Roses Adventure in a New World

Chapter 8

After Astra finished her story I filled her in on what happened to me. We then decided to go back to the town I was in. Once we got back to my room we tried to formulate a plan. We studied our maps and realized that it seemed a good size army of undead was heading towards a rather large stronghold to the east. We decided that was our best way of action. The only problem was that a mountain range blocked our way so we would have to go on a path going through it. We then planned to buy everything we needed for the trip here and leave first thing tomorrow morning. Both of us had plenty of money to buy sleeping bags food and anything else we thought we needed. Apparently, I was not the only one who took quests to kill the undead for money. Astra got enough money for us to even get two horses, so we could ride there.

We got up the next morning and left off. Though I had never ridden a horse before I seemed to have a fairly easy time doing it. I guess this body can basically do anything. Maybe it could fly? No probably not right? that's not a necessary skill for a fantasy world I think. I wonder what else that means I'm good at? Maybe I'm sneaky? Or good at picking locks? Should I try this? Probably not at least trying to steal something until I know I can.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Astra asked as we rode our horses down the trail. 

"Lock-picking."

"Should I be worried?"

"No! Well I mean I don't think so?"

"Care to explain?" 

"Well, you know how the bodies the light gave us have special skills?"

"Yea it said the body was equipped for this world."

"Exactly! So in one of the RPG fantasy games I played like stealth and lock-picking are useful skills"

"Didn't you play as a girl in that one game?"

"I told you about that! It's better to stare at a girls ass than a guy's the whole time your playing"

"Sure"

"Anyways, that's beside the point. So as I was saying maybe we can easily do things like stealth and stealing. "

"Oh. Yea I guess that makes a lot of sense actually."

"So that's why I was thinking of lock picking. Maybe we have a bunch of skills we don't know of. Like how I picked up magic. So maybe we should try a bunch of skills to figure out what we are good at."

"That's a decent idea. When we get to the next town we should buy things like bows to see if we can use them well."

"that's a good idea."

"So does that mean I might be able to finally live out my dream of be gay do crime?"

"I guess?"

We got to the next town that evening and got loading there. We also got supplies to learn what we were good at. The next day we got back on the path heading towards the mountains. at lunch, we took a break and decided to try our hands at the different things. Apparently, I still suck at sneaking around in the forest. Astra did fairly decent at that. Next we each tried to pick locks. Again I didn't do that good but Astra did. Both of us seemed to be able to read all the languages we could find. I seemed to do better at archery than Astra though. Honestly, the skills given seem to heighten our ability to do the basics but do by no means make us experts. 

By the end of the day, we were fairly close to the foot of the mountain. There were not any towns around here so we had to set up camp. Astra and I honestly did a fairly decent job setting things up. We then both fell asleep fairly quickly. I wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of someone screaming. I try to go for my sword, but I quickly get a bag pulled over my body. I then get flipped upside down. As that happens I hit my head and everything fades to black.

I wake up bound to a pole hanging upside down. I try to get a good look at my surroundings and feel that my head is still pounding from where I hit it. It's still dark out so hopefully, I was not out too long. I look and see that I am bound to a log that is suspended in a tree's branches it looks like there is someone else on it to my left.  Just as I am about to try to get their attention, I hear someone with a deep booming voice speak. It comes from a rather tall creature looking to be about twenty feet tall. He is sitting at a campfire all by himself. I look at his face but see he only has one eye. He continues to speak, but I realize he is actually singing. I can't make out the words but it sounds like he is singing about eating people. He then holds up a skewer to the fire where he seems to be cooking some eat. I realize in relief that it's not human, but I think that it might be soon.

After I realize He is not paying attention to us I try to get the other person's attention. 

"Pst Hey are you ok?"

The person stirs a little. 

"Hey please wake up." I try to say as loud as I can without attracting attention. 

They stir fully and turn their head to look at me. It's Astra thank the gods!

"Who are you, and what's happening?"

I realize that my magic illusion must be gone. She doesn't recognize me. That could be good.

"That ogre thing is trying to eat us!"

"What can we do?"Astra asks getting kinda scared.

"I just have to focus on a spell."

I try to ignore my throbbing head and summon a flame. The first time I get a little tiny flame that does nothing to the ropes binding me. I refocus and close my eyes. I slow my breathing. I center myself and then retry. I summon a flame that then burns through my ropes. I drop to the ground and try to roll to lessen the impact. I then focus again and hit the rope that holds Astra. Thankfully she is lower to the ground so when the ropes break she goes to the ground basically unscathed. I then immediately grab her hand and run away from the ogre. After we are a semi-far distance I stop and we both catch our breath again.

"We need to head back?"

"Why would we do that?" What is she thinking?

"My friend Thomas was with me. I think it took him."