WebNovels

Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: The Forest of Echoes

[Scene: A strange, glowing forest with twin moons hanging above like watchful eyes. Aryan stands in awe, heart racing.]

Aryan:Where... am I?

The trees pulse with a soft bioluminescence. The leaves shimmer with colors he's never seen before—like violet fire and emerald glass. The air itself hums faintly, as if the world is alive.

Aryan (softly, to himself):Okay... okay, calm down. Either I'm having the wildest dream of my life... or...

He pinches himself. Hard.

Aryan:Ow—okay, not a dream.

A wide grin spreads across his face.

Aryan:Wait a minute... wait a freaking minute... This… this is it! Another world! Just like in the novels. Is this—did I just get... isekai'd!?

He spins in a slow circle, laughing to himself.

Aryan:Ohhh this is sick! Am I the chosen one? The hero? Is a goddess about to appear with a quest to defeat the Demon King?

He looks around, expecting some majestic castle or a group of knights in shiny armor.

Aryan:Wait... where's the castle? The summoning circle? The ancient king with a long white beard?

Silence. Just chirping from weird glowing birds.

Aryan:Hmm... maybe I wasn't summoned. Maybe... I glitched through the multiverse. Like a tear in space-time. A cosmic bug.

He pauses. Shrugs.

Aryan:Whatever. Who cares? I'm here. Isekai, baby. Let's freaking go!

[Scene: The glowing forest stretches for miles. Aryan picks a direction and starts walking.]

Aryan (walking):Step one—get out of the spooky magical jungle. Step two—find civilization. Step three—become legendary.

He walks through the strange terrain, ducking under low branches, stepping over glowing roots, marveling at floating blue orbs in the air like fireflies made of glass.

Suddenly, a rustle of water catches his ear.

Aryan (perks up):Water?

He jogs through some dense foliage and then stops dead in his tracks.

Aryan (whispers):Whoa...

A majestic waterfall cascades down from a cliff, crashing into a crystal-clear pool. The light from the moons refracts in the mist, creating a halo of rainbow colors.

He runs to the water, splashes his face, and drinks greedily.

Aryan:That's the best water I've ever tasted in my life.

He sits near the water, taking it all in—the sounds, the scent of wildflowers, the shimmering air.

Aryan (grinning):This world is insane. And it's real.

[Scene: Deeper in the forest. Aryan begins his journey toward the city.]

Aryan (thinking aloud):I need to gather information. Like—who rules this world? What's the power system here? Do people use magic? , like Grandpa said?

He looks at his hands.

Aryan:Do I even have a power? I feel... normal. But also kind of... charged. Like something's asleep inside me.

The trees begin to thin. The sounds of nature shift—less mystical, more... human.

[Scene: Outskirts of a city. Aryan freezes in awe.]

Stone houses with curved roofs. Tall towers with spinning sigils. Streets lit by floating lanterns that react to motion. People wearing robes and armor, others in tunics with glowing tattoos walking casually like it's normal.

Aryan walks slowly into the city, eyes wide.

Aryan (excited):This is like ancient Earth had a baby with anime. These buildings… that spire… those floating crates! Everything looks hand-carved, but high-tech. This is next-level.

As he walks, he sees a group of kids practicing attacks in an open plaza. One summons a whip of fire. Another lifts a rock with telekinetic energy. Sparks fly. The air distorts with pressure.

Aryan (shocked):Yo... They're using powers! This is real! Is this magic ? Or magic? I need to know how this works.

[Scene: Aryan walks up to a weapon shop. A large sign above the door says "STRIKE & STEEL." The door is half-open, warm light pouring out.]

He peers inside. Swords line the walls—some glowing, some humming softly. Behind the counter, a gruff old man with a robotic arm hammers a sword against an anvil.

Aryan (to himself):Weapon shops always have the best info. Time to start digging.

He takes a deep breath and walks in. The bell on the door jingles.

Aryan:Excuse me… sir?

The old man stops hammering and turns. One eye is cybernetic, the other full of suspicion.

Old Man:You ain't from around here… are you, kid?

Aryan freezes, sweat prickling down his neck. The man narrows his good eye. The air in the shop goes tense.

Aryan (to himself):Oh crap... how does he know?

[TO BE CONTINUED…]

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