《World Passers》
Prologue: The Departure of a Generation
A world that follows the same laws of nature as ours exists. But there seems to be something more to it¡ªsomething mysterious, unknown, and powerful. That ¡°something¡± has just happened, and at exactly 5:00 PM, people aged 15-24 have vanished all around the world.
The total population of that world is 3,123,498,908, and the number of people in the age range 15-24 is 68,234,201. What is happening to these people is unknown. These 68,234,201 individuals will experience something brought by the unknown. They will live another life in another world, with their current selves. Each world is created from a person¡¯s subconscious, resulting in 68,234,201 unique worlds, all left to be explored by their creators.
Every individual must explore their own world first before venturing into other worlds after death. These worlds are so vast and numerous that even as one person advances, the sense of reaching the ¡°end¡± becomes vague. The worlds are designed so that all individuals will eventually leave them simultaneously, an effect of their inherent rules.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
Navigating these worlds is no simple task, especially as the goal of each person¡ªdeath¡ªremains unknown to them. Each world contains its own story, and the individual must complete it before transitioning to the next, achieved only by their death. Furthermore, as others pass through these worlds, they leave behind marks, actions, and changes that persist.
As the 68,234,201 people move between worlds, they experience profound personal growth. They encounter diverse landscapes, forge unique relationships, and face emotional challenges so vivid they cannot doubt their reality. The worlds, dynamic and alive, shift as a result of the actions taken by each visitor.
The ultimate goal¡ªdeath¡ªis not one of despair, but a necessary transition. Death within a world allows a person to progress to the next, carrying with them the wisdom of their previous experiences. Some will choose to delve deeply into their own world¡¯s story, while others may rush to explore new realms. The path each person takes is their own.
And though these worlds seem separate, they are interconnected. The actions of one person leave lasting impressions on each world, creating shared experiences that transcend individual journeys.
Chapter-1: The Vanishing
A group of 17-year-olds is chatting away after class at break time sitting on their benches after having their lunch at the cafeteria. As they had read many novels, mainly fantasy, sci-fi, adventure and philosophical; they were arguing about which one was the best genre of novels.
¡°Fantasy is the best genre.¡± says Zayan excitedly, his enthusiasm clear as he had never gone beyond the fantasy genre in his reading choices.
¡°Are you an 8-year-old or what? Fanwasy is thaw bwest genre,¡± teases Rick sarcastically, making fun of Zayan¡¯s passion.
Not allowing himself to be undermined, Zayan quickly retaliates, ¡°Says the one who is five foot two.¡±
Unbothered by the height insult, Rick counters, ¡°So what if I am 5 foot 2? At least I am not a thin twig like you, who would fly away at the slightest gust of wind.¡±
¡°Stop it, both of you!¡± Ash and Lee called out almost at the same time. ¡°This is not an insult war. Let¡¯s just share our favorite genres and the reasons behind them. That¡¯s it.¡±
Zayan takes a deep breath and starts. ¡°Okay, you guys are right. So, as I was saying, I believe that fantasy is the best genre because it takes us on incredible adventures and allows us to take a view into imaginative worlds.¡±
Rick rolls his eyes but decides to play along. ¡°Well, while I don¡¯t disagree entirely, I prefer science fiction. I love how it explores futuristic concepts, scientific advancements, and potential societies of aliens living in vast space. It often makes me ponder about the possibilities and consequences of technology.¡±
Ash nods in agreement with Rick. ¡°I can see where you¡¯re coming from, Rick. Science fiction definitely has its appeal. It challenges our perception of the world and pushes the boundaries of human imagination. But, I personally like the Adventure genre. It just makes me feel so free.¡±
Lee starts, ¡°For me, it¡¯s all about mystery and thrillers. I love the suspense, the twists, and the complex relations between characters. When I read a mystery novel, I¡¯m constantly trying to solve the puzzle along with the protagonist. It keeps me hooked until the very end. It¡¯s the best in my opinion.¡±
Zayan listens intently to everyone¡¯s thoughts and realizes that perhaps there is more to explore beyond just fantasy. ¡°You know what, you guys? Maybe it¡¯s time I branch out and explore other genres besides fantasy. It seems like each genre has its own unique appeal and can offer a different kind of reading experience. I am ready to try but if I don¡¯t like it, it will drop it instantly. So recommend me only the best ones.¡±
The group smiles at Zayan¡¯s thought of trying new things and agrees that it¡¯s always exciting to expand one¡¯s reading horizons. They start discussing their favorite books from different genres and make plans to exchange recommendations, realizing that there is much more to discover and appreciate beyond just one best genre.
In another part of the world at that time. A 22-year-old person named Deon was standing at a bus park waiting for his bus to go home after his morning shift at work for a construction company. A tall person, probably 6¡¯6¡± with black hair and brown eyes with an above average-looking build. He looks like a completely normal person from the outside whose truth is hidden away. He constantly has psychotic thoughts. The thoughts of killing others around him, the thoughts of inflicting unthinkable pain and enjoying it.
¡°It started again. Calm down! Calm down, Deon. Quickly remember your good memories.¡±, Deon says to himself in his mind. As Deon stood there, trying to blend in with the crowd, his mind was a turbulent sea of dark and disturbing thoughts. It felt like two separate worlds were fighting within him - the external fa?ade of a seemingly ordinary young man, and the sinister desires that wanted to consume him completely.
The bus park was bustling with people going about their daily lives, oblivious to the darkness that resided within Deon. He watched them, his eyes shifting from one person to another, imagining the unspeakable acts he could inflict upon them. His heart raced, his palms sweaty, as these thoughts started to consume him.
The bus pulled up, and Deon joined the queue to enter it. After entering, he forced a smile and exchanged casual conversations with his fellow passengers. Meanwhile, his mind was an unending ocean of sadistic fantasies that sent shivers down his spine. The faces around him transformed into potential victims, their innocent expressions fueling his twisted and horrifying desires.
But as much as the darkness consumed Deon¡¯s thoughts, he was aware that these ideas were not something others would understand or accept. Society would label him as a monster, locking him away and taking away the freedom that he desired. So, he fought to keep these horrifying impulses hidden, to live a life that appeared normal on the surface, while battles raged within his mind.
