To my surprise, I slept like a baby. Maybe all the walking we’d done the day before finally caught up to me. With that being said, I woke up sore all over, my muscles aching, and my stomach growling with hunger. Glancing around, I noticed no one else was sleeping nearby, so I guessed I must’ve been the last one to wake up.

  Despite the chaos from yesterday, the village had its charm. People back home would pay good money to visit a place like this. The architecture of the houses was amazing. Instead of concrete and bricks, wooden houses dotted the village, and some stood on the edge, looking like they were made from some sort of mud mixture. There had to be some magic involved, as some houses looked like they were about to collapse, yet it gave them interesting shapes. There were more people than I had anticipated, some must have taken shelter yesterday rather than joining the fight.

  I wasn’t exactly lost, as the village was quite small, but it seemed I had missed a turn, finding myself at the edge of the village again. The rampart from yesterday appeared to be the hub of activity, and they wasted no time starting repairs. I’ll give them credit for that, it was nearly fully restored.

  As I approached the barricade, I noticed a man issuing commands to the others stationed there. When he caught sight of me, he started making his way toward me.

  “Good morning, or is it way past that already?” I said.

  “Well, lunch will be served soon, so it might end up being more toward the afternoon,” the man said. “My name is Arduin, and I’m the leader of this village. I wanted to thank you for your help yesterday. I didn’t want to bother you last night.”

  “Thank you,” I replied. “Speaking of lunch, maybe I can lend a hand with the repairs around here.” I gestured to my empty pockets. “Seeing as I’m completely broke.”

  He smiled. “It’s nice of you to offer, but you helped yesterday. The least we could do is get you some lunch.”

  As he didn’t seem to be in a bad mood or anything, the question just slipped out. “I don’t want to bring back bad memories or anything, but who were the soldiers from yesterday?”

  "We're currently in Aurora Valley," he said, his voice carrying a trace of frustration. "A few years ago, the border between the two neighboring territories shifted to the river running through this valley. Now, we face occasional raids from Ascalon. Yesterday's was particularly intense."

  "So, what's the name of the other one?" I asked.

  "That would be Malachor," he replied, starting to walk. "We're in their territory now."

  "Both have a tendency to complicate our lives instead of helping," he added, gesturing toward a building we were passing. As we entered, we found a dozen small tables and a few larger ones scattered around. We sat at a nearby table, and a figure approached us.

  A dwarf stood before us, his thick accent coloring his words but still clear enough to understand. "What can I get you?" he asked, addressing Arduin.

  "I'll have the stew of the day, please," Arduin said.

  "And for you?" The man turned to me. He was roughly our height but we were sitting, his stocky frame and rough, wide features made him unmistakably dwarf-like. The coincidence was too great to ignore. Maybe there was a way back to my Earth after all, someone must have made it back at least once.

  Finally realizing I was staring, I cleared my throat. “The daily stew sounds nice, and if you have some water or any non-alcoholic beverage, it would be perfect,” I said with a little stammer between words.

  After he left to take our order, I had to ask, “Are there other races other than humans?”

  "Yes, people and creatures have been coming here for thousands of years, but humans remain the vast majority of intelligent creatures," the chief explained.

  Curiosity got the better of me. "So, what other races?"

  "Trolls are actually pretty close by to the east, orcs, goblins, centaurs, elves, then bird people, and maybe others. But they are very far away, and maybe they’re made up; you can’t really trust everything travelers say."

  "That’s amazing," I said, realizing something. "Our fantasy stories have those exact races. It means someone must have come back from here." One race might be a coincidence, but not all of them.

  The chief looked thoughtful. "You should ask Alira; she’s from the capital and knows more about the wider world than me."

  I was a bit surprised. "From the capital? Why was she setting traps in the forest then?"

  "I admit I don’t know," he replied. "She appeared a month ago, patrolling these forests and using our village to resupply. We assumed she was some sort of scout."

  Just as I was about to ask more, Alira walked into the establishment. Upon spotting us, she made her way over and sat down at our table.

  "I heard you were finally awake," she said.

  "Yeah, yesterday was pretty exhausting," I replied. "Let’s hope not every day is that intense."

