Chapter 2: A New World
Arjun lay still for a moment, the scent of grass and earth unfamiliar. Slowly, he opened his eyes, blinking against the brightness of an alien sky. As his vision adjusted, he saw rolling fields and dense forests stretching into the horizon. The sky was a deeper blue than he was used to, and the sun shone with a slightly different hue.
"Where am I?" he muttered, his voice barely audible in the vastness.
He sat up, his head still spinning from the transition. Around him, people were scattered, some just waking up, others already on their feet, looking as confused as he felt. Among the humans, there were beings of various races, each more fantastical than the last. Some had pointed ears, others had wings or scales.
Arjun's thoughts were interrupted by a soft chime. He looked up to see a translucent screen floating in front of him, displaying his name and a brief description:
Name: Arjun Sharma
Class: Support
Ability: Code Manipulation
Level: 1
Experience: 0/100
He stared at the screen, trying to process what he was seeing. It felt like something out of the video games he used to play, but this was real. He could feel the grass beneath his fingers, smell the fresh air, and hear the distant calls of strange creatures.
"Hey, are you okay?" a voice called out.
Arjun turned to see a tall, muscular man walking towards him. His expression was one of concern, but there was a steadiness in his eyes that suggested he was taking things in stride.
"I... I think so," Arjun replied, getting to his feet. "Do you know what's going on?"
The man shook his head. "No idea. One moment I was at work, the next, I'm here. Name's Raj. What's yours?"
"Arjun."
Raj glanced at the screen floating in front of him. "Looks like everyone has one of these. Says I'm a Warrior with some kind of Berserker ability. What's yours?"
"Support class, with Code Manipulation," Arjun said, feeling a bit embarrassed. His ability didn't sound nearly as impressive.
Raj nodded thoughtfully. "Well, whatever this place is, we need to stick together. Strength in numbers, right?"
Arjun agreed and followed Raj as they moved towards a gathering of other survivors. Along the way, they found a few more people willing to join them. The group was diverse, with people from different backgrounds and races, each trying to make sense of their new abilities.
As they settled down to rest, a man in his mid-thirties stood up to address the group. "Everyone, my name is Vikram. I think it's clear that we've been brought here for a reason, but we need to work together to survive. Let's start by sharing what we know about our abilities and see how we can help each other."
People began to speak up, sharing their newfound powers. There were warriors, mages, healers, and even some with unique talents like controlling elements or communicating with animals. When it was Arjun's turn, he hesitated but finally explained his Code Manipulation ability.
"It sounds interesting," Vikram said, "but we'll need to see it in action to understand how it can help us. For now, let's focus on setting up a base camp and finding food and water."
Arjun felt a pang of disappointment but understood their caution. He was determined to prove his worth to the group.