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…I don’t remember my bed being as hard as rocks nor the sound of crashing waves being anywhere near my bedroom.
I woke up and started to take in my surroundings. Not only was I on some rocky shore, but I was also surrounding by a bunch of people, less than a hundred by my estimate. I looked up into the sky and saw that a solar eclipse. A shiver ran down my spine, was I kidnapped for some cult ritual? How did they even managed to get me here in the first place since I don’t remember there being a rocky shore anywhere near my home. As the solar eclipse reached its zenith, I was reminded of the Kamen Rider Wizard that I’ve watched years ago and now thinking about my situation, I can’t help but feel unease at the similarities.
Then it happened
The sky darkened, the ground erupted with red glowing cracks and people started screaming in terror and pain. I held back a scream myself, my mind racing as I took in everything. It really was happening, the Sabbath. As my body started cracking, I knew what I had to do to hold on to hope to survive but I couldn’t. The despair was overwhelming and nothing I tried holding on to worked since I wasn’t despairing against anything specifically. I watched on helplessly as more and more people were consumed by their Phantoms around me and their roars of victory were like poison to my ears.
…No…NO!
I knew what to do and I wasn’t trying to help anyone else survive. I felt what could be wings erupt from my back and fell to my knees in pain. “Everyone!” I screamed as loudly as I could, “Don’t lose hope! Hold on to it as hard as you can!” All I saw was more people dying around me, “Please” I started begging at this point. It was then my despair turned into anger and let out a roar of frustration and I was vaguely aware that I started glowing gold as I turned that anger into a focal point for my hope, I glared at the eclipse and swore that I will put a stop this plan, that I will be the hope that I couldn’t be for these people. It was at this point I started losing conscious, holding that determination close to my heart.
“Hmm, this is a successful experiment, I’m truly free and managed to greatly weaken Orba’s and a couple of the others seals as well. The next one needs to be bigger so it can free the rest huh? Whatever, I got more helpers now anyway”
I regained conscious when I heard that. I sat up and saw not the White Wizard, but Ogma I think? He wasn’t a full Phantom but looked as like a young man with gold coloured skin in his twenties wearing a Drake Phantom themed armour. What was going on? Not only was he not the White Wizard, but he was also talking about seals and someone named Orba. He even sounded like he didn’t know exactly what he was doing, was the Sabbath performed for a different purpose?
“All of you, seek out gates and create more Phantoms. I want to perform the next one as soon as possible.” The young man declared to the roaring agreement of the Phantoms. He watched caculatively as they disperse before he noticed me. “What’s this? You’re still human but I can sense Lord Deusmast’s fragment within you.” He grasped the handle of one of his blades and I glared at him, this confirmed a suspicion I have that the mastermind was someone different and that the plot of Wizard couldn’t truly be trusted. Sou Fueki was on a one-man mission to resurrect Koyomi but this guy sounded like he wanted to free someone. He drew his sword, “Best not to leave loose ends.”
EXPLOSION! NOW!
Ogma jumped back to avoid the attack and another figure came into view, the Kamen Rider Wiseman.
“What are you? I can tell that you aren’t a Phantom,” He sounded like he was middle age which probably meant that he was Fueki. He pointed his weapon, the Hamel Cane, at Ogma and his other hand was on his belt, ready to cast another spell.
Ogma didn’t reply immediately, observing Wiseman for a moment before glancing at me and smirked, “I am Ogma, one of Lord Duesmast heralds. This is all to free my master but please,” He walked backwards into a portal, “Try and stop me if you can.” Disappearing with a haunting laugh in the air.
“Are you ok young man” The White Wizard asked as he approached me, taking a knee next to me to get a better look at my condition.
“…No” I was beyond confused at this point, was this some elaborate scheme to get me to work for him? Even so, the White Wizard was right that Ogma wasn’t a Phantom, at least I didn’t think he was since he looked more like a humanized version and that couldn’t have been easy to set up when he could easily do what he did in the show.
