The view was nice. I just wished I woke up on the ground and not in the sky.
I’m lying on the ground in some large field somewhere. On the bright side the old man wasn’t lying about those buffs he gave me, but despite these buffs, I can still pain and now I’m feeling a bit fuzzy…
“Are you awake?”
A female voice called out to me. Waking up I’m in some tent. Turning to the voice questioning me a native American looking girl in stereotypical native American attire was on the other side of the tent gathering some things and mashing them into a bowl.
“I found you unconscious out nearby my tent. I’m Rectas, of the Orientem tribe. We should be safe for now.”
That last comment isn’t reassuring. What does she mean for now?
“If I may ask, what is your name?”
“Huh? Oh uh, Mark”
“That’s an odd sounding name… are you from the west?”
“... Yes.”
“I see, well pay me no mind then. It’s a nice name.”
“You too.”
“From your attire, you look to be a mage-knight. What brings you to the eastern plains? If you don’t mind?”
“Huh? Well um…”
Before I could make up a story Rectas shushed me as she went to grab her blade. Despite her native American appearance the sword she was grabbing look to be something like one of those Asian swords. Then again this is another world so all I for all I know it could be a traditional weapon for her people.
“I’ll go see what’s going on. Can you walk?”
Getting up I moved around for a bit before giving her a nod. Walking out of her tent she came back in after a few seconds.
“Damn it! It’s bandits!”
Well, we’re cutting right into the action, aren’t we?
“They must be planning on raiding some of the nearby towns.”
Looking at me and back outside to the bandits she went and grabbed a bow and arrow.
“We have to stop them. There doesn’t look to be a lot of them so I’ll draw their attention with my bow… I don’t have anything for you to use but I’m sure you can cast some spells right?”
“... Right, don’t worry I’ll be fine.”
Giving me a confident smile she and I exited her tent.
“Damn it he said that someone would have landed around here…”
“Why are we even looking? He paid us already so we could just run off with the-”
Before he could finish she landed a clean shot through his head drawing the attention of the other few bandits. As some of the other bandits closed in she land clean shots into each and every one of them.
“Damn it there were more than I thought…”
Looking at her I notice that her quiver had only a few more arrows in it. Throwing her bow into her tent she drew her sword and prepared herself. Taking note of her effort I grabbed one of the fallen bandit’s axe and readied myself as well.
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“You know how to use an axe?”
“For cutting wood yeah… but I’m sure it shouldn’t be that hard, right?”
From the look on her face, she didn’t like that answer but she honestly doesn’t have a choice right now.
With to bandits coming in hot, one of them raised their axe and swung it down towards me. Dodging to the left I swung my axe into their side before using my leg to kick them away from me.
Thankfully these bandits were shirtless so I didn’t have to worry about armor or padding. Pulling my axe away from the bandit’s side I swung for the head and landed a clean cut straight through the neck decapitating him. Turning to his other bandit friend I swung my axe upwards hitting him right on the chin.
Turning to Rectas she seemed to be doing fine cutting the last remaining bandits down with ease.
“Great work, Mark! Didn’t know you were capable of wielding an axe that well!”
“Like I said, cutting wood works!”
Sharing a laugh the two of us returned to her tent. Turning in for the night.
Waking up I found her still asleep right next to me. Slowly move away woke her.
“Yawn, Good morning, Mark.”
“Good to see that you’re awake.”
With the both of us getting up I turned around as she got dressed. Do to her living alone now she only kept one sleeping bag around so the both of us shared it. She stated that the nights tend to get cold so it was also safer for the both of us to share the bag anyways.
I was still wearing my old uniform as she didn’t have any clothing for men so I kind of just took my clothes off for the night. Getting dressed I only now just noticed the changes to my body.
The scars from my previous life were gone and I was much more toned as well. I was hoping I’d keep my old body but, it made sense. The buffs the old man gave me were meant to help me out in this new world so it is fitting for my body to be a bit better than my old one. Besides, my dick was bigger so the new body was totally worth it.
“That fight yesterday must have taken a lot out of you.”
“Whadda mean?”
“From the way you acted yesterday that was your first time killing someone.”
“You… could tell that just from the way I acted?”
“You weren’t eating much yesterday as well.”
“...”
“Well, don’t worry about it. Taking a life is a hard thing to understand at first but it gets easier as you keep doing it.”
Not an assuring thing to say but I see what she’s trying to do. Besides when the old man told me this world was a bit medieval. I made sure to mentally prepare myself to do such a thing.
“Say, Mark… there is something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What is it?”
“Despite yesterday being your first time doing actual battle you seem to be quite the natural in the ways of war.”
“Yesterday was my first time killing someone. Not my first fight.”
“Well, that’s an assuring thing. Which’ll make my next proposal easier.”
“That being?”
“Would you join me in my travels?”
“Why would you want me to join you?”
“About a year ago my parents died… along with the rest of my tribe.”
Ouch… being the last of your tribe is probably a lonely thing. Especially for someone like her. Hell, she looks to be my age right now.
“Bandits attacked us at night and with that my tribe was slaughtered… my father died protecting me, and with me being so young and a woman he knew of the things they would do to me…”
Annnd now she’s getting the sniffles. Though I can’t say I could relate. While she is capable of taking on a few bandits she is still a young woman. A rather nice looking one too but I shouldn’t be thinking of that right now. I mean, I know I was bound to getting me a few but to get one so early? With a sad backstory? The old man is a bizarre guy.
“Thankfully, since I’m still capable of bearing a child my tribe can still live on but… No, No more thoughts on the past.”
Good to know she’s a person of tradition at least. Patting her on the shoulder she’s fixing herself up.
“Mark, I want you- No, you need to help me get stronger, so that I may avenge the death of my people. Yesterday’s encounter showed me that I won’t become stronger or survive long out here alone. You have outstanding strength but you lack technique. If you agree to join me I’m sure we’ll both benefit greatly from each other!”
“Hmph… with an offer like that, I can’t really refuse. Plus, I still owe ya for helping me out yesterday. I’ll join you in your journey to becoming stronger.”
“Wonderful! Thank you, thank you we’ll be better off working together, I know it!”
While the hug seemed a bit extra I’m sure she’s just happy to have someone to travel with. With that, I’m sure my life in this new world will be a good one. I mean with how this is going I’m sure I’ll be fine!