The man wiped his blade clean against a scrap of cloth before finally turning toward Jake. Up close, the pot on his head looked heavier than Jake expected, its surface scratched and chipped like it had seen real combat.
"Hey there, man," he said casually. "You look rough."
Jake gave a stiff nod, then glanced toward Luna. The man followed his gaze.
"Did you two just get here?"
"I got here a couple hours ago," Jake answered.
"I got here a couple minutes ago," Luna added quickly.
The man paused, clearly weighing something in his head. Then his shoulders relaxed.
"Good," he said. "That's good. Better than finding you as bodies." He turned and gestured deeper into the forest. "Follow me. We're not far from others."
Jake hesitated only a second before glancing at Luna. She gave a small nod. The man had just saved their lives, and right now that was enough. Together, they followed him through the trees.
The walk was quieter than Jake expected. The forest seemed to pull back slightly around the man, as if it recognized him. Branches no longer snapped as often, and the distant sounds of unseen creatures faded into the background.
To kill the tension, Luna started talking.
She talked a lot.
She rambled about games she loved, anime she never finished, and the frustration of working out while still being called a geek. Jake found himself listening more than speaking, occasionally chiming in when something sounded familiar. Despite her build and height, Luna was exactly what she claimed to be, a nerd through and through.
Jake noticed, with some mild surprise, that under different circumstances he might have developed a crush on her. The thought came and went quickly. This was not the time for that kind of thing. Stories always made romance seem easy, but reality demanded suffering first. Trauma, bonding, shared danger. At least, that was how those stories went.
Luna, in turn, learned about Jake's life. About Bob. About his sister.
"Don't you feel worried for her?" she asked quietly.
"A little," Jake admitted. "But for some reason, part of me feels… calm. Like she's safe."
Luna frowned. "Maybe whatever brought us here is taking care of her."
"You're assuming a lot," Jake said.
"Like what?"
"That we were brought here by something with intent. Or that a higher being can even interact with Earth beyond pulling us here."
Luna opened her mouth, then closed it again. After a moment, she nodded. "You're right."
The man in the pot said nothing throughout their conversation. Whether he was focused on watching for danger or simply uninterested was unclear.
Eventually, he stopped.
"We're here."
The forest ended abruptly, opening into a wide, well kept field. In its center sat a modest cottage built from stone and timber. It had two floors, a slanted roof, and a single unlit lantern hanging beside the door.
Jake stared.
"Back on Earth," he muttered, "this would cost a million dollars and somehow still have a Walmart next to it."
Luna snorted.
They followed the man inside.
The interior was warm and surprisingly comfortable. Wooden floors creaked softly underfoot. Cushioned chairs and couches filled the main room, worn but well cared for. To the right was a small kitchen area with a sink, cabinets, and a man standing over a slab of meat.
He looked middle aged, broad shouldered, with black hair streaked gray at the sides. He wore a leather cuirass over a white tunic and simple trousers. His arms were thick and covered in hair, muscle evident even at rest.
The man looked up and smiled.
"Ah. You're back, Lucas."
So that was his name.
"Hey, Rowan," Lucas replied. "Found two newcomers. They were lucky. Only a few hours in."
Rowan nodded. "Lucky indeed." He set the knife aside and turned to them. "I'm Rowan. Don't worry. Everyone you'll meet here is a beyonder."
"A beyonder?" Luna asked instantly.
"People from Earth," Lucas said, removing the pot from his head and setting it down. "Or other worlds. Sit. I've got a lot to explain."
Jake did not need to be told twice. He sank into one of the couches, the cushions swallowing him whole. Luna followed, stretching out slightly.
For a moment, Jake simply enjoyed not being tired.
Lucas returned with plates of cooked meat.
"It's close enough to chicken," he said. "Didn't know if you'd be picky."
Jake stared at it for a second, then took a bite.
It tasted fine.
"Alright," Lucas said, leaning against the wall. "I was brought here about a year ago. Beyonders aren't the only people in this world. And no, there's no way back."
Luna's expression fell. Jake felt his chest tighten.
"And before you ask," Lucas continued, "there's no system. No instant god powers. No reality bending nonsense."
Luna looked crushed.
"However," Lucas added, grinning.
Both of them snapped to attention.
"Each beyonder gets a gift. What causes it, we don't know. It usually ties to what you were best at or obsessed with. I was a gamer. Now I have ridiculous reflexes."
Rowan suddenly tossed a strange oval fruit toward him.
Lucas caught it without looking.
"That fruit would've killed me if I wasn't careful," Lucas said calmly. "Rowan's gift is strength. He was a powerlifter back home."
Jake nodded slowly. Things were clicking.
"We'll test you later," Lucas said. "For now, you need to understand this world."
He grew serious.
"The technology here is strange. Magic exists, but not the way you think. Aetherium crystals power everything. The Stellan Empire outlawed personal magic generations ago."
"The empire was founded by a beyonder," Rowan added. "Qin Shi Huang."
Jake blinked. "The first emperor of China?"
"Same one," Lucas said. "He replaced magic with magitech. Streetlights. Automata. Weapons."
He paused, his expression darkening.
"Last thing you need to know for tonight," he said quietly. "Beyonders are hated here. Feared. Hunted."
The room fell silent.
Jake felt it settle in his bones.
Whatever this world was, it was not kind.
And they were already targets.