Theo 1.1

Theodoros slowly opened his eyes. His head was still ringing from entering the new body, his eyes rapidly blinking to adjust to the light. After a few minutes, his senses had come back, as good as new, and he could now take in his lovely surroundings.

It was a cosy little camp, set in a clearing in the middle of the woods; not the dark, creepy type, but the kind of forest where you’d enjoy a relaxing hike. There were four small tents, one of which was his. These tents weren’t what he was accustomed to, not nearly on par with their modern counterparts, but they served their purpose.

Beside the fire sat a man, silently reading a book under the light of the flickering flame. He was covered from head to toe in a set of robes, his hair covered with a hood and his arms were wrapped in bandages. A silver mask covered his face, only letting his eyes see the light of day. A pair of pitch-black eyes - even darker than the shadows around him - appeared in steep contrast with that mask of his. Especially when the mask was a pure silvery white, with no marks, carvings, or ornaments.

He held the tome in front of him, seemingly absorbed in it, but Theo knew that those sharp eyes were on the alert. The old man regarded him for a second as if he had sensed a change, before nonchalantly going back to the world of words.

Seeing this, Theo decided to keep silent and go back into his tent. He felt that he was fortunate to have this person on guard, as it meant he had a little more time to digest all the information. As for whether the character sensed some sort of change, that was definitely just a prank pulled by the game developers.

The first order of business was to inspect his new body. It was certainly stronger than his real one, with hardened muscles as proof. However, he was not burly like a bodybuilder, instead having a body of an avid swimmer or runner. It felt weird wearing another person’s skin (not to mention his groin) and on top of that, this body was a year younger than him, only 17 years of age.

From the short information piece, Theo knew he had magic and was undoubtedly excited about it. However, he didn’t feel anything that made him fundamentally different. He didn’t sense magic flowing in his veins. While these things didn’t necessarily mean that he had no magic, they made him a tad worried. A bug? Or is he just incompetent?

“Magic, please? Where are you?” He quietly pondered aloud. He first needed to make an unguided attempt. Success chance: nigh zero.

He understood that whatever magic system was in place here, it wasn’t something he knew of. It might be a completely foreign concept, one that would go over his head. He wondered what type did Pantheons come up with, and he was eager to find out. Was it based on old myths and legendary tales, or was it something else entirely?

He mentally commanded his arms to push out... magic? He waved his hands in front of him, muttering ‘magic blast’.

It appeared even more stupid than he thought it would be.

After a few more futile attempts, he decided to stop. It was quite clear that this would not work, not without some proper know-how first. That should have been obvious really, he was just a bit too hopeful. And on the off-chance that he did not have magic, is it really that bad?

God, not even ten minutes in, and he was already in denial. Not a good look.

Much as he enjoyed the experience so far (as short as it was), Theo would’ve liked more guidance. This place was meant to be an RPG, after all, so what harm would it bring if they added in a game system? Stats, skills, those sorts of things. Maybe not those, but a tutorial would have been a godsend.

However, the developers didn’t want this to be just a ‘game’. They said it was going to be something much greater: a second world. So yeah, no traditional RPGs here. A bit over the top, even slightly delusional, but whatever. Though, now that he thought about it, they might not even be that delusional.

Honestly, part of him was glad to have a new experience. A rigid system would probably ruin the immersion, and by extension, the world. Having words and numbers appearing mid-air wouldn’t be the best, would it?

Just as he thought of that, someone shouted right outside his tent. “RISE AND SHINE, THEO!”

It was ear-piercing, headache-inducing, and it made Theo immediately scramble out. He was still clutching his head as he looked at the menace who had assaulted his poor ears. It was one of his companions, not the old man (which was rather obvious), but a young woman, probably still in her mid-20s.

He looked at her with dread. “I’m awake. I’m awake. Please don’t do that again.”

Theo cringed as she opened her mouth, but his expression relaxed when he realized she was speaking normally. “Of course. You just need to wake up in time. But let’s ignore that and have a nice, sumptuous breakfast, okay?”

