The sun shines brightly and William opens his eyes slowly. The dark green grass he lies in is still damp from the storm that was here. As he sits up his senses slowly coming back he hears the birds chirping and as if something was moving in the bushes a few meters away from him.

  The last thing he remembers is that man shouting and then the realization hits him.

  i must have entered a portal somehow...

  He looks around after blinking a few times intensely, the leaves provide enough cover so he cant see far in the forest and quickly remembers that something is still moving in the bushes.Slowly raising from the ground he watches the bush with caution.As he turns his body to the side fortunately a white bunny jumps out and then runs away with the same speed.

  Although he wasn't previously interested in portals and riftwalkers like most people around his age or just in general because its a pretty popular topic, he knows one thing for sure He is totally alone. No civilization, no humanoid creatures... only endless wilderness.

  I just need to find the portal back. I don't think I would awaken my core anytime soon even if I stay here.

  So with that he start walking in one direction hoping that he will either get to a high enough point to see everything or he actually finds the portal.

  a half hour later he starts getting tired, it feels like he's been walking around in circles for a while.

  The trees look the same, the grass looks the same its like he's at the same place again. In fact he's not so wrong about feeling like he has been walking in circles, he really didn't move that much.

  Suddenly he spots something on one of the trees... an oval shape with two cuts in the middle next to each other and a reverse V above it. He examines the shape touching it with his hand wait... no it can't be... uh didn't they say there are no sentient beings in portals? his heart beat increases a bit and his concentration is suddenly broken by a weird sound as if someone pulled on a string...

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  "Give me one reason not to kill you right now human!" A pointy eared figure emerges with long blond hair with two braided lines on the back. He wears a leather armor with a green robe on top. First the hair and looks kind of make William thinks its a woman ,but definitely not. Why would a woman be so buff?

  He holds a longbow made out of white wood with intricate carvings in it.

  "Wait! I-I mean no harm! Why would you kill me?" Williams top priority is not dying right now

  The elf slightly loosens the string "Harmless huh? I did not expect scum like you to show up this time. After finishing his insult he quickly hits William in the head with his elbow.

  Suddenly Williams legs gave out and he falls to the ground. everything fades to dark...

  William wakes up in something akin to a cell but the walls are made out of roots, it seems like he is underground. where am i?

  between the roots a light yellowish flower grew out that is slightly glowing providing a light source.

  Time passes slowly in the dark. Slowly the minutes turn into hours and there is silence.

  "Am I alone?" William asks and as he expected no answer comes.

  his face still hurts from the hit he got earlier. in the darkness and silence the only thing other than his own breathing is the pain he feels. He starts to feel like as if something is invading his body but he cant get his grasp on it quite yet, then something deep in his body started to move.

  His senses suddenly get sharper and he inhales as much as he can. "is this... my core?" he says while exhaling.

  The extra part in his body that wasn't there before feels weird. Its pulsating like a second heart the difference is he can actually control it, like a muscle.