Breathing hard, the man stumbled through the rocky throat of the den.
"Huh... huh... Just a little more. One more step, and I'm out of this hell."
Then it hit him—literally. A massive claw pushed him against his back, launching him through the air. He landed hard on the ground. Dirt and stone burst into the air because of the impact.
The creature emerging from the shadows was a towering werewolf giant. Its red blood and veins were visible through the skin as the bright moonlight cast upon it when the monster came towards the edge of the den. The axe drips with blood, hinting at its previous victims and the one to come.
The man tried to scream. Tried to run. But his body didn't move. Not a twitch. It was as if fear had overridden his very soul.
The axe came down. Thwack.
The sound echoed across the forest.
Briskland woke with banners and cheers. Flags flew in every alley. Today's the king's birthday, and the kingdom is celebrating as if some war won't emerge in a matter of days because of the current climate with Drakenvold. Sylvara. Eastern warbands. Vultures, who are circling our peace.
But I could hear it. Feel it.
Learndon hummed with unease.
And me? Sixteen. Awkward. Lean. With Chestnut hair always messy. I sat in my room, spinning a stolen dagger between my fingers.
"Winter, son."
I jerked upright. "Aunt April!"
Quickly, I jumped onto the bed and threw the sheet over myself—and the dagger.
She pushed the door open. "Up. Now. Go help your uncle. It's an important day for the business, and you are at an age old enough to make yourself useful without me forcing you. Come on."
She tugged at the bedsheet. I held it tighter.
"Okay, okay! I'm getting up!"
"Ten minutes, or I'm sending Uncle Ten."
The door shut.
I sighed. "Phew... I'm safe. For now."
I pulled the dagger out and stared at it. "Maybe bringing you here from another world was a mistake. But if I'm going to be an adventurer, I need you." Time to get moving.
I stepped into the pizza shop we ran below our house. It had a smart layout: tables near windows, just enough to give people a view of Learndon without letting in its noise.
I grabbed a broom. "Better start before Uncle shows up."
Ding. The bell rang. An old man peeked in.
"Shop open?"
I froze.
Why do strangers still rattle me so badly?
"Yes, of course," a deep voice said behind me. Uncle Ten.
"Winter, change the sign. We're open. And take his order."
"Yes, Uncle."
Outside, snowfall danced in the entire city. Beneath rune-lit lamps, Kids threw snowballs at each other. I watched from inside as I shaped the pizza dough.
Everyone in the city and the customers were talking about the king's plan to summon heroes from other worlds. Briskland needed strength.
They didn't know, but I could summon things from another world, too. Little things. It started years ago. I kept it quiet. If they find out that I have potential, then they will force me to join the summoner corps.
But I don't want to train for something like that. Summoning magic had never interested me.
I want to fight like a real adventurer. Blade in hand. Monster blood on my sleeves.
"Winter! Focus. The shop is your future!" Uncle Ten's voice scolded me from memory.
Aunt April, softer in tone, once told me, "Something greater is written for you, but for that to happen, you need to ensure you write that yourself, never let others dictate your story", she whispered. She believed in me even more than I do in myself.
That night, while stargazing from the roof and I made a promise to myself that I would follow my dreams and carve my own history.
Just then, a group of nobles in flashy silk cloaks in a cart walked past the shop. I scowled. Why do they always look at us like we're invisible? They clear the road as if they are more important than others.
"Winter! School. Now."
Uncle Ten never let my school time go unchecked. Even though he wants me to move the pizza business forward.
I dropped the apron and dashed to my room. As I changed in front of the mirror, I imagined myself with a sword on my back, armour at my shoulders, and kids asking for my autograph. Mr. King, if you're listening... don't make me part of your plan to summon people from outside our world. Those outsiders might just bring the chaos you're trying to stop.
"You heading to school, Winter?" Aunt April asked.
"Yeah, I have to. They could have given us a leave."
"You know your uncle works twice as hard when you aren't here."
"That's why he wants me to stay and become his assistant."
"And that's why I send you to school. So you won't have to. Your uncle means well, but I want you to be more than just a helper. Be someone who matters."
Her hopeful smile undid all my thoughts. "I will, Aunt. Promise. Bye!"
I slipped the dagger into my bag.
I knew it was dumb to carry it to school, but I had a plan. A den nearby. Low-ranked. And I'd been training.
Maybe I should learn some hidden arts and find a way to summon a hero for backup? No. That's illegal.
Still, the sky looked... wrong today, as if something bad would happen.
As I neared the school gates, I saw Finn's mom arguing with the guard. Her voice shook. Her eyes darted.
Why would she be here?
I walked closer.
She spotted me and grabbed both my arms. "Where's Finn? You were with him last night!"
"We split up. Mark offered to walk him, but he said he'd go alone."
"He didn't come home! He didn't come home!"
She broke down. I stood there, useless. Growing up without close ones, I didn't understand the concept of loss or how to comfort people when they are going through hard times.
I needed to disappear. Fast.
"Winter!" Mark waved. "Why's Finn's mom being dramatic again?"
"A missing son isn't drama, Mark. How can you be so heartless?"
"Wait... he's missing?"
Clark rushed up. "Meet me at lunch. Both of you."
"Where?" Mark asked.
"Where else? Cafeteria."
The four of us—Clark, Mark, Finn, and I—were childhood friends, but a better way to describe us would be "uncool nerds grouped together by school dynamics."
At lunch, Clark didn't waste time.
"I overheard some adventurers in Vyrn bazaar. They're planning to raid a monster den. The one near Finn's house."
My heart sped up.
"I told them about Finn. They agreed to look, but they want 1,500 pilos. I'm covering 870. You two pitch in the rest. Finn's mom is already in debt; we should cover this for her."
"When?" I asked.
"Today, 5 PM. What will you do with that info?"
I didn't answer. But I knew.
Good thing I packed my dagger.
I studied the map in the library.
The den was low-risk, close to Finn's place. If ever there was a shot to prove myself, this was it. I had been carrying this dagger for months, always convincing myself to conduct a raid, but chickening out at the last moment. But this time, my friend was at risk. "You cannot excuse yourself out of this situation, Winter Williamson."
I ran.
At the edge of Learndon, several adventurers gathered near the outside tables of the tavern, which stood a few kilometres away from the target cave; they matched the description Clark told me. I put a mask on to conceal my identity.
"Are you Kael by any chance?"
"You are not part of my group. Who are you? Introduce yourself." Their leader, Kael, looked carved from war itself.
"We're clearing the den. What help can a skeleton-framed masked man be to us?" someone muttered.
"My name is Frost. I'm a wandering fighter, but I was hired by Clark to accompany you."
"Clark, who?" Kael asked.
"The guy with white hair. He told me you're hired to look for a guy."
"A guy. Yes. Him," Kael responded with an unclear look in his eyes.
"Do you remember the name of this missing person?" I asked.
"We don't have time for your crap," a member of Kael's group of four responded, trying to dismiss me.
Kael studied me. Thin, sure, but determined. "You can come with us." He nodded.
My dagger shook in my grip. But I held it like a blade of legend. "These guys were not looking for Finn. They cannot be trusted, especially this guy named Kael, who's awfully unbothered for someone whose lies are caught."
We marched into the Eldorian wilds. Mist crawled around us. Trees leaned in like watchers.
I hated the cold fog. My fingers went numb. But my heart? My heart burned.
The den loomed. Open. Sulfur in the air.
My stomach turned.
We stepped in. Dark. Silent. Goblins whispered through the shadows.
And suddenly, it hit me.
I was inside the tale, not reading one.