Obviously I do not own Fire Emblem.

I saw a few good self insert stories on the site and thought, "I could do that" and gave it a try. The result quickly ran away from me as dozens of thoughts came to my mind as to how such a situation might turn out and it stopped being a self insert and more an exploration of what sort of issues a person in an "otherworld" experience might encounter.

Despite everything I figured I might as well post it, maybe somebody will enjoy it.

Cold sweat covered me as I tried to figure out what was happening in the gloom. Somewhere in the distance I heard fighting and ignoring every bit of my self preservation instinct I went in that direction, somewhere out there an empress, a king and a lord were in struggle by some sick joke I was involved.

I tripped over something forcing me to a halt, a quick glance down confirmed my suspicion, it was a corpse. All I could do was sigh at the realization that my isekai had gone horribly wrong.

How did I end up in this situation you ask?

I don't know.

All I know is I opened my eyes to see what looked like a dark alley. The ground beneath my feet damp and a chill in the air. The most important thing however was the fact I was not alone.

A group of dark clad individuals standing over another in rags were all looking at me in surprise, a fair reaction if I had indeed just popped into existence before them.

The first to recover was the one in rags who elbowed one of the men holding him down. The struggle was a short one as another of the men struck him with truncheon leaving the man hang limply in his captors grip.

The sight of violence was what removed my shock and made me move, an attempt to flee the scene. I did not get far.

A sharp tug and sound of tearing cloth sounded before I found myself hurtling to the ground. The impact knocking the air from my lungs and stars flashing before my eyes and in and instant powerful hands gripped me. I still managed to get a kick off but my only reward for the effort was a blow to the head and darkness.

I'll admit I am a rather boring individual. I'm not in the habit of taking part in wild parties, indulging in narcotics or over indulging in alcohol and my love life is doa.

I do like video games, books about war as well as arguing with strangers on the Internet. None of these are activities that might prepare one to be woken up by a kick to the ribs and an earful in some strange language.

Honestly I did not notice at first. Instead I jumped to my feet and looked around in a daze, worried about being late to work.

But instead of my four walls I saw an open sky just in the process of brightening and a sea of tents. I didn't see much more as my glasses were obviously missing, so most of it was blurry and before I could focus I felt a sharp pain on the back and a sharper bark into the ear.

I didn't understand what was said but the tone combined with the pain on my back and the sight of several other miserable looking men shuffling into files gave me a good idea what I was to do.

Spot taken I glanced around, the other men were of all ages and mostly in rags, shirt and what looked like baggy shorts so my own pajamas were only slightly out of place. Like me most were barefoot.

That done I glanced to the other men walking around us and was surprised. To this point I did not know what to think, human trafficking seemed most likely, but these men were dressed in armour, the type one might see in works of fantasy made by someone who only roughly knows what actual armour looked like.

I glanced back to the men standing near me and realized the shorts were actually braise. A weird thought passed through my head, I've been kidnapped by a hardcore larp group.

I had no more time to think as a bellow made everyone turn in place followed by another after which we began walking. As I had no idea what was being said I followed with a delay. This unfortunately drew the attention of one of the corporals (at least I assumed that's what they were) who grabbed me by the neck and snarled something, seeing what I assume was a blank face he sighed in evident annoyance, pushed me back into formation and made a point swatting me with his cane at every delay.

I still did not know what was being said but I learned how to react to certain phrases very quickly.

We were marched to a river, ordered to strip and wash as best we could in the icy water, our clothes were taken to be burned while the others underwent a quick shave and haircut, here the soldier holding the shears glanced at my bald skull and waved me aside. Following that we marched to a wagon where we were handed shirt, braise, hose, arming jacket and coif as well as shoes. This was probably the first time in my life I was excited about shoes as I was honestly sick of being barefoot.

The rest of the day passed in physical training followed by a meal of coarse bread and thin gruel (at that moment I would have said it was the best meal of my life) before wrapping myself in my blanket and falling asleep immediately on lying down.

