Her hands gone limb, her eyes open, but they see nothing. A large blade pierces through her head and it continues to go deeper and deeper until her forehead meet its hilt. The rustling sound of the gauntlets gone by the time it is left on the ground.

*Bang *Clank *Clank

A large hand that can cover her entire face, its long sharp nails open her mouth, and there a shape-shifting gem was put on her tongue, its oozing black goo.

*Gasp*

Her eyes widened as she glances left and right. The mist has gone. Only a narrow path with an extremely tall walls made of stone. She inspects her body, and it is fine. The gasses she inhaled when she fought the ghouls have come out of her system also.

Quickly she stood, “What the hell was that?”

‘I swear I saw something coming at me. I know it wasn’t a dream either, I literally blanked out as if I just died. That feeling…’

‘I gotta get out of here.’

She still has her mace with her.

There are only a few skeletons guarding the portal and they were swiftly dealt with.

Approaching the portal. Slowly, she touches it. Her entire body then consumed by the portal. But far behind her, the mist is still there alongside the silhouette of the humanoid. An armored tail rested on the ground as it faces the portal.

A gush of unpolluted air, fresh as it can ever be. Lush green forest with trees as tall as mountains. Little creatures from snake hissing, insect buzzing, and rabbits jumping on a tree trunk.

“This place is…”

‘It’s been a while since I’ve been to the surface, but this is no doubt, a place I shouldn’t be anywhere near with my current level.’

Walking through the wilderness. Her stomach began to growl as her throat dried.

She passes a river, and her stomach has become excruciatingly hard to bear any longer.

On her knees, she grasps the ground, a tear fallen to the stone beneath.

*Hic*

Deeply, she let it all out. Silently.

Stillness, her feet in the water. Waiting for a prey to appear. Once it did, her eyes widened as her body moves in synchrony, pummeling a fish out of the water.

“Phew, all right.”

She has caught three so far and has already made the fire to cook them.

After bleeding the fishes dry, she skewered them by the fire.

Drooling at the sight of the water boiling, she drank once it cools down.

As she eats the tasteless fish, a tired smile was formed.

“This is no Ekolia.”

‘This is not the game I was playing.’

‘This… is not even a game.’

Upon finishing her meal, she looks at the sky.

“The sun is high.”

“I better hurry.”

*Rustle *Rustle

Rustling In the bushes. Growling, their white fur brushing against the leaves. Blue eyes, scaly limbs, and their long ears.

‘Rabbit Wolf. There is only one place where the weakest beast type wolves exist here in Ekolia, and that is the Great Forest of Sylph. Home of the Fairies.’

‘Six of them.’

Glancing at the meal she had eaten.

“Sorry, I ate them.”

Upon kicking the campfire, the wolves growl as they come at her at the same time. Siola stretches her leg and duck as she puts on some distance before running straight into the forest. The wolves make chase, their limbs and stamina give them the advantage to catch up.

But she wasn’t trying to flee.

Abruptly stopping in time to swing her weapon, smashing the wolf’s head. It flipped over and stunned but before it can even regain its senses, Siola smashed its head two times against a stone beneath and quickly made another dash with 5 more wolves following.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

They became closer and closer, but then, she sees a cliff up ahead. A massive tree working as the bridge to the other side.

“Heh, I’m not dying here.”

She continues on, the cliff is massive and although there is water beneath, the jump is long and the level of water is shallow enough that it might as well be a solid ground.

The wolves chase after her, but the narrow and slippery path made one fell. That didn’t stop them, but Siola has abruptly stopped once again. This time facing them directly.

“Have faith, Siola.”

Approaching closer.

“Have faith in yourself!”

With a mace in hand, she charges toward them as one lunges towards. Sliding underneath and swinging her mace to the second one. It flipped to the side and almost fell. Siola acrobatically back flip through the third and drop kick the fourth one. Pushing it to the edge, and it falls as it could not hold onto the leaves, but the momentum also sends Siola to the edge.

But she succeeded to recover her footing.

“Heh, what’s that? Am I seeing it right?”

Approaching the three wolves, “You’re shaking and trembling?”

“Come on now. There’s only one me.”

The wolves recognize her plan as she walks on the edges of the tree.

“Awww, little wolfie is scared of a little ol’ me?”

*Grraawgrh*

As it launches itself at her, Siola gritted her teeth in rage as she swings her mace upward and crushes its lower jaw. It falls away to its death. She then swings her mace down on the second wolf, crushing its head before kicking it off the tree.

Her eyes look down on the only wolf left.

Trembling as it backs away. It turns and quickly run to the other side only for it to slipped and fall to its own demise.

Siola turns around to see the wolf she attacked before, returning to the forest.

