Prologue: The Mystery of Everde

A loud crash echoed through the unknown area as a young man stumbled and fell, groaning in pain. "Ughh, my head hurts," he muttered, disoriented. He scanned his surroundings, confusion etched on his face. "Where am I? What is this place? Am I dead?!" In a sudden panic, he pinched himself all over, finally sighing in relief. "Okay, I'm not dead. But where exactly am I? Is this some kind of magic, or a catastrophe that brought me here?"

As he walked down a hill, his eyes widened at the sight of endless greenery. "This place is so peaceful and green, nothing like my town," he thought aloud, continuing his walk through the grasslands.

Suddenly, he spotted a shelter in the distance. "Wait, is that a shelter in the middle of these endless grasslands? Maybe I can rest there." Approaching the gate, he knocked and shouted, "Hello, is there anyone living here?" To his surprise, the wooden gate creaked open. "Oh, the gates have opened. I'm shocked, but maybe the person here can't hear me."

Inside, he was greeted by the sight of fresh flowers. He smiled, smelling them, until a voice startled him. "Be careful there, young one, that plant may chew your nose, HAHAHAH just kidding." Dropping the flower, he turned to see an old woman with a cheerful face.

"Hello, young one. May I know what business you might have here?" she asked.

"I... I don't know. I just saw this beautiful house. I'm sorry for entering without consent," he apologized.

"HAHAHA, you're funny, boy. But quite a new face, I see," the old woman chuckled

"Ma'am, can I ask something? What is this place, and what am I doing here?"

"Let's head inside. I'll make you some tea, and I will answer your question clearly," she said, leading him inside.

Once settled, she began, "This place is called 'EVERDE'. I'm not just an old woman; I'm the gatekeeper here. This place is full of mysteries. I don't know why you are here, but maybe you're here for a reason. As for what you are doing here, I can't answer that right now. But as the gatekeeper, I'm here to bless you on your journey. Good luck..."

She handed him two pieces of bread, adding, "Be careful finding the key!" Suddenly, the house vanished into thin air.

Then, everything changed. He found himself in a place full of fire and chaos, noticing a knife near his chest and bleeding. "UGHHH, what happened here? Am I dead? Wait... Annie, where are you?"

"ANNIE!! Oh wait, am I dead?" He pinched his face. "Oh wait, I'm just dreaming. Was it all just a dream? I thought I was there for years."

Looking into the mirror, tears began to flow from his eyes uncontrollably. "Why am I crying? What happened? It can't stop!"

A voice called from downstairs, "Hey, Samuel, what is happening up there?"

His mother entered the room. "Oh, hey sweetie, why are you crying?"

"Ughh, mom, I don't know?? I just woke up like this."

"Shh, Samuel, perhaps it was just a bad dream. Now, get ready for the day. Breakfast is waiting for you, and remember, we can't be late for our Sunday service. It's a special day at church, and your presence means a lot to everyone there."