I shan't bore you with details of the following week, as you might guess it consisted of early mornings, bland food and lots of physical training including close order and combat.

Though exhausting I was fortunately in good enough shape that I rarely tasted the anger of the corporals, at least for lagging behind. Worse was the language barrier leading to my frequently receiving a blow for taking too long to respond to a command. Worse was the social isolation.

I was never a social person but I regardless attempted to maintain some relations. Here after the first few days we gradually grew accustomed enough to the days drills to spend some down time talking, or rather they talked and I listened. Initially there was some questions directed at me but as the only response I could give was a confused face they soon stopped.

If what followed was just being ignored than there would have been no problem, instead I somehow always ended up doing unpleasant tasks and was pushed to the end of the food line, the first time I pushed back and got kicked to the ground for my trouble.

Thankfully I did not have too much time to feel sorry for myself as the days were taxing enough that I quickly fell asleep without fail.

After a week we were ordered to rise before dawn as usual but several things were different.

First we weren't the only ones up as the entire camp was in motion.

Second, when we gathered for our food we received meat in our gruel, not that I enjoyed it as I found myself blocked. One grabbed my bowl while another shoved me roughly.

I stayed down, at least they left me the bread.

We marched out as the sun rose over the horizon. During the hours that passed I had ample time to observe the countryside we walked through, to quote the classic "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

There was nothing particularly alien about the surroundings, the road was beaten earth and around were fields bearing sign of recent harvesting, here and there one could spot a horse and wagon and people keeping their distance from our column but no tractors. Birds flew overhead instead of planes but what killed any semblance of normality was the wyvern.

I had stopped dead in my tracks at the sight, and was promptly shoved from behind drawing streams of profanity from around me (still didn't understand the words but the meaning was easy to understand). Moving on I still stared after the sight, there was no thought of "maybe its a prop" or the like, I somehow immediately knew it was real and I knew that I had been dumped in an "other world" and judging by my company I had been press ganged into an army marching off god knows where.

A castle. It sat on a small hill that never the less dominated the valley. Surrounding it was a sea of tents, hundreds of thin smoke trails rising to the sky. As we marched into one of the camps a giant trebuchet swung into action, I was not the only one who watched the slung missile fly through the air before crashing into the castle wall.

It was more impressive than any film or reconstruction I had seen.

We were marched to an open space and ordered to set camp (the others in my section have long decided that setting the tent was my responsibility) before being issued rations (pease porridge and bread). Exhausted from the march I soon after wrapped myself in my blanket and went to sleep.

The following day started with the sound of the trebuchet launching and the distant crack of stone on stone. I stood for a moment in in the joy of a history nerd seeing something historical being done in its appropriate setting till a horn sounded and the bellowing voices of corporals summoned us into formation.

It wasn't breakfast. Instead we were marched down from our camp through the larger siege camp and with each step the thought of breakfast became less appealing as we moved ever closer to the siege lines, a siege tower casting its shadow on groups of men gathered around. Any hushed conversations in the group faded to silence.

We were halted just at the palisade marking the edge of the siege line where archers were already gathered, their conversations falling silent at our approach. Corporals stalked among us, tapping individuals and ordering them aside, soon enough I felt the jab of the corporals cane.

-'Gather at the left.'

He muttered, a sharp change from usual barks and growls.

I followed the order and joined those gathered near several wagons from which others were handing out bundles of sticks and I felt my stomach rush to my throat as I realized what was happening.

The siege commander was preparing for the assault and I was going to be among the first in, filling the moat with stick, stones and our dead.

I looked back and sure enough a line of grim faced men stood ready to make sure we moved forward. A whimper escaped me as my feet moved forward, I took the bundle when offered and shuffled with the others to the front.

Those not sent here were standing nearby holding mantlets while behind them stood archers. Someone vomited and though I felt like following nothing came up.

