Death and rebirth

I slowly opened my eyes, groggily taking in my surroundings. I was lying on a cold, lush green grass, my body aching all ove...!!my body wait i have a body!!?

I looked down at "my body", taking in the sight of my pale skin, covered in scratches and bruises. There was a deep gash on my neck, and a large bruise on my chest. The previous owner must have been robbed and killed, left for dead in the forest.

As I sat up, I realized I was completely naked, with no memory of how I got here. My head was pounding, and my mouth felt dry and bitter.

But I wasn't dead. I was...alive? How was this possible? I was a soul, a being of pure energy, and yet I was now inhabiting a physical body. A body that was battered and bruised, but still alive.

I stood up, surveying my surroundings. I was naked, but that was the least of my concerns. I wasn't hungry or thirsty, and I didn't feel lost, since I had no idea where I was supposed to be in the first place. So, I was just...naked.

As I looked around, I noticed that the killers hadn't bothered to hide their tracks. The trail was obvious, and I followed it, hoping it would lead me to civilization. It was either a sign of the killer's idiocy, or an indication that the previous owner of this body was a nobody.

The path led me through a forest, and eventually, I emerged into a landscape of rolling hills. The mud road stretched out in two directions, and my gut told me to head north. I started walking, my bare feet squelching in the mud.

After what felt like an eternity of trudging through the muck, I saw no signs of civilization. No cities, no towns, no villages. I even searched some caves, but they were empty. Just as I was starting to lose hope, I spotted a cart stuck in the mud. A group of people were clustered around it, trying to free it from the mire.

I continued to approach the cart, my eyes fixed on the group of people gathered around it. Despite the distance between us, I could see their faces clearly, as if my vision had been amplified.

From their perspective, seeing my silhouette is considered good already to say the least. But I wasn't concerned about that right now. Civilization, in the form of these people and their broken-down cart, was finally within reach.

As I drew closer, the group's attention turned to me. Their faces were a mix of curiosity, and suspicion. I slowed my pace, not wanting to startle them further. My eyes scanned the group, taking in their clothing, weapons, and the cart's cargo.

There were five of them in total, three men and two women. The men were armed with swords and bows, while the women seemed to be tending to the cart's contents. The cart itself was old and worn, with crates and sacks tied to it with ropes.

One of the men, a burly fellow with a thick beard, took a step forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Who are you?" he growled, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

I held up my hands in a calming gesture, trying to appear non-threatening. "I'm... um... a traveler," I said, scrambling to come up with a plausible explanation for my naked state. "I got lost in the woods and ended up here."

The burly man's gaze didn't waver. "What's your name?" he demanded, pulling his sword from its scabbard. The man with the bow knocked an arrow, training it on me.

Weird..my name. What was my name? How could I forget something so simple?

Before I could form an idea, a whistle cut through the air, and I felt a sudden jolt of pain as an arrow lodged itself in my chest, precisely in my heart. I stumbled backwards, feeling the mud squelch beneath me as I fell.

Everything else was darkness.

When I woke up, I was alone. The group had left, taking their cart and their suspicions with them. I groggily sat up, my hand instinctively reaching for the arrow still lodged in my chest. I winced as I pulled it out, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me. As I sat there, catching my breath, I realized I was hungry. And a little weaker than before. 

I looked around, taking stock of my surroundings. The mud road stretched out in both directions, but I knew which way the group had gone. I could follow their trail, see where they led.

I struggled to my feet, my eyes fixed on the horizon. I took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill my lungs, and started walking, my bare feet carrying me towards the unknown.

I trudged on, my senses heightened as I followed the group's trail. The mud road wound its way through the hills, and I walked for what felt like hours, my stomach growling with hunger.

{{Albulf POV}}

Albulf a burly blacksmith, took a step forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Who are you?" he growled, eyeing the naked stranger warily.

"I'm... um... a traveler," the stranger stammered, holding up his hands in a calming gesture.

Albulf's gaze didn't waver. "What's your name?" he demanded, pulling his sword from its scabbard. Alf, the group's ranger, knocked an arrow, training it on the stranger.

after some time and no answer from the stranger a whistling sound sounded. Alf's arrow flew true, striking the stranger in the chest. He stumbled backwards, falling to the ground with a thud.

"Well, that's that," Albulf said, sheathing his sword. "Let's get moving. We've got a long way to go before we reach Oakwood."

The group packed up their gear, leaving the stranger's lifeless body behind. As they walked, they discussed the encounter.

"I didn't like the look of him," Alf said, his eyes scanning the horizon. "He seemed... off."

"Aye, and he was naked as a jaybird," Albulf added, chuckling. "Not exactly the most threatening figure."

Their banter continued as they walked, the sun beating down on their heads. After a few hours, they stopped to make camp, building a fire and cooking a simple meal of stew and bread.

As they sat around the fire, passing a flask of ale, Albulf turned to the group. "You know, I've been thinking. We should be more careful from now on. We don't know what kind of dangers are lurking out there."

Alf nodded, her eyes gleaming in the firelight. "Aye, we can't afford to let our guard down. Not until we reach Oakwood and deliver our cargo."

The group nodded in agreement, their faces illuminated by the flickering flames. They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the peacefulness of the evening.

Then, Albulf spoke up again. "You know, I wonder what that stranger's story was. What kind of man forgets his own name?"

Alf shrugged. "Maybe he was cursed. Or maybe he was just a fool."

The group chuckled, their laughter carrying into the night.