The New Land

"Oh! Almost forgot," The Keeper's voice rang out behind him. Daniel quickly turned around to find The Keeper standing there, smiling.

"Right now, it's 490 AD. People here are speaking Old English. I don't think you're proficient enough to understand what they're saying," The Keeper said. "So… this is a little service from me." He snapped his fingers.

Daniel felt a subtle shift within him, though he couldn't quite pinpoint what had changed. Then, The Keeper spoke in a language Daniel was certain he was hearing for the first time.

"Gecnawest þū mē, Hlæford Emberwīf?" (Do you understand me, Mr. Emberweave?)

Hearing this, Daniel was stunned. This was clearly the first time he had heard such a language. "Is this Old English? It's so different from modern English! Too different! It's like an entirely new language!" he thought.

Yet, despite its unfamiliarity, Daniel realized he could understand it perfectly.