And so, just like that, I was reincarnated. Did it hurt when I fell from heaven? Yes. Terribly, in fact. Though I'm not sure if the cabin I was in before I arrived on Azuziel was heaven, or just Saro's divine residence. Either way, it's besides the point. I landed face first, as if I'd been dangled by my feet then let fall. My neck has been giving me hell ever since. My shoulder is still sore, but luckily I didn't get a concussion.
Unluckily, however, Saro didn't seem to get the memo that in the case of "Aw shucks buddy, you died in a rather unfortunate and undeserved way in your old life, so I'm going to reincarnate you onto a cool magical planet," one was supposed to be blessed with the gift of universal language interpretation, perhaps a special unique power or two, and maybe a harem to boot. Saro, geriatric god that he was, didn't get that memo at all. Instead, I landed on the roof of someone's house in the wonderful village of Ziraza. This world seems to have a fascination with the letter Z. Anyways, I landed on the roof. It was a sloped roof. Tile, if you want to know. I rolled off, fell, and quickly learned that public nudity in the port city of Ziraza is punishable by death. Whoopie.
That's as good a place as any to start the tale, I suppose, so I'll begin there.
"HOLY FUCK!"
The words didn't do much to break my fall, and a moment later, my hands crashed into the green tiles. My arms buckled, the world spun, and I felt something pop and crack in my shoulder. My wrist exploded in pain, and my hands immediately got that same numb yet stinging sensation I used to get when I fell off my skateboard as a kid. I tucked my chin to my chest just in time, then fell again, butterflies rising in my stomach as I free falled. A moment later, I landed hard on my back; the wind rushed out of me.
I tried to suck in air through my cotton lungs, but nothing came. Choking and gagging, I squirmed on the floor like a landed fish. Something appeared over me, glinting. A blade reflecting the sun, and a person behind it. They wore full plate armor like what you'd see in a movie about medieval Britain or France, but more eccentric, with unnecessary spikes and ridges poking out at intimidating angles. I tried sucking more air. Nothing happened. I looked down at myself in a daze, and realized I was naked. My pale, sun-shy skin and gym-averse body seemed to squirm away from my astonished gaze, but there it was. I'd really liked Saro, but surely, he could've spawned me with some clothes.
The guard, that's what I assumed the armored figure had to be, said something I won't pretend to be able to interpret into English letters. Suffice it to say their voice was gruff, annoyed, and a little... bashful? Me too buddy. I wouldn't wish the sight of myself lying naked on the street upon anyone. I hoped there weren't many people around, but I couldn't really take full responsibility. If Saro dropped me here, then it was just as god intended. One god, anyways.
Finally, I was able to breathe a little. The guard of mysterious gender said something again, a bit more forcefully this time, and prodded threateningly at the air above me.
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"I'm okay I-" A cough erupted from me then, and I felt my ribs shake their fists at me. Had I been reincarnated with needles in my lungs? It sure felt like it.
The guard jumped back for some reason and made ready in a stance that looked like they were prepared to defend themself and the city against a demon incursion. I rolled onto my stomach, cringing at the feeling of my own sword on the ground as I gingerly pressed myself up onto all fours. This was more than undignified. If I ever saw him again, Saro and I would have words.
I got to my feet slowly, trying to appear as harmless as possible as the guard shouted inconsolably at me. Risking a glance around, I saw that I stood on one side of what appeared to be a town square, complete with a central fountain, shop stall carts with tables displaying food, trinkets, and other goods, and, to my dismay, crowds upon crowds of people. Most stood in stunned silence, watching me, mouths agape. Some cried out, and still others called for guards. Not that I could understand their words, but their tone was clear, and soon enough, armored figures that'd been standing idly by around the square began running over to support their unfortunate comrade.
I raised one hand in the air, dropping the other to defend my pride and spare those that were only now discovering the spectacle, and began to turn in a slow circle, taking in the scene. Saro had explained the basics of this world to me, so I wasn't overly surprised, but seeing it all first-hand was still a shock. To have come from 21st century America to here - it was nothing short of bizarre, and took several weeks for the reality of it all to set in.
Saro told me I'd be reborn in a port town called "Ziraza," on the planet "Azuziel," a central trading hub for the surrounding cities and nation states. When he'd said "reborn," I wasn't sure if that meant as a baby or as the 27-year-old nothin'-special guy I was. I did, however, assume, with a naive optimism I soon dispensed with, that I'd wake up in a bed, maybe. Or in an out of the way corner, a nice field. Somewhere calm. Instead, this.
"Bazat!" (This word I heard often enough to transcribe for you, so here you go).
"Bazat! Bazat!" the foremost guard shouted, brandishing their sword at me, gesturing to my upraised hand. I lowered it, which incurred several more shouts of "Bazat," and a new phrase, "Cada'ee, Umnidas!" This they directed at the new arrivals, more guards, these with a panoply of weapons: swords, spears, and bows. They stood in a half-circle some fifteen feet before me, weapons facing me, but uneasy, outright scared, even.
They shouted and took half steps forwards, shaking their weapons at me. The one with the bow nocked an arrow and began to draw back on the bowstring. Panicking, I looked from the guards to my hand to see what the matter was, unsure of what to do but keenly aware of the quickly rising tension. My hand was glowing. There was an aura around it, a translucent sheen of white light, like particles or a fine mist, glimmering in a sphere around my open palm.
My hand was glowing. Saro never mentioned anything about magic. My fingers tingled. Not hot or cold, but as if they were falling asleep. I opened my mouth to speak, to say something that would hopefully disarm the situation.
A roar rent the sky. I lost my footing and stumbled, the earth quaking beneath me. Screams erupted all around, and the buildings and streets themselves seemed to cry out in grinding groans. As the square descended into chaos, bystanders running in disarray, the guards' formation shattering, fires springing to life seemingly from nothing, I cast my eyes at the sky. A shadow passed over me. My eyes fixated on the glittering belly of a dragon high overhead, and my mouth fell open. It was beautiful, and it was massive. Saro hadn't mentioned dragons either. In a beautiful, terrifying vision of inescapable doom, no less than a dozen of the winged creatures descended over the city, diving and swooping like pelagic birds of prey over open water.