Deon had taken a seat by the window. So, to weaken his dark thoughts, he shifted his gaze from the possible victims to the scenery that was passing outside. Suppressing his true self had become a daily routine. He envied those around him for their complete normality. In a small corner of his mind, he found peace, and his dark, psychotic thoughts started to subside.
One day, he hoped to find a way to control the darkness within him, to maybe change it into something positive, or to become able to become one with his darkness without worry. But for now, Deon remained trapped in a world where his true self was hidden away by the mask of an average person. As the bus moved further away his darkness was gone and his normality returned.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
At around 4:00 PM, the school had just ended. Zayan starts to pack his bag and calls out to Rick, ¡°Pack your bag quickly tinysaurous. Don¡¯t make me wait for you again today.¡±
¡°As you say sir bamboo stem.¡±, sarcastically replies Rick as Zayan was quite tall at a height of 6 foot 2 and very thin for his height.
Ash and Lee were used to the unending insult war between Zayan and Rick so they didn¡¯t care much about it.
Continuing this war of small insults Zayan and Rick along with Ash and Lee get out of the school building. As they get out of the school building, they are greeted by the warm orange glow of the beautiful sun floating not too far above the horizon. Ash and Lee departed left of the school gate, Rick straight ahead and Zayan to the right. The blacktop road they were walking on was so hot from absorbing the heat the whole day that they could feel their feet warming up from walking even when they had shoes on.
Having a workplace far from home, Deon had reached home at 2:13 PM when he got onto the bus at 1:00 PM. He was tired from working and sitting on the bus for an entire hour while simultaneously suppressing his true self. Deon quickly fell into his bed and got into a chain of thought while closing his eyes, facing down, and his back drenched in sweat.
¡°Is there a place where I can be myself? Where I can embrace my true nature and no one I know will criticize? If there is, then I wish I were there. I can¡¯t be my true self in this world. What if I get discovered? I will be locked behind bars and stripped of my freedom. I can never let that happen. I will not lose this identity. The identity that others know of.¡± While in this thought he suddenly remembered a moment of happiness in his life.
He remembered playing with his younger sister in their backyard, laughing and chasing each other. In that memory, he was just a 14-year-old and his sister was 5 years old. He felt at peace with all his disturbing thoughts subsiding as he remembered his own innocence. He felt at peace and fell asleep in his position.
It was nearing 5:00 PM. The sun getting ready to set, the clouds hovering with many empty spots, and everything getting a yellow tint in color. Just 2 minutes remained until it was exactly 5:00 PM. The sky that was mostly empty a few moments ago turned black and filled with dark clouds as if a rain that would cause a flood was about to happen. Not even the slightest ray of light from the sun could be seen. After a few seconds, blue spots appeared on those clouds, not the blue of the sky but a blue glow of light. This glow removed the darkness caused by the clouds and surrounded everything in a blue veil. This glow was beautiful. Many people came outside just to see this event unfold, to see the beauty of the sky. The blue spots were round and a pillar of sorts towards the ground being formed could be seen. The circular glow turned cylindrical. Some of these glows moving along with the people below them. The view of the sky at this moment was beautiful beyond anything those people had seen before. Its beauty had captured the complete attention of the people rendering them the same as statues. The streets had filled with people within a minute of the start of this event. This event was occurring worldwide at the same time. This event was illogical and didn¡¯t follow the rules of nature in the slightest. Thus, scientists worldwide began to research this event but they too were unable to turn their eyes from the sky¡¯s beauty.
As the time neared 5 PM, the blue color of the sky shone brighter and brighter. At the instant the clock hit 5, the cylindrical tiny pillars of blue light extended straight below and engulfed a person each. As soon as it engulfed a person, it went back into the clouds and the blue color vanished. All of this happened within half a second not giving people much time to think about it. The dark clouds too vanished and the sky returned to normal within 5 seconds. The warm yellow glow of the Sun was seen again. No one had seen anything besides the clouds at that time as its beauty had enslaved their gazes. But now that the clouds were gone, people realized that their family members standing with them were gone. They had seen the pillars of light drop beside them but weren¡¯t able to look away from the beautiful sky.
Quickly, noise and chaos filled the air as people were running here and there frantically in search of their family members screaming the names of the lost individual. Some parents looking for their children, and some looking for their siblings. As the screams and cries of all these people overlapped, only the disoriented and chaotic mixture of high-intensity sounds could be heard. It was a melody of despair.
Within five minutes of the occurrence of this phenomenon, thousands of missing reports were filed to the police from all around the world. The news organizations weren¡¯t late to show the news. Almost all the television channels paused their programs and a piece of emergency news was shown:
¡°As the police missing reports keep increasing in number throughout the world, one thing that is common in all these reports has been found. All those individuals who are found to be missing are in the age range of 15-24 years of age. Most scientists who have expertise in physics and quantum physics have been called for a conference in Drusk Island where they will discuss the cause of this event and try to find a solution to this unprecedented crisis.¡±
¡°Some theories have been speculated by religious as well as scientific groups. The theories from religious groups are:¡±
¡°1. Punishment from the divine: Some religious groups have speculated that this event is the punishment from God for the sins of humanity. They say that this has been done by the divine entity to make us humans repent for our sins.¡±
¡°2. End of humanity: Some religious groups have also speculated this is the end of humanity as stated by their religious books.¡±
¡°While these theories from religious groups sound illogical. Some of the scientific speculations sound even more unlikely. So only two of the likely speculations will be said here. If you would like to read all the different speculations then please visit the site ¡®disappearance-theories.int¡¯. The scientific theories are:¡±
¡°3. Broken Space-time: This theory has stated that these disappearances were caused by the breaking of the Space-time fabric. They have speculated that the fabric of Space-time broke due to that unknown phenomenon.¡±
¡°4. Multiverse: This theory has told us that this event occurred due to the people somehow slipping into another universe. This somehow is said to be because of a special form of energy passing through our planet that was initially formed at the time of the universe¡¯s formation.¡±
¡°That is all for this news. We will be back later with more news related to this tragic event. We hope everyone can get through this event.¡± Just as these words are spoken, the female reporter can be heard breaking down into tears for a brief moment before the news ends.
