Evan Wilder had walked through many forests in his life but none of them had ever opened above him like a cracked mirror of light The rescue call earlier that morning had been routine a report of an injured eagle trapped near a cliff His job as a wildlife conservation officer taught him to react fast but stay calm He approached the cliff checked his equipment felt the wind rise and then the sky bent inward as if pulled by invisible hands

The light swallowed him before he could shout He felt no pain only the rushing sensation of falling without gravity When his boots finally struck solid ground he stood in a wide plain filled with grass taller than his waist The air hummed with something that was not wind A strange pulse moved through the land as though the soil itself breathed

Evan tried to get his bearings He scanned the horizon for roads but none existed Instead he saw a herd of creatures grazing in the distance They looked like deer but their horns glowed faint blue with lines like lightning trapped under glass The creatures raised their heads at the same moment sensing him One stamped its hoof sending a small spark across the grass

Evan whispered instinctively easy I am not here to hurt you He took slow measured steps the same way he approached stressed wildlife in his world The herd watched him but did not flee Then a sharp cry echoed overhead drawing his attention upward A massive bird circled above its wingspan wider than any eagle he had seen Its feathers shimmered with bronze and red each movement trailing a faint trace of light

This is impossible Evan murmured He touched the grass felt real texture real life He was not dreaming He recalled the sky tearing open felt a pressure on his chest and now here he stood in a place where animals held magic like fire in their blood

A sound of running footsteps came behind him Evan turned ready to defend himself A group of men wearing rough leather armor rushed toward him holding spears Their faces showed fear not anger One shouted Stay back stranger The storm elk are unpredictable today If they charge you will be struck by their thunder

Evan tried to explain I mean no harm I just arrived here I do not know this land But the men seemed unsure One of them glanced at Evan’s clothing which was strange to them No metal plates no sigils no tokens of any guild

You came from the sky one whispered His voice trembled The shepherd saw it A tear of light opened above the plains He swore someone fell from it

Evan took a breath He had dealt with frightened people before during forest fires evacuations injured animal reports He raised his hands in a calm gesture I do not want trouble But I need to know where I am Can you tell me

Before the men could answer the ground trembled A deep roar rolled across the plain The herd of storm elk suddenly bolted streaks of blue light flickering across their horns The men cursed scatter The leader grabbed Evan’s arm Run if you want to live

Evan ran with them The thunder from the charging herd grew louder A spark snapped behind him and the air cracked like a whip He stumbled but kept moving He knew enough about animal behavior to avoid triggering panic He let the men lead him to a cluster of large boulders where the herd’s lightning could not easily reach

Once the ground settled the leader sat catching his breath He studied Evan with wary eyes You truly are not from any kingdom I know

Evan shook his head I am a wildlife conservation officer I protect animals manage habitats rescue injured species The words sounded foreign even to him in this world of magic and leather armor

One of the men tilted his head Conservation officer What kind of mage is that

No mage Evan said quietly Just someone who works to keep animals alive

The leader exchanged glances with the others as though trying to understand a concept without a word for it He finally said If that is true you arrived in a troubled time The kingdom hunts magical beasts more each year Their numbers fall faster than anyone expects But no one listens Most think the creatures are resources weapons trophies or threats Only a few know the truth

Evan felt a familiar pressure in his chest This was the same story he had heard in his own world species hunted to extinction habitats destroyed people ignoring warnings until too late

The leader continued My name is Dalen My men and I track beast movement for the border villages We try to keep hunters away but we have little authority If you want shelter come with us The villages will not trouble you But keep your story quiet People distrust what they cannot explain

Evan nodded grateful for their guarded kindness As he followed them across the plains he looked at the land around him The breeze carried unfamiliar scents The sky held colors not found on Earth And every sound echoed with a faint magical undertone like a hidden choir of elemental voices

If these creatures are endangered Evan thought and if no one protects them then someone has to

The idea did not frighten him It woke something in him
A purpose
A calling stronger than fear

By the time they reached the village on the ridge Evan had made up his mind Whatever brought him here had not done it by accident This world needed conservation more desperately than any place he had seen And he would not stand by while species disappeared again

He would build something
Something this kingdom had never known
A place for magical creatures to be healed protected and studied

The first Arcane Beast Conservation Station

And that idea was the beginning of everything that would come after