There was a loud bang, and suddenly, the cart jerked sideways. A moment later, it tipped over, and the two giant birds landed heavily on the dirt beside us.

Lori yelped and clutched onto my arm, pulling me close to her chest. For a split second, there was silence.

A second explosion rang out beneath us, and suddenly my head spun as I was thrown into a tumble with the cart. It went off right beneath us and separated us. Dimly, I had the presence of mind to latch onto my fragment of the cart for dear life as I fell into a roll down a hill.

I heard Lori let out a yelp of pain nearby, followed by the sound of a scuffle.

I flinched involuntarily as a tremendous roar filled my ears. It was followed immediately by another sound: a high-pitched shriek of pain that sounded like it came from some animals, then another, and another.

The scene was surreal; the sun shone brightly overhead, but I couldn't feel its warmth through my clothing. Everything seemed so distant.

Then everything went quiet.

A shadow loomed over me.

Was that...a monster...?

My brain took longer to process what had happened than my body, which reacted instinctively.

It was a beastman. He wore nothing but rags and leather armor and carried an enormous axe. His face was obscured by his helmet, but his muscular frame suggested he wasn't anyone I wanted to mess around with.

His weapon glowed with light, and his eyes flashed dangerously red. Somehow, the background faded away, and all I could see was an orange and black background.

Oh god. I'm going to die! Already! Why the hell did I agree to come along for this?!

A word printed in this world - or rather, the country's script I recognized as 'Death' loomed overhead, and he swung his ax down towards us. I braced myself for the impact.

At the last possible second, Lori appeared between us out of thin air.

She deflected the blow effortlessly with her bare hand, and the axe was redirected straight into the ground. The man roared angrily at her as she stared at him coldly.

What the hell?!

"Get away from my sister you piece of trash!" she yelled furiously.

"Who the fuck are you?!" the beast man spat.

"I'm Lorina Liddell, better known as the Azure Wind!" she growled, "and you better fucking stay away from her!"

The beastman narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "What the bloody blazes are you talking about?"

"If you touch one hair on her head, I swear to ALL the gods I make you wish you were dead," she warned. "Got it!?"

The beastman grunted noncommittally and swung his ax again. This time, Lori drew her sword and parried it effortlessly, but instead of retreating, she advanced on him. I stared at the sword for a split second, mesmerized by a flash of beauty. It shimmered faintly in the sunlight - and four gems with calligraphic symbols ran around the blade. Wisps of energy flickered and danced in the air, creating beautiful patterns .

"This is gonna hurt, asshole," she smirked. "So get ready."

She lunged forward and disappeared, before reappearing at the beastman's side.

Several wounds suddenly opened up along his legs, causing blood to spill freely. He screamed loudly in surprise, stumbling backward and clutching his wound. Lori followed up with a return stroke, cleanly severing the tendons in his right forearm.

"Shit!" he cursed, dropping his weapon.

"Run!" she barked, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me along.

I hurried along and looked back to see a pile of seven men. One of them was human, but the others were beastmen that had the heads of dogs, jackals, and a lion.

We ran for all we were worth. I stumbled several times and fell twice. Each time, Lori pulled me back up and kept moving. I carried the box with the magic gem we were tasked with delivering close to my chest.

Stupid. SHORT. UNATHLETIC LEGS!

We reached the edge of the clearing before the beastmen attacked, and we skidded to a halt. I gasped for breath and collapsed onto my knees. My lungs were burning, and I was sure my heart would explode any minute now. I made sure to go to the gym three or four days a week before, and I hadn't felt this out of shape in a very long time.

"Can you walk?" Lori asked anxiously.

I nodded weakly and managed to stand up using her shoulder. I wobbled unsteadily for a second and almost fell over again. Fortunately, Lori caught hold of my shoulders, steadying me.

I frowned, looking around. I definitely hadn't expected things to turn south so quickly.

"Thanks," I whispered gratefully. "Where are we headed anyway?"

"To the town of Rivershire Crossing," she replied confidently. "They've got food there that doesn't taste like cardboard, and we can restock supplies. Erm, find transportation as well."

I looked around, taking stock of our surroundings. There were trees everywhere but no buildings nearby. In fact, the only things I could see apart from the grassy fields and forests were a small mountain range far off in the distance and a few hills rising up behind them.

After a quick glance around, I saw a road leading into the distance. We turned left, following it slowly.

"Do you think we should warn anyone?" I asked hesitantly.

"Warn who?" she snorted dismissively. "Everyone knows about the Picaroso Gang out here already."

"Oh..."

"Besides," she continued, "there aren't enough townsfolk to spread the word to everyone. If anything happens, we'll hear about it soon enough."

"Yeah..." I agreed reluctantly. "But we might as well try."

