I woke up.
The first thing I saw was the ceiling—faded gray plaster, cracked in places like old parchment. Sunlight slanted through a small, diamond-paned window, painting warm golden streaks across the beams. Morning already? Shit. Was I back at my place?
My mind was sludge. The nastiest headache in existence throbbed behind my eyes; even blinking hurt. I rolled sideways and groaned, one hand pressing to my forehead. Grimacing, I tried to sit up, but my body rebelled like it had declared war.
"Oh god… fuck." The words rasped out. "Ah… shit."
After a few pathetic attempts, I finally swung my legs over the edge of the bed. My head lolled immediately, but I caught myself, planting an elbow on my knee and cradling my forehead in my palm. Fuck. What… what happened?
I pushed upright and took one shaky step. Yesterday was a complete haze. Thinking felt like forcing rusty gears to turn—every half-formed memory made my brain short-circuit and shut down.
"I… wait… Kara?"
It slammed back. The maids. Kara. Her mother. The fuck?
My eyes flew wide. I staggered back, pressing against the rough wooden window frame as I scanned the room. This wasn't my apartment.
The space felt impossibly old, straight out of some strange painting. Heavy oak beams crossed the low ceiling, so close I could almost touch them if I stood on tiptoe. The walls were rough plaster patched with age-darkened timber, hung with a single faded tapestry of intertwined vines and what looked like mythical beasts. A small hearth sat cold in one corner, its stone mantel cluttered with dried herbs and a chipped clay pitcher. The bed I'd crawled out of was a sturdy four-poster frame, its linens rough-woven and smelling faintly of woodsmoke and lavender. A single rickety wooden chair and a washstand with a cloudy mirror completed the sparse furnishings. Dust motes danced lazily in the slanting sunbeams, giving the whole room a soft, dreamlike glow.
Something felt… wrong. Not just the room—me. Like a switch had flipped inside, or a piece had snapped into place that hadn't been there before.
My hands dove into my pockets. No phone. Right—I'd left it in Kara's car after her half-assed excuse. And I'd been dumb enough to believe her. An idiot. I was a damn idiot. Why would I even trust her? Of course she would have some sort of motive.
"I'm not… dead?"
╔══════════════════════╗
★ NEW QUEST ★
────────────────────────
> Title: Ashes Rising
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> Objective:
• Clear the Old Tower
• Defeat the Wraith
• Recover the Signet
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> Reward:
+ 250 EXP
+ 120 Silver
+ Rare Cloak
────────────────────────
> Deadline: 3 Days Left
╚══════════════════════╝
A translucent blue panel materialized right in my vision. I flinched sideways—my foot caught the bed frame. Balance gone, I toppled back onto the mattress with a muffled thump. The UI followed obediently, hovering at the center of my gaze no matter where I looked.
"Ashes… rising?" I muttered, reading it aloud. "Where… what?"
My senses were finally sharpening. I hauled myself up again and shuffled to the window.
Outside was… impossible.
A narrow cobblestone street curved gently below, bathed in the gentle gold of early morning sun. Sunbeams filtered through the leaves of a massive old tree whose branches overhung the road, dappling everything in shifting patterns of light and shadow. Right in the center of the little square stood an ancient stone fountain—water trickling from the mouths of carved mythical fish into a wide basin where a few early risers were already filling buckets.
People moved about in simple clothing: woolen tunics and cloaks in earthy browns, greens, and muted reds; women in long skirts with aprons, men in vests and soft boots. A baker's boy darted past balancing a tray of steaming loaves on his head. Two kids chased each other around the fountain, laughing. A horse-drawn cart rumbled slowly down the lane, its driver tipping his wide-brimmed hat to an elderly woman sweeping her stoop. No cars. No power lines. No billboards. Just the quiet, lively hum of a town waking up—straight out of every isekai opening sequence I'd ever binged.
"What the actual…"
"I think he's awake!" a voice boomed from the other side of the door.
"No, no, no," I whispered, backing away. "Where am I?"
The door creaked open. An old woman stepped inside—easily in her eighties, back straight despite her age. She wore a flowing white robe that brushed the floorboards and carried a gnarled wooden staff topped with a softly glowing crystal. Around her neck hung a circular pendant engraved with a stylized 'H' in shimmering green.
"Hello, son," she said, voice kind and steady. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Okay?" I repeated dumbly.
"Do you remember what happened yesterday?"
"I… I was running and…" My voice cracked. "I just…"
"We found you collapsed in the forest, covered in mud." She closed the door gently behind her. "Your clothes were… quite unusual, I must say. They're drying by the hearth in the living room, if you'd like them back. Though I'll admit—they looked rather silly."
"Silly?" I glanced down at myself. A plain white tunic, torn in places, rough linen breeches that had definitely seen better days, and thick leather shoes that weren't mine. My sneakers were gone.
"Where am I?" I asked again.
"Where?" She tilted her head, almost amused. "Why, Kinola, of course!"
╔═══════════════╗
Location Discovered!
─────────────────
Name: Kinola
╠═══════════════╣
Region: Toakwood
Danger Level: ★☆☆☆☆
Recommended Lvl: 1-10
╠═══════════════╣
Gained EXP: +20
╚═══════════════╝
Kinola? The name meant nothing to me. Was it a state? A city I'd somehow never heard of? Or just some tiny village? It had to be the latter—this place screamed backwater fantasy town.
╔═══════════════════════╗
> Ace | LC: 0 | EXP: 20/100 | LVL 1
╠═══════════════════════╣
> HP ▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱ 17/100
> MP ▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱ 22/60
> STA ▰▰▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱ 31/80
╠═══════════════════════╣
> [ BAG ] [ MAP ] [ SHOP ] [QUESTS]
╚═══════════════════════╝
The panel had updated. Location discovered meant EXP gained. I was at 20/100 now. Okay. This was definitely not normal. Either Kara and her mom had somehow drugged and relocated me across state lines in one night, or… something way crazier was happening.
"Which state are we in?" I asked. "Illinois, right?"
"Illinois?" The old woman blinked, genuinely puzzled. "I… don't know that place, boy. I'm sorry. You're in Kinola—the largest city in all of Toakwood. Perhaps something's wrong with your head."
"Kinola," I repeated slowly. "Where is that on a map?"
"West of Toakwood's heartlands." She studied me with growing concern. "I should cast another spell. You're clearly not right."
"Spell?"
"Here, sit."
I hesitated, but my legs chose that moment to betray me. I sank onto the edge of the bed. The woman propped her staff against the wall, then approached, raising both palms toward me. No contact—just hovering inches away.
A soft green light bloomed from her hands, warm and shimmering like sunlight through forest leaves. It washed over me in gentle waves.
Fuck. It felt… incredible. Tension I hadn't even noticed melted from my shoulders. My headache dulled to a faint echo. My breathing eased. For a blissful second, everything was calm.
Then panic crashed back.
"W-what is that?" I stammered. "The light—"
"Ssh." She hushed me, eyes closed in concentration. "Let me focus."