Kalen woke up gasping for air, his heart beating rapidly as he rolled over onto his front and pushed him self up on all fours. His lungs burned and everywhere ached. The pain he had felt before was seared into his memory but thankfully no longer present. White clouded his vision no matter where he looked, even his own body wasn't visible. He was still in the not-fog.
He stopped moving and went quiet, listening out for anything around him. It was silent. Only the sound was of his heart and his breathing could be heard. The air was damp and smelt musty with no discernible movement to be felt on his skin. He carefully reached out for the walls and the door that were meant to be in front of him but his hand met air. He started to look else where yet no matter what he did he found nothing to grab onto. No books, no furniture, he couldn't even feel the carpet that was meant to be under his hands. Was he no longer in his room?
He pushed himself up onto his knees and patted his torso. He found himself relieved when he could feel the coarse fabric of his clothes and hear the thump of his hand against his chest. He stopped at that thought, coarse? He had changed into bed clothes before all this happened, they weren't made of a coarse fabric. He rubbed the fabric between his fingers. The fabric wasn't similar to anything he owned.
Next, he inspected his body with his hands, becoming more and more confused as he felt muscle in places he most certainly didn't have. He was still male thankfully but It was as if he had become an Olympic runner in his sleep. He touched his face, it was not the same; his skin was softer, his face rounder. He touched his hair, it was tied up in a small ponytail.
Kalen didn't know what to think. On one hand, he was freaking out, unable to process all that has happened to him in what feels like a few hours, had he been body swapped? Then, he was kind of excited, Is this an Isekai? If so, why has he not met some god telling him about some mission he was required to do? Its normally in a white space isn't it? Though I suppose you can normally see.
He sighed, a small voice of reason told him that he wouldn't find answers to these questions in this place. As strange as it was that his body was different than he remembered, he also had bigger problems right now. He wasn't in his apartment. He was no longer tired but he was getting hungry and his mouth was dry. He didn't know what was in this horrible white space with him, or whether the not-fog would ever clear. So many questions and no answers. He decided that his first priority would be to find a way out of this place or at least find some landmark or sign of where he was.
Kalen got up on shaky legs and began to walk in a random direction. He had his arm fully extended out in front of him hoping that they would prevent him from walking into anything. He walked and walked for what felt like ages, the air suffocating and oppressive with how damp it was. Even so, having a goal and moving his body helped him relax and keep his mind off his situation.
Then he saw it.
A flicker of colour in a monochrome world, muted tones of green and brown amongst the white. His eyes latched onto that ray of hope. He started to walk faster before changing to a jog, unable to let the chance of finding a way out go. An inhuman screech came from behind him, he broke out into an all out run. His heart began to race. He sweated form the exertion. The colours became brighter, the chill of the fog colder. The thought of that pain once more coming back made him filled him with fear but he pressed on, not willing to find out what will become of him if whatever is following him catches up.
Kalen got closer. The screeching from behind became a chorus as more of the creature joined in on the chase. The Browns and Greens became deeper, hints of purple shone through as light began to filter through the white. He was blinded by bright light, the screeching from behind abruptly cutting off.
He stood still for a moment letting his eyes adjust, his heart still racing. When vision cleared, he saw he was free from the not-fog. In front of him was the most vibrant forest he had ever seen but he didn't have time to appreciate it right now, behind him was the massive wall of white that curved slightly either side. With no sounds giving away his pursuers, he ran straight ahead. He dodged trunks and tripped over roots, his arms stung as he barrelled through small branches and was sliced by thorns. every thud of his feet against uneven ground sent jolts of pain through his already aching body.
Eventually he couldn't go on any longer and he collapsed in a clearing, sprawled face up on the grass that padded his fall. His breath was ragged and heart leaping out of his chest. He listened out for any signs of the things that were following him but it was quiet. He laughed - as much as you could in his state. He had escaped. Kalen laid there as he got his breathing under control and took in the new sights.
The some of the trees were way too large. They were thicker than he was tall while being at least 4 times the height of the other normal sized trees surrounding him. The Flowers were vibrant and in colours he thought were unnatural; rich purples and true blues. He was not an expert on plants by any means but he knew he had never seen anything like it that wasn't drawn by an artist. The air was less suffocating and damp compared to the not-fog.