Chapter-2: Aftermath
Zayan was in his room lying in his bed and scrolling through his smartphone looking for a science fiction novel recommended by Rick. ¡°Rick said this one was the best quick-progressing sci-fi novel he had ever read. I said I would try but its cover picture looks quite weird. It¡¯s just our planet with a spaceship floating towards it. And this title ¡®Dark Forest¡¯. What does a forest have to do with Science that it is titled Dark Forest? Well, doesn¡¯t hurt to try. It¡¯s rated 8.9 out of 10, so it must be good.¡±
Zayan¡¯s mother had called him to the roof of their house to see the beautiful sky. Zayan said that he didn¡¯t want to and stayed in his room. His mother told him that the sky looked unnaturally beautiful and that there were blue spots in the clouds and no Sun but Zayan didn¡¯t believe her and stayed in his room looking for that novel.
As Zayan clicked the novel to start reading it, time had just hit 5 PM. Zayan suddenly felt weird and saw a blue light engulfing him for a very small fraction of a second before falling unconscious.
A huge commotion was about to start in the streets as Zayan¡¯s mother was watching the streets after the spots in the clouds vanished and the clouds themselves too vanished. She heard someone scream on the street, ¡°MY SON VANISHED!!!! HE WAS JUST HERE!!¡± As the first scream sounded, Many others in the streets looked around for their own children but only a small number were present. Seeing that their children had too vanished, Multiple screams and cries sounded.
Zayan¡¯s mother who was on the roof suddenly felt a chill. She became filled with fear similar to the others that were on the street. She ran downstairs and barged into Zayan¡¯s room without a warning. As Zayan didn¡¯t lock his door, she could easily go inside. She looked here and there inside the room. It is common sense that a person will not be in place of a mattress, but she still removed the bedsheet to see if Zayan was there. Her judgment and senses were clouded. Her cry could be heard up to the street but it was in such chaos that the cry itself became distorted.
As the disappearance happened, most people were placing their gazes at the eye-capturing sky from their homes or the streets. At the instant of disappearance, Rick, Ash, and Lee were standing on their roofs having their eyes captivated by the sky. They also briefly witnessed the blue light engulfing their whole body before losing consciousness. They felt nothing as the blue light engulfed them. All they could see was a blue light, and then their consciousness was gone.
At another place, Deon had just woken up. It was a time when the sky was starting to fill with those illogical yet beautiful blue-spotted clouds. Deon went outside and looked briefly at these clouds not caring about beauty. These clouds gave his dark side some comfort and his mind started to fill with dark thoughts again. As the streets began to crowd, all the attention was focused solely on the clouds. Deon¡¯s dark thoughts began to battle with his normality.
It was much harder than usual for Deon to contain his darkness. Regardless of his best efforts to remain composed and thoughtful, his darkness continued to grow and break down his sense of reason. A wave of unsettling and terrifying thoughts filled him, raising his blood pressure, and making his eyes turn redder, his vision slightly blurred. He was losing control of his body as the darkness within him continued to attack his mind. There was nothing he could do. It felt like a weight was pressing down on his head.
He blocked his ears, closed his eyes, and sat down there on the street with his head down surrounded by people who looked like statues turning their heads upwards. He did this to retract his vision from the people surrounding him and not lose complete control. While his rational side was fearful of what might occur if he lost control, his darkness argued saying, ¡°You feel it too. Your intuition is telling you that nothing will happen. You know that no one here will realize if a single person is gone. Don¡¯t run from your darkness. Embrace it. This is a chance bestowed to you by the heavens. You and I are ONE.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Deon stood up as the time for the disappearance drew closer. A dark smile spread across his face. He observed his surroundings. He looked at everyone in his immediate vicinity, considering who would be the most suitable to take away. His darkness had already overcome him. He glanced around and noticed a boy who appeared weak, and small, perhaps eleven years old. He considered him the ideal victim. He moved through the motionless frozen crowd and reached just behind the boy whose body was just a little bit taller than his leg. Deon lowered his body slowly and used his right hand to shut the boy¡¯s mouth and his left hand to grab both of the boy¡¯s legs. The boy was unable to make any sound with his mouth or move his body as Deon had started to carry him to his home. As Deon was moving the boy, nobody noticed him. Everyone was just frozen in place.
Deon reached just in front of his home¡¯s front door. The time hit 5 PM. The pillars of light dropped down and engulfed him. He lost his consciousness. The boy he was holding fell to the ground. Deon was nowhere to be seen. The boy got up and ran into the street where his father was.
The boy went and held the leg of his father and called him. He responded and said to the boy, ¡°What happened?¡± The boy said, ¡° A man picked me up and ran towards there but vanished as he reached that door.¡± while pointing towards Deon¡¯s front door. ¡°Stop making up stories. If a person picks you up to kidnap you, will he let you go? No, never. And how can a person vanish into thin air? This real world doesn¡¯t have magic like the ones you hear in stories.¡± The father replied. ¡°But¡. But that man did vanish. He picked me up by grabbing my legs and covered my mouth as well. I am not making stories. Believe me.¡±, the boy said. ¡°He usually doesn¡¯t make up random stories of what happened to him. Could it be the truth¡±, the father thought.
The father saw that his son was scared and got ready to check if what he said was indeed the truth. He asked his son, ¡°What do you remember clearly about the person that grabbed you?¡± ¡°He was a little taller but thinner than you. His clothes smelled like sweat. He also had black hair.¡± the boy said. ¡°You showed me that door earlier. Correct!¡± the father inquired pointing towards Deon¡¯s front door. ¡°Yes¡±, the boy replied. ¡°Hmm... That¡¯s Deon¡¯s home. He is a nice kid and has quite a hard life. He can¡¯t be the one who grabbed my son. Has someone else come here.¡±, thinking this the father reached the front door of Deon with his son hiding behind him. He knocked on the door but it just opened from the slight tap. The father called for Deon but he wasn¡¯t there and didn¡¯t answer. The street they were on previously was slowly swirling into chaos and madness because of people vanishing.
