Vol.1 Ch.01 Just a Normal Morning?


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner bg-amber-200">This story was a new one for Ryan. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be in such a situation. He had always been the kind of guy who knew what he was doing and didn''t need to ask for directions in life. That was until today.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan was going through his usual early morning routine like any other day during the week, but this time it was different. He was going down his usual morning path, which usually consisted of running through the Hudson Forest Preserve. It''s a heavily forested area in the Midwest of the United States and it helped him clear his thoughts before heading into work. While he was running, he heard a sound. It was something unusual, a sound that wasn''t supposed to be there, something electrical.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">‘That can’t be right?’ <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan thought to himself. Then the sound quieted down, almost as if it was trying to hide from him, making almost no noise at all, but there was enough noise to get his attention. Ryan stopped in his tracks and listened carefully while trying to calm his breathing after running about 5 miles so far.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">"What is that?" <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan said, just barely whispering to himself.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">''Whatever it is... It''sing closer.'' <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">He thought to himself.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">He could hear a faint rustling in the bushes next to him. The rustle got louder as the dead leaves and brush were getting disturbed.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Whatever it was, was closing in on him quickly. Even though the logical part of his brain was telling him to turn back and run from the possible danger. But instead, it was his damn sense of adventure and curiosity that won over in the end. As it usually does when there was a possible mystery around the corner.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">He kept on listening closely to the noises around him. Whatever this animal or thing may be, kept getting closer and closer. At first, he thought it was a small animal like a squirrel, but it started sounding bigger maybe it was a deer or something of simr size, which wouldn''t be anything new in this part of the world. Ryan usually would at least see a deer once a day when running in the morning.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Then out of the brush came a thing. It was some orb, almost like a crystal ball. And it was emitting this strange glow that wasing from a rune at the center of this mysterious object.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">It seemed to be very transparent, and it emitted a soft blue light with a hint of purple and green. The sphere was still floating in the air a foot above the ground but slowly started moving towards him.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">"What the hell is that!?" <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">He asked himself while not sure if he should be shocked or surprised by the strange object.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan was trying to keep himself from losing his sanity while trying toe up with a logical reason for whatever this orb was. Having no clue if this orb is alien, mythical, or some type of phenomenon that''s either natural or supernatural?


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">"Well, it doesn''t seem hostile?" <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">He said to himself. Then the orb started making a low bass sound. It was like a sound you would hear when your neighbor sts a subwoofer and it could barely be muffled by the walls.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">''Crap! That doesn''t sound good!'' <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan thought, as he finally started to sense a bad omening from the mysterious glowing orb.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">"Why is it getting louder?!" <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">He asked himself once again, while the orb''s strange sounds were starting to get more intense which Ryan could feel his chest cavity vibrate.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">The orb seemed to being closer and closer, as it zeroed in on Ryan. It was moving at an rming rate. <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">With that Ryan promptly turned tail and tried to book it out of there. As fast as his legs could take him. Even though he couldn''t see the orb he could feel the vibrations from that bass noise getting stronger behind him.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">"God Dammit Ryan! You had to see what the fuck that mysterious sound was!" <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan yelled and chastised himself for not being more cautious in life for the first time in a while.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">''I should have known better!'' Ryan thought to himself.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Like most people, he has always been a skeptic when ites to such things that he has never seen before. After all, there are plenty of people out there iming to be abducted by aliens, or whatever else paranormal demonic crap that truthers like to spew out of their mouths. But Ryan is going to be one of those mythical conspiracy stories now and if he finds a way out of this predicament, he will never say a bad thing about them again.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">He quickly ran around the bend of the trail until he got to a ce where he could see the road ahead.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">''Almost there! I hope someone''s on the road, God dammit!'' <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan thought to himself as he was running out of stamina after running over 6 miles now.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">As the orb was gaining on Ryan, he tripped on a root from a tree and fell t on his face onto the gravel path.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">"Shit!" <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">He yelled out loud. He was sweating, bruised, and exhausted at the moment and Ryan wished he never ran into this orb.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan needed to get up and use whatever energy he could muster to get on his feet while gritting through the pain. But just as he was about to get up the orb finally caught its target. As it crashed right in the middle of Ryan’s back, pinning him to the ground. Ryan felt like he got hit by a boulder.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Soon, a weight pressed down on him, and he couldn''t move his arms.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">''Was this some kind of trap?'' <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan thought to himself, as he looked up and saw the orb glowing brightly. This orb was like a force field that wouldn''t let him escape.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">''Why do I feel like I''m being pumped with energy!'' <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan thought as he began to feel charged particles almost like massive static electricity flowing through him.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">"This isn''t good," <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan said to himself, as he tried his best to break free. There was nothing he could do. His body was locked in ce. He was powerless against the orb and its ever-increasing glow and sound.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">The orb was glowing brighter now, and it seemed to be charging him up. Like a giant battery that was feeding him with energy. All of a sudden, the orb emitted a deep pulsing sound that shook Ryan''s core, leaving him in awe of this new experience. The orb seemed to be opening a warp portal or a tear in time and space. It was tough to tell because the light was so damn blinding!


