*knock knock knock* I opened my eyes. Part of me hoped that I was back at home in my bed, but I woke up in my room again. After my meal, Arin told me I had the rest of the day to explore, so I walked around a bit and tried to talk to new people. I met a couple more blighted, but the rest of the night was quite uneventful.

*knock knock knock* another three knocks. I knew it was Arin trying to wake me up, but I really wanted to roll back over and go back to sleep.

"Blighted One." I heard his rough voice from outside my door. "I can sense that you're awake. Please put on your uniform for training and meet me in the mess hall for breakfast." I heard his metal boots collide with the wooden floor as he walked away into the larger area of the temple. I sat up slowly. I really did not want to wake up.

After getting ready for the day, and putting on my new uniform. I got ready to leave. Before I left, I made sure my hair was covering my dead eye completely as I did not want anybody to see it. I glanced in the mirror, trying to tame the beast that was hair. My outfit was a teal shirt that was very tight and conformed to my skin. It was made out of some sort of silk. The pants were made of the same material, but dyed black.

I put on both of my divine rings, but kept the gloves, and torn up chainmail off and placed in the dresser of my room. Immediately I felt the extra bit of strength flow through me as the rings conformed to my fingers. I smiled, but not out of happiness but out of pride. I was kind of looking forward to going to this training, as I had spent the majority of my time on Earth in the fencing and martial arts teams. I thought this was going to be similar.

I left my room, made my way down the hallway, and through the door onto the main area of the temple. I spotted Arin sitting with Zach and Stephanie who I had both seen before, as well as two others. I waved, and Zach waved back. Arin nodded towards me and I sat down at the table across from Zach. The other two, whose names I didn't know, sat next to him. I was alone on the long picnic-like table. Everyone else sat across from me.

"Blighted One." Arin began, "I've put together a party for you to join. You will be able to go on quests in order to gain strength to fight the Lords of Terror." Arin's voice was quite serious. "It's imperative that you become more powerful."

"Like an RPG!" Zach piped up. "We can go on quests and get armor and gear!" His eyes lit

up.

"I'd prefer not to die," Stephanie said shyly. Zach put his arm around her.

"Come on! It'd be fun! At least the beginning quests!" Stephanie shrugged and still felt

quite awkward.

"Introductions are in order." Arin suggested. "You need to meet your party of blighted ones.

Teamwork is important."

"I'm Zach!" Zach said proudly. "We met last night. I'm a D Class Harbringer. I use Lightning

Magic and carry this bad boy." He pulled out a sword from his waist. The blade was straight and double edged. It was a pretty normal one handed sword. He sheathed it quickly.

"I'm Stephanie." Stephanie piped up from sitting next to Zach. Her ears perked up. That's

when I noticed.

"Your ears?!" I shouted standing up. Stephanie blushed hard and covered the top of her

head. Her ears were cat ears that perked up from the top of her head. I can't believe I didn't notice that before.

"Yes! I.." Stephanie covered her face in embarrassment. "I'm a kumiho! I was reincarnated

as a fox-person!" My eyes widened.

"That's ADORABLE!" I said and swiftly started to pet her ears and head to see if they were

truly real. "I love them so much!" I practically fangirled about this.

"Blighted One." I heard Arin say. I sat down in my seat and scowled at him.

"Don't call me that." I snarled at him. "I have a name. Use it." I spat. I was tired of that

nickname.

"As you wish, Lady Annabella." My heart sunk and my face blushed a bright red.

"It's just Anna.." I said quietly.

"Wow you sure embarrassed her." One of the unnamed people who sat across from me

said. I looked up at him. He also had ears like Stephanie. "Kayden Blane" he introduced himself putting his hand out towards mine. I shook it, studying him.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

He had ginger hair, with two fox ears on the top of his head. His hair was long on both sides of his face, like the rock bands back on earth. He had bangs that swooped to the right. His ears perked up when he looked at me. I shook his hand. He wore the same outfit as me, with different colors and proportions. He wore a wooden staff surrounding a magic gem on his back.

"Anna Cavar." I introduced myself back to him.

"I'm a D Class Pyromancer. I have a staff I use to cast Pyromancies. Not much of a melee

user. But I also have a sword just in case." He smiled calmly. He seemed like a twink, and had a quite flamboyant voice. He sat back down next to Stephanie. The other girl next to him stood up.

"Wait a second Tye." Kayden scolded her. "Stephanie hasn't gone yet." Tye just rolled her

eyes and sat back down. Everyone looked at Stephanie and she blushed again.

"Uhm!~" She stood up. "I'm Stephanie, I'm a E Class Priest! I use Spirit Magic." She

seemed awkward and way too shy for her own good. I shook her hand and she sat down quickly.

"Spirit Magic?" I questioned her. "What's that?"

"Spirit magic is the life force of all living things. I borrow a small amount of it and use it to

damage or heal." Stephanie said proudly. "It's a rare element to have."