The father noticed a lot of noise from the streets and turned back. Most of the people who were like statues before were sitting on the street below and crying or screaming that their children were gone. Seeing this scene, the father felt a sudden chill in his heart and he held his son up in his arms and started dashing towards his own house.
The whole planet was in chaos. A huge chunk of the total population was gone. An entire generation of people vanished, gone, nowhere to be found. What is the thinking of the world as a whole? Nothing, absolutely nothing except downright confusion. The people left filed missing complaints to the police one after the other but a huge percentage of the police department was also in chaos as their family members too were missing. Even the government that was trying to maintain order was filled with disorder. The entire planet was an opera of the sorrowful music of cries and shouts.
There was nothing the World Government could do. When the time in the singular time zone of that planet hit 5 PM, all those people vanished. The World Government didn¡¯t even know the proper cause of vanishing, how can it be expected from them to stop such uproar of the people?
Chapter-3: The Numerous Worlds
As the blue pillars of light stooped down to the ground and took the people with them, numerous worlds were formed each person forming into exactly one world. These clusters of worlds or universes were formed outside the main universe from which the people were taken. The natural laws of all universes are fundamentally different by origin but since these small universes had formed by taking and containing a part of the main universe, these worlds had the same laws of nature with additional laws that were created on their own.
Each universe looked like a spherical marble. Expanding as all universes do, it was unnoticeable as the distance between the universes was so vast that in the gap at least a trillion more universes could be fit if put in a straight line. These marble-like universes were all very far away from the main universe but in comparison to these marble-like universes, its size was like that of a ball with the radius of a football field.
Some of these small universes shone at the brightness of a supernova while a very small cluster was like the abyss, void of any light and only a slight glint of its border could be seen.
All of these worlds were created in moments from what seemed to be nothing. But how could it be nothing at all and create something? It is something that contradicts the fact that ¡°Mass can neither be created nor be destroyed.¡± It is completely true but that is only within the bounds of the universes, not the space that is free from their laws. This space is completely free from everything. It is a space of surprises. It can do everything a person thinks it can do, but it can also do things no one thinks it can do. If a God were to exist, this space is what its playground will be like.
This space is the ¡®outside¡¯ of the universes. These worlds contained wonderful phenomena, unexplained mysteries, terrifying horror, beautiful scenery, breathtaking landscapes, and unknown possibilities. These marble-like spherical universes, though paling in comparison to the size of the giant main world were still vast having a diameter of at least a trillion light years. This large diameter was the complete size of the universes while looking from the ¡®outside¡¯ but from the inside, only a small part of this size could be seen.
These newly formed worlds were slowly arranging themselves in the ¡®outside¡¯ while stabilizing themselves. They were being pushed into places and formed clusters, all of the universes that were in a cluster had very similar laws of nature(genre).
These genres were Science-fiction having identical laws to the original world, Fantasy containing mysterious yet wonderful phenomena, Mystery waiting to be uncovered, Horror waiting to teach fear, Adventure ready for exploration, and many more.
The first of the science-fiction world as it completed forming shone with a metallic luster like that of silver with a hint of purple. As more and more of these worlds were formed, all shone like metals but in different colors. Some silvery and purple, silvery and green, golden and blue, and hundreds of thousands of other combinations.
The fantasy worlds were much more colorful compared to the science fiction, they had the colors red, blue, yellow, and green. These colors were in different percentiles and different spots in each world but they were hard to differentiate through an untrained eye.
Another genre of worlds was brown and gray. These were of mystery. What was within them was veiled in mystery.
Another of horror that was crimson red and pitch black. Among all these crimson-red marble-like worlds, one was especially darker, redder, and seemed to contain more evil than others.
Among all other worlds, there were some different ones. These being different in the sense that they were created for the sole purpose of killing the person that enters. Yes, the others were also created for this purpose but these worlds were direct. These worlds killed the one who entered. There was nothing else. The others gave a chance to live but these didn¡¯t. It was just death within entry. Maybe these were made by those who wanted to die but were also afraid of death.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Someone had just awoken. His vision was hazy for a while, so all he could see was a slight shade of dark green in front of him and some bright blue. In a very short while, the individual became aware of his surroundings. Huge trees and bushes that were the size of him surrounded everything, with a narrow dirt path. The trail of dirt appeared to have developed from people¡¯s frequent steps some footprints still looking fresh.
This person was none other than the tall twig named Zayan. He was there lying on that dirt path, his back on the ground with his face towards the sky of which all was covered by tree leaves except a small portion. He jolted upwards and sat upright before quickly standing straight. His mind was filled with confusion as the thing he last remembered was a blue pillar of light engulfing him.
Deeply confused, Zayan looked around him again, not knowing what to make of what had happened. Although he instinctively felt that everything happening was real, his mind refused to accept it. ¡°Where is this? Is this a dream? Doesn¡¯t feel like one.¡± he thought. He quickly attempted to conjure a plane grassland in place of the forest because he suspected this to be a lucid dream, but nothing materialized. ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream then. But this being real is also hard to believe.¡± Zayan thought. This was a weird thought process.
Zayan had been a quick thinker since childhood. He also learned new things rather quickly. In other words, he was a genius. He could analyze his situation quite fast. Though he could examine his current situation, he was unable to react to it as it was an irrational one.
He looked around and saw the footsteps. The footsteps were the shape of a human foot and not of sandals or shoes. Zayan began thinking, ¡°This seems to be a human foot. Who was walking here? Ummm¡¡ Leave it, there is no need for me to think of this. I need to know what I have to do. Should I follow these footsteps? No, that wouldn¡¯t be wise. What if there is danger? But I don¡¯t have any other choice. I will just follow it slowly with very light steps and hide in the bushes if I hear any animal or person moving. Yes, this is currently the best course of action.¡± Zayan had thought all of this within a couple of seconds.
