Peter was sitting cross-legged on the floor of his small bedroom, the glow from his computer screen reflecting off his face. His fingers danced rapidly over the keyboard as he immersed himself in Fantasy Final Online, his favorite online RPG. The familiar chime of spells, clashing swords, and bustling towns filled his ears.
"If only this was real," Peter muttered to himself, eyes fixed on the screen. "I'd be the greatest warrior Nyland has ever seen. And maybe, just maybe, I'd have a beautiful sorceress by my side — you know, the kind that's as fierce as she is gorgeous." He chuckled softly, leaning back on his hands, imagining that fantasy.
Suddenly, the air in his room grew thick and warm. A faint shimmering circle of light flickered beneath him, glowing with ethereal blues and purples. Peter frowned, staring down at it.
"What the hell is this?" he whispered, his heartbeat quickening. Before he could move, the circle expanded like a whirlpool, pulling him downward. His limbs flailed as the world around him spun into a blur of colors and sounds.
When the dizziness faded, Peter found himself lying on soft grass, the scent of pine and fresh earth filling his nostrils. He blinked up at a vast sky painted with pink and gold hues of sunset. Around him stretched an unfamiliar wilderness — strange towering trees with twisting branches, vibrant flowers unlike anything he'd seen, and mountains rising majestically in the distance. Somewhere nearby, a bird let out a haunting call.
"Where... am I?" Peter sat up slowly, confusion and disbelief swirling inside him. "One minute I was in my room, playing a game... and now this? This can't be real."
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of slow footsteps crunching on the grass. Peter turned to see an old man approaching, his robes flowing and eyes sparkling with a mysterious wisdom. His long white beard framed a face etched with age, but his gaze was sharp.
"Looks like the summoning ritual worked," the old man said, voice calm yet filled with excitement. "Welcome, young man, to the world of Nyland."
Peter's mouth went dry. "Summoning ritual? You mean... you brought me here? Like, from my world to this one?"
The old man nodded solemnly. "Yes. Just as I was summoned many years ago, now it's your turn."
"But why me?" Peter asked, running a hand through his messy brown hair. "I'm just a regular guy. I don't know anything about fighting demons or magic or whatever this is."
The old man's eyes softened. "Because the fate of this world rests on your shoulders. Nyland faces a terrible threat — the Demon King has risen, and only the chosen hero can stop him."
Peter scoffed, standing up and brushing grass off his jeans. "The Demon King? You mean like a real demon? One with horns, claws, and magic fire coming out of his hands?"
"Yes," the old man said simply. "The very same."
Peter took a deep breath, glancing down at himself. He was average height — about 5'9", brown hair, nothing particularly special about his build. "Look at me. Do I look like some kind of hero? I can barely get a girlfriend back home, and you expect me to fight a Demon King? That's insane."
The old man smiled gently. "Perhaps you underestimate yourself. I see potential in you."
Peter groaned and sat back down on the grass. "Potential? Seriously? No offense, but I think you summoned the wrong guy. There's no way I can do this. You've got to send me back."
The old man shook his head. "Once summoned to Nyland, there is no simple way back. Until the Demon King is defeated, you are bound here."
Peter's heart sank. "Bound here? What am I supposed to do then? Fight some giant demon with magic swords and spells I don't even know how to use?"
The old man reached into his robe and pulled out a ring that shimmered with swirling colors — red like fire, blue like water, green like earth, and white like wind.
"You won't fight alone," he said, holding the ring out. "This is the Ring of Elements. Long ago, a hero from another world wielded it to defeat the Demon King by uniting the powers of four nations — Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water."
Peter's eyebrows shot up. "And how exactly do I get those powers? Magic training? Finding some secret weapons?"
The old man chuckled. "Not quite. You must marry four princesses — each from a different nation. Through the sacred hero ritual, the ring will absorb their elemental power, granting you the strength to face the Demon King."
Peter blinked in disbelief. "Wait, marry four girls? Are you kidding me? I can barely get a date back home, and now you want me to marry four princesses?"
The old man laughed heartily. "I won't lie — it's not easy. I tried once, long ago, but I was hopeless with women. I never collected a single element."
Peter laughed, nearly falling onto his back. "Zero? Seriously? You're the one who summoned me, and you can't even get the job done?"
The old man shrugged. "I was always shy. You're braver than me."
Peter sat up, determination beginning to burn in his chest. "Fine. I'll do it. I'll marry those princesses, gather the elements, and kick the Demon King's butt."
The old man handed him the ring. "Then the journey begins. Our first stop — the Water Nation, home to the humans."
Peter stood up, excitement bubbling out of him. "A human princess? I just got here, and I'm already marrying a princess? Heck yeah!"
He raised his fists triumphantly. "Let's go!"
And with that, Peter's wild adventure in Nyland — the land of magic, danger, and destiny — had officially begun.