The Homeseeker: An Elemental Adventurer LitRPG

Chapter 03 - Oriton

Zalan ducked down, hoping to get out of the way when the Flamestriker swung its flaming claws at him, but it was clear that Zalan hadn't moved nearly far enough. Zalan winced as the last thump of the creature's legs struck the earth. It dived at him with full force, snarling as it lunged forward with incredible speed.

There was another thump and Zalan flinched, the guttural growl of the beast fading into a gurgle. Zalan opened an eye a crack and screamed, the mouth of the Flamestriker hanging less than an inch from his face. He dragged himself away on all fours, noting that the creature didn't follow and its fading red eyes no longer stared into his soul with malevolent intent.

"Do not take on creatures you are not Leveled for," a voice reprimanded from above.

Zalan took a full five seconds before the spear sticking out of the Flamestriker became clear in his vision. He blinked, dumbfounded, and followed the angle in which it protruded from the monster up to see someone standing at the top of the wall of the town a few dozen feet behind him. A guard by the looks of the light armor on his chest. The guard held another spear ready to throw in case the Flamestriker made any indication of having survived the first blow.

"Did you do that?" Zalan said dumbly, raising his mangled, bloodied hand to point at the Flamestriker slumping further into the ground.

"Indeed." The guard nodded, then continued his short lecture. "Do not attack Flamestrikers if you do not have an Element to take them on or a good weapon to..." the guard's face went sour in bafflement. "Are you unarmed!?"

Zalan looked down at himself numbly, only then realizing that he had somehow found himself wearing a long, brown tunic, with yellow accents at the sleeves of his wrists. He looked down at his pants and saw they, too, were nothing he recognized. Faded, brown pantaloons. He patted at them absently, looking for his phone and noticing his pockets were empty.

"Uhhh," Zalan replied, his brain not having caught up with the guard.

"Do you have a death wish? How foolish can you be!?" the guard shouted.

"You are okay!" Rep appeared limping with a beaming smile from behind the dead Flamestriker, the broken hilt of his sword in one hand. He looked at the spear in the creature, then up to the wall with a thankful smile. "I am grateful for your vigilant nature over the walls, Sir Kilile. He may have perished otherwise."

The guard's derision softened at the flattery and he simply nodded once to Rep.

"Is he with you, Rep? Why is he unarmed?" the guard asked.

"Uhhh," Rep looked down at Zalan who shrugged in reply. "That is... Something I wish to ask him once we are inside Oriton," Rep said, his slow speech betraying the fact he was making up an excuse. Sir Kilile regarded the two of them with narrow eyes and pursed lips.

"Very well. But do not go back outside if you are unprepared!" he snapped.

"Thank you!" Rep rushed to Zalan to help him stand.

Zalan accepted Rep's hand and was pulled shakily to his feet. Then, he placed his weight on Rep's shoulder to take pressure off his bad ankle. A small door opened at the base of the wall and Rep led the two inside as he nodded and offered grateful platitudes in the direction of anyone that looked tangentially involved in guarding the walls. They waved the two off and Zalan finally felt his heart come down to a speed where he could breathe normally.

"Where am I?" Zalan asked.

"Oriton," Rep answered, readjusting himself under Zalan's weight.

"Where is that?" Zalan asked, confused. He studied the buildings, all of them wooden and very few with words written in English, instead opting to have symbols to represent what type of business was housed in the building.