On the edge of the distant and mysterious Oksas Continent, the Aletta Canyon is shrouded in thick mist. Ancient trees stand tall, their branches twisting and coiling, as if recounting the vicissitudes of time. A mysterious and dangerous aura pervades the canyon, and the occasional low growls of unknown beasts make this land seem even more gloomy and terrifying.
"Darling, please, let me explain! Miss Celia and I have absolutely nothing going on. I merely helped her dig a hole so she could live more comfortably, that's all. You must believe me—I swear on my honor as a mole…"
Little mole Toby wagged his short tail pitifully as he pleaded with his wife, Constance.
The esteemed Miss Constance, who stood at a mere twelve centimeters tall, shook her plump little frame in disapproval. Her husband's incorrigible flirtations had long tested her patience. From initial fury, she had now descended into a brooding silence, not even bothering to scoff.
To be frank, the so-called Miss Celia was nothing more than a white mouse—though one with an air of aristocracy about her. Her pristine, snow-white fur and dainty cherry-red mouth made her the very pinnacle of rodent beauty (or rather, 'mouse' beauty). Toby had been utterly bewitched, practically ready to prostrate himself at the hem of her lace gown. He had merely stopped by to greet her and tidied up her burrow as a courtesy, yet his wife's wrath descended upon him like a lion's roar.
"Darling, don't be angry! I swear by the heavens, my love for you is as constant as the sun and moon, as eternal as the seas and mountains. If I ever break my vow, may an angel fall from the sky and smite me where I stand—"
Toby rattled off grandiose oaths with reckless abandon.
An angel descending from the heavens? What an absurd notion.
Yet as Toby continued his desperate attempts at appeasement, his beady little eyes suddenly noticed a colossal shadow looming over him. He glanced up and let out a shriek.
"Constance! Run!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Had someone actually fallen from the sky? Was this divine retribution for his flirtations? Toby felt his heart sink. Perhaps swearing exaggerated oaths wasn't such a good idea after all.
With a look of utter despair, he let out a frantic squeal. "Constance! Help! I'm being crushed! Cough, cough…"
Summoning all his strength, he tried to wriggle out from beneath the massive figure that had unceremoniously landed on top of him. Alas, he could not move an inch.
Miss Constance, momentarily stunned, rushed to her husband's side. "Toby! Are you alright?"
"Ugh… I'm fine, my love. I would endure a thousand wounds for you—but oh, heavens, someone save me!"
As Toby struggled beneath the weight, the unfortunate interloper above him shifted ever so slightly in discomfort, adjusting his position.
Toby let out another agonized shriek.
At that moment, Constance's patience snapped. She scampered up the stranger's chest and flailed her tiny paws in vehement protest.
Jack Williams awoke with a start, blinking in bewilderment at the small, indignant creature perched on his torso.
"A… mouse? What's a mouse doing in my room?"
"Mouse?! How dare you call me a mouse! I am Miss Constance Brass—Constance Brass, do you hear me? I am no filthy rodent!" she fumed, waving her paws furiously.
"Ahh! A talking mouse!"
Jack leaped up in alarm, inadvertently flinging Constance aside. In his panic, his foot came crashing down—right onto poor Toby's tail.
Toby let out a piercing wail. "Constance, save me! I swear I'll never so much as glance at another pretty lady again! Just get him off my tail!"
"Let go of my husband this instant, or I swear I'll fight you to the death!" Constance shrieked.
Jack glanced down at the tiny creatures, his face a mask of utter shock. He hastily lifted his foot, releasing Toby, and gawked at the two moles that had just spoken to him.
Then he looked around. The unfamiliar landscape surrounding him sent a chill down his spine.
"Where… where am I?"
Toby, regaining his composure, smirked. "You're in the Aleta Canyon. Never heard of it, have you?"
"Aleta Canyon? This isn't Earth?" Jack muttered, rubbing his temples. "No, that can't be right—I've never heard of such a place."
"Earth? What's that?" Constance asked curiously.
Jack stared at the two little moles. Now that he looked closer, they weren't actually mice—they were burrowing moles with peculiar features. The realization almost made him want to cry.
He had just been playing War of Magic, dreaming of pizza and blondes. How had he ended up here?
Snatching Toby and Constance by their tails, he held them up and forced a grin. "Alright, spill it. What world is this? You better tell me the truth, or I might just roast a couple of moles for dinner."
"No, please! I haven't bathed in months—I stink! You wouldn't want to eat me!" Toby wailed.
"This is the land of Oksas," Constance quickly supplied. "Aleta Canyon is part of the Beastwood Forest. That's all we know."
Jack paled. "Oksas? Beastwood Forest? A different world?"
The realization struck like a hammer. The game, his old life, his beloved pizza—all slipping further and further away.
With a despairing groan, he promptly collapsed. The two hapless moles, still dangling from his grasp, yelped as they tumbled onto the ground.
Clutching the two squirming moles, Jack trudged through the canyon, gripping them by their tails as if they were mere trinkets. Toby and Constance squeaked in protest, swinging helplessly in the air, but their complaints fell on deaf ears. Jack, despite his reluctance, had no choice but to accept his bizarre predicament.
Before long, they arrived at a hidden stone wall.
According to the moles, an extraordinary power lay beyond. Each time they had ventured near, an overwhelming force had left them breathless.
Jack, too, felt it—the sheer pressure forcing him to take several steps back. He narrowed his eyes. "Damn… There's something here, alright. Could it be the Sword of Kings? Or perhaps a Tome of Holy Light? Fantasy stories never describe places like this… Whatever. Might be some beautiful ladies waiting inside."
Rubbing his hands together, he grinned and unceremoniously stuffed the moles into his pocket.
After a long search, his fingers brushed against a handprint indentation on the wall. He pressed down.
A deep rumble shook the air.
As the stone wall crept open, a dark passage stretched before him. Shadows twisted down its winding corridor, its depths unknown.
"I… I sense a dragon…" Toby whispered, trembling.
"Darling, my heart is racing. Are we about to die?" Constance whimpered.
Jack swallowed hard, his bravado wavering. "A d-dragon? Well, isn't that just my luck…" He forced a nervous chuckle. "I'm not scared. Nope, not at all. Just a dragon, right? Nothing to worry about…"
Then, with a deep breath, he took his first hesitant step into the abyss.