VitaVitaAR

Another Life in a Fantasy World (Invite Only)

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Ruined Inn

---

"I---..."

I trail off, my eyes drifting to the shape of the staff gripped in my hands. I have to be able to do magic. I'm an elf now, to begin with, and they're always good at magic in nearly every fantasy setting I know about. If I'm an elf dressed up as a mage and this is clearly a fantasy setting, then there's no reason to think otherwise.

But how do I do magic in the first place? It's not something I have any frame of reference for. I don't know how magic would even begin to work. Even if I look at fantasy media, it's not like magic works in a consistent way throughout all of them. Even if it's like one of those stories, how would I know which one?

It's like having a new limb suddenly appear on my body. How am I supposed to know how to use it?

Do I just want it enough?

"E-er, I'm not sure yet..."

I trail off, raising my staff slowly in both hands and trying to think it over. There has to be some way to figure it out, right?

---Right?

Ah.

He's opened the door.

I can hear it much louder, now. And see it, too. It's making its way up.

I had a feeling when I saw the shambling shapes outside, but they were far enough and in some cases armored enough that I couldn't be completely certain.

It's not pleasant to look at, but it's so dried out from being locked down in the basement that it's more like looking at a mummy then a rotten corpse. I guess I can be thankful for that.

I'm thankful for Javal-san, too. He's not even hesitating before trying to beat it down, and since he's got armor he's probably the best one to handle that here.

... I certainly can't. Not with this thin arms. Not with this small body.

However---

I might not know how to use magic yet, but I know what kind of setting this must be. If nothing else, I can tell him how to take it out!

"It's a magic zombie, I'm sure of it!" I call to him from behind, "That's... that's what kind of setting this is, it's fantasy! So don't bother trying to go for the head, try and make it so the body doesn't work anymore! Break its limbs, its back, make it it so it can't move!"

That has to be the way---!

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Crimson Paladin@Rune_Alchemist

---

Forest

---

"... Wake up there?"

For a few moments, the girl stared incredulously, as if she couldn't understand how such a thing would be possible.

"I don't understand how you find yourself out in the middle of the woods, let alone at that shrine, by accident," she said, lowering her staff, "But Relki did mention you seemed disoriented..."

She trailed off, then eyed the two older members of the trio(but notably not Hikari) suspiciously.

"Were you drunk?"

She let out a heavy sigh.

"Well, in case you needed a refresher," she began, "That shrine is given a wide berth for a reason."

She placed her free hand on her hip.

"That creature is why."

She grumbled something under her breath, barely audible. While for most it would be difficult to make out any clear words, Hikari's sensitive fox ears would be able to discern what was being said.

"---Not that staying away from the shrine is enough these days."

For a few moments, the witch-girl didn't say anything else, her brows furrowed and her lips pressed tightly together. Then, she let out another sigh.

"Listen, I'm not happy about this, but I can't have two weirdoes and an unfortunate maid dying on my conscience," she said, "And Relki wouldn't leave me alone if I just pointed you towards the way out and told you to find your own way."

As if on cue, a raven appeared from seemingly no-where, gently alighting on the tip of the girl's staff. It regarded the odd trio silently, tilting its head.

"So, follow me. I'll take you someplace safe for the night and then show you the way out in the morning. Got it?"

The girl turned and started to walk away, then paused and looked back over her shoulder.

"Since you seem so ill-informed, I'll introduce myself. I'm Ilsa, Substitute Witch of the Forest."

The raven let out a caw, and Ilsa glared at it for a moment. Eventually, she let out a sigh.

"And that's Relki. For some reason, she won't just tell you herself. Now, come on."

With that, she turned and started to walk away. The forest was no longer so dark and intimidating, with the departure of the creature, but the patches of dead plants where its hooved feet hand fallen remained. Still, the birds had returned, and the idyllic and peaceful-seeming surroundings no longer held a scrap of malice. Certainly, there were likely dangerous creatures living in the woods of a more ordinary sort, but it still seemed to be a pleasant enough place.

If one could forget the deer creature.

