MidReal Story
Realms of Destiny: Chosen Heroes Unite
Scenario: /my best friend and fiance, Amanda, and I are brought into the Forgotten Realms, where we are heroes foretold centuries ago.
Create my version of this story
Amanda Smith and John Williams, best friends turned lovers, are about to embark on a camping trip to the Ocala National Forest.
The couple met in college and have been inseparable since– both in their personal and professional lives.
Amanda is a psychologist, while John is a police officer and aspiring detective.
The two share a deep bond, having gone through many experiences together, one which included a tragic event that has made them stronger together.
Amanda and John are now ready to continue their camping tradition and enjoy the beautiful nature that surrounds them.
You know I’m always right.” Amanda flashed her playful grin.
“I just want to hear you say it out loud.”
You’re always right.” I shook my head, wondering how I ended up in this predicament.
It was the same way I’d ended up in every other predicament throughout our friendship—because Amanda said so.
I should’ve known better than to argue with her by now.
She was always right, even when she was wrong.
My best friend had a way of making everything work out the way she planned, whether it be in her professional life as a psychologist or in our personal lives together.
We’d been through a lot over the years, and she’d somehow managed to predict the outcome of every situation we’d faced together.
I glanced over at Amanda as she stared at me with her hands on her hips, waiting for me to concede defeat.
She looked gorgeous as always with her long blonde hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief as they met my gaze.
The sun had just set over the horizon, casting an array of colors across the sky as it slowly disappeared from view behind the trees.
We were standing at the edge of our campsite in the Ocala National Forest, overlooking Lake Dorr as we prepared to set up our tent for the night.
It was a tradition Amanda and I had started when we were kids—and one we’d continued well into our adult lives.
“Did you bring the poles?”
I raised an eyebrow at her.
“You know I wouldn’t forget that.” She pursed her lips and gave me a look.
“You act like you don’t trust me.”
I let out a chuckle.I trust you with my life.”
“Good, then it’s settled.” She gave me a satisfied smile.
“Would you stop saying that?”
I shook my head in amusement.
Amanda and I had been friends for as long as I could remember.
We’d grown up together in Orlando and had always been close.
We’d gone to college together and then moved on to start our careers in the same city as well.
I was a police officer working for the Orlando Police Department and Amanda was a psychologist at one of the local hospitals.
Our lives were so intertwined that it was only natural for us to spend our free time together as well.
We’d both always had an adventurous spirit and loved being outdoors.
That was part of the reason why we’d started camping when we were kids.
It was something we both enjoyed doing and it was something that allowed us to escape from our busy lives for a little while.
Of course, Amanda was always the one to come up with the plan.
And I was always the one to make sure that everything went as it should.
“I’ll set up the tent; you go gather some wood for the fire.” She gave me an expectant look.
“I’m not your servant, you know.” I arched an eyebrow at her.
“You are when I tell you to be.” She laughed and walked over to the trunk of my car to grab her backpack.
“Come on; let’s get this show on the road before it gets too dark.”
I watched her walk away and couldn’t help but smile as I followed her down to our campsite.
Amanda was something else.
She was beautiful, smart, and funny—and she knew it too.
She was confident in herself and never apologized for who she was or what she wanted.
It was one of the things I loved about her—and one of the things that drove me crazy.
As much as I enjoyed her feistiness, it also made me worry about her sometimes.
There were moments when she could be a little reckless or impulsive and I wasn’t sure if it was such a good idea.
But then again, I knew that Amanda always had my back—and I always had hers.
I trusted her with my life just as much as she trusted me with hers.
I watched her walk off into the woods, her backpack slung over her shoulder as she made her way through the trees in search of firewood.
She had a way of moving that was both graceful and determined at the same time, her blonde hair bouncing against her back as she walked.
I couldn’t help but notice the way that she seemed so at ease in the forest, like it was her natural habitat.
It was something I’d always admired about Amanda, her bravery and sense of adventure.
She’d never been one to shy away from a challenge or to let fear get the best of her.
If anything, she’d always been the one to confront her fears head on—and to drag me along for the ride.
I smiled as I thought about all the times she’d pushed me to do things I’d never thought I’d be able to do, like skydiving or hiking up a mountain.
She’d been by my side every step of the way, encouraging me to take that leap of faith, even when I’d been too afraid to do it myself.
“Hey, John, are you coming or what?”
I snapped out of my thoughts and turned to see Amanda standing at the entrance to the cave, waiting for me to follow.
“Yeah, I’m right behind you.” I grabbed my flashlight and walked over to join her.
She gave me a knowing look as she watched me approach.
“I know you’re scared of the dark, but I promise I’ll protect you.”
I let out a chuckle.
“I’m not scared of the dark.” I shook my head and stepped inside the cave as Amanda walked ahead.
It was just something she liked to tease me about—and something I’d never been able to live down after all these years.
She knew everything about me, even my deepest fears.
And she’d always been there for me when I needed her the most.
I followed Amanda as she led the way through the narrow passageway, carefully making our way through the cave system.
It was dark and damp inside, the walls covered with layers of mud and moss from years of rainwater seeping through the cracks in the rock.
The further we went, the more I could feel the temperature dropping around us.
“The ground is getting slippery,” Amanda said as she stepped over a puddle of water.
“Be careful not to slip.”
“I know,” I said as I followed behind her.
“It’s a good thing we brought these flashlights with us.”
“Yeah,” Amanda replied.
“I can’t believe it took us this long to explore the caves.”
“We just never had the time before,” I said.
“We were too busy going on all those other camping trips.”
Amanda nodded in agreement.
“But hey, better late than never.”
“I guess so,” I replied.
My stomach suddenly growled as we continued walking.
“Man, I’m getting hungry.”
Amanda chuckled as she turned around.
“I told you we should’ve stopped for breakfast.”
“I wasn’t that hungry,” I said with a shrug.
“I figured we’d eat once we got here.”
“Well, it looks like you were wrong,” Amanda said with a grin.
“No worries,” she added with a wink.
“I’ll make it up to you later.”
As we continued walking through the cave, the passageway suddenly opened up into a much larger chamber than the ones we’d seen before.
Amanda and I stepped inside and stopped in our tracks, both of us speechless as we looked around the room.
The chamber was huge, at least a hundred feet in diameter and several stories tall, with walls that were covered in a variety of different gemstones.
But these weren’t just any gemstones—these were natural formations, formed over millions of years of geological processes.
Amanda’s eyes widened as she took in the sight before her, a look of pure fascination on her face.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” she said, her voice filled with awe.
“Me neither,” I replied.
“And I’ve been in a lot of caves, but nothing like this.”
Amanda nodded in agreement.
I could see the wheels turning in her head as she studied the different gemstones on the walls, trying to identify them all.
“And look at the way they’re all lit up,” she said.
“Most caves don’t have this much natural light.”
I looked around and noticed that Amanda was right.
The chamber was bathed in a soft, ambient glow, with the walls illuminated by the purple and green gems that covered them from top to bottom.
It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before, and it was absolutely breathtaking to behold.
“Let’s go check it out,” Amanda said excitedly.
She grabbed my hand and led me deeper into the chamber, following the light to see where it led us.
As we walked, my eyes were drawn to a circular platform at the center of the room, surrounded by a series of steps that led up to it from all sides.
At the center of the platform stood a stone pedestal, intricately carved with ancient symbols that looked like they’d been etched into it by hand, thousands of years ago.
It was so detailed that I could make out each individual character, though I didn’t recognize any of them or know what they meant.
“The light is coming from over there,” I said as I pointed to the pedestal.
“I wonder if there’s something on top of it that’s causing the light to reflect off the gems.”
Amanda looked up and her eyes widened as she saw what I was talking about.
“Let’s go check it out,” she said excitedly.
She took my hand and pulled me along as she raced toward the platform.
When we finally reached the top of the steps, I saw that there was something on top of the pedestal.
But it wasn’t what I expected—it was another gemstone.
Only this one was different from the others.
It was glowing from within, casting a soft light that illuminated the entire chamber from its perch on top of the platform.
