The air shimred with a peculiar blend of excitent and disbelief as I followed Eldrin through the lush, vibrant pathways of Mythica (Eldrin says that's the na of this place and that it's a magical realm), the reality of my situation began to sink in.
I glanced around, taking in the absurdity of the situation.
One minute, I was just another zoology grad buried under a mountain of job applications, desperately hoping that this internship might be my ticket to a stable, halfway-decent career.
The next, I found myself in an entirely different world.
A world where magical creatures wandered about as casually as commuters on their way to work.
And, of course, at this mont the universe decided to make things extra awkward by covering in fur.
Everywhere. (Courtesy of the potion's side effect, of course.)
And I an EVERYWHERE.
Well, except for my face, as I shifted uncomfortably in my clothes.
My arms were practically a walking fur blanket, and when I caught a glimpse of myself in a reflective surface, I could almost hear my dignity packing its bags and flying off towards the distant land of utter humiliation.
"Oh well, at least my fur looks healthy," I mused, running a hand over the soft, silken coat of my transford state.
The sheen was impressive, practically glowing under the golden rays of the Mythica's sun.
"By the way, for soone who's being magically transported to another world," Eldrin remarked, his brow quirked in curiosity. "You're handling this situation pretty well."
I shrugged, mories of my blurred, chaotic past surfacing. "Oh well. It's not my first experience."
Eldrin froze mid-step, his pondering look quickly replaced with wide-eyed surprise.
Then, with a laugh that sounded sowhere between amusent and disbelief, he chuckled. "Not your first, huh? Now that is a story I'd love to hear soday."
"This," Eldrin gestured dramatically with an open hand, "is the Mythical and Endangered Creatures Care and Protection—CCP for short."
I raised an eyebrow. "CCP? The na doesn't scream magical to ."
Eldrin chuckled, his silver hair glinting in the sunlight.
"This place is dedicated to preserving mythical creatures that are at risk of extinction. Most of them are endangered due to excessive hunting, especially the more monstrous types."
"Monstrous types?" I shuddered, trying to imagine a creature that might be more terrifying than a dragon.
"Yes, you know, like the Basilisk or Manticore," he replied casually, as if they were old friends. "Our goal here is to maintain their ecological environnts so they can thrive and not disappear altogether."
"Sounds noble. And you guys are the good guys, right?" I asked, mostly teasing but also genuinely curious.
"Of course! Though so creatures may not see it that way. You might want to keep your wits about you."
He led past magnificent trees that sparkled with luminescent fruits and pools of crystal clear water that shimred like glass, reflecting the vivid colors of the surrounding landscape. The park was enormous, sprawling across sections that seed to be thed after different mythologies.
In the distance, I could hear the soft rustle of leaves—probably so mythical creature that I didn't even want to try to identify right now. My mind was still trying to process everything.
And then there was the sll of plants. Not the kind I recognized from earth—no, these were plants I'd only ever read about in old fiction books. So of them I thought only existed in myth. My senses were on overload, like a nature docuntary co to life around .
"Here we have Olympus Park for those Greek creatures," Eldrin pointed to a distant hill crowned with clouds, "and Kunlun Park for Dragons and Phoenixes and the likes."
"Wow, that's a lot of parks. Just out of curiosity, do you perhaps have a petting zoo for the friendly ones?" I asked, my mind racing with possibilities.
"Good question. Not quite. But we do have 'et and Greet' sessions for the more social creatures, although I wouldn't recomnd attempting to pet a Chira."
I grinned. "Noted. And where do I fit into this grand sche?"
"Ah! That's where things get interesting," Eldrin said, a twinkle in his eye. "You'll be a caretaker, which ans you'll be involved in their daily care and feeding. It's a big responsibility!"
I thought back to my last job at a pet store, where I had more "pet-peeves" than actual pets. "How hard can it be to feed a bunch of magical creatures? It'll be like feeding my friend Sam's ferret but on a much larger scale."