After a few moments of walking, the forest cleared slightly to reveal a stone path with grass growing between it, leading to a cottage across a small wooden bridge over a stream. It had a small garden out front, flush with blooming flowers, and something small and sparkly seemed to be flitting around above the rooftops and about the garden.

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Pyromania99@Raineh Daze

The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel

I guess I'm not particularly surprised by their explanation of the situation. It's not unexpected that we'd be seen as overqualified for basic duties.

We are.

And I don't think I'd particularly approve of being sent to handle anything less then serious threats to innocent people, rather then pest control or something of a similar nature.

So, their logic, as frustrating as it is, spares us from a far more frustrating outcome, and I am sure my partners agree. At least, provided they're not entirely brainless.

"There were quite a few Dwemer ruins where I come from, and wicked-hearted louts were fond of lurking within them," I respond, "I have no issue with the task."

@Rune_Alchemist@Crimson Paladin

Another Life in a Fantasy World (Invite Only)

---

Ruined Inn

---

---Huh?

Recovering from the embarrassing closeness is hard enough, but now I have to figure out just what she was going on about. She summarized the makeup of the materials used in the staff, and then my clothing.

Some of that could probably be written off as educated guesses, but in other cases I couldn't be so sure. Somehow, she figured that out just by touch alone?

There's no way. Even someone experienced in textiles and in the creation of---What do you even call a mage's staff?

Weaponry, I guess?

---Regardless, there's no way any ordinary person could figure all of that out by touching it. Especially when some of the materials involved didn't even exist in the real world, in the case of the staff.

In that case, since this was clearly an isekai setup, then wasn't it obvious?

It wasn't that she was making an educated guess. It's because she knew for sure what materials everything was made out of just by touching them.

Because that must be her 'cheat'.

Maybe it's jumping to conclusions, but is anything jumping to conclusions when I've woken up as a tiny elf girl in a fantasy world? It's not like there being 'cheats' in an isekai situation is unexpected.

Really, it's only natural to make the guess.

But if that's the case, if she has a cheat that lets her read the composition of any object she touches, then it would stand to reason that anyone else who got reincarnated here would also possess some sort of cheat ability.

In that case---

What's mine?

I haven't tried it, but I don't think this is the kind of setting where I'd have a status screen or anything like that. So, it's not like I can check up on any sort of special ability that way.

I'm dressed up like some kind of mage, but if this is a fantasy setting I don't think magic in and of itself would be considered a chea---

Wait.

If I'm dressed as a mage, if I'm an elf, does that mean---

Does that mean I can do magic!?

Despite the situation, despite everything, I can suddenly feel a surge of excitement rushing up through my chest.

It's a single light of hope for me.

If I can do magic, everything is just a little better!

But how do I do it?

This is clearly a mage's staff, so maybe I can use it somehow?

But h----

The doll's words reach my ears.

Erk.

"N-no way!"

I turn to face her, trying to raise my staff defensively. Having my ears molested was bad enough, who knows what she'll do if I let her hug me!

Besides, we have much more important things to focus on. I haven't forgotten the noise from the basement, despite everything.

"Th-there's something in the basement, I... I heard it, scraping around down there. Rather then bothering me, shouldn't you be more worried about that?!"

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Pyromania99@Raineh Daze

---

Forest

---

The wave of black-red centipedes flowed over the forest floor, scrabbling through the leaflitter, as the green orbs grew closer and closer. Now, a sickly rotten scent filled the air, like meat left out far too long in the heat.

From the darkness, a shape had begun to emerge.

It was tall, at least twice as high at the shoulder then a grown man, supported on four spindly legs. Worn and desiccated flesh clung to its skeleton, peeling away in places to expose yellowed bone.

Its face was fleshless, a layer of skin attached directly to the bone.

It resembled a massive deer, great antlers extending from its skull-like head. The green glow emanated from its dark eye sockets, illuminating its skeletal face. Its lower jaw seemed disarticulated, hanging open attached by mere sinew and allowing a lengthy, pallid tongue to writhe like some sort of abominable worm. Dark mist left its at a constant rate.

