---
(Through the Unfamiliar Land)
The ground shifted beneath their feet. Not unstable, but not firm either.
The Watchers led them forward, their movements smooth, controlled.
John kept his pace steady, watching.
Watching the terrain, watching the guards, watching Vey, who still looked entirely too comfortable.
Jake walked stiffly beside him, his scowl deepening with every step.
Behind them, Finn exhaled loudly.
Then he spoke up.
FINN (grumbling, fidgeting with his cuffs)
"Y'know, if we were gonna get arrested, I at least had hoped for a more dramatic crime."
Aurora smirked faintly but didn't look at him.
AURORA (muttering, dry)
"Yeah? Like what?"
Finn hummed.
FINN (grinning, thoughtful)
"Oh, I don't know. Grand theft magical artifact? High-speed dragon chase?"
JAKE (deadpan)
"Yeah. Because we totally needed you causing more chaos around here."
FINN (mock-offended, nudging Jake's shoulder)
"Aw, c'mon. Chaos is my greatest strength."
Sally smirked.
SALLY (dry, unimpressed)
"Your greatest weakness, actually."
Finn wiggled his fingers, his cuffs jingling.
FINN (grinning, wiggling his bound hands)
"Well, if I did commit a crime, this feels pretty excessive. I mean, look at these things. What am I gonna do, dramatically wave my hands at them?"
Aurora chuckled.
The Watcher beside them, silent and unreadable, clarified.
ESCORT (calm, neutral)
"They're not there because of anything you did."
The group stilled.
Finn blinked.
John's eyes flicked toward the Watcher.
JOHN (calm, steady)
"Then what are they for?"
His mask gleamed faintly in the dimming light.
But the Watcher didn't answer.
HARRY (low, confident)
"They ensure our obedience, john."
"They ensure we don't do anything.. unexpected."
---
A silence settled over them.
John clenched his jaw.
Finn, went silent.
Aurora shifted slightly, more aware of the metal circling her wrists.
Sally's expression darkened.
King, still quiet, finally spoke.
KING (low, firm)
"You're afraid we'll run?"
The Watcher turned his head slightly toward King.
ESCORT (calm, unreadable)
"It is not fear. It is precaution."
Sally exhaled sharply.
SALLY (muttering, tense)
"Same thing."
The group kept walking.
---
The air thickened.
The deeper they walked, the heavier everything felt.
Not just from their restraints. But from the place itself.
As they crested a ridge, the city came into view.
John slowed his steps.
Aurora sucked in a breath beside Finn.
Jake scowled deeper.
Sally crossed her arms tightly.
Harry, kept walking, staring blankly at the ground.
Below them, stretching across cliffs and deep chasms, lay a vast settlement of stone.
Bridges, carved with strange, flowing symbols, connected towering buildings like arteries of an ancient beast.
Workers filled the streets, hauling loads, moving with forced efficiency.
Too organized. Too rigid.
Finn squinted.
FINN (softly, unsettled)
"…Why does this feel like a really big factory?"
Aurora frowned.
AURORA (low, uneasy)
"Because no one's stopping."
She was right.
No casual conversations. No resting. Just work.
Workers moved with a purpose that wasn't their own.
Jake clenched his fists.
JAKE (gritted teeth, muttering)
"This place feels wrong."
John exhaled slowly.
Sally narrowed her eyes.
SALLY (muttering, disturbed)
"Look at them. They're not... reacting to us at all."
John scanned the workers' faces.
They weren't ignoring them. But they weren't acknowledging them either.
A glance. A flicker of curiosity.
And then—heads lowered. Movements continued.
Like they couldn't afford to be caught looking.
King's voice was quiet.
KING (low, serious)
"They're avoiding attention."
John felt it now.
The weight of this place.
It wasn't just a city.
It felt like a system.
And they had just walked into the center of it.
---
They entered the city.
The Watchers led them forward, weaving through the streets.
