VitaVitaAR

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---

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Silence hung in the air for a few moments.

There wasn't a single sound. No birds. Not even the wind. The realm of the Moonlit Queen was dead silent as she acknowledged the confirmation of the manner in which her guardian had been destroyed.

While the growth of her hair had been distracting, there was no way that Fanilly would allow it to pull her attention away from the situation at hand. The next few moments dictated everything, and they were in a place of certain disadvantage. The Fae Realm was entirely under the Moonlit Queen's control, after all.

But there was no real choice if they wanted to negotiate with her.

The silence was practically deafening.

And then---

The Moonlit Queen clapped her hands together, a bright smile lighting up her childish face.

"Really? That's impressive! I thought I did a good job on that one, too," she declared cheerily. Internally, Fanilly found herself letting out a sigh of relief. They were hardly out of the woods yet, but at the same time they had made a step in the right direction, and the Fae did not seem angry.

"I thought it'd have chewed up aaaaaall your guts~" the Moonlit Queen added in a cheerful fashion. Her child-like looks and demeanor only made the situation all the more surreal, "But I guess not~"

She shrugged.

"... Why, though? Do you want to stay with me?"

That last question felt heavier. As if the edge of a knife had just been sharpened.

Fanilly tucked her hair back as best she could and stepped forward. Her heartbeat threatened to rip its way through her breastplate, but now was no time to hesitate.

They had to be clear.

The negotiations had to begin.

"We're here to bargain, Moonlit Queen," she began.

The fae tilted her head, curiously, large, black eyes shimmering.

"Bargain? For what?"

Fanilly took a deep breath. This was the moment that could determine the success or failure of their mission.

The way in which this unpredictable, supernatural being replied to their goal.

"For the return of Duke Thedric's wits."

The silence returned.

This time, however, a small frown had found its way to the Moonlit Queen's lips.

After a few moments, she crossed her arms, and much like a petulant child she looked away.

"No."

The Knight-Captain stared blankly for a few moments. Just an outright no? Immediately?

"Bu---"

Before she could continue speaking, the Moonlit Queen cut her off.

"No! That... big, stupid idiot---!"

A breeze started to rise, now. It rattled the branches of the distant, black trees.

"He doesn't deserve to have them back. Hmph. Acting like he doesn't have time anymore..."

'Acting like he doesn't have time anymore'?

Fanilly took a deep breath. She was hoping that the Moonlit Queen would have been more interesting in the idea of a bargain, but at the same time---

Maybe---

This wasn't unsalvageable?

It seemed as if the Moonlit Queen's reason for taking the Duke's wits had to do with some sort of perceived slight and past relationship, at the very least.

"Moonlit Queen," she began, sucking in a deep breath between words as she attempted to choose them wisely, "I won't waste any further time. What could we offer as a wager to make you consider returning his wits?"

The fae girl didn't reply immediately, letting out another huff, her arms folded over her chest.

When she finally spoke, however---

"There's nothing. After all, you'd have to offer me a wager just as entertaining as watching that big mean dummy prance around without his brains just to get me to think about it. Can any of you even do that?"

She turned to face the knights once more, leaning forward with her hands on her hips.

"What can all of you even do?"

Another Life in a Fantasy World (Invite Only)

---

Ruined Inn

---

Both of them.

It's not just me. Both of these people are from another world. I'm guessing my own world, but I suppose isekai where people come from different universes do exist. But, it's not as if anything they said makes it sound as if they came from anywhere but somewhere like my world, so there's no reason to assume otherwise.

Obviously, we can't just stay here. Even without taking into account the shambling figures who look worryingly like they're some form of undead, it's an abandoned warzone out there. There's smashed up storefronts and palisades, who would ever think this is a good place to settle down?

At the very least, focusing on that is helping me ignore my current situation. If I don't think too hard about every single part of my new body, then I'm probably fine for now.

Maybe.

Probably.

In any case, going out on the streets too fast is a stupid idea.

"I'm Yu---"

I cut myself off abruptly.

No, no way! I'm not letting these people know yet! I can barely face the truth myself, how will I deal with two other people I just met knowing what my situation is?!

Absolutely, absolutely not! I can't use my real name here!

"S-Sephily. Call me Sephily."

Ah, jeez, I hope neither of them have read Elf Mage...

"A-anyway, going out on the streets immediately is a stupid idea," I try to move on quickly, in hope that no-one thinks too hard about how I introduced myself, "This looks like an inn, doesn't it?"

I guess it's not the word spawn point in another world, if you're ending up in a former warzone.

"There's probably lots of supplies here, and maybe even some gear left behind if we're lucky, so we shouldn't just rush out without taking a look first."

That means checking outside before doing anything el---

... Hm.

Was that staff there before...?

I've only just noticed it.

It's probably not made of gold, that would be way too heavy, but it's certainly a gold-colored metal. Smooth and shiny and ornamental, topped with a large blue crystal and resting near a dusty dresser.

No matter how you look at it, that's a mage's staff, isn't it?

---And this outfit...

...

---If I can do magic, that'd at least make up a bit for the situation. A little.

"... L-like this!"

Okay, so I doubt anyone else will be lucky enough to find something of this high quality, but at least it's a sign maybe! The knight guy has armor already, after all!

I reach out, and---

Mage staff, get!

One more thing to help me focus on anything other than my new body!

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Rune_Alchemist@Crimson Paladin

Another Life in a Fantasy World (Invite Only)

---

Forest Shrine

---

As the three newcomers to this world introduced themselves and spoke to one another, very little seemed out of the ordinary. The forest was lush and verdant, so it was only to be expected that it would be filled with life. The chirping birds sang to one another, the light breeze caused the leaves to rustle---

It was a peaceful feeling, and a peaceful location.

