I've been transported to another world?!

"What?" I asked blankly.

"I'm being held here against my will," he said. "Please help me."

I hesitated, not sure what to do. "What do you mean? How are you? Where am I? How did you get into a mirror to begin with?"

He turned her head slightly and looked around before answering. "It's a long story," he said, trembling. "But I'll explain everything I can. But first, let me introduce myself. My name is Lucifer."

It was his hand that was placed on the mirror, deceiving me into putting my hand against it which made me blush. "Hello there, my name is Aimi Sasuki."

Lucifer smiled and replied, "It's nice to meet you, Aimi. Now, let me tell you my story." He took a deep breath and began to explain his experience.

"A long time ago, I ruled a nation called "Lumeria". I was the king, and I had power and responsibility. I had children and a wife whom I loved deeply. We worked hard to keep peace and prosperity in our kingdom, but all good things must come to an end. My kingdom eventually fell to an evil force, and I was forced to flee. But by the time my family thought we were safe, it was too late. The force cast a spell on us trapped within a mirror and we were scattered from every land so we wouldn't meet each other."

He continued "I was determined to find my family and break the curse. Despite my requests, Tomas did not find them, no matter how hard he searched in every corner of the world. I vowed to find a way to reunite us, and rebuild my nation as a formal king of Lumeria."

"Tomas?" I asked, then turned my attention to the small man walking in holding a tray of tea. "Your name is Tomas?"

He nodded, and the king looked at him with admiration. "Tomas has been my most loyal servant. He has been with me through it all, and I could not have done it without him." He smiled, and I could tell his gratitude was genuine.

"Know that I told you everything about myself, can you tell me about yourself?" The king asked.

I was taken aback by his kindness. I took a deep breath and began to talk about my background. "Ok, Um, I'm 16 years old. I'm in my second year of high school. I live with my mom in an apartment building in Osaka, Japan. My father passed away when I was young. I'm an only child, so I'm independent to a degree. My blood type is A, my grades are average and I'm very passionate about music and love playing the guitar."

The king and Tomas looked at me as they waited for more information. I looked away, feeling embarrassed. Then, I cleared my throat and said, "Should I say more about myself?"

"No, you have said enough." The king signaled Tomas. Tomas gets the hint and pulls out a paper scroll and hands it over to me. Upon opening it, I see a map of an unknown country. I stare up at the king with confusion in my eyes.

He nods and says, "Yes, that country you're looking at is Lumeria. Everything here is different from where you came from. In this world, the physical laws are different. There are creatures both strange and wondrous that you have never seen before. I could only ask you to save me and break this curse so I could rule my kingdom again."

I examined the map for a few seconds and looked down at my feet feeling I was out of my depth. "So, I'm not in Japan anymore."

I looked up and saw the king's eyes in the mirror. My mind was racing with questions. He nodded solemnly and said, "No, this is a world of magic and mystery."

I felt a chill pass through me as I realized what he meant. I was suddenly filled with both fear and awe. Magic was real, and I was about to discover it. And only for that, I was a thousand miles away from my mom and I was completely alone. This is crazy! How did I get into this mess? I shook my head in disbelief and took a deep breath. I knew I had to stay calm and take it one step at a time.

Look up at the king in front of me. "I...need to step outside and think about it."

He nodded and waved her hand, dismissing me. I walked through the caves and then eventually stepped outside a - mountain?! I looked out of the night sky and I was in the middle of a forest! I recognized some of the stars and knew I was far away from home. I tried to process what had just happened. I knew I had to make a decision soon - would I accept the offer and help him, or would I turn it down and go back home?

Suddenly, I heard a voice calling me - it was Tomas from before. He asked me if he could join me and allow it. We sat on the ground floor gracing the stars then he pop a question. "So, um, you like black tea?"

"What?" I said.

"You like black tea?" He repeated.

I nodded in confusion and he handed me a mug of hot black tea. He smiled and said, "I thought you might like it". We sat there in silence for a while, sipping our tea and watching the stars.

"So, um, what is it like back in your world?" He asked.

"Excuse me?" I said, confused.

He clarified, "What's it like in the world you come from? You know - like do you and your friends go shopping, party, cast some spells on each other, battle voracious beasts?"

I looked at the small man in shock. Casting spells? Battle a voracious beast? - What the hell is he talking about?

Tomas must have noticed the confusion on my face, for he quickly added, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

We sat there quietly for a few minutes then I spoke. "How did I end up here?"

"Um? How? Oh! Yeah, I summoned you." He answered.

"You summoned me? How? And with what?" I was stunned.

"Well, how do I put this?" Tomas said, his fingers tapping on his chin. "I'm a wizard with a summoning degree."

I stared at him, mouth agape. "A wizard? You mean like magic?"

Tomas nodded and smiled. "Yes. Magic."

"Really? Can you make a rabbit out of a hat? Can you swing your wand and say a magic word? Can you make me invisible? Can you show me?"

"Err, no."

"What? Why? You said you were a wizard!"

He admitted, "And I am one.".

"So you can cast any spell you want!"

"That's not the kind of wizard I am. I already told you I have a summoning degree."

"But you're still a wizard," I said.

"Yes," Tomas replied, "but I'm not a spellcaster. I summon magical creatures to do my bidding instead."

He suddenly pointed to my nose. His eyes were focused and intense as if he was daring me to challenge him. "I don't know how you depict wizards in your world but here are some types. Each has its own unique skill set and abilities. Some specialize in magical healing, others in combat or elemental magic. Some of them are experts in ancient knowledge and arcane lore. As for me, I'm a summoner. Summoners can call upon creatures from other dimensions to do their bidding. It's a hard job, and should not be taken lightly."

"And if you're a summoner, how come you can't transport your king trapped in a mirror and break the curse?" I cut him off.

Tomas looked at me, his eyes wide. He seemed to be debating whether or not to answer. Finally, he said, "It's not that simple. The curse is powerful and can't be broken so easily."

"Oh, I see," I mumble.

I looked away, not sure what to say. I wasn't sure I wanted to know more. Tomas looked away, and the silence stretched on.

"Believe me when I say I tried everything I could to help him." I could feel the sadness in his voice. I looked down, not wanting to meet his gaze. I didn't know what to say, so I just nodded in understanding.

"He was such a great ruler. Many people loved him and he helped so many people." He sighed deeply and smiled sadly. "But now he's stuck in a mirror for how long. I'm not going to live long to see him again. I just wish I could have seen him out of it." He wiped the tear from his cheek and looked up at the sky outside.

My heart breaks for him. He must have struggled to break the curse. I knew he was out of options. He had spent nearly every waking moment searching for a way to free him but to no avail. All he could do now was hope and pray for a miracle.

"How long did your king spend in that mirror?"

He looked down at his tiny toes and said, "Ten years, and in those ten years, he never aged a day." His voice was small and sad.

"But do you have friends and family?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't. I've been alone for as long as I can remember." He sighed and looked away, his gaze distant and melancholy.

Damn. That's sad. How could he live like this? Better yet, how could the king live like that? Been cursed and trapped in a mirror for eternity? That's unbearable. And I thought I had a miserable life.

After a few moments of silence, Tomas spoke. "You know what? Maybe it was a bad idea to summon you and pour our problems on you. I mean, you're just a kid and you probably have school tomorrow."

"No, it's fine," I said. "I'm here to help, and I'm not going anywhere."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm here for you," I said. "Whatever you need, I'm here to support you." I smiled reassuringly, and he nodded, eyes still a bit teary.