Ethan stared at the elf's arrow, which remained steadily pointed at his chest. His mind raced through potential explanations that wouldn't sound completely insane—or get him killed.
"I'm waiting, human," the elf said, her melodic voice carrying an unmistakable edge. "Few of your kind have ever seen Elderwood, and none without invitation."
Ethan cleared his throat. "My name is Ethan Stark. I was... sent here. To help." He gestured vaguely around them. "There's something wrong with your forest. With your reality, actually."
The elf's opalescent eyes narrowed further, but Ethan noticed a flicker of something else behind her suspicion—recognition? Concern?
"Sent by whom?" she demanded, the arrow unwavering.
Ethan glanced at his wristband, which pulsed once with a soft blue light.
[ COMMUNICATION SUGGESTION ] MENTION: DIMENSIONAL TRAVELER REFERENCE: LOCAL TERM "BETWEEN-WALKER" AVOID: TECHNICAL EXPLANATIONS
"I'm what you might call a 'Between-Walker,'" Ethan said, the unfamiliar term feeling strange on his tongue. "I travel between worlds to fix... problems."
To his surprise, the tension in the elf's posture eased slightly, though she kept the bow drawn.
"Between-Walker," she repeated, studying him with renewed interest. "Such beings are spoken of in our oldest tales, though none have been witnessed in living memory." Her gaze fell to his wristband. "And that device? It bears marks similar to those in the ancient texts."
Ethan seized the opening. "This is my System Link. It helps me identify and repair damage to the fabric of reality." He gestured toward the flickering flower he had just stabilized. "Like what I just did with that plant."
The elf's gaze shifted briefly to the now-stable shimmerbloom, its gentle blue glow steady and unwavering.
"You claim to have healed the flower's phase-sickness?" She sounded skeptical but curious.
"I can show you," Ethan offered, slowly raising his hands in what he hoped was a universal gesture of peaceful intent. "May I?"
After a moment's hesitation, the elf lowered her bow slightly—not enough to remove the threat entirely, but enough to signal cautious permission.
Ethan scanned the immediate area, spotting another shimmerbloom several paces away, its petals flickering erratically between existence and non-existence. He walked toward it slowly, aware of the elf's watchful gaze following his every move.
Kneeling beside the unstable flower, he activated his Reality Analysis skill again.
[ ANALYSIS RESULT ] OBJECT: SHIMMERBLOOM PLANT STATUS: SEVERE REALITY DESYNCHRONIZATION CAUSE: PROXIMITY TO WEAKENED REALITY BOUNDARY REPAIR DIFFICULTY: BASIC NOTE: SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS REPAIR WITH INCREASED SEVERITY
Ethan extended his hand, focusing on the feeling he had experienced during the previous repair. Blue energy flowed from his fingertips more confidently this time, enveloping the flower. For a moment, the flickering increased dramatically—then suddenly stabilized, the flower's petals solidifying into a beautiful, luminescent bloom even brighter than the first.
[ REPAIR SUCCESSFUL ] REALITY STABILITY INCREASED: +0.003% XP GAINED: 10 CURRENT XP: 15/100 REPAIR CHARGES REMAINING: 1 SKILL IMPROVEMENT: REPAIR BASICS: PROGRESS +5%
"Remarkable," the elf whispered, lowering her bow completely. She approached cautiously, kneeling beside him to examine the healed flower. "I've never seen phase-sickness reversed before. Our healers can only contain it."
"It's not a sickness exactly," Ethan explained, surprised at how naturally the knowledge came to him. "It's more like... the flower exists in multiple realities at once, and it's having trouble staying in just this one."
"And you can fix this?" The elf's voice carried a hint of hope beneath her continued wariness.
"I'm learning to," Ethan admitted. "I'm actually pretty new at this."
The elf studied him for a long moment before slinging her bow across her back in one fluid motion. "I am Lysandra, Guardian of the Western Grove. If what you say is true, Between-Walker, your arrival may not be coincidence."
"What do you mean?"
Lysandra gestured for him to follow as she began walking eastward—the same direction his System had indicated an anomaly. "These phase-sicknesses have been spreading throughout Elderwood for nearly a full moon cycle. At first, only delicate plants like shimmerbloom were affected. But recently..."
She stopped abruptly, holding up a hand to signal caution. "It would be better to show you."
They moved silently through the magnificent forest, Ethan trying his best to match Lysandra's ghostlike grace but feeling decidedly clumsy in comparison. He marveled at the increasing grandeur of the trees, their silver-blue trunks wider than cars, their canopies seeming to touch the very sky.
After about ten minutes of walking, Lysandra slowed and crouched behind a fallen log, motioning for Ethan to do the same. She pointed to a small clearing ahead.
What Ethan saw made his blood run cold.
