Chapter 1
It has already been about 2 hours since I started heading to the clearing, I am guessing that I have another 2 hours till I make it to the clearing, and from how the sun looks I am guessing I have around another 4 hours till it gets dark out. Meaning I should have more than enough time to make it there. I know where I am relatively, I know I have enough time, and I am still good on supplies with all this in mind I am feeling pretty good right now. Actually you could say that I am feeling great, I don’t know what it is but the 2 hours of walking even though uneven ground has not worn on me at all.
Maybe it has to do with this feeling? Feels like the earth has been trying to help me along my hike. I really don’t know how to explain this….all I can say is that I have yet to lose my footing or step in a ditch, which while hiking through back country like this is pretty common.
Stopping I decide that I need to sort out this feeling. It's just too strange, well not strange, it actually feels familiar but I'm not used to it. Anyways the best thing I can figure is try to get a better grasp on it.
Putting my hands to the ground I grab a handful of the dirt. Now I can sense the feeling in my hands and all over my legs, really any part that is touch the dirt has the sensation now. Doing the only thing I can think of, I try to push the sensation, and it worked “Holy Earth Nuts” the dirt that was in my hand started to spread out on my palm as if it was alive. It wasn’t huge movements, but I know that it wasn't just gravity flattening the dirt, it was moving by itself, at least I think by itself.
“Did I cause that?” It happened because I pulled on that sensation, that feeling, so I caused it?
Trying again I feel for that sensation and this time I tried to pull it up, and it worked again, but not all of the dirt came with it. About half the handful of dirt started to rise while the other part just sat there, causing the dirt to form a small cone shape.
“Isn't this Magic?!?, This is amazing!!!, I can control the earth!”, well at least a handful of dirt.
Still knowing that I can move dirt is the most amazing thing that could ever happen!, I dreamed of being able to live and climb mountains for the rest of my life, but to be able to actually control the ground I love. How could I not be extatic, will I be able to do more? Can I practice and control it better? How am I so lucky? how did this happen?
All I know is that I was falling off Angel’s Landing and then I found myself in this forest. A creepy, compass confusing, huge, magical dirt forest,...... where the fuck am I? Before the magical dirt I could have reasonably concluded that I was still back on the planet Earth(‘Earth’), but now I am not so sure. Of all my years hiking I never once felt this sensation, never once did the earth move to my will, but now after almost dying and being, I guess teleported to this forest it does. There are a couple situations that I can think of, one ‘Earth’ changed somehow, it became different with magical properties. The second situation is that I am not on ‘Earth’ anymore and this is another, planet or realm? I guess might be a way to describe it……….. Well I won’t know til I meet someone, and get back to society.
“And with that off we go!!!” Got to stay energized, and I still have more that enough time to make it to the clearing.
“Hmmm I could try and practice while I am walking also, should I try to move dirt in my hand or can I do it with my feet?” putting the second idea into practice I try to push the sensation down harder when I step downwards. When I lift my foot I can see a about inch deep hole in the ground that was definitely not caused by normal means. It took a bit more concentration than just purely walking, but if I actually can get better at this then it will definitely be worth it.
After about an hour of walking and practicing I am now able to get the ground to create push off points, much like what sprinters use to start the race, but with less angle. While it minimally helps walking it is really good practice. Since I have smaller movements down let's try something a bit harder.
Grabbing a handful of dirt, I keep walking while trying to get it to create a ball in my hand. At first only about half the handful even moves and with little accuracy, but after about another 30 minutes I have something that resembles a dome shape. While not a ball like I wanted, I now have at least all the dirt in my hand moving.
Unfortunately I can’t keep practicing as I have just about reached the clearing. It's a larger clearing than I thought, before I guessed it was just a small campsite, but now based on how far I am away from the base of the mountain it could contain multiple cabins or even a lodge! Carefully I make my way towards the clearing, but my vision of it is still blocked for the most part because of the bushes.
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Pushing aside the plants gently I peek out to see what's there, and I was met with a grassy clear and a large wooden fence.
“The fuck is a huge fence doing out here? Is this some kind of roman military hold?”, I can’t really say I have ever seen a campsite like this besides in the movies with old roman armies. I am guessing there is about 200 yards from the tree line to the wall, made completely of grass. Probably as a way to watch for wild animals, is the only thing I can guess.