The breathing sound was heavier, louder, now, growing closer and closer as the skeletal deer creature gained on the fleeing trio. Each thundering fall of its hoof caused the plants beneath it to wither and die.

From the dried wounds and torn skin across its body, occasionally a black-red centipede would emerge and fall to the ground to join the writhing swarm.

It was gaining on them.

There was no way to outrun it.

It was almost upon them, its gaping jaws open even wider to reveal nothing but a yawning void beyond down its throat, blackness darker then even the forest had become.

A golden wall of light sprang up from the darkness, intercepting the lurching creature. Its neck seemingly snapped, bone jutting through the dried skin and patchy fur, its head bent at a sharp right angle.

After only a moment, it stepped back, a sickeningly fleshy sound coming from within its body as its neck slowly realigned itself.

Greenish fluid dripped from between its gaping jaws, now, a few small centipedes falling from its maw.

The source of the wall of golden light stood before it.

It was a girl, glad in black and gold clothing and wearing a wide-brimmed hat. In one slender hand, she gripped a smooth wooden staff, currently held in the air.

Her petite figure was dwarfed by the skeletal monster. The sickly scent of decay permeated the air.

"They are not the ones who wronged you," the girl said, her voice firm as her green eyes remained fixed on the creature, "You will come no further."

Leaning forward, the monster's gaping maw stretched wider, the green fluid now tinged with black as it dripped to the ground.

Give them... to me... suffer... they shall... suffer...

A whispering voice, raspy, seemingly emanating from the entire forest just as the breathing had.

Consume... I will devour...

The girl thrust her staff higher.

"They are not the ones who wronged you," she spoke again, her voice louder now, "You shall come no further."

An eternity seemed to pass. The sickly rot scent only grew stronger.

But the creature suddenly rose, its decayed body turning as it slowly shambled off into the blackness of the forest.

The sound of breathing faded. The sickly rot odor disappeared, too.

The forest seemed lighter again. Slowly, the songs of birds could be heard once more.

The girl lowered her staff, letting out a heavy sigh.

And then---

She turned on her heel, marching right up to the three assembled figures and aiming a swing of her staff squarely at the head of the nearest non-fox target.

"What were you thinking?!" she exclaimed, "Intruding on that shrine of all places?! You're lucky Relki saw you...!"

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Crimson Paladin@Rune_Alchemist

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

As everyone introduced themselves and tried to explain their abilities and skills, the fae girl watched, her shiny, black eyes gleaming as she took in every detail of the explanations. Lord Arken, too, was watching closely, his eyes particularly focused on Lady Gertrude's demonstration of power as she animated her broom and altered its shape into a wooden replica of herself.

While the Moonlit Queen did take the flower offered by Sir Fionn, it was with an irritated huff.

"I'm a Queen, I'm not a child," she complained, raising her right hand and snapping her fingers, "The flower is nice, but I won't let you get away with that!"

A faint, itchy sensation would spread over Sir Fionn's skin, and though nothing drastic happened---

Fanilly wasn't sure how to react, as she witnessed every single hair on the knight's body turn a bright, luminescent pink. With a huff, the Moonlit Queen turned away, arms folded.

"And you---"

The other Knight she gave a... special response towards was Sir Gerard.

"Are you trying to offer yourself to me?" she replied, cocking her head quizzically as she did. It was the mention of seemingly replacing the Duke that made her particularly annoyed, however, a frown crossing her youthful features.

With a wave of her hand, the Knight found his appearance afflicted in a similar fashion to Sir Fionn's, every hair upon his body now pulsing with light and letting off a rainbow glow that was rather surreally reflected by the chill-less snow that lay upon the ground.

Needless to say, it could have gone better.

Finally, there was her response to Sir Fleuri.

"I haven't heard of you," she said, flatly, narrowing her eyes, "But I suppose it sounds like you do a lot of fighting. You all do."

A more thoughtful expression crossed the fae girl's delicate features.

Fanilly hadn't missed it. In spite of everything, she'd been doing everything she could to pay attention to the way that the Moonlit Queen reacted to every explanation of their capabilities by her knights. She could worry about the... odd new hair colors and the length of her own hair later.

And she'd seen it.