Eldrin stopped abruptly, turning to face . "For trial, I'd like to see you try feeding a baby dragon. A word of caution, it's not as easy as it sounds."
I scoffed. "Pffft, how hard can it be? Just toss so food in a bowl, right?"
"Let's just say they're not very good at following directions."
As we continued through the park, we reached my new living quarters. To my surprise, I was greeted by a fully furnished studio apartnt complex. It looked surprisingly modern, equipped with all the necessary anities.
"Welco to your new ho!" Eldrin announced with a flourish.
I stepped inside, my jaw dropping. "This… this looks like sothing out of a high-end real estate ad."
"Don't let the exterior fool you. You'll be in a magical realm, after all," he quipped, "but we have to keep things practical for the employees."
I glanced around, taking in the sleek furniture, the lovely kitchenette, and even a small garden outside the window. "And here I thought I'd be sleeping in a hayloft. How did you manage this?", I said as I spotted an empty parking lot stretched out on the far side of the apartnt building, its stark emptiness making the structure feel even lonelier.
"Magic and a sprinkle of good taste," Eldrin winked. "There's even a 24-hour convenience store nearby, as well as food courts for employees. You might find that Mythica has its conveniences."
I blinked in disbelief. "So, I can get snacks at any hour? This is a magical realm and I can get midnight snacks? Now, that's what I call a win!"
"Just rember not to bring any food into the dragon area. They have a habit of taking anything that resembles a snack," Eldrin warned with a knowing look.
"Noted," I replied, already envisioning the chaos that could ensue if I ever misstepped.
I couldn't have noticing fast food franchises at the foodcourt. I chuckled. "I didn't expect fast food to make it here. Do they have a drive-thru?"
"Only if you can outrun a unicorn." He said with a deadpan expression.
"Alright, fair point," I said, suppressing laughter. "But what about all the other magical creatures?"
Eldrin waved his hand, dismissing my concerns. "We have asures in place to keep everything in order. Just don't venture too close to Olympus Park without supervision. The Minotaurs can be a bit aggressive when they're hangry."
"Hangry Minotaurs? Right, I'll add that to my list of things to avoid," I replied, feeling more optimistic about my new life.
We made our way to the administrative office, where Eldrin handed my Mythica ID and CCP employee ID card.
"This Mythica ID card is essential. It contains your personal information and also your Mythica credits—the currency here," he explained.
"Ah yes, the magical equivalent of money." I smirked.
"Actually, you'd be surprised how far it goes here." Eldrin added, his tone serious. "Just don't lose it."
He then produced a tablet out of thin air. "This will help you navigate CCP. It has all the necessary information about rules, creature care, and a handy employee handbook."
"Sure, because who wouldn't want to read a handbook?" I replied, my tone light. "Just what I needed on my first day—more reading."
"Is there a 'how to survive baby dragons' section?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Only the section on ergency procedures," he said with a grin.
"Trust , it'll be useful," he insisted, maintaining a straight face. "And this," he said, handing a phone, "is the only device that works here. I've already added my contact info and installed essential apps."
I examined the phone skeptically. "Is it at least capable of making calls?"
"Only to other Mythica residents," Eldrin replied with a hint of mischief. "You'll find out soon enough what I an."
"Wow, I'm already feeling more connected!" I exclaid, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on my shoulders.
Eldrin clapped on the back. "Tomorrow is your first day, and you'll be starting off with feeding baby dragons."
"Great! How hard can it be?" I said, my bravado masking the rising anxiety in my chest.
"Just rember," he warned with a serious look, "they're hungry and might mistake you for food."
"Delightful," I replied, imagining myself as a walking buffet for tiny fire-breathers.
After saying our goodbyes, I returned to my apartnt. I sprawled on the couch, staring at the ceiling.
Was I really about to feed baby dragons?
Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a notification.
A reminder from Eldrin, "Rember, be cautious tomorrow."
"Cautious?" I muttered to myself. "Isn't this place safe?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)