"You mean this is real and you're not a bunch of cosplayers?" Megumi asked.

"I don't know what a 'cosplayer' is, but no, this is real," said the elf.  "I'm Samran Goldleaf, lord of this castle.  Welcome."

Megumi popped up to feet and gave the elf's pointy ears a couple gentle tugs.

Samran blushed; his ears stayed resolutely attached, and felt... real.  Warm.  Skin.

"...Why did you do that?" he asked, clearly confused.  Not offended, but confused.

"They're real!" Megumi said. "Oh no, that means this must be really happening!"

"...Yes," said Samran.  "Yes, it is.  We brought you here in our hour of great need.  And, well, as I said, it was well-timed for you, as well.  You were about to die."

"Oh, wow, this is a lot to take in," Megumi said.

"I'm sorry about that," said Samran.  "...I should also tell you that you'll probably need to work closely with all of us who are in this room, in one way or another."

"Maybe you could explain things to me. I'm really out of my depth here. MY world only had humans," Megumi said.

"You are the only human I have seen," said Samran.  "Or talked to.  I'm an elf; Ella, who summoned you, is a princes of the Lamia, and they have great magic.  Their land borders ours near here.  Onyx is a goblin, and as fine a crafter as has ever been born, as you'll see soon enough.  Raka is a gnoll, one of the beast-folk of the plains, who has consented to bless our enterprise with the spirits she speaks with.  And Snapdragon is a knight of the Fae, as valiant a warrior as you could ask for, despite, ah, having less reach than most."

Megumi bowed.

"I'm sorry for my behavior."

"That's fine," said Samran.  "I know this must be very confusing for you.  But, um, you really should apologize to Ella..."

"Right," Megumi said before taking a deep breath and turning to the lamia. "I'm sorry, I know it's not your fault and you aren't really just a snake. I just have a fear of snakes and over reacted."

Ella stopped crying, perhaps with an effort.

"I'm sorry," she said.  "I didn't mean to scare you... This must seem very strange to you, if you haven't seen any of the peoples of our world before.  Um, but... we have great need of your strength."

"My strength?" Megumi asked.

"We worked together to forge the Knight Of All Colors to defend our world," Ella explained.  "Because we each have but a single color to our magic, we can't use it.  You, who are outside our world, may channel that power without restriction."

"Magic? I don't have any magic. Magic's real?" Megumi asked.

"It is real, yes," said Ella, and she was smiling again.  "How else did I bring you here?  And it doesn't matter if you can't use magic actively.  The Knight will awaken that power as it flows through you."

"Okay, so who is this knight?" Megumi asked.

"You," said Ella.  "Or you will be, once you become the Heart of the Knight."

"You've lost me," Megumi said.

"Knights are giant warriors, crafted out of special materials," the goblin explained.  "They have great power, but need a Heart-- a warrior aligned with their magic.  It's a rare talent; few have it.  Many have been lost..."

"But we made a new one," Ella cut in, excited.  "Made of all the magics of our world!  It wouldn't work for any of us, but I'd read of a key prophecy of a hero who would come to us in our hour of need, and I worked out a spell to call that hero to us!"

"Wait, like a Gundam? That sounds amazing! Can you show me?" Megumi asked.

"...I have no idea what a 'Gundam' is," said the Goblin.  "But I suppose you're allowed to be eccentric in your metaphors.  Follow me."

The others were walking with the Onyx through a vast doorway; it looked like it lead outdoors.

Megumi followed, looking around everywhere as she went.