As I stared at it in awe, I couldn’t help but wonder what it was made of and where it had come from.
“What is that thing?”
Amanda asked as she peered over the edge of the platform.
“I have no idea,” I replied.
“But it looks like some kind of gemstone to me.”
“But why is it glowing?”
“I have no idea,” I said with a shrug.
“Maybe it’s radioactive.”
I chuckled at Amanda’s suggestion.
“That’s possible, I suppose.”
“Or maybe it’s cursed.”
“Cursed?”
Amanda nodded as she turned to face me.
“You know, like in the legends where people touch cursed gemstones and then terrible things happen to them?”
“Oh yeah,” I said with a grin.
“I’ve heard those stories.”
“And besides, you know what they say—curiosity killed the cat.”
I laughed at Amanda’s words.
“But luckily for me, you’re not a cat.”
“Nope,” Amanda said with a grin.
“And lucky for you, I’m not afraid to touch things that look cursed.”
She winked at me and then hopped down from the platform, landing lightly on her feet beside me.
“Just be careful,” I said as I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to me.
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Amanda leaned her head against my chest and smiled up at me.
“Don’t worry about me, Johnny.”
She paused for a moment and then looked up at me again with a mischievous glint in her eye.
“I’m a big girl, you know.”
I laughed and shook my head.
“Yes, I know that you are.”
“But don’t worry.
If anything happens, I’ll be right here to protect you.”
Amanda stuck out her tongue and grinned as she pushed me away.
“Stop it, you big goofball.”
She gave me a playful shove and then took a step back, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she turned and headed toward the glowing gemstone.
As she approached it, I watched her carefully, ready to jump in if anything happened.
But nothing did.
Amanda reached out and touched the gemstone with her finger, a look of pure fascination on her face as she studied it up close.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said as she turned back to look at me.
“I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
I nodded and took a step closer, my eyes never leaving Amanda’s face as she studied the gemstone.
“So, what is it?”
Amanda shrugged and turned back to look at the gemstone again.
“I don’t know.
It’s kind of hard to describe.
It looks like some sort of stone or crystal, but it’s glowing, like it has its own light source or something.”
I took another step closer and studied the gemstone closely for myself.
She was right—it did look like some sort of crystal, but it was glowing so brightly that it was hard to tell for sure.
“I wonder what it is,” Amanda said as she reached out to touch it again.
She hesitated for a moment and then turned back to look at me over her shoulder.
“What do you think?”
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond.
On one hand, I didn’t want to be overprotective and tell Amanda what she could or couldn’t do.
But on the other hand, I didn’t want her to get hurt either.
Finally, I made up my mind.
“I’m not sure,” I said as I took another step closer.
“But…maybe you shouldn’t touch it just in case.”
Amanda hesitated for a moment and then turned back to look at the gemstone.
“It’s probably nothing, but…”
She trailed off and shook her head.
“I don’t know.
Maybe you’re right.”
I sighed and put my arm around Amanda’s shoulder again, pulling her close to me.
“I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you, that’s all.”
“I know,” Amanda said as she leaned her head against my chest.
“But it’s probably nothing, right?”
“Probably not,” I said as I kissed the top of her head.
“But I still think it would be better if you didn’t touch it.”
Amanda hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
“Okay, if you say so.”
She took a step back and looked up at me with a smile.
“I trust you, Johnny.”
I smiled back and gave Amanda a quick kiss on the lips.
“I trust you too, Mandy.”
And with that, Amanda turned away from me and reached out to touch the gemstone.
As soon as her finger made contact with it, there was a blinding flash of light that filled the entire chamber, making it impossible for me to see anything.
I closed my eyes and waited for the light to fade, but when it finally did, I realized that something was wrong.
“Amanda?”
I called out in panic as I looked around the chamber, but she was nowhere to be found.
“Amanda!”
I shouted again, but there was no response.
My heart pounding in my chest, I took a step forward and reached out in front of me, trying to feel my way around in the darkness.
But no matter which way I turned, all I could see was blackness.
Panic rising in my chest, I shouted Amanda’s name again and again, but there was still no response.
And then, just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, there was another blinding flash of light that filled the chamber once again.
This time, when the light finally faded, everything had changed.
Amanda!”
I shouted in panic as I looked around wildly, but there was still no sign of her anywhere.
But then, just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, there was another flash of light—and this time, when it finally faded, Amanda was standing right in front of me, looking terrified and confused.
“I’m here,” I said as I reached out to take Amanda’s hand in mine.
“I’m right here, Mandy, I promise.
John?”
Amanda asked, her voice shaking with fear.
“Is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me,” I said, relieved that she was safe.
“What happened to you?
Where did you go?”
“I don’t know,” Amanda said, looking down at her feet.
“I don’t know what happened.
One minute I was standing right here, and then I reached out to touch the gemstone, and…”
She trailed off, looking around at our surroundings in confusion.
“I don’t know what happened after that.
It was like everything went dark.”
“I know,” I said, giving Amanda’s hand a reassuring squeeze.
“It’s okay, Mandy.
You’re okay now—I promise.”
Amanda looked up at me with tears in her eyes and smiled slightly.
“Okay,” she said.
“But what do we do now?
How do we get out of here?”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly.
“But we’ll figure something out, I promise.
We’ll get through this together.”
Amanda smiled again and stepped forward to throw her arms around my neck, hugging me tight.
“Thank you, Johnny,” she whispered into my ear.
“You’re welcome,” I said as I wrapped my arms around Amanda and hugged her back.
“You’re welcome, Mandy.”
We stood there for a moment in silence, hugging each other tight.
And then, just as I was about to suggest that we try to find a way out of the chamber, the light from the gemstone flickered and went out.
A second later, the entire chamber was plunged into darkness.
“Oh no,” Amanda said in panic as she clung to me.
“What are we going to do now?
How are we going to find our way out of here?”
“It’s okay,” I said as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my lighter.
“We’ll use this until we can find our flashlights.”
“Oh,” Amanda said as she smiled and relaxed slightly.
“I forgot you had that.
Thank God for small favors, huh?”
“Yeah,” I said as I flicked my lighter and held it up so we could see our way out of the chamber.
Amanda laughed and shook her head as she took my hand and followed me out of the chamber.
“Yeah,” she said with a smile.
“Thank God for small favors.”
As soon as we emerged from the chamber, I expected to see our campsite waiting for us on the other side—but it wasn’t there.
Instead, all I could see was an unfamiliar forest that stretched out in front of us in all directions, shrouded in darkness so thick that it was impossible to see more than a few feet in front of us.
There was no moon in the sky, no stars—nothing but an empty void that seemed to go on forever.
There was no sign of the modern world either—no sounds of crickets or birds chirping, no lights from nearby cities or towns shining in the distance.
It was like we had been transported to an entirely different world—one where time had stopped and all signs of life had ceased.
I shook my head as I looked around the unfamiliar forest and tried to figure out what had happened, but it was impossible to make any sense of it.
This didn’t make any sense at all, I thought as I shook my head and stared at the forest.
What the hell is going on here?
What happened to our campsite?
Where the hell are we?
I didn’t have any answers to those questions, but I knew one thing for certain—we weren’t where we were supposed to be.
“We need to go back,” Amanda said as she tugged on my hand and tried to pull me back into the chamber.
“Something went wrong, John!
We need to go back!”
“I know,” I said as I pulled her back toward the chamber.
“We need to go back, but we can’t do it here.
We need to find our flashlights first, or we’re just going to end up getting lost.”
“But how are we going to find them?”
Amanda asked in a panic as she looked around the dark forest.
“It’s too dark out here!
We’ll never be able to see anything!”
“I know,” I said as I squeezed her hand tight and led her back toward the chamber.
“It’s not going to be easy, but we have no other choice.”
I didn’t know what else to say to that, so I just nodded my head and tried to keep my thoughts focused on finding our flashlights.
Amanda seemed relieved by that answer, but it was hard to tell for sure—she was still holding onto my hand with a death grip, and her whole body was trembling so hard that it was impossible to miss.
