Enfys’s men rode horseback along a dirt path following a singular wooden carriage. Horses were also pulling it, each creak of the wheels rumbling through the air as it rattled onward. Inside, Johan sat calmly, gazing out the window at the landscape.
Usually full of laughter and chatter, his friends had fallen silent, intrigued by the rolling green hills and the scent of wildflowers that bloomed throughout the area.
Viewing the scenery, Maya leaned halfway out the carriage window, letting out a musical laugh. The sunlight washed over everything, showering the countryside with a golden light. Creatures that looked like something from a children’s fantasy book frolicked in the fields.
Johan yawned, but even he had to admit the sight was impressive—though not enough to distract him from the ice that bound his hands together.
“Look at all of them!” Maya gasped, pointing to what seemed to be a cluster of fairies darting through the air. Like stained glass in sunlight, Maya was in awe as their wings shimmered, leaving behind pixie dust with each flutter. “They’re so beautiful!”
Johan didn’t share her enthusiasm. “Yeah, real pretty. Until they decide to shoot fireballs at us or something.”
Maya shot him a playful look. “You should try enjoying this. When have we ever been able to witness something like this outside of a video game?”
“Right,” Johan said, his eyes drifting back to the horizon. “I’ll enjoy it when I’m not one step away from becoming an ice sculpture.”
Chris played with his glasses as he analyzed the wildlife grazing in the fields, his eyes tracking a herd of horned beasts grazing lazily. “Are those horns?” he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. “I wonder if they’re wild or domesticated.”
“Why would anyone want to risk domesticating that thing? It doesn’t look friendly to me,” Johan remarked with a smirk.
But Chris ignored him, too absorbed in his observations. Jake and Sarah pointed excitedly at something ahead; their faces lit up with awe.
“…Woah, it’s like a world tree…” Sarah gasped, staring at the massive tree looming on the horizon, its branches twisting like an ancient titan reaching for the heavens. Glowing vines spiraled around its trunk, casting a faint, ethereal glow that pulsed like a heartbeat.
“You’re right… It does,” Jake muttered. “I’m starting to think we just might be inside CoL…”
“Now that’s crazy talk,” Johan said, glancing at the tree, unimpressed. “Seems like you’ve been reading too many web novels, Jake.”
“Then, how would you explain this?” Jake asked, and Johan yawned again before leaning back and shutting his eyes with a chuckle.
“I told you, I’m a dead man walking, and you’re all figments of my imagination.”
“You’re impossible,” Sarah told him as the carriage crested a hill, and a walled city appeared.
The towering stone walls that ringed the city stood like an impenetrable fortress. Beyond them was a stunning sight—spires that pierced the midday sky.
“Great,” Johan muttered. “More old buildings and fancy rocks.”
Sarah elbowed him playfully. “You should take Maya’s advice. Try living in the moment, Johan. You might enjoy it.”
Johan sighed. “But Sarah, I am living in the moment; I’m just not dazzled by shiny bricks, shitty pebbles.”
The carriage rolled toward the massive gates, where armored guards awaited, their steel helmets gleaming in the light. At the front, Enfys raised his hand. “Open the gates!” he barked.
The guards groaned as they pushed the gates apart, and the carriage trundled into the city’s bustling heart. Merchants crowded the cobblestone streets, their colorful stalls overflowing with goods for trade.
Children wove through the crowd, laughing and shouting as they played. Bright banners fluttered from every building, proudly displaying the kingdom’s crest.
“Welcome back, Captain Enfys!” men and women shouted as the carriage rolled through the city streets. “I hope your travels went well!”
Johan, however, remained unmoved. “Enfys, yeah, he could suck a fat one,” he muttered, glancing around at the city’s display.
Jake chuckled. “Come on, he doesn’t seem that bad of a guy.”
“You’re not the one with icicles for hands.”
“Well, it’s your fault,” Chris explained. “You should have spoken up when you had the chance.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Johan replied, his gaze lingering on the towering spires in the distance for a moment longer than he would admit.
Soon enough, the carriage rolled to a stop before an imposing palace. Rose bushes lined the pathway leading to its doors, their scent mingling with the faint, heady aroma of incense. The towering doors, carved from dark wood and decorated with intricate designs, swung open as Enfys led them inside.
