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My body feels impossibly heavy, as though an unseen force is pinning me to the ground. Every muscle aches with exhaustion, but there’s something worse—a suffocating heat, searing my skin. Where am I? My mind struggles to grasp the last few moments I remember. I was… at the school parking lot. Yes, walking toward my car when— The light. The vortex. A flash of blinding light and that horrifying pull. My entire body was consumed by an invisible force, dragging me into darkness.
Am I dead?
My throat burns with thirst. I can barely swallow, my mouth dry like sandpaper. The world around me is nothing but a blur, an indistinct mess of sounds and colors. I need water. But the thought slips away as a wave of dizziness sweeps over me. My head spins, and a distant sound reaches my ears—birds chirping, their melodic song almost mocking my disorientation. Then… footsteps. They’re getting closer. Slow and deliberate, each one amplifying the pounding in my head.
A shadow looms over me, a figure I can barely make out. They murmur something, but the words are a jumbled mess, distant and unintelligible. It’s like I’m underwater, my consciousness drifting in and out, too weak to hold on.
"Darkness envelops everything once more."
"I woke up feeling extremely thirsty. The first thing I noticed was the ceiling—rough wooden beams above me, simple and solid. Where am I? It feels like I'm sinking into the bed, and my arms and legs feel too heavy to move. The blanket over me smells faintly of earth and wood, like it hasn't been used in years.
I turned my head, wincing as a dull pain spread through my body. The room was small and almost empty—just a wooden chair, a table in the corner, and some light coming through the window. Everything looked old and rustic. What is this place? I asked myself.
The last thing I remember is the heavy rain and lightning, rushing to get to the car, until I was stopped by a strange weight pulling me down. I had stepped into a strange black circle, like a portal. It pulled me in, and I felt like I was falling into an endless abyss. After that, everything went black."
My mind is in turmoil over what happened. I have so many questions about what really occurred. Suddenly, the door opened, and an old man entered. His face was lined with deep wrinkles, but his eyes… his eyes were warm and kind, with graying hair and a thick beard.
But what caught my attention the most was his clothing. He wore a long, sleeveless maroon vest with golden details, giving it an elegant look, over what seemed to be a chainmail shirt. Beneath the vest, he wore green pants and a belt with a circular buckle. It looked like clothing from ancient times, the kind you’d only see in period films about the past.
He approached me slowly. I wanted to speak, but I struggled due to the dryness in my throat.
He took a glass from the table, filled it with water, and handed it to me. I took it and quickly drank.
After I drank, the old man spoke, but I couldn’t understand a word he said. I couldn’t even recognize the language he was speaking. I looked at him, confused.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you’re saying,” I said.
He looked at me, equally confused.
He spoke again, but I still couldn’t understand a single word.
“I really can’t understand,” I said, shaking my head to indicate that I didn’t comprehend him.
The old man sighed deeply and left the room.
When the old man left, I tried to stand up from lying down, still feeling the pain in my body. I walked over to the window, and from there, I could see the tall trees. This must be a mountain, but what puzzled me was how I got here from Sanford Academy. I returned to the bed and sat down. Could it be that I was kidnapped? But they didn’t tie me up, and with the strict security at Sanford Academy, the possibility seemed slim. The strange portal I stepped on was the only remaining reason for me being here. I needed to figure out where I was in the world and contact my family. While I was deep in thought, a woman entered, carrying a tray of food—bread and fruit. She appeared to be in her late 20s or early 30s, with fair skin and dark brown hair tied back and covered by a simple headscarf. She looked calm and serious. She was slim and had an elegant appearance, the kind suited for someone used to household or farm work. Like the first old man I saw, her clothing was unusual—she wore a long blue dress and a beige apron, indicating that she was busy with household or agricultural tasks, almost as if from another time.
She spoke softly, but like the man earlier, I couldn’t understand her. I nodded to thank her, hoping my face would show my gratitude. She handed me the tray of food, and I took it immediately. She quickly left the room. Because of my hunger, I hurriedly ate the bread, but I was shocked at how tough it was, almost stale. It had a thick crust and a rough texture. The taste was strong and slightly sour due to the sourdough, not very sweet or tasty. Despite its taste, I forced myself to eat it because I didn’t want to appear rude. Then I ate the fruit, which was the opposite of the bread—so sweet and delicious. After eating, I placed the tray on the table and sat back down on the bed.
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Time moved slowly, my mind swirling with questions that had no answers. Then, the door creaked open again, and two men entered.
The first man looked to be in his early to mid-30s. He was strong and rugged, with shoulder-length light brown or dirty blonde hair and a thick beard. His serious expression and broad build made it clear he was used to hard physical labor. His clothing was unfamiliar—he wore a simple brown tunic with a belt, woolen trousers, and plain shoes. In his hand, he carried a rolled-up parchment.
