We have no other choice, brother. Our enemies are closing in on us; our doom is certain, and our cause is falling. We need a hero, and he is the best choice.

If you are sure, then... but be warned, the others will feel the effect of your experiment and they will not be happy to learn what you have done.

Do not worry, brother. We are Deandis after all, and we rule dimensions. "Ark Meck Eltus Dimensia Exontul Reposia Exractio... I summon you, Hadrian Octovius. Come forth and be my champion."

I felt a bright light, and now I’m in a forest. "Note to self: next time you hear a soothing heavenly voice calling you from somewhere and asking you to come forth... don’t answer." "Alright, let’s see where I am." It certainly isn’t New New New York, too many trees. So I’m in a forest... oh well. This must be the nicest kidnapping ever. Alright, exploring time, or should I say it’s adventure time. Now all I need to find is a talking, stretching dog and some awesome swords.

"My champion, you’re here."

"Mysterious voice, you’re here."

"Maybe I should attack her n—"

"No need for violence, champion. You answered my call, after all."

"Yeah, by accident," I said. "Besides, your magic won’t work here," said the mysterious voice.

That was startling. Without my magic, the only thing I have is my martial arts, and half of my techniques require magic... shit. Okay, think, Hadrian. You’ve been in worse situations, like that time you were naked in the middle... no, wait, that was a dream. Only one thing to do... run. I bolted through the forest, dodging branches and seeing things that would give me nightmares, like snake centipedes, spider bears, winged monkeys—wait, the winged monkeys are kind of cute now that I think about it.

Anyway, the trees here were huge, over 200 feet tall, and those were the below-average ones. The leaves were all colors of the rainbow... literally, the leaves were made of light, and depending on how you look at them, they change colors. Interesting. I can’t see some of the leaves; I guess that means the people wherever I am have different eyesight than humans. Wait, that means I’m on an alien planet. How am I breathing? Oh my GOD.

"Yes, champion?" said the mysterious voice.

AhHHHHHHH!!!! "What the fuck!!! Where did you come from?" I asked, surprised and scared. I might have jumped up a 200-foot tree... gravity here is light. Super light. Is that why light here can be seen on the leaves? Because there’s not enough gravity to hold it, so it just floats and collects.

"I’ve always been with you, champion," the mysterious voice interrupted during my thought session... rude.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" I asked, intrigued. I knew from myths and legends that gods would choose champions to carry out their goals or divine will. "Listen here, mysterious voice—"

"My name is Deandis, champion."

"STOP INTERRUPTING ME!!

Anyway, I’m no one’s champion. All I know is that someone pulled me from my bed... huh, no interruption. Guess the mysterious voice can be reasoned with after all..."

"Very astute, champion." She can read my mind. Bugs, bugs, bugs, bugs. Weird bugs that crawl, bite, and eat you and put their eggs inside is what I immediately flooded my mind with after the mysterious voice said she could read my mind.

"I like my privacy, thank you very much."

"Stop thinking about those nasty critters, champion, or I’ll dump you into a dungeon with only giant bug monsters."

Wait... dungeon. "You just said dungeon." "Am I a summoned hero? First the voice, then the new world, and now the dungeon."

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"You are right, champion."

"Okay, tell me the deal here. Do I have to defeat a demon king, save a princess or a prince—you know, princes can be captured too—or defeat an evil witch?"

"Neither, champion, for you are not ready. I will send you to the plains of Agror. There you will start your journey. But first, your body needs to be modified; your current stage of evolution is not compatible with this planet. This is going to hurt, champion."

Pain coursed through my body. It felt like someone stuck a needle in every pore and drove it all the way to the bone and went in deeper, just filling it with lava. My head started pounding like someone took a jackhammer and was just using it on my skull. Then my eyes burned like I was staring at the sun for hours, never being able to close my eyes. I couldn't take it anymore. I passed out.

I woke up sometime later and noticed I was in some sort of cave. No monsters, drawings, or even critters, just a normal empty cave. I checked over my body; it felt different, more heavy but also more dense. But I still looked the same. My purple eyes, black hair, and 6ft 3inch athletic frame were still the same. So what happened to—

"Glad you’re awake, champion."