As they passed, the workers stole quick glances.
A woman hauling stone hesitated just slightly. A boy at a food stall stilled before quickly moving again.
Nobody spoke to them.
Nobody approached.
It was like an unspoken rule was keeping them in line.
Sally exhaled sharply.
SALLY (murmuring, glancing at John)
"Tell me you see this."
John nodded, his shoulders tense.
Aurora, walking slightly ahead, glanced at a young girl peeking from behind a stone pillar.
Their eyes met.
For just a second.
Then—the girl's gaze dropped, and she darted away.
Aurora's stomach twisted.
AURORA (muttering, quiet)
"…I don't like this."
Finn, despite his usual energy, was frowning now.
FINN (muttering, uneasy)
"Yeah. This place gives me the creeps."
Jake, who had been quiet, suddenly stepped closer to John.
His voice was low.
JAKE (serious, steady)
"It's like they're afraid of something."
John nodded.
Because he felt it too.
Not just the air. Not just the guards.
But the fear beneath it all.
Something unseen. Something just beneath the surface.
---
Vey was walking casually at the front, his back turned to them.
Silent till now, finally spoke.
VEY (light, almost amused)
"Fascinating, isn't it?"
John tensed.
Finn narrowed his eyes at him.
FINN (flat, unimpressed)
"Yeah, sure. 'Fascinating' is totally the word I'd use."
Vey only smirked.
Aurora glared.
AURORA (low, sharp)
"You knew about this place."
Vey's expression didn't change.
VEY (calm, unreadable)
"I know about a lot of places."
John clenched his jaw.
He wasn't going to play this game.
Ahead of them—
A massive stone structure loomed.
Smooth. Unmarked. And waiting.
The Watchers halted.
One of them stepped forward—
And, with slow deliberation, pushed open the enormous doors.
The grinding sound echoed through the silent streets.
John exhaled.
They were being led inside.
Having no idea what was waiting for them.
---
The massive doors groaned open.
A wave of cool air met them, thick with something ancient and heavy.
John stepped forward first, leading the group into a vast, high-ceilinged chamber.
The hall stretched wide—lined with towering stone pillars, each etched with swirling patterns of silver.
Torches burned in shallow recesses, their flames a controlled, steady blue. Not flickering, not chaotic—as if even fire itself was expected to obey.
And at the far end, beneath a great stone arch, stood the throne.
Carved from the same dark rock as the city, it rose from the floor like it had always been there—not placed, but formed.
And seated upon it, a figure watching them closely…
---
He rose slowly.
A tall, broad-shouldered figure, his dark robes trimmed with silver threads that shimmered faintly in the cold firelight.
His face was lined—not with age, but with authority.
Sharp, angular features, a gaze that held calculation and control.
But when his eyes fell upon them…
Something changed.
His expression shifted.
His gaze locked onto them—not as intruders, but as something else entirely.
The silence stretched.
The group was bracing themselves for what was to come.
John stood there, calm.
Jake, his posture tightened, muscles coiled.
Aurora's hand hovered near Finn's wrist, a silent gesture, just in case.
Sally's breath slowed. She wasn't sure what was happening, but she knew this moment mattered.
The figure, seemingly the Governor of this city, moved his eyes across them, one by one.
They flicked over John, Jake, and King—steady, studying.
Then, when his gaze passed over Finn and Aurora—
He froze.
His breath caught.
His expression—a flicker of something unreadable.
Then—he moved.
Not forward.
Not to attack.
Instead—
he knelt.
A slow, controlled motion. A bow of reverence.
A murmur rippled through the guards at the room's edges—a whisper of shock.
John's heart slammed in his chest.
Jake stiffened beside him.
Aurora inhaled sharply.
Finn… blinked.
And then, because he couldn't help himself—
FINN (whispering, confused but smug)
"…Okay. I like where this is going."
The Governor remained kneeling, his head slightly bowed.