The horn sounded and we moved forward. Even if some couldn't move the press of bodies behind forced them forward as I swiftly discovered when at first my feet refused to move and was pushed forward, almost knocked to the ground. In the first moments there seemed to be no reaction from the defenders and I allowed myself to hope that we might make it to the wall before they notice.

Someone stumbled just to my left and fell. Ahead another fell back with a strangled cry, a wooden shaft sticking from his chest, causing the man behind him to stagger back as he ran into him and confusion set in as more men ran into the tangle and tripped.

Arrows were falling thick now, several more fell and I kept running. Before I realized I reached the moat and flung the bundle in before turning and running back, past the bodies, past the mantlets and the archers who were now showering the walls with their own arrows before reaching the cordon.

A line of men jabbing at those of us returning from the moat as corporals laid into us with their canes.

-'Back! Back you whoresons! Grab another load and back!'

Running back meant running back in range of those archers on the wall, I might die. However if I didn't than those spearmen nearby would kill me. The choice was obvious, I grabbed another bundle and ran back to the moat.

I stumbled and fell but quickly stood and began to run again before stopping turning back to pick up the bundle I had dropped. I rushed past men limping back to our lines, past a shattered mantlet near which several men lay dead or feebly moving and reached the moat where I threw in my bundle and ran back to our lines.

How many times did I do this? I don't know. But on one of these trips I stumbled and fell and found myself behind one of the ruined mantles. I moved to stand but was stopped as something grabbed my arm.

-'Help me.'

The man groaned. I had already shaken him off when I realized, he had spoken English.

-'Can you hear me? Who are you?'

I shouted, using my limited knowledge of the English language, as I knelt near him and shook him.

-'Help me. Mother.'

Was he in shock? I glanced down and hissed at the sight, his leg lay open, white bone peaking from the mangled flesh.

-'Come on. Let's get out of here.'

Probably the most complicated English I had uttered in my life but the realization that there was someone from my world in the same situation as myself spurred me on.

He cried out in agony when I touched his leg but even someone like me knows that such wounds need to be handled with care. A few movements later and I had set something resembling a splint on the leg and was now dragging the youth back to our lines.

-'You'll be fine. '

I kept repeating it like a spell but had no reply. One of the corporals saw me and rushed to meet me, grabbing hold of the youths others other arm and almost lifted him to the lines.

-'Back to work!'

He barked at me and I did so with some reluctance.

After that it was just the constant motion of running to the moat, throwing in whatever bundle, basket or rock I had been given before running back for another load. Along the way more men fell, more mantlets were set up, more archers took positions and more men died.

Some men were now laying wooden planks which as far as I knew meant the siege tower was being moved forward, confirmed when a corporal shoved me towards the waiting planks.

Now I was running back and forth, grabbing one end of a plank, wait for someone to grab the other and running to place it under the watchful eye of what I assumed to be engineers. More men were gathering, spearmen and men-at-arms sheltered behind the siege tower and mantlets.

The incoming fire was thickest near the tower and many bodies lay around as the defenders flung arrow, stone and fire at the tower. One such ball of fire appeared as I dropped the plank I was carrying and the intense heat staggered me back a few steps too many as my foot slipped and I fell what turned out to be the moat.

The moat was fortunately a dry one so drowning was not an issue though the experience was still unpleasant. I got to my feet, hissing due to the pain of my scratched hand and knees before remembering where I was and quickly hiding at the base of the moat, glancing up in fear that a defender was ready to throw something unpleasant at me.

Fortunately it seemed the tower had all their attention so I began to look for a way out.

-'Help me.'

This wasn't in English nor any other of the languages I knew but in the local language. I looked down and saw a soldier looking directly at me, he was underneath what looked like two bodies and a bundle of reeds.

I moved to help, what else was I supposed to do?

The bundle came off quickly enough though with the bodies I quickly learned the term "dead weight" was well coined. The first rolled off with some effort but the second took significantly more effort from the both us but soon the man was freed.

