My hands traced the dust on the brick wall. I'd been walking for a while already, yet I hadn't found anybody. The marketplace was completely empty, kind of like a ghost town. Initially, I thought it'd been because everyone was sleeping, but after passing by some houses, I found that this wasn't the case. Every house was empty, including the ones with open candlelight. It was like everyone had disappeared.
"H-Hello?" I called out. My voice echoed through the alleyways of the empty marketplace. After a moment, without any response, I continued walking. It'd been so silent that I began to pick up on subtle sounds around me. The sounds of rustling leaves filled my mind. Although I didn't mind too much, it was strangely comforting.
Eventually, I came across a large building with a large sign hanging over it. Instinctively, I knew what building it was. That emblem of two crossed swords over a shield, the smell of booze, and a large building to go with it all. This was surely an adventurer's guild!
Quickly, I opened the door to the guild, but just like everywhere else, it was empty. Actually, it seemed more like the guild was deserted. Full cups of beer and ale were still scattered all over the tables, and there seemed to be a bunch of gear left on the floor. Throwing on a cloak I found on the floor, I walked around.
"If I'm in another world, I probably need a weapon, huh?" I thought aloud before gathering all the abandoned gear. Lining it up on an empty table, I stepped back to look at my choices. There were plenty of weapons to choose from, but most of them belonged to the same family.
"Daggers, bows, and swords," my eyes went back and forth between the selections. Back in the other world, I always played mage characters, so I wasn't too well-versed in these kinds of weapons. But if I were to choose, it'd only make sense to go with the ranged choice, right? At the very least, I would understand the dynamics of spacing and attack timing.
Then again, there's always the possibility of running out of arrows. Being a rogue also sounds pretty cool...
"Well, it's not like anything's stopping me from using both, right?" I grinned before taking a dagger and a short bow from the pile. Equipping both weapons, I took a triumphant breath and crossed my arms. It was my first set of weapons in another world! A sense of confidence washed over me as I quickly turned to the quest board on the side of the wall.
As I approached the quest board, I noticed that there was nothing on there except for a large paper with frantic handwriting. Pulling the paper off the board, my eyes widened as I started to read. My heart sunk into my stomach as my face ran pale. The paper had read:
[ NOTICE OF EMERGENCY EVACUATION - Invasion imminent! According to an inside source, there is an S-Rank threat headed towards the City of Limea! The monster is estimated to arrive by midnight! Anybody unable to evacuate by then should seek shelter! Good luck, and may the Promise guide you. ]
A loud scream came from outside the guild as if a story event had been triggered. Anxiously, I made my way to the door and creaked it open. I fell to my knees as I saw what was waiting outside of the building. Walking down the street was a cloaked skeleton wielding a staff in one hand. Behind him was a small creature made of dirt and stone. As it opened its mouth, another bone-chilling scream pierced my ears. I bit my lip, fighting the urge to cry out in pain.
Thankfully, it doesn't seem like it's noticed my location. Scooting away from the door, I quietly made my way behind the receptionist's counter and covered my mouth. The screams came at a one-minute interval, each one sounding worse than the last. Softly but frantically, I searched for anything I could use to muffle the sounds. My eyes scanned the building quickly, eventually landing on a first-aid kit on the wall beside me. Opening it up, I found a few vials, bandage wrap, and some cotton balls.
After stuffing the vials in my pocket, I squeezed the cotton balls into my ears and secured them by wrapping a bandage around my head. Another scream echoed through the town, but with the cotton balls muffling the sound, it was bearable. I took a deep breath before standing up and looking over the counter. I wasn't sure how long this monster would stay here, but something felt like it wasn't leaving anytime soon. Leaning back against the wall, I decided to try and wait it out.
But then time passed. Then, time passed again. Minutes became hours, and hours began to stretch out. How long had it been now? Peeking over the countertop, I saw the sun breaking through the window. The screams have gotten softer by now, which meant the skeleton must've been somewhere else. Barely mustering the strength to stand, I made my way to the door and peeked out once more. Sure enough, the skeleton was nowhere to be seen. Stepping outside, I felt my stomach grumble loudly.
"Maybe I should find some food," I muttered to myself.
Memories of a food stand nearby came back to me. If I was right, there should be some fruits there. Tracing back my steps was stressful, as I had to keep track of where the skeleton was. After several close run-ins, I confirmed that the little creature didn't leave the skeleton's side. I was able to avoid any direct confrontations because of this, and eventually, I arrived at the fruit stand. Quickly, I grabbed some fruits and bit into them, the juiciness and substance quenching my hunger and thirst.
I grabbed another, then another. After fully satisfying my needs, I stored a few more fruits and started walking back to the guild. However, on the way there, I had a thought. I knew how to locate the skeleton, and as it was, I was certain that he was stuck in the city. If I was able to get out of the city somehow, wouldn't I be in the clear...?
