Chapter 10: Changes

In an undetermined location, a vast and dense forest blanketed the land, with towering, luxurious trees resembling skyscrapers, their leaves rustling in the wind. Amidst this lush wilderness, stood a solitary lumberjack, isolated from society and engaged in the act of felling trees to secure firewood.

Ever since the encounter with the dark fog, he had been plagued by a constant, piercing pain in his head, thrusting him into unfamiliar situations, plunging him into a dreamlike state. He found himself experiencing the world through someone else's perspective. This individual possessed extraordinary skills, effortlessly navigating the tree branches. A daring acrobatic backflip over the treetops revealed a colossal tree, unlike any other, casting its majestic shadow over the land. It was a tree of such beauty that it could only be considered the creation of a deity.

As he leaped from one branch to another, drawing nearer to this magnificent tree, he felt his body plunge into the leaves, descending into a bustling woodland city. Buildings resembling spherical pods hung from the trees, their brilliant lights illuminating the surroundings. The inhabitants of this mystical land were unlike any he had ever seen; they had pointed ears and the graceful bearing of elves from the pages of a fantasy novel.

He eventually arrived at a regal castle and was greeted by elves adorned in enigmatic, otherworldly armor, wielding bows made of golden wood. Passing through the castle's doors, he entered a grand hall with a rich red carpet unfurled before him. His gaze followed the carpet to a grand throne, where an elf with an imposing crown adorned with ethereal gems sat.

Rising to his feet, he unsheathed his sword, pointing it directly at his own head. With a confident flourish, he swung the sword over his shoulders.

"Aelinor Tiaaira, I hereby declare you a holy knight of the World Tree Yggdrasil. Dedicate your life to the service of the very creator of life," declared the elven king.

As he observed the gleaming reflection of his sword, he realized that he was no longer the muscular lumberjack but a slender elven woman.

After snapping out of this weird vision, a huge amount of information filled every nook and cranny of his head, he finally remembered it all, he had received the memories of someone that wasn't him, he received the memories of someone from a completely different reality.

At a zoo in the country of Iskar, not only were humans affected by the dark energy. The animals within the zoo underwent rapid mutations, resulting in enlarged size, tougher skin, monstrous appearances, and heightened predatory instincts. A newly mutated cheetah rebelled, attempting to escape the confines of the zoo and pose a threat to the zookeepers who had once been its caretakers. However, one of the zookeepers had also been affected by the dark energy.

The zookeeper underwent a transformation, taking on the appearance of a muscular lion-like creature that could stand on two feet like a human. A hybrid of human and beast, he radiated a predatory aura. The supernatural cheetah, sensing it was no longer the predator, cowered in fear.

In a mining quarry in the country of Yadir, the resources that humans had exhausted for generations were mysteriously replenished in an instant. Yet, what lay beneath the surface of the quarry were materials in this day and age unknown to mankind. A scientist, his curiosity piqued, diligently examined these enigmatic substances.

"How peculiar. It appears our planet and its inhabitants have undergone a forced process of evolution. I must isolate myself for a while; the world is poised to experience a profound shock, and the outcome is uncertain," the scientist concluded. He waved his hand, creating a rift in space, and vanished.