When I open my eyes I'm in a grassy meadow, air fills my lungs with a crispness I've never experienced before. It's mid-day, I think. It's hard to tell because the first thing I've noticed is, there's two suns?
Quickly realizing I am no longer on earth I look down at my arms and notice a slight scaly quality to my skin. Running my hands through my hair, it's a silky smooth silver color and just long enough that I can pull it in front of my eyes.
Filled with excitement and wonder, all I can think is I want to know more. More about this world, who I am, and what my life is going to be. When suddenly a window pops up in front of me.
Glowing faintly, it has the information I was looking for.
Name: Aelarion Valeforge
Race: Celestial Dragonborn
(A human-like race blessed with divine energy and draconic ancestry. Features: Silver hair, radiant golden eyes, faintly scaled forearms, and an ethereal aura.)
Class: Arcane Bladesinger (A hybrid class combining devastating swordsmanship with powerful arcane magic.)
Skills:
Astral Conflux: Absorb ambient magical energy to empower spells or physical strikes.
Ethereal Stride: Briefly shift into another plane to dodge attacks or traverse obstacles.
Runeblade Manifestation: Summon a sword forged from pure magical energy, capable of cutting through most barriers.
Taking a deep breath in I can feel the magic of this world entering my body through my lungs and skin. As if I have a new organ inside of me that processes that natural mana, even just focusing for a moment I can feel it welling up inside and all around me. I feel like my body is coursing with power begging to be unleashed.
The voice from earlier speaks into my mind once again.
"Prove your worth, Aelarion. This world is at war, and the balance depends on you."
I sit with for a moment with my thoughts. This is the event I have always dreamed of! But it came at a price I hadn't considered, I may never get to see my family again. We weren't particularly close but I still loved them and felt needed when it came to supporting my younger sisters.
Once I have completed my mission here, I'll have to see if there is a way to return to my world. Or perhaps Kirk who I once was, no longer exists there.
Well at the very least, I now know what I was brought here for. Looking to the west, I see a small village. And to the east a dense forest. I should go learn more about this world, but first I need to test these "skills" out.
I close my eyes and take another deep breath. Bringing in even more mana than when I first noticed I could feel it. The meadow is quiet, save for the gentle rustling of the grass in the breeze.
Feeling the ambient magic in the air, like threads of power swirling around me. I raise my fist and with a thought, the threads converge. A surge of power now flows through me culminating in my fist my body begins to glow faintly. Testing this effect I punch the ground lightly, the ground distorts slightly before cracking and the grass flattened and dirt is thrown all about in a 10 foot radius around the point of impact.
I can't help but grin at the result. I'm not sure of the relative power level of this world, but this feels like it has some serious potential.
Next, I think about my second skill. I envision myself stepping... elsewhere. The moment the thought solidifies, my body shifts. For a brief moment, the world around me is translucent and blurred, as though I'm viewing it through frosted glass.
I take a step forward envisioning a spot much farther than a step away and return to reality, finding myself 10 feet from my original position.
Further testing reveals this ability to be folding the spacetime around me as if I am creating a temporary personal wormhole. I'll have to see if I can bring others through this once I have found some companions.
Finally my last skill, the Runeblade. I once again make a fist and imagine a weapon forming in it. I feel a surge of power race through my body and out of my fist and in an instant, a blade of pure magical energy materializes.
It glows with a faint golden hue, intricate runes dancing along its edge. I swing experimentally, the blade humming with power. I spot a nearby boulder and strike it. The runeblade cuts cleanly through the rock as if it were paper. The severed halves crumble under their own weight, revealing the smoothness of the cut.
I step back admiring the results of my new found abilities. However, as I bask in my strength, the ground beneath me trembles slightly. I turn to see a creature emerging from the forest—a hulking, wolf-like beast with gleaming eyes and a mane that crackles with blue lightning.
Its growl sends a charge through the air. The beast clearly sees me as a threat... or its next meal.
I grip my glowing runeblade tightly, its runes shimmering as if responding to my resolve. Taking a defensive stance, I watch the beast carefully, analyzing its movements. Its electric-blue eyes lock onto mine, and the tension between predator and prey is almost suffocating.
