We departed from the tower in a direction that seemed random to me, with Lyra taking the lead through the surprisingly navigable forest. She hummed a tune and skipped along, and I found myself unable to suppress a laugh. Lyra glanced back at me, grinning. "What's so funny?" she asked.

I looked at her incredulously. "This whole situation, Lyra. I wake up in a jail cell in some alternate reality. Next thing I know, I'm sharing a cellblock with a crazy fire lady who can do magic--which, by the way, I can do now too. Then that same crazy lady goes on a killing spree, loots some corpses, and now we're strolling through the woods like it's just another day. It's like we're hurtling down Absurdity Lane at full speed!"

Lyra raised an eyebrow and halted, approaching me with genuine curiosity. "You're not from around here?"

I snorted. "Of course not. You saw me in that tower!"

Lyra shrugged nonchalantly. "You did pretty well, though. You got us out, punched a guy, knocked another out with a rock."

I chuckled, "I know, right? Back in my world, fighting for your life is not an everyday occurrence."

Lyra's grin widened, "So, you're an Offworlder!"

I nodded, and she exclaimed joyfully, "This is amazing! I never thought I'd get rescued by someone from another world. I feel like a hero in a story!"

I couldn't help but think she was a bit unhinged. "But what about what happened back there? You tore those men apart. Doesn't it affect you?"

Lyra furrowed her brow in thought, which looked adorable. "Well, it used to, I guess. But those men were assholes, so I don't feel anything but satisfaction at their demise." With that, she resumed her humming and skipped ahead. If possible, she seemed even happier than before.

After walking for about an hour, we decided to take a break. I was surprised that I didn't feel tired at all, but what shocked me the most was that I didn't have any blisters. I had been so preoccupied with everything else that I hadn't really thought about it, but I was wearing simple linen clothes, a shirt, pants, and some soft leather shoes that you might see in historical documentaries. I had to admit, physically I was feeling great, but it made me realize that something external had really altered me through those stat increases, and it was a bit unsettling to think about. Lyra sat on a rock and flashed a smile at me. "So, David, since you're from a different world, what is your level and class?"

I sat on a log almost hidden in the tall grass and replied, "I had none at first, but I chose Trickster, an illusionist, I guess. As for my level, your killing spree brought me to level 6."

Lyra's deadpan expression quickly turned into a burst of laughter. "You're level 6? So that means you were level 1 when you rescued me from that cell?" she exclaimed, clearly impressed. I nodded, and she continued to laugh. "You're great, David. Being rescued by a level 1 is something else. I'm not sure whether I should be ashamed or amazed, but I'll go with amazed."

I grinned, "happy to keep you entertained, Lyra."

She was still grinning as she asked about my class, "so, an illusionist, huh? That's an interesting choice. Not many would go with that if given the choice."

I looked at her curiously, "you don't choose it yourself usually?"

Lyra shook her head, "no, it's usually chosen for you. However, you can guide it a bit, and it's usually based around your personality and strengths. For example, someone who trains with a sword every day is likely to get something related to that."

I looked at with curiosity shining in my eyes, "Is it possible to change the core class?"

Lyra shook her head and said "No, it's not possible, but there are subclasses to pursue." Seeing my interest, she joked, "Do you want the long or short version?"

I smiled, ‘’I will take the short version then.

Lyra grinned at my interest and began to explain. "A subclass is something you work towards," she said. "For example, let's say you wanted to be a farmer, but your core class was that of a brawler. To pursue farming, you would need to actually start farming and work hard at it. Eventually, you'll be presented with the choice to accept the subclass."

David nodded, following along. "There are two types of subclasses," Lyra continued. "Ones like farming or blacksmithing usually complement what you already have, but others can fundamentally change your core class. For instance, if a fighter studies arcane arts and gains the magus subclass, their core class will likely change to something like a battlemage or spellblade. There are nearly endless combinations, and then there is the whole inner core thing, but let's not even get into that right now. It's a whole other beast that's hard to explain properly."

David pondered this for a moment before asking, "So where are we headed?"

Lyra grinned at the sudden change of subject. "I'm going to find Isabel," she said. "She's probably foaming at the mouth by now. Crazy bitch." She shuddered a little, and David couldn't help but wonder what kind of person would make someone like Lyra shudder.

