Turning his head back to the arched window, he let the sunlight warm his face before facing back to the maid in front of him. Resolve now evident in his eyes. A new world also rife with danger, having started off with the fact that he had been poisoned. It seemed he occupied the body of a son in some well off family, it felt so weird and normal at the same time. He didn’t know how he should feel.

Whoever the previous owner of this body had been, he most likely died from the poison, and he now took the body over. It seems as though someone had it out for him, he guessed the angry fat guy who had stormed off earlier. Though he couldn’t be so sure.

Feeling guilty Konrad also wondered if he had died in his old world. Though that didn’t matter anymore, as what mattered now was information. Information about his new self and the world he now inhabited. The prospect of magic excited and scared him.

“Did he say he is my brother?” Konrad accidentally questioned out loud.

“Pardon?” The maid said louder in order to get his attention.

“I-I mean, who are you?” Konrad asked quickly.

If he needed information, he could start with her.

“I have been assigned as your personal maid, milord. Ever since you were…under illness.” She said hesitantly.

“Right, and what’s your name?” He asked.

Her eyes widened in surprise as he asked that question. She didn’t expect him to ask that. A few more seconds of hesitation emphasised her trepidation at being asked the question.

“Did I say anything wrong, young master?” She trembled. Lowering her head as she gripped her hands together tightly.

He pondered inwardly. It seemed it wasn’t ‘common’ for his previous self to ask questions like that. It wasn’t like he expected the previous owner of his body to be a righteous and peaceful person. But this had exceeded his expectations. He quickly thought of an excuse.

“Well, it seems I’ve forgotten a lot of what happened before. I’d wager that I'm currently experiencing some sort of amnesia, so it would help to remember things that could…jog my memory.” He said with a thin smile.

“My name is Ayn and I’m your current personal maidservant. Milord.” She said with more vigour in her voice.

“Current?” He asked curiously.

Her eyes clouded over again, the previous light in her eyes quickly dissipating.

“No! I mean don’t worry about that, let me try something else.” He rushed to say.

This is worse than he imagined. Whoever had occupied this body was definitely a bad person. Frustration evident on his face he tried to think over it properly. Whatever evils the previous owner committed he still needed to act like he was still the same. Otherwise, people would get suspicious. Someone had clearly tried to poison him, and a so-called ‘healer’ shot light from his hands.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Who knows what other magical abilities could be used to expose him as a fraud. Standing up at full height now with Ayn now looking up slightly due to her only coming up to his shoulders he asked one last question before getting ready to leave this bedroom and face the world outside.

“Who am I?” He asked. Strong resolve now written in his eyes.

“You are young master Konrad Osbourne. Third son of Baron Eagor Osbourne.” She responded robotically.

Initial surprise at the obvious name connection evolved into a shaking of his head. Turning around he walked leisurely to the doorway with his hands in his pants’ pockets. Stopping to face her again before he vanished into the hallway.

“Well Ayn, why don’t you show me around this place. Perhaps a change of scenery will help out more.” He said as the smile faded from his face.

Acting as a bad person shouldn’t be too hard. It wasn’t like he didn’t know what it looked like. Though he wasn’t sure how far his ‘amnesia’ excuse could get him out of trouble. Time would tell.

***

“Awooo!” Distant howls sounded in the deeper parts of the dungeon.

“Enough rest. It’s time to leave this hellhole.” Konrad heaved while rising awkwardly, stretching out the soreness in his joints.

Though valuable he couldn’t bring back the pelt of the direwolf with him as it would draw unnecessary attention. Nor did he have enough time. Reaching down next to the direwolf’s carcass he entered his hand into its mouth, sawing off two curved canine teeth with his dagger. Placing them in a compartment in his leather belt.

It wouldn’t be long before other dungeon dwellers were attracted to the stench of blood and death. Gathering himself he picked up his torch, lighting it by striking it against a small piece of flint. The darkness now being beaten back as the flames of the torch illuminated the area around him.

While setting off on the path he came from Konrad kept running his hands over his chest. Though he felt mostly healed, the image of claws flashing in front of him continued to send goosebumps around his body. He wouldn’t sleep well, not today or tomorrow. The echo of his footsteps began to decrease in volume the further up the cobblestone path he went.

After an hour of walking Konrad finally saw the first rays of light half a kilometre away. The previous frown on his face began to relax as he climbed up thick vines to reach the entry platform above. Dark green moss now blanketed everything around him. He had made it back. Alive. Squinting his eyes as a tidal wave of sunlight washed over him, he let his eyes get used to the increased visibility.

Stepping out of the ancient stone dungeon, the lush green forest breathed life back into him. All around him were dark brown trees of enormous height and width. The youngest of them easily being a couple hundred years old. A large variety of flora extended across the forest floor. Many of which were unheard of back on Earth.

Leisurely walking through a small stream of water cutting directly in front of the entrance to the dungeon Konrad brushed some vines aside to get a better look at a particular spot on a tree trunk nearby. An arrow mark carved earlier by himself directly above a number pointed him in the direction of where he had initially come from. Taking off in that direction at brisk pace he thought back to the characters he carved onto the trunk.

It was strange. Though he was in a different world, he perfectly understood the language and words when he read. In fact, when he directed Ayn to take him to the estate’s library, he could fluently read the pages though it certainly wasn’t English. This act shook the entire barony. Rumours of him going mad and reading a book sent maids, butlers and servants alike into a frenzy. He should’ve seen that coming though. Even if it's only been a couple of days since he had come into the world.

“I’ll have to go back down again tonight. It's the only place I can actually use to understand this world and its machinations properly.” He mused under his breath.

The thick canopy above blocked out a lot of the daylight. Now pockets of light ran through to the forest floor. Konrad could swear he could see fast moving figures in the shadows. Quickening his pace, he jumped over a rotted log almost tripping over multiple tree roots in the process. Moving the behemoth leaves bending towards him out of the way he walked into a small clearing, a tower of small stones that he had put up as a landmark reminded him of a change in direction.

Heading straight into the forest again Konrad quickened his breathing as his head swivelled around, checking every rustle with intense focus. The trees gave way to a visible dirt trail. After walking for almost half an hour he could see the daylight quickly reducing. It would be sunset soon and he didn’t want to stick around when night fell. Freakish predators coming out to hunt made his skin crawl. Powering along the trail at a faster pace his stomach started to rumble.

He didn’t pack any rations for more than a day so making it back to the camp was at the forefront of his mind. Looking up he could see the sky rapidly losing the battle to the night, giving way to a multitude of clear stars and twin moons. One notably larger than the other. He couldn't remember the last time he’d looked up at the night sky on Earth.

Without realising it, Konrad entered a clearing while stargazing. A small camp had been set up consisting of a hastily put together campfire evident from the strewn mixture of sticks and rocks. An extravagant carriage parked near a wider trail that extended out the forest stood tall, as if separating itself from nature like it was too barbaric for it to be nearby. The insignia of his family’s house, meticulously painted onto the side. A six-pointed star with red and blue diagonal stripes filling in the background behind the star.