Stepping out of the bushes to get an even closer look. I can make out a gate in the wall and ,”people!!!”, woot salvation! Finally thank geebus. You have no idea how freeky it is to feel so lost.
I start making a Bee-line for the gate as that is where I can see two people standing above it. I almost sprinting for the gate, but I don’t want to startle the people there, as they seem like they are the guards for this place. Getting to about 30 yards from the gate I notice a shine and then a thud sounds as something lands in the ground right in front of me, almost making me walk right into it.
“Wah” stopping quickly I get a look at the items and it's a fucking spear! The fuck why was a spear thrown at me, why do they spears?!?!? Looking up from the spear that was in front of me I noticed the two guards staring at me. They were both holding spears in their hands and giving me a death glare as if I had killed their whole family.
“Hello!”, is the only thing that I can think of to say towards them. “%$#$%^&*^%%$^%&^@#$*!”, one of them shouts something at me and in makes no fucking sense. Shit I never thought that I might be in a whole different country! At least I hope it's just a different country as I have never heard any language like that.
“Hello, can you understand english!!” I shouted back at them hopefully they can at least understand part of what I am saying.
“Stay there Human!” one of the guards shouted back, the two guards started talking to each other in their language and then one left. I can only hope that he is either opening up the gate or getting someone I can talk to. I take glances at both the spear still stuck in the ground near me and at the remaining guard on top of the wall. That's when I noticed something on the side of his face. The guards skin was tan, but he also had black spots that reach from his neck up the side of his face. I can’t see it too well, but it almost looks like scales. It was so weird that I accidentally ended up staring at the guard for longer than I probably should have as I thought he trying to kill me with just his stares from how much hatred I can see in his eyes.
After too long of a time for the good of my health the other guard came back and with someone else who starts talking with the guard that I was just staring at. Woah the fuck is that!!! The new person errr… thing that came with the guard looks nothing like a normal human being. Shit they’re covered in scales and has a face that looks completely like a lizard instead of a person. A lizardman from most games would be the only way I could describe it. Wait…. The scale like skin on the guard and now the lizardman, are they a race of lizardmen? That's so fucking cool!!!!! A whole race of people with lizard like features! Do they have tails? Sharp claws? Forked tongues? So many questions are racing through my mind!
“HUMAN, why are you here? Answer me quickly before the next spear is more deadly!”, the feminine voice that came out does not match the appearance of the creature, but it spoke english a lot more clearly than the little the guard did.
Again they said human instead of American, does this mean that my theory that this isn’t earth was correct. The usage of human and what I am now considering Lizardmen definately suggest that as the most likely option. Fuck I should answer them before I find a spear stuck inside of me!
“Hello, my name is John, and I was umm I was lost in the forest after being teleported, or summoned maybe would be a better word.” I don’t really know if they will understand teleportation, so hopefully summoned will help describe my situation better.
I notice the female lizard staring at me even more intensely now, and for a couple of seconds I do nothing but stare back awkwardly. Then with a head bob,”If what you say is true than you are a traveler, and while we do not welcome humans normally you are a special case.” she turns to one of the guards and says something I can hear. The next second the guard goes out of sight. “We are going to open the gate, follow my instructions and no harm should come to you, but act aggressively at all and we will not hesitate to kill you!”
As soon as she said that the gate started to open and 3 lizardmen with varying amounts of racial traits came out. One was completely lizard like with scales all over his body, a tail!!!, claws!!! On both his hands and feet, and a lizard like face. The other two were more like the guards with little amounts of scales, human like face, but still a tail and claws. They moved towards me quickly, and the whole way they had their spears pointed at me.
Very unnerving to say the least, I am not too used to having weapons pointed at me, but I was able to keep my cool, staying very still. “$%^*^&^*#@##$$%^, Teren will be checking you for an element” said the feminine lizard from atop the gate. The most lizard like one that I am now guessing is Teren started to move towards me slowly. He then places his claw on my shoulder and I feel a sensation similar to the same sensation from the earth pass through me. It was close, but not the exact same almost blander than the earth’s sensation. “#$%$^%&&^(“ Teren yells back towards the lizard women. “So it seems to be true that you are a traveller, good you are allowed to come in!”
And with that I was lead into the lizardmen village, while being held at spear point. I hope my journey does not end here, because if this is a different world then there are many new mountains for me to explore!