Nighttime, Vestilio’s kingdom capital, Sienna, Royal Palace, Banquet room.

***

Like I Expected…

As I took a better look with the other heroes, all of them are what I literally expected, arrogant and cocky, flamboyant and extravagant, etc.

I thought since we came from earth we can converse more, but the goddamn atmosphere is like the cold war, if some shit happens that somebody dislikes all hell will break loose, not to mention, we’re supposed to be heroes.

"Theo!”

I heard Simon’s voice call me, he was with somebody else, it was a different hero, he had a normal attire just at the line of extravagantness and ordinary, I could tell that he seems to be a humble guy.

“Simon, who’s he?”

I asked him politely, respecting his friend and Simon.

“Ah, this is my friend from the resistance, Bernard, he said he died in 1945 at the Rhine river, when I heard the Nazis were losing or literally just lost the war, I was so happy.”

They both celebrated their victory and congratulated his friend in the process. But for two chosen humans to know each other, isn’t that a good thing but also a bad thing at the same time.

Simon's friend then conversed with me and stated that he was the, Hero of the Anvil and Blacksmiths, he also reported that he was the executive of the manufacturing of handmade and improvised explosives and grenades, he was also one of the heads in weapon’s engineer and manufacturing, giving him the intelligence for creating weapons.

He also explained that in their timeline, the “Paris Uprising” happened, apparently the Warsaw uprising happened in 1943, but was immediately crushed, after seeing that the German suffered heavy losses, the French resistance followed this and started arming their selves for the inevitable Paris Uprising.

But to think their history is different to the history and past I got used to, it was truly unbelievable.

“Anyway, Sir Theo, it is nice meeting you, I suppose you know that my beautiful friend’s story, he is hailed as a hero for relaying and spreading the information containing SS general Carl Obert and his location, resulting in his death.”

Ah, I see, Simon transmitted the information of the commander of the SS and gestapo in France, I think, then he was caught and executed, but his sacrifice wasn’t in vain.

“I see, so that’s how you died… like a hero.”

I nodded my head, praising his actions leading to his death, during that time just killing a single SS officer can save thousands of lives alone.

As we finished our conversation, I knew I wasn’t able to converse with the other heroes, so I did what I could do that won’t damage my reputation and relation, sit in a corner and don’t do anything to gather other’s attention.

A few hours passed, I was still sitting in the corner alone eating the food that I took and watched the other heroes fight for their place as the strongest hero, what I had recently heard, was that all of their age ranges from 16-25 years old, I was the second oldest of the 20 heroes, The Hero of war and Destruction was the oldest out of all the Heroes. Whilst the Hero of Medicines and Remedy was the youngest, she came here 1 week before her birthday so she was transported in this world as a 16 years old, she is currently 17 now.

I might be antisocial but I have sharp ears, it payed me off, just listening to their stories of their different world was truly unbelievable and to think that all of them came from earth, a god-forsaken planet.

But the banquet is also nice, I may be unable to start some connections between them, but I can get information from them.

Currently, I only have two people that I have to worry about, their background makes them a formidable enemy, the first, the Hero of Mischief, He apparently conned multiple powerful businessmen and politicians, then he almost controlled an entire country because of that, but it all ended when he was assassinated by the CIA, then comes the second, The Hero of War and Destruction, he was a notorious crime syndicate leader and a powerful figure in the criminal world, orchestrated a 10-year long war in the Balkans, devastating many lives, infrastructure, economy, etc. his reign ended when he was suddenly assassinated by his own followers.

I ranked the hero of mischief as the first because of his ability to manipulate people, he also sent a crypted message to the heroes he talked with, it was about boasting about his abilities and life in earth before his death, but as I decrypted it, it meant he had the ability to manipulate whoever he wants with his newly found abilities thanks to his patron god.

To think there is a god like that…

But what could I expect from them, my patron god is literally death, what do you expect? Nonetheless they may have been communicating with each other but the atmosphere is still not shifting or changing, it still the same.

An atmosphere that could start a war, an atmosphere that would decide the fate of this world, if it happens internal conflict will arise and the enemy could use it for their advantage. Right now, everybody’s move and communication is restricted because they are thinking of the same thing.

This is getting… awkward.

It reminds me of world war 1 or cold war, both sides unable to do anything so they wait for the other side to move first, using it for their advantage, that is the currently what they are doing right here, they are waiting for someone to fuck up and then use it to improve their reputation with the others.

I could already tell that a war is about to start, currently some of the male heroes are courting the female heroes, they are from earth so what could go wrong? Apparently, everything… not only did all of us came from Earth, it’s also because we died in a different era, I heard somebody died in the Victorian era, some died in the 21^st century, I even heard somebody mention, the roman republic.

And the main problem, is when your chasing girls in that timeline you must follow it, but the problem is, they're in a different era.

A noble from the Victorian era won’t accept somebody acting like he owns the world in the 21st century. Addelyne, I already know how she will deal with the heroes that are courting her, reject them, royally.

Speaking of Addelyne, she actually started living in the grand church of the Capital, she is currently training there so we don’t have much time to speak with each other, Justin must be furious.

As I ate and sat alone in a corner, I was suddenly called by a nearby Hero.

“Hello! Mate!”