After Dame Tyaethe mentioned Rozenalt, the Moonlit Queen hadn't spoken. Instead, she'd simply turned her attention to the next knight, Sir Rolan.

But Fanilly had seen her expression.

Those lips had curled into a wide smirk.

The very smirk that now occupied the girl's lips as she regarded the Knights as a whole.

"As you can see, Moonlit Queen, as the Iron Rose Knights we are all quite capable, in combat for certain and many of us in other areas, such as Lady Gertrude's magic, or in dealing with words."

Though it seemed she hadn't approved of Sir Fionn and Sir Gerard's words, given the perplexing colors of their hair.

"If there's any wager you may accept---"

The small fae girl didn't wait for her to finish speaking.

"As it turns out, there might just be a wager for you, Children of Man," the Moonlit Queen said, leaning towards them. That playful smirk had only grown.

"I'll even let you set the odds, if you accept it," she added playfully, straightening, "It's a task~!"

A task?

The wager was going to be in the form of a task?

Fanilly took a deep breath.

"What task is it, Moonlit Queen?"

The fae girl's lips parted into a grin.

"Why, to defeat the Midnight Hunt, of course!"

The way she spoke made it sound as if she thought this was the most obvious thing in the world. As if there was no other possible wager she would have offered.

When Fanilly saw the way she reacted to Dame Tyaethe mentioning Rozenalt, she'd had some kind of suspicion, but she could never have guessed that they'd be tasked with defeating the Midnight Hunt.

"Defeat them?" Lord Arken asked, incredulously, "Not just surviving the night against them, but defeating them?"

"Of course!" declared the Moonlit Queen brightly, "You were all so keen to point out your skill in combat, so I'm sure it's a fair wager! I'm letting you set the terms, after all---Ah, aside from what I'll get if you fail."

The pallid girl extended a single pitch black finger towards the knights.

"You. All of you. I won't let you die, but every single one of you will be mine."

At the wager, the paladin tensed, naked curiosity on her face, "And who would be leading the Hunt today, perchance?"

"Why, Rozenalt, naturally! I had wondered what caught his interest from your arrival."

The air was seized with an uncomfortable feeling of static, something invisibly dancing upon it, all the worse as you stood closer and closer to Tyaethe. As for her expression… the fanged grin on display was an uncomfortable reminder of just how much of a monster a vampire really was.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Cyrodiil

"..."

I don't really know what I expected from the necromancer, but...

To be honest---

Pathetic probably wasn't it. I don't know what her motivations are, but she's not imposing. She looks frail, if anything. I guess I'm not very impressive either, but at the same time---

Wait. That undead is fresh, and one of the guard. How did she even---?

I take a deep breath, stepping back and raising the borrowed sword as I do. It'll be a little harder to handle but at the same time I don't really have much of a choice.

I can't really think about how she managed to obtain the zombie yet. That has to wait.

Even if it's a fresh body, I'm alive. I'll definitely be faster!

Ducking low, and compressing my silhouette as much as I can, I rush for the undead. I have to get it out of the way before I can do anything else!

I'll aim for under the arm, then drag the sword upwards and hopefully disarm it in a literal sense before going for another blow to finish it off. That'll leave just me and the Necromancer!

Another Life in a Fantasy World (Invite Only)

---

Ruined Inn

---

---Huh?

I can hear something. It's barely audible, but it's certainly there. Despite how difficult it is to hear it, I can still pinpoint exactly where it's coming from, too.

The basement.

Of course. I'm an elf now. I guess these long, pointy ears aren't just for show, are they? I guess it's true that being able to heard better is usually a trait of elves, but I hadn't even thought about it until just now.

Suddenly being a girl in a fantasy world and having to deal with a dead body kind of took all of my attention.

Putting all of that aside, there's definitely something down in the basement. I can't make out what, but even with the improved hearing of an elf I doubt I'd hear it if it was just rats or some other vermin skittering around down there. Or maybe I would, but it doesn't sound like that.

It's something bigger, at least.

---Those shambling figures outside among the barricades and ruined storefront.