Lyra stood up and began to prepare for their journey. "At least I'm bringing offerings," she said, patting her pack. "Are you coming with me?"

I nodded, feeling a little out of my depth. "I think it's best if I stick with you," I said.

Lyra looked at me and frowned. "Are you sure you're rested enough, David? We still have a long way to go."

"I'm fine," I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Do you even know where we're going?"

Lyra scrunched up her face in thought. "Not exactly. But I'm sure we'll find a river at some point, we can follow that to a village where we can get directions. Isabel will probably still be in Creston."

As we began walking, I wanted to ask Lyra about Creston and what kind of settlement it was, but I didn't want to overwhelm her with questions. So I kept quiet and followed her lead.

We walked in silence for most of the day but eventually reached a fast flowing river, at that time the sun was starting to go down so we made camp. I went off to collect some firewood while Lyra brought out a few items from her backpack. She had had enough foresight to raid the slaver’s pantry, so there was dried meat of some variety, hard bread and cheese. I returned to find Lyra had collected water from the river, and was waiting for me.

Lyra started a fire with a flick of a finger and soon after we shared the simple fare, Lyra was audibly dissatisfied with the food, while I on the other hand was just happy to have food at all. After we finished we packed everything up and I Lyra told me to get some rest, she would take the watch. I had never even needed someone to take watch in my life, but I supposed it made sense in the middle of a forest where as far as I knew, anything could be hiding.

I woke surprisingly well rested the next morning, my muscles were a little stiff admittedly, but nothing a good stretch and some jumping jacks couldn’t fix. Lyra looked on with amusement, and soon we were off following the river. We didn’t talk much outside directions, warning of uncertain footing and the like, and while the whole situation was still strange, I was slowly beginning to adapt to this new existence of mine. We humans are nothing if not adaptable.

That day ended much like the one before, simple food, a fire and the sleep of the exhausted. Lyra took the watch again and I was marveling at her endurance, I wondered what level she was, probably pretty high if she could just keep going like this. My third day in Aethoria started with rain, only a light drizzle but I was drenched through to the bone and a deep chill crept into me over the day. To my great annoyance Lyra looked very comfortable, she had erected some kind of lightly shimmering heat barrier around herself, and any water that came close simply evaporated into stead, making her look like some kind of being made of clouds as she walked with a trail of steam in her wake.

We finally reached a village at the end of that day, I was tired, wet and pretty irritable at that point. Lyra walked into the village like she owned the place, she walked up to the largest house in the place, a 2 story building with plenty of lights shining between the cracks in the shuttered windows. As we entered what I realized was probably some kind of inn, everything simply stopped. The sound of people chatting amicably died instantly, and every face turned to us. I fidgeted a little at the attention but Lyra gave them a wide grin and a wave, before striding confidently to the bar.

A burly man with an impressive black beard nodded at us, ‘’rare for strangers to grace our humble village, how can I be of service?’’ Lyra gave him a wide smile, ‘’we would like food, a room,’’ she glanced at me ‘’and perhaps a warm bath might be good’’

the man looked at me in sympathy, ‘’aye, we can supply those, you have coin?’’ Lyra nodded and reached into her robe, she pulled out a purse and looked at the man in askance, ‘’10 copper it will be lass.’’

Lyra grinned, ‘’12 if you can provide us with a bit of information.’’

The man nodded with a smile aswell, ‘’what would you be needing to know?’’

Lyra counted out the coins, ‘’we need directions to Creston.’’

The man nodded, ‘’that be an easy 2 coppers earned then. Follow the southern road out of town for a couple of days, you will reach the main road by then. From there turn right and it is a straight path to Creston.’’ Lyra thanked the man, and he in turn promised to have food brought to our room, along with warm water for a bath.

That night, I finally got some restful sleep, which was a welcome relief from sleeping in the wild. The soft mattress of the inn's bed provided me with comfort, and the warmth of the blankets made me feel cozy. Most importantly, I was dry, which made the experience even more blissful. The following morning, we took our time and enjoyed a hearty breakfast consisting of eggs, bread, and thick slices of what I hoped was ham. Towards the end of our meal, the innkeeper joined us at our table and interrupted us, "sorry for disturbing your meal, but would I be right in assuming you are adventurers?"