A crash and roar made us look up, the siege tower had rolled close enough to the walls that the attackers dropped the ramp and men at arms were now rushing across towards the wall and were under a barrage of arrows, fire and… lightning? I didn't spend too much wondering about that as bodies began to fall into the moat and both of us decided we didn't want to risk being hit by something like that.

Assisting each other we managed to scramble out of the moat after which my companion grabbed my shoulder and indicated I'm to help him to our lines. We made our way past new columns of men rushing forward, many carrying ladders as well as men limping back as we were. A cordon of men were still present but waved us past and soon I found myself near a number of large tents were men in various states of injury were being looked after.

Apart from things like bandages, splints and sewing of wounds which I recognized there was also what I assumed to be healing magic, I didn't get a good look as a tired looking woman said something to me and my companion let go of my shoulder and with a nod sat down.

Any doubt as to what I was to do now was removed by the, nurse? Cleric? Healer, who after giving me a quick look over shooed me away. I walked off with slow pace of someone who knew where he wasn't supposed to be but unsure where he should be before stopping dead in my tracks.

It was the English speaker. He was white in the face, eyes closed and he lay among others in a similar state.

-'Hey! Hey you!'

I said as I knelt next to him. There was no response so I shook his shoulder.

-'Hey!'

I felt a hand on my shoulder. An older man in robes like the woman earlier shook his head slowly. I looked back and understood. His chest was not moving and flies were walking freely over him, the healer placed a cloth over the young man's face and I felt a pain in my chest.

Odd that I would feel such kinship to someone I didn't even have a conversation with but maybe he would have known something about where I was? What I was to do? At the very least it would be someone I could talk with.

The healer was saying something, words of comfort? A prayer? I didn't know but I found words forcing themselves to my mouth.

-'Eternal rest grant him Lord.'

I crossed myself even as I rose to my feet and shuffled away, later I would worry whether that spontaneous act would result in trouble but for the moment I was too depressed to think.

I didn't get far before someone shouted.

-'Oy! Back to…'

I understood that much as the rest of the words were unknown to me except for the profanity at the end as someone grabbed me by the back of my neck and shoved me in the direction of the siege lines. A glance back confirmed that a corporal was standing behind me with an annoyed look on his face.

Looks like I am heading back to the front.

I did not go over the walls instead I spent the rest of the day running this way and that carrying arrows to the archers or jugs of water. By the end of it I was more exhausted than ever before in my life and I was glad to sink to the ground to rest.

A roar sounded from the castle and on looking in that direction I saw someone waving a large blue banner which was greeted with a roar of a cheer from the men around me. Guess that means we won.

I was corralled by a corporal and marched back to camp were I rejoined the others of my sections, or some of them anyway with little doubt as to where those missing were. Food was being handed out and it was quickly made clear that my position had not changed when I was shoved out of the line, accompanied by a few laughs and indifference from others, that was normal but something happened that was not.

The man that had taken my place cried out drawing everyone's attention. He was hanging in the air, held in an iron grip of another soldier who simply threw his victim a good distance away.

Another surprise was when he approached and dragged me to my feet.

-'You good?'

I recognized him, it was the soldier from the moat.

As most might guess whereas my being shoved around resulted in no interest now a corporal rushed up and angrily demanded to know what was happening resulting in a quick exchange between him and my saviour, too fast for me to understand before the corporal shrugged and waved a hand.

-'Come on.'

My saviour said, I did.

-'Tomas.'

He said pointing to himself, it took me a while to realize what was expected.

-'Zenon.'

I answered. He nodded and we went on to my camp where I was told to gather my kit and followed Tomas to a different part of the camp. We stopped in front of a tent where several men sat around a fire. Tomas stopped and when they looked up at him he pointed at me and said,

-'Zenon.'

He than indicated to the group around the fire.

-'Bruno.'

A thick set man with curly black hair and a nose that saw more than one breaking nodded. Tomas moved on to the wiry red head next to him,

-'Urban.'

He offered a crooked smile. Next up was a rather unremarkable fellow named Simon, long necked Piotr and a one fellows with a scar across his face named Janus but called "pretty Jan". It seemed I was the first replacement they received to replace the casualties they had suffered so far, nice.