"Good point," she conceded. "Let's hurry then. We need to reach town before nightfall. I've been on this road before!"

Our journey passed uneventfully after that, even though I was constantly looking over my shoulders. The ground here was hilly, Alice's boots rubbed against my painfully unconditioned skin roughly. After about three hours of walking, we finally arrived at a tiny village nestled among the rolling green hills with a river running through its center. It was quaint and peaceful looking, and plenty of people were milling about outside their homes.

In the center of town was a huge building surrounded by a stone wall, probably a temple. Several other houses stood scattered around the outskirts. It reminded me of a medieval European settlement.

[https://i.imgur.com/pyTw5LT.png]

As we walked closer, I noticed that most villagers were women. All of them were dressed in decent-looking clothes, all things considered, chatting happily amongst themselves. Some men also wandered past, occasionally rough-housing with each other, but none of the girls paid them any mind.

Instead, they watched us curiously as we approached, and then they collectively waved and smiled. This place must have been reasonably well off.

"Wow," I murmured quietly to myself. "These guys are really friendly."

"Yes, they are good folk," Lori agreed. "A lot of traders and adventurers alike pass through here, so let's make ourselves comfortable in a tavern."

"Alright," I sighed agreeably.

Alice's soles were painfully, and I mean painfully soft. A hike that really wouldn't have bothered me before I wound up here now felt like death, and I was pretty sure I'd already picked up some blisters. At least I wasn't limping anymore, though, so I guess that's something.

Still, I was glad when we finally found a proper tavern. The locals seemed happy to serve us, and we spent a couple of hours just eating fresh fruit and meats and relaxing until the sun finished setting. It was just nice to finally get some food of substance in me after such a confusing day. Then, Lorina went off to talk to the mayor.

Now that I had time to actually get my bearings, I began reassessing my situation. I crossed my hands as I warmed up at a bonfire near the town square.

I had somehow woken up in another world.

How?

Why?

And more importantly, how do I get home?!

I thought hard for a while, trying to remember what had happened before I woke up, but I couldn't recall much beyond the initial shock of waking up. Everything was a blur of pain, confusion, anger, and heartbreak.

Who am I? What kind of world is this?! Is it even real?! Am I dreaming!?

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

No, I know I'm not asleep. I've been in this too long, and everything is too clear. Too vivid. But... why is everything in my mind distorted?

Did I go mad? Maybe I'm having delusions brought on by stress and fatigue. That would explain why I recognize the language spoken here as English. Or perhaps it's something completely different…

Maybe I died...

I remembered being a fully three-dimensional flesh and blood human. Softer details came to mind. I had a budding career. I was well-read.

I had flashes of memories, from winning the state spelling bee at twelve years old to placing second place in a regional science Olympiad, to graduating from Columbia University. The constant tears of a single mother crying softly late into the night when she thought I was asleep. She'd died thinking I didn't know or appreciate how much she sacrificed for me. She had never been the same after my father perished in the World Trade Center attack.

Regret. Pain. More images flashed by. Where did I live? What were my specializations? What did I do?

I was in a live-in relationship with...someone. How long were we together? For four years. Five years? Was it six?

I did all the cooking, laundry, and cleaning. I did their take-home exams and graduate thesis. In a field I had no right dabbling in, but they got their doctorate. We fought.

I was someone. Someone capable. Someone who used to be strong. My soul and dignity had been beaten down and crushed. I stormed away. Something happened. Pain, confusion, anger, and heartbreak.

And suddenly, I woke up in this weird, surreal anime world in this girl's body.

I was confused. Very confused. Everything was so very, very disorienting...

My thoughts drifted elsewhere as I sat alone in front of the fire.

I decided to sit with my head bowed low and wait patiently for Lori to go around and finish whatever business she had. As I waited, I took inventory of my surroundings.

Apparently, this area didn't have streetlights yet, although they did exist in this world because once darkness descended upon us, we still had trouble seeing where we were going. Lori eventually returned to me with a smile and a fresh fruit basket. I scowled at her as I silently grabbed a fruit that reminded me of a pear or apple. It definitely tasted like something in between, and I paused, staring down at it after I took a bite.

Thankfully, the innkeeper provided lanterns for us to carry around with us.

When we entered our room, it was surprisingly spacious. We each had our own bed, and the entire room was easily big enough for five people. Even more surprising was the price tag attached to the bill; it cost us more than six silvers a piece. I'd picked up on the conversion rates very quickly - one gold piece was worth ten silvers, and a silver piece was worth a hundred bronze pieces.

That meant this trip alone was worth several thousands of dollars or euros' worth of purchasing power. That sinking feeling I had at the bulletin board earlier came back to the front of my mind. I was starting to wonder if I was making a mistake coming here and taking up the job. Then again, that was virtually every second since I'd woken up here.

