For a time, Milo faded in and out of consciousness. When he felt his vision return, he would find nothing but darkness, his eyes barely opening before he would lose consciousness again. When his feelings would return, he could feel the warmth of someone close by as they carried his limp body. He occasionally caught the traces of something sweet in the air, but his mind was far too hazy to know where the pleasant aroma was coming from.
Eventually, all of his senses converged and he felt the fog in his mind slowly begin to clear. It was dark, though not like before. Through his hazy vision he could make out the faint flicker of evenly spaced flames on the gray walls around him. Under his body, he felt the rough texture of the wooden bench he was laying on and the itchy blanket that was protecting him from the slight draft. The smell of something warm and savory wafted through the air, finding its way into Milo's senses.
Slowly sitting himself up before shivering and pulling the blanket up and around his shoulders, Milo looked around the room. Along the long walls to either side were tall windows, the night sky visible beyond. Between the windows were carefully hung lanterns, offering a gentle warm light that filled the large chamber. In front of him, there was a small raised platform with a small podium in the center, on the wall behind was a wooden sculpture of a beautiful woman with 6 magnificently carved wings on her back, a kind smile on her face. Filling the rest of the space behind him were rows of the pews, fashioned in the same way as the one he was currently resting on.
So this is a church. I've never been one to believe in gods… but…
Milo placed his hands together, as he would when sitting around the table with his family for dinner when he was a child.
"Thank you god." Milo whispered, his eyes becoming warm as he offered whatever divine being saved him his honest, heartfelt thanks.
"So you're finally awake?"
I KNEW IT! THIS IS A GAME!
Milo's reverent train of thought was immediately derailed as the voice of an older man echoed through the church. Turning his head towards the voice, Milo saw the man, in his late 40's or early 50's judging by the graying tuft of brown hair on his head. He was wearing a stereotypical priest outfit including the traditional clerical collar. all black robes with polished white buttons and white cuffs. He wore a simple leather belt at his waist with several small pouches hanging off of it along with an empty sheath for a knife.
As he approached, Milo tried to stand. As soon as his bare feet made contact with the icy stone floor, Milo felt his body stiffen in shock. This, coupled with the intense pain Milo felt when he tried to put weight on his throbbing right foot caused him to begin falling off balance.
"You might just want to take it easy for another minute or two," The man said, placing a hand on Milo's shoulder to support him. "Your foot was pretty mangled and the paralysis is probably going to make your legs shaky for a while." His eyes looked Milo over, Milo holding his hand up to his head after noticing a slight headache he didn't have before. The man slowly lowered Milo back to his seat.
"Where is this? Who are you?" Milo asked, his mind trying to piece together what he knew.
"Hmmm. one question at a time. As to where this is, you're in the church in the village of Dusthill. My Name is Derek. I'm the Head priest of this small church, so for now you are under my care."
"How did I get here?"
"What do you remember before you passed out? Do you remember what you were doing in the woods before being attacked by that gnoll?"
Milo felt his body stiffen, his eyes went wide and sweat immediately began to appear on his forehead. His legs tried to stand, but Derek's hand on his shoulder firmly held him to the seat.
"Hey now! Just hang on there, that gnoll nearly killed you. You can relax, you're safe here. Trying to run off in your state is bound to reopen the wounds on your foot. You're already lucky to be alive, you shouldn't be pushing your luck any further."
"I don't know why I was out there. I don't even know where 'THERE' is. I was in my apartment reading when I fell asleep. When I woke up, it was so dark and then I felt like I was falling. I woke up on the ground out there in the forest." Milo said, his mind slowly forming a short timeline from the day before until now. Derek looked slightly confused, but made no move to interrupt Milo as he continued. "I didn't know what direction to go, so I just started walking east. Well, I think it was east. Anyways, after a while I heard something in front of me and it was that gnoll thing. I tried to run from it but I got stuck in a clump of roots and fell. It tried to lunge on top of me. I was so scared I was going to die, but that's when everything stopped moving and this voice told me I was unauthorized. Then a weird menu popped up in my face and the voice made me choose a class. Then time started moving again and that gnoll wouldn't let me get away. I guess I didn't really do a good job escaping it if you had to save me? I really thought I was going to die, so, thank you."