They themselves were polite but not friendly, it seems Tomas had already explained I had helped him hence the politeness but as I had still to prove myself that was all I could expect.

I was offered a bowl of pottage and soon enough they realized I was a foreigner, I explained as well as could how I ended here but did not receive sympathy till I confirmed I was not from several places that sounded familiar though I couldn't quite remember why.

Duscar? Brigid? Almyra? Odd names.

There was little more conversation as the efforts of the day caught up with me and I soon wrapped myself in my blanket and fell asleep.

The following morning rose bright and every part of my body ached. We broke our fast on flat bread, porridge and beer before packing up our tent and forming into march columns.

Soon after leaving camp I heard a cheer rise up from the head of the column. Not seeing why the excitement I turned to my section but only got shrugs in response. However after a while an excited murmur ran down the column and Tomas turned to me.

I did not understand what he said and the man sighed in frustration before he began explaining best he could before I understood, their ruler was here. He nodded pleased with himself that I understood before pointing ahead to a group of riders standing to the side of the road under a large, blue banner.

The cheering from ahead grew louder and I strained my eyes, curious as to in whose name I was fighting. Urban helpfully pointed out the one I was looking for. A youth, almost a boy with pale skin and long blond hair, why did he seem familiar?

-'Long live King Dimitri!'

Someone shouted and the cry was taken up by others. I started and looked closer, eyes squinted, at the youth who was now looking in our direction, hand raised in salute.

He looked different, not surprising as nobody looked like they were from a manga but actual flesh and blood but indeed the similarity was uncanny. Or at least I thought so when you take into account that everything was a bit fuzzy.

Well, it looks like I am in a game and not a game involving beach games with scantily clad girls but a war game which to further complicate things I had not finished and my role was mere cannon fodder.

Lovely.

Our next destination was another castle around which we immediately began digging siege works, trenches, artillery platforms, palisades and the like to say nothing of more mundane things such as latrines.

Digging gave me sufficient time to think about my situation. I was in a Fire Emblem game, press ganged as a faceless mook. The military action implied the game had started, however Dimitri looked younger than he did in the artwork. Perhaps this was sometime before the game starts?

I had no way of knowing so instead focused on what I had to do and what I could do. I had to dig. I had to go on patrol and I had to hurry with everything only to wait afterwards. I could try to interact with my section and learn the language which I did.

Tomas turned out to be of rank, the leader of ten men. The literal meaning of his rank was "tenth man", I'll use corporal as easier to say.

Despite evident sympathy his duties meant he had little time to deal with me.

The others were more reserved, nobody wants to waste time on the "new guy" until he proves himself after all, yet gradually I began to pick up on the language till I was confident enough to join in conversations. True my sentences were of very low quality and depth and caused many laughs and jokes at my expense but the first steps were made.

I also got more kit, including a dagger, spear and kettle-hat as well as a hood, it's blue colour signaling I was in royal service.

On that subject it seemed while the previous siege had been under Dimitri's direct command he had moved on to a more important target while we where dispatched to blockade a smaller castle and our new commander was happy to sit and wait.

I for one was happy to not partake in another assault but it seemed there were some who thought differently. Urban and Bruno in particular were prone to grumbling on the subject, their primary grievance being the fact that if the castle surrendered rather than fall to an assault then there would be no plunder.

Still we spent the next weeks digging, on patrol, sentry duty and doing nothing. The last translated to talking and gambling, something I did not partake in myself (I did not know the rules to say nothing about not having anything to bet) but I observed none the less.

During one such session with men from a different tent Bruno was on a winning streak, Jan was doing OK and I was merely cheering them on as well as listening on the conversations. As such I was probably the first to realize that the tone of the other section was getting less pleasant. Before I could decide whether to say something Bruno won again and instead of swearing his opponent jumped to his feet, reaching for his dagger.

