John stirred from his slumber to the familiar sounds of his family's laughter and chatter. He relished the feeling of warmth that spread through his chest, knowing that he had the weekend off from his job as a security guard. With a smile on his face, he rolled out of bed and shuffled down the stairs to join his wife and children in the living room.

As he took in the sight of his wife's loving smile and the infectious energy of his children, he couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over him. The simple joys of spending time with his family and hearing about their day were what made life worth living. He savored the taste of his wife's coffee as he listened to his children's tales, feeling grateful for these precious moments.

But as the morning wore on, the tranquility was broken by the insistent ringing of his work phone. His heart sank as he answered and heard his boss, Stephanie's voice on the other end.

"John, it's Stephanie. I'm sorry to bother you on your day off, but Steve called in sick, and we need you to come in."

John sighed, knowing that he didn't have much of a choice. "Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can," he said before hanging up the phone.

As John turned to his wife, Huiqian, he could see the disappointment in her eyes. "John, you promised to take the kids to the park today. They've been looking forward to it all week," Huiqian said, her voice filled with concern.

"I know, Huiqian. I'm sorry. I really wanted to spend the day with you and the kids, but I have to go in today. Steve is sick, and I'm the only one available to cover his shift," John explained, hoping that she would understand.

Huiqian let out a sigh, still disappointed but understanding the situation. "Okay, John. I understand. Just promise me that we'll spend some quality time together when you're back," she said, giving him a reassuring smile.

John nodded, grateful for her understanding. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before rushing to get ready for work.

As John left his home, he felt a sense of guilt and sadness gnawing at him. He wished he could be with his family instead of heading to work, but he knew that it was his responsibility to provide for them.

The drive in always felt long, but today seemed even longer, and with every mile, a feeling of dread began to build up in John's stomach. He knew this was just in his mind since he had to leave his family on his day off, but the feeling persisted. In an attempt to ignore this, he turned on the radio to wash these blues away. He just needed to find the right station.

Thud!

He pulled over to the side of the road as fast as he could, thoughts rushing through his mind at lightning speed. He had only looked down for a second, there was no way he hit someone! Rushing out of the car, he began to look around, but the road was empty, with not even another car on it. He could have sworn he hit something, but he couldn't see anything.

Thud!

There was that sound again! He hadn't hit something, but it sounded like it was coming from the woods along the road. John stood staring at where he thought he heard the sound, straining his ears to listen for anything, but not even a bird could be heard.

RING! RING!

His phone started to go off, nearly giving him a heart attack. Looking at it, he saw Stephanie's name again.

"Hello."

"Where are you?" Stephanie sounded slightly annoyed.

"I am sorry I thought I hit something."

"You hit something? where?"

"No, I didn't I thought I did. I was just making sure; I will be there soon."

"Okay, just hurry up."

John got back in his car; the sound already forgotten as he drove off to work. As he drove, he couldn't help but think about the close call he had just had. The feeling of dread and guilt from leaving his family on his day off began to dissipate, replaced by a new sense of unease.

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He tried to shake it off, turning up the radio and tapping his fingers along to the beat, but the feeling persisted. His mind wandered back to the sound he had heard in the woods. Was it an animal? Maybe a fallen branch? Or was it something else entirely?

The rest of the drive to work passed in a blur, and before he knew it, John was pulling into the parking lot of the office building where he worked as a security guard.

He stepped out of his car, taking in the grey concrete and steel of the building. It was just another day at work, but today he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

He made his way inside, nodding to his coworkers and checking in with his boss. Stephanie was grateful for his quick response to cover Steve's shift, and John tried to push the earlier incident from his mind as he settled into his post.

Hours passed, with little to break the monotony of his job. He made his rounds, checked the security cameras, and chatted with his coworkers. But despite his best efforts, the feeling of unease never left him.

It wasn't until the end of his shift that something unusual caught his attention. As he was making his final rounds, he noticed a door.