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">"What the hell is happening?" <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan thought to himself. He couldn''t move a muscle, or speak, and he was starting to freak out in panic. Then the orb opened a wide portal that could easily have a car drive through it, or maybe it was a tear in the fabric of reality. Whatever it was, was staring him in the face.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">With that Ryan was suddenly pulled in. It''s hard to exin the sensations of going through a warp portal. With every molecule in Ryan''s body screaming out as if it went from solid to liquid to vapor to solid again. And repeat that process for who knows how long!


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">The weird thing is somehow Ryan was able to visualize it happening to him. It kind of looks like that scene from thest Harry Potter film, when Harry grabs onto Lord Voldemort before he flies away with everything looking like smoke as they merged with each other, doing their wizard magic crap. It''s a cool scene, but he never wished to experience it again if he had the choice.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">As Ryan went through the rip in the fabric of reality, he realized that the orb was gone, and he was falling down into an endless pit or hole. The sensation was like he was flying through the air with no control of his own.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">‘This must be what it feels like to be pulled into a ck hole!? Or being sucked into a wormhole? I don''t know how long I was in this distorted reality, but I just wanted it to stop.’ <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan thought to himself while he was begging for this to end. And out of nowhere it finally ended as he became whole again aftering out of the other end of the portal.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">"Ugh!?"<span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan tried to hold back the bile in his stomach as he started feeling really dizzy from that insane experience. When Ryan finally came back to his senses while hunched over on his knees, he noticed a few figures in front of him. His vision was still blurry, but they looked like they were robed figures standing in a semicircle.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan also heard footsteps from behind him. He quickly looked back just to see four more robed figures. There was a total of seven robed figures in all.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">"This better not be what I think this is?" <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">said Ryan while he tried to figure out what the hell just happened.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">All Ryan could do was shake his head a little at the realization of what had happened to him.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">‘I got fucking isekai''d or maybe this is a bad dream?’ <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan told himself.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">But Ryan usually likes dreaming about fantasy or sci-fi. Hell, he usually likes to read a chapter or two of whatever light novel he was reading at the time, just before going to bed. It''s his tradition, his habit. Also, he loves video games. He has a backlog of RPGs that he’s rotating through.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">So, one would think Ryan would be in heaven, right?


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">‘Let me ask you a question. Am I experiencing this whimsical fantasy from thefort of my home? No? I''m not! I prefer to not experience my fantasies in real life because they''re "FANTASIES'''' an escape from my normal day-to-day life... Where I need to worry about paying the bills, getting groceries, going to the climbing gym, hanging out with friends, meeting up with family, and my girlfriend... My girlfriend! I need to get back!’ <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">Ryan said to himself.


    <span ss="block font-serif text-base font-normal text-gray-900 my-[0.5rem] rtive"><span ss="rounded transition-colors ease-in-out duration-100 editor-block-inner hover:bg-amber-100">As Ryan was lost in thought the robed figures were moving closer to him.