  "So, what are your plans now?" she asked.

  "Well, I was thinking about going to a big city, maybe learn more about magic. You?"

  "Really?" She raised an eyebrow. "I was actually about to head to Pinebrook myself to report the attack." She opened her backpack, took out a pack, and handed it to me. "Now we’re even," she added with a smile.

  Opening the package, there were some sort of leather shoes, and looking at other people, they seemed to be similar to what fashion or necessity called for.

  “Thank you,” I said simply, but continued after a short pause. Trying to keep the tone casual, I asked, “Do you mind if I travel with you to the city?” At her silence I added. “Plus, it seems the region is not that safe; two sets of ears might be good at night if trouble finds us”

  She let out a short laugh. “Oh, absolutely. The guy who can sleep through a crowd making a racket until noon would make an excellent lookout.”

  Trying to sound hurt, I said, “If anything, my snoring will keep you from sleeping too deep, so you’ll be more alert.”

  “Well, how can I say no to that? When are you leaving?” I added.

  “As soon as possible, I would have already left, but wanted you to have the shoes first. Finish your food, then come meet me at the rampart,” she said, turning and leaving the tavern.

  Arduin led me to a general shop and handed me a poncho-style tunic, explaining that it could double as a blanket at night—practicality clearly trumped fashion here. He also gave me a worn rucksack, which had definitely seen better days, but I was genuinely grateful. I extended my hand in thanks, and luckily, handshakes seemed to be a universal gesture. Not long after, I made my way to the rampart.

  “I picked up some extra rations, so give me your backpack,” Alira said while I took a last look at the village.

  The backpack seemed light at first, but I wasn’t physically prepared for the pace Alira was setting. I tried to strike up a conversation, but I could barely speak and walk at the same time.

  After a few hours, the backpack felt like it was ten times heavier; my shoulders and especially my back were on fire. The pain had given me an idea. Focusing on the Mana Shield to bring it closer to my body, it reached a point where it was between my skin and the backpack. When that happened, the weight was suddenly gone. It was as if the Shield was taking all the weight. It still wasn’t clear to me how it even worked or if it consumed some resource.

  With the weight gone, I found new strength, and soon I was setting the pace. It was her turn to try to keep up with me, at first probably thinking I was trying to show off, but soon she started breathing heavily for the first time, and soon after that, she stopped and looked at me.

  “How are you doing that?” She sounded incredulous. “Yesterday, you couldn’t keep up with me on a simple run, and now you’re practically jogging with that heavy backpack, which, I might add, I might have loaded up a little more than mine.”

  “I have this ability called Mana Shield,” I explained. “It’s what kept me from being sliced up by those soldiers yesterday. Thanks for the help, by the way. I was really panicking. Anyway, my back was killing me, so after some trial and error, I realized I could adjust the location of the shield. Now the weight of the backpack rests on the Mana Shield, not my back.”

  “That little barrier of yours, huh?” She raised an eyebrow. “Really useful. Never saw a shield that could handle that much punishment.”

  “Really? Are they more like the red shield the mage used?”

  “Pretty much. That’s why mages are usually on the back line with others protecting them. If they’re offensive, they’re just casualties waiting to happen.”

  “Well, the spell’s called Mana Shield,” I continued. “So I assume it’s proportional to the mana one has.”

  She paused, a confused look on her face. “What’s mana?”

  “You might have another name for it,” I began. “It’s a resource that depletes the more magic you use, and it recovers over time or after resting.”

  Her face broke into a big smile, and she had to hold back a laugh. “What?” I asked, a bit confused.

  “A mystical resource that depletes and recovers?” she asked, almost laughing. “Where do you come up with this stuff, really?”

  I chuckled, realizing how odd it must sound. “I guess you're right. I shouldn’t apply my world’s fantasy ideas to this one just because some things match.”

  As she nodded in agreement, I asked, “Well, then, how does magic work here?”

  Getting more serious, she said, “It’s like asking how come the sun doesn’t run out of heat. Magic just exists, and it is all around us. The more attuned you are with it, the more power you can get from it. But as far as we know, it can never run out.”

