Prologue

Pulled into a nearby universe by a goddess for reasons unknown, Jay is forced to adapt or die. While trying to survive his first few weeks, he is pushed into a confrontation with one of the apex predators of this new world, a Drenz. Through sheer tenacity and a decent helping of luck, Jay scrapes by, successfully killing the creature, but unwittingly orphaning its two offspring, Bane and Kara.

The three ultimately adopt each other, utilizing their strengths to survive amidst one of the most dangerous environments on their continent. Time passes quickly as Jay prospers with his companions in this treacherous environment, but he is far from inactive, regularly expanding his search radius seeking signs of civilization. He eventually stumbles across a road and, in turn, a merchant caravan where he signs on for work in order to make his way to the nearby town of Shren.

Along the way, the caravan is ambushed by bandits, prompting Jay to defend his new friends before leaving to hunt the remainder of the camp. Jay and the Drenz systematically annihilate those left within the hidden outpost with the assistance of one of the turncoats, only to discover the bandit leader in the process of violating one of the prisoners after having painfully murdered a younger girl.

Upon freeing the prisoners, Jay leads the group to Shren where Jay is rewarded for his assistance with the elimination of the bandits. Using these funds, he sets up a business for the remaining victims; an inn aptly named Drenz’ Rest. The following four years are spent in training with the retired royal arms master and governor of Shren, Ray Jering, and the herbalist healer, Talli the Elf, who assists the recovery of Katie, a victim, dear friend and, later, lover, of Jay. Talli, we later learn, is a fugitive of the Elven Empire. The two end up romantically intertwined after meddling from the royal Wintz family’s Prince Darius and Princess Elise.

Upon assassinating the Prince, Jay is forced to flee the kingdom with Katie, enrolling in the adventurer’s guild with aliases. They quickly uncover a people trafficking ring as part of one of their guild assignments and Jay is requested to hunt down and end what is ultimately discovered as precursor inroads of a foreign influence.

After fully breaking the operation to pieces, Jay leads an assault against the mastermind aboard his ship. In the process, it is revealed that Tirious Bendleweiss, the foreign agent, is actually a lightning mage, someone far beyond the scope and power of a mere adventurer’s guild. The result ended with the capture and subsequent execution of Jay’s comrades, and Katie’s suicide. Jay is tortured mercilessly by Tirious for weeks as the ship crosses the ocean back to its homeland, however it never makes port as a massive storm sinks the ship.

Jay, through a stroke of good fortune, and perhaps a bit of meddling, finds himself washed up on the shores of an uncharted island at the edge of death. There he is physically healed; the scope of his world view broadened as he meets a Kitsune who claims to be the pinnacle of perfection in their multiverse, and desires to adopt him, a fateless one.