THE PORTAL

Chapter 4: Back to Earth

Nathan was seated at a wooden table inside the Adventurer's Guild, staring at the coins in his hands.

Five silver coins for a slime. He had earned fifty silver pieces today. He'd never possessed so much money before—at least, not money that was part of a fantasy realm.

"Not bad for your first day," Garrick said to him, sitting across from him at the table. "You're still a bit rough around the edges, but with a bit more training, you'll be a real adventurer before you know it."

Nathan clutched the coins hard. A real adventurer. The excitement caused his heart to throb.

"Hey, rookie," Elara yelled, tossing a small pouch at him. He nearly missed it. "A little reward for not dying today. Consider it a welcome gift."

He poked in—a health potion and a small mana crystal.

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're the same person who laughed when I blew my first Firebolt?"

Elara smiled. "Don't get used to it."

Ren chuckled. "She has a soft spot for newbies."

"Shut up, Ren." Elara muffled under her breath.

Nathan smiled, but as he sat there, something niggled at him. What was the time back home? How long had I been here?

His head reeled. Did time work differently in worlds? He had no idea. If he were gone too long, what would happen?

Would anyone even notice?

His chest tightened. I have to go back.

Nathan strolled through the town, his mind in disarray. Veridale was beautiful at night—glowing lanterns lit the cobblestone streets, and the aroma of warm bread drifted out of the bakeries.

But he couldn't shake the growing desperation in his belly.

He had to see if the portal still existed.

He made his way through the town gate and down the dirt road toward the boundary of the forest. His heart pounded with each step.

As he reached the clearing, his breath caught up.

The portal still existed.

The blue light that glowed so brightly pulsed, seeming almost to invite him back.

Nathan hesitated. What if he stepped through and it vanished? What if he was stuck on Earth forever?

But he had to take the chance. He reached out—and just as before, the moment his fingers touched the light, his world exploded.

Nathan woke up, face-planted onto the ground.

"Ow." He groaned, trying to sit up.

The evening air of his backyard was chilly around him. His house towered in front of him, dark and motionless. No one had noticed he was gone.

He stumbled towards his house and crept in silently. Everything was exactly as he had left it.

The clock was 11:42 PM.

Nathan's eyes widened. Wait… I spent an entire day in Veridale, but here, only an hour has passed?

His head spun. Time functioned differently between worlds.

He breathed deeply. That would mean I could train there for days, weeks—months—and lose no more than an instant here.

That entirely changed everything.

But before he had time to grasp it, he was hit with exhaustion like a wrecking ball. His body ached everywhere from the hunt across the slime.

He hardly made it to his bed before collapsing onto it.

For the first time in years, he slept with a smile on his face.

The Next Morning

Nathan woke up feeling…different.

His body was lighter, his movements faster. He sat up and unconsciously tightened his fist—and the familiar spark of magic burst in his hand. His powers worked on Earth.

His breath was caught. He had to try this.

Rushing outside, he held up his hand.

"Firebolt!"

A small flame danced to life in his hand.

Nathan's heart was racing.

I can use magic here. I can get stronger here. He turned to one of the nearby trees, monitoring his mana flow.

"Firebolt!"

A bigger fireball erupted, detonating against the trunk.

Nathan grinned. For the first time in his life, he wasn't a helpless victim.

He clenched his fists, knowing in his heart that this was just the start.