I can't really say what happened as next I knew I was twisting the arm holding the dagger out of its socket, there was a lot of shouting and someone dragged me off my victim.

We decided to call an early night and left the other tent to lick their wounded pride (and arm in one case). A safe distance Jan slapped me on the back.

-'Not bad.'

He grinned as Bruno headed for a mess tent where he used some of his winnings to buy a jug of spirits he insisted I drink with him.

Making new friends made the hangover worth it.

Good times do not last. At the end of the third week I was doing my best to stay awake during my stint on sentry duty during the last hours before dawn when horns sounded. I looked to the surrounding hills and my stomach jumped to my throat. A dark mass left the woods and were moving towards our camp.

-'Get into formation!'

I heard Tomas shout and I rushed to do as told and soon enough we were being marshaled into formation even as we heard the other forces slam into the poor bastards on the outer perimeter.

-'Easy! Those guys'll manage, we need to keep an eye on the garrison.'

Sure enough we soon heard horns sounding from the castle and a new order sounded.

-'Left face! Advance!'

We did. Ahead a thin line of ours was buckling under the weight of the sallying enemy. So occupied they only realized we were coming when our commander shouted,

-'Kill!'

-'KILL!'

We roared in answer, though I've a feeling mine was more a squeak, before crashing into their flank. Our column shuddered, staggered before we kept going. I stumbled over something, looked down and saw the pain and hate filled eyes of a wounded man glaring at me, I had no time to pause as I was pushed and forced to move onward.

Soon we came to a halt as our enemy fled, a ragged cheer rose from our ranks that I did not join in, I was looking at the trail of dead and dying behind us before bending over and voiding my stomach.

There were a few laughs, plenty of curses and before long a pat on the back.

-'Let it out lad, it' ll get better. '

I heaved in response but was forced to stand as the order to reform was given. I fell in, still feeling ill, and we marched again.

From ahead came another column and though in the gloom it was difficult to make anything specific out but the fact that they were fast marching at us made their hostile intent clear.

As if by silent agreement our two columns stopped just shy of spear distance followed by the occasional ring of metal hitting metal or the dull thud of wood before someone lunged, drawing a sharp cry of pain and hell broke loose.

Twisted faces, shrieks, something hot and wet hitting my face, that is what I remember most from the next moments. Something hit my hand and I was proud that I did not drop my weapon, instead jabbing it in the twisted hateful mass ahead of me.

I honestly can not say that I hit anyone as my entire world shrunk to just thrusting my spear over the heads of the front rank into the dark mass of twisted faces ahead.

And just like that it was over. My breath coming to me in gasps I slowly raised my spear and rested the butt in the ground before leaning my own weight on it. The enemy had ran, leaving behind their dead and wounded, the later being finished off even as I realized the fact, and not far away a column of mounted men thundered past after those fleeing.

A hand slapped my back and I turned to see the men of my section surrounding me.

- 'Not bad, he didn't even wet himself.'

Jan said and they laughed, not unkindly though I felt myself redden all the same.

- 'Even looks like he got one.'

Bruno noted, glancing at my spear head. I followed his example and saw that the tip was indeed red, not that I could tell when I had managed it or if it wasn't just from all the blood spraying around.

- 'Alright back into formation lads, his lordship hasn't given leave to fall out yet.'

Tomas interrupted, his words followed by a groan as someone muttered.

- 'Aye, we'll by standing watch all night now.'

- 'Silence in the ranks!'

Silence fell as we moved back into formation.

We did indeed spend the rest of the night in formation.

The siege lasted another week before it ended. I was not on duty at the time but I heard a the garrison surrendered after receiving news they would not be relieved, as you might guess I was happy not to be sent into another assault but many of the others were less thrilled as there would be no plunder.

That was not the end of the news. A herald in the royal colours walked through the camp and exchanged words with several corporals, including Tomas. The man nodded but looked as if something bad had happened and I waited with a sick feeling in my gut as he approached us.

- 'Bad news lads.'

