As soon as she stepped through the portal, and into the 'tunnel', Vyran just chuckled darkly.

"Yes." he said. "After SO long, a major piece of the puzzle is definitely mine." he commented. "I've waited SO long for this, my dear... and it's time you finally fulfilled your destiny." he told her further.

However, at that moment, he heard footsteps rapidly approaching him, and when he turned around, he saw Kai rushing towards him.

"What!?" he exclaimed, before he was tackled by Callie's friend, sending them both flying into the portal as it closed behind them... and also sending them both careening into Callie, knocking her aside.

"Her destiny is to stop YOU!" Kai declared.

"Who the hell do you think-!?" Vyran started to exclaim, before he looked into Kai's eyes, and froze.

"....you are..." he mumbled, trailing off some, before Kai interrupted.

"So tunnel-visioned on one thing, you completely ignore another." he said.

This time, Vyran had been distracted, but their tussling and tumbling had made it hard for her aim. She did hit Vyran, but it only managed to pierce his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain.

As he did so, Kai kicked away from him, and they saw the disguise of the serve slowly start to melt away, revealing a younger-looking male with lavender eyes and light brown hair... with a patch just below his ear that matched his eyes.

"Curse you!" he exclaimed, tearing the spear out of his shoulder, as Kai slapped a hand onto the 'wall' of the tunnel, causing a branching path to form.

"CALLIE! GO!" Kai exclaimed. He didn't know WHERE, exactly, that would go, but it would be away from Vyran.

Vyran responded by diving for Callie and grabbed her ankle, his eyes pulsing again... but Kai responded with a solid punch to where the spear-wound was... which was enough to get him to let go abruptly.

"GO!" Kai yelled again, grabbing Vyran and yanking them both away from Callie.

"Before that path closes!"

"You meddlesome piece of trash!" Vyran exclaimed, before smirking.

"Well, if I can't have the princess... YOU'LL make a fine consolation prize." he then commented.

"Assuming you get me." Kai responded.

Meanwhile, Callie stumbled through the tunnel she was in, until i started to seem like it was getting... unstable. It started to shake and quiver, causing her to tumble about... before it all went black.

When she awoke, she found herself in a bed. She looked around and saw a room she didn't recognise, but at least things appeared to be quiet around her. Although she looked like she had gone back into the past, with the almost-13th century England decor.

The door was not locked, thankfully. And when she opened it, she found herself in a modest little home... that had a LOT of plants in it. Some she recognised, most she did not. But one thing was for sure, whomever lived here LOVED to garden. Or maybe they just loved nature. The entire place had an earthen and green ambiance to it.

But some of the gorgeous bright and vibrant flowers REALLY popped, adding life to the place.

However, before she could truly take in any details, a soft male voice spoke to her.

"Good morning." it said.

When she whirled in the direction of where it came from, she discovered it had originated from a young male that looked about her age. He had slightly tanned skin, and his hair was a darker brown... with a green streak down his right side that matched his green eyes.

However, what truly stood out to her... were his long pointed ears. If she didn't know any better, she say they were... elven.

"Are you feeling all right?" he asked her.

The young man was clearly surprised by her speaking his language, but bowed in response.

"Vyrna." he responded.

"I admit, I didn't expect you to greet me in my native language." he admitted.

"But... confused? I would imagine so." he then said.

"Maybe I can help." he offered.

"Would you care to sit down outside, in my backyard?" he asked.

"And are you perhaps hungry and/or thirsty?" he asked her further.

He was silent for another moment, upon hearing that.

"I..." he stammered.

"I MIGHT..." he said, thinking about it.

"Usually those like my can't have that, but... well, I mean... I can actually MAKE it." he chuckled. "I think I have some left from the previous batch I made." he told her further.

"Also, I'm not sure how you're back here. Or that you've been here before. Or left." he continued.

".....though you DO look familiar..." he then admitted.

"Regardless, if you want to sit outside at the picnic table, I can bring some food and drink out, and you can get some fresh air and try and clear your head." he offered.

He thought for a moment, before snapping his fingers.

"Ah!" he exclaimed.

"Actually, there IS!" he told her. "Two things, actually. And they both conveniently require being in the backyard." he chuckled.

He then grabbed a large wooden cup and filled it with a light blue liquid, as well as grabbing a cloth sack. He brought them both towards her and handed them to her.

"The liquid is for the tree with the red and blue flowers on it. Would you mind pouring this around the roots?" he asked.

"The the bag is feed for the animals that tend to gather there. Sprinkle it about here and there so they can eat?' he asked her.

The tree she was asked to water was certainly a large one, probably big enough for 2 tree-houses, and she had to admit that the ruby and sapphire-hued blooms that adorned the mint-green plumage were certainly gorgeous. She couldn't recall seeing anything quite like it.

However, she then noticed that suddenly, while she had been distracted with her looking, she was no longer alone.

And she was surrounded.

But... it was by small furry woodland creatures of various kinds, as well as several species of birds. Notably, she saw what looked like squirrels, but with two tails each, raccoons that were more weasel-shaped a lot of mouse-like creatures with near-comically large ears.

And all but the birds were sniffing at the sack she was holding.

It was clear that these creatures were NOT scared of strangers... which probably meant that most of them lived in the large tree there, or in the surrounding area.

After about 5 minutes of stewing in her own thoughts, and potentially panicking, she saw the young man come out the door with a tray in his hands. On the tray, she saw a plate of sandwiches, a pair of cups, a pitcher with what looked to be lemonade in it... and another plate with a stack of... what looked like date squares, but the filling was a vibrant red.

But she knew what that was.

That was Triae. And she could practically already TASTE It when she saw it.

He carried the tray over, the animals all getting out of his way, and set it down atop the table.

"All right." he said.

"Feel free to grab whatever you want." he told her, giving her a cup and pouring the liquid into it, and then doing so for himself.

"Ah?" the male stammered, her statement catching him off guard for a moment.

"My... stance in this world?" he asked her.

"What... what do you mean by that?" he asked further.

He was now wondering who this person was... and why she seemed familiar. Was she someone to be wary of? Was she dangerous? Was she sent here specifically to GET him? What was it?

However, he then also looked at her eyes... and then her hair... and things started to piece together in his mind.

'Wait...' he thought.

'Is... is she...?'