That'd mean it's probably---

Wait, why does the doll girl want me to hold still?

"E-eh?"

I look back over my shoulder in time for her to reach around my body and place her jointed fingers directly onto my staff.

I've been clinging tightly to it this whole time, trying to distract myself from the corpse in the room, and now she's trying to---

No, she's not trying to steal it.

She's just touching it.

---I don't really know why, though.

Did she have to get so close to do this? She's practically pressing up against me. She might be a doll, but she's a girl, isn't this awkward for her?

Erk, I gues it's not like she knows that I wasn't always like this, but still---This proximity is really a lot. Is this just how it is for girls?

Somehow I can't imagine that's usually the case.

Aaah, damn it, my cheeks are definitely getting a little hot, I'm not used to being so close to anyone. Did she seriously have to---

"Hyek!?"

An involuntary noise leaves my lips when her hand pats my stomach. Okay, that's really uncalled for, what is she doing?! I look back over my shoulder, my cheeks now quite a bit hotter.

---Ah.

This... this is worse.

Her hands have left my stomach, but now they're running over my pointed ears. I can immediately feel them flush, my heartbeat rapidly quickening as my entire face starts to burn.

Ah... aah...

Why?

Why is she doing this?

Why is she touching them? Stroking them? That scene from Elf Mage comes into sharp focus in my mind. When Sephily's ears were touched like this by Milta, it was---

Is this what that was meant to be like!?

Even aside from that, who just played with someone's ears out of no-where?! What's wrong with this girl?!

And why do my ears have to be so sensitive?! Aah, just the way her fingertips went over them sent a tingle up my spine, that's definitely not okay!

Maybe I should have expected this, but why did I need to be prepared to have my ears molested within less then an hour of waking up as the opposite sex and an entirely different race?!

Is this sort of thing just okay where she came from!? I hope not! Why does it have to be so tingly?!

"Wh-wh-wh-what are you doing?!"

I try to step away as fast as I can and turn to face her. I know my face and ears have to be bright red.

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Rune_Alchemist@Crimson Paladin

Another Life in a Fantasy World (Invite Only)

---

Ruined Inn

---

---!

My grandfather passed away in my first year of high school. He'd been ill for a while. It wasn't really unexpected.

He'd been a kind, but increasingly distant person in his last few years. Maybe it was depression, over realizing that his life was going to end soon.

I'd been in the room when it happened.

I thought he was just sleeping at first, but as I got closer I realized I couldn't hear him breathing anymore.

---I didn't cry. Not immediately. It took a little while for me to truly grasp what had just happened, and even after that the experience didn't even feel real.

He looked like he was alive, still. Just still. Just asleep.

I think what hurt the most was that I didn't say goodbye to him, properly, even though I knew it was coming. The fact he had died was expected at that point, but the fact I didn't give him that final farewell wasn't anticipated.

It was the one and only time I'd truly been present in the same place as a dead body. A surreal, unexpected yet expected experience that I only truly comprehended after the fact, that only stung in the aftermath when I truly grasped what had happened.

It was nothing like it is now.

I guess I'm thankful that the body is dried out. It's probably due to being locked inside and mostly encased in armor that whoever it was didn't rot and make things a lot worse in here.

---It wasn't quiet, though. There's dark streaks all over the wall. They're old, but---

That's blood, isn't it?

I can feel this tightness inside of me. I can't look at it for very long, I have to turn away and avert my eyes, my hands gripping tightly onto my new staff as I take in a deep breath and try to clear my head.

It's a corpse, alright. I guess I can be thankful there isn't more of them, given that it looks like there's a warzone outside.

Just one gives me a little time to adjust and stop my heart from beating quite this quickly.

It's probably for the best that I try to think of something, anything else.

Supplies. We're looking for supplies. Where could more supplies be? This place is old but not old enough to be completely destroyed, so maybe---

"I-If there's any food still useable, it'd probably be the dried or salted stuff th-they'd keep in the basement," I comment, still facing away from the corpse and holding my staff tightly. I just need a little more time before I can properly look at it and try and take in what it means for our current situation.

