After saying my name a new message pops up before I can examine my new surroundings.

"I didn't mean to be here! My name is Jimmy Conway and I belong at my mansion in the USA or well the orphanage for the moment!" I ask shakily, recognizing the small chance of it answering my vital question.

The message window closes, not answering my well meaning statement.

I examine my surroundings and I see that I'm surrounded by forestry with a river full of pebbles. I decide to test out what "open inventory" means and so I grab several pebbles and the process is having to put the pebbles into the inventory message after speaking out loud thus i constantly put rocks and pebbles anything I'm able to lift inside the inventory, I then realize I'm all alone.

Me all alone that's not uncommon anymore, I have been alone for a year now even my right arm is lonely.

Maybe this "Tower" can allow me to foster my sphere of influence like I had before the death of my parents and the absence of my left arm. Yet I feel as though more likely I won't be able to do that and I just need to become an adult and be able to do whatever I want.

"Character window"? I say looking around in case there is any trouble.

I can get used to this, I knew I was smart but this smart wow no wonder every teacher hated me. Seems like my intellect can't be increased but it's linked to mana, this must mean mana is linked to IQ at the start and from then on mana will increase with no link to IQ. Since mana is an attribute it must mean magic or something will also be an avenue in this "tower".

This is crazy I can't believe this, besides mana and IQ there seems to be 2 other links which are vitality to health and stamina to well stamina.

I wonder how I gain XP. Clearly this place is similar to MMORPG games and stuff which must mean I have to hunt monsters. It will be best to see though maybe squats will allow me to have an answer.

1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. 5..

Ugh I'm done I see no XP gain but I do see stamina lowering

<650 stamina remaining>

I sit down on the grass just observing the trees.

Suddenly a tree starts coming down to the right of me.

From that tree rises a 20 foot bear, fully black with red eyes.

"RAurrrrr" it screams ferociously and I follow it with a scream of my own. 

"AAwWWww"

I run but knowing the speed of bears it will quickly out pace me.

I quickly look around... small tree, big tree, rock, small cave?

Eureka!

I dash to the cave as the bear closes the distance

Slide!

Slash!

I slid into the cave successfully. The cave is only 5 feet tall yet it's likely 10 feet deep enough for the bear to stay out of reach. I look at my body and see no injuries except my left prosthetic arm has been completely shattered, it has no use anymore so I take it off.

I need to stay here until I know it's safe until then I will have to plan where I will go.

The tower message said that to open the character window I have to say "Open Character Window" but they also said to open a map say-

"Open Map"

All I have to do it seems is go straight north west then I get to go to "Hamlets Edge"?

A few hours later

I have been tinkering with the ground and a stick inside this cave for way too long. It's time to make a run to Hamlet's edge. I walk outside quickly stretching and look up seeing night is soon to come into fruition so I quickly need to make my way.

Not wasting any time for a 20 foot bear to kill me I quickly make a chase to Mayors edge. I see a few goblins on my way but luckily they never see me but it still gets my heart pounding. After what seems like forever I make it Hamlet's edge. There are a few dozen houses and a neat market, the overall population likely only totaling a little under 100.

Immediately when I walk into the medieval-like houses it reminds me of MMORPG's again as medieval settings are pretty cool but probably not when you have to use the plumbing systems.

"Excuse me young sir who are you" a poorly equipped aging guard comes and confronts me.

"Excuse you but I am Jimmy Conway now who are you"? I say with some snap as clearly if this is a video game setting he will be an NPC making him non-human.

"I'm Harry the guard of Mayors Edge are you perhaps one of the heroes sent from a seemingly magical place called Earth. We were able to meet one of your compatriots earlier and she has immediately gone to work to help our hamlet sized area."

hmmm maybe I can instead be the leader of this place since they see me as a hero allowing me to be safe.

"I would like to meet your mayor at once!" I wave my finger at old Harry with him showing the most confused glare.

"Hey" says a teenage girl entering my visibility. She is clearly from my world as she wears modern clothes and a dark colored shirt that says California. She must have been hearing my speech with the aging guard.

I don't respond instead I eye her sharp features and aesthetic body of Hispanic descent.