I guess that means she’s scared too, I thought as I squeezed her hand tight and led her back into the chamber.
But it’s not going to help us get out of here any faster if we’re both freaking out about it, so I might as well try to make the best of it until we figure out what’s going on.
It took us a few minutes to find our flashlights, but eventually we managed to locate them in the darkness and tuck them inside our pockets.
Once we had done that, we set out to find our campsite and get out of the forest.
We stumbled around in the dark for what felt like hours, but no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn’t seem to find our way back.
I don’t understand, Amanda said in a panic as she clung to me and looked around the dark forest.
We’ve been walking in circles all night, but we’re not getting any closer to our campsite!
How are we going to get out of here if we don’t even know where we are?”
I don’t know,” I said as I shook my head and looked around the dark forest.
“This is crazy,” Amanda said as she shook her head and pulled away from me.
“I can’t believe this is happening!
What are we going to do?”
I don’t know,” I said as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my lighter.
“I’m sorry, Amanda, but right now, all we can do is keep looking.”
Amanda looked like she was about to say something, but before she could, there was a sudden flash of light, and everything changed.
Amanda Smith had always known that John Williams was special.
In fact, she had known it since the very first time they had met, back when they were just kids.
They had been best friends ever since then, and now, after all these years, they were engaged to be married.
But even though they had been together for so long, Amanda still couldn’t help but wonder if John really loved her.
After all, they had been friends for so long that sometimes it felt like they were more like brother and sister than anything else, and she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he only wanted to marry her because he thought that was what she wanted.
But even if that were true—and part of her suspected that it wasn’t—Amanda still knew that there was something special about the two of them.
They had been through so much together over the years, and they had always been there for each other, no matter what.
Amanda still remembered the first time she had met John.
She had been hanging out with a group of her friends in the park when he had walked up to them and introduced himself, and they had hit it off right away.
At first, Amanda wasn’t sure what to make of him—he was a little bit older than her, and he was also a little bit shy—but before long, they had become fast friends, and they were practically inseparable from that day on.
Even now, all these years later, Amanda still couldn’t imagine her life without him in it, and she knew that he felt the same way too.
But even though they had always been close, there had always been something more between them as well.
They had never really talked about it before—at least not until recently—but Amanda had always known that John was the one for her, and she couldn’t wait to marry him.
But right now, all that paled in comparison to what was happening in front of her.
Amanda blinked once, then twice—and then suddenly it all came rushing back to her: The flash of light, the darkness that followed it, and everything that had happened after that.
“John,” she said in a panic as she reached out for him.
“We have to go back.”
“Go back where?”
John asked with a frown as he looked around the clearing.
“Back to camp!”
Amanda shouted as she grabbed his arm and shook him hard.
“We can’t stay here!”
“Okay, okay,” John said as he held up his hands in surrender.
“I’m coming.”
With that, he turned around and started walking back toward the path with Amanda close behind him.
A few minutes later, they were standing in front of the cave once again—and Amanda was more than a little bit surprised to see it there.
“I don’t understand,” she said as she looked around the clearing.
“We’re right back where we started.”
“I know,” John said with a frown.
“Me too.”
Amanda had never seen him look so serious before—not like this—and it scared her a little.
“We must have gotten turned around somehow,” he said as he looked around the clearing.
“I’m not sure how it happened, but there’s no other explanation for it.”
“But how is that possible?”
Amanda asked as she looked around the clearing.
“Everything looks exactly the same as before—every tree, every rock—so how could we have possibly gotten lost?”
“I’m not sure,” John said with a shrug.
“But we must have been.”
Amanda felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized what that meant.
She had heard stories before of people who had gotten lost in the woods—stories of them wandering around for days on end without ever finding their way out—but none of them had ever ended well.
And suddenly Amanda was scared to death.
“What are we going to do?”
“Don’t worry,” John said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her close.
“We’ll be okay.
We just need to stay calm and think things through.”
“But what if we can’t find our way back?”
Amanda asked as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
“What then?”
“I don’t know,” John said with a frown.
“But we’ll figure something out.
It was no use.
She knew that as well as he did.
But even so, Amanda couldn’t help but feel a little bit better as long as John was there with her—no matter what came their way.
“Okay,” Amanda said as she wiped away a tear and took a deep breath.
“Do you think we should go look for food and water?”
John asked as he looked at her with a frown.
“I don’t know,” Amanda said with a shrug.
“We should probably get moving though if we’re going to find our way back to camp.”
A few minutes later they were walking through the woods with John leading the way and Amanda close behind him.
At first she wasn’t sure where he was going or how he even knew where he was going in the first place—but after a little while longer they came to a small stream that was running through the trees and he stopped and knelt down beside it and took a long drink of cool water before standing back up and turning around to face Amanda once again.
“There doesn’t seem to be anything around here for us to eat,” he said with a frown.
"Dad always taught me if you get lost in the wilderness, find a creek or stream and follow where it flows. There will be a house, a shack, a town, something with people because water is life."
Amanda nodded in response, she could see the logic in that—although she wasn’t sure how much good it would do them in this situation, she was just worried about dehydration.
But then again they were no longer lost in the desert and it wasn’t hot out, so maybe they would be okay after all.
John nodded in response, but before he could say anything more Amanda spoke again.
“Do you think we’re still in the cave?”
she asked as she walked over to stand beside him and look down at her reflection in the water below.
“No,” John said with a shake of his head.
“There’s no way this is part of the cave system.”
“So we’re officially lost then?”
Amanda asked with a chuckle as she turned back around to face him with a smirk on her face.
“Well I’m not sure lost is exactly the right word,” he said with a shrug.
“The National Forest is only about twenty miles away from where we live, so maybe we somehow ended up there?”
“Or maybe you were wrong about us being lost in the cave,” Amanda said with a chuckle as she playfully swatted him on the shoulder for good measure.
“Either way, I guess none of that really matters right now,” he said with a smirk of his own as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders once again and gave her a squeeze.
“It doesn’t matter where we are or how we got here.All that matters is that were here together.”
A few minutes later they were walking once again—with Amanda leading the way this time—and after another thirty minutes of walking, they finally emerged from the cave to find out exactly where they had ended up at long last.
To their surprise they weren’t even in Florida anymore!
The air was fresh and the temperature was cool, but even so the sun was shining down on them from above and it was hot outside.
They were standing on a mossy rock with a small drop off just ahead of them and below them there was a small pond with a few fish swimming around inside of it.
In the distance there was a forest that was sparkling under a rainbow—or at least they thought it was, it could have just been a mirage caused by the heat.
But either way, there were no houses or buildings or anything else man-made anywhere to be seen.
In fact, they were pretty sure there wasn’t even any people around either.
“Wow,” Amanda said with a gasp.
“Would you look at that?”
John asked before she could say anything else.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
Amanda nodded in response before taking a deep breath and stopping to smell the flowers.
For some reason she was no longer able to smell anything, but she could still see them and they were beautiful.
“Okay, this is really starting to freak me out,” Amanda said with a frown as she shuddered to herself.
“I know, me too,” John admitted with a small nod of his head.
“It’s like we’re in a whole new world or something.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t make any sense!”
Amanda argued as she shook her head in response.
“We can’t be in a whole new world!
That’s not possible!”
“You said it yourself: we have no idea where we are, so”
“But that doesn’t mean we’re in another world!”
Amanda argued as she shuddered to herself once again, only to realize that she was shivering.
And it wasn’t because she was cold either, it was because her mind was having trouble wrapping itself around what she was seeing and experiencing.
It was almost like what they were seeing wasn’t real—like it was some kind of mirage or hallucination or something.
So, being a scientist at heart—even though she was a few years removed from college—she decided to test it.
First, she waved her hand in front of her face to make sure that it was really there, and then she reached out to touch one of the nearby trees to see if it was really solid.
“It’s real,” Amanda said with a sigh of relief after feeling the smooth bark of the tree against her palm.
