It was just another morning at their uncle's house, where the typical chaos of brothers Ben and Sam played out. They found themselves there for the holidays, a place they resented ever since their parents had tragically passed away in an accident a few years ago. Their uncle and his family were never their favorite people, and this visit only served to deepen their aversion.
Ben, with his handsome looks, had jet-black hair, deep black eyes, and a caramel-colored skin tone. Sam, equally striking, possessed brown hair, fair skin, and cat-like eyes that added to his charm. Both brothers had the physique of athletes, sculpted through their shared love for jogging and playing together. Despite their frequent pranks and occasional disagreements, there was an unspoken lovely brother bond between them that they rarely revealed.
Sam had a penchant for pranks, often trying to catch Ben off guard. However, Ben, the older and wiser of the two, usually saw through Sam's antics, leaving him disappointed by the lack of success.
Their uncle's home was nestled in a picturesque area, neither quite a city nor a village, but a place adorned with densely packed trees. One common bond they shared was their love for the woods, which led them to decide on a leisurely stroll through the forest on this autumn day, where the streets were blanketed with golden and orange leaves, and the recent rain had left the path muddy.
As they meandered along, they approached a pond to their right, primarily used for commercial fish farming, though most of its surface was concealed beneath a layer of fallen leaves. Sam, with his keen eye, noticed a peculiar glimmer beneath the water near the path. Curiosity piqued, he moved closer for inspection, only to discover that it was merely the gleaming surface of a stone. With a casual toss, he sent the stone skipping across the pond's surface.
However, where the stone had previously rested, a strange hole with a purplish radiance emanating from its depths had now appeared. Sam called out to Ben, beckoning him over to investigate.
"Ben, come here and take a look at this!" he shouted.
"Let's hope this isn't another one of your tiresome pranks," Ben responded skeptically, approaching his brother. Sam sat down, his knees drawn up as he peered into the mysterious hole.
As Ben observed Sam, a mischievous thought crossed his mind, and he playfully nudged his brother with his finger. Sam, caught off guard, lost his balance and spun around, clutching Ben's T-shirt for support. This sudden move caused Ben to lose his footing as well, and with the slippery ground beneath them, both brothers tumbled into the water.
In the moments that followed, they experienced an odd sensation, as if the water's depth exceeded what it should have been. After a few seconds of complete immersion, they managed to swim back to the surface and scrambled onto dry land. Drenched and bewildered, they tried to make sense of what had transpired.
The pond appeared unchanged, yet as they turned their gaze toward the woods, they were met with an astonishing sight: a towering cave, some ten meters tall, where the forest once stood. The pond remained eerily identical, leaving them in baffled amazement.
As a few seconds passed, the pond began to fade from their sight, leaving only the enigmatic cave before them.
"Where the hell are we?" questioned Sam, his voice tinged with anxiety.
"How would I know?" Ben replied, equally bewildered.
"It isn't one of those isekai situations, is it?" Sam wondered aloud, referencing the genre of anime where characters are transported to parallel worlds.
Ben, ever the rational thinker, said, "There's only one way to find out." They exchanged puzzled glances, realizing that this was a pivotal moment, one where their ordinary lives hung in the balance.
"Welcome to the world Revara," the large blue box announced. "If you wish to continue your adventure in this world, please prepare to face the trail. If not, you'll be transported back to your world and you will forget coming here."
The brothers exchanged puzzled glances, realizing that this was a pivotal moment, one where their ordinary lives hung in the balance.