“Let’s get you too someplace safer.” He switched his rings, “This may be a bit disorientating but please bear with it.”
TELEPORT! NOW!
Home of the White Wizard
I stumbled a bit as I stood up, the White Wizard holding me steady as I took in my new surroundings, a simple living room that wasn’t elaborate, something you would see in any anime, I think. The White Wizard detransformed, turning into, as I suspected, Sou Fueki but a bit older about his mid-fifties, since I don’t remember the one in the show having silver hairs at all.
“Papa?” A young voice called out from another room and in walked Koyomi but a lot young, maybe 12 or so. Ok, this was different, was Fueki a natural-born wizard rather than an artificial one? And Koyomi looked alive as well but what was up with the differing ages?
“I’m back Koyomi, I’ll order some dinner while I help out this young man here so, please get ready, ok?” Koyomi looked at me with big inquisitive eyes and nodded her agreement before moving to the sofa to watch some TV. “Please follow me up to my study”
I followed him up, to exhausted to be on guard to be honest and noticed that his study contained many books of Physics and something that looked like an alchemy table form Skyrim. He gestured for me to take a seat before sitting opposite from me. “My name is Sou Fueki and I am a magician.”
He explained to me things I already knew, the Sabbath, Phantoms and how I was a magician myself now. I listened to see if anything was really different but no everything stayed true till the end, my eyes wandered before locking on a picture on the desk, one where Fueki was younger, but Koyomi was older. He followed my gaze, “I see you’ve noticed”
“Its kind of hard not to when your daughter looks older and you younger here when I just met her minutes ago. I’m sorry but they look way to alike be siblings.” I broached the subject to see whether he took the same path as he did in the show.
“I fell into despair when my wife died and only managed to cling on to hope because of my daughter.” His eyes looked sad as he reminisced, “when my she passed as well, I was driven mad I suppose. I delved into any form or research I could to bring her back. Koyomi is a homunculus you see and only when she was completed did I realise how foolish I’ve been and that my wife and daughter won’t want me to live like that.”
“I’m sorry for your lose” I offered my condolences and felt guilty that I brought up a painful past. I was mostly sure at this point I could trust him but I will still hold a few cards to my chest for now.
“Thank you, Koyomi is a joy to raise as well and the only difference between her and a regular human is that I could skip to the toddler phase.” He smiled in good humour, “But enough about me, I realised that I haven’t gotten your name?”
I told him my real name and where I was from, but a simple search online, not even google but some strange search engine called Hugoo! and came up with nothing. I sat down in disbelief as this meant that I was isekaied.
“This is strange, I would never have thought that you came from outside Japan since you speak the language so well,” Now that I think about it and the adrenaline wore down, I realised that I understood Japanese perfectly. “I can’t leave you like this now, can I?” Fueki hummed, “I can have a friend make an identity for you as a Japanese citizen.”
I was shocked at that causal admittance, “Is it really that easy?”
“No but there is little that the Yotsuba family can’t do.” He smiled at me, “A relative who is now staying with me sound good, yes? How does Haruto Soma sound?”
“Thank you,” I said gratefully, “but I do have one more request. I want to fight the Phantoms and that man”
Fueki frowned at that, “You are young, only 14 and shouldn’t be fighting anything much less monsters.”
“Please,” I begged him, “I held on to hope because I promised myself that I would stop them. I have to fight them or it would mean…” The screams of the other victims played in my head, if only I was stronger, other people would have survived as well.”
Fueki looked conflicted, “Ok, I’ll train you but promised me you will be careful.” I nodded, “That being said you still have to go to school.”
“Wait what?” I was shocked, school was the last thing on my mind with all that was happening, “But-”
“No.” Fueki put his foot down, “You’re still a middle schooler and I won’t let you spend your youth fight.”
I accepted, knowing that he wouldn’t budge on this. It was then our stomachs growled, “Lets get some dinner shall we? We’ll begin your training tomorrow.”