"Are you just going to keep staring"? she says, knocking me out of my trance and making me blush a little from embarrassment.

"Oh shoot I'm sorry about that" I remark quickly and just as quick she responds

"You're in their town and you need to show some respect" she says loudly with the town folk hearing and the aging guard giving a proud grunt.

"Sorry California but you should know they are NPC's, they are not human nor should we have to treat them like one" I say furrowing my brow.

"Even if they are not human, the very same being who made this place and killed innocent people back home said they are individuals".

"What do you mean?" now I'm really confused and she clearly see's this letting out an annoyed sigh

"The message said we are here not only to protect Earth but also possibly the individuals that are in this" she sighs for the second time "tower".

"Oh" I don't like admitting that I interpreted something important wrong especially when they are clearly not being considerate towards me but I'm in check mate.

"Also NPC means non-playable character by that definition. I'm an NPC too since you can't play as me now can you" now she is just putting a gunshot to the wound.

"No, I get it already I was... mistaken"

"Jimmy Conway right?"

"Yes, you"

"Valentina Jimenez"

"Like the hot sauce?"

"Yes, like the hot sauce so you can just call me Val or we will have a problem if we don't have one already".

"Alright I understand, so why are you here" lol imagine being named after hot sauce I giggle on the inside.

"I'm here because I saw my closest friend" she takes a moment to look down at her converse sneakers "die in front of my eyes and knew I had to prevent this evil from spreading to Earth and have more good people die. Why are you here? There must be a good reason for you also?" she holds back a painful cry when mentioning the loss of her best friend. I can clearly see that expression as it is a similar one when I lost my arm yet I didn't hold back the emotional pain like her.

"I came here to save Earth and protect women that includes you" I say proudly and pump my chest up especially as I'm less than two inches taller than her. I'd rather not tell her the real reason and this may make her an ally due to the likability of my reason.

"I'd rather just die then have someone like you protect women and especially me" she laughs painfully, still choked up about the trauma she faced likely.

My lie to save face for my in reality stupid truth of falling into the accept button has made her laugh. Hmm this wasn't my expectation as I have never made anyone laugh but hopefully this will allow me to make an ally.

"Anyways do you have any clue of what is going on?" I exclaim and I just noticed the guard has walked away and the townspeople still eye me from my previous comments about them.

"No but it seems like a higher being has made this maybe for the sins of humanity or because as previously stated we need to help save the people here".

"Huh" I agree with the latter. The former I do not, humanity has done bad things for good reason since it's important for great people to do bad things sometimes to increase their prestige. Such as in the first crusade when the crusaders conquered Jerusalem they celebrated by allowing their troops to have their way with the residents living there to have the soldiers loyalty.

"Hey are you just going to stand there or are you going to realize it's now getting dark" she says with a clearly annoyed face.

"Oh I'm sorry, what should we do?"

"Well I'm going to go and sleep at an inn offered to me by a good older couple. You can do whatever you want to do."

She then walks off and I stand lonesome having no clue what to do. I decided to ask her to ask if there's an extra bed.

"What are you doing?" she says, giving me a stare showing she clearly disapproves of my objective.

"I'm coming with you to see if they have any room, I have no clue where else to go" we walk forward and eventually head into the inn.

The inn is very medieval like everything else and the two elderly couple both anywhere from 60-70 with gray hair bat their eyes at me and ask

"Young hero Val, is this your husband? If so, how did he ever curry your favor.. don't get me wrong, he is a handsome young man, I suppose I'm just not used to seeing dainty men like him." the old lady says, smiling at the prospect of us being husband and wife and to make up for questioning my ability to romance she squeezes my cheeks like a grandma to a grandson.

Much to my annoyance.

"You could do better, Val, this one seems a little frail and won't be able to swing an ax much good." the husband says loudly right in front of me and laughs heartily clearly not knowing the gut punch he just released onto me.

I then look to my right and see Val completely astonished by their comments and she finally opens her mouth.