By how he spoke I guessed he was an Australian or something near, he wore a khaki attire, like a desert camo he waved his hand and called me, then walked closer to me.

“G’day mate, as you know the atmosphere over there is not near what I expected to be, I’m Mason, an Australian, you?”

He asked my name.

“Theo, half-Filipino, nice meeting you Mason.”

I said to him, with a tone that I didn’t want to continue our conversation.

“Ah, the jungle island, I went to that place when I was young, somewhere near boraycay, it’s a good beach.”

He conversed more with me though I didn’t want to I was able to get some information about him, he is the Hero of Beasts and Animals, he also said that he was compatible with his abilities since he was a zookeeper when he was still alive, so he was more or less an expert.

“Yeah, thank you, so you’re from Australia? Melbourne? Sydney?”

He laughed and then extended his hand at me, asking for a handshake, to which I accepted.

“I’m from Sydney, Mate, Nice to meet ya’, hope we get along.”

After our handshake he then walked to the table full of food, but even though the both of us seem to be on good terms, the other heroes on the other hand, not so much.

I knew this would happen, to think barely any of us even tried to talk with each other, excluding those that were extroverts and those that were arrogant, cocky and wanted attention, they seemed to be cheerful. But this banquet won’t get us anywhere.

It looks like we have to be like this for another few hours.

***

After a few hours, barely any of us socialized or conversed with each other, it was almost the end of the banquet and our leaders are about to do the royal greeting. They must’ve thought ‘if they’re not going to do it, then let us do it’.

And sure enough, that’s what is currently happening.

“Greetings Heroes, I am the Head Monarch of the Union of the Farter Islands.” A 50s year old man in extravagant clothing announced.

“Heroes, Good evening, I am King Zuljalal of the Tribolas Kingdom in the south.” A tanned man wearing Muslim-like clothing announced in the room, he said it whilst keeping himself composed and professional. 

“Heroes, I am Eiríkr the great, King and ruler of the Kingdom of Hudvinough in the North!” An old but buffed man exclaimed in front of us, he even yelled ‘The Great’ a title only certain rulers get in our world, by his clothing he is probably a Viking.

“Good Evening, Heroes, I am Queen Tiana of the Sky Kingdom, Thofrera.” An old but beautiful and mature old lady, elegantly announced herself.

“Good evening, I am King Fredricus, King of the Kingdom of Secliosa.” Meanwhile a 40s but young man introduced himself to us.

“Good evening, Heroes, I am Ruddelos Leon, head of state of Frion.” A man in a suit and tie introduced himself.

“Heroes, Good evening, I am King Timore, King of the Kingdom of Vestillio.” Our king, introduced himself, he said in a humble manner, hiding his true colors.

If I took the math, there are a total of Six Kingdoms, out of 4 hero teleports, there are 20 heroes, yet there are 4 teleports what does this mean?

“If you are wondering why there are 6 kingdoms and only 4 Hero’s teleport, Lady Tiana of Thofrera shall explain.”

King Fredricus suddenly stated leaving our ears open for her explanation.

“Heroes, The Kingdom of Tribolas and my Kingdom of Thofrera, has what we call the "God’s Spire", both of our kingdoms owns and uses that, for this we can only summon one hero and that hero will be the one that we will cherish and protect and he or she will protect us from crisis.”

She said to us before stating the name of the two separate heroes.

“Hero of War and Destruction, Boryslav Caz, and the Hero of the wind and skies, Selestine Jina, these heroes are the ones that our gods have given us, their predecessors also, they shall not be replaced by any other hero for they are our god’s gift.”

She explained to us with the tone of the preacher preaching in the church. She seems to be the one that holds all the power in her state, a matriarchal type of state.

The other leaders soon did a long presentation about the history of their world and the century-long war against the demons, they also said even said ‘Unity will help us defeat this crisis!” in their presentation.

What a load of B.S, even I can see their true intention, they are using us and our powers to fight the demons while they hide in their expensive mansions, but it seems only very few of us can see through their words.

But even then, I was able to get the valuable information about the other kingdoms, so let me explain:

The Union of the Farter Islands: has the Hero of the Water and Seas, Hero of Fortune and Luck, Hero of Thieving and Greed, and the Hero of Music and Melody.

The Kingdom of Hudvinough: has the Hero of Shelter and Protection, Hero of the Anvil and Blacksmiths, Hero of Thunder and Lighting, and the Hero of Mischief and Deceit.

Then the Kingdom of Secliosa: has the Hero of Earth and Mountains, Hero of Animals and Beasts, Hero of Fields and Nature, Hero of Fire and Flames.

And the Frion State: has the Hero of Wisdom and Knowledge and Hero of Medicines and Remedy. They have two heroes because of the Sky Kingdom and Kingdom of Tribolas.

As I was inside my deep thought, I suddenly heard somebody declaring a toast, it was none other than King Vestilios, that two-faced king, he lightly swung his knife to his glass goblet, as soon as he gathered our attention, he raised it upwards, the other country leaders soon followed and also raised their goblets and chalices 

Then he said with a strong and powerful voice.

“Let us celebrate today’s banquet, our heroes, feast to your heart’s content, for tomorrow we shall leave not an ounce or trace of those wretched demons in our world.”