Somewhere over the clouds
“How are you feeling Orba?” Ogma greeted the shadow that manifested beside him.
“Free,” Orba replied good-naturedly, “So what did you do exactly?”
“You felt it right? Our Lord’s power? Turned out when she sealed us away, bits of our master broke of and inhabited the people of this world. Despair is what is needed for the seed to grow and when I managed to free myself a bit I experimented to see the possibilities.” He gestured below, “As you can see when a large number break, the energy released can help free us and our master.”
“Ah, a bit different from my plan but still very good”
“I’m planning a bigger one eventually, but another reason are these Phantoms that get summoned. Not as strong as us heralds but still powerful. With more minions or if we can absorb their power, we won’t fall to another like that woman again”
“I see, well do take it slow right? I feel its best we study this planet to see how she could repel us, and I do want to see how my experiment turned out.
“I was planning to; I want to see how that human would turn out when I do the ritual again.”
Time skip 1 year
“Mirai are you sure what you saw landed here?” I asked as I walked beside my neighbour Asahina Mirai. Turns out this world’s ring-maker wasn’t Shigeru Wajima but rather Mirai’s mother. Mirai has purple eyes and short curled blonde hair, loose with a portion tied up into a heart-shaped bun held by a pink bow. On each side of the head is a braid pulled back. She was also wearing a light pink top and light blue shorts, pink shoes, and white knee-socks. Koyomi was with us as well.
“I’m sure! What do you think it could be? This is so exciting”
I was about to answer her when I noticed a shadow that seemed too big to be a bird.
“Hey, it fell” I looked upwards to see what I would imagine a stereotypical child wizard to look like, along with a pointy hat and floating broom. This was how I was introduced to the other system of magic this world has.
I sat nearby and quietly contemplate what happened between Mirai and the magician, Riko, just now while Koyomi and Mirai talked her ear off while having Strawberry Melon Bread. She used a wand and said Cure-up Rapapa instead of rings and I couldn’t see any signs that that her method was like mine. Not to mention that their amulets started glowing and help them get down safely when Riko tried to fly away with Mirai clinging to her broom. I was sure Mirai wasn't a magician so how did that happen. I continued observing a bit more while Riko showcased her magic by trying to get a cat to talk but failing each time while Mirai innocently jabbed at her pride with her words.
“Would you like some help with what you’re looking for?” I offered as Riko tried to leave.
“Umu, more eyes are better than one after all” Mirai cheered, “And I want to know why this was glowing as well” Mirai said as she held up her pendent.
“My, my to think I’ll find a magician in a place like this,” A man with long purple hair and cloak walked up to us and I doubt that this man was human from the aura I sensed from him, “I am in the midst of searching for something, but would you terribly mind if I ask you about it? It concerns the Linkle Stone Emerald.”
A Phantom? And what was this Linkle stone anyway, I heard it mentioned a few times but never really thought much about it. If even the enemy is looking for it, could it be something like the Philosopher's stone?
"You know about the Linkle Stones!? Just who are-"
I pulled Riko back and placed myself Infront of the girls, getting ready to transform, “Don’t,” I warned, “I don’t think he’s friendly.” Koyomi pulled my sleeve and shook her head, did this mean that whatever he was he wasn’t a Phantom. “Girls run, now.”
“But-” Mirai asked
“Big Brother will be fine; we need to run now!”
As they ran away, I watched the man carefully, but he suddenly disappeared from sight, moving to fast for me to see. It was then I heard screams from afar and saw the girls trying to fly away while being chased by some truck with bad wings
“I have made a terrible mistake.” I frowned as I switched my ruby ring for an emerald one.
DRIVER ON! PLEASE!
SHABADOOBIE, TOUCH TO HENSHIN! SHABADOOBIE, TOUCH TO HENSHIN!
“Henshin!”
HURRICANE, PLEASE! FU-FU, FU-FU-FU-FU!