Element? I thought to myself, curious on how Spirit could be an element.

"I'm Tye." Tye, the girl who had stood up before looked at me. She stood up again and

reached her hand out. Her hair was straight, combed to the side and shaved on the other. Her clothes were a shade of black, matching her hair. "D Class. Hexblade. I carry poisoned twinblades, focusing on nature magic." her demeanor was serious, but also cold, as if she didn't like me.

"Wait. So all of you are attuned to only one type of magic?" I asked curiously. I studied

them all for a moment. Thinking back to my time being alive, I remembered Jake talking about Dungeons and Dragons before. I recall him talking about how his character could use all sorts of magic.

"I thought any kind of magic can be used by anybody?" I stupidly asked. I had no

knowledge about any kind of fantasy games.

"Well look here princess," Zach began. I glared at him with evil eyes. "Magic in fantasies

from earth is like that, but here you're stuck to using only one school of magic. It's chosen randomly."

"So what kind of~" I started to ask before realizing how dumb my question was. "I have ice

magic?" I looked directly at Arin, thinking he had the answers.

"Yes. You were given ice magic according to your bloodwork and personality upon entering

the cemetery. It is not random." Arin's voice echoed through his mask. Zach rolled his eyes.

"So.. I can learn magic spells and such?" I asked.

"Exactly!" Zach said cheerfully. "It's like a full on isekai anime! You're basically inside of a

video game, you can even level up after you get an S rank in all three categories!" He pulled out a card that was the size of his hand from his jacket pocket. It was thicker than normal, like a piece of cardboard. He shoved it in my face.

It said his full name, his Harbringer class, then three categories and different ranks.

Combat, Evasion, and Magic ability. He took the card away before I could read anymore.

"It's super cool and as you fight monsters you physically feel stronger! I believe you're a

Tempest, which means you're part of the Ranger Division." Zach continued excitedly, he was a full on nerd! Despite his looks this guy was a huge nerd.

"We have a ranger already. We do not need another one." Tye scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Besides she's a newbie, she won't know what she's doing out in the field. We've already been here for months." I glared at her, and stood up, leaning over the table. I towered over her despite my small stature because she was sitting down.

"I've practiced martial arts and fencing for practically my entire life!" I shouted, putting my

hand on my chest. "I know I'm short and don't look all that tough but you have no right to look down on me! If we fought there's absolutely no way I'd let y-"

"That's enough!" Arin's voice was stern and louder than usual. It actually caught me off

guard for him to be vocal like this. "She needs a party, and you need five members. So despite your concern Tye, she will be joining you." Tye just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. What a bitch.

"Now," Arin began, his voice back to normal. "You have been introduced to your new party.

The parties of blighted here go on quests in order to graduate. It is not like the schools from your world. Here you learn by experience. Complete quests to rank up, and to graduate."

"Rank up? Is that what Zach's card was about?" I asked. I felt kind of awkward sitting here

taking their exposition but I want to know everything I can in order to get home.

"Yeah!" Zach said excitedly. "It's like leveling up in a video game. As you can see, I'm level

6." He pulled his card out again and pointed to the top left corner of it.

Arin sighed.

"You are all dismissed." He said. "I shall take Miss Anna to her get her card and be tested

for basic training to see when she'll be ready for basic missions. I expect all of you to treat her well on missions." Arin glared at Tye in specific.

"Nice meeting you." Kayden said, getting up and excusing himself from the table. Tye and

Stephanie also left. Zach got up last but I stopped him.

"Wait Zach." I said. "Can I ask something?" I thought back to his nerdy remarks from

before.

"Shoot." He said slyly.

"Do you know a lot about fantasy games?" I asked.

"Oh you poor poor soul." Zach looked at me with over dramatic eyes. "You have come to the right person! I shall be your guide on everything here in this game world!" He put his arm around me and rested his hand on my head. I blushed ever so slightly as I wasn't used to being touched.

"I'd like to talk to you about a few things in the future. About how to rank up quickly." I said.

"I need to kill the lords of Terror, and I want you here with me to do it." I gave him a serious look.

"Well I was fairly good at video games back when I was alive." Zach gloated. "Man was I

overweight though!" He laughed.

"Wait what?" I questioned. "Did you lose that much weight coming here??"

"Huh?" He looked confused as if I was stupid. "No you dumbass! We all got new bodies!

Weren't you curious on how Stephanie had fox ears on her head!" He put his hands on top of his head in a teasing manner in order to represent ears.

"You got..?" I said trailing off and inspecting myself quickly. My body was exactly the same

as it had been when I had left. "I didn't change a bit." I murmured.

"It's because your body was already suited for combat." Arin stated. "Your body only

changes if you waste your entire life inside playing games." He pointed towards Zach.

"Hey! It was not a waste! I have lots of games and anime I enjoy! Don't patronize me!" He

blushed slightly and turned to walk away. "If you have any questions come find me." Zach waved goodbye to the two of us and waddled off to who knows where.