Chapter 5:

Don't Panic

How am I supposed to save this world with no power?


"As per the tradition of the Guardian Candidate training, we will first go through the responsibilities of the Guardians before outlining some historical examples. Though I don't foresee any of you need to use this training seeing the rather peaceful current affairs......" The Professor of History said, and he's a skinny old man with pair of glasses.

He looked as if he could be blown over if someone forgot to close the window, yet his voice is strong and he pronounces words with a certain rhythm and emphasis that only belonged to those with a High Humans background. The majority of the citizens living in the Kingdom of Varous have designated Basics due to the level of natural power they have, so she knows very little about the High Human culture, apart from their slightly annoying tone and arrogant attitudes.

Though that is no an exclusive property from one of the high humans.

"The key responsibility of the Guardians is to actually aid in the summoning of the Savior, and all of the previous guardians were there when the summoning occurred." The Professor continued, "The first guardian, for example, fought against the first savior when he first arrived because they both thought each other are enemies. However, through the exchange of fists, they grew closer."

"Heck yeah." The only Channeler guardian candidate pumps his fist in the room. Despite Lera's best attempt not to stigmatize, those that become successful Channelers all grew to become the meathead stereotypes before reaching their final forms of "BROS".

"There are many other stories that I shall not spend time talking about, but as usual, there are plentiful resources in the Tower of Constellations." The Professor continued before taking a coughing break for half a second, "After the summoning of the Savior, the Guardians will then aid the Savior in whatever he/she needs to save this world. Many saw this as a master/servant relationship, and throughout history, this might as well be the case with how brightly those Saviors shined.
"But remember this. None of those saviors would have succeeded without the help of their guardian, and that's why we have established the Guardian Candidate course at this Institute. In reality, the relationship between the Guardian and the Savior is that of cooperation."
"How do we know what we should do with them?" Lera asked, drawing the attention of the professor who appeared visibly startled by the presence of a female in the room.
"Just.....do what's right." The professor said, his eyes traveling back into his memories, 'Sometimes......that's all that we should do, and sometimes......

"That's all that we can do."

"Oh.....Wa.....Ah......" Wu blinked multiple times to make sure that he's seeing what he thinks he's seeing, "What the actual......"

The girl in front of him reached a dirty hand forward and mouthed some unfamiliar syllables before a warm orange light flashed from a book beside her, and a small construct of light floated towards Wu before it disappeared into his stomach.

Um......did he just get poisoned? (No.) Also, was he just isekai-ed?! (What do you think?!)

"Elo......Helaa........" Lera opened her mouth a few more times before clearing her throat with a cough and spit out some blood to the side, "Hello? Can you understand me?"
"Yes!' Wu said before the two of them spoke at the same time.
"Um......I have a lot of quest-" "You must have a lot of questi-"
"Ah! Sorry, you go ahead." "No! You go-....."

Then, there was a silence before Wu gestured his hand forward, and Lera shook her head before pushing the initiative back.

At that moment, both of them came to the same realization. This is awkward as fuck.

If he's truly the savior, then he shall save us from this embarrassment......Lera thought, praying to all of the gods above when Wu suddenly spoke again.

"Um.....can we talk somewhere......safer? You see, the fire and stuff." Wu said, looking around when he spotted Jiyu and Darl pressing back against something semi-transparent, "Should we help them?"
"Ah! Yes!'" Too lost with everything going on, Lera shot onto her foot and wiped away the tears and mud on her face, though it only made her look dirtier, "I mean! No! They are bad guys. Just.....follow me."
"Ok." Wu said, taking a small ginger step to Lera, "Just so you know......I do have a lot of questions......"

"Ah Huh." Lera nodded, her fingers running through her book of Casts as the blast from the Summoning Tablet finally started to dissipate and disappear, "Car."

Professor Richard would have rolled in his grave if he knew that Lera turned one of his favorite casts and voice commands into something this......boring. However, how is she expected to send out dozens of Casts in quick succession without short-hands for literally everything?

A chariot made of fluffy yet solid cloud formed in front of the two of them as lines of blue energy ran out from the Book of Casts, and Wu hopped on after Lera before reaching forward and poking against the soft railings of the car.

"Solid clouds........So this world runs on magic......" Wu murmured as the car took off with a whiz. They drove past the rubbles and fire before making a sharp turn towards the back of the Pinnacle Research Institute.
"Ah, yes. We don't say the M-word here though." Lera said, turning her head briefly back to take a good look at Wu before being forced to focus on driving, "It's run on the Wave. It's everywhere, and we can control it through a variety of ways!"
"Right......and I don't think you meant the water waves......" Wu asked, lowering his head and avoiding decapitation from one of the nearly collapsed structures.
"Well, those things are also waves. But the Wave is more....omnipotent. I can tell you more when we get out of here......" Lera said, "I am thinking......The Institute Security Office?"

