From Real to Realm

Morning had finally come.

Today she would explore the smithing district nearby. It was both out of curiosity and a deep desire. Ever since Maxwell talked with Volde about that retiring adventurer, Val had an itch she couldn’t quite scratch. She had to ignore that particular itch for five months, until she was finally healthy enough to explore. Then she delayed it another week, long enough to learn the nearby neighborhood layout.

Today though, nothing was going to stop her from making it there.

Should I look into being an adventurer now?

Val felt electric the entire morning as she went through her normal routine. Once she was dressed, she stopped in front of the mirror.

The woman looking back at her was a stark contrast compared to just five months ago. Her entire wardrobe had changed—now it mostly consisted of cotton-style shirts and leather pants. Some shirts didn’t even have sleeves, a choice she made for ease of movement. Instead of cute shoes, she wore mostly leather boots now, much more durable. While she did hold onto a few less frilly dresses, the rest were either donated or re-purposed.

Her haircut changed everything. She started by trimming the length so it only reached her mid-back. Then she shaved the left side low, flipping the rest over to the right. It was considered edgy on her old world.

But now? Who was going to tell her that?

On her way to the front door she stopped by the garden. It was a beautiful morning and Vesperia was outside tending to it. The drastic difference of the garden compared to when she first saw it was awe inspiring. She could remember when it was overgrown with weeds and dull. Now, flowers of all kinds were blooming, the colors were almost blinding in their vibrancy.

“Good morning, mother. I’m heading out again, need anything today?”

Her mother glanced out of the corner of her eye. She continued watering a particular flower before setting the can down, a smirk playing on her lips.

“I still can’t believe you went with such a haircut. It’s—wild. Yes, that’s a good word for it.”

Val chuckled. “Hey, I like it. It helps me stand out.”

She held her arms out sideways. “I’m anything but ordinary, remember? I’m a walking miracle.”

Vesperia just laughed and shook her head.

Val always loved seeing her smile, the warmth it gave her. Over these past five months, she felt she truly had become part of this family.

“We don’t need anything, just be careful while you’re out, alright? I love you.”

Val nodded before turning for the door. “Of course, I’ll be careful. Love you!”

With a practiced motion she was through the front door and out into the street. The morning sun was just barely cresting over the eastern wall, casting long shadows around her. There was a cool moisture in the air as well, keeping the air cool—for now. With a deep breath she went to take a step before hearing a very familiar voice call out.

“V—Val? Is that you?”

After almost six months, Val would be an idiot not to remember those close to her by voice alone. With a big smile, she turned to her best friend.

“The one and only. What’s up?”

Lynesia didn’t know what she was looking at.

Val had talked about changing her entire style a few times. Honestly, she had expected Vesperia to step in and stop that quickly.

Maybe Vesperia was too worried to tell Val no?

Right now, Val was wearing the kind of outfit that showed off plenty, without giving away too much. Thankfully the tension between them had cooled off since… that morning. However, Lynesia felt her face burning up as her eyes took everything in.

Watching Val’s changes over the past five months had been enough to slowly stoke that ember inside her. However, seeing Val wearing such clothing, combined with knowing what lingered underneath? It was an inferno now.

“Lynesia? You alright?”

S—she’s getting closer. Wait… She asked a question!

“Oh! Yeah, sorry. I’m just… taking in the new look.” She took a calming breath. “It’s… unique. Kind of wild in a fun way I guess.”

Val crossed her arms, smirking. “I felt like it would make me stand out some.”

“That’s not always a good thing, you know,” Lynesia said, rolling her eyes. “Standing out might bring the wrong attention.”

“Ah, that’s fine.” With a practiced stretch Val smirked. “I’ve got enough here to fight back if I need to.”

Stop doing that!

Lynesia was struggling to stay coherent right now. It wasn’t enough that feelings had begun developing after their intimate moment months ago. Now she had to deal with Val getting even hotter over time.

How did she find the perfect balance between muscle and staying feminine?

Gods I need to get away. Or else I’m going to start having improper… thoughts.

“Well, I’ve actually got to head out. I have something important to do. I’ll see you around.”

Val tilted her head. “Oh. Uh, yeah—I guess I’ll see you around?”

Without really waiting for Val to reply, Lynesia had started walking past her.

Were my changes too much? Too drastic of a change compared to the old Valnarei?

She considered walking with Lynesia to whatever she needed to do. Maybe to catch up some, or just chat, but decided against it. There was already a goal in mind for the day.

However, a single stop was required first. Without it, her morning just wasn’t going to be right.

Val pushed through the front door of Grandma’s House, the small bakery run by an elderly couple. The jingling of the bell above the door immediately caught the attention of the cute older woman behind the counter.

“Morning Amerilla!” Val said, smiling.

“Good morning Valnarei. How are you today?”

Even before Val reached the counter, the cute, pudgy old woman was already wrapping something up. Her hair was kept in a tight bob, only a few strands coming loose to dangle in front of her round framed glasses.