“Yeah, it is,” John agreed with a nod.
“So, what are we going to do now?
We can’t just stand here all day.”
“We need to figure out where we are,” John replied as he looked around for a moment, only to catch a glimpse of what looked like a hill off in the distance.
“Why don’t we start by going over there?”
“Okay,” Amanda said with a nod before taking another step forward, only to stop when John grabbed her hand and pulled her back.
“Hold on,” he said, causing her to look at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Before we go anywhere, we need to find some water.”
“I know what you’re thinking,” Amanda replied with a nod.
“And I know that we’ve only been gone for a little while, but I’m still thirsty too.”
“Then let’s go find some water,” John replied as he moved his hand away from hers and wrapped his arm around her shoulders instead before giving her a squeeze.
Amanda nodded in response before taking his hand in hers and leading him forward once again, only this time they weren’t going in the direction of the hill.
Instead they were going in the direction of the forest that was sparkling under a rainbow—or whatever it was—because they both assumed that there had to be water somewhere in there.
And perhaps even people too!
Although neither one really wanted to admit it, they were both scared out of their minds right now and they would do anything to find some civilization—even if it meant breaking their no technology rule for their camping trip.
But as they got closer to the forest they realized that it wasn’t even a forest at all!
It was just a bunch of trees!
And not even ordinary trees either!
The trees didn’t even have any leaves on them and yet they were still green!
As they approached the trees, Amanda reached out and ran her hand along one of their trunks once again and was surprised to find that they felt as smooth as satin.
“Wow,” Amanda said as she looked at the trees that were all around them and couldn’t help but feel amazed by how beautiful they were.
“Yeah,” John agreed with a nod.
“They’re pretty amazing.”
“I wonder what kind of trees these are?”
Amanda asked as she looked up at the sky and saw that it was filled with clouds that were all different colors.
As they stood there looking at the sky, they suddenly felt like they were standing in front of a giant painting that someone had been working on for years and then finally decided to show to the world.
And then they heard something…behind them…Amanda turned around and saw that there was something coming up behind them, only it wasn’t what she thought it was going to be.
It was a bird—a rainbow-colored bird—that was flying right towards them!
And as they watched in silence, they saw that there were sparkles falling down from its tail and leaving a trail behind!
“Wow,” Amanda said with her eyes wide in shock.
“I don’t believe this!”
“Believe what?”
John asked as he took her hand in his and squeezed it gently before turning his head to look at her with a smile.
“You’re going to see a real live rainbow bird!”
Amanda said, only for John to look back up in time to see the bird disappear into the clouds, taking its sparkles with it.
As John watched it fly away, Amanda turned her attention back towards the river that they had come to—and almost forgotten about—in their excitement and saw that there were fish swimming down below in the water that were all different colors too!
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
John asked with a chuckle before looking back over at Amanda who was now staring off into space once again with a blank expression on her face.
“Earth to Amanda,” John said with a chuckle as he reached out and waved his hand in front of her face…only for Amanda to blink and look up at him with wide eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
John asked as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
“Something on your mind?”
“It’s just…”
Amanda said before trailing off as she looked down at the water once again and saw her reflection.
“I look so much like my sisters…”
“Yeah, you do,” John agreed with a nod before looking down at his own reflection and smirking.
“And I look like my brothers too!”
Amanda chuckled in response before leaning into him and resting her head on his shoulder.
“Except for one thing…”
“What’s that?”
John asked as he raised an eyebrow and gave her a confused look.
“I may never see my sisters again,” Amanda replied as a tear rolled down her cheek.
“Hey,” John said as he gently wiped the tear away before placing his hand on her chin and tilting her head up so that they were looking at each other in the eyes.
“You’re not going to lose your sisters.”
“But what if we never get back home?”
Amanda asked with a frown before letting out a sigh as John wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her another squeeze.
“Then we’ll deal with that when—”
“Look!”
Amanda yelled in shock, cutting John off as she pointed up at the sky with wide eyes.
The pair were taken aback by a deafening roar that suddenly echoed through the valley, and they turned their heads just in time to see a massive dragon with scales that glistened in a rainbow of colors flying overhead.
Its wingspan stretched from horizon to horizon, and it left behind a trail of smoke in its wake as it flew over them.
“Is that…?”
John asked with wide eyes, only for Amanda to nod her head in response, not that he could see it since her eyes were practically bulging out of her head as she stared up at the dragon in shock.
“It’s a dragon!”
John yelled with wide eyes, only to have Amanda shush him by bringing one of her hands to her lips as a small frown formed on her face.
“Don’t let it hear you!”
she whispered harshly as she watched the dragon fly off into the distance with wide eyes.
“Do you think it saw us?”
John asked with a frown before looking around and seeing that all of the other animals had gone silent when they heard the dragon roar.
“I don’t think so,” Amanda replied before letting out a sigh.
“That thing is huge, John.”
“It must be at least two hundred feet long,” John replied with a chuckle, only for Amanda to glare at him when she realized that he was serious.
“That thing is huge!”
“How can something like that even exist?”
Amanda asked as she continued to watch the dragon fly in the distance and disappear into a cluster of mountains in the distance.
“That thing is so big and we were so close to it…”
“We’re okay,” John assured her as he reached out and rubbed her shoulders.
“It didn’t come after us, and I think it was heading towards those mountains, not back towards us…”
“I feel like I’m in a dream,” Amanda said with a frown as John wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a hug.
“I know,” John replied as he rubbed her back.
“This is all so surreal.”
“It’s like we’re in a different world or something,” Amanda said before letting out a sigh and shaking her head.
“But that’s not possible.”
“It has to be,” John replied as he pulled away from her and cupped her cheek in his hand.
“Because dragons don’t exist where we come from.”
“Well…”
Amanda started with a chuckle before trailing off and looking over at the horizon just in time to see that massive dragon flying off into the distance.
It was so far away, but Amanda could still see it, and it was leaving behind a trail of smoke that was so thick that it shrouded the horizon in darkness before disappearing out of sight, only for a loud boom to suddenly shake the ground beneath them, and Amanda realized that it was the sound of the dragon’s wings flapping.
The dragon was flapping its wings so hard that it was causing the air to vibrate, and it was moving its wings so fast that it was causing them to emit a loud roar.
And then, just as quickly as it had disappeared, the dragon was gone.
Amanda watched it fly off into the horizon with wide eyes, only for John to wrap his arms around her again and pull her in for another hug.
“Are you okay?”
John asked after a few moments of silence, only for Amanda to let out a small gasp as she realized what had just happened.
“No,” Amanda replied before shaking her head and pulling away from him with wide eyes.
“No, I’m not okay.”
“What do you mean?”
John asked with a confused frown before watching as Amanda turned away from him and stared off into space with wide eyes once again.
“A dragon just flew past us,” Amanda replied in a small voice as John stepped up beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“I know,” John replied with a small chuckle before continuing to watch the horizon with wide eyes.
“I just—I can’t believe it’s real.”
“But it is,” Amanda said with a frown before trailing off and shaking her head again.
“This must be some kind of dream or something, right?”
“I don’t know,” John replied with a shrug.
“But if we really are in a different world, then I guess it might not be all that bad…”
“What do you mean?”
Amanda asked as she turned to face him once again, only to watch as he reached out and took her hand in his own before giving it a gentle squeeze.
“It might not be so bad,” John replied with a smile as he gave her hand another squeeze.
“I mean, sure, the dragon is scary and all, but we’re still alive, right?”
“And we’re not the only ones here, either,” Amanda replied with a frown as she looked around and realized that they were surrounded by a bunch of trees and bushes and rocks and other things that they could use to help them survive if they really were stranded in this place.
“I wish I had my cell phone,” Amanda said with a small pout as she reached up and tugged on the collar of John’s shirt in an effort to get his attention.
“I would have taken so many pictures of that thing!”
“I know you would have,” John replied with a chuckle before turning to face her with a small smile.
“I would have too…”
“Do you think it’s gone now?”
John asked as he reached up and cupped the back of Amanda’s neck in his hand.
