What happened? I tried to open my eyes. My head was throbbing relentlessly.

Where am I? Blinking, I looked around. In front of me was a vast clearing. Its beauty surpassed anything I had ever seen. Tall trees surrounded it. Their tops disappeared into the sky. Below me was bright green grass filled with unfamiliar, colourful flowers. The lake, not far away, shimmered in an almost surreal deep blue.

What is this place? I rubbed my temples, trying to make sense of it all. I remember reading novels before bed. What was the plot about again? Something about falling asleep and waking up in a different world.

Wait is this what I think it is? Is it possible? This is what everyone dreams of, isn't it? To live like one of those isekai stories. Did I do it?

A strange mixture of excitement and confusion made my chest tighten. Have I been chosen? I looked down at my hands. Is there some system or interface for me? Where is my magic manual? I wave my hand, expecting a screen to appear. There's nothing at all.

"Status?" The words left my lips, feeling ridiculous. Still nothing. Excellent. No magical guide. No all-knowing voice. I scanned the area again, hoping to find some clues. My eyes saw trees, a lake, flowers... And then I saw a small hut in the far corner of the clearing near the lake. How could I not have seen it? I walked towards it without hesitation. I hope it contains answers... and clothes. Because now I'm completely naked. The grass tickles my bare feet as I jog towards the hut.

Wait... where are my clothes?! Terror runs through me. Realising my nakedness, I looked around, but there was no one else here. There were no answers, just this hut. The door creaked open to reveal a warm interior with a crackling fire in one corner. Clothes were piled on the chair and I hesitantly dressed again. Relief washes over me as I yank the shirt on.

As I was feeling less embaressed, a voice broke the silence. "Took you long enough to find this place."

My heart races as I spin around to face the speaker shrouded in darkness.

"AHHHHH!" The scream rips from my throat without regard for dignity.

The figure stands there unmoving and unruffled, unaffected by my outburst.

"Done?" a soft voice said, clearly with hidden amusement.

I swallow hard and attempt to regain composure. "Who…who are you?" Yet my voice is still trembling with fear.

The figure steps closer, and a sharp-featured woman comes into view; her eyes softly glowing. "I'm here to help you," she tells me, curling into a slight smile. "You're not exactly where you think you are."

"Not… where I think I am? What does that even mean? And why was I naked in the middle of nowhere?"

Her smile broaden. "Not naked now, are you?"

"Look," exasperation edges into my voice, "I just want to know what's going on. Where am I? And..."

She raises her hand, silencing me. "All in good time. You've been chosen, Sam. You're part of something much bigger now."

Chosen? That word again. It resounds in my head, but somehow it doesn't make sence. "Chosen for what?"

Her face sobers. "To survive. And to alter the course of this world."

I scoff, crossing my arms. "Wait… are you kidding me? I'm just a normal teenage guy! No girlfriend, no plans, just wasting time playing video games and barely talking with my online friends. And now you're telling me I'm chosen to save a world I've never seen? Why would I do that?"

She gives a great, exasperated sigh, like she's heard this one a thousand times. "It is always those who feel the least prepared that are chosen. You think you're ordinary, but you've been selected for a reason."

"A reason? What reason?" I explode in anger. "I didn't ask for any of this! Why would I want to save a world I don't belong to?"

Her eyes harden. "You may not realize it now, but you have more potential than you know. This world is connected to you - much as that may disgust you."

I clench my fists. "What am I supposed to do then? Just stumble through this? Wait around for my magical powers to show up?"

Her expression darkens. "This isn't a game, Sam. The forces rising are beyond your understanding. And if you fail, the consequences will reach your world, too. You're already here. There's no going back."

I freeze. No going back? The words hit like a gut punch. Suddenly, my chest tightens, 'cause for the first time, I get what she's actually trying to tell me.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"So… what now?"

Her voice softens. "Now, you decide. Will you fight for this world? Or will you let it, and yourself, fall into ruin?"

Her words finally sink in. Do I have any choice? "Would you at least tell me what I'm specifically supposed to do to help?"

"You'll know soon enough. Your powers will awaken in time, and your first trial will come. For now… survive."

"This is crap," I say, unable to contain my anger. "You want me to fight these 'dark forces,' whatever they are, and yet you won't even tell me what they are! How do I know I'm not fighting on the wrong side? Maybe I should team up with them instead!"

She doesn't flinch, but her eyes narrow. "You think you can make that choice? You think it's that simple? You choose to ignore your role then, and soon enough you'll find out what these dark forces really are- and why they can't be reasoned with."

"See me do just that," I smirk and plop down into a chair. " You got the wrong person for this job."

She just stares at me, before turning and walking out, leaving me alone in the hut.