“I’m doing really well. I’m energized for the exploration today.”

The older woman handed a steaming pastry over to Val.

“That’s good to hear. What kind of exploration do you plan on doing? Staying out of trouble, right?”

Val bit into the pastry, moaning as she let the warm mouthful of fluffy batter and jelly melt across her taste buds. The jelly tasted like blackberry with a hint of citrus on the finish. The batter was buttery, flaking just enough to make you want seconds, thirds, even fourths. It was so good she had forgotten to reply, quickly chewing before swallowing.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to leave you hanging. It’s just sooooo good!”

Amerilla smiled her big smile, showing off her wrinkles. “It’s fine dear, I’m always happy to see you enjoy it so much.”

Val licked some jelly from the corner of her mouth. “I’m heading to the smithing district today, to see what it’s like.”

“Oh my. That’s a big district, don’t get lost,” Amerilla warned. 

She watched as Val took another big bite.

“Well don’t let me hold you up, go, go. Explore to your heart’s content.”

Before leaving the small bakery Val made sure to leave a silver Mark. It was overpaying, but she had done it every time. If she could contribute, even a little, to keeping the cute place open, she would.

So far she’d only taken two bites of the warm pastry, which meant she had more to enjoy on her stroll. Once she’d finished—and incidentally brushed off the lingering flakes of batter—she pulled her map out.

The concentric circle layout of the city made it easier for her to plan ahead. She’d marked the map with key locations—her house, Lynesia’s, the bakery, the market—each drawn with care to help her memorize the city.

Val’s main reason for heading to the smithing district today was that itch. However, she was also curious what the smithing was like. She had a loose idea of how smithing worked back on her old world. Her world lacked magic though, so the question became, how much did magic change things? The sight of items like flame and frost runes for creating hot or cold water already opened up other possibilities. What if there was a perpetual flame rune just perfect for smithing? Or did they use coal?

There’s so much I still don’t know about this world.

Suddenly—without any warning—Val slammed into something solid.

It was a wall surely, it felt immovable—and landed her right on her ass.

“My apologies little lady, are you alright?”

Val never expected the wall to talk.

Wait, did I just bump into a person?

Val looked up to see not only one person, but a small group.

The one she slammed into might as well have been nicknamed “the wall”. His shoulders were broad, paired with towering height. Short black hair swayed slightly in the breeze as he scratched at his neatly trimmed beard. His armor looked well-worn but reinforced in all the right places. A longsword rocked against his hip, and a shield was slung over his back.

He held out a hand as he spoke, a warm country accent coloring his words. All of them were wearing armor to some degree, with weapons stowed. There were small areas of dried blood caked on both their armor and weapons.

Adventurers!

Whether it was fate, or maybe Qhemeria giving a nudge, Val had just bumped into a group of bona fide adventurers.

“I’ve told you time and time again, watch where you’re going, you big lummox!” A short girl with green hair huffed from the side.

It was met with chuckling from the entire group, Val included.

She was petite, much shorter than Val, with copper-toned skin. Interestingly enough, she had long green hair that reached her waist in thick waves. Her voice had a slight accent, but Val couldn’t place which. A tall wooden staff was strapped across her back, gemstone glinting faintly within a cage of wood in the sun.

“I am so sorry about that, he’s not aware of how much space he takes up.”

Val was curious if this was a common trope with this group. The girl also held out a hand, offering to help Val up.

“Are you alright?”

Val nodded, taking their hands. With their help she stood, then began brushing herself off. “Yeah, I’m good. I was just a little surprised I bumped into a person, and not a wall.”

Once again the group chuckled before the green haired-girl turned to the big man. “You’re lucky you didn’t hurt her you know?”

While the two of them began bickering the last two members stood to the side. One was a human and the other looked like a dwarf.

The dwarf stood with arms crossed, a smirk peeking through a full red beard. His bald head gleamed slightly, showing off faint runic tattoos that wrapped around from neck to crown. His thick arms were covered in dirty bandages, poorly hiding scarring underneath. He continued to throw verbal jabs where they were needed, backing the green-haired girl up.

The other girl was rolling her eyes, likely catching second hand embarrassment. She had blonde shoulder-length hair tucked behind her ears. Her snug robes did little to hide the generous figure underneath. Her arms were folded under her chest, propping it up. Her expression screamed unimpressed as she watched the chaos unfold.

The big guy seemed to be the source for situations like this. Despite the grilling, the green-haired girl was fighting back a smile. Everyone involved held no malicious intent. It was lighthearted bickering mixed with some laughter. This group could grab your attention and Val was getting enthralled.

“I take it you’re adventurers?” she asked.

The bickering seemed to fall off as the group turned to her.

With a large smile the “wall” she bumped into stepped up speaking in that deep country accent from before.

“That’s right. Ain’t nothing else we’d rather do.”

The expressions on the rest of his group mirrored his. They all looked tired, but happy.

The dried blood meant they must’ve just finished a quest. Val could feel the onslaught of questions bubbling up, but she kept her composure, for now.

