The Untrusting Hero From Another World

Six Since Summoning Day, Eliza, Age 15

I relaxed against the wall of a nearby alley, shifting out of my hero form as I turned to Xandric. While Cass did flee, she got a good hit that shattered part of my mask. I don't know if she pieced it together, but Ryan certainly would, so we cast an illusion and then hurried away, "Thanks for the help, Xandric..."

"You really should tell them. This secret can't go on forever."

"Yeah? And then what? Have my father take the staff? I can't let Jaune and the others fight and die while I sit pretty in the castle."

"Funny how you mentioned Jaune," he noted, and I felt something flare up. I had made my intent clear before so why did I chose to mention him now? Is he suddenly more of a priority? Could I? No, it's too soon after Cass.

"Just please..."

"Don't worry. It's not my secret to tell."

One Week Later, Jaune, Age 15

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I want your help finding White," Ryan answered, looking dead serious. What brought this along? I just lean back, waiting for him to explain further, "You have the closest connection to Thaddeus and his family. If that staff belonged to his wife, you'd have a better chance at finding out than me. Plus, let's be honest, when it comes to talking to people, I am..."

"About as pleasant as rubbing bare skin on sanding paper?"

"You didn't need to be so blunt! But yeah... Look, if we don't find out who she is, how are we supposed to reach out if someone tries to do that crap Cass tried to pull?"

"You do have a point," I admit and turn away to think, "I don't know where to begin. But I do know someone who might. We'll be gone for a few days, though,"

"I'll let Xandric and Makoto know. I'm sure they can handle things here for a bit."

Meanwhile, Cass, Age 15

Was that really her? A Hero White did exist, and that was Eliza's mom, but... no. I need to throw that out of my head and focus. I sat in my room, looking at a picture. Tears stained it, covering the face of a girl I barely remembered. This was the only reminder of my life in the other world I had left, a life I never wanted to return to. It was at that moment of vulnerability I heard my door creak open. I quickly summoned my sword, only to see Ritto, "What do you want?"

"What's wrong? Did something happen? Do you perhaps know this new Hero White's identity?" He asked, making it quite clear he was only playing the fool. I slowly lowered my guard and looked away.

"I have suspicions, but no, nothing concrete."

"Good. Keep up the hard work," he said simply and approached me, patting my shoulder, "I swear, as Arch Mage, you will never be sent home." I scoffed as I knew what he was doing. Zeddral could see everything, but he'd often miss little details like, say, a secret message placed on my shoulder. Ritto walked out, and I removed the piece of paper, reading it as I pretended to sleep.

'Bring White to me, and she is yours.'

The Next Morning, Jaune, Age 15

I decided to give Thundaga a break, so instead, we rode on Naga, the Gorgon I had recruited. Apparently, she was once an elf before she transformed into a Gorgon. Besides her taunts about the absolutely horrid night I recruited her, we slithered our way to Korinthar without much issue. Shrinking Naga down, we made our way through the long hallway towards the submerged city. The artificial sky was still under repairs but things seemed to mostly be back to normal. Thank God. Leading Ryan up to the Sky District, we found exactly who we were looking for, "Felmi!"

The dwarf in the lab coat turned to me with a large grin beneath his beard. "Ah, Eliza's new boy toy. How can I help you?" He asked, clearly teasing me. He'll never let that go, will he? "I doubt you're here on vacation. You four should be training after all."

"Sorry to say you're correct, old man. You see, there is a fifth hero apparently joining our little dance."

"Hero White. I see," Felmi responded almost instantly, his voice sober as he turned around and went to his workstation, "Back in my days as a general, she was one of the finest warriors I ever knew. Shame what happened to her, leaving a grieving father and daughter who'd never know her." I wish I could tell him that he didn't have to worry about Eliza. She had met her mother and seemed grateful to have done so, but telling him that would expose what King Shay did, and we promised to not expose him. Revealing a King going against Thaddeus's back could create more trouble than this already assaulted utopia could bear. I may not be a good man, but I would never risk that. Despite clearly being upset, he took his tools and began building.

"What's he doing?" Ryan asked, but I quickly shushed him. Never interrupt a dwarf's work. He then turned around and passed us a strange device with a screen on it, "That was fast."

"Well, your king sent me a blueprint. This is my second time making one. The White Staff was indeed lost. However, it gives off a unique energy signature, likely a result of all the power it contains. Follow this baby, and it'll lead you right to wherever it is." That will be quite useful. However, I was more focused on him saying he made one for King Thaddeus as well. Perhaps he's already thinking the same thing. Even stranger, when we looked down, we saw two readings on the device.

"Thinking what I'm thinking?" Ryan asked

"Definitely. I suppose this is where our boy night ends?" I asked, admittedly somewhat bummed. Now that Ryan was beginning to open up, I was thinking maybe we could be friends. It would be nice to have one of those. With a soft smile, he patted my back.