Zayan started to walk very lightly and slowly over the dirt path in order to leave as little traces as possible. He was walking near the bushes on the left side of the path. As he was walking, he examined the bushes and saw that they didn¡¯t have thorns and some of the flowers, berries, and leaves were eaten by birds and insects. He realized that the bushes weren¡¯t poisonous to those creatures but couldn¡¯t be sure whether they were the same to humans.
He continued to walk in the direction of the footprints. He was aware of the dangers in a forest, so he walked without touching the bushes even though he walked near them. At one point while walking the dirt path, he saw a fruit that looked very similar to an apple. This fruit had a bite mark from a human. From the bite mark, Zayan learned that the fruit wasn¡¯t toxic. He reached over and picked one up from the tree branch that was only slightly above him. This tree was strangely tiny compared to the towering giants beside it. Probably only the size of three Zayans towered one above the other.
Zayan decided to climb this tree and stay in it for a while having gotten tired from just walking till that point. He barely climbed the tree to a higher place where he couldn¡¯t be seen from below after having fallen three times already.
This behavior of staying rational in such a situation was rare to find in many military members but to find it in a kid was thousands of times rarer. Zayan seemed to be such a case. But in truth, he had simply fantasized about being sent to another world too much. It was to the point that he had made a diary of what to do in which situation if he was truly sent. He was truly a fanatic of the fantasy genre. Yet to remember this detail in such a situation was also quite an accomplishment.
In a dark thin cobbled path having little illumination of yellow coming from a gas lamp in the main street, a very tall, black-haired, and brown-eyed man lay face down. The man slowly got up and looked around himself. It was almost completely dark. He saw that the yellow light was coming from the wide main street. Many men, who looked to be wearing tall hats, and formal attire, were walking with Canes though they looked young. The fire within the gas lamps was shining yellow light into the road. Horse carriages could be seen passing in front of the alley every now and then.
The man was in confusion. He didn¡¯t know where he was nor how he got there. ¡°What happened? I was in the street. Everyone around me was completely frozen as if they were statues. And then my mental pain intensified. Ah... So, that¡¯s what happened.¡±
This was Deon. He realized what he had done. He realized that he had lost control. He realized that he had lost to his own deeper self. All of a sudden, he realized one more thing, it was that this wasn¡¯t his original world. As soon as he realized this, he felt blissful and a sinister smile spread across his face not by the fact that he wouldn¡¯t hurt the ones he loved even if he lost control but because he had already lost control and had also located a potential victim.
Chapter-4: Worlds of Fear and Wonder
Rick groaned softly as he regained consciousness, feeling a hard but cold surface beneath him. His fingers brushed against sharp edges, and his nose filled with the scent of rusted metal. He blinked his eyes open but could hardly see anything¡ªhis surroundings were engulfed in darkness.
¡°Where am I?¡± he muttered, trying to sit up. His hand accidentally knocked over a pile of metallic parts, sending a loud clatter echoing through the room. The noise made his heart race, and he froze. He was hoping that the sound would go unnoticed.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached. A door slid open with a silent hiss, and multiple hands grabbed him roughly. Before he could even understand his situation, they tied his hands and feet and dragged him into another room, the air thick with tension.
¡°Shut him up!¡± a male voice whispered sharply. Rick¡¯s mind raced but was unable to keep up with the quick series of weird events. Who were these people? And why had they tied him up? Rick had no idea.
Once in the dim light of the new room, he saw them¡ªthree wary-looking people, their faces filled with fear and hope for survival. One of them knelt beside Rick and whispered, ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done? If the robots heard that noise, we¡¯d all be dead by now.¡±
Rick¡¯s throat went dry. ¡°Ro¡Robots?¡±
¡°Yes. Killing machines. Next time, you better keep quiet, or it won¡¯t just be your life on the line.¡±
Rick swallowed, realizing that his scientific curiosity had been fulfilled landing him in a world far more dangerous than any fiction he¡¯d ever read. It wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t read of anything more dangerous but that fact that he was in danger himself right now.
The air was damp and heavy, carrying the stench of rust. Every breath Rick took tasted like metallic dust, and the silence was broken only by the faint whir of something mechanical far in the distance.
Rick was frightened by these people but he wished to give an explanation for the series of events and how he got there. Just as he was going to open his mouth and explain, The same voice from before aggressively whispered again ¡°Shut him up!¡± Rick felt a rough hand clamp over his mouth making him unable to speak.
A woman crouched down beside him, her face twisted with fear and anger. ¡°Do you have any idea how close you came to killing us all?¡± Despite the anger, these people managed to speak in a low voice.
Ash opened his eyes slowly, feeling the cool air against his skin. The sight before him was one that he¡¯d dreamed of a million times¡ªmajestic mountains, thick forests, and a sense of endless adventure. Yet, instead of leaping with excitement, a strange feeling of uncertainty held him back.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
He sat up from the lush green grass he was on. A tree beside was giving him shade from the hot sun. He slowly scanned his surroundings, Everything was as he¡¯d imagined¡ªuntouched, and full of potential for discovery. But despite the beauty, he felt a small weight of uncertainty on his chest.
¡°Is this...real?¡± he thought to himself, moving his mouth but without making any sound. It was everything he had ever wanted, but now that it was here, he found himself hesitating. The towering mountains that had once excited him now felt intimidating. His limbs felt stiff as if his body needed time to adjust to the reality of being here.
Slowly, Ash stood and took a deep breath. The smell of coolness and earth filled his senses. He glanced at the dirt path leading into the unknown. His heart raced with a mixture of fear and excitement. ¡°This is what I¡¯ve always wanted, right?¡± he thought.
He knew he couldn¡¯t stay still forever. The adventurer within him was itching to explore, but the enormity of the task ahead¡ªnavigating this world alone¡ªwas overwhelming. It wasn¡¯t going to be as easy or romantic as he had read and imagined.
Taking his first steps, he reassured himself. ¡°I¡¯ll get used to it. This is what I wanted. I can¡¯t fear it myself.¡±
As Ash was taking his first steps in the new world, he stumbled falling face flat on the grass he was lying in moments ago. He quickly got up and looked around feeling another round of uncertainty. This made him feel as if there could be more dangers waiting for him. This world looked like a beautiful place for exploration but in truth was a wild and untamed place.