“Do you think it’s safe to go back home?”
“I don’t know,” Amanda replied with a frown as she continued to watch the horizon in silence.
“I just—I don’t know…”
“I think it’s gone,” John said as he continued to watch the horizon with wide eyes.
“But I also think that it might be heading towards that mountain range in the distance…”
“The volcano?”
John asked as he pointed off towards the other side of the horizon where he could see another mountain range in the distance.
“That one over there looks like a volcano, and the dragon looked like it was heading right towards it.”
“Do you think it’s going to live there?”
“I think so,” John replied with a nod.
“I remember reading somewhere that dragons like to live near volcanoes because they’re so hot and humid, and they like being able to breathe fire…”
“Well, I guess we’ll find out soon enough…”
“Yeah,” John agreed as he turned to face Amanda and gave her hand another squeeze.
“We’ll find out soon enough…”
The two of them continued on their journey in silence, only for Amanda to suddenly stop in her tracks when they stumbled upon something so beautiful that it made them forget all about the dragon from earlier.
It was a sparkling forest filled with trees that seemed to be made entirely out of glass, and it was so beautiful that Amanda almost didn’t believe what she was seeing until she reached out and touched one of the trees and realized that it wasn’t made of glass at all—it was just covered in some kind of substance that made it sparkle like diamonds whenever the light hit it just right.
The two of them continued on their journey through the glass forest in silence and marveled at everything they saw along the way.
The trees weren’t the only things that sparkled like diamonds; there were also plants and flowers that glowed with a soft light.
And the colors… Oh, the colors!
Amanda couldn’t even begin to describe them; they were unlike anything she’d ever seen before.
It was like an entire rainbow had been painted across the forest floor.
The two of them continued on their journey through the glass forest until they found themselves standing at the edge of a small valley where they were able to see what was on the other side.
John pointed off towards the horizon and said, “I think we have to go that way—”
The two of them both paused and looked at one another when they realized that there was no longer a wall of trees blocking their path; it was just a short walk through a valley and then up a hill on the other side.
“How did we miss this?”
Amanda asked as she turned to face John with a small frown.
“I don’t know…”
John replied as he turned and pointed off in the direction where they had come from earlier.
The two of them continued on their journey until they found themselves standing in a valley with a small river running through it.
John turned and pointed off in one direction and said, “That way…”
“Why do you have to be so boring?”
Amanda asked with a frown as she turned and pointed off in a different direction.
“I think we should go this way.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” John replied as he took a step back to put some distance between himself and the river.
“Remember what happened last time?”
“I think it’s going to be different this time.””
“Yeah, but what if it isn’t?”
John asked as he reached down and wrapped an arm around Amanda’s waist.
“What if it happens again?”
Amanda paused and bit her bottom lip before letting out a heavy sigh.
“I don’t know…”
“Maybe we should just go back home…”
“No!”
Amanda said as she turned to face John and wrapped both arms around his waist.
“Don’t say that!We can’t go back home—not yet!
We haven’t even found any dragons yet!”
“We saw a dragon already,” John reminded her with a small frown.
“We saw a dragon fly overhead, but we didn’t see it up close,” Amanda replied.
“Do you really want to go back home and tell everyone that we saw a dragon from a distance but that we were too scared to get any closer?”
John paused and bit his bottom lip in thought before finally saying, “No, I guess not…”
“Then let’s keep going!”
Amanda said with a small smile as she continued to pull John along.
“Let’s go find ourselves a dragon!”
Amanda and John continued along the riverbank until the sun began to set and they realized that they probably wouldn’t be able to make it much further without the light of the sun to guide them.
It wasn’t long before they found themselves standing at the edge of a small lake where they decided to stop for the night and set up camp.
They quickly got a fire going so that they could cook their dinner while it was still light out, only for the peace and quiet to be interrupted by a loud roar off in the distance.
“It sounds like a jet engine,”Amanda said as she dropped the stick she’d been using to turn her hot dog on the fire and covered her ears.
“It sounds like a dragon!”
John replied as he stood up from where he’d been sitting on the ground and looked around in every direction.
"It's not the same roar though, the pitch is wrong." John said, scanning the sky. "Something is out here, but it's not the same dragon."
Amanda asked as she took a step back, suddenly feeling very small and very vulnerable.
John said with a small frown, “We should probably…”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Amanda turned and ran straight for the water, leaving John to stand there in dumbfounded silence, unsure of what to say or do.
John called after her as he watched her disappear into the water, only for his words to be swallowed up by the sound of her splashing around.
He stood there for a moment, wondering if he should go after her before finally turning to walk back over to the campsite to gather up their things so that they could leave.
As he looked around at the sky, he couldn’t help but wonder about what he’d seen earlier—the dragon flying high overhead.
He’d never seen anything like it before.
It was unlike anything he’d ever seen before, but it didn’t seem possible.
Dragons weren’t real; they were just creatures of myth and legend.
He shook his head at the thought of it, wondering what could have possibly caused him to see something like that when it wasn’t even real.
He stood there for a moment, lost in thought, before finally turning back to look out at the lake where Amanda had disappeared into the water.
He couldn’t help but wonder what she was doing down there.
The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow over the water as John walked over to the edge of the lake to look out at Amanda.
Amanda said as she swam up to the edge of the lake and reached out a hand for John to pull her out of the water.
“There’s something down here!”
“What is it?”
John asked as he reached down and grabbed Amanda’s hand before pulling her out of the water.
Amanda said as she pointed behind him.
John asked as he turned to look, only for his eyes to go wide in surprise when he saw a meadow full of flowers that were glowing in the dark.
“What is that?”
Amanda asked as she reached down and touched one of the flowers, only for a small cloud of pollen to rise up from the ground and make her sneeze.
“What are those?”
John asked as he looked around and saw more flowers in every direction.
“It’s so beautiful…”
Amanda said as she took a step forward and reached down to touch one of the flowers, only for John to quickly pull her back before she could make contact.
“What are you doing?”
John asked as he pulled Amanda close and wrapped an arm around her waist.
“I was just admiring the flowers,” Amanda said as she leaned against him and looked out at the meadow.
“Are you crazy?”
“You don’t know what those things are!”
“I do know,” Amanda said as she gently pushed John’s arm away before walking forward and taking his hand in hers.
“They’re flowers.”“And you don’t know if they’re dangerous or not,” John said as a worried look appeared on his face.“But they’re so beautiful…” Amanda said as she took a step forward and pulled John along with her.
The two of them walked forward until they were standing in the middle of the meadow, and John was surprised to find that the ground was actually soft under his feet.
He looked around and saw that all of the flowers in the meadow were glowing in the dark, lighting up the area like a Christmas tree.
“How is this even possible?”
John asked as he looked around in amazement, only for Amanda to suddenly pull him forward and start walking through the meadow.
“Where are we going?”
John asked as he struggled to keep up with Amanda, who was now practically dragging him along behind her.
“Just trust me,” Amanda said as she turned around and looked at him.
“Okay,” John said as he followed Amanda through the meadow, only to stop in surprise when the meadow suddenly ended and they found themselves standing at the edge of a forest.
“Where are we?”
“Come on!”
Amanda said as she grabbed John’s hand and started running into the forest, only to stop in surprise when the forest suddenly came alive with light as soon as they stepped inside it.
“Wait,” John said as he stopped in his tracks and looked around in amazement, only to realize that all of the plants and trees in the forest were glowing in the dark.
“How is this even possible?”
“I don’t know,” Amanda said as she reached down and touched one of the plants, only for a small cloud of pollen to rise up from the ground and make her sneeze.
“But it’s so beautiful…”
“Yeah,” John said as he looked around and saw that the entire forest was filled with fireflies that were dancing about in the air like tiny little stars.
He could also hear the sound of crickets chirping in the distance, and it was almost as if the entire forest was alive with music.
“This is amazing…”
Amanda said as she looked around in amazement, only for her eyes to go wide in surprise when she suddenly saw a beach in front of them.
“What is that?”