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He felt something pushing into the back of his head and remembered how his body had changed. He pulled himself up into a sitting position on the grass and reached an arm up to the back of his head. The string holding his hair. He removed the string and his hair fell into place around his face. it was light brown. less curly but not completely straight. Looking down, he also remembered the change in clothes. He now wore some sort of tunic and outer robe with drawstring pants. They were all varying shades of a beige/light brown. His feet were covered by some kind of securely wrapped sandal. His skin was pristine, blemishes and freckles no longer present. The small scars on his hands no where to be found. This pretty much confirmed that this wasn't his body.
knowing for sure didn't have the effect he was expecting it too. He looked fine before and most certainly didn't hate his appearance. He just felt indifferent. the only problem he had was, is this someone's else's body? were they now inside his old body or did he just take theirs? what if he encounters people who knew the owner of this body? In fact what about the people he knew? although he certainly doesn't want to go into the not-fog again anytime soon, what about his friends and family? how would he ever explain this? they would just think he was insane, if he ever saw them again. If. He had read enough stories that portray this scenario to know that there's no guarantee he will get the chance to go back to earth. There's no way this forest is from his world.
He got up and brushed off the dirt and odd bits plant matter that had accumulated on his clothes before he began to walk once more in the same direction. Hopefully, he would find a source of water and something edible amongst the plants. who was he kidding, for all he knows they were all poisonous. Speaking of exotic flora, what about the fauna? He's not going to be mauled by some massive bear is he? you had the thing that was screeching in the fog, was that normal? He continued walking on high alert and checking the canopy above for movement.
---
The Sun had begun to retreat before Kalen found evidence of civilisation. A road. He couldn't see any signage or where the road led to and so chose to just go right. As he followed the road, the forest that lined the edges became sparse, leading to a clearing. In the centre was what he could only describe as an elven fort from some fantasy world. The fort was alive. Stone and tree were blended together to form towers and walls, the road curved, making contact with the left wall, making its way to what he could only assume was the gatehouse from this distance.
Kalen followed the road towards the fort. Smoke was rising from several different spots however no fire could be seen. He considered that a plus, he didn't want to walk into a fort straight after an attack or disaster. As he got even closer he noticed that the gate was open, yet there were no guards to be seen, not on the walls or inside. Maybe they don't need to worry about security? By the time he reached the gate, the wall and stone path leading inside was dyed orange by the setting sun. He continued inside though the fact it was so silent was putting him on edge.
When through the gate he found himself on a street with houses along either side. They were made in the same way as the wall with small alley ways breaking up the houses into groups on 3 or 4. The further he walked in the more uncomfortable he got. Why are there no lights on in the houses? Why couldn't he see any people walking about? A part of him wanted to turn back, but with how late it was he didn't want to be out in the open in a place he didn't know, at least he had shelter here.
The road continued in a line to what he assumed was the centre of the fort, as the sky got darker he noticed a faint blue light coming from the second floor of what looked like some sort of temple or important building, The Road opened out into a plaza before the structure, small raised beds and seating areas were strategically placed around its edges. There was still no sign of any people.
He continued to the large arched double doors of the structure and pushed them open. He peered inside to find a room cast in candle light, bookcases lined one side of the room and seating lay on the other. To the back of the room was a desk those top was covered in parchment along with a bottle of ink and a quill. He looked over the writing on the pages but couldn't understand a word that was written. It dawned on him he has no idea what the local language is, he doubted it was English. If he did find someone, how is he going to explain himself or get help? He supposed he would just have to figure that out when the time comes.
There was two doors, one to the side of the desk that was open slightly, he assumed it led to a supply closet. the other was a another set of arched double doors that were opposite the ones he came in through.
Kalen opened the doors slightly, The faint blue light he saw from the upper windows of the structure shined through. when he pushed it fully open he now knew why.
There was a blue crystal in the centre of the room, thick enough to rival some of the trees he had seen on his way here and tall enough to almost reach the roof of the 2 story structure. It gave off a mesmerising blue light that swirled inside of it. The room around the crystal itself was ornate, tree and stone shaped into motifs and embellished columns, a pool of water surrounded the crystal barely deep enough to reach his ankles. Warmth permeated his hand and he stared at it only to find that he was touching the crystal in the centre of the room.
The warmth travelled up his hand but he didn't panic, it was gentle. He instinctually knew the slightest loss of contact would stop it. It reached the centre of his chest and entered a place inside of himself, the place that felt hollow after his encounter with the not-fog.
Concepts flashed inside of his mind. A question, it spoke of magic and of strength. After a moment words followed:
// First contact made with a Shard of the First World. Do you accept its guidance?
Kalen mentally said yes and the warmth from before increased. A part of him he never knew existed inside himself was etched with complex patterns, crystals similar to one before him surrounded a blue bead that he knew at first glance was him. it was his soul.
// System Functionality Inscribed
// Safeguard Etching... Complete
// Establishing connection to the Realms...
He felt tired and his vision waned. He gently leant against the crystal and slid to the floor before it all went dark.
// Complete