You don't know anything about this place and you're in great danger, so you decide it would be best if you had as many people defending you as possible. You'd rather stay with the Captain.

"Very well, you may stay with us, just don't make a nuisance of yourself. We'll also be on the move a lot, so don't expect a high comfort level, however whenever we make camp, you're welcome to stay in my tent. For right now though, you'll have to leave it, I'm having a meeting with Lyssia and a couple of my knights to discuss an important plan of action. Explore if you wish, but don't wander away from us, we'll protect you, but we won't baby-sit you."

With these words in mind Lyssia leads you back out of the tent, upon which another knight comes up to her with a message.

"Sergeant, a man has arrived at the camp."
"Is he hostile?"
"No, he says he was just passing through and figured maybe he could trade for supplies here."
"Tell him to move on, this isn't a trading post." Lyssia says and goes back in the tent.

Not knowing what to do next you follow the knight back to the man he was talking about. When you see him, he looks raggedy, but well equipped. He a sword by his side and his leather armor looks more like a patchwork taken from several other suits. The most notable feature is the big backpack on his back. You wonder if he's an adventurer.

"Alright you, move on, this isn't a trading post." The knight repeats to the visitor.
"Okay, okay, I'll go. But can't I just rest here for one minute? I've been walking a lot and it would be nice to at least know I'm safe for just a moment."
"…well okay, but make it quick, and stay on the outskirts of the camp." The knight says and leaves. You continue to examine this traveler, who immediately knows you are.
"Well, how come you get to stay here? Army camps aren't known to house children." He asks while sitting down on a nearby log.

You explain your situation to this adventurer, and once again you get an unsurprised look from your listener.

"Got the impression you weren't from around here. I somehow could sense it. I always had that ability; it's come in handy a lot. But yes, the Nightmare Tyrant is very bad news; you would do well to leave this world as quickly as you can, no doubt Shadows are already on their way."
"Well I got this army to protect me!" you exclaim.
"Perhaps, but you said it will be awhile before they return to the Parran Empire where you can get properly transported back to your world, in the meantime they WILL be attacked by not just Shadows, but also by whatever they come across in their mission. Tis a long time to put yourself at risk. Not to mention I see a lack of magic in this camp, I wonder about their chances against Shadows if the Nightmare Tyrant unleashes his full power in order to re-capture you."

You're almost sorry you started talking to this man, within a few seconds he's managed to worry you all over again. Here you were thinking that you were going to be nice and safe.

"But…but…well what should I do?"
"Well, if we were back in Null, I could probably get you back home really quick…"

Before the Adventurer can finish you interrupt.

"Null?"
"Oh, that's where I live. It used to be a great city of fantastic magical power a long time ago, but it was destroyed by its own petty bickering. The powerful wizards there began to argue among themselves, factions were drawn and the entire city along with several miles around it went up in a big ball of flame. It was a terrible tragedy that could've been avoided, but there was an interesting effect of the aftermath of it though."
"What happened?"
"Well, no magic works there now, hence the name Null. Powerful wizards can't get a simple cantrip to work there, let alone a spell. Even the Nightmare Tyrant's minions can't go there. Still, it's far from safe. Lots of the Forsaken live there."
"Who are the Forsaken?"
"Oh they're the unlucky folks who actually managed to survive the catastrophe. Not all of them bad, but understandably such a powerful magic disaster had an effect on most of their bodies as well as their minds."

While this is all very fascinating, you still don't see how this helps you exactly.

"While this is all very fascinating, I still don't see how this helps me exactly. I mean if no magic works there, how can I get home? And why would you want to live in such a place anyway it sounds dangerous."

The Adventurer moves closer to you and looks around before speaking.