“…”

“Hraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!”

*Pant *Pant

She walks to the other end as if she is not walking with death on both sides.

Walking and walking, she began to notice her beautiful feet has been roughened up by the terrain and they caught all kinds of dirt. The sun is no longer at its peak, but her tired eyes and fatigue were washed away by the sight of a beautiful town.

“Heh, heheh.”

“Finally.”

There are carriages coming in and out of town, people are lining up to enter the town. Siola also patiently waits for her turn, even with others staring at her. Everyone avoids her.

‘Oh boy, that’s a familiar feeling all right.’

‘I’m dirty.’ In literal sense of the word.

She had to wait close to half an hour, before it’s finally her turn.

“Hold,” says the guard.

“No chains, no mark. What’s your business here, where you came from?”

‘Telling them where I come from… hunh, how about if I just say…’

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

The guards look at each other.

“Oi, hurry this up!”

“What’s taking so long?!”

“Tsk, impatient bastards.”

“Molin, come here and check these guys.”

“You come with me.”

She followed the two to the back of the wall inside. From there she sees all kinds of races that she is familiar with going about their day.

“Hey, look here.”

“Yes?”

“The name’s Oklam, a soldier of Lorkhan. I’m in charge of today’s inspection.”

“And this here is Colon, one of the best guards you’ll ever see around here.”

Nervously, “Ahaha, you’re too much, Captain.”

“So, do you have a name?”

“Siola… Siola Mithra.”

The two shudders.

“T-Two names. Captain, she’s a…”

Oklam raised his palm to hold his comrade’s tongue.

“Then, miss Siola Mithra, can you tell us what happened to you?”

“…”

She feels down but then suddenly, her mood swing to stern.

The two can feel it and notice the subtle change to her expression.

“When I came to, I woke up in a cell.”

“A cell?”

“The place is wide and spacious. Grandiose. Yet, empty.”

“I was walking and walking. Skeletons blocked my path, and then Draugr, Ghouls, and a vampire tries to bite me so I snapped its neck.”

Sweat dripping from listening to her story.

“I came across a portal and it brought me to that forest. Wolves were chasing me thereafter, but they died in their chase.”

“It was morning when I came to the forest. I thought my memories would return to me by now but it clearly hasn’t.”

“I thought I could take shelter here, and if worse comes to be…”

“… maybe this place can be my new home.”

The two glanced at each other with grimace.

Oklam says, “Prison Realm. That was the place you came from.”

“Clearly I was in a prison.”

“No, the Prison Realm is a world of its own. Only convicts responsible of the most heinous and gruesome crimes were sent there.”

“Are you saying I’m a criminal?” taken aback, she looks at her hands, “Me?”

Hesitant and unsure.

Colon then says, “We’re not saying that you are, it’s just a possibility. And our job is to protect the people from harm. We cannot let potentially dangerous people to be—”

“…”

Siola wasn’t listening as she is seemingly shocked by the revelation. At least, to their eyes.

Oklam taps Colon’s shoulder.

“Miss Siola, can you do one thing for me?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Can you show me your status screen?”

Nodding, she shows it to him.

He confirms the name matched, but he also took notice of her class.

“You have a Priest Class?”

The menu disappears.

“Yes…”

‘Hmm, hold on… which one was it?’

‘Ah, that one yes.’

“I believe in the graces of the brilliant light, one day soon, she will bring her order to save the world and her servants.”

Her eyes widened. Caressing her head, ‘No, I shouldn’t lie about my faith… but…’

“Yes… the Divine Order. I’m… was… I don’t know.”

“Is everything okay?” asked Colon.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little lightheaded.”

He looks at his captain and they both nodding in relief.

Oklam then says, “Miss Siola, I know it’s rude of me to say this, but even if we were to grant you entry, we’re not sure if you could live properly.”

Looking at the ragged clothes she has, “Right…”

Colon then says, “If I might suggest, why don’t we take her in, captain? We could use someone who can slay a vampire.”

“She’s only level 11, Colon. It was probably luck that she managed to do it in the first place.”

“But captain—”

“No, he was right. Even when I were fighting his minions, I took advantage of the opportunity that was given to me.”

Oklam looks down and consider his options.

“How about this. We’re currently training newcomers to join the guards. Pass that, and you will have a place among us guards. You’ll be paid well and we’ll provide shelter for you. Do enough, and I’ll grant you Lorkhan’s citizenship.”

Her eyes widened. She doesn’t know what else to say but to smile.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet.”

“Colon, take her to the others. You’ll be the one in charge of her.”

“Yes, captain.”

He felt relief and Siola as well.

Though, behind her smile, she has a thought, ‘I’m just too good at this.’