"Tell ya what, I know this amazing amusement park. When we get a break from practice and hero work, we can go. Heck, we can even take Kai and Xandric, make it a guy's night."

"Well, if you're going in two different directions, I have another toy you lads may want to try," Felmi offered, leading us deeper into the labs to a strange disk-shaped item. He then pressed in the center and tossed it onto the floor, creating a large tear. On the other side was an endless blue void. Dots of various colors roamed, each with the soft outline of what they once were, each a living thing from one of the two worlds, "We were working on this before the Hell Heroes trashed it. It's programmed to create a path through the Space Between Worlds to any of the Capital Cities. We believe the Demons use something similar, but clearly aren't limited like we are."

"Good work, my friend. I'll let you know if we find something," I assure, giving him a firm handshake before looking to Ryan, "Best of luck."

"Same to you." With that exchange, we entered the portal and split off, each following the two signatures. It seems mine led me back to Dai Shi. Maybe Hero White is still there.

Meanwhile, Ryan, Age 15

My signal was a bit further out, but it led me right back to Zordonia, nearing the border. Once the path ended, I was right in the middle of the town square. Everyone turned to me, fearing another attack. It was a subtle change, but one thing I noticed was that everyone was more on edge. It didn't take a genius to tell that this 'utopia' was turning into a powder keg. How long has this war been going on? People can only take so much. I didn't take long to linger on it, though. I quickly got outside the city and grew Hellas to full size. Despite his initial grumbling, Ric seemed to like the reverence Dai Shi had for dragons, even if he wasn't the right kind. I'll let him have his fun, "Ready, buddy?"

"Yes! Where to?" Hellas asked with eagerness in his usually timid voice

"Don't worry, I'll just be piloting you for a bit. You'll still have some control, but I'll handle navigation," I assured him before knocking on his front left leg. A hatch opened up, allowing me to climb into the cockpit from below. From there, I hooked the device up in front of me and we were off. On the way, I saw a familiar blonde bearded man, though lacking his normal royal attire, "Yo, Thaddey!" I called out, pressing down on the breaks

"Ah, Sir Ryan!" He called out with his normal goofy smile as I climbed out of Hellas's cockpit. Something about it felt more genuine. I guess seeing how he reacted in a warzone helped. "What brings you out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. The King and leader of the entire Island out in the woods alone? No guards or anything?" I asked before pulling out the tracker that Felmi made for us, "Looking for this?" His smile quickly turned sour as he started walking away, "You're looking for the staff too, huh? Wanna know who this Hero White is?"

"Correct. Though, I have my suspicions," He answered when suddenly a Griffon swooped down to attack him. I was going to attack, but a barrier blocked its claws before the beast was cut to pieces. I was shocked, to say the least, but he simply smiled at me, "Go continue your studies. I can protect myself," he assured me before trying to leave.

"No way! You think I'm worried about you? Get over yourself," I scoffed before dragging him to the cockpit, "Not knowing this person can be an issue down the road. If we're both hunting her, we should compare notes." He seemed too stunned by my audacity to protest, and I dragged him into Hellas before continuing on the way

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Meanwhile, Eliza, Age 15

"Alright, right there..." I instructed as Makoto's glowing hands hovered over my body, healing my wounds from yesterday. I could have easily done it myself, but I thought it would help her, and with Instructor Phant's supervision, it was going well.

"If I may ask, Princess, where did you get these injuries?" The massive instructor asked, her large elephant ears flapping a bit with curiosity

"Oh, just some minor hits during the panic yesterday. I'm okay!" I tried to assure myself as I felt a renewed energy inside me. I'm sure they could tell there was more to it than that, but they let it be. Makoto just sighed and stepped back.

"Okay, you should be fine, but I'd recommend a nice long nap," she informed me with a smile. I did feel somewhat exhausted, so I took that advice to heart and returned to my room.

Jaune, Age 15

There was no doubt about it. The signal was definitely coming from here. Eliza had to be White. In hindsight, that should have been obvious, given her choice of clothing. I slowly followed behind her, avoiding her line of sight at all costs. Eventually, she went to her room, and I knew I was about to do something I'd regret. Please forgive me, Eliza, and punish Ryan instead. After waiting a solid thirty minutes, I crept into her room and began my search. It was a massive staff, so it could only hide in a few places. I checked the closet, under the bed, even on the roof. I don't know why. I was just desperate. Meanwhile, the tracker would continue to beep. It wasn't long until I heard the clearing of someone's throat, "Oh crap..."

"Care to explain what you're doing?" Eliza asked, he voice like an icepick to the brain. I quickly turned around, my hands launching into the air as I drop the tracker. She hummed and looked down at it, picking it up "What's this?"

