"Huh?"

That's all I could muster as the girl, Robin, stared at me with the biggest smile.

"I'm sorry. Where are we?" I asked.

"Oh. Well, currently we're in Ylisse. I had to get out of Plegia to summon you. Don't want my father finding out about you too early, right?!" she said, the same glowing smile on her face. Yet, despite how adorable she looked, my head just kept spinning more and more the more she talked.

"Ok. In Ylisse. How far are we from New York?" I asked. For once, her glowing smile faded and returned the same confused look I must have had this entire time.

"What's New York?"

I felt my heart stop when I heard those words come out of her. If she doesn't know where New York is. Then where the hell am I.

"Are you alright?" She put her hand on my shoulder and looked worryingly at my face.

"Yea, give me a minute to think." I went over by the tree and sat down to think.

Ok. So I'm clearly not anywhere near New York, nor upstate New York. I have no idea how to get home, no phone, no laptop, no contacts, and clearly, this girl is half insane. What in the world could be happening… Unless?

"Hey, is there magic in this world?"

Her smile returned as she reached out her hand and a small flame appeared. I was astonished at this, realizing that maybe I was in those crazy book manga things that the nerds always loved reading. I tried reading them to understand and maybe get into the group, but I never understood the reasoning behind many of the character's actions.

Or maybe this is just a dream and I passed out in the elevator. I pinched myself really hard, resulting in just a hurting arm.

So not a dream.

"Alright. I'm done acting nice." I felt Robin knock on my head with her hands, getting me out of my thinking.

"Are you gonna help me or not?" This time, there was no smile but just a neutral, if anything tired, look on her face.

"I've already tried three other summoning scrolls, but they were flukes," she said, pointing at a pile of burned paper near the tree.

"I mean. I guess. But I don't know how to help you."

"Easy. You're going to help me infiltrate the castle and kill my father before he realizes what hit him. I have the best plan for it. Come on. Let's get going."

She turned and started walking, and scared of being left alone, I quickly ran after her.

"Ok. But how exactly do I come to play here?" I asked.

"Easy. You use your mythical power to kill him quickly and efficiently."

"Ok. What power."

"What do you mean, what power. You must be adept at something?"

"Uhh. Well, unless we can somehow kill him by playing the flute, I don't know how exactly I'm going to kill him."

She suddenly stopped walking and turned to face me.

"Do you know magic?"

"No."

"Are you efficient in archery?"

"No."

"Are you a good swordsman?"

"No?"

"SO WHY WERE YOU IN A SUMMONING SCROLL?!"

"A what?"

"UGHHH. This is what I get for trusting that stupid librarian. Was probably in line with my father."

She sat down a few feet away from me and put her head in her arms. I stood alone for a couple of seconds before deciding to go over to her.

"Listen, I don't really know what's happening, but I can try and help you in whatever way I can. I just don't really know what's going on."

After a few seconds, she lifted her head and stared at me.

"What talents DO you have."

"Uh, well, I can play the flute."

"That's not a talent."

"Uh ok. Well, I'm an engineering student back in New York. If you need something built, then I can take a crack at it. I imagine I'm better than most."

"What is an 'engineering'?"

"Well, I can make things do stuff for me."

"What? So like a blacksmith?"

"Well, if you want to go back to the 15th century, sure, like a blacksmith."

"Oh. Well, how would that help me?"

"Uhh. I don't know."

"And we're back at square one." She put her head back down under her arms.

I felt useless standing there next to her as if I was only a burden to her. Well, frankly, I probably was, but still. If this is really like those books, then I came to this world for a reason: to start my life over again. And I refuse to end up use-

"You hungry?" she suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you're hungry. I'm very hungry, and given the fact I summoned you, I think it only befitting I offer you a meal before I leave you."

"Oh. Well sure."

"Alright. I saw a town near here. Let's go there and see if we can get some food with the coin I have left. Then, we can go our own ways."

"Uhh, alright."


I followed Robin as she walked towards the village she mentioned earlier. If it wasn't for the fact that I was still perplexed at the situation I found myself in, I would've enjoyed the atmosphere quite a bit. I abandoned my coat a while back so I was able to fully enjoy the sun on my body. There was a perfect breeze as well that complemented the heat, so it never felt too warm or too cold.

"So. Where are you from?" Robin asked.

"New York," I responded, a little surprised that she suddenly started talking to me.

"Never heard of that place. Is it like Ylisse? Or Plegia?"

"Due to the little knowledge I have of this place, I doubt there are any commonalities between the two places."

"Oh, yea? What's different?"

"Well. There isn't much forest. Nor grass. The air isn't nearly as clean, and the weather is significantly worse."

"Hmph. Sounds awful then."

"Yea, I'd say that."

"Well, seems like I saved you from that place."

I didn't respond to that.


After a couple more minutes, we arrived at the town that she was talking about. The place looked very similar to how I'd imagine a small village during the medieval era would look like. Most of the houses were small, one-story buildings made of wood, stone, or clay. They had no windows, instead just holes in the walls to allow air to flow through. Many would have flimsy doors, or no doors at all, with children and women going to and fro. Some even had shops in front, selling things from weapons to food to even books.

Me and Robin stopped in front of a larger, much wider building with a sign outside saying 'tavern'. When we went in, the place was pretty empty, only the bartender and two elder people sitting inside. The bartender looked over at us, frowned, and made her way over.

"Well look here. These two ain't regulars. You from here?" she asked, a mysterious accent slurring her words.

"We're looking for some food and drink. Meal each." Robin said, handing her 3 gold coins from inside her cloak.

