Chapter 2: Betrayal

Pain. It's a white-hot lance searing through my consciousness, dragging me back from the sweet oblivion that promised relief from this battle-scarred reality. I blink, and the world swims into focus—a kaleidoscope of chaos where steel meets sinew, and magic lights the sky with arcane fury. My own body is a map of agony, each wound a burning metropolis of torment. I'm broken, so close to death's embrace it's a lover's breath upon my neck.

No. Not like this. Not in this strange realm that turned my mundane life into something out of a gamer's fever dream. I fumble in my pocket, fingers weak but desperate, brushing against the familiar shape of the Nutrahealth Vitamin bottle. The pills rattle like a tiny, plastic maracas, an absurd sound amidst the cacophony of battle.

"Come on, Bert," I mutter to myself, uncapping the bottle with trembling hands. "I don't want to die... maybe these will take me back to my old life."

I tip back my head, spilling the multicolored capsules into my mouth. They're just plain vitamins—or they should be. But here, in this fantasy land? Apparently, they might as well be divine ambrosia. They did everything I ever told a customer that they did and more. The vitamins dissolve instantly, flooding my system with a surge of vitality that's nothing short of miraculous.

My wounds knit together, flesh weaving with the rapidity of time-lapse photography. Bones snap back into place with jarring but painless precision. The maimed, half-dead man who lay on the cusp of defeat vanishes, replaced by someone... something more. My senses sharpen until I can hear the heart beating within the wolfbeast's ribcage, my muscles swell with newfound resilience, and I rise to my feet with the grace of a phoenix reborn.

"Ha!" I exclaim, testing my rejuvenated limbs with a few experimental punches into the open air. "Who knew the secret to superpowers was hiding in a daily dose of over-the-counter supplements?"

With every beat of my heart, power courses through my veins, a tidal wave crashing against the shores of my limitations. I am not simply healed; I am enhanced. A grin splits my face, incongruous with the mayhem unfolding around me. Destiny calls, and for the first time since I stumbled into this madcap realm of quests and conquests, I feel ready to answer with a roar.

"Alright, you freak," I shout, stepping back into the fray with fists clenched. "Let's see how you like round two with Bert the Buffed!"

And as I throw myself back at the wolf like beast, whose now seems laughably slow compared to my heightened reflexes, I can't help but marvel at the absurdity of it all. Here I am, a guy who used to struggle with pull-ups, now trading blows with monsters straight out of mythology. Each punch I land is a declaration, a testament to my refusal to yield to fate. I mean I was never in bad shape before for an office guy, but this? this was insane.

"Is that all you've got?" I taunt, ducking under a snarling bite and landing a solid jab with my blade. "I eat horrors like you for breakfast—and thanks to Nutrahealth, I've got room for seconds."

This is my purpose, then: to fight, to survive, to level up in this bizarre game of life and death. If destiny wants a champion, it'll find no finer than a man armed with top-quality supplements and a stubborn streak a mile wide, I had never felt so alive before!.

"Come on!" I challenged the encroaching beast, laughter bubbling within me, the beast met my challenge, charging forward with globs of saliva dripping from its snarling maw, as it leaped towards my trying to snatch me back into its powerful jaws, I ended its life with a decisive strike that bisected it directly down the center. Thorne and the others gathered around in astonishment at my revival and subsequent re-arrival to slay the beast.

As I stood atop the corpse of the once mighty wolf creature, I couldn't help but let out a hearty howl of triumph. The cacophony of laughter and awe from my companions only fueled my newfound zest for life. My hand still burning from the claws' touch, I reached down to retrieve my now-familiar sword, a weapon that had somehow grown to match my newfound strength. " I name this sword- Dealbreaker!"

With a combination of adrenaline and newfound power, I was ready to continue this fantastical adventure. Thorne, the sage leader, couldn't help but glance at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, well, looks like we have a new... hero in our midst," he said, a smirk forming on his face. "Though I must say, I didn't expect you to shake off that creature and return to us in such a grand fashion." he wrapped his arm around my shoulders as he spoke, I felt amazing, what an exhilarating experience. I immediately opened my menu, my stats were through the roof! Strength, constitution, intelligence, everything was so much higher than last I had looked! I noticed an hourglass shaped timer that was present next to the temporary boost to my stats. I wonder what happens when they wear off, do I just go back to normal?

Emerging from my thoughts and my menu I turned to face the other members of the party. "So where should we go next-" I was suddenly interrupted by the crack of a bowstring and the sharp piercing of an arrow striking me in the chest

Then another sharp pain sunk into my lower back, the pain of a Thorne's dagger digging into my kidney. "Wh- Why?" was all I managed to stammer out in exasperation.

The scene before me blurred, my vision dimming as the agony of my new injuries tore through me. Rational thought evaporated like dew on a summer morning, replaced by nothing but an all-encompassing rage.

Thorne.

Thorne and his party weren't here to guide and protect me, they were here to kill me!

