Lukas placed the small bag of flour into the customer’s leather bag, alongside some cured meat, some dried apricots, and a few other goodies. His back ached, protesting as if it were the end of his shift. However, it had just begun.

The heat from a nearby window permeated through the small shop, making it worse. Sweat dampened his shirt. In closing his eyes for a moment, he rubbed his eyes. Before long, he turned to help another customer.

In bagging the woman’s items and wishing her well, Lukas would sit back. Most customers had other matters to attend to, leaving this portion of the shift especially unbearable. He would spend the next three hours barely seeing anyone. In that moment, he would pull out his sketchbook, utilizing a small quill to sketch a nearby advertisement.

Outside, two boys played in the summer breeze, their wooden swords clicking in the quiet early afternoon. Lukas glanced out at them, before turning back to the register, looking out at  the dying shop. Anything would be better than this. In pulling out a journal, he would make the entry.

Five years ago, the catalyst hit what are now called the seven realms. Apparently, because I can control plants while using a stone I bought, I can also shift into other realms.

Before he put his books away, his boss–a man named Jarvin–scoffed. “Not my first time catching you distracted. What if a customer comes in and sees you like this? More interested in whatever you’re doing than helping them.”

“I would pay attention when they came into the store,” Lukas said. “I promise.”

“Regardless, I have warned you about this behavior before,” Jarvin said. “Come back to my office.”

Lukas’ stomach lurched. It was like being back in school, when the headmaster would call him out and scold him for something minor. Upon making it into the office, Jarvin sat in his chair, gesturing at Lukas to sit.

“I think we both know your mind is elsewhere,” Jarvin said. “And I specifically warned you about this.”

“My apologies, dear sir,” Lukas said. “It was never my intention to seem rude. Can I please switch to a more active shift next time? For another chance.”

“I gave you another chance the last time I caught you here,” Jarvin said. “At this point, I’m through with you and your disinterest. If you cared about this job, you wouldn’t handle personal things while here.”

Lukas tried to remain calm. He tried not to think about his conversation with Irvin, while also wondering if there was a way to beg for mercy still. Either way, Jarvin pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him.

“These are the severance papers,” Jarvin said.

The ink and the paper were several months old, scribbled by some poor scribe. Lukas accepted the quill and ink Jarvin offered. With the stroke of the pen writing his name, he no longer worked there. Upon shaking Jarvin’s hand, the desire for revenge lurked.

The fresh air was a gift, but after he left the shop, he couldn’t stop shaking. He could not tell Irvin he had been fired. And not because he had been misusing his time at the shop. Instead, he found a bench nearby and cupped his face into his hands. Two old men stood nearby, talking about the agricultural foundation of the nearby farms. Irvin closed his eyes, giving into an energy which only seemed to intensify as he processed his emotions.

In just one moment, the chatter around him shifted, the language no longer familiar. While he remained on a bench, as he opened his eyes, the rural shop had been replaced with an ornate stone building. Nearby, a woman with an orange veil with yellow patterns had a small cart filled with baked goods. She called out to a man in a dark red fitted doublet, waving to him. The man looked at her in disdain, before turning away, scoffing as he left.

I appear to have shifted into another world, without knowing how long it will be before I get back. Either way, with the news about my old job, I am in no rush to go back home any time soon. As of right now, I only have a few items with me:

My journal

My sketchbook

Some watercolors

A quill

A stone

The satchel