Her day had taken a sudden U-turn.

“I’m real sorry bout bumpin into ya as well. Hope I didn’t hurt you, or else Irina won’t let me hear the end of it,” he said, chuckling.

“You’re right. I’d make you carry her with us to a healer if you did. I wouldn’t make Zennia do it,” the green-haired girl said, huffing.

“Please… no more healing today,” the blonde said, sighing. “I’m tapped as is.”

Val smirked, shaking her head. “Not at all, I’m perfectly fine. I wasn’t being the most aware of my surroundings either.”

“I’m Valnarei, by the way.” She held her hand out to whoever took the opportunity.

A big grin crept across the “wall’s” face before he took her hand. “Nice to meet ya! I’m Cyrus, Cyrus Valburne.”

The strength in Cyrus’ grip was palpable, his hand easily swallowing hers. It wasn’t enough that Val was forced to look up to make eye contact with the guy. Calling him a “wall” wasn’t much of a stretch. Val’s brother Maxwell was sturdy, but this guy put him to shame. If you included his gear, then he was a force to be reckoned with. If you were in his way, then you best move.

“I’m Irina Yskramur, it’s nice to meet you,” the green-haired girl said.

Irina had a light Scottish tinge to her voice. Instead of shaking Val’s hand though she did a small curtsy. Whereas Val had to look up to make eye contact with Cyrus, she had to look down to meet Irina’s gaze. Her pink irises were the most striking feature of hers aside from the green hair. Barely poking through her hair were two pointed ears, giving away her elf heritage. Instead of full leather armor, she wore something closer to mage robes—with reinforced leather pieces layered in for protection.

As soon as Irina’s brief introduction finished the short, stout trunk of a man approached next.

“I’m Dolf, Dolf Shalheart,” the shorter man said.

It was striking to Val just how Germanic his accent sounded, with a deep baritone to it. Like Cyrus before him, he offered his hand. Dolf was even shorter than Irina, so Val had to lean down some just to take his hand. His grip was strong, sturdy, the texture of his skin rough.

This guy has a killer beard. I wonder how long it took to grow it out?

His features were consistent enough with dwarfs from fantasy back on Val’s world. While the beard was eye catching, the features that drew Val’s eyes the most were on his bald head. His neck and head were covered in runic tattoos in a language she couldn’t read. His clothing was more plain compared to everyone else’s though. He bore a striking resemblance to what Val would consider a monk, or hand to hand fighter of some type.

When he released her hand, the last member stepped forward as if they’d rehearsed this. “Zennia Gelrand, a pleasure.”

Zennia gave this party a soft touch compared to the two men. Everything about her screamed nobility, or at least high upbringing. The platinum blonde hair she had was tucked perfectly behind her ears to keep it out of the way. But she wasn’t turning her nose up at Val like some nobles possibly would. Instead she felt sweet, soft, almost maternal in a way.

She’s… really pretty.

Zennia was undeniably attractive, but what ended up drawing Val’s eye the most was her bust. She could practically see the robes Zennia was wearing almost bursting at the seams trying to hold them in.

“I’m glad Cyrus didn’t injure you. I’m a little tapped out after our delve today.”

A smile persisted but Val could see the exhaustion in her eyes.

“The big guy might dwarf me in size, but I’m not that fragile,” Val said, chuckling.

The sentiment was echoed around the group, everyone chuckling together. Irina gave Cyrus another playful glare, one that said plenty.

Val found herself looking between each party member, curious about their stories, wanting to learn all she could. That itch was only getting worse when confronted with a true party of adventurers. She couldn’t ignore it anymore, she wanted something like this.

Hell, maybe she needed it.

“Well I’m just glad you’re alright,” Cyrus said. “Say—I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. Just moved to the city?”

Val shook her head. “No I was actually sick for a while. After a handful of long months of recovery, I’m getting out into the world again. Fresh air does a body good, plus I like exploring.”

Irina perked up at the mention of a sickness.

“Were you an adventurer before you got sick?” she asked. “I know there are some nasty maledictions that can be caught in the dungeon if you aren’t careful.”

“I didn’t catch the sickness within the dungeon,” Val said, rubbing the back of her neck. “I have been curious about looking into adventuring, though.”

Cyrus leaped forward, taking her hands excitedly. “We could show ya around!”

Zennia butted in quickly. “Calm down Cyrus. She said she’s been thinking about giving it a try, not that she wants to sign up right now.”

Val laughed, which confused the group.

This party is all kinds of crazy, but fun crazy.

“I’d love a tour if you’re offering.”

Cyrus gave Zennia an immediate “told you so” look.

“Well, let’s get moving. We’ll show ya the way to the guildhall!”

He didn’t wait for Val to respond before he started walking.

She had put everything off for the sake of getting better, regaining her health day by day. Now that she was here, at this crossroad to her future, the draw to follow this group was strong.

Was it intuition?

Desire?

Or was this what she was truly meant to do in this life?

A smirk played across her face.

I’m kinda excited.

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