Theo muttered. “I got up early. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Hm… What did you say? I didn’t hear it clearly.”

He was about to repeat himself, but refrained from doing so once he saw her malicious-looking eyes. She looked quite bloodthirsty, so he decided to obediently follow her and ate his portion. At least it wasn’t too bad. It consisted of a slice of flatbread, an apple and a bunch of olives. And there was also a piece of smoked meat. Certainly not “sumptuous”, but it was more than enough to fill his stomach. His virtual stomach, that is.

As he munched on the bread, he silently looked at his companions. He had been given some information on them, but it was fairly limited, only covering the bare minimum.

The woman who had woken him up was Katarina, a sorceress – whatever that meant here. She had dark brown hair, caramel skin, and black eyes. She was quite short, probably below 1.6 meters. She looks really tiny, even more so when compared to the other people here. Her face was pretty to look at, and this particular colour combination was a bonus, for him at least. It’s always nice to have eye candy around. There were a few scars on her arms and legs, which was a bit odd. Long, ugly stripes. He briefly wondered where they came from.

Not that they detracted from her charm; they invoked a sense of viciousness in her. It could be seen from every single gesture of hers, really. Her eyes were piercing as if they could see into his soul. A predatory grin was plastered on her face as if thirsting for a piece of his flesh. She stood straight even when relaxed, her right hand constantly fidgeting with a knife. A rather beautiful knife, but he would like to avoid being stabbed ‘accidentally’. He had always been wary around people playing with dangerous objects, and it seemed like this problem would only get worse here (and yes, he was a coward, so what?).

Why a sorceress was wielding a knife, he didn’t know, and he might be better off not knowing.

Either way, Katarina was not a heaven-shaking seductress who could bring about the fall of nations and empires, but she had her dangerous charm. A deadly rose, as some might put it.

Yeah, she was the kind of person you should just keep a safe distance from.

As for himself, he looked like a true-blue anime character. His skin was pale, not like that of a corpse, but rather like that of snow. His hair was pitch-black with streaks of silver. What stood out the most was his set of silver eyes. They were the only things he could actually see, really. He was using a puddle as a mirror, meaning his shining eyes were the only thing that he could clearly perceive. As for the other details, those were from the booklet, which had come with a picture.

Considering he was a descendant of the goddess of the Moon, his appearance wasn’t too surprising. The only thing that was surprising was that a supposedly virgin goddess had descendants. There was probably more to it though.

He didn’t have much to complain about. He was quite good looking if a tad weird.

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Anyway, about Katarina. She was a sorceress; not top-tier, but she was talented nevertheless. Despite her young age, she was on par with men and women who had spent decades perfecting their craft. That was all there is to her, and if he wanted more info, then he had to go and get it. While the booklet indeed contained a slew of information, there was a lot to cover, so each individual only got the barest of introductions. All he knew about Adonis – that is the man cloaked from head to tail - was that he was one of the greatest sorcerers of the continent, who kick-started his own brand of magic. And that he was quite old. 158 years old to be exact.

Then there was Nikias, who was the one in charge of the operation. In name, at least. When the group was that small, a leader didn’t really do that much. Especially since a person like Adonis was present. He also seriously doubted Nikias could control Katarina.

Like Theo, he was one of the Blessed (seemingly meaning a descendant of a deity, but he could be wrong). His family was stationed in Ephesus, and they were descendants of Nike. His name was a clear tribute to the goddess of victory.

Seeing him confirmed Theo’s hypothesis that physical features were an indicator of ancestry, especially the eyes. Nikias had irises the colour of gold. By which, he meant the actual metal. They didn’t shine brightly, thank the gods, but the metallic hue of the eyes gave them their uniqueness. His hair was a calm green, which was quite odd, but not the worst he had seen. He would get used to it in due time. Hopefully.