In the center of the clearing hung what could only be described as a tear in reality itself—a jagged vertical rift about eight feet tall, its edges pulsing with sickly purple energy. Through the rift, Ethan could glimpse fragments of... somewhere else. A place of swirling darkness and twisted shapes that his mind struggled to comprehend.
[ REALITY ANALYSIS ACTIVE ] ANOMALY DETECTED: DIMENSIONAL RIFT SEVERITY: MODERATE TYPE: REALITY PUNCTURE DANGER LEVEL: HIGH WARNING: UNSTABLE ENERGY SIGNATURES DETECTED RECOMMENDATION: IMMEDIATE CONTAINMENT
"It appeared three days ago," Lysandra whispered, her melodic voice tight with concern. "It's the third such rift we've discovered, but the largest by far. The others were barely hand-sized."
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"Has anything come through it?" Ethan asked, noticing how the plantlife immediately surrounding the rift was gray and withered.
"Not yet," Lysandra replied. "But the forest around it dies a little more each day, and sometimes we hear... voices... coming from within."
As if on cue, a faint, discordant whisper emanated from the rift, raising the hair on Ethan's arms despite the warmth of the forest.
His wristband vibrated urgently:
[ EMERGENCY ALERT ] RIFT DESTABILIZATION IMMINENT CONTAINMENT PROTOCOL RECOMMENDED TIME TO EXPANSION: APPROXIMATELY 45 SECONDS
"It's going to get bigger," Ethan said urgently, rising to his feet. "We need to contain it—now!"
Lysandra's eyes widened. "We should retreat and summon the Elder Guardians. I don't have the power to—"
"There's no time," Ethan interrupted, already moving toward the rift. His body seemed to know what to do even as his mind panicked. "Stay back!"
The rift pulsed violently, the purple energy around its edges intensifying. A low, thrumming sound filled the air, vibrating through Ethan's chest. He could feel the wrongness of it—like a splinter in reality itself.
His wristband displayed:
[ REPAIR OPTIONS ] DIMENSIONAL SEAL (TEMPORARY) - 1 CHARGE NOTE: REQUIRES ALL REMAINING CHARGES USE REPAIR CHARGE? [Y/N]
"Y!" Ethan shouted, not bothering with the interface. The wristband seemed to understand, immediately releasing a surge of energy up his arm that was far more intense than the previous repairs.
Instinctively, Ethan spread his arms wide, then brought them together in a clapping motion, directing the blue energy from his palms toward the rift. The energy shot forward in a spiraling beam, wrapping around the edges of the tear.
Pain lanced through Ethan's body—a pulling sensation as if something essential was being drawn out of him. He gritted his teeth, maintaining focus on the rift as the blue energy began to stitch the ragged edges together.
The rift fought back, pulsing violently, the whispers from within rising to screams that thankfully only seemed to exist inside Ethan's head. His vision blurred, legs trembling with effort, but he pushed harder, visualizing the tear closing like a wound being sutured.
Just as his knees began to buckle, the final edges of the rift sealed with a sound like thunder, followed by absolute silence. Ethan collapsed to the forest floor, gasping for breath.
[ EMERGENCY REPAIR SUCCESSFUL ] DIMENSIONAL RIFT: CONTAINED (TEMPORARY SEAL) REALITY STABILITY INCREASED: +1.7% XP GAINED: 75 CURRENT XP: 90/100 REPAIR CHARGES REMAINING: 0 WARNING: REPAIR ENERGY DEPLETED RECHARGE TIME: 6 HOURS SKILL IMPROVEMENT: REPAIR BASICS: PROGRESS +25% NOTE: FIELD REPAIR OF THIS MAGNITUDE TYPICALLY REQUIRES LEVEL 5+ CERTIFICATION
Ethan barely registered the message through his exhaustion. His limbs felt like lead, and black spots danced at the edges of his vision. He was vaguely aware of Lysandra kneeling beside him, her expression a mixture of awe and concern.
"By the Ancient Roots," she whispered. "You really are a Between-Walker."
Ethan managed a weak smile. "Told you so," he mumbled before darkness claimed him.
----------------------------------------
When Ethan regained consciousness, the first thing he noticed was the soft, mossy ground beneath him, and the gentle glow of what appeared to be luminescent mushrooms providing light from above. He was in some sort of hollow beneath the roots of a massive tree, the space surprisingly spacious and comfortable.
"The wanderer awakens," came Lysandra's voice from nearby.
Ethan turned his head to see the elf sitting cross-legged a few feet away, mixing something in a wooden bowl. The scent of herbs and honey filled the small space.
"How long was I out?" Ethan asked, pushing himself up to a sitting position. His body ached, but the crushing exhaustion had subsided.
"Half a day cycle," Lysandra replied, offering him the bowl. "Drink this. It will restore your strength."
