Chapter 4: Arrival

Daniel’s mind was adrift in darkness, a void so absolute that it seemed to swallow his very thoughts. It was neither cold nor warm. Neither comforting nor terrifying—just nothingness, an empty expanse that stretched into eternity.

Yet within this void, something stirred. A distant voice, muted and obscured, like a whisper carried on the wind, called out to him.

“I’m sorry… we need you…”

The words were faint, barely discernible, but they carried with them a weight; a sense of urgency that gnawed at Daniel’s subconscious.

He tried to respond, to reach out towards the voice, but his body—if he even had one here—felt heavy, unresponsive.

He was trapped, floating in the abyss, helpless against the pull of this unknown force.

Suddenly, a flicker of light pierced the darkness.

It was faint at first, a mere pinprick in the vast expanse, yet grew steadily brighter, closer.

As it approached, Daniel felt a strange warmth emanating from it, a warmth that seemed to envelop his very soul.

“Daniel…” the voice called again, clearer now, more insistent.

Before he could make sense of it, the light exploded, filling his vision with blinding radiance.

The void shattered, and Daniel was yanked back into consciousness with a gasp.

He sat up abruptly, his breath coming in ragged, uneven bursts. His heart pounded against his ribs, the remnants of the vision still echoing in his mind.

His surroundings slowly came into focus. He was in a cavern, the walls around him damp and cold, illuminated by a soft, eerie glow.

“Whe… where am I?” Daniel muttered to himself, his voice hoarse.

His head throbbed with the aftereffects of whatever had happened. Glancing around, he noticed the still forms of his family lying nearby, unconscious.

Jamie, his brother, was there too, somehow, although that wasn't the weirdest part of this by a long shot.

A faint rustle echoed through the cavern, drawing his attention.

From the shadows emerged an old man, his form frail and weary.

His robes, once perhaps majestic, now hung loosely from his frame, frayed at the edges. His face was etched with deep lines, his eyes—though tired—glimmered with a strange intensity.

“Hey, you…” the old man’s voice was soft but firm. It carried a weight of knowledge and experience far beyond anything Daniel had ever encountered. “You’re finally awake.”

Daniel blinked, struggling to piece together what was happening. “Augh, who are you? Where are we? Are you quoting Skyrim?”

The old man stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate, as if each step cost him greatly. “We haven't much time... My essence is fading quickly. My name is Elmstree. I am the one who brought you… to the Prima. A world beyond your own, where your presence is desperately needed.”

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“The Prima?” Daniel repeated, confusion apparent in his voice. “This… this has to be a dream, right? I'm definitely dreaming or I've snapped. Definitely a possibility.”

Elmstree nodded solemnly. “It is no dream and your mind remains intact. I… I used forbidden magic, at great cost to myself, to summon you here. The blood… it is the key, the reason you were chosen.” Elmstree looked with a hint of apprehension around at the unconscious family members sprawled across the floor. "And these people that I assume are relatives, apparently. T’was a risk but I couldn’t be sure of the outcome."

“The blood? My family?” Daniel echoed, confusion mounting. “What are you talking about?”

“There isn’t time to explain everything,” Elmstree said, his tone urgent now. “But you must understand—this world, the Prima, Caeloria, is in grave danger. Forces far beyond your comprehension are at play, and your family’s arrival here is our best hope of averting a catastrophe.”

Daniel shook his head, trying to make sense of the impossible. “You’re saying we’ve been brought here to save the world? I don’t even know where to begin! How am I supposed to—” Daniel felt a familiar impulse as a tic begged for attention, seemingly taking control of his arm and presenting the ever-familiar sensation of a slap across his grille and a light squeak, that did not serve to reinforce his new supposed station as champion of the realm.

Elmstree raised a trembling hand, cutting him off, eyeing him up and down curiously with the raising of an eyebrow before shaking his head impatiently. “You must head to Sylvara... a city deep within the Shadowgrove. There, you must find information about someone named Liriel. She is not in Sylvara, but you will find clues to her whereabouts. She is crucial... to what must be done.”

Daniel swallowed hard, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. “And what about you? You look like you’re about to keel over.”

A faint smile touched Elmstree’s lips, though it was tinged with sadness. “I have done what I can... The price for summoning you... was steep… my life force has been drained. I will not survive... much longer.”

A wave of guilt and helplessness washed over Daniel. “Why would you do that?! You’ve brought us here at such a cost, and we don’t even know what to do.”

Elmstree reached into the folds of his robes and produced a small pouch of coins and a sword, its hilt intricately carved with symbols Daniel didn’t recognize.

“Take these,” Elmstree said, his voice weakening. “The coins will help you along the way. The sword… it’s for your protection. The path ahead... is fraught with danger, and you will need to defend... yourself and your family.”

Daniel hesitated before taking the items, his hands shaking slightly. “The closest thing to a weapon I've ever held is a guitar hero controller, for Christ's sake. I'm not ready for this,” he admitted, his usual bravado faltering in the face of the unknown.

Elmstree’s gaze softened, understanding in his eyes. “None of us are ever truly ready... But you have the strength within you... more than you realise.

Trust in yourself, in your family... You are not alone in this and you have time to prepare.”

A deep sigh escaped Elmstree’s lips, and he swayed on his feet. Daniel instinctively reached out, steadying the old man as he began to collapse.

Elmstree’s body was light, almost as if he were already fading from existence.

“Elmstree, if you could go ahead and not die, that would be swell. You picked the wrong guy!” Daniel’s voice was panicked now, the reality of the situation crashing down on him. “Please don’t leave me with this!”

But Elmstree merely smiled, a peaceful expression settling over his features.

“Y... You are stronger... than you know… May the light guide... your path…” His voice trailed off as his eyes closed, and with a final breath, he was gone.

His body dissolved into faint motes of ethereal light that drifted upward, disappearing into the darkness of the cavern.

For a long moment, Daniel knelt there, staring at the spot where Elmstree had been, the weight of his words heavy on his shoulders.

He was alone now, with only the distant sound of his family’s breathing to remind him that he wasn’t truly by himself.

Taking a deep breath, Daniel stood, gripping the sword tightly. He looked over at his family, still unconscious but safe for now, and steeled himself for the journey ahead.

Sylvara, Shadowgrove, Liriel… none of it made sense, not to mention he had a memory like a sieve, but he knew he had no choice but to move forward.

Elmstree had sacrificed everything to bring them here, and Daniel couldn’t let that be in vain. Well he could but probably shouldn’t.

With a final glance back at the cavern, Daniel turned towards the entrance, the faint glow of the outside world beckoning him onward. As he contemplated his first steps, Daniel couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something far greater than he could have ever imagined.