Wind... I can feel it, gentle like a breath. Then, a warm light presses against my closed eyelids, calling me to wake up.
My eyes then open.
The world looks blurry, like a painting washed with water. Slowly, the fog lifts.
I was lying on a bed of moss, surrounded by a cathedral of tall trees. A soft breeze hums a low tune, whispering through swaying leaves that seem to wave at me.
Here, the silence feels loud.
"Where am I..."
Cold, damp.
This place... I don't recognize it.
I slowly get up. My clothes are wet from lying in a puddle.
It feels uncomfortable.
I see the reflection of my face in that puddle, a face not in my memory, one so beautiful, flawless, and yet looking sad.
I touch my face slowly, gently; it's wet and cold.
"Who... am I?"
Even my own name, I can't remember. What happened to me... I'm sure this isn't my place. I just can't prove it because I don't know anything.
"Anyone... is anyone listening?" I murmur softly.
Silence, no answer. I feel like a fool trying to talk to the wind.
Loneliness.
Ahhh.
"Lin Xinyi."
"Who's there!" I reflexively shout upon hearing that voice.
"You... must not die. Live well, enjoy your life."
There's no one around me, I am completely alone.
The voice only echoed in my head. Soft and calming.
Do I know it?
"There isn't much time. I will teach you... how to use your power better."
"What do you mean?"
"Understand... what you are about to see."
Just as it finished speaking, pain slammed into my head without warning.
The world seemed to spin for a moment, but my feet held firm, keeping my body from collapsing outright.
"It hurts..."
That sigh slipped right out of my lips.
Fragments of shadows swirled wildly in my mind—foreign recordings I had never experienced, never seen, and never remembered.
Glowing symbols, sequences of spells, flows of energy moving according to specific laws... all forced their way in, as if my head had become a vessel.
They weren't my memories.
They were hers.
They were about... magic?
Knowledge of magic, about the right and wrong ways to control it, about how to sense the mana flow before shaping it into a spell—all of it was simply implanted into my consciousness.
A few minutes later, as the pain subsided, I found myself just sitting in that cold puddle again.
"Hey... are you listening?"
Silence.
No answer from it, I was ignored.
It was gone.
Just what kind of world is this, really? Magic? In my world, there shouldn't be such a thing. I don't remember it, only vague fragments remain. Tall buildings, smoke, and then...
Crack—
I reflexively turn my head to the side.
I see a few small, green-colored monsters carrying wooden weapons that fit their size.
They're staring at me, as if I'm their prey.
"Goblins? What kind of coincidence is this?"
I know them, I've read about these monsters somewhere.
I immediately get up and slowly back away—not trembling, not scared, just cautious.
The goblins seem to be talking amongst themselves, then look back at me. This time, they all start walking slowly, with disgusting expressions on their faces. It sends a chill down my spine.
The more I retreat, the closer they get.
Until I finally couldn't take it anymore and decided to turn and run.
I glance back as I run.
Those short monsters aren't idle; they're chasing me. Their movements are so nimble as they weave through the trees, and there are many of them.
"How can these short monsters be so fast!"
One goblin closes in, almost hitting me with its wooden club.
I dodge to the side, evading it. Then kick its face before it can react.
Thump—!
One is down, but the others look angry because I took down their friend. One raises its club high, signaling the others to attack.
I step on the face of that goblin once more. Making sure it doesn't get up again. Then continue running from the pursuit of those little monsters.
They're too fast; even if I keep running, I'll eventually be caught.
If I get caught, who knows what they'll do to me. Just thinking about it gives me chills.
I wish I could kill them right now!
"Magic."
The word pops into my mind instantly.
But I don't know how—no... I do know. Right, I know it well.
Still running, I then turn around; they aren't too far from me. If I fail, I'll be captured.
Confident. I remember, she told me. I just have to try.
The goblins get closer. Closer.
They are grouped together.
One attack.
I bring my hands together, doing exactly what I remember.
Condense Mana, then release.
The timing is right.
Now!
"Fire Creation Magic: Black Flame!"
A magic circle forms in front of my palms. Then, black flames spew out towards the goblins, burning them to ashes.
Their screams as they burn somehow sound pleasant.
Satisfying.
It's done; everything is scorched to cinders.
Only I remain, surprised that the magic was that powerful. My first try and I've already fallen in love with magic.
"I succeeded..."
I didn't want to fail, but I also didn't expect to succeed.
"I... want to try it again."
However, my body feels tired. I'm not sure I can use magic again anytime soon. Maybe my Mana is depleted?
I used it too wastefully.
I need to train more, learn the proper way to use it.
Why am I really in this world? The prologue should be over. So what's next? Do I have to get out of this forest?
"GHAARRHHH!"
A terrifying roar erupts through the air, shaking the earth and slamming into my ears like a pressure wave. I'm forced to cover my ears, enduring the pain that shoots through them.
A few seconds later, it stops.
I immediately search for the source of the sound; since it was so loud, it shouldn't be too far away. Is it a dragon? Or some other strange monster?
I trace through the forest, heading towards where I caught the sound, and find three women being chased by a giant monster.
Those three women look beautiful and strong. But it seems they've run out of Mana and can only run without fighting back. They'll die sooner or later.
As for the monster, it's far larger and more terrifying. Its body is covered in shiny black scales like steel, offering protection almost impossible to pierce with ordinary weapons.
Its head is large, with a jaw capable of crushing steel in one bite, equipped with long, dagger-like fangs.
Its eyes glow red. Its nostrils are large, sniffing for prey from afar. Its arms are still small, but they have curved, sickle-like claws.
Its back is covered in large spikes. Its tail is long and muscular, strong enough to crush buildings in a single swipe. Each step makes the ground tremble.
I peek from behind the trees.
What should I do?
"There are two choices. Help them, but I must win. Or ignore it and run..."
Which one should I choose?