A man was standing in a lush meadow, surrounded by natural beauty. The meadow is covered in a soft blanket of emerald green grass that stretches out as far as eyes can see. The grass is thick with blades that sways gently in the light breeze.
The man was surrounded by abundance of wild flowers of all shapes and colors. Bright yellow flowers, delicate purple irises and fragrant lavender plants are just a few of the blooms that dot the landscape. The air is filled with their sweet scent and butterflies can be seen fluttering among the blossoms. In the distance, the meadow gives a way to a dense forest, where tall trees stand, their leaves rustling in the wind.
The complete contrast from the beauty of the surroundings that painted a picturesque scene was the man, standing in a daze completely disconnected from the world around him. He was staring blankly up at the sky lost in his thoughts. First he appeared expressionless and after some time sadness took over him. Tears started flowing from his eyes as whatever was holding him back, was let loose.
"No, no, no, no, no! This can't be happening to me. No! Please tell me that this is a nightmare. Please! Somebody, please!!"
The man slouched and then fell as his knees gave up due to the sudden weakness. Desperately crying and seeking for help. Alas, nobody was there to help him. As minutes turned into hours, he kept weeping and didn't move from his place. The Sun was over the horizon casting an orange/reddish hue. Hopeless and helpless, the man sunk onto the grassy plain as his tears dried up and then he lost his consciousness.
After some time, there was a movement behind the trees in the forest. A group of people, with long pointed ears emerged from behind the dense tree forest while making their way into the meadow. Their long ears give them a distinctive appearance, with thin and tall build, however above everything else, exceptionally beautiful. The group carried an assortment of items, including hunted animals, fruits, and hunting weapons. They were dressed in animal hides and leather clothing, with spears and bows slung over their shoulders.
As they step onto the meadow, the group spreads out while talking with each other. One of them, who was walking ahead of the group with a spear in his hands, saw the unconscious man and stopped in his tracks. This alerted their entire group and they took their positions while pointing their weapons towards the body of the man.
""What?! How come a human being is on our lands?""
The group startled finding out a human male in the middle of the meadow. Several of them voice out their concern while being on alert. A feminine voice reverberated in the surroundings and instructed the person upfront who was walking ahead of everyone.
"Alaron, be careful. This doesn't look natural at all and no human being should be capable of reaching here, not when the protection of woods is in place. Carefully check the situation."
Alaron, the male with pointy long ears, carefully and silently walked towards the body of the unconscious man and poked him with the butt end of his spear. He poked the unconscious man repeatedly with no response. Then he came closer to the body to observe the situation and found him to be unconscious. He quickly assessed the situation to determine the cause of the man's unconsciousness, checking for any visible signs of injury or distress. He also tried to wake the man up by calling out to him, but to no avail.
"Chief, he is alive but unconscious. There are no visible injury marks. What should we do with this person?" (Alaron)
There was a concerned look on the chief's face. Someone voiced their opinion to the chief, a young teenage girl asked in concern.
"How can a human come here?"
"Everyone, be on full alert. Alaron and Varon, cast the sleeping spell on the human male and take him with us. We need to figure out why would a human be here or if there are more who have infiltrated here. Furthermore, Varon once that is done, make sure to send a report back." (Chief)
"Ac-Acknowledged chief." (Varon)
Chief barked out her orders for the others and the group started walking again towards their destination.
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Far away on an another continent, as the late afternoon sun filtered through the trees, a teenage boy and girl walked side by side through the woods. They were both around 16 or 17 years old, with the boy being slightly taller and broader, and the girl having long, flowing hair that danced in the light breeze. They both wore comfortable, casual clothes, however in no sense those clothes looked good enough for traversing through woods.
As they walked, they chatted about a range of topics, their conversation moving from light-hearted to serious and back again. They spoke in low voices, as if they didn't want to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the woods.
The boy was animated, his hands moving as he spoke. He talked about his plans for the future, about his dreams of traveling and exploring the world. He seemed passionate and full of energy, eager to experience all that life had to offer.
"Haa, I still can't believe we have been transmigrated to a different world with magic powers. I have always dreamt about such situations and can't wait to see what kind of powers I will have and really can't wait to travel this new world."
On the other hand, the girl looked slightly discomforted, however still listened to the boy, nodding as he spoke. She seemed quieter, more introspective, but there was a restlessness in her eyes that suggested she was not fully engaged in the conversation. As the girl walked alongside the boy through the unfamiliar land they had been thrown into, she felt a sense of unease creeping up on her. She knew they were far from home and in a dangerous situation, but she didn't want to worry her friend with her fears.
As they walked through the dense forest, the girl's mind was racing with the situation they were both thrown in. How they had ended up in this strange world! They were told that there were no way back home but she still wondered if they would ever find a way to meet their families again? And most importantly, would they be able to survive in this unknown environment? She tried to push aside her doubts and stay focused on the task at hand: finding a way to civilization. But the more they walked, the more her anxiety grew. She tried to talk it out with the boy to lessen her worries.
"Hiroaki kun, I get that you are excited and all but shouldn't we be a bit more careful. We are still far from the nearest village and sun is setting as well. I don't want to complain but I am really worried about our families."
"Oh come on Suzune, you heard the voice in that white room, right? There is no way for us to get back, all we could do now is live our lives here in this world. I know all the clichés and templets. You don't need to worry as long as I am here and with you. Even I am worried about mom and dad, but what else we could do." (Hiroaki)
Suzune smiled wryly as Hiroaki, her childhood friend tried to curb her anxiety.