But his voice, when it came, was strong. Measured. Certain.
GOVERNOR (low, steady)
"You are of the Elves."
.
.
.
---
The silence was heavy. Absolute.
John felt the weight of it pressing against his chest, thick and unmoving, as if the very air had been swallowed by the walls of the grand hall.
The Governor knelt before them.
It was not slow. Not hesitant. It was deliberate, precise—a movement made by someone who had never been uncertain a day in his life.
The guards stiffened.
The officials stationed along the room's edge shifted, startled.
Even the torches, flickering steadily against the high stone walls, seemed to dim under the weight of the moment.
John couldn't breathe.
His mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening. Why was this man—this ruler—kneeling before them?
Then, the words came.
GOVERNOR (low, steady, reverent)
"You are of the Elves."
The words landed with force, not just a statement but a declaration. An unshakable truth.
John felt his stomach twist.
They weren't elves. They weren't even from this world.
And yet—this man was certain.
The silence deepened.
The guards lining the hall remained motionless, their faces unreadable behind their masks. The officials—men and women dressed in layers of fine, dark robes—cast quick glances at one another, but none of them spoke.
Finn let out a very quiet, very confused exhale.
Then, in a whisper only Aurora could hear—
FINN (soft, unsure but amused)
"…So… does this make us, like, nobles now?"
Jake exhaled sharply through his nose, arms still crossed. His scowl hadn't faded, but John could see the tension in his jaw. He was unsettled.
Sally stood rigid, her eyes flicking between the Governor and the guards. She was already reading the situation. Calculating.
And King—
King stepped forward.
Deliberate. Unrushed. But with purpose.
And instantly, the room reacted.
The guards' hands twitched toward their weapons. Not raised—but ready.
The officials barely moved, but John saw the way their eyes locked onto King with sharp, assessing interest.
Even the Governor, still kneeling, tilted his head just slightly.
John's breath hitched.
But King didn't hesitate.
He stepped just far enough ahead to be seen clearly.
To be acknowledged.
And then—he spoke.
KING (calm, even)
"We're not the type to kneel."
His tone was steady. Firm. Unapologetic.
Wasn't aggressive.
Wasn't disrespectful.
Just a statement.
A challenge, in its own quiet way.
And for a moment—**just a moment—**John swore the air in the hall changed again.
Subtle, but undeniable.
The Governor's expression flickered.
The smallest sign of intrigue.
Then, just as easily as it had come, his face smoothed into something unreadable.
He did not rise immediately.
Instead, he studied King carefully.
The silence stretched.
John could hear the faint crackle of the torches, the slow rhythm of his own heartbeat in his ears.
Then, at last—the Governor moved.
Not rushed. Not startled.
But with precision.
He rose to his full height, towering over them once more.
And as he did—a slow, deliberate smile spread across his face.
His gaze swept across them again.
Over John. Over Jake. Over all of them.
And when he spoke, his voice held something new.
A weight that hadn't been there before.
GOVERNOR (low, measured)
"Yes… I see it now."
---
The air in the hall had changed.
The moment the Governor rose from his kneeling position, it was like the entire room reset.
The guards no longer stood stiff with tension.
The officials had quietly relaxed.
And yet—nothing had truly eased.
The Governor was still watching them.
Calculating. Studying.
Not with suspicion.
Not with hostility.
But with deep, unsettling curiosity.
John stood his ground, keeping his expression unreadable.
He could feel the others beside him.
King, steady as ever, his attention flicking subtly between the guards and the Governor.
Finn, despite himself, had gone still.
And Vey…
Vey was grinning.
Like this was the most entertaining thing in the world.
The Governor finally spoke.
GOVERNOR (calm, measured)
"You carry yourselves well."
His voice rolled through the hall.
John didn't react.
Neither did the others.
The Governor's lips twitched slightly.
He took a slow step forward.
GOVERNOR (calm, thoughtful)
"Tell me… What brings you to this place?"