Lee¡¯s eyes snapped open, and his breath caught in his throat. He was lying on a cold wooden floor. A faint, metallic scent hit his nose as he slowly pushed himself up. Blood.
The dimly lit room was cast in shadows, and as his eyes adjusted, he realized he was next to a large, old-fashioned study desk. His heart nearly stopped when he saw a figure slumped over in the chair¡ªa man, dressed like a detective from an old movie, his head resting on the desk. Blood pooled around his head, and his hand gripping a revolver.
Lee¡¯s body tensed, and he instinctively backed away, his breath shallow. ¡°What...what happened here?¡± he whispered, his voice trembling.
He had read enough mystery novels to know what this looked like¡ªan unsolved crime scene. But being in the middle of it, with a dead body in front of him, was far more terrifying than any book.
For a moment, he thought of running, but something deep within him urged him to stay. This was what he loved¡ªmysteries, the thrill of unraveling the unknown. Yet, the fear was real, and it gripped him hard.
¡°I need to figure this out,¡± he thought, trying to swallow his fear. But first, he had to calm down. He took one more glance at the man, his mind racing with questions. Who was he? Why was he dead? And most importantly¡ªwhere was Lee?
Though Lee had thought of figuring this case out he was contemplating running out of the house every passing moment. It was only his curiosity that was making him stay. Afraid of the dead body, Lee constantly tried to avoid having it in his range of vision.
The only light in the room came from a flickering bulb on the ceiling. Lee¡¯s eyes kept returning to the pool of blood on the desk, thick and clotting, its dark stain creeping across the wooden desk. The revolver gleamed dully in the man¡¯s lifeless hand, the barrel still pointed toward his head.
His eyes flicked between the dead man and the door, his feet itching to run. But then his gaze settled on the revolver again, on the stillness of the room. He had always craved mysteries, and always wanted to be the one to solve them. But this...this was real. Too real. And it terrified him.
Chapter-5: Memorized to Heart
Zayan sat lazily atop the sturdy branch, half-reclined against the thick trunk of the tree. It had been about half an hour since he climbed up, and in that time, he had done little more than peck at the apple-like fruits growing nearby and eat them one by one. The taste was mildly sweet, but it was the sensation of calmness that washed over him as he ate that eased him the most. This world, with its towering trees and strange quietness, was still unfamiliar, but for now, this moment of peace was welcome.
He had only eaten three fruits, including the one he held in his hand. He took another bite, lazily glancing at the sky through the mesh of leaves.
Suddenly, a loud howl echoed through the forest, startling Zayan so much that he nearly dropped the fruit. His head snapped toward the direction of the sound, his heart racing from the unexpected noise. From about 500 meters away, the noise repeated.
Zayan squinted, peering through the dense mesh of leaves. His eyes widened when he finally spotted the source of the commotion. Charging down the dirt path he had followed earlier was a white, massive, wolf-like creature, its size rivaling that of a full-grown grizzly bear. Its fur was probably as white as the clouds but now the fur was messy with dirt and blood, its eyes were wild with panic as it ran with all its strength.
But it wasn¡¯t running alone. Behind it, 14 people chased the it relentlessly. Zayan¡¯s breath was caught in his throat as he observed them. They looked strong¡ªmuscular, their brownish skin shining with sweat as they sprinted after the wolf-like animal. They were slightly shorter than Zayan, all about 5¡¯9¡±, and wore nothing but animal skins as clothing. As they were sprinting towards the tree Zayan was in, Zayan could see them better¡ªEleven were men, three were women, and each of them moved with a precision that only came with years of experience.
Zayan froze as these people passed just in front of the tree he was in, his instincts screaming at him to stay as still as possible. He tucked his body closer to the trunk of the tree, hoping the leaves would shield him from their view. He watched intently as the group of hunters closed in on the creature. Luckily, the wolf was focused on survival and the people focused on their kill.
Four men at the front raised blow darts, their movements completely synchronized as if they were the same person. Zayan watched in awe as they fired almost simultaneously. The darts flew through the air with frightening speed, embedding themselves into the wolf¡¯s side and back. The animal let out another howl, slowing its pace, but it continued to stagger forward, determined to escape.
Zayan¡¯s mind raced. ¡°Poison,¡± he thought. The darts must be tipped with something deadly. How else could they slow down a beast of that size so quickly?If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
The three women, armed with spears, were next. Each carried three spears, and with great precision and strength, they hurled them toward the escaping creature. One spear hit the wolf¡¯s leg, another in its back. The third missed, but it didn¡¯t matter¡ªthe creature was faltering now, each step becoming more labored. It was evident that the creature was bound to fall today.
Zayan¡¯s heart pounded vigorously in his chest. His eyes darted quickly between the hunters and the wolf, wondering how much longer the beast could survive. The remaining seven men charged forward, drawing knife-like weapons as they closed the distance. The wolf was barely moving by the time they reached it, and in a brutal, coordinated effort, they slashed and stabbed, delivering the final blow. The animal finally collapsed unable to even produce a last howl. They were already about 400 meters away from Zayan when the animal collapsed.
The forest fell silent once more.
Zayan swallowed hard. The scene he had just witnessed left him fearful. He had always read about hunters and predators in fantasy novels, but seeing such a one-sided battle in real life was overwhelming. These people¡ªthey were dangerous. They had taken down a beast that, under normal circumstances, would have been an apex predator, with nothing more than simple weapons and coordinated attacks. And they had done it with such frightening ease.
The group stood around the fallen wolf, speaking in low voices. They began retrieving their weapons from the animal¡¯s corpse, their faces expressionless, as though this was nothing more than routine for them. Zayan couldn¡¯t help but notice the scars on some of the men¡¯s arms and legs when they had passed in front of his tree¡ªevidence of past battles, no doubt. Their clothes, though simple, were worn and covered in dirt, suggesting they had spent days, if not weeks, in the wilderness.
