- "So this is all real?"
Alaric looks down on the water that he stood on. Seeing his own reflection, just before it is disturbed by a droplet falling down from the end point of his hair.
His eyes begin to shine, he slightly inhales a bit of the fresh air. Another chance in a fantasy world. A mere idea he would have heard from a stupid piece of fiction, actually became a reality for him.
- "So I'm not imagining right now am I?... This is actually real?" Alaric whispers with excitement.
As a test, he pinches himself multiple times on multiple areas on his body, lastly he punches himself in the face leaving his cheek red and burning. Just as he realized that he felt all of it, his heart jumped with joy.
- "Woah!.. It is!"
As he let out a chuckle, he ran out of the lake, his shoes leaving the blue water, entering the green grass surrounded by flowers and trees. He didn't even think about deciding where to go. He just ran straight.
Running through the forest and bushes, his eyes begin to widen even more as they glisten. Letting out more chuckles and more laughter, he sees the end of the forest shine. His eyes shine even more as he jumps into the exit of the forest. He closes them ready for the outside world embrace
- "Hello new world!" screams Alaric still laughing from the excitement
Right as he lands, he opens his eyes expecting to see a town or city to greet him. Instead, it is blocked by a woman.
Alaric is caught off guard. As he takes a moment to look at her, he realizes her looks.
Her long white hair waving through the wind, her golden eyes and black eyelashes, Her perfectly cut black and white dress surrounding her slim body with yellow and gold designs outlining it. And lastly her white beautiful face with her pink glistening lips, showing a surprised expression.
As the woman gazes at him slowly, she retracts her expression and begins to smile, allowing her lips to stretch.
- "Well I would have thought that you would've taken a bit more time to look around your surroundings before running straight, but you still made it here, so it really doesn't matter."
Alaric, still caught off guard, looks at her, realizing what she said made sense for anyone else that wasn't him. Then he made another realization, Showing through his surprised expression.
- "Did… you bring me here?"
- "... Yes."
Hearing her answer with affirmation made Alaric confused, wanting to thank her but unsure if it was the right reaction to being revived into another world.
He then looks down on the floor with his hand holding his chin.
- "What is it?"
- "SowasIsummonedortransportedhere? PossiblyReincarneted? No, Iwouldhavebeenlayinginsomeonesarmsrightaboutnow…", Mumbles Alaric
- "What are you blabbering about!?", exclaims the woman, looking stupidly surprised about Alaric's ongoing mumbles, interrupting him yet he keeps going.
- "Here, just… Calm down right now. We can talk this through. Weirdly enough you're scaring me and now you just influenced me to start rambling through my words like some idiot so shut up!", She screams as she throws her hands around being overwhelmed by Alaric
As the woman shouts at him, Alaric shuts up mid-sentence and looks at her again
- "Oh, sorry. Guess I'm still excited about everything. Anyways, to start off, can I get your name?"
- ".. Mh, Yes, you may."
The woman places her left hand on her chest and places her right hand in front of her outward as if she was giving. Then she slightly bows her head and torso with her eyelashes closing together.
- "My name… is Calistra, Goddess of Fate and Cycles"
How she did everything from her pose to her introduction, It all seemed so beautiful, capturing Alaric's eyes. Her divine presence shined in that moment. The air and her aura, felt so heavenly, and it was slowfully caressing Alaric
She slowly retracts herself and opens her eyes.
- "And you?"
Alaric, still amazed, wakes himself up.
- "Oh, right!... Ahem."
Alaric shut his eyes and posed himself in so many ways. First crouched with one knee down and one hand up. Second with his hand on his chest, other hand reaching outward and posture upright. Third, bowing down with his arms stretched outwards to his sides and one knee raised.
Finally Alaric, still with his eyes shut, raises his fist high into the sky with his other elbow bent towards his side in a victorious pose, and his face looking downward.
- "My name is Alaric Caelum Hernandez! I am an addict for games, mangas, and other stuff! Although I work, I am bad at financing! And I absolutely hate school!"
Alaric lowers and stretches his hand outward open to Calistra with his other arm bent, resting on his hip. Still smiling he opens his eyes.
- "Just call me Alaric. Nice to meet ya!"
Calistra, surprised by Alaric's performance and introduction, takes a moment before saying anything, forcing Alaric to stay in an awkward position.
Calistra, after being taken back, finally speaks again.
- " ..Wow,... you're an idiot." mutters Calistra with a down tone.
- "Hey!" Alaric shouts without hesitation. Folding from his pose.
Calistra lets out a little giggle.
- "But it definitely was an amusing introduction."
- "Really? Thanks I guess."
- "Now that we have our introductions out of the way, I think we should talk a bit more before you go. It may help you." stated Calistra.
- "...oh..Right."
- "Then follow me, I have a place where we can speak peacefully."
- "Ah! If there's snacks then sign me up! Come on, let's go!" rejoiced Alaric, his smile and eyes shining all over again.
He grabs onto Calistra's hands and begins to run, dragging her.