It was quite rare to see actual demigods these days, as most people with any divine powers were just descendants of demigods or people Blessed by the gods, capital B. Hm… now that he thought about it, perhaps the Blessed were just lineages which were granted gifts. That would explain Artemis’ case. This didn’t mean that all families were like that, and someone like Nikias could be a direct descendant of divinity. Not that it really mattered, since these influential families tended to marry each other. Just following the traditions of their divine ancestors, he supposed. Hopefully, they wouldn’t end up with certain genetical disorders. Even his own ‘family’ was involved, so he wasn’t spared, either. Being an inbred bastard might appeal to some people, but that was certainly not something he wanted.

Nikias was Theo’s cousin, as his mother was from the Artemisian family. Not too surprising as this was probably just another arranged marriage. Theo hoped he wouldn’t have to enter such a marriage. He didn’t have to worry much right now; however, as most Greeks didn’t marry until they were over 30 (the men at least). The same couldn’t be said for Nikias, who was now 36. The matter had been delayed, but he’d probably have to find a suitable spouse soon.

From the documents, it seemed Nikias was experienced in matters of war, as he had been and was still general fighting on the frontiers. Which explained why he was leading this group.

The man sat across from him - if lying on his side could be considered “sitting”. He wore a relaxed smile, but even then, a sense of fatigue still prevailed. Perhaps this was a sort of vacation for this seasoned veteran. The same likely applied to all the other three. Hey, he had no qualms about getting carried, even by the AI.

For all his gentle and chill demeanour, Nikias’ role was clear as day. Scars crisscrossed his entire body, from his face to his legs. His smile might be friendly, but his disfigured lips did not support that sentiment in the least.

Theo felt a bit wary, having two rather dangerous people sitting by his side. Not to mention, there was also the “great sorcerer” Adonis. 158 years old and he was still as healthy as ever. Honestly, he had his doubts, especially since the man showed absolutely no skin. Since the years were shorter here, maybe Theo would get to attend this ancient man’s funeral. Either way, it didn’t really matter. He doubted he’d be here for longer than 10 years, max. Probably more like 3 years, if he was being honest, with how easily distracted he gets.

The group was strong, so it was unlikely any random encounters on the road would end them. However, Theo was worried about this. What kind of mission was he on that required such a group of people? His first quest already seemed very deadly. Unless it was just a “vacation” for the others and a trip for him to gain good experience.

He had no way of knowing, however. The information that he actually needed was not provided. Theo only knew he was on a quest, but the specifics weren’t given.

So, discovering what was going on was his first agenda.

He quietly got on with finishing his breakfast. After which, they quickly packed up and started their journey. He managed to put all the things on his horse adequately, so that was good. Garnering suspicion for something as trivial as failing to take down his tent would not be a good look.

Speaking of which, his steed was a gorgeous being. He was slender-limbed, with sleek muscles which held no excess. His coat was glossy as silk and black in colour. His flowing mane unfurled at the wind’s call, whipping in the breeze as his hooves pounded the ground in a natural gait. His eyes looked at Theo with intelligence that seemed more human than beast, and he unconsciously held his breath. It was his first time up close with a horse, and he was already enraptured by its beauty.

“Still cannot stop gawking at them, can’t you?” By his side, Katarina remarked with a grin.

“You mean the horses?” Seeing her nod, he continued. “Well, they’re just majestic creatures.”

“They certainly are.” She then chuckled. “It reminds me of a younger me when everything was still so fresh and amazing. Hah…those were good times. I’m not saying that beautiful things lose their charm, but it just isn’t the same. For example, the Griffins. When I first saw them, I stood still for an entire minute. Their golden feathers were true gifts from the gods. The next few times, sure, it was still great touching their fur, gazing into their obsidian eyes, but the shock factor was no longer there. I knew what to expect, so the magic is a bit lost. You know what I mean?”

Theo blankly expressed his agreement. He really didn’t know what she was talking about, but at least his marvelling at the horses wasn’t too out of character. Was the previous Theo an animal enthusiast? Or were beautiful animals a staple of every era, every world?

