Chapter 1. A long Way From Home

Nothing beats the start of a brand new day. The feeling of waking up totally refreshed after a long day of work is always so satisfying.

With a newfound energy for this brand new day, I allowed my eyes to open and they were greeted to the familiar sight of my room.

After I let a long yawn escape through my lips, I smiled and rose my arms up and stretched them in a circle. Once I was done, I nodded to myself and gripped the covers that laid on top of my body.

"Let's do this."

I then pushed them off me and slowly sat up, then pushed myself off the bed and my feet hit the cold wood floor below. It creaked slightly under the pressure, but that feeling was all too familiar to me by this point.

Once comfortably on my feet, I slowly moved my hands upward and held them above my head, arching my back slightly as I stretched and eventually a felt my back crack. I repeated this process a few times until I was satisfied.

After I was finished, I walked to my dresser and put on my clothes and tied my hair back into a ponytail, making sure to not tie it too tight.

"Alrighty." I mumbled to myself and turned my body around, jogging to the stairs and descending down them to my kitchenette where I opened up my pantry to eat something to give me fuel on this new day-

-Only to see nothing within the wooden cabinet.

I stared blankly at the empty shelves and could've sworn I saw a fly make it's way out of the empty, dusty area.

I blinked once, then twice, then shut the pantry with an exasperated sigh, my invigoration and readiness for the day vanishing into thin air as soon as it was there.

From there would begin another day in the life of a broke adventurer, otherwise known as my life.

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After a few minutes of standing idly with a bit of anger bubbling within me, I began to think about how I got to this point in my life.

The reality of my world is that if you aspire to be an adventurer or hero and want to join the heroes guild, it isn't as lucrative and accepting to those who are new.

What I mean by that is you earn your money by the bounty you accept and those opportunities are hard to come by. Myself, being a girl in her teens and only just recently joining the guild means I don't exactly have a lot of seniority.

But, this is the life I chose and it's the life I will stubbornly continue to live.

Slowly I walked to the door of my small home, picking up the sword that leaned against the wall and placing it on my hip, it's sheath covering the blade.

Due to its enchantment, the blade itself had a slight blue hue that symbolized it's ice property. It was a purchase that I am quite proud of, but I simply hoped it wouldn't break any time soon due to its hefty price….

Knock on wood of course.

Now fully prepared for this new day, I walked out of the house and shut the door behind me as the crisp air filled my lungs. I looked to the trees and saw many colors painting their leaves. Everything from fiery red to a golden yellow, it was serene.

As I continued to let my eyes wander, I found myself smiling fondly at the nature around me. Ever since I was a kid I found autumn to always be my favorite season due to its beautiful colors.

Letting myself enjoy a few minutes of nostalgic thought, I found the smile upon my face eventually fade and was replaced by a determined expression. I looked forward and steeled my resolve, ready to stake my claim.

Today would finally be the day I would get an opportunity to prove myself, I swear it!

I then took a single step forward on my walk towards the guild, but immediately regretted my sudden surge in confidence.

What was once was a beautiful mountain side filled with bright colors vanished from view and was replaced with a dark haze. I attempted to brush my hand through it, but it was to no avail.

After that failure I drew my blade with my right hand and slashed at it, hoping to maybe cut thought whatever this was. But again it made no difference, if anything it became more intense.

This second failure did enough to completely dishearten any further attempts to free myself and I let my arm hang back where it once was. With little way to escape, many thoughts began to swirl in my head in an attempt to explain this.

Could this be the work of a mage? No that couldn't be it. Was it a curse? No because I would've noticed that earlier.

I had fallen into complete silence trying to figure this out, but slowly I found that thinking became harder and eventually it even became difficult to breathe properly.

Eventually, I then found myself losing balance and dropped to on one knee. My breathing now becoming more laborious and heavy due to the increasing lack of oxygen around me.

But, like my previous efforts it was ultimately a fruitless endeavor and any remaining air I had in my lungs was running out.

I slowly looked up while strugging to remain conscious and saw a sudden burst of light shine above the darkness, once my eyes registered its golden hue, a single thought flashed across my mind.

Was this how I was going to die...?

Soon enough that golden hue enveloped my entire being and all went white.

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"This really sucks." I spat out in annoynace. I was currently walking back to my car while I held a grocery bag in each of my hands, the contents of which shifted slightly with each step I took.

That in and of itself wasn't the issue, what's was is the fact it was now storming outside, getting both me and my food wet.

I looked ahead while I began to run in my now soaked shoes, I could feel the cool rain water seeping into my socks which only managed to make me want to get home faster.

Once I had finally gotten to my car I placed the bag I held with my right hand in my left and reached for my keys to open the trunk.

