtains away and opened the cargo hold. At that moment, a voice came from within.

"No, don't!" Fleur said.

Kamiro barely had time to think while the scene in front of his eyes played out. One of the bandits had returned, but it seemed he was alone, probably just the one that Fleur had humiliated and sought revenge. This again?

Fleur was frozen with wide eyes as the bandit ripped the damaged talisman from the cage door. With a thump, his body dropped without notice, his eyes still open with a glassy appearance.

"No..." Fleur's eye's trembled toward Kamiro. "You have to—"

A magic circle appeared within the cage and illuminated everything with an ominous purple. Fleur grunted and struggled within; she appeared in pain and seemed to weaken by the second.

"Fleur!" With the cage now open, Kamiro reached inside. While he pulled her out, he was overwhelmed with fatigue, if only for a moment. They struggled off the carriage hold, and the others, now awake, rejoined them.

Ayu shared a shoulder with Fleur, who had trouble just standing. "So it was those bandits again... but, what is that?"

The magic circle in the cage had grown more intense and disturbed the space around it. Made of a mix of zigzag lines and shapes, the circle settled down to a slow, pulsing glow.

"It's... some type of spell." Earla said.

"You all have to leave... They'll be coming for me..." Fleur's voice was weak, but she forced out her words.