John asked as he looked out at the beach and saw that all of the sand was glittering like diamonds in the sunlight.
He could also see that all of the sand was reflecting the colors of the rainbow above, which was now stretching from one end of the sky to the other.
“I don’t know,” Amanda said as she looked out at the beach, only for her eyes to go wide in surprise when she suddenly heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore.
She looked out at the water and saw that all of the waves were glowing like diamonds in the sunlight, and they were moving so slowly that they almost appeared to be frozen in time.
“Listen,” Amanda said as she turned back to look at John, who had also heard the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.
“I don’t believe it,” John said as he looked out at the beach, only for his eyes to go wide in surprise when he suddenly saw the waves crashing against the shore, only to move back into the water and disappear completely.
“This is amazing…”
Amanda said as she looked out at the beach in amazement, only for her to stop in surprise when she suddenly saw the water moving up the beach, only to form a river in front of them.
It then started to flow down the beach, only to move out to sea and disappear completely.
“John, look!”
Amanda said as she pointed at the river, only for her eyes to go wide in surprise when she suddenly saw the water glowing like diamonds in the sunlight, before it suddenly started to flow down the river and disappear completely.
“I don’t believe it,” Amanda said as she looked down at the river, only to hear the sound of something splashing in the water.
She looked out at the water and saw that it was filled with fish, all of which were swimming about in the river like they were on some sort of underwater merry-go-round.
“This is amazing!”
Amanda said as she looked down at the scene in amazement, only for her eyes to go wide in surprise when she suddenly saw something even more amazing come up out of the water.
“Oh my gosh,” Amanda said as she looked down at the dolphin and saw that it was smiling up at her.
“You’re so cute…”
she said as she reached down and patted it on the head, only to stop in surprise when the dolphin suddenly jumped out of the water and started swimming up the beach, before it disappeared completely.
“Come on,” Amanda said as she grabbed John’s hand and started running down the hill, only to stop in surprise when they found themselves standing in front of a small valley that was filled with flowers that were every color of the rainbow.
“How is this even possible?”
John asked as he looked out at the flowers and saw that they were all glowing in the sunlight, which was shining so brightly in the sky that he could hardly look at it.
“I don’t know,” Amanda said as she reached down and picked one of the flowers, only to hold it up to her face and smell it.
“It smells so sweet…”
she said as she held the flower up to John’s nose, only for both of them to stop in surprise when they suddenly heard the sound of birds chirping in the distance.
They both looked up at the sky and saw that it was filled with birds, all of which were flying about in the air like tiny little airplanes.
“They’re so beautiful…”
Amanda said as she watched the birds flying around in the sky, only for her eyes to go wide in surprise when she suddenly saw a small, crystal-clear stream winding its way through the flowers.
“I don’t believe it,” Amanda said as she ran over to the stream and stuck her hand in the water, only for her eyes to go wide in surprise when she felt how warm it was.
“What is this place?”
John asked as he walked over to the stream, only for his eyes to go wide in surprise when he suddenly saw all of the fish swimming about in the water.
“How is this even possible?”
“I don’t know,” Amanda said as she knelt down next to the stream and washed the pollen off of her hands, only to hear the sound of a small insect buzzing by her ear.
She swatted at it and missed, but she didn’t care as it almost felt like she had landed on another planet.
The air smelled so sweet, the flowers were so beautiful, and the grass felt so soft underneath her feet.
It almost seemed like a paradise, even though they hadn’t eaten or drank anything since they’d gotten there.
But for some reason, neither one of them cared.
The air felt so sweet, almost like they were breathing honey instead of oxygen, but they didn’t care either.
"The enchantment laid upon this place is powerful, my mortal friends." A gentle male voice said. "Many have wandered untill succumbing to starvation, not even aware of their own suffering." As if stepping out of a shimmering mirror, an old man with snowy white hair and long beard appeared, wearing green robes trimmed in gold, and what could only be called a wizard's hat. A gnarled staff with an emerald crystal set into it completed his appearance. "I am Nosto, but introductions and explanations must Wait for now. I will lead you from this cursed place to my tower where you'll be able to take food and rest."
Amanda asked as she looked up at the man, only for her eyes to go wide in surprise when she saw the pearl-sized emerald set into the staff he was holding.
“I will explain everything in due time, but now we must leave before you are too weak to travel.”
“He’s right,” John said as he started walking over to Amanda, who was standing on the other side of the stream.
“We need to leave now, before we’re too weak to travel.”
“But what about the flowers?”
Amanda asked as she turned around to face John, who was standing on the other side of the stream.
“We can always come back later,” John said as he held out his hand and helped Amanda across the stream.
“But what if we can’t?”
Amanda asked as she took John’s hand, only for her eyes to go wide in surprise when Nosto suddenly lifted his staff into the air.
“Hold on tight!”
he said as he tapped the staff on the ground, which sent out a wave of green light that enveloped all three of them.
A few seconds later, they were standing in front of a small tower that was made out of crystal-clear glass.
The tower was shaped like a hexagon, with ivy growing up the sides of the building, while a small garden was growing on the roof.
The door to the tower was made out of pure gold, with an emerald set into the center of it.
“I don’t believe this is happening,” John said as he looked up at the tower in surprise.
“What is going on?”
he asked as he turned around to face Nosto, only for his jaw to drop open in shock when he saw that Nosto was no longer standing there.
“He just disappeared,” John said as he looked around in surprise, only for his eyes to go wide in shock when he heard the sound of something tapping him on the shoulder.
He turned around and saw that Nosto was standing right behind him.
“Sorry about that,” Nosto said with a smile as he held out his hand.
“Come inside and I’ll get you some food and drink.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of that…”
John thought to himself as he looked down at the small glass that Nosto had just handed him and took a sip.
“It tastes like sugared honey…”
he said as he looked up at Nosto in surprise.
“And it is…”
Nosto said as he sat down across from John and Amanda, who were sitting at a small table in the center of the room.
“I make it myself.”
“But how is that even possible?”
Amanda asked as she looked down at her glass of water and took a sip.
“The same way that I am able to make the food you are about to eat.”
“I’m not sure I want to know how you do it…”
“Very well then,” Nosto said with a smile as he stood up and walked over to a small cabinet in the corner of the room.
“I will return shortly.”
“I don’t believe any of this is happening…”
John said as he looked around in shock.
“I know what you mean,” Amanda said as she started to look around too, only for her eyes to go wide in surprise when she heard the sound of something moving overhead.
She turned around and saw a small group of children walking down the stairs, all of whom were wearing brightly colored clothes that almost looked like something out of a storybook.
The children had strange faces, with huge, almond-shaped eyes, long noses, and tiny mouths, while their heads were covered with what could only be called beards.
“What are those things?”
John asked as he stood up from the table, only for his eyes to go wide in surprise when he saw the children looking back at him.
“Are those kids?”
Amanda asked as she let out a loud gasp, only for her eyes to go wide in shock when she felt something tapping her on the shoulder.
She turned around and saw that Nosto was standing behind her.
“They are not children,” Nosto said as he held out his hand.
“They are Gnomes!”
“Gnomes?”
Amanda asked as she grabbed Nosto’s hand and stood up from the table.
“And what are we?”
“You are big folk,” Nosto said as he held out his hand and helped Amanda down from the table.
“And we are small folk!”
A few hours later, Amanda and John found themselves sitting in the middle of a small clearing in the forest, surrounded by a group of small, smiling faces.
The faces belonged to a small group of Gnomes who had come out of nowhere and surrounded the couple with smiles on their faces.
“Who are you?”
John asked as he looked around in surprise, only for his eyes to go wide in shock when he realized that the Gnomes were all holding out their hands.
“We are Gnomes!”
the Gnomes all said in unison before they started to look over John and Amanda with curious expressions on their faces.
“Why is your beard so small?”
one of the Gnomes asked as it walked up to John and started to look over his face with its tiny hands.
“My beard?”
John asked as he reached up and touched his face with his fingers.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not even a beard!”
the Gnome said as it took a step back and started to look over John’s face with an angry expression on its face.