Lyra barely acknowledged him and nodded with a mouth full of eggs. Although I wasn't really an adventurer, I kept quiet and listened to what the man had to say. The innkeeper continued, "I know you might be in a hurry to leave, but would you be interested in some work?"

Lyra chewed slowly, considering Lars' proposition. She gave me a sideways glance, then grinned, "Sure!" I groaned inwardly, knowing that the woman was likely planning something that I wouldn't like.

Lars smiled, introducing himself as the owner of the establishment. "Recently, we've had some livestock go missing," he said. "Though I'm no expert, I have certain suspicions as to the culprit. The animals simply disappear, no blood or anything, and no signs of struggle. We had trouble some years ago with a Gorge Siren, a nasty creature, but the signs were all the same as now."

Lyra nodded contemplatively. "You might be right, Lars. Does it leave any tracks? Anything that could allow us to find the creature?"

Lars shook his head. "Nothing that even our village hunters have been able to find, but I was thinking perhaps you could give it a shot."

Lyra nodded and put the last piece of ham in her mouth. "Best be about it then. We have places to be, after all."

She stood up, and I followed suit with a sigh. Lars led us to the most recent farmstead that had been hit by the mysterious creature. Lyra had a brief conversation with the farmer's wife, who unfortunately had no new information to offer. She had lost a goat, which seemed to be a common occurrence, but it was little comfort to her. She showed us to the pen where the goat had been kept, and Lyra thanked her before beginning her inspection.

I noticed her eyes were faintly glowing as she looked around the area. Instead of searching for tracks or other typical tracking signs, she simply surveyed the area, nodding to herself before turning to me and saying, "Let's go!" I raised an eyebrow in confusion, and asked her to explain what was happening.

Lyra glanced over at me and explained, "There were no physical tracks to follow back there, but I sensed a sliver of leftover ether. I think the innkeeper is correct; it is likely a Siren or something similar."

"Okay," I said, trying to wrap my head around the situation. "So you have some sort of ether sensing ability that allows you to track it?"

Lyra nodded with a grin, "Yes, it's called ether sense, and it's fairly common among magi. We not only sense ether around us, but with more advanced levels, we can even see it."

I was impressed by Lyra's cool ability. "And how do you plan to deal with this Siren then?" I asked.

Lyra gave me a predatory grin, "I'm not, you are." And there it was, exactly what I had feared she would say.

"Damn it, Lyra, you know I'm no fighter. Hell, I never even saw a monster, and now you want me to kill one?"

Lyra just shrugged, "David, I know you're new to Aethoria and all, but let me make one thing very clear: this world is dangerous. Either you become strong to protect yourself or settle down like the villagers and leave yourself at the mercy of those dangers."

I frowned, "Farmers are necessary, Lyra."

She sighed in exasperation, "Of course, they are necessary, which is why we do everything we can to protect them. And it's also why I am doing this job without first discussing payment."

I nodded slowly at that, "Alright, but why do you want to drag me into this adventuring business?"

Lyra smiled, "Because, David, you have potential. People usually need years of practice to use their abilities. Adventurers don't start doing fieldwork until the age of 19 or 20. Until then, they are always accompanied by experienced trainers. But you used your abilities competently just after getting them. Whether you like it or not, you have potential and could make a difference. Wouldn't you like to do that instead of hiding in fear?"

I was surprised by Lyra's intensity. It seemed she wasn't just the crazy, happy-go-lucky fire lady I had taken her for, and I felt a little ashamed to have made that assumption. "When you put it like that, I suppose given the choice, I would like to defend someone in need. But I don't feel remotely ready for this."

Lyra patted her chest, "I will be there. If things start to go bad, I will step in."

I contemplated our situation as we continued walking, weighing my options and considering the implications of this new reality. Initially, I had entertained the idea that this was all a figment of my imagination, or that I had gone insane and was now restrained in a straightjacket somewhere. However, after spending some time in Aethoria, I was beginning to accept that this was, in fact, my new reality. In that case, becoming stronger would have to be a top priority, and having someone as experienced as Lyra to guide me could prove to be invaluable. Despite my initial hesitation, I looked at Lyra, who was staring intently at me with a serious expression, and made up my mind. "Okay," I said. "I'll give it a shot."

Lyra's face lit up with excitement. "Fantastic! Let's go kill us a monster then!"