  “Well, I know what keeps the sun hot all the time, as you put it. So, there has to be a reason magic exists here and not in my world.” I said.

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  “You did say there were no gods in your world,” she offered.

  If the gods were so benevolent as to grant magic, I doubted this world would have remained stuck in the middle ages. Still, it was probably best to keep that thought to myself, who knew who might be listening? “You might be right. That’s definitely a big difference,” I replied.

  “A world without gods,” she mused. “That must be liberating in a way.”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know about that. Even without proof of their existence, people still believe in gods, or at least in some form of organized religion.”

  “Really?” she asked, genuinely curious. “Without a clear benefit, why worship a particular god?”

  Her perspective was fascinating. The apparent transactional nature of religion here made sense when gods were tangible entities offering real, measurable benefits. It was pragmatic, even if it felt strange to me. I must have been smiling because her expression turned quizzical.

  “Sorry,” I said, “It’s just… you’ve got a very pragmatic approach to religion. It’s ironic, in a way.” Then I added, “So, do people actually meet gods here?”

  “Very rarely,” she said. “Usually only if they want something from you.”

  Something in her voice shifted, was that regret?

  “What could they possibly want from a mortal?” I asked, leaning in slightly.

  She hesitated, then said, “I think I mentioned their constant conflicts with each other. They sometimes involve mortals. You can never be sure of their motives.” she said, accelerating her pace.

  Great. Just great. Clearly, some god had brought me here. Was I just a pawn in some cosmic game, a way for bored entities to fill their endless time? It’s not like I had a choice in the matter. Upset one of them, and what? Just cease to exist? Was there even a story where gods weren’t huge assholes? Even the Christian one had wiped out the earth—well, except for that one guy with the boat.

  And let’s not forget, that guy was friends with God. So, basically, I had to keep my mouth shut and play along. Atheists probably didn’t live very long on this planet. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. If I was going to survive, I’d have to tread carefully—and maybe start brushing up on my god-pleasing skills.

  ─── ????? ───

  The following day, heavy rains slowed our progress. Fortunately, my Mana Shield proved invaluable; its versatility was truly remarkable. The rain simply diverted around me. However, Alira looked miserable in her non-waterproof clothes, despite her hood.

  “You look like a marinated vegetable.” I couldn’t resist teasing her.

  She grumbled, seeking shelter under a nearby tree. “I really hate that ability of yours.”

  “It’s not as perfect as I thought,” I said, letting the words hang in the air.

  She raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting. “So, are you going to keep me in suspense?”

  I couldn’t help but grin. “No, I just find it amusing to see your annoyed face when you try to hide it.”

  “Still waiting!” she retorted, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.

  “Well, for starters, I couldn’t get the Shield to work as a mattress last night. Trust me, that’s more important than it sounds.” I paused, then added, “And just a few minutes ago, I nearly tumbled down a ravine after slipping in the mud. It’s so slippery it’s like walking on ice.”

  She let out a sigh, though a hint of humor crept into her voice. “Thank Elune for small miracles,” she said, clearly trying to hide her amusement. I had to suppress a smile.

  To keep the conversation going, I changed the topic. “Speaking of Elune, is she a goddess of the moon or night, or something similar?”

  “Not exactly. She is the goddess of vengeance.”

  “Well, then, it was just a coincidence yet again. I guess coincidences happen. So, what do you have to seek vengeance for?” I asked cautiously, hoping not to touch a nerve.

  “Nothing really. Each god offers a boon if you worship him/her, and it happens that her boon was beneficial for my class.”

  “So, how do you learn more abilities or spells?”

  “Well, for mages, I’m not sure. Maybe from a spell-book? As for me, I watch people who have mastered an ability I want and are willing to teach it.”

  Really? Books? The first spell I learned was after nearly being killed by those vanishing birds. It happened automatically. The lightning one wasn’t much different.

  “Yes, that’s one of the mysteries of magic. The first ability or spell you receive is somewhat random and basically a gift. Some lucky ones even get two. But I’ve never heard of anyone getting a third for free. So, I’m afraid you’ll have to work for the rest, just like the rest of us,” she said.

