This has been a long time coming. I had never thought this day would actually come, but here it is—I have officially declared my retirement, both to my current employer and to myself as well. A mercenary career that spanned decades of both fighting in war and teaching others the ways of war has come to an end. I had been feeling my physical sharpness decline over the years, and it eventually became clear to me that I would be better served finally hanging it up. And while it might seem like I wouldn't know what to do with myself now that my time of fighting has come to an end, but, in fact, I have been planning for this for quite some time now.
Legends speak of a place of solace, a place of true serenity and peace—a garden created by the gods, hidden deep within an enchanted forest. It is said to be a dimension of endless beauty where restless souls can find peace, but one that can only be found by those that desire it the most. My goal is set—I will find this garden, or die trying.
And so, I set off from my hometown for what will be my final adventure. A fairly uneventful day's riding takes me to the outskirts of the forest that is said to hold the entrance to this garden, and as I enter it, I only have to take a few steps inside before the dense forest almost entirely swallows the view of the outside bar some faint rays of sunlight breaking through the thicket of tree crowns. I can already hear faint rustling in the bushes, wondering if it's just a random squirrel or a wild monster about to jump me, but I'm going to be ready for anything.
Of course, that preparedness would turn out to serve me well. As I reach about an hour of venturing into the forest, I have just fought off the third attack by a monster. First, it was just some random goblins that didn't pose much of a threat, then some wolves out for a meal, and now some roaming orcs. And while my combat skills have faded a bit in my old age, there's still a reason I managed to live this long in the first place, and so I did manage to fight them off. However, I'd be lying if I said I was in good shape right now. That last encounter in particular was a lot closer than I would have liked it, and now I'm sporting a rather nasty cut across my right arm. I've bandaged it to the best of my ability, but if this continues, I'm not going to make it much longer. Quite the miserable end, but I suppose it would be appropriate, and I did say to myself I would either find this place or die trying.
But as I walk further into the forest, wanting nothing more but to find some peace before I go, I suddenly feel like there's more sunlight coming through now. Could it be? Have I made it? The thick vegetation begins to give way to a clearing, and I notice something strange about it—in the center of the clearing stands a simple door. Nothing in front of it, to the side of it, or behind it... this could either be an incredibly elaborate prank, or in fact a dimensional gateway. Only one way to find out, I suppose. Stepping up to the door, I push it open, and my jaw drops.
Through the doorway, I can see a marvelous garden with trees, grass, greenery and flowers, arranged and grown with impeccable skill. I'm absolutely awestruck, and before I even realize it, I've stepped inside the door and let it fall shut behind me. To my surprise, when I turn around, the door has in fact completely disappeared now. I suppose I'm stuck now, but if I really am where I think I am, I don't believe I'll ever want to leave.
Indeed, now that I'm able to truly take in my surroundings for the first time, there is no doubt in my mind that I've found my way to the divine garden. While it at first glance looks similar to the forest I was just in, a closer look shows that this place has been crafted by someone with attention to detail. There is beauty all around me, with a serene soundscape of wind softly rustling through leaves, birds chirping their lovely songs, and the babbling of a nearby creek. Just being here has already made me feel calmer and more at ease, though a stinging pain running through my body reminds me that I do still have that injury from earlier that I should probably take care of.
Looking around for any sort of sign of life, I spot a small pagoda up along a path, and make my way towards it. As I approach it, I end up spotting what looks to be a human figure kneeling in the grass nearby, tending to some of the plants. Calling out to them, they get up from the ground and give me a wave that seems friendly enough, so I walk over to them. I can now see that they seem to be a male elf.
"Greetings, traveler! It seems you've reached your destination." he says, his face sporting a soft and gentle smile. Then, before I can even respond, he spots the bandaged injury on my arm. "Ah, hang on, let me help you out, traveler..." he continues, before reaching out towards me. A strange bright light suddenly forms around the cut on my arm, and when it dissipates five seconds later, there's no sign of the bandage or the cut left. I had known that healing magic existed, but usually, it requires herbs and takes days to really take effect... for something to be this effective, it has to be incredibly powerful magic.
"So... am I really in the divine garden right now? Have I made it?" I ask the elf, still marveling at my injury being healed instantly.
"Yes, friend. Welcome to the garden of creation. My name is Xantar. I am one of the keepers of the garden, and your personal guide." he replies. Personal guide? What's going on here? But as if he immediately noticed my confusion, he begins to explain. "This realm, as you might have gathered from the way you entered, is not exactly just a forest-like garden. This is a realm created by the gods to house all the beauty of creation. There is everything here, from verdant forests, over meticulous flower gardens that would shame emperors, to wild jungles and majestic oceans. Occasionally, somebody from the mortal world that seeks an entrance and truly desires peace will be able to reach it. And when they do, they will want for nothing for the rest of their lives. Any desires they might have will be fulfilled."
While this all does sound quite amazing, I am still a bit confused. "So how does this all work? Is there a map of this place? And where do I get food or water?" I ask.
"There is no real map to this place, because it conforms to your desires. Do you want to see the ocean? Just walk in one direction and think about it, and it'll happen. Are you hungry? Once you desire something to eat and simply walk in one direction, you will find a small building like this pagoda here, and it will contain all the food and drink you can desire. And if you need anything else, just think about what you want, and as your personal guide, I will appear to help you no matter what." he then explains.
Somehow, that just throws up more questions. "Wait... so if this whole thing is infinite and I move through it by thinking, how exactly are you tending to it?"
But his response is simply a smile, a wink and "Some things are best left unexplained, my friend.". And for some reason, I really didn't feel like pressing the question, especially given that I'm dealing with the divine here. "Now, just take a look around. Go where your heart takes you. And if you have any further questions, I'll be there." Xantar continued before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
For now, I'm left alone. Figuring I might as well just start exploring, and curious about this strange, beautiful world of nature, I set off.