Crash. Screech. Shatter. Crunch.
Colin woke with a start, vivid images of a car accident flashing through his mind before quickly fading. Darkness surrounded him, though enough light seeped through a vented flap to reveal wooden benches on either side and some crates near the opening.
A wagon? It seemed right. The not-so-gentle bumps beneath him helped confirm his suspicions. He could faintly hear voices outside—some to his left and right, with a pair directly behind him.
"Well, at least I'm not dead," he muttered, sighing. "Damn, that goblin put up a good fight."
With another sigh, Colin pulled up his status screen.
[Congratulations! You’re now Level 2!]
[Stat Points Awarded: 7]
[You Have Been Fully Restored]
"Nice. No more poisoning, then. That's a relief. Though, I think I'll try to avoid getting that close to death in the future," he muttered.
Might as well parse out these points, he thought, recalling the goblin fight. He decided to split his points between Strength, Dexterity, and Vitality: 3 into Strength, 1 into Dexterity, and 3 into Vitality. Then, he took his free points and divided them equally between Vitality and Strength, 2 to each.
[You have chosen to add points to the following stats:]
Strength: 5
Vitality: 5
Dexterity: 1
[Please confirm selections]
Yeah, I confirm.
[Thank you. Current stats:]
STR: 10
DEX: 14
VIT: 12
INT: 5
WIS: 4
WIL: 9
LUC: 15
CHA: 6
FRE: 0
He considered staying hidden but dismissed the thought. If someone saved me, they can’t be that bad, right?
The wagon had come to a stop while he was checking his status. Just as Colin was about to poke his head through the flap, someone else shoved theirs in. He found himself staring into the eyes of a young woman.
"The invalid’s awake!" she called to the others.
Colin was momentarily captivated by her golden irises, split by black, cat-like pupils. His gaze dropped to her sharp, pointed teeth—fangs. Startled, he scrambled backward, but she reached in and grabbed him with surprising strength for her size. Colin tumbled out of the wagon, landing flat on his back and staring up at the bright sky in a daze.
The sun’s brilliance forced him to squint. When he reopened his eyes, several faces hovered above him. The girl from before was there, along with a short, bearded man, a blue-skinned figure with silvery hair, a lizard-like humanoid, and a purple-skinned woman with bark-like growths on her cheeks.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Too overwhelmed to speak, Colin didn’t need to.
The short man extended a hand. "Mornin’, sunshine. Ye’ were out for a mighty long time. We found ye’ on the road, next t’ a smashed-up goblin. Glad ye’ made it through."
"Th-thanks," Colin stammered. "It was tougher than I thought. I think I hit my head pretty hard... I’m not really sure where I am. I’m Colin, by the way. Nice to meet you."
He rubbed his head, pretending to nurse a headache.
The spike-toothed girl spoke first. “We’re right outside the town of Elderglen. I’m Lyra.” She gestured to the others in turn: the short man, the blue-skinned figure, the lizard-like humanoid, and the purple-skinned woman. “That’s Bram, Kaelis, Sskarin, and Nectarine. So, what were you doing fighting a goblin at your level? You’re lucky to be alive.”
"Damn right he is," muttered Kaelis. "I’m more curious how he overpowered the thing. His stats are pitiful, even for a human."
"Oh, hush, K. All that matters is he’s alive," Nectarine chimed in, eyeing Colin. "And it looks like he leveled up too. He’s obviously new to the area, but he’s at least somewhat capable as a fighter."
"Yeah… leveled up right before I nearly died," Colin said. "Do you mind if I join you the rest of the way to town? Traveling alone seems a bit… dangerous."
"Yer welcome t’ join us, lad," Bram said with a hearty laugh. "Don’t want no goblins gettin’ ye again. And when we get to town, ye’re welcome to sup with us."
----------------------------------------
A few hours later, the group reached the outskirts of Elderglen. Along the way, Colin learned a few things. First, they were in the country of Rykthon. Bram had pulled out a map from his deceptively spacious pouch and explained the lay of the land.
Rykthon was the easternmost country on the continent of Kythros, and the second-largest. It was home to a race called the Ryke—what Lyra was. Known for their magical prowess, the Ryke were considered some of the most skilled mages in the world. Lyra, however, had chosen to become a bard, focusing on magic through song and illusion.
Next, Colin learned he’d been unconscious for over a day, having missed several towns. The group was heading to the largest town nearby to claim a reward.
Finally, Colin discovered they were part of Rykthon’s Adventurer’s Guild. His interest piqued at the mention of a guild; it had always fascinated him in stories and games, but the chance to join one had never come up back on Earth.
"If ye don’t mind me askin’, Colin, what’s yer class?" Bram asked as they walked. "All I get from Identify is that ye’re a Level 2 human with some… mediocre stats."
"I don’t mind telling you since you saved me. I’m a rogue. My profession is Guide, though—it’s supposed to help with navigating the wilds. Not that it’s done me much good so far." Colin chuckled, but it was half-hearted.
"Huh. That’s an odd profession. Guides are usually up north, closer t’ the wildlands. Where did ye say ye were from again?"
"Uh… I didn’t. I grew up in a small village farther south," Colin lied.
[Skill Obtained: Deception Level 1]
"Huh. Alright, forget I asked," Bram said, glancing away. Colin felt guilty for the lie, but explaining he wasn’t from this world—or maybe even this universe—seemed impossible.
"I’ve got a question about the system," Colin said. "Some notifications popped up during my fight with the goblin. Is there a way to turn those off? They nearly got me killed."
"Yeah, kid," Bram replied. "Just think about it with intent, and ye should be able t’ shut off notifications durin’ combat. They’ll only pop up after. That’s somethin’ yer parents shoulda taught ye when ye were a kid."
Colin winced due to his stupid question. Bram noticed and looked apologetic.
"Sorry if I hit a sore spot. Ye an orphan?"
Colin nodded, silent. He took the moment of silence to focus his intent on the system.
[Would you like to turn off Combat notifications?]
Yes.
[Turn off all notifications? OR turn off NON-CRITICAL notifcations]
[Non-critical notifications include: HP loss, Level up notifications, experience notifications, and skill notifications.]
[Critical notifications include: low health, poisoning and other status effects, and kill notifications]
Turn off non-critical notifications.
[Non-Critical notifications have been turned off]
"A sad and common thing in these parts," Bram said with a sigh. "Monsters everywhere, and not enough adventurers t’ deal with ‘em. That’s why we do what we do—tryin’ t’ make the world safer. The guild could always use a guide, even one untrained like yerself."
"I wouldn’t mind joining, if they’d have me," Colin said. "I’m not exactly trained for adventuring though… I barely survived that goblin fight. Would they even want me?"
"Fightin’ ye can learn. Adventurin’s all about spirit. Ye’ve got that in spades. A Level 1 takin’ on a goblin and winnin’? That’s rare."
"Thanks, Bram."
"We’re here, guys! Get ready for the check-in!" Nectarine shouted from the front of the wagon.
Colin looked up and saw a massive pair of metal gates ahead, framed by a stone wall that stretched outward, circling the town. They had arrived in Elderglen.