  “So, what abilities do you have?” I asked casually.

  “That’s kind of a personal question,” she said, trying to sound offended.

  “You know all my abilities. How is that fair?” I countered, feigning hurt.

  “Fine. I have a Dash, which allows me to move quickly, a Dodge, which is a self-buff, and a Concealment ability. It’s not like invisibility, but it’s very effective at night and somewhat less so during the daytime,” she explained, suddenly stopping and concentrating as if she had heard something. The rain had slowed to a drizzle by then.

  She gestured for me to be quiet and stay put, then disappeared into the trees.

  Waiting wasn’t my strong suit. With nothing to occupy my mind, each minute felt like an eternity. I paced back and forth, glancing occasionally toward the path she had taken, hoping to see her returning. Finally, after what felt much longer than ten minutes, Alira reappeared, her expression sharp with focus.

  “There’s a caravan,” she said without preamble, “transporting prisoners toward the Ascalon border. The thick mud has slowed some of their wagons, so they’ve fallen behind the main force. From what I could see, they’ve got about 10 to 15 guards, and some of the prisoners are children. My guess is they’ve been raiding villages for supplies or slaves.”

  “I know it’s asking a lot, but there is no way I could free them alone.” Her eyes were determined, and without much thought, I responded, “If they have children in cages, there’s not much to think about.”

  “You might have to kill again. I hope you realize that,” she said.

  I hesitated. “I’ll try to be careful, but water and lightning don’t mix well. So, please, stay away from the people I’m attacking,” I said.

  We made our way, trying to minimize noise. Well, she was quiet, so it was more like me trying not to make noise, but the drizzle helped mask some of my missteps. The good news was that they weren’t soldiers, but more like thugs. The bad news was that we could hear the noise from the other wagons in the distance, so we had to act quickly. The rain was obscuring vision and helping with noises, but if it stopped, it would be bad news for our chances.

  The prisoners were shivering in their cages, and as we got closer, I could see there were about 5-6 people in the wooden cage, huddling together for warmth. I couldn’t be sure, but I could see at least two children.

  We decided that I would take out the guards farther away, while she freed the prisoners. She gave me the signal, and a Lightning Bolt struck the farthest guard. I held my breath, afraid the noise would alert the others, but luckily, they seemed to think it was just part of the storm. However, on the second Bolt, the confusion cleared, and some guards charged at me, while two ran, presumably to get help.

  They were slowed down by the mud, so they fell one by one to my Bolts as they tried to reach me. I tried to use as little power as I could to only daze them, but it wasn’t an exact science. Meanwhile, Alira had dispatched three guards and was breaking the lock on the cage.

  Then things took a turn for the worse. The runners returned with reinforcements, and now there were at least twenty soldiers heading our way.

  “Get them into the forest!” I shouted. Alira glanced at me, her hesitation clear in her expression.

  Sensing she needed more assurance, I added, “Trust me, I’ve got a plan. Just get some distance with the prisoners.”

  There wasn’t really a plan, more of a rough idea. Close enough, right? Alira gave a reluctant nod and began guiding the prisoners toward the forest. Meanwhile, I turned to face the soldiers.

  The problem was they had nets; those things could pin me to the ground, and my offensive spell would be useless. My Bolts were not instant; I had to aim, so there was no chance of picking them off one by one without being overwhelmed. My only option was some area of effect.

  With time running out, I sprinted toward a large puddle, but slipped as soon as I stepped in, unable to see the ground beneath me. The Mana Shield, for all its protection, made the mud feel twice as slippery.

  By now, most of the soldiers had caught up, spreading out as they entered the puddle, trying to surround me. I waited until they were in close melee range. Trusting my shield would hold against lightning, I fired two bolts into the water on either side of me.

  For the first time, I felt the Mana Shield falter slightly under the strain, but it held. Within moments, a dozen or so soldiers collapsed, writhing in the water. The rest, who had been slower and hadn’t reached the puddle yet, now hesitated.

  One brave soldier tentatively stepped into the water, and I immediately sent a Lightning Bolt to his feet, watching him fall, convulsing from the shock.

