From Real to Realm

The walk home was rough. Her hip ached in protest of every step, her wrist throbbed—her body was exhausted. She’d likely have lingering reminders in the morning.

As she walked through the streets, something dawned on her.

Mom’s list!

It was getting late, which meant most shops were closing soon, if not already closed.

“What was on the list again?” she muttered, pulling out the paper.

Copper Wire

Silverleaf Thread

Glimmer Pebbles

Polishing Cloth

Polish

Leather Strips

Fasteners

“More than I expected,” she muttered with a sigh.

Thanks to all of the exploring she did recently, she knew of the perfect store.

The cart was already closed down for the day. So she rushed to the store itself as the sun set in the distance. It only took a few minutes before she found the storefront itself.

As she pushed through the front door, a small bell jingled above her head. The old stumpy man at the counter was snoring, face resting against his hand.

Val chuckled. “Must’ve been a slow day.”

It was her first time inside this particular store, so she didn’t know the layout.

That meant searching each aisle, each shelf, and every box.

The old man was asleep, so he wouldn’t be much help. The inside of the store was a bit dusty but had plenty to look through. She found the rolls of wire and thread easily enough, grabbing a handful of feet of each.

“Now where the hell are the glimmer pebbles?”

Val walked down the aisle, checking each shelf and box.

She ended up finding polishing cloth and cream, but still no pebbles yet. Only after rounding to the next aisle did she find some bags lying across the shelf. Opening one after the other revealed beads of all colors and designs.

After opening a dozen she was getting irritated. She went to place a bag back on the shelf but missed and it fell.

With a loud smack it hit the ground, spilling beads onto the floor.

“Hey! Careful with that!” the old man yelled.

“Finally woke up,” she said under her breath.

She crouched down and took the time to clean up the beads that escaped. She tried to be thorough, but wasn’t sure if she got them all—and right now, she didn’t really care. After placing the bag back, she turned to the old man.

“Glimmer pebbles?”

“Any particular color?” he asked, pointedly.

Val sighed. “A variety, preferably.”

The old man pulled out a few bags from behind the counter, laying them down.

Val furrowed her brow. Glimmer pebbles weren’t exactly expensive, or rare, so seeing them being kept behind the counter didn’t make sense. Regardless, she took the time to look through the options and chose the one with the most variety.

“Is that all?” he asked.

“I need leather strips and fasteners as well,” Val said, glancing at the list.

“Ah, far wall,” the old man said, pointing.

She left what she had so far on the counter. The store was quiet and empty, so it wasn’t like someone else would need the counter before her. She made her way to the far wall where the old man had pointed.

When she turned the corner of a shelf she saw weapon parts sprinkled around. A few fully assembled weapons leaned against the wall. One looked like it had seen better days, likely used for training of some kind.

Val reached out, hesitating, and ran her finger along the steel.

“Want to test it out?” the old man asked.

“No… not yet,” Val murmured, shaking her head.

She turned back to the shelf and gathered an assortment of leather strips and fasteners. She knew the kind of commissions her mother did, so she knew what to choose.

Once she had everything she laid it on the counter. The old man placed everything in a burlap sack as he added the cost together. After paying the old man she left, eager to get home for dinner.

It didn’t take much longer for Val to reach her neighborhood.

The sun was just barely visible now, casting an array of warm colors through the sky. Val had the burlap sack over her shoulder as she walked.

She was lost in thought about the day’s events. That meant she didn’t notice when a second set of footsteps joined hers.

“Wow, you’re really out of it,” Lynesia said.

Val jumped, almost dropping the sack.

“Fuck—Lynesia. Scared the shit out of me,” she said, sighing.

“Sorry. You must’ve had a rough day,” Lynesia said, twisting a strand of hair between her fingers. “Do you have a minute to talk?”

Val looked up at the sky. It was close to dinner, but she had a minute or two to spare for her best friend.

“Walk and talk?” Val asked.

“Actually, I’d rather sit down and talk,” Lynesia said.

Val raised an eyebrow, but didn’t see a reason to say no. “Lead the way.”

