The hum of fluorescent lights overhead and the distant murmur of keyboards blended into the backdrop of Kade Alaric's life. Another late evening at the office. He slouched in his chair, eyes locked on a spreadsheet so convoluted it could've been a government conspiracy. His coworkers had all left hours ago, but Kade remained, the glow of his monitor casting sharp shadows on his tired face.
"This can't be all there is," he muttered, spinning a pen between his fingers.
The clock on the wall read 9:47 PM. Kade's 29th birthday had come and gone without so much as a text from his family. Not that he expected much; they'd long written him off as an underachiever. His friendsâif he could call the handful of gaming buddies he chatted with online "friends"âdidn't even know it was his birthday.
Still, he wasn't bitter. Just⌠tired. Tired of the monotony, of the endless loop of work and sleep, of feeling like he was meant for something more but never quite finding it.
As he leaned back, the chair squeaked in protest. His eyes drifted to the window. Beyond the glass, the city sprawled out in a glittering maze, alive and unbothered by his existential musings. For a moment, he imagined itâa world where the grind was gone, where magic replaced mediocrity, and where he could be someone extraordinary.
The sharp chime of his phone shattered the thought. A notification. He unlocked the screen.
Unknown Number: Do you want to change your fate?
Kade snorted. "Spam."
But before he could delete it, another message appeared.
Unknown Number: This is real. Answer quickly.
A chill ran down his spine. He glanced around the empty office, half-expecting someone to pop out of the shadows.
"This is stupid," he said aloud, but his fingers hesitated over the keyboard. Against his better judgment, he replied:
Kade: Sure, why not?
The response was immediate.
Unknown Number: Very well. Be ready.
"What the hellâ"
The lights flickered. Then the world tilted.
Kade barely had time to gasp as his chair slid out from under him, the floor yawning open like a gaping maw. A blinding light enveloped him, and the sounds of the officeâkeyboards, air conditioning, the faint hum of electricityâwere replaced by a deafening roar.
He tumbled through the void, his stomach lurching. Colors he couldn't name streaked past him, and strange whispers echoed in his ears.
Then, with a bone-jarring thud, it was over.
Kade groaned, pushing himself up on trembling arms. The first thing he noticed was the airâcrisp, cool, and tinged with the faint scent of wildflowers. Not the stale, recycled air of the office.
He opened his eyes to find himself lying in the middle of a vast meadow. The grass was a vibrant green, swaying gently in the breeze, and in the distance, jagged mountains pierced the sky. A river sparkled nearby, its waters unnaturally clear.
"What theâŚ"
A shadow passed overhead. Kade looked up just in time to see a massive birdâno, a dragonâsoar across the sky. Its scales shimmered like polished obsidian, and its wingspan was easily the length of a football field.
His mouth went dry.
"This⌠this isn't real."
"Actually, it is," came a voice from behind him.
Kade spun around, heart hammering in his chest. Standing a few feet away was a man dressed in flowing silver robes, his long white hair glowing faintly in the sunlight. His face was ageless, his eyes a piercing gold that seemed to see straight through Kade.
"Whoâwhatâ" Kade stammered, scrambling to his feet. "What's going on? Where am I?"
The man tilted his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You are in Eryndral, the Shifting Realms."
"The⌠what?"
"Eryndral," the man repeated patiently. "A world of magic, destiny, and danger. And you, Kade Alaric, have been chosen to play a pivotal role in its fate."
"Me?" Kade barked out a laugh, though it sounded more hysterical than amused. "You've got the wrong guy. I'm just⌠I'm nobody."
The man's expression didn't change. "The Arcana Nexus does not choose lightly."
"The what?"
The man extended a hand, and a swirling orb of light appeared above his palm. It pulsed with an otherworldly energy, and Kade felt an inexplicable pull toward it.
"This," the man said, "is the Arcana Nexus. It is bound to you now. Through it, you can wield magic unlike anything this world has seen in centuries. But be warnedâit is both a gift and a burden."
Before Kade could protest, the orb shot toward him, embedding itself in his chest. He gasped as a searing heat spread through his body, followed by a rush of⌠something. Power. Energy. Knowledge.
His knees buckled, but the man caught him, holding him steady.
"What⌠what did you do to me?" Kade whispered.
"I have given you the means to survive," the man said. "Your journey begins now."
"But I don'tâ"
A distant roar cut him off. Kade turned to see a monstrous creature barreling toward themâa hulking beast with six eyes, razor-sharp claws, and a maw big enough to swallow him whole.
The man stepped back, his expression calm. "Prove yourself, Sovereign. The fate of Eryndral depends on it."
Kade's heart pounded as the creature closed in, but something inside him stirredâa spark of defiance, a flicker of the power now coursing through his veins.
He clenched his fists, and for the first time in his life, he felt alive.