Chapter 9: Encounter

Elian's journey down the river had its ups and downs. He walked carefully, watching out for danger while hoping to find signs of other people. The sound of the flowing water was calming, a reminder of life in this wild place.

Suddenly, he stumbled upon a group of adventurers by the riverbank. They wore armor and carried weapons, looking like they had been through battles. Two of them wore robes, maybe they were magic users.

His ragged appearance stood in stark contrast to their well-equipped presence. Despite the tension in the air, both parties were quick to notice each other. The adventurers tensed, ready for any potential threat, while Elian observed them with a mix of caution and curiosity.

Although Elian's appearance was far from impressive, his ragged clothes riddled with holes and dried blood, the group of adventurers understood that surviving in this unforgiving forest required more than just appearances. They recognized that no ordinary human could navigate through these treacherous woods alone.

"מי אתה? מאיפה באת?"

The man with the sword, seemingly the leader, yelled something in a language Elian didn't recognize. But strangely, those words seemed to trigger a response deep within him.

Suddenly, fragments of memories, like scattered puzzle pieces, started coming together, forming a clearer picture in his mind. It was as if a dam had burst, flooding his consciousness with a rush of unfamiliar images and thoughts.

The pain in his head intensified, making him feel like his skull was splitting open. He let out a pained scream as he clutched his head, trying to make sense of the flood of memories that were pouring into his mind. It was overwhelming, like a torrent of information he couldn't control.

Through the agony, he could see glimpses of strange landscapes, magical beings, and battles that seemed otherworldly. He saw glimpses of a world where elements were harnessed, where heroes battled against powerful foes, and where different realms were connected in a complex tapestry.

Amidst the chaos, his own identity seemed to blur, as if he was simultaneously himself and someone else entirely. The language the man had spoken started to make sense, and he realized he could understand it.

As the intensity of the pain surged, he crumpled to the forest floor, succumbing to the overwhelming sensation and losing consciousness.

The group exchanged puzzled glances, uncertain of what to make of the situation. One of the robed individuals from behind voiced a suggestion, "Maybe he's injured?"

The leader shook his head, dismissing the idea. "No, it can't be. The sound of his footsteps was steady and even when he arrived. This might be some kind of trap to lure us in."

"Emily, try launching a fireball at him from a distance. Let's see how he responds." he instructed, his tone cautious yet determined.

The second robed figure revealed herself to be a woman named Emily. With a focused gesture, she conjured a fireball in her hands and then sent it flying towards the unconscious Elian. The fireball struck the ground near him, grazing his arm and leaving a burnt mark. Despite this, Elian remained unresponsive, not showing any sign of reaction.

"Perhaps he's truly injured." the robed man proposed, attempting to persuade the group. "Let's approach cautiously and assess the situation. He might need our assistance."

The burly man with the knuckled weapon sneered, "Just let Emily turn that guy into a human fireball. We don't know this guy at all. He might be up to no good."

The leader appeared conflicted, his gaze shifting between his companions. Eventually, he turned to Emily for her input.

Staring back at him, Emily shook her head and spoke firmly, "It's your call, Richard. But remember our mission is to protect the village and eliminate the beasts that threaten us. Our enemies are the ones slaughtering our people. This man might be in need of help."

Her words were resolute, directed not only at Richard but also at the burly man with the knuckles. The man snorted in response, clearly showing his discontent, and turned his gaze towards the river with an air of frustration.

Richard let out a sigh, his internal conflict clear on his face. "Emily's right. There's no need for unnecessary bloodshed. Let's approach cautiously and see if he needs help, but stay alert for any surprises."

As the group approached with caution, they observed Elian's faint, rhythmic breathing. "I think he's truly unconscious. Let me to examine him." the robed man suggested, taking a step forward.

The silent swordsman, who hadn't spoken a word until now, issued a warning in a hushed tone, "Stay vigilant."

The robed man nodded and cautiously took a step closer. Seeing no immediate reaction from Elian and noticing the burnt state of his arm from Emily's fireball, he crouched down and placed his hands over Elian's injured arm. A soothing warmth emanated from his hands, enveloping Elian's arm and visibly accelerating the healing of the burns.

The combination of the warm energy flowing through his arm and the lingering headache caused Elian to stir. His consciousness gradually returned, his head still throbbing with pain and his arm now tingling with the sensation of healing.

