Novels2Search

Prologue

I'm sitting at my computer working, when there's a flash of light right behind me. I feel myself falling backwards and try to grab my desk, but my hands just grab my wireless keyboard which obviously doesn't help. I'm swallowed by the light and everything around me disappears.

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I wake up slowly, my head is killing me. As I look around I can see grass and small bushes and other things that are normal in the wilderness. I can also see and feel some weird clothes on my body. It looks like I'm wearing some very rough clothing, a simple pair of pants with a simple tied drawstring to keep them on, a loose shirt, and a pair of boots. All of it's uncomfortable, nothing like I'm used to. I'm used to jeans and shirts, the least I could do is have some underwear and socks. My feet are already starting to feel sweaty in the solid leather boots. 

I don't see anything else around me, so I decide to take a little closer look at myself. I freak out a little bit at not having my inhaler, but I don't seem to have any trouble breathing so hopefully I can find another soon. I also don't have my phone or wallet or anything else, which is a little bit concerning. I'm also missing my glasses but that doesn't seem to be a problem because I can see better than I could with them even. I also seem to have a sack lying next to me which has a large canteen with what tastes like water, and a couple large pieces of jerky. It's unseasoned and hard so I just put it back in the sack after a little taste. 

Not seeing anything else, and putting off the slowly building panic attack I finally start looking around where I am. I go a couple minutes walk in each direction and determine that I'm in a group of hills. After cresting one of the hills I see something that at least lightens some of the tension from my body. Only a mile away or so is a group of buildings. Not seeing anything better I start heading towards them. 

It takes me almost 20 minutes of walking but I finally get to the outskirts of this village. In front of me there's a field of crops and several small wodden and stone buildings. There's also a large house on hill on the outskirts of the village, but I decided on my walk here that I should first try to blend in and learn what I can before making a scene.

I'd been thinking of my situation on my walk here and although I haven't seen anything fantastical or strange yet I can't forget that strange light, my seemingly cured sight, asthma, and overall improved health. I don't know how I got here and if there's a reason or cause or if it's some strange cosmic phenomenon that I will never understand. I've just been feeling this strange headache. It's like a dam is holding back a lake in my mind, not really painful so much as a physical pressure. I tried pushing on my head, sticking my finger in my ear like I had been underwater, and coughing to try to get rid of this pressure but nothing had helped. I've just gotten this strange feeling like I don't belong and should try to hide who I am and where I'm from. It's pretty clear to me that I have a serious case of imposter syndrom and maybe a little parinoia. With all this in mind I had decided to not use my real name and instead go by John, like John Doe. I don't want to be a nobody, but it's easier to remember that then try to come up with something cool and forgetting to respond to it latter.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Anyways as I'm coming up to the town I see someone working on this field in front of me. They seem to be walking up and down the rows of crops and pulling weeds. They seem to be a child but as I get closer I realize that they have a slightly larger head, no shoes, and a much older looking face than a kid should have. Just when I'm starting to hesitate and debating internally whether I should go around them they look up and see me. They wave me over while shouting hi to me. I don't really want to but I don't want to seem rude, as strange as that is, so I start walking towards them while purposely stepping over the crops.

"Hi there!" The strangely proportioned and short woman says as I come up to her.

"Hi. My name is John, and I think I might be lost. Could you tell me where we are?" I respond in as friendly of a voice as possible. 

"Oh?!? Well we don't get many lost travelers here." She laughs lightly while looking me over. She pats off her hands and dirt sprinkles to the ground. Holding one hand out to shake she says "My name is Qelline and this my farm." We shake hands briefly and she half turns to the rest of the town. "This is Phandalin, we're a pretty small village, so if you don't know where that is, we're about a days walk from the High Road, about halway between Neverwinter and Leilon."

"Oh, ok... Um that's good to know, thanks! It seems I'm a little more lost than I tought I was." I stammer out uncertainly. Some of those names make me think of some of the DnD games that I used to play, but that's crazy. I start cuckling a little to myself at the absurdatity of that thought which earns a raised eyebrow from Qelline. I hurriedly change the subject so that I don't raise any more suspion as my parinoia spikes "So I was wondering if there's any work in town. I seem to be a little light on funds." Lifting my sack a little to show that I don't have anything else.

"Well, I can't say that have a lot to give, but I could let you sleep in hayloft if you don't have any money." She points at a building next to her house "I don't have any jobs that need doing right now, but maybe you could check around town and see if there's any work that needs doing." She pauses for a few seconds and her face takes on an angry shade "But look out for the Redbrand Ruffians alright? They're easy enough to spot with those stupid red cloaks. They mostly just hang around The Sleeping Giant all day and drink, but they'll pick a fight if you aren't careful, and nobody in town can take on the whole gang so they run around like they own the place."

"Sure, I'll make sure to stay clear of them. I'm hoping to just make a little bit of money right now." Patting my hip "It's not like I have anything to fight them with anyways."

"Well, then I'm going to get back to my fields. And don't mess with the animals in there." She says while turning back to her work.

I nod to her and start heading for the barn. After opening the door I can see numerous pens on either side and there's a ladder that leads up to a hayloft. Climbing the ladder I set my bag down and move some of the hay so that I have a decent place to lay down. I clump up some of it for a simple pillow and leave a pile to one side that I'll cover myself with if it gets cold. I lay down and try to get comfortable while I think about everything I just heard. I've never heard of anywhere with a name like Neverwinter except in games, and that woman seems to fit with what a halfling would look like. I don't want to jump to conclusions but I'd swear I was in DnD.

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