[Adrium: Earth Rune Base.]

The two of them stared up at a huge tree with twisted branches reaching high above them. The

trunk was thick and covered in vines. The roots were intertwined around the trunk creating a

complex web.

“Sim, how do you feel?” She asked.

Almost as though hypnotized he walked up to the large tree, stepping carefully, afraid he might fall off. The tree seemed to grow closer, pulling him towards its roots, almost as though beckoning him to come closer. His mind was fuzzy as the tree grew closer. It felt like a big, protective bubble around his heart that prevented anyone from prying inside of him.

“Sim? Fuck…” She growled.

She watched closely as it seemed he was unable to hear her. She pulled out a needle waiting patiently for a chance to stab him. Sim was already halfway towards the tree, almost touching one of its massive branches.

“His hand is turning green,” Ava whispered.

Ava watched as the vines curled around his legs and feet, causing them to lose their strength to move. He slowly began slipping forward and the branch began to bend away from him. Her gaze darkened in worry and she stepped closer to pull him back. Sim’s head shot up. He froze in place staring at the branch.

“I am sorry! I can’t let you do this quest!” The pink haired girl shouted, her voice filled with desperation.

Realizing the danger that Sim was in, she knew she had to take action. With determination in her eyes, she swiftly removed the cap from the needle she had been holding, its contents shimmering faintly.

Sim's head shot up, his eyes wide with surprise as he heard her voice pierce through the haze that had enveloped him. Frozen in place, he stared at the branch that was slowly bending away from him, feeling a mix of confusion and concern.

Without hesitation, the girl stepped closer to him, her hand reaching out to pull him back. But she knew that simply relying on physical strength wouldn't be enough. She needed to find a way to break the spell that had entranced him and bring him back to reality.

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Taking a deep breath, the girl summoned her courage and made a split-second decision. With a swift motion, she plunged the needle into the back of Sim's neck, injecting the shimmering liquid into his bloodstream. The effects were immediate.

Sim's body tensed, his eyes widening in both shock and relief. As the liquid spread through his veins, it began to dissolve the fog that had clouded his mind. The protective bubble around his heart started to dissipate, allowing him to regain control of his thoughts and emotions.

A rush of clarity washed over Sim as he blinked rapidly, trying to process what had just happened. His gaze met the girl's, and he felt an overwhelming surge of gratitude and realization. It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing the dangers that lurked within the mystical tree.

Sim's hand, no longer green, instinctively reached out to grasp Ava before falling exhausted into her arms.

“Wakey wakey sleepyhead. Time for bed.” The girl smiled before wrapping Sim in a tight hug.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, burying his face into her shoulder as she gently stroked his hair.

The owl from her shoulder morphed into a human as Sim lost consciousness.

‘I'm not dreaming….’ He thought.

‘This must all be some kind of crazy nightmare...I mean..this whole experience with the tree must have messed me up. My body can't be here! It can't be alive!! This is just impossible…’

As he tried to make sense of everything that had occurred, all he remembered was seeing a giant beast with white wings flying down to him. Then a sudden flash of white blinded him. His last clear thought before blacking out was that he was happy that Ava was okay. That she hadn't gotten hurt.

His vision blurred as he woke up, sitting up quickly with a groan. He held his head in pain as his vision cleared. Once it did he noticed he wasn’t at the Adrium anymore, but instead leaning up against something soft. Looking behind himself he noticed there was a small nest of pillows and blankets stacked up on the wall.

“Heath, he isn’t an NPC! Your drug worked!” Ava cheered.

“D-Drug?!” Sim yelled.

“That’s why I came partly to make sure I could bring you back to reality!” She snapped.

“Are you telling me I would have only seen my life in that bubble that I clung to?” He asked.

“Exactly! NPC syndrome!” Heath noted.

“Who are you?” Sim questioned.

“I am Ava’s familiar!” Heath huffed.

Owl-like features appeared over Heath’s face. He was still a young looking man with brown, curly hair and brown eyes. Sim couldn’t tell his species apart from the looks alone.

“I don’t think we’ve properly introduced ourselves. My name is Heath.” He offered his hand to Sim. Sim hesitated before accepting the handshake.

“Hello! Wait, I know someone we should visit!” He replied.

“Who?” Heath asked.

“Someone who we can trust,” Sim smiled.

Ava and Heath were confused by his odd behavior, curious who he meant but also skeptical of his claims about trustworthiness.

“The person is stuck in this world like us!” Sim pointed out.

“Do you even feel well enough?” Ava asked.

He hopped up to his feet thinking of Della how her mind was taken from her as tears started to form in his eyes. She was probably suffering the same thing he was right now. How long had she been there? What had been happening to her since he was gone? Had she finally realized the danger they’d be in in a place where they didn’t belong?

“We have to start training! No more time to waste!” Heath argued.

“Seriously? What about meeting my guy?” He sighed.

“We will get to that later!” Ava shouted.