Servants ran about in simple attire, their hurried steps contrasting with the grandeur of their surroundings. The palace was nothing short of prosperous—golden fabric draped the walls, and stained glass windows cast brilliant light patterns on the polished marble floors.
“This way,” Enfys commanded, and with a flick of his wrist, he broke the icy bind on Johan’s wrists.
Johan flexed his fingers, surprised to feel no lingering pain. “Good to know he didn’t ruin my hands.”
Sarah leaned into the group. “I hope this king of theirs has some answers.”
“He better,” Johan replied as they approached a grand door embellished with the same royal crest that flooded the city.
Johan’s muscles tensed as the weight of the situation settled on him. He had to stay sharp.
The king might hold answers—but he also had their fate in his hands.
Jake yawned, placing his hands on Johan’s stiff shoulders. “Relax; I’ll handle the talking.”
Maya and Sarah exchanged questioning glances. “Maybe let us take point on this,” Sarah suggested.
“Yeah, diplomacy isn’t exactly a strong suit when it comes to you guys,” Maya added.
The doors swung open, revealing a throne room filled with finely dressed nobles. Their conversations ceased as they turned to stare at the newcomers walking in.
Enfys whispered, “My only advice to you all… show some respect.”
With that, Enfys knelt, and the others followed suit, but only Johan’s knee touched the cold marble floor with reluctance.
“Your Grace!” Enfys’ voice rang out. “I have brought the heroes, as you requested.”
Johan peered up at the throne. The king sat before them, his posture regal, his beard thick and white like a blanket of snow. His crown gleamed under the sun, streaming through the high windows.
The king’s voice boomed through the throne room. “So, you are the Heroes of Prophecy?”
The king stood slowly, his gaze sweeping over the group. “I am King Audemars Raignald, twelfth of my name. You are in Audemars, the capital of the Raignald Kingdom. We have awaited your arrival for many years.”
Maya cleared her throat, raising her head with careful poise. “Well… Your Grace, we don’t understand what you mean by ‘heroes of prophecy.’ We don’t even know how we got here.”
Sarah raised her head. “One moment, we were in danger, and the next, we were in a field,” she added.
The king’s brow furrowed in confusion. “In danger?”
Chris hesitated before he gave the king an answer. “Yeah, some thief with a gun…”
The king blinked. “A… what?”
Johan sighed, realizing where this was going. He could tell the king had no idea what a gun was. Not because he was an idiot, he most likely appointed the throne by blood, but because if they were using horses and wooden carriages to get around, a gun might as well be from another universe.
“It’s like a tiny cannon that shoots a metal bullet. It’s pretty effective at killing things. But, uh, that’s not important right now. What is important is why you are calling us heroes. I don’t remember signing up for that gig.”
After hearing Johan’s comment, a whisper of voices spread through the chamber at his words as the nobles seemed intrigued by his explanation while others exchanged concerned glances.
The king’s gaze turned icy. “Do not mistake me, boy. Enfys has already sent word of your situation. You are not one of the four. Speak out of turn again, and you’ll regret it. I will address you in due time.”
“Situation…?” Johan’s jaw tightened, but he stayed silent.
Jake leaned in close to Johan. “They seem a bit on edge about you… Let us try to figure out what’s going on, okay?”
The king continued, his voice calm but heavy. “Once every century, the prophecy foretells the coming of four heroes, chosen by fate, who will save our world from the Penumbra.”
Maya’s eyes widened. “The Penumbra?”
“Yes, the Penumbra,” the king replied. “Allow me to explain the history of our world, Eosdadalon. For centuries, we have faced a grave threat known as the Penumbra. It is a dark vacuum that devours everything in its path. Everything caught in its wake is lost forever. The prophecy describes your arrival from another world to combat this darkness..”
The Penumbra…? Johan thought as he recalled his experiences inside it before speaking up. “Heroes? I think you’ve got the wrong band of friends. We’re just a bunch of nerds who like to kill time playing video games, not save-the-world types.”
