Xavier William was a 30 year old man, unmarried, and known for his cheerful disposition. Though he was tall and slender, with long hair and glasses that never seemed to leave his face, Xavier carried a lively spirit. He spent his days immersed in books, particularly those about history, mythology, and fantasy novels his greatest passion.
Despite his cheerful nature, life had not always been easy for Xavier. As an orphan, he had grown accustomed to living alone, with no family to support him. Yet, his solitude didn't break him; instead, he found comfort in the stacks of books that filled the library where he worked.
For Xavier, reading was an escape from reality, a way to journey into other worlds filled with heroic tales and legends. Behind his unassuming appearance and quiet life, Xavier harbored big dreams and an insatiable curiosity about the mysteries of the world and life itself. Though he seemed like an ordinary person, deep within him, there was something more.
At that moment, Xavier was reading a book. Out of nowhere, he suddenly coughed up blood. A sharp dizziness overwhelmed him, and he collapsed, unconscious for who knew how long. When he awoke, he found himself in a strange bed. Looking around, he realized he was in a place he had never seen before—like a small medieval house with a fireplace, reminiscent of Europe's past.
A little girl nearby exclaimed, "He's awake!" as she rushed to tell her mother. Soon, a young woman with a simple, yet beautiful appearance, approached and asked, "Young man, are you feeling alright?"
"Y-yes," Xavier stammered, his head pounding with confusion.
He glanced down at the clothes he was wearing—medieval armor, the kind a soldier would wear in Europe centuries ago. "What happened to me?"
Xavier touched his body and face, bewildered. "This feels strange... my body feels more muscular and solid."
"Where am I?" he asked, still disoriented.
"You're in the eastern region of Artevia. You've been asleep for three days. My daughter found you in the forest," the woman explained.
"Excuse me, ma'am, do you have a mirror?" Xavier asked, still dazed.
The woman kindly brought him a mirror. Trembling, Xavier gazed into it and was stunned by the face staring back at him—a more chiseled face, with dark gray hair and black eyes that had a faint golden sheen. "Whose face is this?" he thought to himself.
The woman, who seemed to be around thirty, continued gently, "From your appearance, you seem to be from the Kingdom of Artech. Do you remember anything about what happened to you?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I don't even remember who I am," Xavier responded, trying and failing to recall anything from before.
Suddenly, Xavier's stomach growled loudly.
The woman smiled kindly and brought him a bowl of soup. "You must be starving. I still can't believe you survived the Hollow Grim."
Xavier, bewildered by everything happening around him, ate the soup quickly, though it tasted bland to him. He wanted to finish fast so he could leave.
When the bowl was empty, Xavier said, "Ma'am, thank you so much for helping me, and for the food. Though I don't know what has happened to me, I swear I'll repay your kindness and that of your little daughter."
"I must go outside," Xavier said, attempting to stand and leave.
"No! Don't go outside," the woman said firmly. "It's too dangerous to be outside after dark in Artevia, especially beyond the kingdom's borders."
Ignoring her warning, Xavier opened the door, and what he saw took his breath away. The sky was pitch black with eerie red hues, mountains spewed lava in the distance, and strange sounds, like the moaning of zombies, echoed from the darkened landscape.
"Where am I?" Xavier whispered, as chills ran down his spine. It felt as if he had just stepped into hell itself.