"Um... It was Ryan's idea! He wanted my help finding Hero White!" I exclaimed, any sense of loyalty going straight out the window, "It just so happened... to lead me to you. Eliza, where is the staff?" She looked at me with a cold glare before summoning the staff into her hand

"I keep it on me at all times. Mom's final action was making sure the Demons didn't get it. I'm not going to give them a second chance," She answered before annoyance crossing her face, "But you still found out..."

"Relax. He wasn't the first, was he?" A teasing voice suddenly said, and we snapped to face the source. A woman with dirty blonde hair and a sunflower pin, wearing messy clothes, stood in the doorway. Immediately, we were on guard, but she shook her head, "Uh uh uh. Not here unless you wanna be exposed, babe. Meet me on the roof," she demanded, and we had little choice but to comply. Nobody seemed to see Cass as she casually strolled to the roof of the building. When we got up, we both kept our shifters ready in case things went south, "Well, I guess I should start by saying congrats! You're a hero now. But now, I've gotta take you with me."

"And you thought I'd just agree?" Eliza asked with a fire in her eyes that I had never seen

"I was sorta hoping so," Cass answered with a much more somber look. She approached, holding her hand out, "Even after what you said, I still want us to work. That's why I can't let myself go back." The moment she tried to reach for Eliza's hand, though, my body moved on its own. I stepped in the way and pushed her back.

"She's already made herself clear. Back off"

Cass just chuckled, her face turning to a sadistic grin, "Oh yeah? And you're gonna stop me? You only want her for her status. You're a selfish, pathetic excuse for a human being while I actually love her!"

"You think I don't know how pathetic I am? I've known it my whole life. Despite hating what my father wanted me to be, I'm still becoming it just to spite him," I replied, gritting my teeth. If she wanted to call me out, I was more than happy to just let it all out right now, "Even worse, I'm willing to throw myself into a position I can't handle because of that spite. But Eliza's still giving me a chance by her own choice while you try to force her to take you back despite hurting the thing she cares about most." That must have gotten to her. Before I knew it, her armored fist was almost in my face and would have killed me had I not Storm Stepped back.

"Shut up..." She tried to order only to be launched by a rock fist

"No, he's right about you. You're obsessed, unable to let me go even when I told you we were done. I still want to save you, Cass. I want to save Riley and Jarred, too. But I can't be with you like that again. rewoP oreH layoR!" With those words, the staff glowed, and in a flash, there was Hero White in her majestic glory, "With a Calm Royal Mind, Royal Hero White!"

"I suppose we're doing this. Worlds Combine, Heroes Unite!"

With both of us shifted into our hero forms, I rushed at Cass, keeping up with her speed surprisingly well. But I wasn't done. I just needed Eliza to toss a few spells to distract her while I plugged in the Boost Medal.

"BOOST UP!!"

I will likely never get over the fact that it talks. Still, I managed to zip around with ease, thanks to my new flying capabilities. It was clearly annoying her, yet she took the hits, and we both knew why. She was charging, ready to strike at a moment's notice. There was no avoiding it. Her ability to absorb kinetic energy couldn't be negated. All we could do was prepare for the worst. She would Storm Step up to me and go for a punch, but a barrier quickly formed around me. The attack was completely negated and it gave me a chance to slash at her. She blocked with her sword, but a rapier-type weapon wasn't the best for that, so it cut right through, slashing her, only to reveal a mirage. I scoffed and shifted back, "Figured. If that was the real her, no barrier would've saved me," I mumbled and looked to Eliza, "I know this might be weird to say since you wear it every day, but white looks really good on you."

"Thanks," she said, and while I couldn't see her expression, I knew I heard a soft giggle. "She must have just wanted to confirm her theory. I'll need to be more careful. But Jaune, please don't tell anyone."

Is she a fool? Of course, I wouldn't tell. It's not my place to do so. With a sigh and a confident smirk, I respond, "Why would I? It's not very nice for a man to go telling his bride's secrets." Cass was right, I'm a monster. I'm a worthless human being who would take on a responsibility he isn't fit for all out of spite. Maybe if she sees that she'll be more distant. I just don't want to get her hopes up. With those thoughts, I started to leave. But as I did...

"Jaune." I perked up at my name, turning back to her as her cold eyes were overtaken by a warm smile, "You're not pathetic, you know."

Meanwhile, Ryan, Age 15

Thaddeus and I hurried to the source of the staff's energy. It was a majestic place. The maps called it the "Spring of Life". With a name like that, I expected something grand, but I did not expect this. It was a massive, ever-spewing eruption of crystal-clear water. If not for the moat surrounding it and constant streams going in all directions toward the different kingdoms, I'm sure the entire island would be flooded, "Not where I'd expect a magic staff to be."

