The first thing he felt was… warmth. Not the warm air of a normal summer morning. This warmth was strange. Almost alive. The boy's eyelids trembled as he slowly opened his eyes.
"…Huh?"
His vision was blurry. His body felt heavy, like he had slept for days. When he finally blinked properly, he froze. Above him was a sky so blue it looked unreal. The clouds looked like soft white brushstrokes.
And around him…Trees that were taller than any he'd ever seen. Bright flowers bloomed in colours he didn't even know had names. Even the air smelled different—fresh, sweet, and tingling.
He pushed himself up, rubbing his eyes again and again.
"What… is this place?"
A small creature hopped near his feet. It looked like a rabbit… but it had tiny wings.
The boy's jaw dropped.
"…No way."
He slowly looked around, his heart pounding harder with every second. His voice came out as a whisper.
"Where… am I?" "Who am I & why can't I remember my name?"
He looked around and thought he should get out of this forrest first before he runs into any wild beast. Walking felt like the safest option. Staying still in a world like this? That sounded like asking for trouble.
The boy moved forward carefully, stepping over glowing mushrooms and stones that shimmered faintly and after what felt like hours…he finally saw something that made him stop.
Buildings. Real buildings. A town. And it wasn't normal at all.
The streets were loud, full of energy. People shouted, laughed, argued, and bargained as if life itself depended on it. Vendors sold fruit that floated above their carts. Kids ran around with tiny fireballs hovering over their palms like it was a game. The boy stumbled into the crowd, nearly tripping over his own feet.
"S-Sorry!"
Someone bumped into him and didn't even look back. Another person walked past holding a staff with a gem that glowed. The boy's eyes widened.
"This is… magic?"
He swallowed hard. His mouth was dry. His brain was screaming questions.
"Am I dreaming? Did I die? Is this some other world?"