W-where am I?' Nolan asked himself.

His eyes refused to open, yet he could perceive a vast expanse of light and white surrounding him, desperately trying to move, to speak, but his body remained immobile. All he could do was think.

'Think, think... how did I end up like this?"

He struggled to recall how he had ended up in such a predicament. It seemed that only moments ago, he had been engrossed in a book at the library. But now, he finds himself confined to this strange place, devoid of any tangible sensations. Confusion and panic welled up inside him, though he remained incapable of outwardly expressing it.

'"Is this death?" he wondered, terrified at the prospect of eternal nothingness. However, the experience seemed contradictory to what he knew about the afterlife. Perhaps it was a lucid dream, but even that notion felt inadequate to explain this unprecedented sensation.

As time stretched on, the relentless stillness began to torment Nolan and simply describing this feeling as "boredom" would be a crime.

*Crack*

Suddenly, a sharp crack shattered the ongoing silence, and agony tore through Nolan's chest as if his very bones were being rent asunder. The unbearable pain etched into every nerve and sinew and he longed to scream with every fibre of his mouth but he was rendered mute, unable to scream or cry out for respite

'I must scream but I have no mouth!'

(Yes, it's a reference to THAT book)

*Thud*

*Thud*

*THUD*

Nolan finally woke up. As if his pain felt eternal, it all washed away instantly. His eyes flew open as soon as he was allowed to, taking in his surroundings with a sense of urgency. The white void had been replaced, replaced by something altogether unexpected.

The scene in front of Nolan was so engulfing that he wished to scream and release floods of all his pent-up emotions. Yet, a nagging intuition held him back, cautioning against such an impulsive outburst.

Nolan was in, what appeared to be, a grand courthouse adorned with labyrinth of decorations and items, the ceiling was at an ample height and the men gathered within, their attire exuding regal splendor, seemed reminiscent of nobility from a medieval epoch. His mind raced with theories, trying to rationalize the extraordinary scene unfolding before him.

"Is this some elaborate cosplay event?" he mused, trying to find a familiar frame of reference.

Overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of this sight, frustration welled up within him and he was compelled to cry but able to compose himself just in time. He looked to examine the scene for clarity, and as his gaze traversed the room, he made noticed of an abrupt realization.

He was seated upon a throne and unlike the others present, he was clad of purple garment that set him apart from the rest. It was then that his hand brushed over an object atop his head, the touch revealed to him the unmistakable sensation of a crown.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

The echoes, once indistinct, gradually became decipherable into a recognizable call. As his senses sharpened, the words became intelligible to him.

"Your Majesty! Are you alright?"

This voice belonged to a man, his clothes identified him as a servant. The servant's calls were etched with concern, expressing a genuine worry for Nolan's well-being. The servant appeared bothered by sweat sliding upon his face, the flush of crimson tinting his cheeks, and his restless demeanor.

But Nolan's mind was too preoccupied with a revelation that washed over him like a tidal wave. He was a ruler—a monarch! Questions swirled in his mind. How did he become a monarch? Was this still a dream, or had he somehow stumbled into a parallel reality? The uncertainty gnawed at him, but he knew that he had to compose himself.

Nolan's eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the surreal spectacle before him. The grandeur of the courthouse, the noblemen in their enchanted attire, and the labyrinth of intricate decorations straight out of a history book. But, How could this be a simple gathering of enthusiasts dressed in medieval garb? No, there was something more profound at play, something beyond his comprehension.

The memories of his ventures into the void realm, the endless expanse of light and white, flashed before him.

'This i-is too real!'