As his explanation came to an end and he looked up at Derek's face, he could see the look of confused shock in the man's eyes.
"Hmmmm. It sounds like a lot of things happened to you. If I'm being honest, I couldn't tell you what even half of what you just said means. Still, if you're going to thank anyone, you should be thanking Marcy." Derek said, glancing at one of the nearby pillars. Peeking out from behind the pillar was a young girl with bright blond hair tied up in a blue bow. As she noticed Milo's gaze, she quickly hid behind the pillar again, letting out a surprised "Eeep!"
"Haha. Come on out Marcy, we both know you're there." Derek called before the young girl tentatively stepped out from behind the wooden pillar. Her skin was a pale white, emphasized further by her slightly messy blonde hair. She was wearing a simple black and tan dress with a simple fringed collar. The bright blue bow in her hair matched the color of her eyes, giving her a simple, yet composed look.
Nervously, she walked over until she was standing next to Derek where she gave a low bow. "M-My name is Marcy. It's, Uhh, Nice to meet you…" she looked up as she realized i had yet to say my name.
"Oh, I'm Milo. It's nice to meet both of you." Milo said, bowing towards Marcy. "Thank you for saving me."
Marcy stiffened at the straightforward thanks, the corners of her mouth twitching as she fought to suppress a grin.
Derek looked between Milo and Marcy, a grin spreading across his face before he exploded into laughter.
"Ah ha ha ha haha hahaha ha ha ah ha haha."
Marcy's face went red and she turned away from Derek as he laughed. "Haha. Ha. Hoh. Marcy here is training to become a cleric for the church someday. The Gnolls out there are terrified witless by divine magic. To them, I'm sure Marcy looked like some holy avenger when she found you. Haha. You're lucky it was Marcy that found you, if that paralysis had lasted much longer, your heart might have stopped and then there would have been nothing we could have done."
Milo's eyes went wide, realizing again how truly close to death he had been.
"D-d-d-d-d-don't say things like that. I-i-it really wasn't that bad. He probably would have made it all on his own." Marcy said, her pale skin now a bright shade of red.
"Hahaha. So you just carried him all the way back here for the fun of it then? And that treatment on his foot must have been for his sore feet, right?"
"Wha!" Marcy exclaimed, her actions being further praised.
"AHAHAHA. Honestly." Derek said, shaking his head, a smile on his face. "Anyways, Marcy here has been the one looking after you and treating your foot while you were unconscious."
"Thank you Marcy." Milo said as he watched Marcy fidget in place under the weight of Derek's praise and Milo's thanks.
"So. Milo. You said you just fell into the forest? It's not everyday that someone claims to have fallen into a forest. Just where were you before?"
"Well. I was in my apartment. After I woke up in the middle of the night, I just kind of fell through the floor, and then I was on the ground in the forest."
"Apartment? Is that your house?"
"Huh? No, it's an apartment. I don't own a house. My parents' house is in Everette, but my apartment is in Seattle where I go to school."
"Hmm. Never heard of a place by that name. But you say you're a student? Must be a 3rd or 4th year."
"Huh? No. I just finished my first year last week."
"Aren't you a bit old to be a first year? You don't look that young to me."
"R-right. There's no w-way you're younger than me." Marcy stammered, now hiding slightly behind Derek.
"My parents and friends always used to say I looked mature but… wait! No no no. How old I am doesn't matter, I need to find out how to get home."
"Well, I don't know where Seattle is, and I can't say I've ever heard of anyone from there either. Hmmm. And you say you don't know how you got here."
"Y-yeah, you said this place was called Dusthill? I've never heard of anywhere named that in Washington."
"We're just a small farming village south of Jushen, that's the closest city to here. Jushen and Dusthill are both in the Kingdom of Oathendale, but the forest you were in extends across the border to Varcarth." Derek said, clearly trying to view the map together in his head.
"Did you say kingdom? I've never heard of Oathendale before. And wait…" Milo started as all of the new information finally finished processing in his mind. "You said something about divine magic earlier?"
"Yes." Derek said. "As a cleric, Marcy here can use divine magic given to her by Enaris." Derek's voice trailed off as he watched Milo's expression change.
"I, uh, don't think I'll be able to get home by just walking." Milo said. "We don't have magic where I'm from. Unless you count magic in books and games. And even that is nothing but fiction."