Zayan¡¯s muscles remained tense as he watched the hunters continue to butcher the wolf, taking out parts of its meat and putting them in a pouch made of animal skin. He held his breath, willing to be as still and quiet as possible. Every creak of the branch beneath him made his pulse quicken.
Once the hunters had moved on and went the way that Zayan had come from, Zayan exhaled slowly, his grip on the branch loosening. He sat there for a moment, letting the tension drain from his body. But his mind was still racing.
¡°I have to get out of here,¡± he thought. These people weren¡¯t friendly. They weren¡¯t just hunters¡ªthey were warriors, used to battle and survival. And if they could take down a creature like that so easily, what chance would Zayan have if they saw him as an outsider, an intruder in their territory?
He looked around the forest, suddenly aware of how vulnerable he was. This isn¡¯t a game, he reminded himself. The danger here was real, and his survival depended on his ability to stay unseen and unnoticed.
With renewed determination, Zayan made his decision. He would leave the forest, and fast. Staying here was no longer an option¡ªnot with people like that around.
He glanced once more in the direction the hunters had gone, then began planning his escape, every step was carefully calculated in his mind. His diary had prepared him for scenarios like this¡ªencounters with hostile locals, potential danger at every turn. Now it was time to put that knowledge to use.
Zayan couldn¡¯t help but feel joy at the fact that he had memorized his diary to heart increasing his chances of survival.
Chapter-6: Plans
Zayan¡¯s heart rate finally slowed down and became calm. The forest also returned to its unnatural quietness, but Zayan knew that danger was still lurking. The locals were gone for now, but he couldn¡¯t afford to stay in that tree for too long. He needed to act, and every decision had to be well thought out.
His mind drifted back to the survival strategies written in his diary, recalling the steps he had memorized for situations like this. He could picture the page as if it were in front of him.
If hostile locals are met in a thick forest.
ESCAPE FOREST
- Remain hidden at all costs until the threat has passed. Do not engage.
- Observe the environment and map out the area mentally for any paths or obstacles.
- Evaluate the locals behavior¡ªdetermine their level of danger and hostility. Are they hunting? Searching for something?
- Always be calm.
- Stay near natural cover (trees, bushes) and move silently. Do not disturb the wildlife.
- If the locals remain in the area, wait for nightfall. Darkness is your ally.
- When possible, retreat in the opposite direction of the locals. Avoid confrontation.
- If escape routes are blocked, look for high ground to hide or escape.
- If spotted, run only when necessary. Remain calm, and use natural cover to lose pursuers.
- Trust your instincts. Do not second-guess the plan.
The point he remembered the most was the fourth one: Always be calm. Zayan inhaled and exhaled slowly, focusing on that simple directive. It had been drilled into him as this point was on almost every page of his diary. Panic would only cloud his judgment.
But now, the situation demanded more than just calmness. He had to adjust his plans based on his surroundings¡ªadapt the plan to fit his situation.
Zayan knew that water was his best chance at finding a way out of the forest. Rivers flowed toward lower ground, which meant following one could eventually lead him out of the dense forest. But there was an important detail he remembered from his diary¡ªrivers attract life.
Civilizations tend to flourish near rivers, and where there are people, there is always potential danger. There was no guarantee that the locals near the river would be friendly. Worse, animals also moved toward the water in search of nourishment, which meant that while the river offered a path out, it also posed additional risks.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Zayan would need to be extra cautious. His plan would have to account for these new factors. He couldn¡¯t simply follow the river without considering who or what might already be there.
Zayan decided that walking along the bank would pose too much danger. He would keep a safe distance¡ªfar enough to avoid being spotted by potential locals or animals, but close enough to follow its direction.
He reminded himself of a technique to minimize noise while walking. This technique was to shift his weight to the balls of his feet, walking with soft, controlled steps. This technique would work on soft ground only. For the hard ground, he had to take help of the classic¡ªtiptoeing. This would help him avoid startling any animals or giving himself away to locals.
Zayan decided to constantly scan the forest, keeping an eye on any movement or sounds. He had already witnessed the giant wolf-like creature being hunted down¡ªthere could be more of them, or other predators, roaming around the woods. His eyes would remain on the trees, bushes, and shadows, always ready for a sudden shift in the environment.
Zayan realized that if backtracking or retreat was necessary, he would have to keep track of distinct landmarks¡ªtrees with odd shapes, rocks with unique markings¡ªanything that would help him know his position.
The modified plan was now ready. Zayan picked up two of those apple-like fruits and tied them up to his sides with his t-shirt, reserved as emergency food in case he didn¡¯t find any of these edible fruits again while roaming in search of the forest¡¯s exit.
It had been some time after the locals had left Zayan¡¯s range of vision. As Zayan climbed down from the tree, he took a deep breath, repeating the important point in his mind: Always be calm. Every muscle in his body was tense, but his mind was clear. He couldn¡¯t let panic affect his actions.
His foot touched the ground lightly, and Zayan immediately crouched low, using the thick underbrush to conceal himself. He focused on every tiny sound he could hear and heard a faint sound of flowing water in a faraway distance in a direction towards his right. That¡¯s where he would be headed, but he wouldn¡¯t rush¡ªpatience was key. Every step had to be calculated to produce as little sound as possible.
With the balls of his feet planted softly on the ground, Zayan moved like a shadow. The forest floor was littered with muddy but dead leaves and twigs covered the mud, but he carefully avoided stepping on anything that might give him away. The silence was frightening, but it allowed him to stay focused.
After walking like this for what seemed to be an entire hour to Zayan, He finally saw the river, feeling a sense of accomplishment. He couldn¡¯t afford to get too close but he saw the direction toward which the river was flowing. It was towards his left. Zayan turned in that direction and continued to walk again sticking to his plan.
With each step, he reminded himself: Always be calm.
Chapter-7: The Steel-Plated Beast
The forest was eerily quiet as Zayan made his way along the river with quiet and cautious steps. The distant sound of flowing water was a helpful guide. His eyes were constantly scanning the trees and bushes for any movement, his mind constantly repeating: Stay calm. Always stay calm.
But then, just as the river curved ahead, he froze mid-step. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes landed on something up ahead, lying right in his path.