John exhaled carefully.
There it was.
The first real test.
JOHN (even, steady)
"We are only travelers.. passing through."
The Governor's gaze flickered.
A slow, subtle reaction.
John could feel the weight of every official's gaze in the room.
But he kept his focus locked on the Governor.
GOVERNOR (calm, considering)
"Travelers."
The Governor glanced at the officials watching from the edges of the hall.
A quiet look, a silent command.
One by one, the officials lowered their heads slightly.
And without a single word, they stepped back.
They weren't leaving.
But were distancing themselves.
As if whatever happened next… wasn't meant for them.
The Governor turned back to him.
GOVERNOR (calm, intrigued)
"Travelers do not often walk these lands."
JOHN (steady, measured)
"Yet here we are."
GOVERNOR (soft, interested)
"Yes… Here you are."
The way he said it—like he was truly considering the weight of their presence.
As if, even now, he was deciding what they were worth.
John kept his shoulders squared.
And in the background—
Vey tilted his head, watching.
That smirk still present.
But his eyes… sharper than before.
---
The Governor's smile remained, small and unreadable.
His sharp gaze flickered between them, as if weighing their presence, shifting through possibilities.
John held still, refusing to let any unease show.
GOVERNOR (low, steady)
"Travelers, then."
JOHN (calm, unshaken)
"Yes."
The Governor exhaled slowly, clasping his hands behind his back.
Every motion this man made felt deliberate.
GOVERNOR (thoughtful, as if considering aloud)
"How fortunate that your path led you here. To our lands. To my city."
JOHN (neutral, steady)
"Fortunate indeed."
The Governor's gaze narrowed slightly.
A subtle shift.
One John wouldn't have caught if he weren't already watching for it.
Sally's fingers tapped lightly against her sleeve, her thoughts turning.
Jake's arms remained firmly crossed, but John could tell he was listening carefully.
King's posture hadn't changed, but his eyes flickered between the Governor and the guards. Reading the room.
Aurora's grip on Finn's sleeve tightened just slightly.
And even finn was paying attention.
The Governor's expression remained neutral, but something in the air was different now.
A quiet, measured kind of curiosity as he asked,
GOVERNOR (calm, deliberate)
"Tell me. From where do you hail?"
There it was.
The real question.
John exhaled carefully.
He would not lie.
But he wouldn't tell the truth either.
JOHN (measured, even)
"Far from here."
The silence stretched.
Then—he smiled.
John didn't like it.
GOVERNOR (soft, thoughtful)
"Far, indeed."
John didn't let himself react.
He knew what just happened.
The Governor had accepted his answer.
But he didn't believe it.
And he wasn't going to push further.
GOVERNOR (calm, unreadable)
"..."
The Governor's gaze swept over them again, lingering just a moment longer on Finn and Aurora.
GOVERNOR (calm, intrigued)
"It has been long since elves of standing have walked these streets."
"And few have had the privilege of getting to meet them. Let along talk to them."
The Governor watched them.
And then, as if the moment had never happened, he continued.
GOVERNOR (low, almost amused)
"But forgive me. I do not mean to pry."
John could tell it was a lie.
But he nodded anyway.
JOHN (steady, controlled)
"There is nothing to forgive."
The Governor's gaze lingered for just a second longer.
And the weight in the room had shifted once more.
Not eased.
Redirected.
And john held his ground.
---
GOVERNOR (measured, absolute)
"The men who brought you here… have overstepped their place."
John's breath hitched.
Jake's scowl deepened instantly.
The words rang through the vast chamber, echoing against the stone walls.
John wasn't the only one who knew it.
The Watchers stiffened.
In acceptance.
As if they had already expected this.
The guards in the room subtly adjusted their stance.
The officials along the edges of the hall reacted subtly.
Sally, she had seen the room go quieter than before.
Aurora shifted slightly, her body unconsciously angling toward Finn.
John saw it for what it was.
