Chapter 1: A New Beginning
It was just another mundane day in the life of Jason, a 25-year-old software engineer, until he stumbled upon an ancient artifact while exploring a flea market on his lunch break. It was a strange portal, made of an unknown material, with mystical runes etched into its surface.
Without thinking, Jason reached out and touched the portal, expecting nothing to happen. However, in an instant, he was pulled into the vortex of the portal, falling into a black void.
As he tumbled through the void, his memories and senses started to blur and fade. He felt like he was losing touch with reality as he knew it. But then, he saw a glimmer of light in the distance, and instinctively reached out for it.
Suddenly, he was thrust through a bright beam of light and landed harshly on his back. Dazed and disoriented, Jason slowly sat up and took in his surroundings. What he saw left him speechless.
He was no longer in the busy city streets of his world, but instead in a lush, vibrant forest. The trees towered above him, their leaves glowing with an ethereal light. He could hear the sounds of birds singing and insects buzzing around him, and a gentle breeze rustled his hair.
Jason stumbled to his feet, trying to take it all in. As he looked around, he saw that he was wearing different clothes than he'd had on before. His modern clothing had been replaced by a tattered cloak and worn leather boots.
Struggling to come to grips with his new reality, Jason stumbled forward, searching for answers about how he had arrived in this strange new world.
As he walked along, he spotted a group of travelers passing by. Their clothing was similar to his own, but they seemed to be more experienced in navigating the unfamiliar surroundings. Jason approached the group and asked, "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?"
The leader of the group looked Jason up and down and said, "You're in the Realm of Azuris, stranger. And if you don't know how you got here, then you must be a Reborn like the rest of us."
"Reborn?", Jason asked, puzzled.
The leader continued, "That's what we call the people who come through the portals. It's as if they are reincarnated into our world. And now it seems, you're one of them."