He paused and looked us all in the eyes as a dozen different thoughts went through my mind as to what sort of news he could have gotten.

- 'His majesty has forced the rebels to surrender. The war is over.'

A groan rose from the section as I looked on, wasn't that good news?

- 'But we'll be paid, aye? The won't shaft us?'

Tomas shrugged at Urbans questions.

- 'We've been ordered to Meadowmill, they'll probably demobilize us there. I doubt they'll be that keen on testing us by not paying us our due… and if they do well.'

He shrugged again.

- 'We'll just have to take what is owed.'

They did pay us. We spent most of the day among dozens of other mercenary groups as we handed in our blue hoods and bit of kit marked with the royal mark before annoyed looking clerks grumpily handed us our coin.

With a handful of silver and little more than the cloths on my back I wondered, what now? For the time being I followed Tomas and the others to the village alehouse and stared absently into my horn.

No mission update, no quest marker on the map, no smug goddess to tell me what I was supposed to do next… I took a swig of the ale. It was not bad but no inspiration came to me.

I half listened to Tomas as he spoke with the others.

- 'Winter is coming and I'd rather not be in the north when it does.'

- 'Aye, so south than and we look for employment in the Empire?'

- 'Our best bet probably, there is always need for the violent sort there.'

I had thought that with the campaign over so was our partnership but I felt an elbow nudge my ribs and I looked up as Simon spoke.

- 'You'll like the Empire Zen! Even the winters are warm, the wine is seldom sour and the lasses rarely charge more than a twopence for a tumble.'

There was laughter and a whistle from the table and Tomas, smiling broadly, raised his hands.

- 'Settle down lads. Zenon has no obligation to come with us after all.'

Several voices talked over each other in a cacophony as Tomas raised both hands again.

- 'That said I honestly can't think of why you wouldn't, taking into account yer a foreigner in a foreign land with no idea how to get home and scarce more than the clothes on your back and a handful of silver to yer name.'

You will admit he made a good case.

The first thing that had to be done was getting some kit. The silver I had was nowhere near enough so I ended up having to borrow money from Tomas to get a padded jack, coif and kettle helm as well as a spear and a number of more mundane things such as blankets, a hood and cape, gloves utensils and other things most people don't think of when they think of their roleplaying characters equipment. Fortunately a lot of it would be communal so I didn't go that badly into debt.

After that it was a matter of doing what I had been doing for the past weeks, follow orders.

We headed south serving as guards for a fur merchant. It turned to be an easy job as if there was anybody wanting to rob him our presence was enough to convince them otherwise, not that I saw any money from this as pretty much all of it went to Tomas to pay for my kit.

I did have a lot of time to observe my surroundings. The land gradually changed as we moved from area that reminded me of northern Europe in both nature and architecture to a more Mediterranean look. My suspicions were confirmed as just before we reached the fur merchants destination Bruno tapped my shoulder and pointed out a pole painted in red and yellow stripes.

- 'We're crossin' to the Empire now.'

The people looked largely the same, brown cloths, brown cloths everywhere! Seriously I don't know who came up with the idea that medieval Europe was this drab world of brown and gray but stop it! People loved colours, they loved eye-catching combinations of those colours as well as patterns so stop with the endless drabness!

Than again the main characters, the aristocracy were extravagant so maybe it could be explained as a cultural thing unlike our own world?

Than of course there were the anime hair colours for the upper classes, not that I saw many of those. At my question regarding the matter the lads looked at me weirdly, I don't think they believed me when I said I came from a land were people could not be born with blue hair.

Another thing I noticed was the change in accent, or rather I realized that after several people took to repeating what I had said and laughing. It seems that not only had I ended up learning a northern dialect of Fodlan's common tongue but my native accent made it near unintelligible the further south I went. Children and young women in particular delighted in mocking me.

I begrudgingly refrained from beating the brats so as to not endanger our chance of getting paid, and we found plenty of work to do.