Derek's eyes went wide as Milo's head drooped. Derek was struggling to understand exactly what Milo just said before Marcy's voice cut through the silence.
"WHA! What do you mean you don't have magic? Doesn't everywhere have magic? Even tiny villages like this have magic." Marcy exclaimed in shock.
Derek raised his hand towards Marcy in an attempt to calm her down. "Hmm. I'm going to have to give this some thought. If what you say is true, and there is no magic where you're from, then I don't see how you could be from anywhere that I would know of. As Marcy just tried to explain, everywhere has magic, at least in some capacity. Even if they can't use it, the evidence for magic is all around us."
"So you're saying there's nothing anyone can do?"
"No, not yet at least. There's nothing that I can do myself, but I might know some people who would be able to help you. They know a lot more about magic than I do, and they meet a lot of people so there's a chance that they might know how to get you home." Derek said as his eyes wandered towards the window. "Regardless, it's already getting late and Solus is already diminished. You should get some rest for now. No matter what happens, you aren't going anywhere soon, not while you're still affected by the gnolls saliva, and you should have Marcy take another look at your foot so we can be sure it heals properly."
"I've already got some soup on. It should be ready here in a little while." Derek said. At the mention of food Marcy began practically dancing in place. "Marcy, can you look in the store room for another blanket, something to keep him warm for the night? And when you're done, don't forget to take a look at his foot. I'll be in the kitchen if either of you need anything."
"OK!" Marcy said, "Alright, Hold Still."
Magic was something Milo had only seen in movies and anime. Milo watched Marcy as she sat down next to him and carefully unwrapped the bandage on his foot. With the wrapping undone, Milo felt his foot begin throbbing, and every time Marcy touched it, he felt a slight twinge of pain shoot up his leg.
After inspecting his foot, Marcy held her hands up in front of her as if she was praying.
"By the power of my will and the blessing of Enaris, goddess of Light, let the body be made whole, the pain relieved, and wellness restored. Light Heal!"
As she chanted, a small ball of golden energy appeared between Marcy's hands. Marcy reached out and grabbed the golden ball of energy, stretching it out into a small film. She then laid the film of energy on Milo's outstretched foot. As the energy touched Milo's skin, he felt the sensation of warmth. The throbbing pain in his foot slowly subsided as the glow faded completely.
"Alright, that should do it. Can you try wiggling your toes?"
Milo did as Marcy asked and slowly began moving his toes. There was still a tightness that wasn't there before, but the pain seemed to be completely gone. For a moment, Milo was unable to believe what he had just experienced.
"That's amazing. Was that healing magic?" Milo asked.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"Y-yeah. Well, not exactly, it's a type of light magic. It's not as useful as healing magic but it works really well against poisons and small cuts and scrapes."
While Marcy was answering his question, Milo carefully stood up and hesitantly placed his once injured foot on the cold stone floor. Milo slowly adjusted his stance as he tried putting more and more of his weight on his foot before taking a few hesitant steps.
"It feels amazing." Milo said, clear excitement in his voice. "I think I should be able to walk around again like this. Thank you."
Marcy's face flushed slightly at the thanks.
"I-it was nothing. I can't call myself a cleric if I can't do at least this much."
"Now if only I had something to put on my feet." Milo said, looking at his bare feet, completely oblivious to Marcy's embarrassment.
"Hmm. We might have something." With her face turned away, Marcy bounced off of the pew and ran off to one of the doors at the back of the church. After flinging open the door, Milo could hear Marcy opening crates and digging through things inside the small storage room.
Derek stuck his head out of the kitchen for a moment after hearing Marcy suddenly digging through the storage closet. He simply shook his head with a smile, "I hope you like soup, I didn't have a lot on hand so we're making do with what we have." Derek said before stepping back into the kitchen where the savory smell of cooking vegetables was coming from.
After a few minutes of searching, Marcy found a small pair of used shoes. "I don't know how well these are going to fit."
Rushing back out of the room, a disastrous mess behind her, Marcy brought the simple pair of shoes over to Milo. They were little more than a pair of leather slippers, barely tall enough to cover his ankles. The hard leather soles were heavily worn, but still seemed to be thick enough to protect his feet from sharp rocks and the small spiky seeds he saw in the forest. The leather was well broken in and a simple cloth liner meant the shoes were more comfortable than he was expecting.
