Unfortunately, the portal spat Yungwoo and Hangyeol onto the ground in an unceremonious heap, while Rae landed gracefully on her feet. She surveyed their new surroundings — a forest of towering trees bathed in soft light.
"Well," Rae grinned, hands on hips, "you guys ready for an adventure?"
The boys could only groan in response, still aching from their rough landing.
"Mission tasks are ready," a monotone voice chimed from the plushie that had landed nearby.
"Okay, show me the screen, Misty," Rae said, scooping up the stuffed creature. A warm pink screen materialized in midair, visible to everyone.
"Wait... why can we see that?" Yungwoo asked, eyeing the display.
"You're part of this now! Didn't I explain that last chapter?" Rae replied with a mischievous wink.
"...No. And what chapter?" Hangyeol asked, brow furrowed.
"Oh. Oops! Thought I did." Rae giggled and tapped Misty's head three times. A teal screen appeared, filled with strange text. With another tap — this time on an icon shaped like a feather — the words shifted into a language the boys could read. A gray message board now hovered before them.
Yungwoo leaned closer, reading aloud:
"Hello, graceful traveler. Welcome to Wonderz. You are now part of the resistance. Your role is to help the worlds you visit flourish. Once the Serene Traveler lays the foundation, you will edit it and guide it. More information will be revealed as you discover yourself and the other travelers. Your system will soon appear — describe its form after pressing the mic button."
Yungwoo blinked, processing it all. A personal system? He glanced at Rae, who gave an encouraging nod.
After a moment of thought, he pressed the mic button.
"I'd like it to be a little creature made of nature—like a ballerina who dances with nature," he said. Then added quickly, "More like a little fae... not too humanoid, though."
He pressed the button again to confirm.
A few heartbeats later, a soft, melodic voice echoed: "Yungwoo-ie, I'm here!"
A burst of light shot from Misty, knocking Yungwoo backward in surprise. Hovering before him was a fae-like creature. Its round head resembled a sideways raindrop. A slender stem-like body swayed beneath a skirt of shimmering flower petals, and long grass-like hair framed its glowing face.
Yungwoo's eyes widened with joy. "Hello... I'm Yungwoo. Do you have a name?"
"Nope! You can call me anything you like!" the tiny being replied cheerfully.
"Then... I'll call you Petals. You remind me of the flowers on my home planet," Yungwoo said softly, offering his hands. Petals fluttered down to rest upon them, and a soft light enveloped them both.
Rae grinned. Another lost soul, finding a piece of home.
But the peaceful moment was shattered when Petals suddenly gasped. "Oh, MY WORD! It's ጮጎነፕሃ!"
She darted toward Misty, just as the plushie opened its mouth. A swirling spirit-like creature began to emerge.
Reacting instantly, Rae flicked her wrist, summoning a shimmering barrier around the boys. "For your safety — sorry, guys," she said, sweat beading on her brow.
"Uh... may I ask why?" Hangyeol asked, pressing against the barrier in alarm.
"Nope, not answering that. Sorry, but I want you guys to remain sane," Rae replied, snapping a few subtle photos of Misty with her device. The two systems soon stopped their wild play, each floating back toward its respective companion.
YOU ARE READING
A Wandering Story
FantasyOne morning, a young woman awoke-still caught in the same endless cycle that had haunted her for lifetimes. Her day began as it always did: quiet, methodical, devoted to mending the broken world she currently called home. But then she heard voices-u...
