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Chapter One__Part:2

I started walking towards the exit, halting my steps for a moment. "Oh, and Marcus," he looked up at me. "Just talk to her. I'm sure you both should talk."

He slightly drops his jaw, "Is that why you have been pairing us these past two trips?!"

"Never say I don't care," I turned with a hand up, "You are most welcome."

"Just cause you're a doctor does not mean you are a love expert," He laughs.

"You are welcome!" I say again, laughing.

As I walk to my truck, I see my other two students, Dale and Valerie, discussing, more like arguing, the organization of the cataloged artifacts. I shake my head with a smile. These students are going somewhere, and I want to ensure they get a sound footing before entering the archeology world.

Lily approaches my truck, prepared to remind me of the endless list of tasks I must complete before the deadline. "Dr. Valenwood! Were you able to finish the assignment for the chest artifact?"

"Good morning to you too, Lily," I stifled a laugh. "No, I did not. I could not stop thinking of that amulet we found yesterday. And I've told you already: Call me Astrid. We are friends!"

"Please finish it. We need to stay on schedule with the deadline approaching. I've told you before that you are the boss during work hours, and after work, we're friends. I don't want people to think I got this job because of our friendship; I want to maintain professionalism. She said with a smile while fixing her outfit.

"Lily, we dig dirt and find cool, interesting things. It's fine," I laugh, grabbing my computer to find the hard drive we needed from the Lorea digs.

"True, well I'll go help Valerie and Dale deal with whatever the issue is now," She stifled a laugh while shaking her head.

I sit in the back of my truck with the portable desk I bring with me. I reviewed the files from Lorea and compared the images we gathered from today's excavation. The photos of the book looked like the amulet carving as well. I quickly looked for my bag, took out the amulet, and observed the likeness of the three images. The symbols matched, which showed me that my theory of the connection between time and realms exists. But how could it be able to get here in this realm? I dive into more research, trying to unearth anything else I can. Lorea's dig showed me artifacts that contained something working behind the scenes to keep the realms separated.

As I sat back, absorbing as much knowledge as possible in one sitting, I prepared to complete the task Lily had assigned me. Typing away, I documented our discovery last week during one of our digs in the area. With the final page almost ready, I waved Lily over while adding the finishing touches.

"Is that the assignment on the chest?" She asks while looking at her tablet.

"Yes, and I just emailed it, so you should be receiving it any minute," I sigh in relief at that being over. I love being an archeologist, but sometimes, doing the documentation and talking to people about my findings... bore me. But it is what keeps our work funded. Plus, Lily has been fantastic with organization and scheduling, so I hired her. Her being my best friend is just a plus.

"Great. After Marcus and Sam collect everything, we can finish the cataloging to eat and take a break. They are almost done. They were helping Dale and Valerie finish organizing the artifacts."

"Damn, what time is it?" I looked at my phone, which was now three in the afternoon.

"Yeah, you were focused for a good minute there." She raises an eye while trying to focus on reviewing my work to ensure it is ready.

"Let's help them pack the equipment and return to camp. I bet they are starving."

We packed up the equipment and made our way back to the campsite. We were physically exhausted from everything we had to do since five in the morning. I sent everyone to clean up and rest for a few hours before dinner. In the meantime, they usually make something for themselves to hold them over until dinner.

I'm too exhausted to even think about food. I washed off the grime and dirt on my body. I headed to my tent to rest my eyes. I set an alarm for thirty minutes. I laid my head back and relaxed, letting my eyes rest.

I was tossing and turning, unable to get comfortable. I huffed a breath and turned towards my phone to see it was four a.m. I groaned, dropping my phone to my side, lying on my back, and staring at the top fabric of my tent. "Great, bye-bye, sleep," I muttered under my breath. I might as well just get started and have an early day.

Sitting up in bed, I stretched and tried to wake myself fully. I leaned back, my eyes wandering around my belongings. I looked at my desk and saw the amulet in its sealed bag. Curiosity got the best of me, and I felt a strange compulsion to study the amulet again. I put my boots on and grabbed my gloves and the bag containing the amulet; after putting on the gloves, I began to open the bag. I lay the amulet on my palms, marveling at its beauty. I pick up a brush and gently remove the dirt, revealing more shining gems. Setting the brush aside, I inspect it closely. Noticing a small patch of dried mud, I remove one glove to scratch it off carefully.

A subtle warmth and buzzing spread through my hand. As my eyes widen, I struggle to stay calm. The symbols seemed to glow with an otherworldly light, casting eerie shadows on the tent's walls. My fingers traced the intricate patterns, and my mind raced with thoughts of the past and future possibilities.

"What the fu..." Suddenly, a surge of energy coursed through the amulet, and the tent was filled with a blinding light. I felt myself being pulled away, my surroundings dissolving into a vortex of light and shadow.

When the light faded, I again found myself in the ancient forest, surrounded by the familiar yet alien landscape. I blinked several times, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The forest was unlike anything I had ever seen, amalgamating familiar elements and an eerie unfamiliarity. Tall ancient trees stretched upwards, their branches intertwining to form a dense canopy. Soft, ethereal light filtered through the leaves, casting a greenish glow on the forest floor. It felt like stepping into another world; in a sense, I had.

Taking a deep breath, I reached for the amulet. It looked brand new—not a speck of dirt or discoloration. Instead, it looked like well-cared-for jewelry. I observed the amulet. The intricate carvings glowed faintly, echoing the energy that had brought me here.

My heart pounded as I looked around, searching for any signs of my team.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice trembling slightly. "Lily? Daniel? Marcus? Sam, Dale, Valerie?" I called out, hoping this was just a joke.

"Come on, guys. Haha, we can stop playing now," I say as I start to get my bearings together.

I get up, searching around me for any sign of life. "Guys, this isn't funny."

As realization sets in, I'm alone in the middle of nowhere forest. Am I even still in Eldoria? What is even happening right now? My heart was pounding as I was met with complete silence. The only response was the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant call of birds. I took a tentative step forward, my boots sinking into the soft ground. The forest seemed to pulse with a life of its own, each step revealing more of its hidden beauty and secrets. I remembered the tale I had read about Eldoria's ancient forests-stories of mystical creatures and powerful magic. But those were just stories. Weren't they? Yet here I am, standing in a place that felt straight out of a legend.

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