Fantastopia: The New Life (Part 1)

First day, first problem

When I was left alone and after I changed into some jeans and a t-shirt, I couldn’t stop staring at the ring and what my now more badass grandfather told me. I still don’t know if I wanna go check out Fantastopia, I mean it sounds cool and everything but, at the same time, it also sounds dangerous from what I read. Besides the cool creatures, I read that there’s also goblins, trolls, even a frickin Minotaur, and I thought he was just part of Greek Mythology. But then again, all of Fantasy came from Fantastopia so it kinda makes sense.

But then there’s the part of me being the chosen hero. It still sounded really cliche, and also terrifying. I am so not ready for this, not only do I not want to die, but I’m still in college. How the hell am I supposed to balance my college life and my sudden, I don’t know, destiny? This just got harder and more cliche. Perhaps my grandfather knows what to do about it, I mean he’s done it before right? He’s lived a double life with being the hero and also a student at the same time, maybe he has some tips on that, I gotta ask him.

As I got up from my bed, being the clumsy person that I am, my foot hit against my nightstand which caused me to trip forward as I felt the ring fall out of my hand and behind my desk.

Oh great.

I knew it was dusty behind my desk, and I had to get the ring back. So as I reached behind my desk, I was able to pick up the ring, and just as I thought, it was covered in dust. I really need to clean my room. I began to brush the dust off of it, but at that moment, the gem started the glow. And that’s when I remembered what my grandfather told me about rubbing the ring.

Oh s**t.

Before I could even react, everything went black as a big gush of wind passed by my body.

__________

I was expecting to feel myself being moved around as I teleport to another realm, but when I opened my eyes, I found myself already in the other realm. Well, that was quick.

I was now in some misty woods that looked like it came straight out of a vampire movie. I don’t know, that’s the best I can explain it, but I really did feel like I was in that ‘Twilight’ movie because the scenery was just so beautiful and gloomy at the same time.

That’s a thing right? Beautiful and gloomy. I don’t know.

I must be in Fantastopia, this is insane. Wait, am I going insane? This has to be a dream right? Although I wasn’t dreaming about the hobgoblin and ogre so maybe it’s not a dream. Alright then, if I really am in Fantastopia, then what part of land am I in right now? Cause I better not be near any goblins, I read that they can be strong enough to rip someone’s limbs off.

But since I’m here and I can go back whenever I want, I might as well explore this place cause this place is already looking pretty cool. So after slipping the ring onto my finger, I began down the woods, not knowing where I was going, and I don’t even have anything to defend myself with. Smart move, Jesse.

Now I gotta say, these would have to be the prettiest woods I’ve ever been in. The trees were all high and green, the ground still soft by the soil, there were even flowers that bloomed so gracefully. Although it was so quiet in these woods, not a single bird chirp or an insect was heard. I didn’t put much thought to those, I was too busy admiring the beauty of these woodlands.

It seriously felt like I was in a fairytale world, which is true, but now I’m just hoping I could see some magical creatures or something that would really make this more fun. Well, safe creatures of course.

However, my admiration was cut short when I suddenly heard a twig snap from behind as I turned to face whoever or whatever was behind me, but nothing. Now, this was beginning to turn into some kind of horror movie where I’m all alone in the woods and being watched by someone or something and getting ready to surprise me. My heart was racing as I looked down at the ring, knowing that I had a way to escape. I continued to wait, but nothing.

Thinking that whatever was behind me was most likely gone now, I just shrugged it off and continued walking. And just like that the worse happened as I heard a click from beneath me while feeling myself being lifted off the ground and into a net that had been very well disguised, I won’t lie about that. But now I was trapped in a thick net with leaves and twigs scratching against my skin as I struggled with the tight closure.

“Great” I spat, “The first time in a new realm and this is the first problem to happen to me.”

I didn’t have anything sharp to cut through the rope, so I was practically stuck until someone lets me down. And I’m just hoping whoever that may be will be nice enough to avoid killing me, and also provide some ointment cause the leaves and twigs that had disguised the trap were really making my skin itch.

“Well, well, well” I suddenly heard a scratchy voice that made me freeze in fear “Let’s see what we have here fellas.”

And that’s when I noticed these four enormous ugly looking creatures appearing around me with weapons in their hands. They were about the size of Oswind the ogre, but maybe a bit smaller, and they looked absolutely terrifying. I didn’t know what they were at first, but after realizing that the sun wasn’t out and due to their hideous features, I realized that they were trolls, man-eating trolls.

Well, I’m most likely screwed now.

“Is that a human?” one of them questioned while looking up at me.

“What’s he wearing?” another one wondered.

“Is he safe to eat?” the last one asked.

“Let’s find out shall we?” the first one sneered while using his hatchet to cut the rope that held me up as I fell and landed on my butt, and I’m pretty sure I heard a bone c***k.

After prying the net off myself, I laid there frozen in fear as the trolls surrounded me with their weapons aiming at me. My legs were itching to get up and run, but I knew it wasn’t an option since they were surrounding me as I instead dug my fingers into the ground, not wanting to let go.

“It is a human” the first one grinned while using his hatchet to point to my right hand “And check it out, he’s wearing the ring.”

I nearly forgot that I was still wearing the ring, and now I’m assuming that everyone in this land knows about it. But there was something different about the ring, the gem appeared to be glowing. Why was it doing that?

“I haven’t seen that ring in over 50 years,” one of them remarked.

“So can we still eat him?” the other one asked as my fear began to rise.

“Why not?” the first one sneered “I haven’t had human meat in a long time.”

And with that, the trolls seized onto my arms with their tight grips and yanked me up with a strong force. I needed to think of something quick to avoid being a meal.

“Uh, you really don’t wanna eat me” I quickly spoke while trying to hide my fear, hoping to appear as confident as I can.

“And why’s that?” the first one snarled.

Because I don’t wanna die!

“Because um-” I tried to explain in a mutter “I’m sick with- an illness. And it’s really contagious.”

I then pretended to cough while clutching my stomach.

“Oh, my aching stomach!” I moaned like I was in pain, I least I hope it sounded like I was in pain.

“You really don’t wanna eat me” I stated while acting ill “If you do, you’ll most likely die.”

They all just stared at me, and by the looks of it, I knew they didn’t believe me.

“Um, cough?”

But that just made them grab onto my arms and held them back strongly. It was worth a shot.

“Liars taste better served rare” the first one growled while raising his hatchet above.

Well, this was it, I’m served.