We had been walking for less than an hour when Lyra suddenly stopped, her face wrinkled with a frown of confusion. I opened my mouth to ask what was going on, but she put a finger to her lips, motioning for me to be silent. She turned slowly, scanning our surroundings as if searching for something. We had entered a dense forest where the trees cast deep shadows all around us. Lyra placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered, "The ether is denser here, and it's all around us."

Just then, I heard singing, a soft and alluring melody that seemed to be just beyond the edge of my hearing. I strained to listen and soon the singing grew louder, wrapping me in a warm blanket of calm and tranquility. I didn't understand the words, but they promised happiness and fulfillment.

Before I knew it, Lyra slapped me across the face, hard enough to snap me back to my senses. I glared at her, about to protest when a piercing scream shattered the peaceful melody. I spun around to see a creature charging at us, its feminine beauty marred by fangs and large claws.

Lyra gave me an encouraging pat on the back and stepped back, leaving me to face the terrifying creature. My heart was pounding as the creature charged towards me, moving at an incredible speed. Despite the danger, I managed to stay calm and focused, studying the creature's movements and looking for weaknesses. As it swung its clawed hand at me, I instinctively dodged out of the way, narrowly avoiding the attack. The creature let out a frustrated scream, saliva flying everywhere, and turned to face me once again, ready to strike.

Like I had with the slaver, I stepped in, knowing better than to grapple with those razor-sharp claws. Instead, I opted for a different approach. As the creature swung at me, I ducked under its attack and delivered a sharp punch to its solar plexus. It gave a surprised huff but quickly recovered, swinging again at me. But I was already jumping backward, out of range. To my surprise, it seemed to have taken no damage at all. I didn’t feel like myself in that moment, I was calm and collected, my mind was going through options and possible weak spots, and had I had the time to ponder this change in myself I might have been concerned.

No time for that though, the siren came at me screaming, so I dodged and rolled out of reach, and then to not only the Siren’s but my own surprise, I charged the creature. Flowing mirage was a combat style of illusion, feints and trickery, so I feinted a punch to the things face, the thing was to the Siren’s eyes it wasn’t a feint. An illusionary fist hurtled at it and it raised its arms to protect itself, but I was moving around behind it in a quick series of steps.

Just when the Siren realized the punch wasn’t coming I sent a hard lowkick into the back of its knees. The creature screeched in pain and fell forward onto its knees, but it still managed to swing a claw behind it. It managed a long slash on my chest but right then I felt no pain, only a desire to finish the fight.

I knew I had to target its weak points, and I had a feeling that the neck was the vulnerable spot. So, I sent an illusionary kick to its stomach, and as expected, it swung at it wildly, but its claws went through the illusion with no effect. Seizing the opportunity, I leaped and delivered a powerful hammer punch to the back of its neck. The blow sent the Siren crashing to the ground with a loud thud, but I heard no crunching sound, so I continued my momentum. I jumped on its back and wrapped my arm around its neck, cutting off its air supply.

The creature flailed wildly, managing to land a few scratches on my forearms. Despite the pain, I screamed in anger and squeezed with all my might, feeling the Siren's resistance slowly weaken. Just as I sensed its impending defeat, I twisted its head to the side with a vicious crunch, and the creature went limp in my arms. Despite my victory, I held on tightly for a minute longer, just to be sure the monster was truly dead.

I panted heavily, bleeding from several gashes on my arms and chest. The pain was starting to really blossom as the adrenaline slowly faded. Lyra stepped up next to me as I was still holding the Siren's neck tight. "It's dead, David. You can let go now," she said in a gentle tone, quite different from her usual carefree manner.

I looked up at her smiling face, feeling a strange mix of elation, horror, and exhaustion. I wasn't sure what to do with myself. Lyra put a hand on my shoulder. "You did well, David. I almost stepped in a few times. It was further in its evolution than I thought."

Still panting, I nodded in a daze and let her guide me to a fallen log nearby. I sat there while Lyra tended to my wounds with a delicate touch. She had brought out bandages that, once applied, dulled the pain significantly. "How are these bandages lessening the pain?" I asked.

Lyra grinned. "They're treated with alchemic solutions. It has a powerful pain-suppressing effect, and they will hasten the healing process. In a few days, only faint scars will remain."

I was amazed by the possibilities in Aethoria. "Thank you, Lyra. But where did you get them?"