- "Hey wait! You don't even know where to go!"
- "Then show me the way Goddess!" Alaric cheers, giggling while still dragging Calistra into the plain fields
After a while of running, They stop at a clean grass plain area with a view of the town. Along the view, the sun still shines brightly over them.
- "So how did you want to-"
Alaric is interrupted by Calistra laying down a picnic blanket from simply her hands.
- "Woah!.. H-How did you do that! Wait! Can I do that!"
- "First it's an ability of mine. Second, no, only I can use it."
- "Lame." Groaned Alaric.
- "Whatever!... Just sit down, I insist."
As Calistra requested, Alaric sits down next to her.
After realizing he is sitting with a woman who's beauty strikes so amazingly and has such an heavenly presence, Alaric's face turns flustered.
- "This is the first time I've actually sat with a girl since what?… forever I guess. I shouldn't try anything, she is a goddess, furthermore she can probably blow my head off if she wanted to." Alaric thought to himself, attempting to hide his embarrassment.
Calistra pulls a bowl of snacks and 2 tea cups from the air.
- "Snacks as you asked earlier. Would you like tea as well?" Calistra asks, stretching her hand out with the other tea cup.
- "Oh… Yeah, thanks."
Alaric takes the tea from Calistra and proceeds to take a sip. After a singular sip his eyes widen immediately,as he quickly takes his tea cup off his lips.
- "Woah! This black tea is amazing! It has such a silky yet still fluid texture and a wonderful rich flavor!"
- "I know right! I'm glad you noticed!" Calistra states with a bubbly amazement. Alaric continues to finish his tea.
- "Right, what was it that you wanted to talk about?"
- "Just a few quick tips before you set out."
- "What are you an NPC?" taunted Alaric in a smirk.
- "I'm not sure what an NPC is but I know an insult when I hear it!" Hissed Calistra.
- "Anyways, here's my advice. When you enter the town you'll need money, the currency here is gold coins. You'll best earn by running errands from others. You won't have a lot but with time you'll have enough. If it's not enough, I recommend you get employed here. The guild bar is probably the best place. Make a resume detailing your skills, even meaningless ones. You should arm yourself within a week of work, due to thieves becoming more common in the area. Do everything I say and you should be able to live comfortably around here."
- "Almost all of that I could've thought of myself.. but I am glad having someone worry over me like a mother is here to tell me that. Aren't you going to tell me about the magic system around here or how I can use overpowered abilities to easily win!?" insisted Alaric.
- "Look I'm just worried for you. As for the magic system, it's best to hear it from someone else besides me. But when you entered this world, I did grant you one ability."
- "Really!? What is it!?" Pressed Alaric.
As the words flew out of Alaric's mouth, Calistra stood in silently, frozen in a moment of time. Her heart had nearly dropped from hearing his question. She knew he would ask, yet she wasn't prepared. She hesitates for a moment before answering. Finally she lets out a cold shuttered breath before answering.
- "Can't tell you."
- "Ugh."
- "But…"
Calistra hesitates once more, as if her words got caught in her throat. Finally, she speaks again.
- "You should easily find out soon."
- "Yeah, ok."
Calistra stands up from the picnic blanket, leaving Alaric question what she was doing
- "That's everything from me right now, I should get going. I have other places to attend to."
- "Will we see eachother again?" Asked Alaric
Calistra turns her face down to Alaric. Deep she knew the answer he wanted to hear.
- "Yes, we will."
Alaric's eyes widen even more with his mouth now stretching in a wholesome smile.
-"Perfect!"
Alaric stands from the blanket. He stretches his arms and back before continuing.
- "Thanks for everything Calistra."
- "No problem. I was just glad to talk to you." Giggled Calistra
Alaric moves in front of Calistra before departing
- "I'd like to make a request. Could you say one of those speeches where an adventurer departs from their majesty, you know?"
Calistra looks at Alaric, surprised by his request. After a moment, she lets out a giggle before answering.
- "Sure. Ahem… Set out into the world and defeat the evils of this home!.. My dear hero, Alaric!"
- "Yes, my dear goddess! I won't fail you Calistra!" Alaric exclaims in a salute.
After hearing her speech, Alaric sets out and begins running towards the gate of the town. He feels the wind rushing him again like it did before, but this time he is filled with hope.
He turns around to wave to Calistra.
- "Goodbye Calistra!"
As Calistra sees Alaric waving to her, she smiles. Raising her hand she waves back to Alaric.
Alaric turns around looking back at the gate.
The wind begins to move more with Alaric and soon the leaves are picked up, dancing all over the air.
As the wind moves Calistra's smile slowly turns upside down. She places her hand down, wishing she could tell Alaric his true nature of his ability but deep down she didn't want to break Alaric's beautiful happiness. She didn't want to have been the reason why Alaric would stop smiling in the moment. All she could do is hope Alaric can forgive her.
As the winds begin to slow down, Calistra walks into the forest from where Alaric had first entered the world. Soon, any sight of her had become consumed by the green trees and bushes. She had disappeared somewhere else.