"Traitor!" I roared, my voice cracking as my vitality began to waver. The anger fueling me, I reached out for my precious weapon, But as my hand closed around the hilt of my sword, it wouldn't budge. My strength was gone. My weaponless body plummeted to the ground, the reality of my helplessness slamming into me with a force that left me breathless.

"Bert," came Thorne's voice, dripping with meaning as he stepped forward, "It was nothing personal, kid."

I clutched the nutrahealth vitamin bottle, it worked once and it was my last hope, but all of that was extinguished as the party mage snatched it telekinetically from my weakened grip. All hope extinguished I laid down in defeat, expecting not to wake up.

When I finally came to the vitamins were gone, alongside the pre-workout drink packets that I had, and all of my protein powder, I was in a bed lying in a lightly lit room that looked to be mostly made of hard natural wood. A gurgling noise emanated from my chest with every painful breath.

My consciousness slowly regained its footing, the world around me an eerie mix of fuzzy and sharp edges. My mind raced to piece together what had just happened, but the memory was fractured, much like the shards of glass that fell to the ground when a mirror breaks.

Finally, I mustered the strength to sit up, wincing as pain erupted from every injured part of my body. But there was no blood, no open wounds; just a dull ache that throbbed in time with my heart.

"Am I... dead?" I whispered, the words barely escaping my lips.

No response came.

Panic set in as I realized I was alone in this unfamiliar space. But before I could let out a scream, a door creaked open from the left corner of the room, revealing a man with a stern expression. His gray eyes bore into mine with a mix of confusion and curiosity, and he wore a simple tunic that seemed to match the rest of the room's natural theme.

"Ah, you're finally awake," he said, stepping into the room and walking toward me with a measured gait. His voice was deep and authoritative, though it held a hint of warmth that calmed my racing nerves. "I am Elborne, the leader of our guild. We found you on deaths door outside of the enchanted forest, but you're in a safe place now, don't worry."

I narrowed my eyes at him, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to remember what had happened. "Who are you? Why did you help me?"

"A band of ruffians came through town spinning a tale about a naive merchant that they picked up in Tepid and dumped in the enchanted forest, they were reporting that he had magic beans that gave anyone that consumed them powers that rival even the greatest heroes of legend, and that was just something that I knew I had to see for myself"

"Yea, well they are gone now old man so forget about it. You can't have them."

A glint of slight sadness appeared in his eyes "Well, that is a real shame son. Ya see things have been hard here for the old merchant guild lately, we once were prosperous, rich, and powerful and I was hoping those beans were the key to getting us back on top of things."

"Oh, so you were just looking for your piece of the pie too, is that it? Are all people in your world so insufferable and self-serving" I asked directing all of my pointed anger at the grey-eyed older man sitting at the foot of my bed.

Elborne's expression hardened at my accusation, but he didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he remained seated, his gaze steady on mine. "You have every right to be wary, given what you've been through," he began, his voice calm despite the tension in the air. "But I assure you, our motives are not as selfish as you may believe."

I scoffed, bitterness coloring my words. "Forgive me if I find it hard to trust anyone in this place after what happened with Thorne and his treacherous lot. How do I know you won't turn on me as well?"

Elborne's eyes softened, a glimmer of understanding in their depths. "I can't erase the past actions of others, but I can promise you this: in our guild, loyalty and honor are not just words thrown around lightly. We value camaraderie and unity above all else and you would of surely been fairly compensated for your contribution, but it's all a moot point now I'm afraid son." the sadness crept back into his voice near the end.

I felt a pang of guilt at Elborne's words, realizing that not everyone in this new world was out to betray me. Perhaps there was still hope for finding allies and a sense of belonging in this unfamiliar place.

With a heavy sigh, I finally relaxed my guard a little and nodded at Elborne. "I... I appreciate your honesty," I murmured, still unsure of what to make of this new guild leader and his intentions.

Elborne's eyes brightened slightly, a glimmer of hope shining through his serious demeanor. "Thank you, son. I understand your skepticism, but give us a chance to prove ourselves to you. We could use someone with your... unique talents on our side, magic beans or not, we heard of some of your bravery."

I couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope at Elborne's words. Perhaps this guild could be the fresh start I needed in this strange new world. With a newfound determination, I nodded at Elborne, signaling my willingness to at least hear him out.

Elborne's stern expression softened into a small smile of relief. "Good, good. I believe you will find a place among us, Bert." His tone was reassuring, his gaze unwavering as he spoke with conviction.

As I absorbed his words, a sense of purpose began to stir within me. Maybe this guild could provide the sense of belonging and direction that I had been searching for ever since my unexpected arrival in this fantastical realm. With a steady resolve, I met Elborne's gaze and spoke, "I may not have magic beans, but I'm willing to lend my talents to your cause. If you'll have me. Elborne's smile widened and a glint of approval entered into his eyes. "Welcome to the Kowlick Merchants Guild."