Escorts for merchants, killing wolves, chasing off outlaws, finding missing persons in the woods. We did it all and we would move on to the next job in an attempt to gather enough coin to safely winter in one of the cities but sooner or later winter did come, first as morning frost, than as freezing rains and soon the rain would be mixed with snow, it was cold wet and miserable all around.

Still we pretty much ended up taking over a tavern somewhere in the northern Empire where it was warm and dry enough to spend the winter.

As the first signs of spring came the bailiff entered the tavern and spent some time talking to Tomas as the rest of us wondered would it be a job or were they kicking us out for all the annoyance we caused?

It was a job.

Outlaws had been seen in the region and he hired us to sweep the nearby woods.

And so I found myself marching through the woods, dark and gloomy despite the patches of snow still around, following Piotr as he moved with nose practically touching the ground as he followed the tracks he had found some time earlier.

- 'How long are we going to follow the trail?'

I muttered, not really expecting a response.

- 'Till we're sure it's not an outlaw band.'

Tomas replied casting a glance back at me.

- 'Why? You got somewhere better to be?'

Before I could respond Jan answered for me.

- 'Probably prefers the scenery back in the tavern, especially when the masters daughter was there!'

There was laughter at that and I felt myself go red. Piotr stopped and looked back to us.

- 'Quiet! It looks like…'

A sound that reminded me of a car speeding by followed by a thud and we all stared as Tomas staggered back, looking at the yard long shaft embed in his chest.

- 'Not good.'

He muttered as he fell.

- 'Follow me!'

Bruno barked as I found myself grabbing Tomas by one arm, Urban by the other and we legged it through a line of trees and stumbled into a ditch as more arrows whistled around us, Piotr yelping as he stumbled in last, an arrow in his leg.

- 'What do we do?'

Jan asked glancing around.

- 'Where were the arrows coming from?'

- 'Zen! Hold him down!'

I stopped listening to the others and did as Urban said and held Tomas down so he could do his best with the arrow.

- 'They're flanking us!'

I looked up and saw shapes moving in the trees and my mouth went dry.

- 'Follow me and at 'em!'

Bruno shouted as he stood and ran towards the shapes, Jan and Simon following a second later. I hesitated till Piotr limped over and knelt by Tomas.

- 'Go! I'll help here.'

I nodded and, grabbing my spear, leapt to my feat and followed the others.

A mad dash later and I burst through some branches amidst several dark shapes, one turned to me and raised an axe. Without breaking my stride I impaled him on my spear, knocking the man to the ground where he screamed and clutched at the ash shaft that I had just impaled him on.

With a well practiced twist I yanked it free and looked around. Several shapes surrounded the other three, one ready to strike Bruno in the back.

I cursed and thrust, the point barely reached the outlaw but he squealed and staggered away, blood appearing where I nicked him. No time to dwell on it as movement made me turn and a outlaw was now swing at me with a blade and I had overextended myself with that thrust. I swerved best I could and could almost swear I felt the blade slide across my jack.

No time to think and my training kicked in, one hand grabbed his arm as the other went for my dagger. Move forward to close the distance as you pull the dagger to thrust it into his belly.

The outlaw gasped as the hardened steel punched into his gut, and I twisted the blade and pulled it free before shoving him away. He stumbled and fell and began to scream.

No point in paying him any more attention as I look around and move to help the others in a brief bout of violence and just like that it's over and we're standing in a small clearing, the outlaws running away leaving behind their dead and wounded.

Almost immediately a wave of exhaustion hits me and I leaned against a tree. I felt disgust at myself as I had thought I had grown used to this lifestyle and here I was going faint again.

- 'Everyone okay?'

Bruno asked and two voices answered, I try to do so as well but for some reason my voice won't come out.

- 'Zen? You ok… Oh goddess!'

I look up and see three pale faces swimming in front of me. I look down and see my entire side is red.

- 'Oh…'

I hear myself say as everything goes dark.

Obviously the biggest issue would be alien diseases that your body wouldn't be able to combat and Traveller's Diarrhoea, but I ended up not adding that in.