@Rune_Alchemist@Crimson Paladin@FujiwaraPhoenix

The Elder Scrolls IV: Cyrodiil

---Molag Bal.

It's not exactly a name I've never heard. But obviously, Lanessa's familiarity with the topic is far deeper than my own.

Not that it's any shock to me, what she says. It's simply more detailed then what I'd known before. It's hard for me to even begin to understand why anyone would ever consider following such a monster, unless they were just monstrous to begin with.

I guess they kind of person who would become a 'problem necromancer' is already the kind of person who is going to be inclined to worship a monster.

---Speaking of which, she's just beyond, isn't she?

I suck in another deep breath. It's not going to be the first time I've fought and killed a person, not after my escape earlier, but it's certainly going to be more complicated then taking on the simple undead I've fought here so far.

But it's not like I'm going to feel bad when it's the type of person who would happily worship Molag Bal. If someone innocent had been close by, what would she have done to them?

I don't think I even want to think about it.

Bracing myself, I follow Lanessa's line of sight to the curtain and the passage beyond. I'll put and end to this, then, for the sake of anyone who might be endangered by a mad necromancer's evil plots.

Another Life in a Fantasy World (Invite Only)

---

Forest Shrine

---

Thud.

Thud.

Thud thud.

Thud thud thud thud thudthudthudthudthudthudthud---

The heavy pounding of the creature in pursuit was growing louder. The moment they started running, it became clear that its pace had quickened, and now it was only growing louder and more swift.

It wasn't just chasing them. It was gaining on them.

The forest had seemed serene and peaceful before. But now, the light of the sun above seemed to have grown dimmer. Where once the only thing obscuring their vision was the green leaves of the lush foliage, now it seemed far darker. Between the trees was inky blackness, the kind that could normally only be seen on a truly starless, moonless night.

Worse than that was the fact it was now far more difficult to see where they were going.

Behind them, a pair of pale green orbs could now be discerned, emerging from the shadows that consumed the path they left behind.

If they were eyes, whatever they belonged to was far taller than a human being.

It almost seemed as if the shadows themselves were rolling across the earth and through the undergrowth, close to the ground, but this wasn't the case.

No, instead, what crawled along the ground was hundreds upon hundreds of black-red centipedes, their numerous limbs scrabbling through the leaflitter as they moved in unison ahead of their green-eyed pursuer.

A shape of something could almost be discerned now, thundering footfalls growing louder. A ragged, rasping sound seemed to fill the forest, coming from every direction at once.

They had to think quickly of some way to lose the creature chasing them down---!

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Pyromania99@Raineh Daze

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

"..."

Ah---

Her insides had twisted up inside of her like a knot.

All this work, all this effort, and it was just because of a trap for someone else? Did the Grovemasters not care a single bit what was going on beyond their borders?

Did they not care what was happening to people?

Did they not care the threat to their own people?

Clearly they didn't.

Clearly, if they wanted to take down one of the people who was actually putting an effort to try and stop this evil. Clearly, if they were willing to divert their attention from their purpose just for the sake of setting a trap.

It was all quite obvious that this was the acts of people who had no care for anything but themselves.

Robin's hands shook.

Her heart had twisted itself up into a knot.

Her fingers wrapped firmly around the hilt of her spada as she raised it, red flames licking at the corners of her vision.

How dare they?

How dare they shrug off the threat to millions of innocent people just to pursue one person who was actually trying to help? How dare they use this guise of a test to deceive them for that purpose?

What kind monsters, what kind of villains, did such things?

---Ah.

That was it, wasn't it?

No matter what the Grovemaster said, they were the villains. They were the ones standing in the path of the safety of so many innocent people. The ones actively trying to damage the effort to protect millions.

"... You're unforgivable."

The words left her lips as the pointed her sword towards the Grovemaster.

How many wards had she just cast?

Did it matter at this point?

No. Truly, it did not.

Lights danced along the edge of her spada, then flared brighter. This wasn't merely to bind a target. It was extremely unlikely, at best, to do any significant damage to the wards, too.

But at the moment, that didn't really matter.

The light erupted forward, hurtling towards the Grovemaster with a brilliant flash---