Slipping them on, they were a bit tight around the toes, but otherwise a perfect fit. With his new shoes, Milo paced up and down the aisle to get a feel for the new equipment. Milo didn't mind how tight the shoes were, just the feeling of having something on his feet was relieving.
"They're a bit snug, but I'll take that over being barefoot." Milo said as he moved around, both to check the fit and to make sure they weren't going to cause him to slide around on the floor unexpectedly. Milo jumped around a few times and imitated the stance he had taken against the gnoll, just to be sure.
"They look like they fit pretty well to me!" Marcy said as she sat on the pew and intently watched Milo's movement. "I've never seen anyone move like that before, do you maybe know martial arts?"
"Huh? No. I'm just trying to imitate how I was moving when I was running from that gnoll." Milo said as he dropped into a goofy looking stance. "I wish I knew martial arts, then I might have been able to get away."
Milo had never taken a martial arts class, and being an only child, he never wrestled with any older siblings or cousins either. The most self-defense he had ever been taught was while he was in his high school PE class, and by now, Milo had already forgotten most of it. The closest to a real fight he had ever been in was when he punched his middle school bully in the hallway between classes.
In his untrained stance, Milo focused, trying to remember the feelings he had while facing off against the gnoll.
I don't fully understand how these skills work. Sometimes, like my analysis, they just happen on their own. But like when I used Dodge, I had to actually think about activating the skill for it to take over. Power strike was the same way. Let's see…
Milo consciously thought about the name of the first skill he wanted to try.
Dodge!
Milo felt the muscles in his legs tense as his body was propelled backwards. He slid backwards to a stop several feet away from where he had just been standing.
"Whoa." Milo said under his breath, unable to contain his surprise at the skills' effect. Unlike while he was in the forest, he now had the time to calmly think about how the 'Dodge' skill worked.
Dodge Left!
Again, Milo activated the skill from his improper stance, consciously thinking of the direction he wanted to dodge. Like before, his body tensed on its own and he nimbly slid across the ground to the left. Milo continued for several more minutes, trying the dodge skill in a variety of ways. In the end, Milo discovered that the dodge skill allowed him to specify the direction he wanted to dodge in. Unfortunately, he also discovered that the skill wouldn't allow him to dodge forward, so he wouldn't be able to use the skill to close the gap between himself and an opponent.
Marcy watched in amazement as Milo practiced with his skills. Despite his complete lack of training, to Marcy, it looked as though Milo was moving with an effortless grace that seemed to defy logic. It seemed like he could anticipate danger before it even presented itself, and his body would respond with lightning-fast reflexes that carried him out of harm's way in the blink of an eye. His movements were smooth and precise, as if he had been practicing for years. Marcy couldn't help but wonder where Milo had learned such impressive techniques, as he seemed to possess an almost supernatural ability to avoid danger.
Hmm… I wonder if Power Strike works the same way?
Milo altered his stance, imitating the stance of a boxer with his arms raised in front of him.
Power Strike!
Like when using 'Dodge', 'Power Strike' forced the muscles in Milo's arms and back to tense as his fist was thrown forward. His hand flew forward with an audible "Whoosh" and he could feel the resistance from the air as his arm extended before coming to a stop.
Milo tested the 'Power Strike' Skill several more times, learning that any attack that he made with his arms or legs was one that he could use with 'Power Strike'. While testing the skill, Milo also tried combining it with 'Dodge'. Lowering his stance, Milo pulled his arm back slightly.
Dodge Right!
Milo's body propelled itself to the right, his torso twisting as he pulled his arm back and slid across the smooth floor.
POWER STRIKE!
Excited, Milo screamed the skill name in his head. Before losing the momentum from dodging, Milo's arm tensed and his torso twisted as his right arm delivered a powerful blow to the air in front of him.
Dodge!
Just as the strike came to an end, he immediately activated his dodge skill again as he slid backwards away from his invisible opponent.
Alright! Hmmm. So it seems like I can use the two together. So what? Should I wait for an attack and use my dodge to make a counter attack before dodging back out of range again? Ok, Let's try this then…
Dodge Right! Power Strike!