Gripping my sleeve, I weighed my decision. Staying here would inevitably get me killed. And I have no idea how long the skeleton would be here for. Meanwhile, if I escaped, I might be able to find another area. And even if I ran into any monsters on the way, surely, they wouldn't be as strong as this guy. After all, he was considered an S-Rank threat. And even though I didn't know how ranks worked in this world, something told me that S-Rank monsters probably weren't an everyday occurrence.
Alright, I'd decided. Somehow, I was going to find my way out of this city. After getting back to the guild, I started looking for things that could help me with my escape. Sifting through the pile of gear, I found a pouch I could use to store items. Pulling out the fruits I'd shoved into my pockets, I placed them into the pouch and hung it around my shoulder. Alongside that, I'd also stolen a map of the city from the wall.
Tracing my escape path, I was ready to leave. I was planning to prepare more, but the skeleton was so far from my current location that it was the perfect time. Following the path, I made sure to avoid the screams. Maybe I was just getting used to it, but the screams weren't as bad as I'd once thought. A sense of confidence swelled inside me as I continued down my path. Somewhere down the route, I made a stop to catch my breath and eat some of the fruit I saved.
As I imagined escaping the town, I felt myself getting excited. Maybe it was because I was busy trying not to die, but I never really processed that I was in another world. The excitement hit me all at once as thoughts of magic and adventuring swam through my mind. Finishing the fruit, I reached down to pull out another when I felt a sensation run down my spine. It was a familiar feeling, yet I couldn't quite put my hand on it. Almost as if time itself had frozen.
The looming feeling of pressure was hanging over me. My body was still. A chill breeze brushed my cheek as I forcibly turned my head to the side. The smile from my face faded as I saw what was in front of me. The skeleton stood there, bent down to look at me. He had no eyes, yet it felt like it was staring into mine. The staff he held in his hand seemed to resonate with a vile aura. Just being near it made my stomach sick. Silence filled the air for a while. Even the screams had ceased. But despite that, I knew this was only the beginning. If I didn't move, I was surely going to die.
"Devour."
Malicious energy sprouted out from his staff. It took the form of a blob with a gaping mouth before charging at me. Barely breaking through the paralyzing atmosphere, I kicked the wall to push myself away from the path of the spell. Without hesitation, I ran away from the skeleton and onto the open street.
"HELP!" I screamed. "SOMEONE HELP ME!"
My legs buckled a couple of times, but after a few deep breaths and a pinch to the cheek, I was able to regain some composure. The skeleton was trailing shortly behind me, gaining speed despite only walking. Pulling out my map, I saw that I was a little over halfway there. If I were to take the open streets instead of the alleyways, then I would probably be able to make it in a couple of minutes. That is, if he didn't reach me before then.
With every second, he started to close the distance. There was no way I was going to outpace him in time. After running for a while, I gripped my shirt and thought back to the other world. What knowledge from my isekai-reading days could I use? I wasn't sure if I came to this world with any powers. I don't remember meeting with any deities before coming here, and there's no system or whatever to help me. I knew there was magic because the skeleton just used it. But he didn't use any long incantations.
Maybe magic in this world was based on imagination and stuff? Maybe if I just imagined it, then...
"It's worth a shot," I turned around with my arm stretched out. "Devour!"
Nothing happened. The skeleton began to speed up as if insulted by my pathetic attempt at magic. Against my body's will, I forced my legs to pick up speed.
"Damn it! If only I had some overpowered weapons or something!" I panted. "Literally anything that could help me, anything--"
The clanking of vials in my pouch rang like music to my ears. Fumbling the bag in my hands, I shoved my quaking hands inside and pulled out three vials. A wide grin formed on my face as my saving grace showed itself in the form of three colored potions: a green one, a blue one, and a red one. I quickly thought back to all my fantasy experiences. If I was right, the green one was probably health, and the blue one was mana, maybe? But then, the red one is... Looking behind me, I saw that the skeleton was only a few seconds away.
"Screw it!" I uncorked all three and quickly downed them. The taste was disgusting, but after swallowing the concoction, I felt the effects instantly. The pain in my legs suddenly vanished, and my weight felt much lighter. My speed began to pick up as the skeleton slowly started to fall behind.
As I continued, I saw the city gates come into view. Just a few more seconds, and I'd be able to get out of here!
"Come on!" I screamed at myself. "COME ON, DAMN IT!"
The breeze on my face slowly began to turn into resistance as I ran faster than I ever had before. Clenching my fists, I pushed as hard as I could, and eventually, I flew past the gate. With no intention of stopping, I ran and ran as far as I could. I heard the screaming resume behind me, getting softer with each step I took. Around an hour of running passed before I finally stopped. I ended up in a vast open grass field.
I had no idea where I was, but none of that mattered. I felt a wave of relief crash down on me before bursting out into laughter. Somehow, I'd survived. I survived, and I felt ecstatic. I pulled out a fruit from my pouch and took a huge bite, relishing the sweetness. One mistake is all it would've taken, yet I pulled through. Has the grass below my body ever felt so rewarding?
A smile formed across my face. I was alive, and right now, that was all that mattered.