A further explosion went off in the backside of the institute, and a piece of sign spun through the air like a boomerang before landing and planting solidly onto the road in front of them with a loud DING. The writings on it looked alien to Wu, but he can understand it somehow.

It said the Institute Security Office.

"OK!" Lera turned her wheels around as the chariot drifted across the courtyards before dozens of hooded figures appeared and started attacking the two of them. Powering up in a variety of methods like video game characters, Wu dropped his jaw on the floor as Lera shouted out her favorite voice command, "BUBBLE BUBBLE!!!!!"

A semi-transparent blue shield formed around the Chariot, and all of the incoming attacks bounced cleanly off it.

"WOAH!" Wu gasped, "Even force fields are possible here!"
"Hey! It's called Bubble Bubble, and it's my favorite cast!" Lera said with a slight hint of annoyance.
"Ah.....sorry......" Wu lowered his head, and now Lera feels bad.

However, this is not the time for inter-personal relationship management as Lera drove the two of them away from the back-gate of the Pinnacle Research Institute. A handful of the hooded figures try to leap onto their casts or other modes of transportation to chase after them before they were shot down by the Sonne Security forces that are finally making their way towards the Institute.

As Wu sat and watched on at the severely damaged city around him, Lera's constantly monitoring the Wave reserve within the Chariot before taking him all the way out of the city limits of Sonne in the direction as far away from her home as possible.

Now that nobody's actively trying to kill her for a moment, she finally has some time to slow down and think. However, thinking out loud is just far better for her right now.

"Ok. I am going to talk now." Lera said as the thoughts to herself are also spoken accidentally. Her face immediately turned red before she slammed her hand into the control, "FUCK!"
"Is everything okay?" Wu asked, and Lera sighed before nodding and mumbling a positive response.

Then, throwing everything her mother taught her about first impressions out of the window, Lera turned her head towards Wu before taking the Chariot straight towards forests far out in the distance.

"You looked surprisingly calm for someone that's just been summoned to another world......." Lera said, noticing the facial features of Wu. His nose is low and flat, but his eyes are full of life, and his thick and dark eyebrows are something that she's honestly jealous of. Wu looked back at her, and their gaze met again before he looked forward.
"I mean......I know nobody wants to see me panic....." Wu said, fiddling with his thumbs.
"True." Lera nodded, turning her attention back towards the city briefly as smoke continued to rise. The outposts should have noticed what's going on and have already responded. Hopefully the attackers......
"And......Isekai is not exactly the most original of story ideas......"
'Ise.....what?" Lera turned her attention back towards Wu quickly.
"Never mind." Wu said, "So.....what's the deal with the summoning? Are you a goddess?"

Lera tilted her head back before her face turned bright red. Fortunately, they entered right into the forest and the shift in lighting covered up the look on her face.

"It's.....too quick......I don't even know you......." Lera muttered those words as Wu's thick eyebrows jumped up.
"What? Ok, so that's a no then." Wu chuckled, "Goddesses usually know that they are goddesses. So what are you then?"
"I am Lera Huten, and I am a Caster." Lera said, brushing back her strands of her behind her ear, and smiling towards Wu, "You have been summoned to become a Savior of this world, chosen by the Portal of through Space and Time, and I am your designated Guardian."
'Right......." Wu said before waving a hand back, "I am Wu, and I am a.....clueless university student. So.....what I am supposed to do here?"

The chariot came to a halt, and the solid cloud underneath their butts started to soften and dissolve away. However, before Lera can warn Wu, he had already fallen right on his back. Thankfully, the backpack he's wearing broke the fall nicely.

"SORRY!" Lera apologized before reaching out and helping Wu up, "Nobody really knows what a Savior is supposed to do......But, I can tell you what the other Saviors and Guardians do!"

Walking along the bumpy forest roads until they reached a small opening with the cityscapes no longer in sight, Wu and Lera finally have a moment to slow down and breathe.

She wanted to cry......she wanted to mourn and grief.......but there is no time.

The 4th savior had just been summoned, and she has just been chosen by the Tablet to be his guardian. And now, he is full of question marks, literally and metaphorically.

Firstly, why couldn't she sense any hint of the Wave inside of him when their hands touched? Being a Basic, her Wave sensing abilities are average at best, but even in those scenarios, she can typically sense the levels of Wave when making physical contacts with others......

Perhaps she's just too tired, and so much has already happened today. Whatever happens next.....just stay calm......and don't panic......