A quiet acknowledgment that this was bigger than them.
The Governor continued.
His tone did not change.
GOVERNOR (calm, unwavering)
"They have laid their hands on you. And for that they will be dealt with accordingly."
With that the governor motioned to his guards, lifting a finger of command.
But even before the words had left his lips the guards stepped forward.
Smooth. Immediate.
The Watchers did not resist.
Nor did they speak or protest.
One of them—a man who had stood slightly ahead of the others, the leader of their escort—lowered his head.
Not in pleading.
Not in shame.
In acceptance.
---
John had seen resentment before.
He had seen anger, regret, even fear.
But this was none of the above.
This was a man who already knew he was lost.
And as the guards closed in.
And before John could stop it—Jake moved.
---
The Watchers stood still. Waiting. Accepting.
Jake wasn't.
JAKE (sharp, cutting through the room)
"Hey—that's not right."
The Governor's head turned slightly.
Slow. Controlled.
A man who had just heard something unexpected—but not unwelcome.
John's stomach twisted.
Damn it, Jake.
JAKE (steady, unmoving)
"They didn't do anything to deserve this."
John inhaled slowly.
He wasn't ready for this.
Wasn't ready to step into a conflict they barely understood.
Sally's eyes flicked toward him. A silent question.
King, still unreadable, watched the Governor closely.
The Governor let the silence hang.
Then, he tilted his head slightly.
GOVERNOR (calm, intrigued)
"You would speak for them?"
Jake didn't back down.
JAKE (firm, unwavering)
"Yeah. It doesn't have to be like this."
"They were only doing their job."
The Governor shifted his eyes.
Not to jake. But to john.
watching.
Waiting.
John knew the governor wanting to hear his thoughts.
Reluctantly, he stepped in.
JOHN (controlled, but forced into it)
"What he means is… we don't see why punishment is necessary."
"It is better to show empathy. Don't you think?"
Jake glanced at him,
The Governor expression shifted.
Not irritation.
Not amusement.
Something closer to satisfaction.
GOVERNOR (low, thoughtful)
"Hm."
"It is certainly surprising to hear such words from your kind. Or rather, I was not expecting to hear it."
After a long pause—he exhaled slowly.
And with the faintest flick of his wrist—
The guards stopped.
The Watchers stilled, their fate halting mid-step.
---
The Watchers stood frozen—uncertain, but still alive.
John didn't let his relief show. But deep inside he was relieved.
Jake, beside him, stayed tense.
Sally's fingers curled slightly, as if resisting the urge to drag them both backward.
Aurora and Finn stood still, but John could feel their unease.
Finally, the Governor exhaled.
The faintest sound.
And then, at last—he spoke.
His voice was not unkind.
Not raised.
But it carried weight.
GOVERNOR (low, even)
"You speak as if your judgment outweighs mine."
John's chest tightened.
Jake, to no one's surprise, answered immediately.
JAKE (sharp, unflinching)
"Doesn't it?."
"I mean we were the ones who were kidnapped after all."
John almost cursed.
The Governor's brow lifted slightly.
In deep, amused curiosity.
GOVERNOR (calm, intrigued)
"And you choose to forgive them. Why is that?"
Jake didn't flinch.
Didn't hesitate.
JAKE (firm, unwavering)
"Because it's the right thing to do."
---
The words dropped heavy between them.
The Governor tilted his head slightly.
His expression remained unreadable.
John could feel the temperature of the room shifting.
Jake was pushing into dangerous ground.
And yet—the Governor did not stop him.
He only… watched.
After a moment, he took one step forward.
Not a threat.
Not a move of power.
Just a shift. A calculated movement.
GOVERNOR (low, deliberate)
"Do you believe that strength comes from righteousness?"
Jake's jaw clenched.
But before he could answer—
John stepped in.
JOHN (calm, careful, controlled)
"We believe that strength comes from understanding."
Jake glanced at him sharply.