"Okay, because I can sympathize with being in a tough position, I'll tell you a little secret. Magic DOES work there, but only in one area and it's only a place I know about as far as I know. There's a deep, but small underground dungeon in Null where magic seems to work, I know because that's where I live! I stumbled upon it completely by accident when I was exploring Null. Apparently one of the many trinkets that I had acquired in the past was a key of some sort. It began to glow and then the wall opened up the way for me. Pure random dumb luck. So I went in and discovered that entire section runs on magic or something like it at least. There are some sort of contraption that if you sit down in and visualize with clarity, your wish will come true! I tried it a few times and it was nice, but I'm a wanderer at heart and as such I couldn't just spend the rest of my days wallowing in eternal paradise, plus I was always leery that something bad might happen if I over used the contraption for greed. However I did see it as a good place to make my home away from the road. In fact I use this magic chair to quickly travel to towns and other cities, of course it's only one way, but at least it shortens the trip somewhat. You could probably use the chair to return home. Even if it doesn't work, I could always take you to the Parran Empire to get you back home. It would still be quicker and safer than traveling with an army that has to complete some mission before it can back home. Who knows what responsibilities and dangers it might incur along the way? Think also, in Null, you wouldn't be attacked by Shadows either. It's up to you though, but choose quickly because I have to be leaving soon."

You stick with the Captain

While this man seems to mean well, you're still hesitant to just go wandering off with a stranger. Not that you aren't with some already, but you know the Captain and Lyssia a lot better than this Adventurer. Also you still feel safer with more people defending you, so you decline.

"Very well, I hope you manage to make it home safely." The Adventurer remarks and takes his leave.

You begin to wander around the camp looking at all the neat things. If you weren't in so much danger and worried about getting home, you'd probably want to stay here. Still wishing to be around a familiar face, you go looking for Lyssia and hope she isn't too busy.

You end up finding her tent, but she's not there. You do see a sleeping black dog though, a big one, bigger than you've ever seen. Scary actually, in fact it's even scarier when it suddenly wakes up and leaps on top of you!

"Grrrrr! What have we here? A little thief? Maybe eating your hands would teach you a lesson and I'm pretty hungry!"

You're so surprised by it talking; you temporarily forget that you're in danger.

"Y…you can talk!" you sputter.
"Of course I can talk!" it snarls before sniffing you a bit. "Snnnn…you don't smell like you're from around here."
"I'm not, where I come from dogs don't talk."
"DOG?!" it growls gnashing its fangs. "I'm a WOLF and maybe you need to learn that lesson too!"

Thankfully Lyssia enters at this point.

"Black Fang, you leave him alone! He's a guest!" she scolds. Black Fang gives you a dirty look, but backs off to his original position where he closes his eyes again

"Thanks…he nearly ate me."
"Oh I doubt that, I know he doesn't seem like it, but he's really a softy."

One of Black Fang's eyes open and he makes a growl, but goes back to sleep. You begin to talk to Lyssia and ask her more about where you're going.

"It's an old ruin of an ancient civilization called Zodan. I know because I found it myself while scouting, of course I didn't explore it in great detail since I figured it would be better to have extra help, but the markings are Zodan. The Zodan are no longer around due to an ancient forgotten war that lead to their downfall, but it's possible that remnants of their power still exists, possibly something we can use against the Nightmare Tyrant."
"Like what?"
"Well we don't know. It's a chance we're taking, but anything that might help against the Nightmare Tyrant will be a welcome relief. Many people believe his powers to be magical in nature, but they aren't. A majority of it is purely mental hence why he is anxious to always absorb the fertile imaginations of children. The Zodan also dabbled in similar psionic activity, so maybe…"

Suddenly a soldier comes running into the tent and you've just noticed how dark its gotten outside.

"Lyssia, we're being attacked by Shadows! They're everywhere!"

She instantly draws her sword and says a few words before leaving.

"You stay in the tent! And Black Fang, wake up, you protect him!"
"Huh? Wha…grah! I have to look after this whelp?"
"DO IT!"

Black Fang gets up and lopes over to the tent entrance and you hear the sounds of battle close by. Soon those sounds are nearly within the tent as a couple of Shadows find your location.

"HERE! HE'S HERE!" one of them hisses before Black Fang attacks them with his teeth and claws. You wonder if he's magical in nature since they fall and dissipate from his attacks. However, it looks as if the Shadows are determined to get you as they begin to overwhelm him as well as some of them on the top of the tent attempting to tear it open.

You try to escape

You have to get out of here! You crawl on the ground and lift up the bottom of one side of the tent and squeeze out. Unfortunately midway through your escape the Shadows see you and quickly drag the rest of you out of the tent and swarm you. You feel a paralyzing fear overwhelm your mind and the hideous laughter of the Nightmare Tyrant fill it.

"Now you shall join MY army!" you hear his voice say in your mind as the Shadows carry you off to his fortress.