After it opened, I put the bags in the back and slammed it shut, the bubbling anger within me coming out in that moment.

Once that was finished, I made my way up to the drivers side door and opened it, sliding in and shutting the door behind me.

I took a breath and clenched the wheel, then exhaled as my eyes became filled with malice. Knowing I was now alone in my car, I let loose my emotions and yelled a single curse…and man did it feel good after the fact.

After I had finished swearing in anger, I sighed inwardly and started the engine, fully intent on getting back to my college dorm as soon as possible.

Once the engine began to come alive and the center console lit up, I slowly began to back out of the parking spot and soon enough I was turning onto the main road.

As I drove I zoned out for a few moments and just listened to rain patter onto the windshield as the wipers pushed the water droplets gently to the side. It was a hypnotizing sound to say the least and before I realized a few minutes had passed.

Once I returned to reality, I turned on my music and began to tap my hand along the steering wheel with the beat.

As more time continued to pass, I eventually found myself nearing my dorm and turned onto a side street, nearing my college.

But, as I intended to take one more turn, what was once an increasingly annoying day turned into one of intrigue when I saw something that made me do a double take.

I looked in my rear view to make sure I wasn't imagining things, and sure enough it wasn't. On instinct I eased my foot from the pedal and pulled to the side of the road.

Thankfully, there wasn't anyone driving on the road. So, I put on my hazards and got out of my car after turning off the engine.

Once my soaked sneakers hit the pavement I took off running into the heavy rain, not leaving a single moment for second guessing.

The previous discomfort and anger I held was gone, the only thing that remained was a concern over what I saw.

That concern being for a girl my age laying face down in a puddle of water and not moving.

After I made it to her side, I immediately grabbed her body as gently as I could and flipped it over so her back was on the ground. Once I did that I knelt down beside her and put my hand on her chest, hoping to feel for a pulse.

After a few moments of waiting I felt a few beats and a weight on my chest was lifted. But that rose the question, why was a girl out here like this...?

Slowly I looked at her outfit and it looked like something a cosplayer would wear to a convention, but that did nothing but raise more questions.

This situation just kept getting weirder.

Then my eyes slowly moved further downward and saw something attached to her hip that looked like a metal sheath for a sword.

Now curious, I began to look for the sword that belonged there and eventually found it leading near her.

Once I examined the blade, I was caught off guard with it's quality and I found myself picking it up.

"W-woah!" I exclaimed in surprise at its surprising weight. Not wanting to mess with further, I slowly placed it back down and looked to the girl.

This sword seemed too real to be a part of a cosplay... something wasn't right.

"Just who are you..?"

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"W-what the..." I mumbled out groggily. I don't know how long I saw white, I didn't know what was happening around me.

But suddenly, after god knows how long, my vision slowly began to return. After the initial blurriness ended, what I was greeted to was something that caught me off guard.

That being boy around my age looking to me in concern.

Slowly I moved my hands and clenched them into fists, at first just happy to be okay. But then my initial thankfulness for my apparent well being vanished and was replaced with surprise and worry.

Like any concerned female, I subconsciously and rightfully focused on the fact that I was suddenly in the company of a man after what had happened before, the time in between being a complete mystery to me.

Did he do this? Was this entire thing his fault!? I had to know!

"Where am I? What did you do to me!?" I demanded angrily and tried to get up, but once I did so I hit my head on something and winced in pain, lowering my head thereafter.

"I didn't do anything." He began and then grew a grin, most likely from my pain, "And you've gotta be careful, the ceiling is low in my car."

With the first half of his words I was nothing but skeptical to his intentions, but for the latter half I was completely angered by his humor in my pain, then confused by what he had said.

"Car?" I asked out confused, not recognizing the word. But the boy either didn't register my question, or didn't didn't care.

"Are you okay? I found you laying face down in a puddle of rain water." The boy explained to me and at that point I suddenly realized that I was completely soaked, my clothes dripping from the rain that continued to fall from the sky.

It seemed that whatever had happened apparently led me to being unconscious and laying face down in a puddle of water.

A small hint of red dusted my face before I took a breath, adverting my eyes slightly from the boy.

"I believe you stranger... but you better have not done anything to me while I was unconscious, pervert." I said in a bit of annoyance, the last word of my statement coming out as a mutter, one I intended for him not to hear.

But, judging by his sudden change in demeanor and expression only managed to prove that I was once again unsuccessful.

This just wasn't my day.

"I-I didn't do anything like that I promise, I was just on my way home and I saw you... so I pulled over to help you."

He then reached forward in whatever this car thing was and pulled something out, handing it to me while my eyes went wide.

