What had happened?

The entire room was silent. The burning candles of the chandelier illuminated the hall with a warm, cozy light, accompanied by a gentle fragrance that lingered through the air, while beneath it sat the enormous round table with exactly twenty-four seats.

Seventeen of those seats were occupied by individuals who had been chosen to protect the world in the future. Yet for several moments, none of them moved, their heads resting against the table as if they had suddenly fallen into a deep sleep.

A red, muscular man was the first to raise his head. "What... happened?" he asked, his voice stumbling slightly as it passed between his two enormous fangs.

He looked around and saw the others in a similar state, their heads slowly lifting from the table one after another. Confusion spread across their faces as they tried to understand why they had suddenly lost consciousness.