1 Prologue

I was sitting at my desk, staring at the computer screen in front of me. It was a typical day at the office, with the hum of the fluorescent lights and the sound of typing filling the air. I sighed and leaned back in my chair, rubbing my tired eyes. It had been a long day, and all I wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed.

As I sat there, lost in thought, something strange happened. The room began to spin and my vision went black. I felt myself falling, tumbling through a void. When I came to, I was lying on the ground, looking up at a bright blue sky.

I sat up, dazed and confused. Where was I? I looked around, taking in my surroundings. I was in a grassy field, surrounded by trees. There was a faint smell of flowers in the air and the sun was shining down on me.

I stood up and looked around again, trying to get my bearings. I had no idea where I was or how I had gotten there. I was just about to start walking when I heard a voice behind me.

"Who are you?"

I turned around and saw a young man standing there, looking at me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. He was tall and lean, with short blond hair and piercing blue eyes. He was wearing a white robe and carrying a staff.

"I'm Rika," I said, still feeling disoriented. "Who are you?"

"I am Merlin," the man said with a small smile. "Welcome to the world of magic, Rika."