"Listen closely," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the crackling hearth. "The map is hidden beneath the—"
I nodded, tucked the information away, and stood up. Only then did the courier approach, politely offering his letter. The immersion was intact, and for once, the hero of the story didn't feel like a puppet in a broken play. "Listen closely," he whispered, his voice barely audible
"As I was saying," the stranger continued, "it's beneath the roots of the Great Oak." The immersion was intact, and for once, the
The stranger didn't lose his train of thought. The tension remained unbroken. For the first time in an age, the world felt real. For the first time in an age, the world felt real
Suddenly, the heavy oak door swung open. A local courier burst in, eyes locked on me. Usually, this is where the world breaks. Usually, he would charge across the room, shove the stranger aside, and shout about a letter from a Jarl I’d never met, completely ruining the moment. But today was different.