“It’s just a bunch of hair!”
“That’s what I said!”
another Gnome said as it walked up to John and started to look over his beard too.
“That’s not very nice…”
John said to the Gnomes, only for his eyes to go wide in surprise when he saw that they were all staring at him with angry expressions on their faces.
“We’re sorry…”
the Gnome said as it looked up at John with a sad expression on its face.
“We didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“That’s okay,” John said as he reached down and picked up the Gnome in his hands.
“You didn’t hurt my feelings.”
“What are you doing?”
the Gnome asked as it looked up at John with a surprised expression on its face.
“I’m going to put you down now…”
John said as he set the Gnome down on the ground.
“Thank you…”
the Gnome said as it ran off into the forest.
“Who was that?”
Amanda asked as she looked around in confusion.
“That was Fosco Hilltopple,” one of the other Gnomes said as it walked up to John and Amanda with a smile on its face.
“And I’m Rory Bumblebrew,” another Gnome said as it walked up to John and Amanda with a smile on its face.
“The pleasure is all ours,” another Gnome said as it walked up to John and Amanda with a smile on its face.
“My name is Boddynock,” another Gnome said as it walked up to John and Amanda with a smile on its face.
“But you can call me Boddy!”
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Amanda said with a smile.
“It’s very nice to meet you too,” Boddy said as he held out his hand and shook Amanda’s hand with a smile on his face.
“But we’d better get going…”
“Going where?”
John asked as he stood up from the ground with a confused expression on his face.
“To our village!”
Boddy said with a smile as he held out his hand and helped John to his feet.
“You’re going to love it there!”
“Okay, let’s go…”
John said with a smile as he grabbed Amanda’s hand and followed Boddy into the forest, where they were met by hundreds of smiling faces.
When Amanda and John arrived at the village, they were met by hundreds of smiling faces.
The Gnomes had prepared a feast for them, with tables filled with food that smelled so good that it made Amanda’s mouth water.
A group of Gnomes was playing music in the center of the village, with some of the other Gnomes dancing around them with big smiles on their faces.
It was like nothing Amanda had ever seen before, and she couldn’t help but smile as she looked around in wonder.
When the music stopped, Amanda turned around to see an old Gnome walking towards them with a smile on his face.
“This is Rondor Oakfellow, our leader,” Boddy said as he walked up to Amanda and John with a smile on his face.
“It is an honor to meet you,” Rondor said as he held out his hand with a smile on his face.
“My name is Amanda Smith,” Amanda said as she shook Rondor’s hand with a smile on her face.
“And this is my fiancé, John Williams.”
“I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” Rondor said with a smile as he shook John’s hand.
“I’m sorry, but have we met before?”
John asked with a confused expression on his face.
“No, I don’t believe we have…”
Rondor said with a smile as he looked up at John with wise eyes.
“But I sense that you are big folk of great importance…”
“Big folk of great importance?”
Amanda asked in confusion.
“It is nothing,” Rondor said as he looked down at Amanda with a smile on his face.
“Please, join us for the feast.”
“Thank you,” Amanda said with a smile as she followed Rondor to the table, where they sat down and began to eat.
The food was delicious, and Amanda couldn’t help but smile as she ate the different dishes that the Gnomes had prepared for them.
“It’s been so long since we’ve had guests,” Rondor said with a smile as he ate his food.
“The last ones were the Elves, who visited us many years ago…”
“Why haven’t you had any guests since?”
John asked in confusion.
“We are hidden deep within the forest, so not many people know about us,” Rondor said with a smile as he looked up at John.
“But now that you are here, we will do everything we can to make you feel at home.”
“Thank you,” Amanda said with a smile as she took another bite of her food.
“We are just happy to have you here,” Rondor said with a smile as he ate his food.
“Why are you living here?”
John asked in confusion.
“We have always lived here,” Rondor said with a smile as he looked up at John with wise eyes.
“For many years, our people have lived in harmony with the earth, sharing its secrets and listening to its voice.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Amanda asked in confusion.
“We will tell you more about it later,” Rondor said with a smile as he continued to eat his food.
“But for now, let us enjoy the feast.”
For the rest of the day, Amanda and John enjoyed the feast that the Gnomes had prepared for them, eating until they were full.
Afterwards, they were led to their room by Boddy, where they fell asleep under the covers of their bed, feeling happy and content for the first time since they had arrived in this strange world.
When Amanda woke up the next morning, she could hear the sound of music coming from outside her room, along with the sound of laughter.
She got up from her bed, put on her slippers, and opened the door of her room, only to find that John was already standing outside, looking at the beautiful scenery in front of him with a smile on his face.
“Good morning,” John said with a smile as he turned around to look at her.
“Good morning,” Amanda said with a smile as she walked up to him, before looking out the window of her room to see what was going on outside.
“What’s all the commotion?”
she asked in confusion, only to see that the Gnomes were dancing and singing in the courtyard of their house, looking like they were having the time of their lives.
“Maybe they’re having some sort of festival,” John said in confusion as he looked down at the Gnomes, who were dancing in circles while singing songs at the top of their lungs.
“Let’s go find out,” Amanda said with a smile as she grabbed John’s hand and led him out of the room, before running down the stairs to the courtyard, where they joined the Gnomes in their celebration.
After dancing for a while, they went back to their room to get changed, before heading outside to explore the village with Rondor, who was waiting for them outside their house.
The village was located in the middle of the forest, surrounded by tall trees that blocked out the sun, making it look like it was always night time in this place.
The sound of the stream that flowed through the village could be heard from all over the place, making it feel like they were in the heart of nature itself.
“For some reason, I feel more at peace here than I ever have before,” Amanda said as she looked up at the sky, which was filled with stars that shone brightly above her head.
“Me too,” John said with a smile, before looking down at her with love in his eyes.
“I think it has something to do with the fact that there is no pollution here,” Amanda said with a smile as she looked up at him.
“The air is so clean that I feel like I’m breathing life itself into my lungs…”
“I know what you mean,” John said as he looked down at her.
“I can feel the power of the earth flowing through me, making me stronger…”
As they were talking, they suddenly heard the sound of footsteps coming towards them, causing them to turn around to see that it was Rondor, who was standing in front of them with a smile on his face.
“The Elder has summoned you to his dwelling,” Rondor said as he looked up at Amanda and John.
“Shall we go?”
he asked as he turned around and began to walk towards the center of the village, where the Elder’s dwelling was located.
In front of them, the Gnomes were walking towards the Elder’s dwelling, singing songs and dancing to the music that they were playing on their flutes and drums.
As they walked, they put on a show for Amanda and John, who watched them in awe, unable to take their eyes off them for even a second.
“Don’t lose sight of each other!”
one of the Gnomes shouted as he pointed at Amanda and John.
“You are not allowed to get lost!”
Amanda and John nodded their heads as they ran after the Gnomes, following them towards the center of the village.
The treehouse was the biggest building in the village, towering over all the other houses as if it was trying to reach for the sky.
The house itself was made entirely out of wood, and it was intricately designed so that it looked like it was part of the tree itself.
There were windows on every floor of the treehouse, and there was a staircase leading up to the top floor where the Elder’s chambers were located.
Amanda and John walked up the staircase together, looking around in awe as they made their way to the top floor where the Elder’s chambers were located.
As they walked, they could see that the Gnomes were watching them from down below, their eyes filled with curiosity as they followed Amanda and John towards the top floor where the Elder’s chambers were located.
When they finally reached the top floor, they saw that the door to the Elder’s chambers was already open, which meant that he was already waiting for them inside.
Amanda and John quickly walked inside, looking around in awe as they took in everything around them.
The room was filled with all sorts of strange objects and artifacts that had been collected by Gerdon over the years.
There were also books and scrolls lying around everywhere, making it look like an old library.
“Welcome to my chambers,” Gerdon said as he walked out from behind his desk and walked over to Amanda and John.
“How can I help you?”
he asked as he looked up at them.