"No he is not my husband in our home country it isn't even legal to marry until 18 also I have no clue who he even is yet. By the way Mrs. Dowry you can just call me Val and that goes for anyone else like me as most people I bet that came from Earth don't deserve to be called heroes" she side eyes me. I probably am still not "currying her favor" like the people here say, likely the reason being from previously trying to take control of this place.

As I stand there thinking about my dislike of California now due to the idealistic nature of this "Val" I then remember I need to ask for refuge.

"May I please rest for the night as I have no other place to go" I ask trying to sound as polite as possible

"Of course just know you will have to sleep on the floor, we only have a singular extra bed and Val will sleep in it unless you joyous two want to share." he chuckles and his wife gives a jab to his arm making him stop chuckling.

Val ignores the comment and heads to her bed. I don't even think about asking for the singular bed instead I just lie on the ground in agony.

"Hey why do you have one arm?"

"Car crash" I shortly remark not wanting to elaborate anymore or my charismatic face would start to break apart which would just be honestly embarrassing I feel.

Val doesn't push me to any full answer and instead just goes to sleep.

Eventually I fell asleep almost an hour after Val and soon woke up with Val nowhere to be seen.

It leads me to wonder as to why she allowed a stranger to even be in the same room as her and equally as important if there is any breakfast?

Val then enters

"Hey if you're wondering as to why I allowed you to even sleep on the floor near me it's because I don't see you as a threat" she smiles as if friendly but I feel as though it's an insult.

"Also breakfast is waiting for you. Make sure to thank the people who you see as lesser than you." she then walks off both of my internal questions being answered.

I walk out of the room heading into their small dining room with them kindly greeting. I became acquainted with porridge as my breakfast and so I choke down the horrible abomination of breakfast food. Yet it would be rude to not at least say thank you since it's clear as day they aren't well off so I hesitantly say

"Thank you" I snarl at my politeness yet it doesn't go unheard as they begin to open their mouths.

"No problem young hero" the old couple commented to me, making me tingle a little bit and see they clearly haven't taken Val's earlier words to heart.

I politely exit to go outside and spot Val. I'm wondering what her stats are since none of my stats are even so at the start they must be personalized.

"What do you want?" she turns around, having noticed my presence as walk towards her, seemingly readying herself to exit Hamlet's Edge.

Now I think as to what I should say as if her stats are good then I should definitely try to ally myself to her. I saw earlier that there are clans part of the character window. I'm going to take a gambit and try to trust her stats to be good and to gain her trust I will ask for her and I to start a clan.

"Hello?" she says confused as I stand there wondering what to say.

"I would like for us to stick together "

"Why?"

"We are both at a low level as we just got here. I'm personally level one and before I found Mayors Edge I was attacked by a 20 foot bear. Your friend died before you got here on Earth and so I'm sure we can die here too. Permanently"

"... I understand but if you act like a manipulator or a crazy dude you're going to be tied up to a tree" she says to me with a hand on her hip.

"I can get by with that so when we are able to we are going to make a clan, yes?"

"yea"

"What's your character window?"

"Open Character Window"

My gambit was that in good faith she will make a worthy ally. I start brooding like a smart action hero and have a snarky smile.

"Stop making that face it makes you look dumber. So what's your character window?" she asks me

I show her my character menu and she doesn't compliment or insult my stats.

"Quick question what does Cooking Grade E mean" the skill on the character window is appealing as to just what qualifies as a skill in this place.

"It told me that I am able to cook to the point of making 99 percent of food delicious."

"How come you have that skill and I don't have any?"

"One of my goals has been to go onto hell's kitchen and outcook Gordon Ramsey so i have been practicing since I was little. Plus it helps my parents teach me everything they know and we own a 2 Michelin star restaurant."

"Huh, so great skills are also translated to this world."

This makes me contemplate my life decisions of never aspiring to do anything which has allowed me to not be good enough to acquire any skills.

"Conway, we are going to make our way to the city capital since that is where we can find others and see how everyone else is taking in this supernatural situation".

"That sounds good."

"Open World Map" I exclaim

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Authors note: If you are enjoying my book so far please star it and possibly comment what you enjoy and don't enjoy so I can thoroughly read it and take in the kindness or criticism to reflect on how to perfect my book.

Sincerely Isaiah Jimenez

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