Karl Varn wiped the sweat from his brow, the sun pressing down on the film studio lot like molten iron. The air shimmered above the asphalt, carrying the bitter tang of gasoline and scorched rubber from the morning's stunts. His padded vest stuck uncomfortably to his skin, every breath dragging against sore ribs. He had taken harder hits before—bruises, burns, even the occasional fractured bone—but today's shoot had wrung him out more than he expected.
He rolled his shoulders, flexed his fingers, preparing himself for the next take, when suddenly, the ground shuddered beneath his boots. At first, it was subtle, like a heavy truck rumbling past. But the vibration deepened, crawling up his legs, rattling the props stacked nearby.
"Earthquake!" someone shouted.
The set erupted into chaos. Props toppled, cameras crashed, and crew members scrambled for cover. Karl instinctively dove behind a prop car, heart hammering in his chest as the asphalt beneath him splintered with jagged cracks. The sound wasn't just noise—it was a roar, deep and primal, like the earth itself had woken in fury. He shielded his head, expecting debris to fall over him—but instead, the sky itself seemed to fracture.
A violet haze bled across the horizon, the calm blue heavens warping into fractured shards of color. It reminded him of stained glass smashed by a hammer. His mouth went dry, words strangling in his throat. Then suddenly tremors stopped, his mind went blank, an eerie silence envelop him, which was broken only by a resonant voice that seemed to echo inside his head.
[You have been chosen. Awaken as a Lord]
It was cold, mechanical, yet heavy with purpose.
Karl's breath caught. "What the—?"
Before he could finish, the world collapsed into blinding light.
When his vision cleared, Karl stood in a clearing unlike anything he'd ever seen. Towering trees with luminescent leaves rose around him, pulsed with soft, golden light, their branches swaying without wind. a strange rhythm that made his skin prickle. The air carried the damp scent of moss mixed with something sweeter—like honey after rain, ground beneath his boots was soft, carpeted with vibrant, unknown flora that shimmered faintly. This wasn't his studio or any place he has been before.
Karl clutched his head as asking, "Where am I—?"
but no one answered his question as if no one had asked.
A sudden memory of the earthquake jolted through his mind. His hands trembled as he checked himself—arms, ribs, legs for injuries, but there was not a single wound he found, not even the soreness from before. Only the weight of his stunt harness clipped to his belt, and the clothes he always wore: a worn jacket, faded jeans, and boots scuffed from years of tumbling.
He patted his pockets, expecting to find his phone, but instead his fingers brushed something else: a small pouch, heavy with unfamiliar weight. Inside were a desiccated seed, no bigger than a walnut, and fifteen glowing orbs, each the size of a marble, pulsing with soft green light.
Essence Crystals, the word came unbidden, as if someone had uploaded a survival manual into his brain. They were resources, vital for survival in this strange world. Nearby, a cracked, withered seed the size of a fist lay beside it—his Territory Seed, his lifeline. Beside it, a jagged shard of stone glowed faintly, etched with runes: a Summoning Gate Shard, capable of calling allies.
He stared at them, why do I know this...? his logic could not catch up with his thought. He turned slowly, scanning the clearing to find someone but there was nothing else but trees, towering trees whose canopies blotting out the sun, casting dappled shadows that seemed to shift unnaturally, and he was stood alone in clearing between all this.
A translucent dome shimmered around the clearing, a protective barrier that felt both comforting and claustrophobic. Above it, a countdown timer burned in the air:
6 days, 23 hours, 58 minutes.
The numbers ticked down mercilessly.
Karl's gut twisted. Seven days to what? Survival? Failure? Death?
The voice returned, resonating in his bones.
[You are a Lord of the Eternal Wilderness]
[Plant your Territory Seed]
[Build your sanctuary]
A Lord?A sanctuary? What does that even mean?
He quickly checked the territory seed. The seed in his hand felt heavier than it should, its surface dry and lifeless—Karl almost laughed.
This is supposed to grow something. A sanctuary?
His fingers trembled as he dug a shallow hole, placing the seed inside and covering it with loose earth.
He waited,
Staring at the spot expecting it to sprout instantly, like the voice has promised, but nothing happened. He pushed harder, grinding it into the Earth. Still nothing.
His breath grew ragged. "Come on… do something!"
Minutes passed.
The seed remained inert.
Why isn't it working? Did I do it wrong?
He dug it back up, cradling it. Fear surged in his heart. His chest tightened until he couldn't breathe. looking at lifeless seed he could not help but thought. "
Is it damaged. It has to be... if not why else it is not working."
"That voice—whatever it was—said, it would grow instantly."
So, what the hell's the problem now?