It circles me slowly, its claws digging into the soft earth with each deliberate step. Sparks dance around its mane, growing more erratic with every passing second. I can sense its hesitation—this creature is powerful, but it knows I'm no ordinary opponent.
Then it pounces.
The beast lunges forward with incredible speed, jaws wide and crackling with electricity. Instinct takes over. At the last possible moment, I activate Ethereal Stride, stepping sideways into the shimmering otherworldly plane. The beast barrels through where I had stood, its claws swiping harmlessly at empty air.
Reappearing behind it, I swing my runeblade in a fluid arc. The blade slices through the creature's flank, leaving a trail of golden energy as it sears its hide. The beast howls in pain, its momentum carrying it several feet before it skids to a halt, leaving deep claw marks in the ground.
The beast turns to face me again, its breathing ragged and its movements slower, but its resolve undiminished. Its mane flares, and arcs of electricity shoot out, scorching the ground around it. It's preparing for another attack.
Drawing in a deep breath, I call upon Astral Conflux, channeling the ambient magic in the air until it crackles across my arms and flows into my runeblade. The glowing runes along the blade flare with intense golden light, humming with raw, focused power.
Across from me, the wounded beast braces itself, electric arcs dancing erratically around its mane as it prepares to charge. But I won't give it another chance.
With one swift motion, I lunge forward. The brilliance of my runeblade illuminates the meadow in a flash of golden radiance. I feel the impact reverberate through my arms as the blade meets its mark—piercing the creature's chest cleanly.
A violent burst of energy erupts, and the wolf-like beast releases a final, thunderous roar. Blue sparks race along its body and fade into the ground. With a heavy thud, it collapses, the light in its eyes dimming.
Silence settles over the meadow. Only the gentle rustling of the grass remains as I lower my runeblade, which now flickers and dims back into its normal magical glow. The fight is over.
I pause for a moment, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. The beast lies motionless at my feet, wisps of lingering electricity crackling across its fur. Despite my victory, the gravity of taking a life—even in self-defense—presses heavily on me. I steady my breath and grip my runeblade firmly before allowing it to disperse back into pure magical energy.
Moving closer, I kneel beside the carcass. The creature looks like a massive wolf crossed with a thundercloud, its mane still faintly glowing with residual sparks. Up close, I notice strange markings etched into its hide—runes that look faintly similar to the ones on my runeblade. There's also a distinctive collar-like band of black fur around its neck, suggesting it might have been part of a larger pack or magically enhanced in some way.
From a hunter's perspective, the pelt and claws could be valuable. Its hide is thick, and the lightning-charged mane could likely be sold as a rare reagent or used to craft specialized equipment. Though I have little knowledge of this world's economy, I sense these materials are anything but common.
Recalling the sensation of Astral Conflux, I wonder if the creature's residual energy can be harnessed. Focusing on my breathing, I place a hand over its wounds and feel a faint current of static dance across your fingertips. A tingling sensation passes from the creature into my arm, and a small spark of electricity surges within me.
Opening the status window from earlier I see a new section at the bottom
> Temporary Buff
Lightning Residue: Your next spell or sword strike will carry a minor electrical charge, adding extra damage or a mild stun effect. This effect will last until used in one decisive action or until you rest.
The markings along the beast's hide flicker momentarily, then go dark. Whatever energy it held is now mine to wield—at least in a small measure. I cut up the beast taking a fang, some of the runic hide, and the pelt. Hopefully this will be enough to cover some time at the local inn once sold.
Rising to my feet, I take a moment to process what just happened. Only hours (or was it minutes?) ago, I was Patrick Haena, an insurance agent trapped in a dead-end job. Now I'm Aelarion Valeforge, a Celestial Dragonborn with magic coursing through my veins.
Thinking back on that life it wasn't all bad and there are people there I will miss. I hope they do not mourn me too much, the thought of what my parents must be going through saddens me.
As I look around the meadow, I realize all I can do is keep moving forward. Maybe one day I can find more information on how I got here and if it's even possible to go back. The adventure of my wildest dreams is just beginning. It's time to write my story!