"Really? I'm thoroughly miffed that I didn't think of it sooner," Thaddeus answered as he touched a glowing gold barrier made up of multiple hexagons. I remember in class, they said the stronger a barrier is, the more visible it becomes when struck, with the exception of spirit magic. In that case, this one must be damn near indestructible. Still, Thaddeus dispelled it with ease, "Tread carefully in here." He demanded, his voice unusually stern as I followed him along the thin, winding path. In the waters, I thought I could see things. There were vivid images of my fight with Xandric, a battle with Zeddral in the Capital, and even an older me alongside a group of heroes in different suits. What are these? It's like I can see my entire life in the waters? I looked to Thaddeus, who seemed unconcerned but took notice of my surprise, "The water of the Spring of Life knows everyone's entire life. Past, present and future. It's best not to look too long if you don't wish to know." I just nod and silently follow. As we get further along, I hear... humming? This was followed by a loud, almost obnoxious crunching noise as if someone were eating popcorn while watching the water, "Titana, you can come out."

"Oh? So you're finally back!" A voice echoed out as a head peaked over a floating platform before floating down. I was on guard before I saw a woman, her blonde hair long and unkempt as it covered her eyes, and her clothes were... revealing, to say the least. Damn it, what is with fantasy worlds and basically putting mystery women in bikinis. Still, it did look more regal. Gold and emeralds adorned it, along with white pieces of cloth covering her front and back, "Oh, who's this? He's so red!"

"You already know who he is," Thaddeus said, sounding like a stern parent before turning to me, "This is Titana, the Goddess you heard about when you first arrived."

"A goddess, actually. I'm just the one that made this world," She corrected, zipping around me in a flash of light, "The big guys can keep their religions in your world, but I don't care too much for worship. Thanks for letting that die down, kiddo." That seemed to annoy Thaddeus, as I could practically see the tick mark appear on his head

"So you're the one who made this place?" I asked, looking around

"Yup, yup! But that's not what you're here for, right? Right?" She asked, being much more hyperactive than her frankly dirty appearance would have you believe, "You're here for the staff!"

Thaddeus nodded, "My wife said she didn't know where it would go. But there's only one piece of this island she could never explore. Do you have it?" In response, she snapped her fingers, and there it was, Hero White's staff right in her hand. Thaddeus's face turned sour as he turned around to walk away, only for her to whack him over the head with it, "Ow! What was that for?"

"For being an overprotective fool! Let your daughter help!"

"What does Eliza have to do with this?!"

"Nothing, but I've been watching her every day since Allison died, and I refuse to leave here, so I had to wait twelve whole years to do that!" Their argument eventually devolved into bickering that I couldn't even understand while I chuckled nervously in the corner. Eventually, it came to an end, and Thaddeus walked out in a huff.

"Wow, I've never seen him so mad."

"I have a way of doing that," Titania admitted with a devilish grin across her face, "Anyway, I know what you're thinking. I can tell you, but I won't."

"Why? Is it important or something?" I asked, to which she laughed in response

"Oh sweet me, no! You'll figure it out eventually, but I'm loving the drama right now!" She admitted. She made this sound like some TV show. But I guess when you're an all-seeing divine being, that's what life is. I prepared to leave but instinctively caught something in my hand, a stone with an engraving of the spring on it, "When you're about to die, use this," she demanded before vanishing, likely back up to her floating platform. What an odd woman

After dropping Thaddeus off, I returned to Mao Zhua and rendezvous with Juane. We sat against a wall, each being dead silent, "Any luck?" Jaune asked

"Nope. Though, I did have the luxury of meeting a hyperactive shut-in Goddess."

"Excuse me?!" He exclaimed, turning to me in shock, "You need to go into more detail than that, my friend!"

"I will after you tell me your findings. Anything on your end?"

Jaune was hesitant. He stayed silent for a moment before letting out a sigh, "The tracker led me into the school. But I couldn't find anything." Clearly, he was lying. I could tell by the way his body was twitching. But Titana did say that we'd find out eventually. Doubting Jaune would hide something if it was life-threatening, I chose to drop it. He then turned to me with sparkles in his eyes, "Now, what's this about a drama-loving goddess?"

A chuckle escaped my lips. This will be a fun story

Meanwhile, Cass, Age 15

"So I was right," I muttered with sadness in my voice

"You're displeased?"

"Of course. I never wanted to fight her," I answered, fighting back the tears. I can't afford to look weak. If I do that, I lose any and all leverage. But I can't hide it. I stand up and make my way to the door, "Still, it ain't your fault. You did good, Min. You even managed to make me sound smarter than I am with how you picked that boy's brain."

"Don't praise me for this," she insisted, gritting her teeth as I walked out. I'm sorry, Eliza. But I promise things will be better.