Lynesia guided Val to a small, park-like area in the neighborhood.

It was empty since it was late in the day. Lynesia sat down on a bench, patting the spot next to her. Val sat the sack down before taking her seat. She leaned back, inhaling deep and trying to relax.

When she glanced over she noticed something. Lynesia was blushing furiously and she was avoiding Val’s gaze again.

“You alright?” Val asked.

Lynesia didn’t respond.

Val tilted her head, leaning in. “Lynesia—did something happen?”

Val’s mind was beginning to race.

If it was something important, surely Lynesia would have told her right away. Instead, they walked a handful of minutes out of the way to an isolated park. Where they could be alone, have privacy.

Wait a second…

“I have feelings for you.”

Val’s eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat.

The words hit harder than she expected.

“Not just normal feelings—like, romantic ones. Ugh, why is this so hard?”

Lynesia turned to Val, still twirling her hair.

She struggled to meet Val’s gaze, her leg bouncing. “Val… I want to be with you.”

Her voice was firmer now.

Val’s mind began to spiral into a slew of questions.

Is this real? Why now? Is it even ethical to pursue a relationship with her? Why now of all days?

“I know it’s probably a bit sudden—I’ve been avoiding you some, to give myself space. I needed to take the time to consider what I was feeling and I’m sure of it now. I don’t think I felt this way before you got sick.”

“I mean, I liked you—but as a friend. I think.” She paused to breathe. “After you got better and started working to regain everything you lost, I found myself drawn to you more. You’re more open now—fun, confident, determined.”

“I mean, you’re like a different person altogether.” She took Val’s hands in hers. “Maybe I did have some romantic feelings from before. However, I now know without a doubt, I want more—and I can’t hide it from you anymore.”

Lynesia had paused, giving Val a moment to wrap her head around this.

The bouncing of Lynesia’s leg gave away how anxious she was, and Val squeezed her hands softly.

“Thank you,” Val finally said. “Hearing you pour your heart out like that... it makes me happy. I really didn’t know you felt this way.”

Lynesia bit her lip, blush renewing. “After that morning… when I helped you. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. About you. I care about you, more than I thought. Spending time with you, even after that morning, only showed me how much. You’re beautiful, Val. Being around you while you were getting stronger—it was hard not to melt whenever you smiled at me.”

Val couldn’t hold back her smile anymore. “With my amnesia, I am pretty much a different person. You were a rock during my recovery.”

Val paused, the days events flitting through her mind. “But my day has been rough. Is it alright if I take some time to think about this? I want a clear head when I do.”

Lynesia paused, her eyes scanning Val’s face.

After a moment she squeezed Val’s hand. “Of course—I honestly didn’t know if I’d get an answer right away. Take as long as you need.”

Val stood, quickly pulling Lynesia into a tight hug.

Their hug lingered for a moment before they finally released each other.

With a shy smile and wave, Lynesia began walking away.

Once she was out of sight, Val flopped on the bench.

She sat there for what felt like an eternity, trying to comprehend what just happened.

The mutual attraction, both emotional and physical, was there. But was it really alright to be with Lynesia romantically? If so, should she come clean about her origin?

Would Lynesia even want to be near her if she found out Val took the place of the original Valnarei?

Fuuuuuuck.

The remainder of the walk home was short, but emotionally charged.

A relationship with Lynesia. The thought alone was enough to make Val’s heart race.

At least she’s okay with my… differences.

Val had been concerned with how people would react to her change. She wasn’t so naive to think women like her existed throughout the world. However, now she had someone who was supportive of her. But it was never that simple.

Val finally reached the front steps to her house. Each one reminded her of the pain throbbing through her hip. When she reached the door she paused, then pushed it open.

The smell of food filled her nostrils immediately. A grumble from her stomach reminded her she hadn’t eaten yet. She was lured down the hall by the smell of fresh food, soon reaching the dining room.

Her mother was the first to acknowledge her arrival.

“We were beginning to wonder where you were,” she said.

“Sorry, I lost track of time.” Val rubbed the back of her neck. “Oh, I got your supplies though.”