The bartender looked once at the coin, pocketed it, and lead us to a table.

"I'll be back in a bit then." the bartender said, leaving us to our own.

I felt awkward being at the table with Robin. First of all, ever since we talked about New York she has stayed quiet and was constantly looking down, occasionally looking up to see where we were going. Secondly, I've never really had a situation where I was alone with another person, let alone a cute girl, at a bar. I didn't know what to do or say, so instead, I just stayed quiet.

Eventually, our food arrived, and man was I questioning what it was. It looked like beef, but it looked like it was burned to a crisp, and it came with a variety of fruit, none of which I'd expect to be served with beef. It seemed ok enough though, and it tasted exactly like it looked: ok.

The beer tasted awful though, so I left it alone.

As soon as we finished our meal, Robin got up and started leaving. I got up and followed her, but as soon as we got out, she turned to me.

"We'll split up now. Sorry for dragging you here, but I'm afraid I can't really help you anymore. I wish you the best."

And with that, she put her hood back on and left into the inner of the village.

I was about to rush to follow her when I heard an explosion behind me and screams soon ensuing.


See, I'm not really a fighter. I never did any sports, and while I wasn't unfit by any means, I wasn't strong at all. I'm also not the best in confrontations.

So I ran in the opposite direction.

Many villagers followed with me, running away from the explosions and the ensuing fire, indicated by the smoke coming from the area. However, despite me running away from the explosions and fire and whatnot, it just seemed like I was going in a circle, considering soon enough, I was facing those same fires.

I found myself standing in front of a bunch of men with big ass ax's and swords slashing at anything that moved, going inside buildings and taking stuff out, and throwing torches inside once finished. Clearly, these were bandits so I did what any sane person would do.

Run in the opposite direction.

But then when I turned, I'd have to face the bandits on the OTHER side of me. So I found myself trapped between a rock and another rock, with buildings blocking any other exits or directions. And the bandits were slowly making their way towards me.

I went and ran inside one of the vacant buildings that were abandoned. It seemed like they were selling books, due to them being sprawled out everywhere across the floor. I went inside and crouched down behind a counter, when I noticed a family was already there, hiding from the bandits. We all silently agreed to not make a noise as we heard the bandits get closer and closer, their loud laughing and praising only getting louder until we heard them right outside the house.

"We need to get in here? Just tomes in this one boss." I heard one of them say.

"Ehh. Make sure no one is hiding inside. Then, burn it. No need for shit we don't read."

The family started panicking, grabbing whatever they could to defend themselves; though, in this case, it was small utensils. The only thing in reach were the books sprawled about, but figuring it was better than nothing, I grabbed the biggest one to hit over one of their heads.

"Can you read magic?!" the husband whispered. His daughter and wife were trembling with fear so much, that they couldn't hold the tiny knives in their hands.

"I- I don't know. I've never tried." I said, my voice shaking with each footstep I heard getting closer.

"Well try! Open the book and see if you understand anything."

I did what he said, opening the massive book to the fire page. Inside was a red drawing of what seemed to be a fire. Something you'd find in a picture book. Under the drawing were in capital letters "FIRE."

"Yea, I get what it means. What do I do with this?" I asked.

"What do you mean?! Use it on them!"

"How? I've never used magic."

The footsteps kept getting closer and closer. I heard one of the bandits start laughing hysterically.

"Yell whatever you see and point your finger at them. That's how magicians usually do it, no?"

"What? It can't be that easy?!"

"Please. Just do it!" he screamed, his emotions finally getting to him.

"Oh, well look who we have hiding beh-"

"FIRE" I screamed, standing and pointing my index finger in the middle of the bandit.

Suddenly, a massive fireball left my fingertips, tore right through the bandits center, and crashed right across the street into the other building. The bandit looked down and back up to me before falling onto the ground.

I felt an adrenaline rush like no other afterward, amazed at what I did, disgusted at the aftermath, and wanting to run away from the other bandits starting to regroup in front of me, all at the same time.

"What the? A mage? In this village? Damn it, they didn't tell us this."

"Please! Use the other tomes! Keep us safe!" the father pleaded, moving his family ever so slightly backward."

I looked back at them, cowering at the very back of the store, and felt something I probably never felt before.

Bravery.

I looked down and picked up the first book I could see, opened it up, and saw a lightning bolt colored in blue. Underneath it was

"ELTHUNDER!"

Blue lightning arched out in front of me, hitting the two bandits left outside, launching them back into the building where the fireball crashed into. As soon as they hit the building, the building started crumbling before completely collapsing onto them.

I stood in the room, gasping as if I had just run a small marathon. But for the first time, in a long time, I felt ALIVE. Granted, I felt really guilty for killing those guys, but they were bad guys. They had it coming.

I cautiously moved forward, grabbing every tome I saw and bundling it up in my hands as I looked outside the building I was currently at. No one on either side. I looked back at the family and nodded, giving them a small smile and leaving to investigate the building that had just collapsed. I heard the family quickly get up and leave, the father giving me a quick thanks before they ran towards what I assumed were the outskirts of the village.

The building across the street was completely destroyed, any sign of the bandits or fireball completely consumed by the debris of the collapsed building. I felt accomplished, even if I had killed someone. Those people were killing other people. It was the right thing to do.

I looked towards the direction I was running away from initially and only saw carnage; people dead on the streets, fires spilling everywhere and buildings creaking from their supports already weakened. Part of me wanted to run away and let other people handle this. After all, it was their village, not mine.

But the greater part wanted to go save some more people.

So I took the risk and ran towards the smoke.