As Alex's consciousness slowly returned, he found himself lying on a bed of soft moss amid a dense and mysterious forest. The air was infused with the scent of blooming flowers, and the distant sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves filled the serene atmosphere. Blinking away the disorientation, Alex tried to sit up, his head throbbing in protest. Alex saw that instead of the pajamas he was wearing before, he was now dressed in white robes.
The surroundings were unlike anything he had ever seen. Towering trees with luminescent leaves reached toward the sky, casting an ethereal glow over the forest. Strange, colorful creatures flitted between the branches, their presence adding to the enchantment of the place.
Pushing himself to his feet, Alex heard a sudden rustle, and before he could react, a figure collided with him, knocking him to the forest floor. Startled, he looked up to see a beautiful woman, her sky blue robes flowing around her like a cascade of azure blossoms.
"Watch out!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with urgency. "Sorry, but if you want to live I suggest you run."
Before Alex could respond or make sense of the beautiful woman now taking off in a sprint, a low growl echoed through the forest. The trees seemed to shiver, and a massive beast, its fur aglow with a mystical silver light, emerged from the shadows. Fear surged through Alex as he realized the danger he faced.
With that, the beautiful woman was now almost out of sight, forcing Alex to scramble to his feet and follow her lead. The beast closed in on them quickly, its snarls echoing through the enchanted forest. Alex's heart raced as he pushed himself to match the woman's speed, the urgency of the situation forcing him to tap into reserves of energy he never knew he possessed.
Just then, Alex saw a flash of golden words in his mind that read 'Immortals Simple Movement Skill.' After reading this, Alex's speed and agility shot to new heights, and he easily matched the speed of the woman who had knocked him down, the two now running side by side.
"Hey, I didn't get to introduce myself back there. My name is Alex, what's yours?" The woman looked at Alex with a dumbfounded expression on her face, surprised that the young man next to her, who was struggling to run in the forest, was now keeping up with her speed with ease.
"I'm Elara." She said, and immediately increased her speed, seeing the beast still on their tail.
Through the twists and turns of the forest, Elara led the way, her movements fluid and precise. Alex felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins as he ran, the surreal environment blurring around him. The realization hit him that he was in a realm where the laws of nature and physics bent to the will of the mystical. Although they were running for their lives, Alex had never felt more alive.
As they distanced themselves from the creature, Elara finally slowed to a stop, allowing Alex to catch his breath, although he did not look the least bit tired. She looked at him with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. "Impressive, Alex. You looked like a bumbling fool who barely learned to walk, but you were suddenly able to catch up to me and my speed."
Alex, still trying to grasp the reality of the situation himself. "Well, you suddenly brought a strange beast I've never seen before, and I had to start running for my life without warning."
Elara's gaze flickered with concern. "What do you mean, never seen before? Who hasn't seen the Saber-toothed Grey Hound before?"
"Well, I've never seen one, I'm not even sure where I am right now, I just woke up in this strange forest." Elara looked deep into Alex's eyes, trying to find any hint of a lie, and saw that Alex was telling the truth.
Elara studied Alex some more before nodding. "I think I've read about this happening before, but I'll explain later. For now, just follow me back to my sect."
"What? Why can't you tell me what's going on right now, and what do you mean by your sect?" Alex was becoming frustrated and impatient after being transported to a battlefield in which he died, then being suddenly whisked away by a strange old man claiming to be an immortal, now finding himself in a strange forest being led around by a strange beauty.
"Just come along and we'll get you your answers."
With that, Elara continued to lead Alex through the forest and back to her sect, their chance encounter becoming the starting point for a journey that could very well reshape the world.