Ezra trudged through the forest, his sword resting on his shoulder. The eerie glow of the bioluminescent trees lit his path as he tried to wrap his head around what had happened. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"Okay," he muttered, "this... this is real. I don't know how or why, but I'm in Dawn of the Eternal. This forest it feels familiar. But how would I know?"
As he walked, Ezra's eyes caught sight of a cluster of luminous plants. They were tall, spindly stalks with bulbous, glowing blue flowers at their tips.
"Azureweave Blossoms," he said aloud, stopping in his tracks. "These only grow in the Glimmergrove on the eastern edge of Aetheria. It would seem knowledge from the game is still being kept ."
His gaze shifted to the trees towering above him. Their leaves shimmered with a faint gold hue, their bark riddled with glowing veins.
"Sunshade Oaks," he continued, recognizing the unique vegetation. He ran a hand over the bark, his memory pulling up an old map of the game. "The Glimmergrove is near Everhearth Village. If that's where I am, I'm at least a few hours' walk from any real danger zones. Unless..."
His voice trailed off as he turned to face a distant mountain range shrouded in mist. The peaks were jagged and dark, the telltale sign of the Voidbound Spire a place he knew was teeming with high-level enemies.
"Unless something from there decides to pay me a visit," he muttered grimly.
He shook his head, forcing himself to focus. "All right, Ezra—Kaelion—whatever. First things first. Check your skills, figure out what you can do."
Ezra took a step back and held up his hand, calling up the game interface. The glowing window reappeared, displaying his stats and abilities.
"Let's see what I'm working with," he said, scrolling through the list.
Kaelion's Skills
1. Voidbreaker Slash - A devastating sword strike that deals heavy damage and disrupts magical energy.
2. Aegis of Eternity - Summons a glowing shield to absorb incoming attacks for a limited time.
3. Leap - Launches Kaelion high into the air, allowing him to cover vast distances or strike from above.
4. Sanctum Field - Creates an area of light that heals allies and weakens enemies within its radius.
5. Ethereal Bind - Binds a target in place using luminous chains, immobilizing them for a short duration.
6. Warden's Resolve - Temporarily boosts strength, endurance, and speed in moments of crisis.
7. Radiant Pulse - Releases a wave of searing light that damages all enemies in a wide radius.
"Not bad, and its detailed... it lists down who this affect in real time too." Ezra said, his confidence growing. "Voidbreaker Slash for offense, Aegis for defense, and Sanctum Field in case I get hurt. Warden's Resolve is my panic button. Looks like I'm geared for both solo fights and group support."
He rolled his shoulders, gripping his sword. "Time to test these out. No point in walking around clueless. If this world's rules follow the game, I should be able to pull this off."
He spotted a fallen tree up ahead, its trunk thick and moss-covered. Setting his sights on it, Ezra tightened his grip and activated Voidbreaker Slash. His sword glowed with a dark red aura as he swung, the blade cutting cleanly through the massive trunk with a thunderous crack.
"Holy crap!" he exclaimed, staggering back as the tree split in two. The energy from the strike rippled through the ground, leaving a faint scorch mark.
Ezra's lips curved into a grin. "All right, I can work with this."
A rustling sound in the bushes made him freeze. He spun around, sword raised. Out stepped a creature he recognized instantly a Stalker Wolf. Its glowing red eyes locked onto him, its dark fur bristling as it growled.
Ezra swallowed. "Level 20," he said, remembering its stats from the game. "I can take it. Just don't mess up."
The wolf lunged, and Ezra acted on instinct. He activated Aegis of Eternity, a golden barrier materializing in front of him. The wolf collided with the shield, snarling in frustration.
Ezra countered with Ethereal Bind, luminous chains erupting from the ground to ensnare the beast. It yelped, struggling against the bonds.
Taking advantage of the moment, Ezra leapt into the air with Leap, landing behind the wolf. His sword flared with light as he used Radiant Pulse, a burst of energy slamming into the creature and leaving it stunned.
With a final swing of his sword, he unleashed another Voidbreaker Slash, ending the fight. The wolf let out a pained howl before collapsing and disintegrating into particles of light.
[340 EXP gained]
[Stalker pelt obtained]
Ezra stood there, panting but triumphant. "That... was intense. But I did it. He dropped some loot but no gold? Does that mean ordinary NPC's here have to manually grind their loot? It looks like i have to sell them in a tavern."
Ezra, still catching his breath from the fight, glanced around to ensure no other threats were nearby. Satisfied, he raised his hand and willed his inventory to appear. A translucent window shimmered into view, displaying a grid of slots, some filled with familiar items.
"Inventory," he muttered, scrolling through the contents. "Let's see… Health potions, a few mana restoratives, basic rations... oh, and my starter gear. Looks like all the essentials from my loadout carried over."
He tapped on an empty slot, and a faint glow surrounded the defeated Stalker Wolf's pelt. It floated into the air before vanishing into the grid with a soft ping.
"Gotcha," he said, nodding in satisfaction. "First kill, first loot—Stalker Pelt. Not bad. This should fetch a decent price at any nearby vendor, assuming this world works like the game."
Ezra scrolled through the rest of his inventory, checking his gold balance. "Five hundred starting gold. Enough to get some supplies, maybe upgrade my gear if I find a smith."
Closing the interface, he adjusted his sword on his back and exhaled. "Okay. Inventory works, combat works, and the loot system works. I've got a chance. Now, to figure out where Everhearth Village is from here."
He glanced toward the glowing vegetation around him, taking a mental note of the landmarks. "If the map's accurate, the Glimmergrove leads northeast. Let's hope I remember the way."
He looked down at his hands, the weight of his situation finally sinking in. "If I'm stuck here, I'll survive. I've got the skills, I've got the knowledge... and I've got no other choice."
Squaring his shoulders, Ezra set his sights on the horizon. The sun was beginning to rise, painting the sky in shades of gold and crimson.
"This is Aetheria," he said softly, determination hardening his voice. "And if this is my new reality, then it's time to play for keeps."
With renewed determination, Ezra started walking, the weight of the pelt and his new reality grounding him as he moved forward into the unknown.