"Those slaver bastards stole my stuff, David. I took it back when I was looting their hideout," she said with a grin.

We sat there in silence for a few minutes until Lyra stood up and gestured for me to stay seated. She walked over to the Siren, crouched down, and studied it. Then she nodded to herself and took out a knife. I looked on in horror as she cut off its hands and fangs, wrapped them up in some cloth, and stored them in her pack. She grabbed the thing's leg and stood. "Let's get back to the village, David. We'll bring this as proof that we finished the job."

I got to my feet with a groan and followed after Lyra, but soon ran ahead of her. The dead Siren smelled really bad.

As we walked I activated the notification that was blinking away in the corner of my vision, and the increasingly familiar screen popped up in my vision.

 

 

Despite my disorienting mental state, I couldn't help but grin at the news. Not only had I grown stronger, but I had also learned a new spell. "I have a feeling this could become addictive," I quipped to

Lyra, who looked at me with curiosity. "Did you level up?" she asked.

"Even better," I replied, "I gained two levels, a title, and a new spell."

Lyra's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That's quite a haul! What's the new spell?" I explained the details of the spell, causing Lyra to burst out laughing.

"That's probably the best spell I've ever heard of! It's sure to come in handy." I couldn't help but smile at her infectious laughter. However, I had a question that had been bugging me for a while.

"Lyra, about stats. Do you choose your own stats? I seem to just get increases with each level."

Lyra gave me a fond smile, "Your ignorance is quite endearing, David. Let me explain. We don't choose our stats. Each level increases a person's stats across the board. This means that someone of higher level, even someone focused almost entirely on magic, is quite strong physically as well. However, there are ways to focus on certain areas, such as training, study, or hard labor. These things can increase your stats in specific areas."

I nodded, "I see. So training is not useless then. If you don't mind me asking, how many stats does someone usually get per level?"

Lyra's attention snapped to me with curiosity, "That's an interesting question, David. Let me instead ask you that."

I felt a little uncomfortable at her sudden stare, "Well... Physical and mental by 2 and spiritual by 3."

Lyra blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing, "What level are you again?"

I shrugged, "I am level 8 after that fight with your luggage there."

Lyra grinned in a mischievous way, "So you're telling me the majority of your stats are already past 20 then?"

I nodded, "All of them are."

Lyra shook her head in disbelief, "David, that is an unbelievable advantage! You are basically growing at twice the speed of most people. There are certainly people out there with similar advantages, but it isn't the norm. I get 1 in physical and 2 in mental stats per level, and also just 1 in spiritual stats."

I had sort of suspected something like that to be the case, but hearing it confirmed by Lyra made me feel both relieved and grateful. It felt a little overpowered, but given that I was apparently going to fight for my life on a regular basis, I didn't mind in the slightest. It wouldn't make me a god-tier fighter overnight, but with a bit of effort, I would be able to hold my own sooner than I thought.

Lyra chuckled to herself and I looked at her inquisitively. "What's so funny?" I asked.

She grinned widely. "Isabel is going to be thrilled when she hears about this. We've got a potential powerhouse on our team now!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Team? I didn't realize I was officially part of your team."

Lyra's grin widened. "Of course you are! We're friends, aren't we?"

I tried to maintain a neutral expression, but Lyra's silly grin was infectious and I couldn't help but laugh. "Alright fine, I'm in," I said. "Besides, I can't have you running off with all the loot now can I?"

Lyra beamed. "Great! When we get to Creston, I'll show you what's in the pack. It's not going to make you rich, but it'll be a good start to getting you properly outfitted."

I smiled at her, "Outfitted?"

Lyra scoffed and gestured at me, "You look like a beggar, David. We need you to at least look presentable."

I gave her a mock hurt expression, "Hey now, these clothes are comfortable!"

Lyra grinned, "I understand, but you'll need some gear all the same. You did well with the siren, but a weapon would have made it easier."

I reluctantly agreed, "Okay, fine. But I have zero experience with swords."

Lyra waved my concern away, "Isabel may be a crazy bitch, but she knows her blades. She'll make sure you're proficient, whether you like it or not."

I shuddered at the thought, and as we walked on, Lyra told me a story about how Isabel had once reduced guild trainees to tears during their training. The story didn't ease my apprehension about working with Isabel in the slightest.