  Even the ones trying to flank me through the mud stopped, clearly weighing the risk of continuing. I fired a few more bolts in their direction, forcing them to dive into the mud to dodge.

  Taking advantage of their hesitation, I turned and sprinted toward the forest path, hoping I had enough of a lead.

  I caught up with the group within minutes by following the muddy trail they’d left behind. Alira handed me my backpack and a young boy to carry, and we moved quickly to higher ground, avoiding making tracks if possible. Exhaustion hit the group hard, but an old man guided us to a small cabin by nightfall, where we rested.

  The next morning, we reached a forest road and soon found a wagon willing to take the rescued villagers to safety. After a brief farewell, we found our own ride heading in the opposite direction.

  Alira looked at me with concern. “I never got a chance to ask you. There were at least two dozen men. How did you manage to hold them off?”

  I explained how water conducts electricity, and how I was able to hit multiple targets at once.

  “And the others backed off after that?” she asked.

  “Yeah, after watching ten of their comrades go down, none of them seemed eager to charge in. I think they shot a few arrows, too.”

  “But that’s hardly worth mentioning, right?” she replied with a grin.

  I shrugged. “I was more focused on not slipping in the mud again.”

  She burst out laughing. “I still can’t believe mud is more dangerous to you than arrows!”

  After her laughter faded, I shifted the topic. “So, what’s the town we’re heading to like?”

  “Well, it’s a proper city, maybe 10,000 people. It has a garrison, professional guilds, and…” She trailed off.

  “Wait, professions? Like enchanting or alchemy?” I interrupted, my curiosity piqued. She nodded. “And are they hard to learn?”

  “It takes about five to ten years to get moderate proficiency, depending on your talent.”

  “Damn. Guess that rules out Enchanting for me. That’s a bummer,” I said, feeling a bit disappointed.

  She smirked, her sarcastic tone returning. “I’m sure you’ll find something else.”

  “Alright, here’s the real question. You’ve been a generous host, no doubt, but I can’t keep relying on you for food and a place to stay. How do people make money around here? Sure, I could work the fields or chop wood, but maybe there’s something more fitting for a mage like me?”

  She paused to think for a moment. “Well, being a guard is off the table since you’re new here, and that kind of job requires a lot of trust. The army could be an option, but there’s the whole killing aspect to consider. Bounty hunting might suit you, since you seem to adapt quickly to new situations,” she said thoughtfully.

  I smiled, “Was that a compliment? I need to remember this day; it might never come again.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I was distracted. Don’t worry, it will definitely not happen again.”

  “So, bounty hunter. That could work. Speaking of jobs, what do you do, exactly?” I asked, still curious. She’d been setting traps for animals and now was delivering reports. Something didn’t quite add up.

  “I’m like a bounty hunter, but I work for the kingdom,” she said, a note of pride in her voice.

  Intrigued, I pressed on. “So, what were you doing in that forest where we met?”

  Her expression changed slightly. “That, I’m afraid, is a secret, and it’s not mine to tell.”

  “Let me guess. You were at the border, waiting for a defector or spy from the other kingdom to make contact with you and provide vital information about the future of the Malachor kingdom?”

  She smiled. “If only we were so lucky.”

  “Fine, don’t tell me. Let’s say the war is going badly, and the leaders are seeking mythical artifacts to turn the tide. You heard a whisper of a rumor that one of them was last seen in that part of the forest?”

  “Too bad I forgot to bring a shovel and came home empty-handed,” she replied.

  I laughed and continued, “Okay, okay, I got it. The gods themselves chose you for a quest to hunt down wolf-like armadillos, but they proved too much for you. The gods do love their mischief.”

  With just a hint of hurt in her voice, she replied, “The shells on those creatures make them almost immune to any sword attack. The gods were clearly cruel to give me that quest.”

  We chatted a bit longer, but as night fell, we attempted to get some sleep. I didn’t think there could be anything worse than sleeping on the ground, but it turns out a moving wagon takes the prize. Without rubber wheels, every bump and crack in the road was jarringly felt through the wooden wheels.

  Tomorrow, with any luck, I would start my journey to becoming a bounty hunter.

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