The rays of light spread across the horizon, reaching the sky and clouds as the sun began to rise.
The light landed on an unfamiliar face, a teenager lying on the ground, unconscious. As the warmth hit his skin, he started to wake up. He opened his eyes, his vision blurry at first.
A man was standing right in front of him.
This was Steve, the Guide.
"Hi? Are you okay?" Steve asked. "I saw you lying here last night. I thought for sure you'd been swarmed by zombies! Or even worse... those pesky flying eyes." He mumbled the last part in an annoyed voice.
Raine sat up slowly. "Oh... I guess I'm lucky then. Can I ask... where am I?"
"You're in the forest!" Steve replied with a smile. "We have a village nearby called Oakville. I'd be happy to show you the way."
"That's very kind of you. Thank you, Steve," Raine said.
"Can I ask for your name, mister?" Steve asked.
"Raine. My name is Raine," he said, trying to think. "I don't really know how I got here. My memory is a bit foggy."
Steve nodded. "Hmm... maybe the Town Nurse can help you with that. Come on, follow me!" Steve signaled for Raine to follow, and they began walking toward the trees.
There, lays a beautiful scenery.
Oakville looked like a perfect place to live. The town had plenty of shelter and massive fields of crops. Between the tall trees, you could see animals grazing and fish jumping in the pond. It felt like a secret paradise, full of wood, food, and water. It was hard to believe such a peaceful place existed in this world.
Steve guides Raine to the Town nurse, Heather.
Heather is well known around this area.
She was known to heal famous figures passing by for a cheap cost which makes her stand out from the other civilians.
Heather is a Nice , Honest and Pretty Girl.
She's Healed poisoning , confusion and more.
"So, this is Heather's clinic," Steve announced, gesturing to a sturdy wooden building adorned with a red cross and vines of blooming marigolds.
Inside, the air smelled of dried herbs and antiseptic. Heather looked up from a desk covered in parchment and glass vials. Her appearance was as bright as her reputation; she wore a clean white apron over a simple dress, her hair pulled back in a practical yet elegant style.
"Steve? Back so soon? I hope you haven't been playing with the slimes again," she teased, though her eyes immediately moved to Raine, assessing his state with clinical precision.
"Not today! This is Raine. Found him near the clearing. He's a bit scrambled in the head—doesn't remember how he arrived," Steve explained.
Heather walked over, her presence instantly calming. She placed a cool hand on Raine's forehead and looked into his eyes. "No fever, no signs of magical exhaustion, but you do have a slight case of 'Portal Shock.'
It happens to the best of us when the world decides to drop you somewhere new."
She reached for a small vial containing a shimmering, sky-blue liquid. "Drink this. It's a mild restorative. It won't bring back every memory at once, but it'll clear the fog and keep the confusion from setting in."
As Raine took a sip, the liquid felt like a cool breeze passing through his mind. The blurriness at the edges of his vision vanished.
"Better?" she asked with a warm, honest smile. "Stay here for a while. Oakville is safe, but the world outside those walls changes when the sun goes down. Since you're new, you'll need more than just a clear head you'll need to learn how to survive."
Raine looked out the window at the peaceful village, then back at the kind nurse and the enthusiastic Guide. For the first time since waking up, the fear of the unknown was replaced by a spark of curiosity.
"Thank you, Heather," Raine said, his voice steadier. "What do I do now?"
Steve stepped forward, beaming. "Now? Now we get you a sword. The forest is beautiful, Raine, but it never hurts to be prepared for what's lurking in the shadows."