"Ahhh, that feels great," I sighed as I tossed off my boots and flopped onto the bed, flexing my aching toes.

I looked all over my body. I could feel damp sweat against my body, but I could only see a bunch of large droplets. This was incredibly surreal.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Lori shouted from inside.

"Room service!" answered a voice muffled by the thick wood.

"Okay come in," Lori responded.

The door opened, and a young woman stepped inside carrying a basket full of bread rolls. Her skin was dark brown, and she had golden eyes. She was wearing a white dress with blue trimming, and she smiled warmly as she set down the basket next to the table.

"Thank you for your patronage," she said politely. "May I bring you anything else while you're staying at our establishment?"

Lori glanced at me uncertainly. "Err…sure. What do you recommend?"

"Anything from our menu will be fantastic," the barmaid assured her. "And if you don't want food, perhaps drinks would suit you better? Our ale tastes particularly nice tonight."

Lori pondered for a moment. "Hmm…"

"Well, what kind of drink would you prefer?" the barmaid prompted. "Beer? Wine?"

"Um, actually," I interjected nervously. "I haven't tried ale before. Can I have a glass of that?"

I'd stopped drinking for a while before I wound up here, but I felt like I needed it right now.

Her smile widened slightly. "Of course, milady."

She returned from the bar downstairs with a tall mug containing a frothy amber liquid. I guess drinking ages weren't really a thing here.

"Here you are, miss," she handed it to me.

I raised it to my lips and sniffed carefully. It smelled sweet and fruity, but I decided to take a sip first to test its flavor.

It was smooth, crisp, and refreshing.

I took another gulp. This stuff was actually delicious!

Then it dawned on me.

Why was I having fun drinking this? Wasn't I worried about getting drunk? Or maybe I just liked the way it felt on my tongue?

Wait, does alcohol affect people differently depending on their race, species, or whatever? Ah, whatever.

However, no matter what I thought about it, the ale went down smoothly. I finished my cup rather quickly and ordered two more. I started to sip my second mug.

Then, my brain started spinning wildly. Everything seemed clearer, sharper, and easier to understand. Suddenly, everything became clear to me: how the world worked and how to solve problems. I understood the reason for the war between humans and demons and knew exactly what to do about it.

"Hey Loriiiii!" I exclaimed excitedly. "I figuuuuuuurrrrrrrrred it out!"

"You did?" Lori asked incredulously.

"Yeah!" I grinned triumphantly. "I know how ta end the war!"

I scooted over and gave her the deepest, most affectionate hug. She was such a good sister! She was so beautiful, and she was so brave earlier.

"What!?" she cried in shock.

I gulped hard and forced myself to calm down. "Caaaaaalllllm down, Lori," I told her. "Take a deep breath. Now, repeat after meeee."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Lori was such a great sister!

A stream of thoughts suddenly ran through my head. It was all a blur. I was floating in a void, and all I could see were a jumble of words that repeated over and over again like an incantation. Hundreds of symbols floated through my head one by one, slowly turning into sentences that formed a coherent thought process. A plan came together before me; it was brilliant - simple yet elegant at the same time. No, that wasn't it. Wrong wrong wrong. Where was I? What happened? How did this come to be? A life once lived, a life once lost. All I needed to do now was gather up the pieces and put them back together…

Suddenly, I felt dizzy. My vision blurred. Something strange stirred inside my stomach. The room spun around as if someone had dropped me from high above and left me to fall on impact alone.

My heart raced furiously within me.

Oh god! Was I dying? Were these real sensations or just part of some weird dream? Am I going to die along this road? So many paths ahead, all lead to a lonely death. Is there no meaning in anything we live for? Everything is pointless! There's no hope for anyone... Everyone will die to the demon lord anyway so why bother living for any length of time? Why try when everything is already doomed to fail? And then you'll be forgotten.

"Nothing you've done matters. You're worthless. Worthless! Change fate!"

"Huh...?" I murmured to myself as motion swirled around me. It was dark. Pitch black. Late at night. I'd fallen asleep. I was dreaming and I was not at the same time. There was something else happening inside of me right now. There were no stars left behind on the horizon from where I lay. The world had vanished without warning and replaced itself with darkness. But when you're young, every new adventure is exciting, so dreams are more vivid than reality.

Suddenly, the sky opened up above me, and radiant light poured down onto a rocky island. Everything was so clear and beautiful.

Shiny rock! Grab for it! Put it on a ring! The water is perfect for a quick dip and swim!

I stared down at my hands, which glowed faintly blue under the moonlit water. I stretched out a hand toward a stone in front of me and felt a tingling sensation in my palm. I giggled, and decided to go skinny dipping into the water in front of me and swam to the shiny rock.