A few small birds with red breasts and dark wings alighted where the raven had stood moments ago, peering curiously down at the unusual trio for a few moments. Exactly what went through their minds was hard to guess, of course. But it was clear they were wondering just where these unusual figures had come from, if nothing else.

Something scraped against a tree again, and the birds took off, disappearing into the forest across the clearing just as quickly as they appeared.

It was a little easier to hear it, now. It was certainly something dragging across tree bark.

Perhaps it had come a little closer?

And there it was, once again.

It was definitely closer, now.

Perhaps it would have been easier to miss, before.

But now that the birdsong had suddenly ceased, the scraping was quite audible.

Along with it was another sound. A distinct thud-thud-thud-thud, faint at first but growing louder.

Something was walking through the forest.

And it was getting closer.

@Raineh Daze@FujiwaraPhoenix@Pyromania99

Another Life in a Fantasy World (Invite Only)

---

Ruined Inn

---

Okay.

Calm down.

Take a deep breath.

Think rationally.

This is a fantasy world, and it's not a dream. That much is abundantly clear.

At this point, there's no choice, is there? I thought these sorts of things could only ever happen in fiction, but actually experiencing it before my eyes makes it clear that assumption was wrong.

The only possible explanation is that I did, in fact, die when I fell during the emergency landing. That I was given a new body in a new world.

To put it simply, I've wound up in a genuine isekai situation.

There's not exactly another explanation for it. I clearly remember my original life, and I have no memories of any prior existence in this world. I can remember faces of people I know. I can remember the emergency landing clearly.

Undeniably, this is me. These hands move when I move. Every motion I make, the cute elf girl in my reflection follows. Every little twitch of my facial expression.

Seriously?!

I was isekai'd and I ended up as a girl!? Why?! Why did it have to be the most awkward possible outcome?! How am I supposed to deal with this?! The mere fact that this new form is exactly the sort of girl that I'd like---

Someone just spoke behind me.

Erk.

On one hand, it's probably not for the best to be alone in a potentially dangerous new world when I have no idea what's going on.

On the other, I would really have liked a bit more privacy to come to grips with this new body.

But that's going to have to wait. There's no reason to hesitate any longer, I might as well turn to face the person who just spoke to me.

---

She's not a human. She's certainly made to look like one, but I can see those jointed figures. She's like some sort of moving bisque doll, complete with a frilly, fancy dress. And of course, she's taller than I am by quite a bit.

Is she someone else in my situation? It's not like becoming something not normally considered to be alive is unheard of in isekai. Or is she native? I have no idea. I don't know how to even start asking.

On top of that, someone else just showed up too. He's armored from head to toe, and seems completely lost.

That makes it more likely he's in the same predicament I am, at least.

Well, probably not exactly the same...

This is seriously a fantasy world. I'm seriously a tiny elf girl.

From my slender limbs to my small, frail frame, my pointed ears, my long hair, my smooth skin. This is really me.

I can't have a breakdown. I can't freak out in front of these people. I'd look completely insane. It's not like they know what's going on. It's not like I want them to know what's going on.

"... A-and you're a doll," I manage to stammer, in a dull and useless response towards the. Ugh, I'm totally freaking out. I can't hide it well at all. My hands are shaking. I'm breathing unevenly. My heartbeat is hammering.

I'm trying not to think about every aspect of my new body and how it's different from my old one. I'm failing that task.

I suck in air deeply, and try to clear my head, my gaze briefly drifting out the window.

...

There's a few things I missed before. There's fortifications on the street, some of them having been smashed open. A lot of the buildings have been broken into too. The streets so signs of some overgrowth and disrepair.

But worse then that---

There's bones. Shambling figures and bones.

On top of everything else, of course I couldn't be isekai'd to some kind of peaceful starter town. It's the aftermath of some kind of warzone, and I don't like the look of the wandering shapes out there either.

I take another deep breath as my attention returns to the other two.

I don't know how to answer that question about my identity. Who would ever want to be open about this kind of situation? So I'll put that aside for the moment.

What's going on here?

"A-as for what's going on, I don't know any better than you."

I managed to at least speak a full and coherent sentence that actually contributed to the conversation. Go me. You're doing such a good job.

Erk.

"H-how did you get here?"

It's a blunt question and I can't say I didn't ask it clumsily. But sometimes being blunt is the only option. I can't see any other way to broach the subject.

If they're also from a different world than this one, then at least I'm not the only one. If they're native, then maybe they can tell me what's going on.

And why we're in a place like this.

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Rune_Alchemist@Crimson Paladin

---

Forest Shrine

---

Out of everywhere someone could awaken after quite literally dying, a pleasant forest clearing surrounded by nature wasn't exactly the worst. As the trio awakened and got their bearings, they would be continuously serenaded by the song of various birds, and the gentle breeze and warm sunlight would provide them with a rather refreshing environment with which to come to grips with their situation.

To put it simply, it could obviously be worse.

The ruined building was definitely some kind of place of worship, though so long abandoned that it barely resembled a coherent structure at all.

Far above them, one one of the tallest remaining peaks of the ruins, a single raven alighted and peered down at the unusual set of people below with its shiny, dark eyes. It seemed quite curious about these people who just appeared from no-where. It's not as if that happened with any kind of frequency, so perhaps it was only natural for one of the local animals to be confused.

It let out a single, sharp caw, before taking flight and flying off and away from the ruins.

Aside from that, nothing in particular seemed out of the ordinary.

There was a somewhat distant scraping now, like something dragging along a tree, but that was probably just some kind of animal.

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Raineh Daze@Pyromania99