John approached the wooden door, The wood itself looked ordinary, but there was something about it that sent a shiver down his spine. It was as if the door had a life of its own, and it was watching him with an unsettling intensity. The faint sound of a lock being turned added to the growing sense of dread that was building in John's chest. He hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should proceed, but his curiosity got the better of him. Little did he know as he reached his hand out to the doorknob.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself in a strange, unfamiliar world. The air was thick with the scent of pine, and the ground beneath his feet was soft and mossy. He looked around in confusion, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

The first thing John did was reach for his phone. But to his dismay, he found that there was no signal. Panic rising in his chest, he tried to call his wife, but there was no answer. The realization that he was completely alone in this strange place hit him like a ton of bricks. It was as if he had been cast adrift in an endless sea of unknown possibilities.

As John continued to survey his new surroundings, he couldn't help but feel a sense of otherworldliness that pervaded the entire area. The trees towered above him, their branches stretching upwards towards the sky, as if reaching for some unseen force. The underbrush was so thick that he could barely make out what lay beyond it, and the sound of rushing water seemed to be coming from all directions at once.

It was as if the very air was imbued with a sense of mystery and intrigue, and John found himself drawn in by the allure of this strange place. The soft, mossy ground beneath his feet felt spongy and damp, like he was walking on a living, breathing entity. As he looked around, he couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay hidden in the depths of these ancient woods.

But his attention was soon drawn to the figure lying under the nearby tree. At first, John couldn't tell whether it was a person or simply a pile of discarded clothing. But as he drew closer, he could see that it was, in fact, a woman. She was dressed in a tattered gown, the fabric worn thin and frayed with age. Her hair was long and matted, and her skin was as white as alabaster.

Despite her ragged appearance, John couldn't help but be struck by the beauty of the woman. She seemed almost ethereal, as if she were not quite of this world. He approached her slowly, not wanting to startle her in case she was simply sleeping. But as he got closer, he could see that she was not breathing, and her skin was cold to the touch.

A sense of unease washed over John as he realized that he was completely alone in this strange place with a woman who appeared to be dead. He wondered if he should try to revive her or if he should try to find help. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something was not quite right about the situation. And as he looked around at the ancient trees and tangled underbrush, he couldn't help but wonder what other mysteries this place held.

As John contemplated his situation, he couldn't help but notice the peculiar sight of the woman lying under the tree. Her garments appeared to be from a bygone era, and her flesh was icy to the touch. Yet, there were no signs of decay or decomposition. It was as if she had been suspended in time, frozen for centuries.

A torrent of questions rushed through John's mind. Why was he here? Who was this woman? What had befallen her? Was he in peril? He knew he needed answers, but where should he begin?

Overwhelmed with uncertainty, John sank to the ground and pondered a plan that would return him home. Yet, as he entertained the thought, the creeping tendrils of doubt slithered into his mind.

"Why did I go to work today?" he mused, succumbing to despair.

Abruptly, a woman's voice whispered in his ear, but her words were unintelligible. John swiveled around to face the source of the sound, but no one was there. The whisper persisted, growing louder and more insistent by the second.

In an instant, John was bathed in a radiant glow, lifted off the ground, and propelled towards a mysterious force. The whisper grew even more urgent, driving him to the brink of unconsciousness. With a final thought of "Not again!" darkness enveloped him.

As John opened his eyes, he was greeted with an otherworldly sight. The vast, open field stretched out before him, and above him, the sky erupted with swirling colors, never had he seen what looked like two universes colliding. The vibrant hues seemed to pulse and dance with a life of their own, and John could feel the energy emanating from them, filling him with a sense of wonder and awe.

Beneath his feet, the ground was soft and pliable, as if made of a delicate material he had never encountered before. It hummed with a subtle, yet powerful energy, and John could feel it vibrating through his entire being.

Looking around, he realized that he was standing on a circular floating island that seemed to be suspended in a vast expanse of space. The island itself was a marvel to behold, with intricate patterns etched into its surface that shimmered in the multicolored light. The air around him was clear and pure, and he could see for what felt like an eternity, with no visible end in sight.

The land was bare save for in the distance, he could see a figure approaching. As it drew nearer, John could see that it was a woman, the same woman he had seen lying under the tree. Her dress in tatters and still looking as if she was closer to death than living but still, she wore a gentle smile on her face that would make anyone feel safe.

"Welcome," she said, her voice echoing through the space. "I am sorry that you have been taken from your world, but you are needed to help save all worlds from a great evil."