"You are right, I am sorry I was just feeling strange about all this." (Suzune)
"I know, it won't be easy but you can rely on me. As childhood friends, we always had and will keep helping each other. Moreover, we both received those coins and instructions, right? Don't worry, we will make it through. We just need to find the nearest village and can get help from the locals." (Hiroaki)
As they trudged on and kept the conversion going, Suzune, the girl couldn't help but feel a sense of isolation. She and her friend were the only two people in this strange world, and she didn't know if they could trust anyone or anything they might encounter. She wished she could confide in her friend, but she didn't want to burden him with her fears. She knew he was relying on her to stay strong and focused, and she didn't want to let him down. So with a smile she tried to be positive and not let her worries be shown.
(He was always reading those otherworld novels, now I regret that I should have read those as well. At least I would not have been struggling to cope up with this unbearable situation.)
"You're right, you have always been reading those otherworld novels. Now I wonder why I didn't listen to you." (Suzune)
"Right, ahahahaha you have always been the studious type and not caring about novels and manga." (Hiroaki)
They kept walking towards their destination as both of they tried to lightened the mood with bit of jokes.
Soon after, they finally found a clearing through the wilderness. They had finally stumbled upon a narrow dirt path, which they followed eagerly in the hopes that it would lead them to a village they were looking for.
After they emerged from the dense forest, they saw a sprawling village in the distance. They were both relieved and apprehensive at the sight of it. They knew they had no other choice but to approach it, hoping they would be welcomed and helped.
As they walked, the trees gradually thinned out, and the sound of running water could be heard in the distance. At last, they emerged from the forest onto the banks of a wide river, with a small cluster of buildings visible on the opposite shore.
"Look, a village!" (Suzune)
The girl said, pointing excitedly across the water. The boy nodded, his heart lifting at the sight of human habitation. Without another word, they set off along the riverbank, wading through shallow water until they reached a wooden bridge that spanned the rushing current.
On the other side, abundance of farm lands could be seen on the both sides of what looked like a paved road. After walking further, they found themselves in a bustling little village, with thatched-roof cottages lining the narrow streets and chickens pecking in the dirt. Smoke rose from chimneys, and the sound of laughter and chatter carried on the wind.
The villagers paused in their tasks to watch the newcomers with wary eyes, but made no move to approach them. The villagers were a mix of different creatures and races that the boy and girl had never seen before. Some were humanoid, while others had wings or fur or scales. But despite their differences, they all seemed to be living together in harmony.
As they approached closer, they saw a group of villagers gathered around a central square, where a bonfire burned brightly. The boy and girl hesitated, unsure of how they would be received. But they knew they had no other choice, and with trembling steps, they approached the group.
The boy Hiroaki, gathering his courage, stepped forward, raising his hands in a gesture of peace.
"Excuse me," he said, his voice ringing out in the stillness.
"My friend and I are travellers, and we're looking for a place to stay for the night. Could you tell us if there's an inn or a guesthouse here?" (Hiroaki)
The villagers looked up at them, their faces stern and curious. The boy and girl could feel their eyes on them, and they felt small and vulnerable. The villagers looked at each other, murmuring amongst themselves. The boy and girl held their breath, waiting for their response.
Finally, an elderly woman stepped forward, her face kind and gentle.
"Welcome, young ones," she said, "you are welcome in our village. But first, we must ask you a few questions."
The boy and girl nodded, grateful for her kindness.
"What is your purpose here?" the woman asked.
"We seek shelter and food. We are on a journey to the capital city. However, we had lost our way and wandered in the woods and now came across this village. We will be really grateful if you can help us." (Hiroaki)
The woman looked at him for a long moment, then nodded.
"Very well, you may stay in our village. There is no inn here but we have some empty houses that we use as guesthouse. If you want to stay for more than a night, you must work for your keep. We are a small community, and we cannot afford to take in those who do not contribute."
The boy and girl nodded eagerly, grateful for the chance. At last Suzune felt a bit relaxed. The elderly lady lead both of them to a small, two-room house on the outskirts of the village. The house was made of rough-hewn logs and had a thatched roof.
"Here, you can use this house for the night, there are 2 rooms with simple lodgings. I will be back in an hour or so and will lead you for the dinner tonight."
After saying this, the elderly lady went towards the central square of the village. Both, Hiroaki and Suzune went inside the house and put down their backpacks. The inside of the house was simple but cozy. The main room served as a combination living and dining area, with a large fireplace on one wall and a table and chairs on the other. A few pots and pans hung from hooks above the fireplace, and a small shelf held a few books and a set of dishes. The floor was made of packed dirt, but it had been swept clean.
Suzune, noticed a small alcove off to the side of the main room, and she peeked inside. It was a tiny bedroom, just large enough for a bed and a chest of drawers. A window looked out onto the village square, and the girl at last felt some sense of comfort at the thought of being able to have a roof over their head for the night.
"It's not much, but it's home. We can finally relax now." (Suzune)
"We sure can now, haa I am tired." (Hiroaki)
As evening wore on, the fire crackled in the fireplace. The boy and girl sat together in the small house, talking about their future. They knew that it wouldn't be easy, but they also knew that they had to rely on each other to make anything possible.