I sit, smirking still, but the silence is heavier now. Now what?

"Haaah… why does nobody in these damn stories ever explain what the bloody threat actually is?" I grumble, peering around the room. "Perhaps I could reason with it. Make an alliance. Be on the winning side."

I let my eyes wander across the cramped space. There must be something, anything that might give me a hint. A map, a note, anything.

I see a few scrolls over on a table in the corner and hurry over to them. Possibly a map?

I unroll one, squinting at the faded lines and symbols. Unclear, but seemingly some sort of map. It's the best lead I have.

With the scroll clutched in my hand, I look back toward the door. Really, this is where I want to be sitting, waiting for whatever's out there to find me?

Yeah, no. I'm not going down without at least trying to figure out what kind of mess I've been thrown into.

Mulling over my next step, my belly growls noisily, reminding me of an altogether more immediate problem.

"Ah… so hungry," I mutter. Great, now what? I glance around the small hut once more, hoping she didn't leave me here to starve.

I scan the room this time more closely for any sign of food. My eyes land on a small cupboard in the corner. Please let there be something. I quickly make my way over, flinging it open.

Inside are a few old jars, some dried herbs, and… a loaf of bread? I grab it, inspecting it like it's a rare treasure. Well, it's something. It isn't fresh, but it isn't moldy either, so I tear off a piece and shove it into my mouth. The bread is a bit hard, but at this point, I don't care.

I chew in a crouch, leaning back against the wall, at least I won't starve to death today. My mind keeps drifting back to my days in my world as I eat.

How I miss just ordering takeout: pizza, burgers, sushi, anything I wanted, just a tap away. Now I'm stuck here, gnawing on stale bread like some sort of caveman.

I let off a heavy sigh, my head already racing ahead to what has to be the next big fiasco.

And then it hits me. What am I going to do when I have to… you know… go? My stomach twists at the thought, from hunger and realization that I'm going to have to take care of some very essential, very awkward necessities.

In the wild? The thought of digging a hole, crouching in dirt like some animal, makes me cringe hard. Is this what my life has come to now? I rub my forehead, dreading reality. The stories I read never go into these details. Now I know why.

It's humiliating, and it's only going to get worse the more time I spend here. Perhaps there's an outhouse or something around here somewhere. There just has to be, right? I couldn't be the first person to end up in this godforsaken place with these basic needs.

I shake my head and quickly refocus to the immediate plan at hand. Here goes: I will have a look around me, scope out the area surrounding my landing spot, see if there is more food and perhaps something useful. Got to learn how this place works before I go wandering off too far. The sun has already begun to set and I have absolutely no idea what lurks beyond in the dark.

A chill runs down my spine just at the thought of it. God, please, if you can hear me, don't let any wild animals find me tonight. Or anything worse.

With a deep breath, I take the scroll once more in my hands and walk toward the door. At least I have to make sure this place is safe for the night. The time has come to find out what kind of mess I've really gotten myself into.

---

Meanwhile, back in her domain, the goddess shook her head in frustration. "Why does it always have to be the whiners?" she said, flicking her wrist to pop a shimmering portal open in the air. Without any hesitation, she stepped through the portal.

On the other side of the portal, she stepped out into some kind of large room filled with cubicles. Ringing phones, muffled conversations, and an occasional frustrated sigh filled the air. Papers piled high on desks; workers scurried about-some with wings, some with horns, others with glowing skin or spectral forms.

This was the "Chosen Ones Hotline Office", the department dedicated to guiding, prodding, and occasionally babysitting the so-called chosen heroes of various realms.

With every step she took down the rows of cubicles, her clothes changed-the goddess's attire morphing to suit whatever realm she was in. Her flowing robes turned into a fitted suit, her hair tying itself into a neat bun.

She weaved her way through the corridors, dodging a fairy struggling to carry a stack of scrolls twice her size. "Hello? Yes, yes," she overheard one of her colleagues on the phone. "You can't find your magical sword? Uh-huh. Where was the last place you left it? " The goddess sighed, shaking her head.

Some things never changed.

She finally came to her office and pushed open the door, letting it swing shut behind her with a soft click. She went across and fell into her chair and drew a scroll from her drawer to spread out before her. The face of Sam stared up at her, a little too confident in his defiance.

"Alright, kid," she muttered to herself, her fingers drumming against the edge of the scroll. "Let's see how long that attitude lasts when you realize what's really out there."

She waved her hand, and the image of Sam on the scroll shifted to him back in the hut, stuffing his face with bread. The goddess emitted a small chuckle. "Oh, you have no idea what's coming for you." She leaned back in her chair and glanced at the clock on her desk. Only a few hours until the first trial. The thought made her smile. It was always fun to see how the selected ones worked out the curveballs thrown their way.