“We are here to…”
Amanda started to say, but she was cut off when Gerdon raised his hand and silenced her.
“I know why you are here,” Gerdon said as he looked up at them.
“You are here to find out what you are supposed to do in this world… Am I right?”
he asked as he looked up at them.
“Yes,” Amanda said as she nodded her head.
“We are here to learn about our destiny…”
“That’s what I thought,” Gerdon said as he nodded his head.
“Well then… Come closer…”
he said as he motioned for them to come closer.
Amanda and John quickly walked over to him and stood in front of him, looking down at him in awe.
The entire village was still playing outside, but when they saw Gerdon, they quickly stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads in respect.
Amanda and John watched all this happen from down below, looking up at Gerdon in awe.
He was an Elder… Just like Rondor had told them before… But what did that mean?
Gerdon was a man who looked like he was in his nineties, with long silver hair and a long silver beard that reached all the way down to his chest.
He was wearing a long robe made of purple silk, which was covered in all sorts of symbols that represented wisdom and leadership.
Gerdon looked up at them and closed his eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath before he spoke again.
“You are the heroes,” Gerdon said as he looked up at them.
“The ones that have finally answered the call after so many years of waiting…”
he said as he looked up at them.
“The ones that have come to save us from the darkness that threatens to consume us…”
he said as he looked up at them.
“The ones that have come to fulfill the prophecy,” Gerdon said as he looked up at them.
“The prophecy that we have all been waiting to come true…”
he said as he looked up at them.
“The prophecy that will finally bring light into our world,” Gerdon said as he looked up at them.
Gerdon then opened his eyes, looking up at Amanda with a mix of sorrow and joy.
She could see the pain in his eyes, but she could also see the hope that had appeared as well.
“The ones that have come to bring color into our world,” Gerdon said as he looked up at her.
“Just like the one who came before you.”
“Who are you talking about?”
Amanda asked as she looked down at him.
“What do you mean?”
Gerdon closed his eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath before he spoke again.
“You are not the first ones to be chosen,” Gerdon said as he looked up at her.
“There have been many before you who have tried to complete the task… But none of them were able to do it…”
Gerdon paused for a moment, closing his eyes as he remembered all the people who had come before him.
“They chose to leave us because they did not want to force us into doing what they thought was right,” Gerdon said as he looked up at her.
“They left us because they thought that we would be better off without them…”
Gerdon paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath as he remembered all the people who had come before him.
“Many of your predecessors were killed by the darkness…”
Gerdon said as he looked up at her.
“Some of them were kidnapped by the darkness… And some of them chose to leave us behind…”
Gerdon paused for a moment, taking in another deep breath as he remembered all the people who had come before him.
“But none of them were able to complete the task,” Gerdon said as he looked up at her.
“But I believe in you…”
he said as he looked up at her.
“I believe that you and your partner will be able to complete the task that they could not…”
Gerdon paused for a moment, closing his eyes as he took in a deep breath.
“That is why I will help you…”
Amanda and John stood before him, looking down at him with surprise on their faces as they listened to what he was saying.
“There are many things that you need to know… Many things that I cannot tell you…”
Gerdon said as he looked up at her with a sad expression on his face.
“But there are also many things that you will need to decide for yourself…”
he said as he looked up at her.
“So let me help you…”
Gerdon paused for a moment, taking in another deep breath as he remembered everything that had happened before this day.
“And let us change our fate…”
he said as he opened his eyes and looked up at Amanda and John with a determined expression on his face.
Amanda and John stared down at him for a moment, looking down at him with surprise on their faces as they listened to what he was saying.
Gerdon smiled when he saw the look on their faces, knowing that they were still confused by everything that was happening around them.
“I can see that you are still confused,” Gerdon said as he stood up and walked over to them. “But I hope that I can help you understand.”
He paused for a moment, walking over to them as he waited for them to respond.
“Where are we?”
Amanda asked as she stared down at him with surprise on her face.
“You are in the Realm of Eternity,” Gerdon said as he looked up at her. “A place where time does not exist as you know it.”
he said as he looked up at her with surprise on his face. “A place where we live forever…”
he added after a moment. “And where nothing ever changes…”
he said as he looked up at her with a sad expression on his face. “Not even us…”
he added after a moment. “But the world around us is changing…”
he said as he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. “And we cannot stop it from happening…”
he added after a moment. “That is why we need your help.”
Amanda and John looked down at him with surprise on their faces as they listened to what he was saying.
“We need you to fulfill an ancient prophecy,” Gerdon said as he looked up at Amanda and John.
“We need you to fight back against the darkness…”
he said as he took in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh.
“And we need you to save our world…”
he said as he looked up at Amanda and John with a determined expression on his face.
He paused for a moment, taking in another deep breath as he waited for them to respond.
Amanda and John stood before him, listening to everything that he was saying as they thought about what to do next.
“There is nothing you can do that will change any of this,” Gerdon said as he looked up at her.
“And there is nothing that you can do that will stop any of this from happening…”
he added after a moment.
“But I hope that you will still choose to help us,” Gerdon said as he opened his eyes and looked up at her with a hopeful expression on his face.
“I know that this is a lot for you to take in… But it is something that you must decide on your own…”
he said as he looked up at her with a determined expression on his face.
“But before you make your decision, there is something that I want you to know,” Gerdon said as he looked up at her.
“There are many dangers in our world…”
he said as he took in another deep breath.
“And there are many sacrifices that must be made before we can save it…”
he paused for a moment, closing his eyes as he remembered everything that had happened before this day.
“But you will not be alone,” Gerdon said as he opened his eyes and looked up at her.
“We will be here for you,” he said as he looked up at her with a hopeful expression on his face.
Amanda and John listened to everything that Elder Gerdon was saying as they thought about what to do next.
Amanda and John stood before him in silence, listening to everything that he was saying as they thought about how they were going to respond.
“I know that this is hard for you to believe,” Gerdon said after a moment of silence.
“And I understand why you would have doubts…”
he added as he looked up at them with a serious expression on his face.
“But this is something that you must believe if you are going to survive…”
he said as he took in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh.
“You need to open your mind and think beyond what you know,” Gerdon said as he looked up at them with a serious expression on his face.
“Because if you do not, then none of this will make any sense…
And you will never be able to understand why we brought you here…”
he said as he looked up at them with a serious expression on his face.
Amanda and John listened to everything that Elder Gerdon was saying as they thought about how they were going to respond.
“But before you make your decision,” Gerdon said after a moment of silence.
“Please listen to what I have to say…” Gerdon said after a moment of silence.
“Because I know that this is hard for you to believe…”
he said as he took in another deep breath.
“And I know that this is something that is impossible to understand…”
he paused for a moment, closing his eyes as he remembered everything that had happened before this day.
“But before you make your decision, please know that this is the truth,” Gerdon said with determination in his voice.
“In our Realm, time does not exist…”
he said as he opened his eyes and looked up at Amanda and John.
“Therefore, we cannot die…”
he said as he took in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh.
“We exist in a state of perpetual life…”
he paused for a moment, waiting for them to respond.
“So do the Gnomes…”
he paused for a moment, taking in another deep breath.
“The Realm of Eternity was sealed from the passage of time by the Elder Gods centuries ago.”
“As was our world…”
Gerdon said after a moment of silence.
“Which is why we have remained hidden from the darkness for so long…”
he paused for a moment, closing his eyes as he remembered everything that had happened before this day.
“But now, the balance of our world has been threatened by forces that seek to destroy it,” Gerdon said with determination in his voice.
“And we are running out of options…”
he paused for a moment, looking up at Amanda and John with determination in his eyes.
“Which is why we brought you here,” Gerdon said with determination in his voice.
“Because we believe that you can help us…”
he paused for a moment, closing his eyes as he remembered everything that had happened before this day.
“But I know that this is hard for you to believe,” Gerdon said with determination in his voice.
“And I understand why you would have doubts…”
he added after a moment of silence.
“But I hope that you will still choose to believe me…”
he said with determination in his voice.
“Because if not, then none of this will make any sense.”