Or the simplest answer of all, he was overthinking it. It was entirely possible that he did not need to act in character.

“Honestly, what I would give to ride one of them. I get to see them, but that’s all. It’s like having Ambrosia right in your hand, but you couldn’t open the lid. Those Egyptians really got it good, didn’t they? Having an entire corps of Griffin Knights is just impressive. But I promise you this, one of these days, I’m going to steal one of them for myself.”

Now that sounds interesting. He ought to find out more about that in due time. Thinking of something, he asked. “What about the Pegasi? They are also good, aren’t they?”

“Well, they are. Even if they aren’t powerful, their speed does indeed make up for it. The Holy Order has most of them, though. Like, our army only has a small, tiny squadron, and that’s already impressive. Now, unlike us Greeks, the Egyptians consolidated their powers to a central authority, so they have many, many more Griffins to play around with.”

Before he could speak more, he was cut off by Nikias’ drawl. “Greaaaat conversation. Really interesting, but can you speak later? When we are actually on the way.”

He blushed, while Katarina just stuck out her tongue. He silently obeyed and got on his horse, and was quickly blown away (not literally, fortunately) by the speed at which their steeds moved. Despite their heavy load (a human and their tent, rations, and equipment) these magnificent creatures could still gallop at full speed. All the way, from start to end.

As he tightly held on to the horse, trying his best not to die, he asked Katarina (who annoyingly enough was reading a book; while her horse was galloping) through gritted teeth. “What breed are these, by the way?”

“Hm?” Katarina looked up from her book. “Oh, you mean the horses. They are gifts from the Atlanteans.”

“Atlanteans?” They exist?!

“You forgot that already? It was just a year ago!” She raised an eyebrow at this. “Your memory seems to get worse by the day.”

He panicked, before saying. “I meant the BREED!”

“Oh, no idea. Probably just some descendants of the sea god.” He blinked at that. Well, he supposed that was possible. Something like the Pegasus, perhaps. Now that he thought about it, the flying horses were plural, so perhaps they were all offspring of the original?

Fuck. He nearly lost his grip because of thinking. Unfortunately, Katarina noticed it. She then grinned and said, “Oh! It seems our little Theo cannot hold on. Little too fast, perhaps? Or is it going too slow? I might have to talk to Nikias. To speed up, I mean.”

Theo’s face twitched. “It’s really nothing. We just… woke up, so I’m a little dizzy.”

“Really. I’m fine though. And I’m the weak one here.” Yeah, he wasn’t buying that. At the same time, she wasn’t buying his lie either. She said, “Didn’t you claim you rode a Pegasus before? You boasted about that a lot, right when we met. Something about flying through the skies, watching the cretins below move about. Hm… I do wonder about that. You know the Pegasi are known for their speed and agility, don’t you?”

Theo wisely decided to stay silent. First, he didn’t want to blow his cover if he said something wrong. Second, he would only add fuel to the fire. And the fire here was bad enough already. And, well, he had no rebuttals.

So, he endured her words, exercising his willpower and determination. To be honest, he was quite used to this sort of thing, as sad as that was. All he could hope was that “Theodoros” didn’t have too many of these boasts. Or else, he would be completely screwed. A small price to pay for taking over the host’s life, he supposed.

At the same time, it was quite clear that these three didn’t know the original person very well, otherwise, they would have noticed his change of mannerism. Either that or they were programmed to ignore such minor differences. Or the AI might not be advanced enough. From what he’d seen though, he doubted that.

Katarina finally relented and gave him his long-desired peace; after half an hour of poking fun at him. Nikias even joined in. He could only admit that these people had resilience since he did not react, not even slightly. Or they might just be bored out of their mind from not having entertainment.

The only silver lining was that the old man didn’t participate. If that happened, then Theo could only cry at his misfortune.

Yeah, not the best start for his journey toward greatness.

But it is what he was given.