Within the vast universe, a streak of meteor light flashed across the sky, bursting forth from the chaos and plunging into the cosmos, heading straight toward a land where vitality and turmoil clashed.
This disturbance quickly drew the attention of certain beings.
Soon, a grand and immense gaze swept over, accompanied by a surge of musical harmonies, rising and falling in rhythm.
Thus, the meteor was pulled in, merging with it.
A new, never-before-heard syllable was born from that moment, circling outside the grand symphony, complementing the melody, novel yet harmonious.
"Approved."
The owner of that gaze withdrew their attention.
---
[Achievement Unlocked: "Stepped into Middle-earth!"
Description: Entered the realm of Arda.]
Huh?
The sound of wind, grass, rustling leaves, chirping birds… And the warmth of sunlight on his face.
He opened his eyes, bright light piercing into his vision, forcing him to squint immediately. It took him quite a while to adjust to the brightness before he could examine his surroundings.
The first thing that came into view was a line of small text hovering before him.
"Achievement?"
Why does this interface feel so familiar?
Middle-earth…?
He stood up, took a deep breath, and felt nothing but freshness in the air, with a faint scent of grass and earth, far better than his cramped apartment back home. At the moment, he was standing beneath a tall oak tree, surrounded on all sides by vast greenery and rolling hills.
He was certain, there was definitely no such place anywhere near his hometown. Had he been kidnapped? Or somehow sleepwalked onto an international flight?
He was confused. He tried hard to recall what had happened before, but his mind was completely blank.
His last memory seemed to be... playing Minecraft at home?
Minecraft, the well-known sandbox game that had been his constant companion for nearly a decade. From his first encounter with those pixelated blocks until now, he'd played it for about ten years.
Even though he'd been staring at the same cube-based world day in and day out, he had never grown tired of it.
Wait a second!
He suddenly froze and looked again at the line of small text before him. The text was now turning translucent and slowly fading, but as he focused on it, it reappeared at once.
"Isn't this the achievement system from Minecraft?"
Stunned by this discovery, Garrett suddenly noticed a transparent notification in the upper-right corner of his vision.
[Tutorial: Open Inventory.]
Inventory?
As soon as he thought the word, a familiar interface appeared before him.
Three rows of inventory slots, one hotbar at the bottom. And in the top-left corner, a slightly stiff full-body avatar of himself, with four armor slots beside it.
Closing the inventory, he noticed a row of hearts and a hunger bar now displayed at the edge of his vision. Perhaps due to being unconscious for so long, his hunger bar had already dropped by half.
Did I somehow get transported into the game?
Just as he was wondering whether he should start by punching a tree to craft a workbench, a voice suddenly called out to him.
"Excuse me there, are you quite alright?"
[Language comprehension enhanced.]
Along with the voice, another notification appeared briefly. Startled, he looked around but saw no one.
"I'm right here, sir."
A hand waved in front of his face.
He looked down, and found himself staring into the eyes of a... well, a very short person.
"Are you feeling well?"
Garrett didn't respond immediately, instead studying the figure before him with growing amazement.
First, the height, only reaching up to his waist.
But judging by the mature tone of voice, the adult features, the well-tailored clothing, and the string of fish hanging from his belt... this clearly wasn't a child. That left only one explanation: Dwarfism.
He straightened his expression and nodded. "Hello there."
"Oh, good day to you! Are you perhaps lost, Master...? I mean, did you lose your way in these parts?"
The way this fellow spoke was rather charming, if a bit formal. Though it felt unusual, the appearance of this hobbit brought him considerable relief.
At the very least, this wasn't some wild, dangerous wilderness.
"Yes, I am indeed lost. Could you tell me where this place is?"
The hobbit blinked and replied cheerfully, "Why, this is the Shire, Hobbiton, to be precise."
No way.
The Shire?
A flood of memories suddenly surfaced in Garrett's mind.
The Shire... The Lord of the Rings...
He stood there, stunned. He quickly looked down again at the person in front of him, taking in the details he'd missed before.
Small in stature, exceptionally large feet covered in curly hair, slightly pointed ears, and that unmistakable cheerful demeanor.