"M-my sword!" I said in shock and grabbed it out of his hands, the boys hand retreated backward as I did so.

I held my blade in my right hand and at first glance it looked just as it did before, but when I looked at it closer I recognized a glaring difference, one that was a massive issue.

"What did you do to it!?" I demanded once more, this time much louder than before. The stranger winced at my sudden increase in volume and rose his hands defensively.

"I didn't do anything to it! I literally found it laying beside your body. Once I got you in here I went back for it and even dried it-"

"Bullshit!" I interrupted and pointed to my sword, "What the hell did you do to it's ice enchantment!? Do you have any idea how much money I had to spend on that!?" I yelled out angrily, thereafter going on a tangent about how amazing and equally expensive it was.

After I eventually finished my rant, the boy looked at me like I was crazy.

I am not crazy, I just want to know where the enchantment I payed so much money for had gone, I have a right to be angry!

"Ice enchantment?" he finally spoke, his question seemingly coming from a place of confusion by his tone.

Oh I get it, he's playing ignorant to escape my wrath. Well I'll show him!

"Don't play coy with me, you probably destroyed it and are planning to escape in whatever thing this is..." I then looked around the area, still very confused as to what it was.

Although, I'll admit the seat I was currently sitting on was quite comfortable.

"It's a car like I said before.... but you really must've hit your head hard on the ground, talking about enchantments and not knowing what cars are... just who are you?" He asked me, and I took his insinuation as a blatant insult.

"Of course enchantments are real idiot, did YOU hit your head?" I spat back and placed my tainted sword back in it's sheath, anger overwhelming my confusion as to what had happened prior to me.

"Just let me out of here so I can find the adventures guild, maybe they can help me with this." with my peace said and grasping what looked like a handle to open the door, I attempted to open it.

"Wait." He suddenly spoke and I felt his hand grip my left arm. It wasn't painful, or even forceful, but it managed to stop what I was doing. Slowly I looked back to him and he looked to me with an unreadable expression.

"Explain to me how you had an enchantment on your sword, when I held it I could tell it wasn't a toy or a replica." He asked and I turned my body around to fully face him.

"Of course it's not a toy, it's the real deal. After I bought it from the guild I went to a mage and bought a crystal containing an ice spirit, after that I combined it with my sword. Overall it was a very simple process." I explained to him and then turned around, facing out what appeared to be a window. I stared at the rain continuously fall from the sky and land on the window, dripping down it as it did so.

"Do you have any money on you?"

That question made me turn my head in annoyance.

"What so I could give you a reward for helping me?" I responded angrily and then looked down, "Besides, I don't have much, just one piece of silver."

"That's not why I asked, I didn't help you with the expectation to be rewarded." he explained and then sighed.

"Nor did I expect to find a girl with a sword, then be threatened by her."

With that comment I chuckled slightly and then sniffled, the cold soaked clothes I wore starting to make me shake. The boy must've noticed this because soon after I felt a new article of clothing wrap around me like a blanket and suddenly I became a bit warmer

I looked at him with a bit of surprise and saw him smiling back to me. I'll admit the gesture made me smile a bit and I reached into my pocket as I did so. I wrapped my thumb and pointer finger around the single silver coin I had to my name and held it in my open palm for him to see.

He looked at it and then sighed, whatever he was thinking was probably confirmed by that reaction on his face.

"Look, you might think I'm crazy, and maybe I am for thinking this could even be a possibility." He began and then paused, looking forward and out the big window for a moment before he turned back.

"I think you might be from another world."

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The sheer possibility that this could be reality was crazy in and of itself, like something out of a manga. But, there was no other way that what she was telling me could be true, unless she was completely insane.

The thing is, judging by her reaction it seemed as though she grasped what I was getting at and seemed to agree.

It just added up, I find her unconscious with a sword she said was magically enchanted, then she pulls out a coin that's completely unlike any currency I've seen, plus the fact she mentioned mages and other magic that just didn't exist in this world.

Well... except for in videogames and anime.

"You... might be right." She muttered and closed her eyes, probably thinking of what led her to this point.

"It does make sense, since you don't know about magic or anything."

"Exactly." I began and then nodded to her, "In this world, there is no such thing as magic or anything like that." I explained and she slowly nodded.

"So the enchantment disappeared because there is no such thing as magic here, but my sword remained because of the fact there are swords here... right?" She mumbled and then looked to me, asking me to confirm, which I did with a simple nod.

"Wow..." she muttered once more and then sighed.

"So I went from a poor adventurer, to being completely alone in a new world." She said softly, this time louder than her mumbles, but with more negative emotion behind it than before.

I felt her pain, her disbelief at the situation, and her anger at losing something so expensive and valuable to her.