But John didn't return the look.
He kept his focus locked on the Governor.
He needed to take control.
To stop this from becoming something else.
The Governor observed him.
Then—slowly, deliberately—he smiled.
As if he had just found something very, very interesting.
The Governor turned slightly.
And then—laughed.
A soft quiet chuckle.
Not a full laugh—a chuckle. A low sound in the back of his throat.
As if something had just been decided.
Then, at last, he exhaled and stepped back.
---
GOVERNOR (calm, measured)
"You are bold. That is… refreshing."
The Governor glanced at the guards.
And then—he flicked his wrist again.
A small, effortless motion.
And this time, the guards we're called off completely.
---
John felt it in the Governor's posture.
The way he stood now, shoulders relaxed, the weight of authority still present, but no longer pressing down on them as harshly.
He had decided something.
Something that came about by their actions just now.
Then—the Governor spoke.
His voice more measured, calm and deliberate then ever.
GOVERNOR (low, even)
"You have made quite the impression."
---
The words felt neutral on the surface, but there was an undercurrent beneath them—one John wasn't sure how to read yet.
The Governor let the words settle for a moment.
Then, his posture shifted just slightly—not stiff, but formal.
A small change, but it meant something.
And then,
The invitation came.
GOVERNOR (calm, composed)
"My dear guests, Why not join me for dinner tonight."
---
John and the rest of the group were caught off guard by the request.
They exchanged glances between each other before their eyes all turned to John.
He wasn't sure what to do. Refusing meant rejecting an offer made from the city's ruler their currently standing on—a very dangerous move. But accepting wasn't an easy choice either.
John pondered for a while, aware of both his friends and the governors eyes on him—waiting for him to respond.
Finally, reluctantly, he chose the more complicated—but less risky—option.
JOHN (measured, steady)
"We would be honored to accept your invitation."
---
The Governor looked pleased by his response.
Then, as if the conversation had naturally moved forward, the Governor turned slightly, his gaze shifting over the group.
GOVERNOR (low, composed)
"I can imagine your journey has been… tiring."
That was an understatement.
Jake let out a quiet exhale through his nose, not quite scoffing, but close.
Sally's fingers twitched slightly, but she said nothing.
Aurora, still standing close to Finn, merely tilted her head.
King's expression remained neutral, but his shoulders were still squared, still strong.
And Finn—he was barely holding himself back from saying something sarcastic.
John knew that instinctively.
But surprisingly, it was Harry who spoke next.
His voice was quiet, steady—but there was something in his tone.
Something that made John glance toward him.
HARRY (murmuring, sharp but calm)
"Quite the welcome."
---
It was just a statement.
But the way he said it—it landed.
And for the first time since this conversation started, the Governor's gaze flickered toward Harry.
Just for a second.
But John saw it.
A moment of acknowledgment. A brief, almost imperceptible pause.
Then—it was gone.
The Governor turned away, as if the comment had never been spoken.
The Governor had taken note.
Then, acting as if the exchange hadn't happened at all, the Governor continued.
GOVERNOR (low, polite but firm)
"Before dinner, you will have time to refresh yourselves. Feel free to make yourselves at home. Accommodations will be prepared for you."
For john, this was… expected.
But it also wasn't.
He didn't think they'd be thrown into cells, but the fact that they were being given rooms, space—comfort?
Could be a ploy by the governor.
But again, what choice did they have?
So he nodded.
JOHN (calm, steady)
"That is.. very generous of you."
The Governor's eyes gleamed slightly, as if that was exactly the response he had been waiting for.
GOVERNOR (soft, amused)
"Generosity is a matter of perspective."
The words held weight, even as they were spoken lightly.
---
John didn't let his expression shift.
But he knew deep down—this wasn't just an ordinary invitation.
It was an invitation they accepted against their will.
And, a step deeper into this unknown world they've fallen into.
---
[TO BE CONTINUED IN EPISODE 5]