“Watch your tongue, boy!” The king’s gaze hardened, cold and unyielding as he peered into Johan’s soul. “You stand in the presence of a king, not some commoner with whom you can jest. The prophecy does not bind you to our world, nor does it care for your reluctance. Speak out of turn again, and your head will decorate our city walls, a warning to any who dare forget their place.”
The king’s face remained impassive, but something flickered behind his eyes. It was brief—barely there—but Johan caught it—a sharp, dangerous gleam.
“The fate of Eosdadalon is not yours to mock,” the king said, his voice cold.
The king leaned forward slightly, his fingers tapping the armrest of his throne in a slow, deliberate rhythm. The room seemed to grow cold, and the heavy tapestries rustled as if they, too, sensed the shift in the air.
It was the same look Johan had seen on the faces of gang leaders back home right before they decided whether to let a guy walk or bury him in a shallow grave.
Muttering under his breath, Johan released a deep exhale. “Fine, guess I’ll just wait my turn to get decapitated, huh?”
But even as the words left his mouth, he felt a sinking weight in his chest. He was mouthing off to royalty in some medieval fantasy world—was he that stupid?
Or it was easier to make jokes than admit he had no idea what was happening. He had yet to learn what the Penumbra was and how they would survive this.
Maya shot Johan a warning look. “Maybe we should let them explain?”
The king didn’t even acknowledge Johan’s remark, his eyes shifting to the others. “You possess abilities that are crucial to the survival of our world. The Penumbra is not something you can walk away from. Your skills must be honed, your strength mastered. Eosdadalon’s future rests in your hands.”
Sarah crossed her arms, frowning deeply. “Abilities? We don’t have any abilities. You’ve got the wrong people for this. You’re asking us to fight some world-ending threat. We’re not soldiers. Like Johan said, we’re just a bunch of nerds who play video games. All we want is to go home.”
The king’s eyes darkened, but he spoke carefully. “You may not know your powers yet, but they will awaken in time. Each of you has a role to play in the fight against the Penumbra. You are not soldiers, but you are more than that now. A power flows through you, whether you like it or not. When the time comes, you will confront that power—and master it. Or the darkness will consume us all.”
The king sighed, heavy with sympathy, as he continued. “I understand your frustration, but the truth is, I cannot offer the answers you seek. We do not even know how the prophecy chooses and summons its heroes. You are here not by choice but by fate. For now, this is your reality.”
Maya’s voice wavered with disbelief as she spoke, “But there has to be something we can do, right? We can’t be stuck here forever. What about our families and friends? Are you saying we have no way of getting back home?”
The king’s gaze fell momentarily, his shoulders carrying the burden of a truth too heavy to soften. “I wish I could give you the answer you long for. But here, in Eosdadalon, you are all prisoners of circumstance.”
The weight of his words settled over them like a suffocating veil. Silence thickened in the room until Jake broke it. “We’re not giving up. We’ll find a way back, no matter what it takes.”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of the king’s lips, a flicker of something like respect in his eyes.
“Your perseverance will serve you well in the days to come.”
“Hey, Your Grace,” Chris stated, and the king nodded for him to speak.
“The Penumbra.”
“What about it?”
“Let’s assume, what if it wins?”
“If it wins… That means failure and failure,” the king began, “is far worse than death. The Penumbra does not merely destroy. It erases entire villages, cities, structures, and lands, gone as though they never existed. Men, women, and children lost to the black void. Their screams are cut short, and all that’s left is emptiness. There are no bodies to bury. No graves to mourn at.”
The silence that followed was stifling as the king’s words sank in. For the first time since Johan and his friends arrived in this world, it felt more than unfamiliar, but in a way, the world began to feel fragile.
Chris, his fingers twitching at his side. “So if we fail…”
“There will be nothing left to save,” the king said, finishing the sentence.
“But there is a way to save the people and our lands in the darkness. Our ancestors worked alongside the Heroes of Prophecy before you. Only the heroes could force the Penumbra back and help all of Esodadalon retake everything we’ve lost.”
The king’s words felt no longer like a setup to some game. Or if it was, it came with life-or-death consequences written all over it.
“The path ahead will be challenging. Train, master your abilities, and learn to work together as a party. Only then will you stand a chance against the Penumbra.”