"I don't know what I should do, where I should go..."

She then began to tear up, shaking her head in denial as she cried.

"What do I do!?" She exclaimed with tears falling down at full force, she choked up as she struggled to contain her emotions.

I stayed silent at her sudden outburst, but then extended my hand to her and placed it on her shoulder. She let out a small gasp and looked to me, and I gave her a smile.

"Let me take you somewhere where we could go get you some clothes and food, then I'll let you stay at my dorm for the night... after that we can try to figure out what to do." I explained to her and slowly got out of my car's back seat and into the drivers seat.

I looked back and she was staring at me with wide tear filled eyes, she sniffled a few times before she spoke again.

"Y-you're going to help me? Even after I was so rude to you?" She asked seemingly in disbelief, and I nodded in an attempt to ease her worry.

"...I mean, if I were honest with myself I would've probably acted hostile after being dragged to another world. Honestly I really don't blame you for acting how you did."

I then patted the seat next to me and looked forward.

"If you really are from another world, I'll teach you about this one, and if you're not... I'll take you to a mental hospital." I chuckled a bit after speaking an looked back to hear her response. But all I heard was silence and all I saw was her face with cheeks puffed slightly in what seemed to be a pout.

I then looked back forward and smirked.

"Either way, I'll help you."

I then heard a door open and close, then a moment or two after the passenger door opened and the girl sat down. I pressed the button for the seat warmers and then pointed to the seatbelt.

"Grab that belt and put the metal end it in the slot."

She took a moment to look at what I was referring to and nodded to me, then did what I told her. After I heard a click, my smirk turned into a smile and my eyes narrowed in focus.

It looks like I would have to go shopping, again.

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This is so cool!" I spoke out in amazement, this car thing that I was riding in was going so fast! It had to have been going at least five times faster then a carriage, and horses weren't even required!

"I'm glad you find it enjoyable." The boy stated with a smile, then he looked to his left and turned the wheel in the same direction. I then felt the car move to the left, once more my eyes widened in shock from the technology of this world.

He chuckled at my constant amazement and then spoke again.

"If you find a car this amazing, just wait till I show you some other stuff."

I nodded at that and admittedly became super excited, for a moment completely forgetting my current dilemma I found myself in-

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up here?"

-Only for me to be dragged back to reality. Slowly my excited expression died down and I told him in detail what happened. Everything from the black mist that surrounded me and eventually the pillar of light I saw.

The boy was silent for awhile, probably taking it in, while I just looked out the window and stared on at the new place I would most likely have to call home.

"So I think that solidifies our theory, if I had to guess based off the media in this world... you got teleported here by something... or died from something."

I took his words in and thought about it, he was most likely right, but if I died I wouldn't be alive right? Ultimately though it doesn't matter. If it was any silver lining, I didn't really have much back home besides a run down home and a job that didn't really pay.

Maybe I could have a better shot at life here, and that thought alone filled me with a bit of hope.

"If you don't mind me asking a question, what's your world like? If I'm staying here I wanna know about it." I asked with a bit more enthusiasm than I had expected.

The boy seemed to share that surprise, but then grinned as he looked to me.

"Sure, I'll tell you when we get you out of those soaked clothes." He explained and I nodded, then looked forward and saw a giant building with a sign that said 'Walmart'. I figured that it must be a store of some sort.

'Store...'

Then it hit me, my eyes going wide along with realization. This complete stranger was taking me shopping and was most likely planning to pay for me! Why didn't I realize this sooner!?

"U-uhm... are you paying for me?" I asked sheepishly and he nodded which filled me with a feeling of selfishness.

"A-are you sure you want to do that? I'm basically a stranger that threatened you."

Slowly the car came to a stop and I saw him move some sort of lever in the center of the car, after he did that he unbuckled the strap that held him in place and looked to me.

"Yeah I'm sure, although don't expect anything too expensive." He said with a grin and opened the door. Slowly he began to close the door looked at me through the window.

After a moment of thought, I did the same as him and exited the vehicle into the cold rain.

I watched as he walked past me and was walking towards the store, then I suddenly took a few steps to catch up to him and grabbed his hand.

Embarrassment set in as he looked back and met eyes with me. After a moment of awkward staring I let go of his hand and bowed to him.

"T-Thank you!"

I slowly lifted my head and saw him with a bewildered expression for a moment, but then it vanished as a small smile once again dawned his face.

"It's no problem, but I recommend you leave the sword in the car." He said then then clicked a button on a key he held on his hand, the car then let out a small noise.

I assumed he unlocked the door or something and I gave him a nod with an embarrassed smile on my face.

"R-right, I'll be right back."