"Now that introductions are out of the way"— Rowan started —" you are in a world that is vastly different from where you came from. It's called Nyxoria. This is a place where the supernatural exist, Witches, elves, dwarves, have your pick. Some of this world's creatures haven't even been discovered yet. But the world is governed by supreme beings called Divinities or gods as you would call them." he paused a little to see how they took this tiny bit of information. And as expected, they were very confused and it was clearly written in their stares.
"I'm sorry, gods?" James was the first to speak up.
"We really did die." Kai said, disbelief thick in his voice.
"Yes and no." Rowan replied, adding to the confusion.
"What?" Koby asked.
"You're not in the earthly realm anymore but this isn't the afterlife either. It's more like a world created for the amusement of the gods." Rowan explained further.
"This is getting ridiculous " Kai scoffed, cutting Rowan short.
"Could you let me finish, Kai?" Rowan said without a hint of annoyance save for his voice that deepened a bit as if threatening Kai.
"I'm sorry." Kai apologized quickly.
"Now,"— Rowan continued— "Nyxoria is a world consisting of many different realms, and there are scenarios that help maintain these realms. Players are brought into Nyxoria to participate in these scenarios in a bid to actually amuse the gods."
James raised an arm to ask a question and was granted the opportunity with a nod from Rowan.
"Is there an end to Nyxoria?"
"No one knows this world's end but it has been hinted at many times by the Shinigamis." Rowan answered.
"What are shinigamis?" James asked again.
"Scary figures. Sometimes they appear as faceless smiling entities." and that description was enough to bring back to memory the horrific appearance of Nexarion— it made Koby's stomach twist.
"Please continue." James said waving further explanation as he had no more questions for the time being.
"Like I said before the world's citizens are made up of various species both mythical and real across the universe. These species are divided into players and citizens."— Rowan took another pause to see the reactions of the people he was talking to.
"Players and citizens?" Koby repeated quietly.
"Players are essentially the ones that are thrown into Nyxoria from another world."— Rowan continued, his voice calm, measured— "they are given access to windows like the four of you. And we have citizens."
"Like you two?" Kai interjected.
A nod from Rowan answered him.
"The first breed of players that was brought when Nyxoria was still young, about thousands of years ago, they were the ones that shaped this world. Building communities, clans, kingdoms rose and fell and children were born, generations after generations. These children didn't have windows but retained abilities similar to the players. And they were therefore termed citizens as they were more connected to Nyxoria than players ever could. Nyxoria is home to the citizens." Rowan said.
He turned to face them and found them distant, overwhelmed.
Well he hadn't expected them to understand anything in one day. He just have to let them get accustomed to it little by little.
"That's all for today, I'll give you time to process everything that I've said so far. Axle will help you settle in and then we'll see about sending you to town." Rowan said standing up and stretching a bit, joints cracking softly.
"But we want to hear more." James said.
"You barely understood what I just told you. Think on it, I'm not going anywhere."— he said taking an axe and walking down a dusty path— "Axle, take care of them. I'm going out."
"Alright, Rowan." Axle said and turned to the group.
"So... what now?" Kai asked.
"Well, it seems like Rowan had decided to let you stay here for a while."— Axle said smiling as he walked towards a makeshift barn that had some hay piled inside, and faint animal noises shifting within. He grabbed a bundle of tools and headed back towards the group.— "since Koby is still recovering, he'll be removed from chores for now but the rest of you still have chores to handle."
With that sentence, he handed out tools to Kai and James while beckoning on Raya to come along. He was met with stares from the three of them.
Confused?
Probably.
They had just entered into a supposed doomed world and this boy was now handing them tools to do chores.
It was definitely... an ironic turn of events.
Taking their stunned silence as understanding, Axle continued.
"Your wounds shouldn't be that severe. So you have to work your lazy ass off."
Begrudgingly, the trio followed Axle down the path into the woods. Koby watched them from where he sat, deep in thought as he watched their figures fade into the forest. The quiet surrounded his mind but a voice cut through it cleanly.
"You're very reckless."
Koby turned sharply, instinct taking over before reason could catch up. Pain exploded through his body the moment he moved, a sharp reminder of his injuries. He hissed softly, steadying himself.
It was Rowan.
"How did you...?"
"I'm light on my feet."— Rowan cut Koby short and then took a seat while tapping for Koby to seat beside him and then continued— you're very lucky that your friend could use healing magic or you would have been missing two arms right now."
The bluntness of it made Koby go still.