The second man was younger, around 21 or 22 years old, with a slimmer frame and sharp features. What immediately caught my attention was his striking blue hair, a color I had never seen on anyone before. He wore a long green coat over a beige shirt with rolled-up sleeves, brown trousers, and old, worn boots that looked like they’d been through many travels.
Both men looked like they were used to tough, physical work.
I couldn’t stop myself from staring at the younger man’s blue hair. He noticed and shifted uncomfortably under my gaze, so I quickly looked at his companion instead.
The older man unrolled the parchment and held it out for me to see. I leaned in to examine it. The paper was covered with strange symbols that looked like they might be letters, but I couldn’t read them. There was also a large drawing of what appeared to be a map, complete with mountains, rivers, and territories. The details were impressive, but the landscape was completely unfamiliar to me.
The older man pointed to a small island on the map, separate from the larger landmass. I realized he was showing me where we were.
As I stared at the map, the truth began to sink in. This wasn’t Earth—or at least, it wasn’t the Earth I knew. The strange clothing, the unfamiliar language, and the blue-haired man all pointed to one unsettling possibility: I was in another world. A cold sweat broke out on my skin, and my heart started pounding.
Suddenly, the door opened again. The old man I had seen earlier when I woke up entered, along with the woman who had brought me food. They spoke briefly with the two men before the one holding the map turned to me again, pointing once more to the island.
I shook my head, trying to show that I didn’t understand. Then, I carefully handed the map back to him.
The old man looked at me and spoke firmly. “Gordon,” he said, introducing himself.
The woman smiled and said, “Celia.”
The younger man with blue hair added, “Ron.”
Finally, the man with the map said, “Oren.”
It was clear they were telling me their names. I pointed to myself and said, “Caelan.”
They nodded in acknowledgment. The old man motioned toward the door, said something to the others, and they all left together. Once again, I was left alone in the room.
This isn’t possible. My breath comes faster, my chest tightening as reality begins to set in. I’ve been transported to another world. It’s something straight out of fantasy novels, the kind of story I’d read for fun—but now it’s my life. And I have no idea what to do.
My thoughts race. Do I have any special powers? Isn’t that how these stories usually go? But no… I don’t feel any different. There’s no sudden surge of strength, no magical abilities awakening within me. I’m just… me. Plain, ordinary Caelan. Lost in a world I don’t understand.
I close my eyes, the image of my family flashing in my mind. What are they doing right now? Are they looking for me? The thought of my mother, her worried face, my siblings calling out for me—it sends a sharp pain through my chest. Tears blur my vision, but I quickly wipe them away. I can’t break down now. I need to survive. I have to find a way home.
A month has passed since I arrived in this world, but it still feels like a strange dream I can’t wake up from. I’ve learned a lot during my time here, but every day is a challenge. This place, Mitra Village, feels quiet and simple to me, and the people here are humble and live modest lives.
The hunters of the village were the ones who found me in the forest and brought me here. I learned that the old man I first saw when I woke up is Gibo, the village chief. His children, Celia and Oren, took care of me while I was unconscious. Celia is the woman who gave me food when I first woke up, while Oren was the one who showed me the map. The village chief temporarily allowed me to stay in his home. He lives with his son Oren and Oren's wife , and their two young children. His wife passed away a long time ago. His daughter, Celia, has her own family now, and her house is right next to the village chief’s home.
The villagers offered me food and some even gave me their old clothes even though we don’t understand each other. We use gestures and body language to communicate. It’s difficult and sometimes frustrating, but I’m slowly learning their language. Every day, I make sure to learn a few words because I know how important it is to understand them, especially since I don’t know how long I’ll stay in this world.
I found out that this village, located on an island, is part of the Barony of Sanderson, which is under the Klehon Empire—one of the largest empires on the continent of Yedon. This world has only one large continent. The more I learn about this world, the more it resembles a medieval version of Earth—knights, nobles, and so on. I also discovered that ordinary people in this world don’t have surnames; only nobles do. That’s why I’m relieved I didn’t mention my surname to them. If I had introduced myself with my full name, they would have likely taken me to the noble overseeing this territory, assuming I was a noble as well. That would have definitely led to a more complicated situation for me.
But even though I’ve learned the basics about this world, I’m still no closer to figuring out how to return home.
I went back to the forest where they found me, hoping for a clue—a trace of the portal, some sign of the force that pulled me into this world. But there was nothing. The spot was just… ordinary. It was as if the event never happened.
I let out a long sigh, staring out the small window of the house The sun is setting, casting long shadows across the village. I need to stay strong. I tell myself that every day, but the weight of uncertain