I didn't feel pain.

Actually, I felt amazing. I felt like I got the best eight hour sleep; that I could simply open my eyes and not feel tired. It was the sleep I always wanted. A sleep that had no fear of late assignment deadlines hanging over it or no obligations to fulfill. I smiled to myself, nuzzling deeper into the rough ground I was sleeping on. The sunshine filtered behind my closed eyelids and felt the birds chirping really loud for a reason. I know that the sun has no right to be up in my business-

Wait a second. Sunshine? Birds screeching? Rough ground?

I snapped my eyes open to reveal that I was laying on the forest ground, feeling a broken branch digging in my lower back. The sharpness of my eyesight what caught me even more off guard. It was like 20/20 with added mods. I never had the perfect vision, in fact, I could have been few levels away from being legally blind (My dad calls me dramatic). Not only my eyesight had become better, so did my hearing. I could hear the scuttling of a small, animal feet to my right but there were no small critters around the 5-foot radius.

I died and I got better eyesight? That's fucked up. I shook my head as I stood up, dusting off fallen leaves from my...brown cloth leggings? It was like those leggings you see in medieval times. I looked down at my chest, realizing that there was a reason why my shoulders felt heavy. My eyes popped off from my eye socket when I saw the metal breastplate around me.

I also noticed the long sword in its scabbard hanging from my waist. I looked over my shoulder to see a bow attached to my back. "What the hell?" I muttered to myself, fingering the hilt of the sword. My hands caught my attention this time around. They were paler and had more of a golden hue to them. My fingers were longer, daint. If my hands have changed, what else has changed?!

I started to pat my body to feel for changes. It seems that I got slimmer and my breasts had shrunk. I reached my face and got welcomed by a pointy chin. I kept going higher to meet with high cheekbones (I never had high cheekbones!). I went to touch my ears to feel that they no longer were short, rounded, human ears. Instead, they were elongated and puckered to a point—like an elf.

"What in the living fuck is going on?! I thought I was in heaven, not Skyrim!" I cried out loud, looking around for something that I could use as a mirror. I kept on walking straight, stepping over tree roots as thick as my forearms. I felt like I was in a dream, that any second now I will wake up on a hospital bed with my dad leaning over me.

However, the way the squirrel on a tree branch looked, I am thinking that this is no dream, but a new reality. If so, why me? Why did I go to this new reality? Why haven't they taken my thoughts in this before placing me in a different reality?

We did.

A voice resonated through my head, resulting me in almost crashing to the floor if it weren't for the tree in the way. What was that? I shook my head. I am so disoriented from this world that I started to answer my own questions. That must be it. Shoving off of the tree, I began my search again.

That's not it.

I froze. The voice was a mixture of both male and female voice and it demanded attention. It felt like there was a speaker in my skull and it made my skull vibrate. I am assuming I am going to get a killer headache. But that's not the issue here; the issue is who was talking to me in my head.

The Valar is speaking to you, my child. We are in your head so we know exactly what you are thinking.

That's not like weird or anything, right? Waking up in a totally new world and have like someone speak to me in my head is the total norm.

I am sure you are freaking out, considering how sarcastic you sound and being new to this world, we will let it go. This time.

The voice was stern, deeper this time around. The warning was there and I follow warnings like a good girl. Sorry, Valar.

It's quite alright, Hyra. To answer your question on whether we asked you for your permission, we did and you did give your permission. You wanted to live and we gave you this wish. However, it was impossible for us to send you back to your world because your mortal body is dead.

"So, I am stuck here in this strange world? I am not even human!"

You are an elf, Hyra. Elf of Middle Earth. You have skills that you never had back on Earth. For instance, you are proficient in sword fighting and archery. We chose you because you are strong.

Strong? I can barely survive with a clown in a room.

But you did survive. Despite the fear of clowns, you still decided to be in the same room. Some people would have just run. We chose you because a certain person needs your help. Frodo Baggins.

Frodo Baggins? I finally sat down on the ground, seeing that this conversation will take a long time to finish. Who is this Frodo Baggins?

A person with a kind hard. A person who is about to be dealt with a heavy hand. He will be set upon a quest to save Middle Earth.

"And you think I could help Frodo in this quest? What if I am not strong enough?"

As you face trails, you will grow stronger with experience. You will not be alone, my child. You will have great friends along side with you.

That made me feel better a little. Friends, huh? I guess I will just find out.

Your first mission: find Gandalf; he is a grand wizard. You will know who he is when you find him. When you do, explain your circumstances because he will already know that you don't belong in this world.

My first quest! Meet Gandalf and speak to him about my mission with Frodo, got it. I remembered something before I could ask, I felt the connection weakening after my acknowledgement of the mission.

"When will we speak again? And where can I see my face? Where am I?" I hurriedly asked, hoping they would answer.

We will speak when we think it's important. You are in the forest located in the Shire, where Frodo lives. If you catch Gandalf before, he will lead you to where Frodo lives: Bag End. For the last and frivolous question, if you go to your right, there is a still pond where you can see you face. We will speak next time, dear child.

You know they left the conversation when your head feels empty and only thing left behind was a headache. Frivolous, they say? It's not like I changed races or anything. I turned to my right and began walking.

And they will speak when they think it's important? I simply shook my head. No point in trying to figure out God's (Gods') words. I leapt over a bush, noticing how light I was. As I kept on walking, I smiled to myself. This was like those games that I used to watch my best friend play. You create your hero, you are given quests to finish and gain gear through experience.

The difference between a game and real life: in the game, if you died, you come back and in real life, not so much. I sighed as I shifted branch out of my way. There is no point in trying to scare myself. Scared or not, I am still here in Middle-Earth. I don't need to worry about school anymore. I will be out adventuring like I wanted to. Well, I really didn't plan on having swords with me when I adventure but since life or gods in this case, dealt me with this hand, I might as well accept it.

(Still hoping it to be a dream, however.)

Another branch shifted back and the views from a crowded forest changed into a clearing. A clearing with a still pond. Hopefully, I could see my face. I got on my knees at the edge of the body of water. I leaned over, seeing my short (?!) blond hair fall around my face. My reflection showed me more. My face was elongated and tapered to an angular point of a chin. My cheekbones were more pronounced and smattering of grey-tones freckles over my slightly smaller nose. My lips were the same size, oddly, plump and more pinkier tone to it. My hair wasn't no longer sunshine blond but more like bleached hay like color. It was short and it curled inward. My eyes were larger, almond shape and it was lighter green than normal.

It was something in between: I see myself but at the same time, a stranger is looking back at me. Hmm, I would have think about being a familiar in a stranger's body some other occasion. I turned around, the pond facing my back. I went back under the canopy of the forest, curious little animals eyeing me with their shiny, black eyes. I ignored them as I walked deeper to the area I was speaking to Valar with. I turned to my right and eyed the forest.

This way should be towards Gandalf, the man who will explain everything. I took a deep breath and exhaled it out slowly. I took the first step to the direction I hoped that led to the wizard.