Ethan eyed the greenish liquid suspiciously but took the bowl. His wristband vibrated gently:
[ ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS ] SUBSTANCE: REVITALIZATION ELIXIR COMPOSITION: NATIVE HERBS, TREE SAP, MINERALIZING AGENTS EFFECT: ENERGY RESTORATION, MINOR HEALING COMPATIBILITY: 99.7% SAFE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION RECOMMENDATION: DRINK
"Cheers," Ethan said, taking a cautious sip. To his surprise, the liquid tasted pleasant—like mint and honey with a hint of something citrusy. Warmth spread through his body as he drank, the aches in his muscles fading.
"Your sealing of the rift was... impressive," Lysandra said, watching him carefully. "Especially for one who claims to be 'new at this.'"
Ethan shrugged. "I think it was more the System than me. And it's only temporary." He glanced at his wristband, which now displayed:
[ STATUS UPDATE ] ENERGY RESERVES: 22% AND RECOVERING DIMENSIONAL SEAL INTEGRITY: 89% (DEGRADING 0.5% PER HOUR) ESTIMATED SEAL DURATION: 7.5 DAYS RECOMMENDATION: LOCATE SOURCE OF REALITY DEGRADATION BEFORE SEAL FAILS
"The seal will hold for about a week," Ethan explained. "But we need to find what's causing these rifts in the first place." He finished the elixir, already feeling significantly better. "I don't suppose you have any ideas?"
Lysandra's opalescent eyes seemed to look through him rather than at him. "Perhaps. But this is a matter for the Council, not just one Guardian." She rose gracefully to her feet. "Can you walk? We must journey to the Heart Tree."
"Heart Tree?"
"The center of Elderwood, and the seat of our civilization," Lysandra explained. "If answers exist, they will be found there."
Ethan stood, testing his legs. They felt surprisingly strong after the elixir. "Lead the way."
As Lysandra ducked out of the root hollow, Ethan's wristband displayed a new message:
[ LEVEL UP! ] LEVEL 1 → LEVEL 2 NEW SKILL POINT AVAILABLE SKILL TREE EXPANDED SURVIVAL PROBABILITY: 28.5% (+1.8%)
He couldn't help but smile grimly at the modest increase in his survival chances. Still terrible odds, but moving in the right direction at least.
"Coming, Between-Walker?" Lysandra called from outside.
"It's Ethan," he corrected, ducking through the entrance. "My name is Ethan."
Lysandra tilted her head slightly, as if considering whether his name was worth remembering. "Very well, Ethan Between-Walker. Our journey to the Heart Tree will take two days on foot. We should depart immediately."
As they set off deeper into the magnificent forest, Ethan pondered the strangeness of his situation. Just yesterday—was it only yesterday?—his biggest concern had been finishing a quarterly security report. Now he was in another world entirely, with an elf as a guide, trying to prevent reality itself from unraveling.
Somehow, the quarterly report no longer seemed quite so important.
[ QUEST UPDATE ] PROGRESS: 15% OBJECTIVE IDENTIFIED: REACH THE HEART TREE NEW INFORMATION ACQUIRED: DIMENSIONAL RIFTS SPREADING NEXT RECOMMENDED ACTION: GATHER INTELLIGENCE FROM ELDERWOOD LEADERSHIP
"Hey, System," Ethan whispered, falling back slightly so Lysandra wouldn't hear. "Is there anything specific I should ask about when we reach this Heart Tree place?"
[ SYSTEM RESPONSE ] PRIORITY QUERIES: 1. WHEN DID REALITY ANOMALIES BEGIN? 2. PATTERNS/LOCATIONS OF RIFT APPEARANCES 3. LOCAL LEGENDS OF PREVIOUS INCURSIONS 4. ANY UNUSUAL VISITORS/EVENTS PRECEDING ANOMALIES
"Got it," Ethan muttered, hurrying to catch up with Lysandra, who had paused at the crest of a small rise, waiting for him with a mixture of patience and mild exasperation.
"If we are to reach the nearest waypoint by nightfall, we must maintain a steady pace," she commented as he joined her.
"Sorry," Ethan said. "In my defense, I'm still getting used to being in an entirely different world."
Lysandra's severe expression softened slightly. "I suppose that is... understandable." She gestured toward the breathtaking vista that spread before them—endless silver-blue forest canopy stretching to distant mountains that shimmered like opals in the afternoon light. "Welcome to Elderwood, Ethan Between-Walker. Let us hope you are indeed the help we need."
As they descended the slope and continued their journey, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched—not by Lysandra, but by something else, something hidden in the shadows of the magnificent forest. Something that wasn't pleased by his arrival or his ability to seal the rift.
His wristband vibrated once, displaying a brief message that did nothing to calm his nerves:
[ WARNING ] ANOMALOUS ENERGY SIGNATURE DETECTED DISTANCE: INDETERMINATE NATURE: UNKNOWN RECOMMENDATION: REMAIN VIGILANT
"Great," Ethan muttered under his breath as he followed Lysandra deeper into the forest. "Just great."