I hope I did the right thing, was my first thought as I was swallowed by the inky blackness. ‘Was there really any other choices?’ Was my next thought as I felt the all too familiar feeling of falling. The sensation didn’t last that long though, maybe five minutes spent watching the little dancing light grow steadily larger. The world flashed, blinding colors all around me greens blues browns all swirled in front of me. I closed my eyes to block out the disorienting colors and half sat half fell down. Slowly I opened my eyes squinting out at the blindingly colorful world. Soon the colors started making sense, grass, trees, an expansive blue sky all took form, the dull white clouds remained puffy and formless but that wasn’t exactly surprising.

I slowly looked around drinking in the natural beauty, a gust of wind swept over the patch of tall grass I was seated in. I shivered, the wind wasn’t very cold but it must have blown right through my clothes… clothes… I was oddly calm as I looked down at my clearly clothes-less body, perhaps my mind was still overwhelmed by color, or perhaps I was just at the point where nothing could surprise me anymore but I just stared down at my bare skin. The sun was only half propped up over the horizon and the swaying grass still felt cool as it tickled my skin, even though the air was already warming up nicely. I roused myself and stopped looking at the fairly light tint of my skin, instead I looked around my immediate vicinity and saw a patch of depressed grass a couple feet in front of me. I stood up and made my way to the hole in the merrily waving grass stalks. I squinted down at what could only be described as a gift box. The shiny red wrapping and dark green ribbon seemed out of place in what otherwise seemed to be an untainted natural paradise. There was a small card attached to the green ribbon that fluttered excitedly in the inconsistent breeze. I knelt down by the rather Christmassy box and caught the fluttering card. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY AYLO” was written in big bold text on the inner face of the card. I turned the card over to find, “PS: It’s really hard to send a lot of things into my world so I probably won’t be able to send you anything else for a long time, so have fun! ‘kay? ~Meril”

After reading the overly peppy card part of me inexplicably wanted to hit my head against one of the trees that were growing in the near distance. Fortunately for my skull I was more curious about what was inside the sizeable box in front of me than I was ready to bash my head against a tree. I began to open the package in a flurry of flying ribbon and red paper. Before long a set of dark green clothing and a long rather thick black bladed sword. I jumped on the clothes like a pack of starving wolves on a fresh slab of meat. Dressed in the somewhat creepily well fitted clothes, I decided to take a look at the other contents of the box. Besides the heavy looking sword there was a smallish pack and a water canteen, both looked quite full. I opened the bag first, I found several packages of what I could only assume was food, a map and a small book labeled “Welcome to Mord”. I took a sip from the canteen, water, at least my basic needs besides shelter were taken care of for a while at least. Finally I turned my attention to the sword, now that I really looked at it, the thing was menacing! The blade was not only thick but it wickedly curved as it tapered towards a razor sharp point. The handle was simple and wrapped in some black leather-looking material. Next to the sword sat a scabbard that was just as black as the sword.

I picked up the scabbard and fastening the ebony belt just above my hip. I sighed and looked at the sword again, honestly, every time I looked at this thing it looked bigger, heavier and more unwieldy. Even so Meril literally asked me to come down here to kill monsters, going around without a weapon would be suicidal even if I wasn’t thrilled have to cart a heavy metal weapon around, maybe I’d be able to pick up magic, then I’ll only have to carry around a stick. Another sigh slipped through my lips as I knelt down and firmly grabbed the hilt.

A searing pain shot up my arm engulfing my entire body in a searing hell. The pain subsided an eternity later, or so I thought until I noticed that the sun hadn’t changed positions in the sky. I contemplated the longest second I had ever lived through but my contemplation was interrupted by an incredibly deep smooth voice “hello master”

I looked around for a moment before looking down at the sword in my hand. The blade was now covered in pulsing red veins. Trying and failing to suppress the exasperation in my voice I said “let me guess, you’re the sword.”

“Dunfor”

I waited for a moment for the sword to elaborate… is it a language I don’t know or maybe its name? so I asked “Is Dunfor your name?”

The response came immediately “yes”

After taking a longing look at the trees I sheathed the sword and took stock of my situation quietly out loud “so I have food water clothing and a blade that can talk to me… there’s also that book and map… well that’s about it…”

I took out ‘Welcome to Mord’ and flipped to the first page of the book, well, it was more of a booklet. Its two sturdy covers seemed like overkill for the rather meager offering of pages betwixt them. I looked at the book skeptically before putting it back, it was more important to find shelter than read whatever Meril had written. I took out the map, I didn’t have much hope that I’d be able to find where I was on it, but it was worth a try. I unfolded the map, and looked around for a grassland by a forest. My face brightened in pure delight there was a tiny dot with my name next to it. While the map was very detailed it showed that the forest, the grassland and a river that wound its way through the grassland not too far from where I was.

As I started walking I noticed that a tiny triangle faded in next to my dot. I quickly changed directions a couple times, watching the arrow closely. Each time I changed directions the arrow swiveled around my dot to point my new direction of travel. I directed my footsteps towards the river, making my way through the tall grass with long purposeful strides. I put the map away to stop myself from staring at my little dot approach the river. I had to remind myself that this was a world where there were monsters so I should probably be at least a little aware of my surroundings lest I die before killing even one.

The river slowly came into view, it started out as a particularly large gap in the tall grass with some stone outcroppings scattered around. As I approached a stream of clear water glistening with reflected sunlight came into view. Before I knew it I was standing with my feet inches from the dancing stream. The ribbon of shimmering water was maybe twelve feet wide and a couple feet deep it was hard to tell since whenever I looked at the same spot too long I would be blinded by the sun’s reflection.

Even though the sun was still high in the sky I decided I should start looking for some shelter since I had found a source of presumably drinkable water. My eyes were drawn to the rock outcroppings that protruded from the grass at odd angles. I approached the nearest outcropping and found that it had a fairly large hollow in it. I was about to casually enter the grotto but then stopped for a moment, I slowly drew my sword, such a nice shelter was extremely likely to be occupied, and for the second time that day I reminded myself that this was not earth. I started moving slowly forward but stopped for a second time, would I be able to beat whatever monster inhabits this grotto? It would really be a shame to get reincarnated in a new world to just go and die on the first day because I had been too cavalier and tried to kill something way out of my league… Then again if I were too scared to try anything then there would be no way that I’d be able to save a damsel in distress from bandits, let alone save Meril. I half smiled that the first scenario that I thought about when I was in a fantasy world was saving a damsel in distress.

Shaking my head to clear my mind I steeled myself and slowly, carefully proceeded towards the entrance to the grotto trying to keep my steps as quite as possible. The contents of the grotto were invisible, shrouded in deep shade. Step after step I grew closer to the jagged mouth of the cave. My fingers tightened around the hilt of my sword as I passed into the shadow of the inestimably tall bastion of rock. I slightly raised the sword as I stood directly in front of the maw of the stone lair before me. I summoned up my courage and stepped into the cave.