She handed the sack to her mother, then took her seat at the table.

Vesperia looked through the sack with a curious expression.

“This is much more than I needed,” she said. “Just means I won’t need to restock as soon next time.”

Val tried to stay involved in conversation around the table as dinner began.

However, given what happened today it was hard.

The hardest part was keeping it all hidden from her family. Lynesia’s confession didn’t need to be kept from her family, but it only felt right to do so. Everything else though, adventuring, fighting, badging, her denial? That definitely couldn’t be discussed with her family.

When dinner was over she quietly excused herself from the table.

“Are you alright?” Volde finally asked.

“You’ve been distant during dinner,” Vesperia chimed in, worried.

“Yeah… sorry just was a rough day is all. I probably just need some sleep,” Val said, avoiding the questions.

Her parents shared a worried look, but didn’t press more.

It felt so wrong brushing her parents off like that, especially after all they had done for her. However, she needed to if she was ever going to keep everything hidden. One slip up could bring everything into the light.

A warm bath in silence was exactly what she needed right now. It would give her a way to attempt to process everything that happened today.

Within minutes she was back in her room, a trail of clothes leading to her bathroom. The sound of hot water filling the tub echoed around the quiet room.

Steam curled around her face as she sunk deeper into the water.

Slowly she disappeared beneath the surface—silence, finally.

She closed her eyes, trying to focus on the day’s events—trying to parse them.

The guild denied her, but now she had a path, training with Cyrus and his party.

After that, she could get badged, join a party, and finally start delving.

And then… there was Lynesia’s confession. She hadn’t said “love”, but it was more than a crush. That much was clear.

With air running low, Val slowly surfaced.

“Why couldn’t this be a normal reincarnation—where I was my own person?” she muttered.

Val started washing away the day’s grime, still mulling everything over.

The hot water helped ease the ache in her wrist and hip, but the soreness lingered—reminding her of the fight with Barrett. Even though she beat someone already officially recognized by the guild, she still needed a class.

Right now she didn’t have much to go off of. The halberd she chose in the moment had felt right to her. Beyond that, she didn’t know what else to consider.

By the end of her bath she had calmed down. The guild would acknowledge her soon enough, especially after Cyrus and his party helped her.

Lynesia would need to give her some time, but Val refused to just ignore her.

Val climbed out of the bath, water dripping from her body.

She walked up to the sink, wiping the steam from the mirror.

Her emerald green eyes looked back as she studied her features. Six months of adapting to this body, and still sometimes she felt like she didn’t belong.

She looked down at herself, taking in the shape that still didn’t quite feel like hers, and sighed.

It was time to push forward.

Val grabbed a towel and started drying off, walking into her room as she did.

By now, the sun had fully set. That meant faint city lights shimmered in the distance through her window.

Val focused on drying her hair, her eyes drifting toward where the guildhall should be.

She tried shaking her head clear.

Sighing, she looked through her dresser to find something to sleep in. She only wore something akin to boy shorts to bed now. It offered the most protection from someone seeing what she had now.

Once dressed she flopped onto the bed, climbing up to slip under her plush cool covers. As Val’s head hit the cool side of her pillow, she smiled.

Today was supposed to be her beginning, but now tomorrow felt more like her first steps.

I won’t back down.

Slowly, her eyes closed, sleep claiming her exhausted body.

Val fell into a very deep sleep.

Somehow though, she managed to be up before dawn as planned.

Quietly she got dressed before peeking into the hallway outside her room. She tiptoed through the house, careful not to disturb anyone, and slipped out the front door.

Moisture hung in the air as she made her way through her neighborhood.

Fog lingered around every corner while her eyes adjusted to the faint light of the morning. It wasn’t a short walk to the guild hall from home, so she needed to be up earlier than most people.

The streets were mostly empty, with only a handful of people walking along.

Guards were here and there, but not as concentrated or obvious as midday.

By the time Val reached the empty square surrounding the guildhall, the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon. Long colorful streaks of color filled the sky as she approached the gate.

“Did you get a badge?” the same guard from before asked.

