Kai stood by the window of their inn room, admiring the twin daggers strapped to his side.
The morning sun reflected off the blades, casting shimmering lines of light across the wooden floor.
Zac, however, was bent over the large parchment map spread across the dining table, his brow furrowed with concentration.
"What are you looking at?" Kai asked, stepping closer.
Zac glanced up. "This? It's a map of Eldoria. While you were out training and getting your weapon, I went to the local library.
I've been reading up on this world… and its rulers."
Kai pulled up a chair and sat beside him, his curiosity piqued.
Zac tapped the northern section of the map. "This is where we are—Eldoria.
Ruled by King Victor Valtor and Queen Lirien Luminari."
Kai leaned in. "Tell me about them."
Zac nodded.
"The king is forty-five. He's got a strong jawline, piercing blue eyes, and a scar above his left eyebrow.
From what I read, he's got a commanding presence—wise, compassionate, but fiercely protective of his people."
"And the queen?" "She's forty-two," Zac said, flipping through a notebook. "Long silver hair, emerald green eyes, graceful, and kind. But she's no pushover—super intelligent and creative. Comes from a family of healers and artists. She's actually a magician, and she uses a healing grimoire."
Kai raised a brow. "So she's a queen and a healer?"
Zac nodded. "Yup. Pretty rare combo. The king, on the other hand, is a master swordsman. Trained in leadership and diplomacy since he was a kid. Apparently, he's also incredibly smart and has his own unique sword style."
"Royal Swordsmanship," Zac added. "Only the main royal bloodline can learn the full technique. The royal knights get to learn a basic form of it."
Kai leaned back in his chair. "Sounds like they're solid rulers."
"They are," Zac agreed. "They run the kingdom together, balancing each other out. The queen handles magical and healing policies while the king deals with military and external affairs.
Together, they've built a strong court. They even have a royal court mage."
"Oh yeah?" Kai said. "Who's that?"
Zac flipped to another page in his notebook. "His name is Master Veylor Astralis. He's the head of the royal mage corps. His grimoire specializes in portal creation and long-distance teleportation."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "So he's more support than offense?"
Zac looked up, eyes serious. "That's what I thought at first too, but I kept reading. You don't understand, bro. Even if he can't nuke a city with magic, he's one of the most important people in the kingdom.
His portals allow for emergency evacuations, instant transportation of troops, supply chains across the realm, diplomatic meetings across continents in minutes, and even covert missions."
Kai scratched his chin. "Okay… yeah, that does sound crazy useful."
Zac nodded. "Exactly. He's also the reason the royal magicians are feared. Their mobility makes them nearly impossible to counter."
Kai exhaled, letting the information sink in.
"This place is a lot more complex than I thought."
Zac smirked. "And I'm not done yet."
He pointed to a symbol on the map resembling a black lightning bolt.
"They have a special operations force called Kadro. Think of it like the Navy SEALs or SAS back home. Elite soldiers with advanced training."
Kai's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yeah," Zac continued. "The leader is a guy named Oliver 'Storm' Dover. He's their commander—kind of like a mix between a captain and a major.
Kadro is divided into small units for missions—raids, recon, counterterrorism, stuff like that." "What kind of training do they go through?"
Zac listed them off. "Physical conditioning, elemental control—yes, they use Dijin manipulation—CQC, infiltration, demolitions, even hacking.
They've got battle gloves, elemental focusers, firearms that shoot elemental bullets, and stealth tech."
Kai whistled. "That's high-level stuff."
"And Oliver?" Zac flipped to another page. "He's contracted with the King of Lightning Djinn.
The Djinn's name is Zevraxis—he takes the form of a humanoid lightning beast with glowing white cracks across his body, and constantly hums with energy.
Just being near him can paralyze weaker beings." Kai's jaw dropped. "That guy sounds OP."
Zac smirked. "Yeah. And get this—Kadro members are so good, people say one team of them could take down a whole battalion. Their efficiency and unpredictability are what make them terrifying."
Kai leaned forward. "That all sounds crazy. Almost like something straight out of a sci-fi military novel."
Zac nodded. "Exactly. That's what made me realize something."
He tapped the edge of the map thoughtfully.
"Kadro's structure, their tactics, even their training… it all reminds me of Earth's special forces. Like Navy SEALs, Rangers, SAS. It's just so similar.
I'm not saying they're from Earth… but the resemblance is eerie."
Kai tilted his head. "You think they could be?"
Zac shook his head. "Nah. Oliver Dover was born here, according to the records I found. He's just that skilled.
But it made me think—we can't be the only ones who came here from Earth. If there's anything or anyone else out there with a similar background, maybe they know more.
Maybe they can help us find a way home."
Kai stared at the map, his fingers tracing the borders of Eldoria. "Then we've got to find them. Or at least explore more of this world."
Zac rolled up the map carefully and looked at his brother.
"One step at a time. But now we have a starting point. Eldoria isn't just any kingdom—it might be the key to understanding this world… and how we fit into it."