Stranded in the middle of a forest the first thing you are supposed to do is find shelter, but I have absolutely no intention of holing up here given that there is absolutely no reason to expect rescue rather than pursuit. I need to find running water both to deal with hydration and because I can presumably follow it to civilisation.

Civilisation that does not consist of weird human sacrificing cultists who... Summoned me? Magic is obviously real if that was not clear enough. Hopefully that means it is also possible to get home and return to my own body. Though do I want that last part? I am clearly something scarier than human even if I am not sure how to deal with having wings. Can I learn to fly? I seem to instinctively shift the feathered limbs as I move but I am not going to trust on stolen muscle memory further than I have to.

First, now that dawn is breaking, where am I? The forest is not actually very dense and the ground seems slightly arid as well as verging on mountainous. I could see this being somewhere in Greece or Turkey? I crossed over a ridge in the night and so I am going to just continue downhill as hunger gnaws in my belly, my mouth dry, the burns from the lightning last night seem to be minor though and I do my best to ignore them.

My bare feet continue to miraculously not be torn apart by the stony ground despite such immunity I still pick my way carefully and stop alternating between walking and jogging as I was when fleeing pursuit. As the sun rises over the hills I have to admit the view is quite beautiful and the near silence a pleasant change from urban life, I can hear nothing apart from birds and the rustle of trees, my own footfalls and breathing the only artifical sound. It reminds me of hiking when I was much younger and that is something that then reminds me of all of the things I do not have.

Footwear, sensible and fitting clothing, food, a sleeping bag. Water. Also the inconvenience of a sword at my side is a constant minor frustration though the existence of wings does seem to lend me uncanny balance as I move downhill. And then, finally, water. A thin stream running between boulders, I charge down toward it, crash through a bush then sink to my knees and start to awkwardly scoop hydration to my mouth. What I would do right now for a canteen.

I try not to think about contaminants or disease in the water but a fast flowing stream in hills like this should hopefully be clean enough. Once my thirst is slaked I continue on downstream and feel considerably better about my situation though I have more than enough time to mull over tit, interminable hours of travel. First of all I see signs of managed woodland then just before midday I emerge into the sight of pastures, open fields and sheep, a large fluffy dog, a teenaged girl looking tremendously bored.

Just what am I going to tell people? I can hardly pretend to be a normal human but I have no idea what significance looking like an angel in this world might have. I settle for lying as little as possible, I will say that I was summoned through nefarious means, punished those responsible, but know nothing of the world and need help. Hopefully winged people are not horribly reviled but if that is the case? Better to find out as soon as possible.

My emergence from the treeline is greeted by the dog barking aggressively and the girl jolting back awake where she was leaning upon her crook. She is, perhaps unsurprisingly, wearing wool, a rough garment of a smock and ankle length skirt with both dyed a faded blue, the jacket she wears atop her ensemble rather more intricately embroidered, a white scarf mostly covering her dark hair. She also stares in shock whilst her tanned face pale, then drops to her knees.

I observe that she, like everyone else I have met, is tiny. If this is some kind of medieval world then people should probably be shorter than I am used to but my perspective has everyone seeming like a midget. Am I huge? She is also calling out to me and though her tone is accented I can understand her perfectly clearly. “Divine one! I am not worthy! Please oo-” I cut her off.

“My name is Alessandra.” I am not going to choose a new name then fail to remember it. “I do not intend to be here and seek directions to the nearest town or village.” As I speak I find that I am flaring my wings out a little, the brightly hued feathers extending to each side and framing me in what is probably a rather impressive display. One somewhat marred by the fact I am forced into a robe several sizes too small, barefoot and dirtied from hours of travel through the forest.

The girl hesitates at this point. “But... Divine one, surely you. Ahh. My family is up here with the flocks for the summer but. But the town of Heucia is about four hours walk to the south? I do not know how long that will take you in the air though!”

Flying would be tremendously convenient but I have no intention of dashing my brains out trying to determine if it is even possible. I remain impassively silent as my mind races, do I even want to try pretending to be some kind of divine messenger? Does her family have food? Of course they do. Also I have the jewellery I stripped from those people in the odd temple. I let my wings slump a little before deliberately furling them in to minimise the presence of the things. “Look. I cannot fly and I am quite lost. Please do not call me 'Divine One', I have absolutely no idea what is happening or where I am but I can pay for food and proper directions. Can you bring me to your parents?”

She is still kneeling and now seems even more shocked than she did when I appeared. The dog is growling low and prowling protectively in front of her, given what I did to multiple people with spears I do not really register the dog as a threat. “I do not understand?” She speaks, looking at me more closely now after daring to life her head.

“I am lost and I do not speak for a god. And no, I am not a demon. I was.” Why did I have to put the idea I might be a demon out there. “I was pulled here unwillingly by some manner of sorcerer.” No she is looking distinctly more alarmed after I mentioned the word demon. Of course she is, I hurriedly repeat. “As I said, I am happy to pay for food and assistance. I have silver. Please. Stand.”

But I do not bother showing it, the richness of the robes I crammed myself into combined with the ornately outfitted sword and dagger have to speak volumes?

She fails to look entirely convinced as she rises to her feet and continues to watch me closely, as does the dog, who slinks in closer to her feet. I try to improve things. “What is your name?” Tempting as it is to ask if I can share food with her, I pass on that for the moment. She continues to look utterly wary.

“Aspasia.” She then answers, not making any move to approach more closely, sheep continue to roam in an unconcerned manner and punctuate this awkward conversation with their annoyingly mindless bleating. “So you are not here to... Smite something, or bless me, or pass on a message?”

I shake my head whilst keeping my hands well away from my weapons and wings tight furled as possible, I really want to minimise their visual impact even if hiding them is impossible. “I am lost and seeking assistance. I do not even know what country I am in. Can we begin there?” As I speak, I step to the side, not approaching the girl, but walking along before I seat myself upon a suitably comfortable looking stone. Reflexively, I flare out and lift my wings, keeping the feathers clear of the grass, also keeping my legs together because this too small robe is not the most modest of garments. Then I fold my hands in my lap, I look to her, I wait.

Eventually she answers, still tense and very much on edge. “Our king is Mathaios the third, he defends us from the Empire to the west. I saw some of his knights once! Ahh. The nearest town is Heucia? That is where the count lives. We go there a few times a year to market and to the temple.” She peers at me, narrowing her eyes slightly as she continues to fail to relax. “There are marble statues of divine messengers who look like you. Angels. Why do you not have a halo?”

This is something I have had time to think about and I reach up to tap the top of my head with a finger. “Because if I manifest my halo then it might blind you. It would certainly startle the sheep.” I was absolutely the source of that searingly bright light that caused the cultists and soldiers to stumble and falter and I can half 'feel' how I made it happen in the back of my head. It is not something I plan on repeating without extreme need.

The girl, Aspasia, nod at that, is she relaxing slightly? Only slightly. The dog seems to have decided to stop being suspicious though and prowls closer before sniffing at my leg. I ignore it for now. “... I was told that some angels have to cover themselves with their wings or blind people? You only have two wings though not six. Ahh. Not that I. Ahh.” She steps back, brings her crook forward as if that would help.

I shake my head, sigh. “I am not going to smite you. At worst I will just walk away Aspasia, what I would like though is for you to bring me to your parents. I have not eaten for most of a day and I am willing to trade for proper clothing.”