A creature.
It was massive¡ªthe size of an elephant. Its form was feline, but its body was unlike any normal animal. Its skin gleamed in the sparse sunlight that passed through the canopy of leaves far above as if made entirely of plated steel. Thick, overlapping plates of dark metallic sheen armored its body from head to tail, and Zayan could see its chest expanding and contracting rhythmically, signaling that it was merely sleeping. Zayan was still around 58 meters away from the creature. It seemed the creature was hidden by one of the giant trees around Zayan.
Zayan¡¯s heart pounded as he stood motionless, staring at the creature in disbelief and fear realizing that the wolf-like creature was only a small creature in this new world. The thing lay there, sprawled out across the only way forward. It blocked the path Zayan was walking completely. He couldn¡¯t move. His mind screamed at him to act, but the sheer size and unnatural nature of the beast rooted him to the spot.
His thoughts raced: What if it wakes up? What if it sees me? What might this thing be capable of?
He tried to remember the survival strategies he¡¯d memorized over and over¡ªbut at this moment, none of it seemed to apply. The massive beast with its armor-like skin, fit into his categories of fantasy animals but its sheer presence paralyzed him.
Zayan¡¯s body was trembling, his legs felt so weak that he thought he might fall. How could he have been prepared for something like this? His mind had played out countless survival scenarios¡ªfantasy worlds and mystical creatures¡ªbut the steel-plated beast in front of him was real, unlike anything he¡¯d ever imagined. ¡°Is this what they feel in those stories?¡± he thought, realizing the gap between imagination and reality.
A few seconds passed, but to Zayan, it felt like minutes. He could feel his chest tightening. His heartbeat was loud in his ears. His breaths were shallow, each one quieter than the last. He felt as though the slightest of sounds would wake the sleeping giant and he would be devoured.
¡°Stay calm... stay calm... always stay calm¡±, he repeated, but the words felt empty. He couldn¡¯t stay calm with that thing in front of him.
Finally, after an entire minute, he managed to calm down taking long and quiet breaths. The creature remained in deep slumber, the regular rise and fall of its breathing almost inducing peace. Zayan¡¯s eyes darted around, analyzing his surroundings. He needed to get around this thing, but there was no way to go forward without crossing just beside it. The risk was too great.
Taking another deep breath, Zayan made his decision. ¡°I will just detour around it. I can¡¯t provoke it. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±
He crouched low, moving slowly into the cover of trees beside the path he was taking. His eyes never left the creature as he began to circle it, each step taken with care.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Suddenly, the creature shifted slightly. Its massive steel-plated tail scraped against the ground causing some soil to be dug up. It exhaled a deep, echoing breath. Zayan¡¯s body had gone stiff and his heart was hammering so hard in his chest that he feared it might reveal his position. Zayan remained frozen in place, barely daring to breathe. His eyes remained locked on the beast. Its thick claws were each as long as his forearm and Zayan could only imagine his own outcome had he been attacked. He didn¡¯t have to imagine much as the conclusion was simple: He wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.
Zayan thought that the beast had woken up. ¡°It woke up. What do I do? What do I do? I need to run. I need to run¡ ¡± Zayan wanted to run but felt as if he was glued in place. Instead of the fight or flight reaction. He had the freeze reaction.
Zayan waited for the beast to wake up. It didn¡¯t. It was sleeping, peacefully, unbothered by the world. Zayan was staring at the beast with his eyes wide open. After being frozen for 60 breaths of time Zayan could finally move.
Seeing that the creature was still asleep, Zayan faintly felt of safe¡ªfor now. He was about halfway around the creature at the time still keeping a wide distance. Zayan began his march again, now being even more alert than before.
Zayan didn¡¯t know that this beast, despite its intimidating appearance, was an herbivore. If it had seen him, it would have ignored him entirely, sensing no threat from the lone human creeping past it. But Zayan had no way of knowing this, and so he remained cautious, treating the creature like the potential danger it looked like.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Zayan reached the other side. He stopped for a moment. His body was tense, still watching the beast. It continued to sleep peacefully without being disturbed by his presence.
Zayan glanced at the beast one last time before turning his focus back onto the river. He still had a long way to go, but the encounter had shaken him more than he wanted to admit. He couldn¡¯t afford to let his guard down, especially when the forest contained such dangers. There was no telling what other dangers lay ahead in this strange world that had only shown him danger.
With his heart still pounding vigorously, Zayan¡ªdetermined to keep following the river¡ªwalked on. The sound of the flowing water kept him on track and he moved with more caution now that he had seen the threats present. However, the forest around him seemed to shift a little. It was very subtle at first, but then he noticed it. The trees were becoming sparser. The canopy above was thinning, allowing more sunlight to filter through the branches.
His steps quickened as he realized what this might mean: the forest was beginning to clear. He might finally be nearing its edge. But he was still vigilant hoping that he wouldn¡¯t meet anything else.
Zayan paused momentarily to look around. The dense vegetation that was slowing him down earlier receded. They were replaced by shorter bushes and open patches of grass. The river felt like a guide, leading him out of the wild.
Hope ignited in his chest. ¡°Have I finally found the exit? I can leave now, right.¡±
But even as the excitement bubbled within him, Zayan remained cautious. He couldn¡¯t allow himself to be careless. There was still the unknown to consider¡ªwhat lay beyond the forest? Was the world outside safer or not?
His mind thought back at the creature he had just passed. It had been sleeping peacefully, but its presence was a blunt reminder of the threats this world held. Even if he reached the edge of the forest, he knew he would need to stay alert for whatever might come at him next.
Zayan took out one of the apple-like fruits he had gathered and ate it feeling hungry after having walked for so long. He glimpsed toward the thinning tree line one more time and resumed walking while silently chewing on the fruit. His heart was set on reaching the forest¡¯s edge by the time the light had taken its leave.
Zayan knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before he exited the wilderness. Yet, he couldn¡¯t help but fear the new dangers that might appear after he was out of there.
Zayan couldn¡¯t help but ask himself an ominous question: ¡°Is that truly the exit and if it is, Is it any safer outside ?¡±