As soon as I did, I saw ripples in the water form into what looked like a snake's tail or a lizard's leg. A beast came out of the water and the creature lifted its head in alarm, revealing sharp teeth bared against its lips. It darted forward, slashing at me with jagged claws, but I easily flew out of the way, summoning up a windstorm. The beast suddenly lunged for my shiny rock.

No! That's my shiny!

The entire thing lasted less than three seconds. Just long enough for me to think to myself: 'Ah yes, that's how things work here.'

Then I smacked it upside the head with a bigger rock. The rock was not as shiny. But it was the beast's fault. He took my shiny. How did I know it was a he? He just was, but he took my dream.

I took a deep breath and reached back to grasp the rock once more, ready to try something else.

A voice rang through my mind. "How did it end up like this?"

No matter, more beasts surrounded me. Some shaped like men, some shaped like cats. Hehehe, cats are cute. They're super cuddly. Oh, maybe I'll be one later! Yay! I could turn into anything I wanted. Even a wolf! Yeah... That sounds fun! Ahahaha! Ha haa! Haaa! What if I became a cat-wolf? Catwolves are awesome! Oh wait, why am I talking about a stupid dream instead of getting started on real life stuff?!

I need to wake up right now!

Wait, there was another problem with the world.

"This is impossible," the voice said slowly. "The inner soul is eternal. How do we account for population. There must be another proposition."

I sighed and looked at my hands. Sure enough, they were still glowing blue under the water. There were dozens of creatures swimming around me. I don't know where they'd come from either. A swarm of frogs had suddenly popped out from nowhere from the water while I wasn't looking, or so it seemed. I turned to look over my shoulder but found nothing behind me except blackness. It didn't feel like it would go away any time soon though. And since I couldn't see anything else besides a bunch of floating bubbles, I figured it might not matter anyway.

I waved a hand before me, summoning up a gentle breeze that stirred the surface of the lake. The damned cats and frogs are throwing wooden sticks at me! Ugh! They're going too far this time!

With a wave of my hand, giant rocks emerged from beneath them, sending them croaking and yowling into the air. They scrambled to pelt me with more sticks and rocks but I giggled and flicked my own pointy stick four times, swatting them away with wind.

The trees rustled, then some of the cats jumped onto them as well. The frogs and cats yelled at each other until they broke apart and fled in opposite directions. I giggled and watched until they vanished into the dark woods. Hehe, forgot to take care of those guys later! Guess I have to clean up after myself again…

I was walking through a field when something struck the ground in front of me.

Huh? What was this? My first impression was of something soft: cotton candy or marshmallows or something. Then I noticed how much bigger than normal these objects were - way larger than your average pillow or throw blanket. Even if it was really big, why did it look so strange? Its color made it seem like it should be covered by a light coating of dust, but it wasn't even remotely dirty, so why hadn't it faded away to white yet? Maybe because its shape reminded you more of an object that had been abandoned there for years on end rather than one that had simply fallen out of someone's arms.

Tasty marshmallows! Mmm! That must mean they're good for eating.

I picked up what looked like a giant marshmallow and squeezed it in my hand. It felt strangely squishy and soft, almost as though it was melting into a puddle at my feet. I brought the whole thing up to my nose and sniffed hard, but I couldn't smell anything other than the scent of flowers. That must mean they're undercooked! They taste best when their insides are melted all the way through. The hotter the better! Oh wow! The heat is spreading everywhere... Geez! Now they're almost burning me! Ouch! Don't do that! Bad fire! I instinctively contained the fire into a little ball.

More and more marshmallows landed in front of me and burned hot to the touch. I waved my hands and the marshmallows dispersed into giant hills of chocolate that popped around me. As soon as it did, a wind started blowing, making them dance around in circles before flying off somewhere else. Maybe I can mix the marshmallows with the chocolate hills and make s'mores! Mmmm smores!

My mind raced about as fast as my eyes darting back and forth between the clouds above and the marshmallow roast below. So many colors! A rainbow! All different shapes! What does this mean? What should I do next? If this dream was really real, then why doesn't any of this feel familiar? Why doesn't it even seem like it could be a nightmare? Am I still asleep? What's going on here? This isn't even close to reality anymore. Something feels wrong, like everything has gone sideways.

Oh god, what if it's something bad?! Wasn't I supposed to get up at some point in the night and go see my parents or something? Is there nobody coming for me at all? Where am I?

The sky went dark for the first time in the entire story. Not the black color but the absence of stars. It didn't last long either: after only half an hour had passed since it had happened, a single star shone down from the heavens once again. But no matter how hard I looked at the thing, I couldn't tell whether it was a new star or just another cloud passing by overhead.

What the hell is going on? It sounds like someone is screaming! Who is that? Who are you!? Wait... don't answer that.

Let me sleep more! Just let me sleep more. It's all too much. Too much...