Twisting his body slightly, Milo activated his dodge and immediately followed it by bringing his leg up and activating power strike on a poor excuse for a heel kick. Air coming off of his foot blew through the church causing Marcy to let out a small "Eeek!" as it tousled her hair.
DODGE!
Unlike before, he didn't wait for his kick to finish. As soon as his heel passed through his invisible opponent, Milo activated his dodge skill, trying to maintain his momentum like he did with his punches.
"AAAHHHH" Milo let out a panicked yelp as his body twisted and his other leg came off of the ground. Momentarily panicked, Milo's concentration fell apart and he fell onto his back. "Uuuuugh, ok… I need more practice."
Marcy, watching the spectacle, had her hand up to her mouth and was trying to suppress her laughter. "You know, that's still pretty good." Marcy said.
"Ugh… I wasn't trying to do a flip. I've never done any of this before. It's a very strange feeling." Milo said as he stood up and brushed himself off.
"Really? But you don't look like a beginner to me?" Marcy said, a bit of surprise in her voice.
"Yeah, until I showed up here and ran into that gnoll, I didn't know any of this. Having skills and seeing magic is all new to me."
"You told Derek that earlier. What did you mean when you said there was no magic?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. On earth, there's no magic…" Milo started before going on to explain how until the system gave him his class, and how he had accidentally discovered how to use his skills, all while running from the gnoll.
"Huh? I don't think that's normal. When I found out what class I had, Derek had to take me to Jushen and some man from the College used his analysis skill on me. They told me I'm a cleric and I have the Mana Manipulation, Light Magic and Prayer skills."
"So there are people who can look at your class?" Milo asked.
"Yeah, it's pretty common at the schools and the guild," Marcy replied. "It's really helpful to know if you're going to do any sort of work for them. They also get to see other things about your status. Sometimes they can even tell you what skills you might get soon."
"So are stats and skills just a normal thing here?"
"Yeah, everyone has them, most people don't really care though, it's not super important unless you're doing something special like me and Derek, or trying to become an adventurer or something like that." Marcy said, then there was a long pause, "WAIT!!! Do you not have skills and status where you're from either?"
"Nope, I was just an ordinary everyday guy, just like pretty much everyone else," Milo responded as he came over and sat down on the pew next to her.
"You said you were from Seattle? I've never heard of a place that doesn't know about magic or skills. What's it like there?" She asked, looking at Milo expectantly.
"Well, I live downtown where there are lots of tall steel buildings with large glass windows." Milo described the parts of the city that he knew. "It's really impressive to look at, especially when the sun is setting and the reflections of the buildings light up the streets. The buildings are mostly offices, but there are also some restaurants, shops, and theaters scattered throughout the area. It's a really vibrant and lively place, with people from all walks of life coming and going all the time. There are so many cars on the streets too, it can be really hard to get around sometimes, but it's worth it to experience the hustle and bustle of the city."
"I can't even imagine what it would be like to see all those tall buildings and all those people," Marcy said, her eyes wide with wonder. "It must be like living in a whole different world."
"Haha, well, that's exactly what it is." Milo replied with a smile. "But I'm sure there are lots of amazing places in this world too, with their own unique cultures and landscapes. I'm actually kind of excited to see them."
"The tallest building I've ever seen is the castle tower in Jushen. You must live in a very rich area if your buildings are all made of steel and glass." She said, the words reminding Milo that the world he was in was more like a fantasy setting than anywhere he was familiar with. "So, what's a car?"
"Oh, cars are like carts that don't need horses to pull them around. You just push your foot down on a pedal and they do all the work for you. A lot of people use them every day, but there's way too many of them, so it was faster for me to just walk everywhere or take a bus."
"That sounds so amazing!" Marcy said, a bit of excitement in her voice. "I want to see a place like that someday!"
"Yeah, I just hope that I'll be able to get back there someday," Milo said.
"Soup's done!" Derek yelled from the kitchen. Marcy jumped up off the pew and rushed off..
Before Milo could make his way to the kitchen, Marcy was already rushing back with two wooden bowls in hand. The steam wafting off of the top as she ran left a pleasant savory smell lingering in the air.
"Here you go! I got you some." Marcy said as she handed one of the bowls to me.