I flew up into the air to give chase.
By the time I caught up, Koyomi was standing on a nearby building watching two magical girls fight the monster. The magical girls that looked way to much like Mirai and Riko…wait that is Mirai and Riko, what’s going on?
They even punched the monster to the building top and I can’t help but wonder why it looked familiar
“Tch, I must report back to Master Dokurokushe at once, to think the Legendary Magician Precure would appear!”
Precure? I’m in Precure? I haven’t watch that years and don’t know anything about this team…I’ll care about that later. Right now, I need catch that man and ask him question, maybe he knows where Ogma is
BIG! PLEASE!
I used my supersized fist to interrupt his escape and keep him here. I jumped infront of the girls as he launched fireballs at me
FLAME, PLEASE! HI-HI, HI-HI-HI!
“You were emerald just now! Who are you?”
I flicked my cape as I finished absorbing the fire, “Wizard, Kamen Rider Wizard. Saa, Showtime Daa”
“Haruto-kun?” Mirai asked behind me, blinking in surprise
Somewhere in the middle of the series, something I would’ve like to add
“Girls, you’re going to get fat if you keep eating so much of that bread.”
“Haa..” Haa-chan wilted as I said that
“Its fine! We work out so much as Precure that it will all cancel out!” Mirai replied cheerfully.
“HAA!”
“Big Brother,” Koyomi tugged my sleeve, I raised an eyebrow at her, “that girl sitting there is a Phantom…I think? She looks a bit different, but she has the aura”
A bit different? Even the Genie didn’t read as a Phantom so it can’t be that…
I approached the girl, about my age I think, and she looked up from what she was reading, her eyes glimmered in recognition, “It you!” she said shocked
The Phantom recognised me? Even now Phantom only seem to know my rider form so this was surprising.
I showed her my rings as the girls surround her, ready to fight, “Why don’t we take this somewhere else?”
She looked confused, before realising her situation, “Wait! I’m not a monster!”
Huh?
Fueki’s home
“Please have some tea.” I offered as she drank some, gulping it really, must be nervous
“What is this about being a monster?” Fueki asked
She looked nervously at me, “My name is Kyoko Machi, and I was at that beach when that happened.”
The Sabbath…makes sense but I should have been the only survivor since we couldn’t find anyone and all the Phantoms there answered to Ogma
“I heard you telling us how to survive and I saw you glowing gold and turning back to normal. I tried to too, but I think I was too late and well,” she told a deep breath and transformed into a Phantom, a dark knight with a shield and a sword (think Jun from Priconne), the most noticeable thing was a think collar…Dullahan maybe?
“Why didn’t you stay behind?” If she was still human, why did she answer to Ogma
“Uma-kun told me to run.” At this point a portal open beside her and a skeletal horse with green flames as its mane partial walked out. Koyomi froze, pointing at the horse, “That’s the Phantom”
What? Was that possible? A voice spoke in my mind, “I am the Phantom Dullahan, it is a pleasure to meet you”
“Ok…why didn’t you consume her conscious?” I was reeling from this revelation, could it be…
“She won, she held on to hold in the end even if it was far to late for other Phantoms to consider.” He did a horse version of a shrug, “And every Dullahan comes in pairs does it not”
“Is it possible?” Riko asked, “You've Fought many before, right?”
“There was one,” at this point Fueki knew my full backstory, “but the only reason why he kept his conscious was because he was a worse monster than his Phantom. As in he was a serial killer rapist worse.”
Kyoko wilted at that and quickly shook her head, “I swear I’m not-are you ok?”
At this point, I realised I was shaking, “I…I believe you! With all that we’ve seen, I think it enough to believe you. Its just…” that helplessness from back then, the guilt I have been living with…even if she wasn’t the same as before, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t-”
“NO!” she slammed the table standing up seeming to understand what I was going through, “You saved me, please don’t apologized!”
I was crying at this point, “Thank you…thank you for surviving.”