"Good morning to you too, or is it night?"

"Good morning, champion. You are near the Agror plains. It is a simple day's journey walking east from here. Good luck!"

"Wait, what did you do to me?"

"Guess you’ll have to find out, champion."

stomach grumbles "It would seem like I’m hungry, but can I eat the food on this planet... only one way to find out. Time to go hunting." I went outside by following the light to the cave entrance and saw a compass on the floor... convenient. I was in a meadow with trees, grass, fruits, and most of all, meat. Sure, they were cute little horned bunnies, but to my stomach, they were fat, juicy, ready-to-be-grilled packets of meat. Ever since Deandis, or whatever the deity's name is, "fixed" me, I could feel my magic back, but it felt stronger, purer, or maybe it’s just the air. Well, time to test it. Let’s go over the basics first, Hadrian. Don’t want to blow yourself up. I know there are three schools of magic that intertwine: Arcane, Elemental, and Divine. Gods use Divine while mortals use Arcane and Elemental. Sure, there are outliers, but I haven’t seen any yet. Okay, step by step for Elemental: first say the element, then the object, and visualize. STEEL: Katana. I felt a minuscule amount of energy come from my body—well, specifically my meridians—and shape into a katana.

This is promising. With one katana in my hand, I rushed toward the rabbit that was going to be my dinner and swung the katana, aiming for its neck, only for the rabbit to jump at the last minute. This continued for minutes... enough is enough. Dodge this. STEEL: Net. A metal net appeared in my hand, and the holes were too small for the rabbit to get through, so I threw it at it and it got stuck. That was a nice dinner. I found some fruits on the trees, and after skinning and treating the rabbit, I was full. Well, adventure time. I got up from the stump I was sitting on in the cave and went outside. It had only been a couple of hours since I ate the rabbit. I took off using the Elemental spell Air Step, which covers your feet with wind to make you go faster. Hmm, I should check if my runes still work here too. It would be a huge boost if they did. The sun is now at midday, or so I believe. I don’t know how time works in this place.

I can tell I’m halfway there because there is a literal sign that says "Champion Halfway There" on a wooden post in the middle of the road... Okay, I just hope nothing bad happens like me being attacked by a bunch of bandits, I thought... huh, I thought that would work. Fate doesn't like to be temp—

"Stop right there, traveler," a gruff voice said. I looked at the person who looked like someone filled up a barbarian with testosterone. He was like 7 ft tall with tribal tattoos of bears and a necklace of human teeth, and he had on a wolf pelt as underwear and that was it. All he was wearing, and his hair was red, a dull red matching his beard. And those legs... does he bench press trees for a living or something?

"If you would stop admiring me, traveler, I have some questions to ask you."

"I have no money," I responded coolly, "but I’m sure your bandit camp has some, and if you take me there, I’ll kill you quickly." I rushed at him with my fist ready to pummel this goliath.

"Wait, I’m not a bandit," he responded calmly. "And there’s no way you could hurt me with those tiny fists. I admire your courage, though. In my homeland, bravery like this is rewarded with mead and meat."

"Then what do you want?" I asked, leaning against the post.

"I was robbed by bandits."

"Wait, how did bandits rob you?"

"They used someone I thought was a hostage, but she turned out to be—"

"A bandit. Yeah, I know the trick," I said, and I’ve done it several times, I thought.

"Alright, I’ll help you."

"Just like that? Why, traveler?"

"Because bandits mean loot, and loot means money, and money means money, duh."

"Let’s go get these bandits, yeah. Do you know where they are?"

I asked the barbarian.

"No. Can you track them by any chance, traveler?"

"Nope."

"I think I can track them by smell. Follow me, traveler."

Huh, weird. All this time he called me traveler and never asked for my name, and now he’s telling me to follow him to a camp full of bandits, I thought, walking behind the barbarian. Like a lamb to slaughter, but I never asked for his name either...