The soup that Milo was presented with was a simple potato stew with vegetables. As he looked at it, he could see chunks of potatoes and some green and purple vegetables mixed into the dark brown broth. The steam rising from the soup had a slightly salty smell. Milo sat down and scooped out a piece of potato with his wooden spoon, taking a tentative bite. The soup wasn't the best he had ever had, lacking the spices and flavors he was used to, but it wasn't bad either. Milo continued to eat, enjoying the quiet moment as he thought about his skills again.
I haven't tried analysis yet. Maybe I should try it now.
As Milo looked at the soup, trying to focus on activating his analysis skill, he felt the same sensation as when he learned about the gnoll. It felt like something was worming its way around inside his head as the information was conveyed directly into his mind.
The soup is a simple potato and cabbage stew. There's a mix of herbs and salt, and the broth seems to be a type of poultry.
"Skill Experience Received, 30. Analysis 1 increased to Analysis 2."
The sudden voice caused Milo to involuntarily jump, nearly spilling the hot soup.
"Hey! What's wrong?" Marcy asked, slightly concerned.
"You didn't hear that?" Milo asked. "I just tried using my Analysis skill on the soup and I heard the voice again. It said I received skill experience and analysis leveled up?"
"Whoa! You improved one of your skills! I didn't hear any voice or anything though."
"So does that mean my Analysis just got better?"
"When your skills improve, they might do new things or just make them faster at what they already do, so it kinda depends on the skill."
"I think I understand. Hmm. Let's see." Milo said, looking back down at the bowl of soup again. Following the uncomfortable feeling, the information Milo received included more detail than just a moment ago. He now knew that the Cabbage was a special 'Aradeth Cabbage' and the poultry is from a 'Highland Chikk'. "It looks like it tells me just a bit more about what I'm looking at now."
As Marcy began explaining how rare analysis skills were and what they were usually used for, Milo had a sudden idea and looked up from eating his stew and activated his analysis on Marcy.
Huh? What's this?
Unlike before, after the strange feeling, instead of the information being shoved into his brain, a small semi-transparent window opened, floating above Marcy's head.
Name: Marcy
Age: 13
Title: One Who Was Forsaken
Class: Cleric (2)
Skills: Mana Manipulation (3), Prayer(2), Light Magic(3), Harvesting(5), Alchemy(1)
Milo's eyes read over the information several times, each time, stopping on the title every time. He hadn't seen a spot for a title on his own stats, so seeing something he wasn't expecting caught him slightly off guard.
"W-What?" Marcy asked, her cheeks flushed slightly as Milo stared at her.
"Huh, oh, sorry, I wasn't staring, I tried using analysis on you and I was looking at the information." Milo said. Marcy's face began to turn a deeper shade of red before she turned away.
"Uhh… uhm. Using analysis on someone without their permission is rude." Marcy said, embarrassment plain in her voice. "But, well, I, uh. I-if you wanted to know more, you could have just asked me."
Glancing down, Marcy noticed Milo's bowl was empty. Half in a fluster, Marcy stood up and snatched the bowl out of Milo's hands. "Here, I'll take that. We, uh, no, you should get some rest, it's already really late you know."
Marcy darted off towards the kitchen, only glancing over her shoulder for a moment before nearly diving though the kitchen door.
Hmmm. I didn't mean to embarrass her so much. I'll have to be careful about using analysis from now on. I wouldn't want to learn anything I couldn't ignore on accident.
After Marcy left, the church fell silent. The only sound was the subtle crackling of the lanterns hanging on the walls. The warm flickering glow was oddly comforting as Milo tried to find a more comfortable way to sit on the wooden pew. After a quick stretch, Milo heard the door to the kitchen open and Derek walked out carrying a few simple looking blankets.
"I found there, they should manage to keep you warm through the night. It's still summer and I don't expect anyone to show up in the middle of the night, so you'll be safe to sleep here. I'm sorry this is all I can do for you." Derek said as he handed the blankets over.
"Speaking of that, I have a way I might be able to help you. If you're willing, tomorrow, I'd like you to go with Marcy. She normally delivers potions we make here to some of my patience in Jushen by herself but, it just so happens to work out that there is someone at the College there that might be able to help you."
"Really?"
"Yes. Her name is Kalist, She is a professor and representative for the Church at the college. She's also a close friend of mine and she happens to know a lot of people. Out of everyone I know, she is probably the most likely to be able to tell you how you can get home."