A halfling.
Or rather, a hobbit.
So this really was Middle-earth?!
He froze again, unsure whether he should feel thrilled or worried.
Middle-earth, when watching The Lord of the Rings movies, this beautiful realm had seemed like a fantasy paradise: breathtaking landscapes filled with fascinating peoples and epic tales.
But that had just been fiction viewed from the safety of his couch.
He had enough self-awareness to know that with his limited skills, even in Middle-earth, he'd likely be nothing more than an ordinary person trying to get by. And honestly, life for common folk in Middle-earth wasn't exactly peaceful. One careless moment, and you could find yourself at the mercy of orcs, goblins, or whatever dark forces might be stirring.
This world was far from safe.
Seeing Garrett lost in thought again, the hobbit scratched his curly head. This human seemed a bit... slow. Perhaps he'd taken a knock to the head?
Well, he certainly looked different, dark hair, strange clothes, and a rather soft appearance compared to the Men of Bree or Rohan he'd heard described. He must be from some distant land indeed.
The hobbit studied Garrett with curious eyes, then spoke again thoughtfully, "Sir, if you're looking for lodging, you might try the Green Dragon Inn in the village. Also, if you head east from here, you'll reach Bree, there are many Men there. You might find it more to your liking."
"Ah, thank you. I appreciate it..."
Grrr...
Before he could finish expressing his gratitude, Garrett's stomach let out a loud, unmistakable growl.
The air grew a bit awkward.
The hobbit looked at Garrett, then at his midsection where the sound had originated.
"Well now, I was planning to make fried fish and potatoes for supper tonight. Would you care to join me at my home?"
Garrett wanted to politely decline the kind offer, but his rapidly depleting hunger bar made the decision for him. If that bar hit zero, his health would start dropping next. He swallowed his pride and replied, "Then I'll gladly accept your invitation."
The hobbit looked genuinely surprised, clearly not expecting Garrett to actually say yes.
His slightly conflicted expression revealed some regret at extending that bit of traditional hobbit hospitality.
"Well then, do follow me. Though I must say, I only bought provisions for one earlier, so we'll need to stop by the market first, I hope you don't mind the detour..."
Chattering pleasantly, the hobbit set off down the path.
Garrett followed without shame, and soon began to see the hobbits' distinctive round doors built into hillsides appearing along their route. They crossed a charming stone bridge and walked a bit further, eventually reaching a bustling market square filled with hobbits going about their daily business.
Following behind his guide, his height made him stand out dramatically among the halflings. He had to constantly watch his step to avoid accidentally stepping on anyone.
Men weren't common visitors to the Shire, so curious glances followed him as he made his way through the lively marketplace.
"Are you a wizard, mister?"
Finally, a young hobbit couldn't contain their curiosity and ran up, gazing at Garrett with wide, wonder-filled eyes.
A wizard? They must be thinking of Gandalf.
"No, I'm not." Garrett smiled and shook his head. Before he could explain further, the child was quickly scooped up by their parent and carried away. At that moment, the hobbit who had invited him to dinner finished his shopping and called out to him, leading the way out of the crowded market.
Once they left the bustling square behind, he sighed with relief. Finally, he could walk without constantly looking down.
After a pleasant stroll, the two arrived at a perfectly round green door set into a hillside.
"This is my home," the hobbit said.
He opened the door and stepped inside, turning back to add: "The ceiling might be rather low for someone of your height, but you should be comfortable enough sitting down. Supper won't be ready for a while yet, but it's nearly time for afternoon tea, perhaps we could have a bite then."
Garrett ducked through the doorway, gently closed the door behind him, and looked around the cozy hobbit-hole with genuine wonder. There was something oddly familiar about this place, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
His attention was drawn to a small wooden chest near the entrance.
Curious... He suddenly realized his manners and spoke up: "Forgive me, I'm Garrett. I never got your name."
The hobbit, who had just finished putting away his groceries in the kitchen, turned and replied with formal politeness:
"Oh, well met, Master Garrett. I am Bilbo Baggins."