Elian's voice held a mixture of curiosity and concern as he asked, "Who injured me?" He glanced down at his healed arm, still feeling a slight tingling sensation. The robed man remained focused on his task, even as Elian woke up and began to sit up. The warmth continued to flow through Elian's arm, aiding in its healing.

Elian's questions caused a moment of tension among the group. The burly man responded with a challenging tone, trying to provoke him. "It was us, what, do you have a problem with it?"

The robed man finished healing Elian's arm and then slowly withdrew his hands, giving him a reassuring nod before turning his attention to the burly man. "We acted out of caution, not malice. Our primary goal is to protect our village from the beasts that roam this forest."

The leader, Richard, stepped forward with a more composed demeanor. "I apologize for the misunderstanding. We have been encountering dangerous creatures lately and have become cautious of strangers. My name is Richard, and this is Emily and Mark." He gestured towards Emily and the man in the robe.

Richard continued the introductions, gesturing to the burly man and the silent swordsman. "This is Hank," he said, nodding toward the burly man, "and Shawn," indicating the swordsman. "We're a group of adventurers from a nearby village, tasked with protecting the inhabitants and eliminating threats."

Hank merely grunted in acknowledgment, still maintaining an air of skepticism. Shawn nodded slightly in Elian's direction, a faint glimmer of curiosity in his eyes.

Emily stepped forward as well, offering a polite smile. "We're from a nearby village. Only a few people in our village have the ability to make contracts, us being one of them, and we've been trying to defend our village from the beasts and elementals that threaten us."

Hark, the burly man, crossed his arms and huffed. "Yeah, and this guy just stumbled into our territory. Could be a spy or worse."

Richard shot Hank a warning glance before addressing Elian. "We've been on edge due to some recent events. Can you tell us who you are and how you ended up here?"

Elian stared at them, then said, "Look, I'm not here to cause trouble. I've been through enough already. I'm just trying to survive and find my way back to some semblance of civilization."

Hank glared at Elian and retorted, "You think we're idiots or something to believe that?!"

Elian shrugged casually, "I can't speak for everyone, but you definitely give off that vibe." He didn't want any trouble, but this person kept poking, and he wasn't willing to stay quiet anymore.

Hank got really angry and threatened, "Say that again and I'll give you a beating that'll make even your parents unable to recognize you!"

The other swordsman, Shawn, stepped in to stop Hank. Knowing he couldn't win against the young man, Hank grumpily snorted and went back to where they were resting by the bank.

As Hank simmered down and walked away, Shawn offered an explanation and an apology for his companion's behavior. Elian nodded in understanding, "It's alright, people have their moments."

Richard asked in a serious tone, "How did you manage to stay alive in this forest? And that blood... Whose blood is it?"

Elian hesitated, avoiding the truth that his soul had been transported from another world into this body. Brushing aside the second question, he responded, "Can't really say, just did what I needed to."

Richard's suspicion grew due to Elian's evasive way of talking.

Richard cast a glance behind Elian, the direction the man had come from is leading deeper into the forest.

Despite being on the forest's edge, they had already encountered and taken down several beasts and elementals.

The deeper regions of the forest implied the presence of an even more formidable creatures and elementals. If this man had indeed fought his way to their current location alone, he might be capable of singlehandedly decimating their entire group.

Tension gripped him, misinterpreting Elian's lack of knowledge as a sort of clemency. He pondered, "Perhaps he refrained from attacking because we didn't display hostility. Maybe it was a deliberate ploy, and sparing us was his way of avoiding any sense of obligation."

Elian's subsequent words only added to his sense of doubt. "Um, sorry to ask, but do you know which trees around here might have something good to eat? That last meal I had was from the meat of that reptile-like creature making a fuss in the water. Walking all this way has stirred up my hunger again."

Chuckling, he continued, "It wouldn't have met its end if it hadn't taken a shot at devouring me. Life sure has a weird sense of humor, I guess. In the end, I turned the tables and had a bite myself."

The group was left in a state of astonishment, excluding Hank, who was absent.

"Are you by in any chance talking about a Riverclaw?"

. . .

Author's Note: It's worth mentioning that the world which our main character was summoned to doesn't employ Hebrew as a means of communication. Instead of utilizing meaningless text, I deliberately chose Hebrew as a random substitution. And just to clarify, this choice doesn't impact the world building, context, or characters in any way.