“Not yet,” Val said, eyes narrowing. “I am training today.”

“Train somewhere else,” the guard said. “I told you to get a badge soon.”

“She’s with us,” Cyrus cut in. “Move.”

Val didn’t hear them approach when she was arguing with the guard. She turned to see Irina, Zennia, and Dolf there as well. Zennia grinned before winking at her.

The guard’s eyes narrowed as Cyrus got closer. He peeked around the side, making eye contact with Irina, Dolf, and Zennia as well.

“Fine, but get her a badge soon.”

Cyrus turned to Val smirking.

With that headache out of the way, she walked into the rather empty courtyard with Cyrus and his party. Her breath fogged in the air as they made their way toward the training grounds. It was quiet—no bustle yet.

When they reached the training grounds, Cyrus led everyone to the furthest sand pit. Irina and Zennia took a seat on the bench while Dolf stepped up beside Cyrus.

“Alright, do you have any foundation so far?” Dolf asked.

Val tilted her head. “Kind of? I tried a halberd yesterday and it felt good in my hands.”

“A Halberd?” Irina asked from the side. “I never would’ve guessed that.”

Zennia shared the confused, yet curious, expression Irina had.

Cyrus strode to the weapon rack and grabbed a halberd.

He tossed it to Val, catching her by surprise.

“Alright, we aren’t going to guide you with anything. You’re going to try and strike Dolf,” he said, crossing his arms. “Just do what feels natural to you.”

Val walked into the well-trodden sand pit across from Dolf. The scuffed wooden posts ringing the pit gave Cyrus something to lean against.

“Doesn’t he need a weapon to block my attacks?” Val asked, confused.

Dolf chuckled. “These are my weapons.”

He readied his fists. “Now stop delaying or I’ll make the first move.”

Val tilted her head in confusion. Then steeled herself.

She ran her hand along the wooden blade of the halberd. Even though she felt eager to get started, she couldn’t help but feel butterflies.

After taking a deep breath, she lowered the weapon. With one hand on the back half to balance the weight, her lead hand shifted along the shaft until it felt right.

“I think she’s feeling it,” Zennia whispered to Irina, smiling.

Irina nodded. “It’s been a while since I saw someone connect so easily with a weapon.”

Val’s feet slid apart as she adjusted her stance, but Dolf just smirked.

“Ready?” Dolf asked, grinning like he already knew the answer.

Val rolled her shoulders, then nodded.

This feels right, I’ve got this.

A smile crept across her face.

Bring it on.

Dolf rushed in without hesitation. It was so quick Val barely had a chance to react before her ass hit the sand.

She barely registered the throb of pain in her chest.

“Your stance wasn’t right,” Cyrus said, immediately. “Your stance is your foundation. Once you’ve got a good stance, you can attack freely from it, or defend.”

Val was looking up at Dolf, bewildered.

“That was fast…” she murmured, still catching her breath.

Dolf offered a hand to Val.

After taking it, he helped her stand up.

She took a second to wipe the sand from her leather pants with frustration. It hurt her pride to end up on her ass so quickly, but it also made sense.

She took a calming breath and got into a slightly different stance. This time she switched things up. Her right hand gripped the rear of the haft, her left foot stepping forward to guide her stance.

Val couldn’t see it, but Cyrus was grinning as he watched.

“Ready?” Dolf asked once more.

Val nodded, her face pensive. “Let’s go.”

Dolf chuckled, but rushed once more.

He was fast, much faster than Val could keep up with.

This time however, her new stance made it easier to back away. As she did so, she lunged forward with the halberd.

Dolf ducked to her left, still closing the distance.

Time slowed for Val as she tried coming up with a split-second plan.

Dolf had her beat in speed, but Val was just barely able to track him.

She instinctively pivoted, turning her body in time with him. Her lead hand flipped, knuckles skyward as she brought the halberd in a downward arc.

Dolf was forced to parry the attack as it collided with his dominant arm.

Then, everyone froze.

“That is how you do it!” Cyrus shouted.

Val looked down in shock at her weapon.

That felt so right.

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