Middle Earth Gamer

A Strange New World

Chapter One: A Strange New World

Taranis blinked, disoriented as he gazed around at the dense woods and winding dirt path stretching ahead. He'd been walking through the city, headphones on, mind on autopilot. How he'd ended up in a forest straight out of a fantasy movie was beyond him.

"Okay... weird," he muttered, looking down. His sneakers, jeans, and hoodie were gone. Instead, he was dressed in sturdy brown leather armor, laced over a simple tunic, and his hands gripped the hilt of a steel sword that gleamed in the dappled sunlight. The weight felt heavy but solid. This is one realistic dream, he thought, shaking his head with a bemused grin. Must've fallen asleep binge-watching fantasy shows.

He took a step forward, and a shimmering blue screen appeared out of nowhere, suspended in mid-air. Words floated in clean, crisp font:

Welcome, Player!

Quest Received: Hunt the Bandits

Objective: Eliminate the bandits terrorizing the Bree outskirts.
Reward: 200 EXP, 10 Silver Coins, and a Healing Potion (Minor).
Failure: Death.

Taranis let out a sharp laugh. "A gamer system? Really?" He stretched his arms out, half-expecting them to phase through the screen like a hologram. But no, it was solid. He could almost feel the cool tingle of magic as he tapped on the screen, dismissing it.

Despite the strangeness of it all, the absurdity put him at ease. He'd played enough video games to know how this worked: clear the quest, earn some rewards, maybe even level up. And if it wasn't a dream? Well, he wasn't thinking about that right now. If he started believing he'd really been transported to Middle-earth, he'd never survive.

He focused on the path. Bree... it was that quaint little town from The Lord of the Rings, where Aragorn and the Hobbits had first crossed paths. Maybe he'd spot them on his way in.

Inventory Screen flashed across his vision, listing items:

Steel SwordLeather Armor1 Loaf of BreadBasic Health Potion

Another message appeared:

Tip: Stealth is recommended for bandit hunting. Keep an eye on your health bar and use the environment to your advantage.

Taranis shrugged, moving forward, scanning his surroundings. The forest felt almost alive, every rustling leaf and distant bird call sharpened. Alright, he thought, let's get this over with.

As he walked, he tried to get a sense of his stats. A smaller screen labeled Character Stats materialized in front of him:

Strength: 10Agility: 8Endurance: 9Perception: 7Luck: 5

It wasn't much, but for a beginner, it was probably enough.

Taranis's steps grew lighter as he moved further down the path. Soon enough, he caught sight of movement between the trees—a band of rough-looking men gathered around a makeshift campfire, drinking and laughing in harsh voices.

He ducked behind a tree, sizing them up. Six of them, all armed with crude swords and daggers. Six versus one, he thought with a dry smile. Good thing this is just a dream.

Inhaling deeply, Taranis crept closer, gripping his sword tightly. It felt oddly balanced, almost as if the blade itself guided his hand. He took one more breath and charged.

The first bandit saw him too late. Taranis's blade swept forward, catching the man off-guard, sending him sprawling to the ground. Taranis sidestepped quickly, catching another bandit in the shoulder with a well-aimed strike.

The rest of the group erupted into chaos, scrambling for their weapons, but Taranis moved like he was in a trance. His gamer instincts kicked in: dodge, strike, evade. Two more went down, and he could almost feel a faint ding in his mind with each kill, as if his experience points were adding up.

Then he saw him—a towering figure at the edge of the camp, the bandit leader. Scarred and broad-shouldered, he looked as if he'd fought his way out of countless battles. The man's eyes narrowed as he locked onto Taranis, and in an instant, he charged, knife flashing in the air.

Taranis sidestepped, feeling his heart race as he tried to anticipate the next move. But just as he brought his sword up to block, the leader's blade slipped through his defenses, stabbing deeply into his thigh.

"Argh!" Taranis gasped, stumbling backward as agony shot through his leg. For a split second, everything blurred—pain exploded through his body, sharper than anything he'd ever felt.

This isn't a dream. His mind clung to the thought, even as the pain blurred his vision, grounding him. The blood was real, the agony was real, and he was here—in Middle-earth.

The leader laughed as he twisted the blade, his voice rough and mocking. "Welcome to Bree, stranger. Thought you could play the hero, did you?"

Gritting his teeth, Taranis forced his free hand to the hilt of his sword, channeling all his strength into a desperate lunge. The leader's grin dropped as Taranis's blade found its mark, sinking deep into his side. He staggered, eyes wide with shock as he stumbled back and fell.

The remaining bandits, now weaponless and panicking, bolted into the forest, leaving Taranis alone, bleeding and panting. He fell to his knees, every heartbeat pounding through his injured leg. The gamer interface popped up once more, as if mocking him.

Quest Complete: Hunt the Bandits

Rewards: 200 EXP, 10 Silver Coins, Healing Potion (Minor).

With shaking hands, Taranis reached into his inventory, grabbing the healing potion. It was a vial filled with vibrant red liquid. He downed it, feeling warmth surge through his veins as his wound began to close, pain ebbing slightly. His breathing slowed, and he sank back against a tree, too exhausted to think straight.

This is real. The realization hit him hard. He was in Middle-earth, not in some VR game or dream. Somehow, for reasons he couldn't explain, he'd been transported here—and he was alone, with only a steel sword, leather armor, and a gamer's interface to guide him.

He took a shaky breath, staring at the bloody campsite and the bodies around him. He didn't know what lay ahead or if he'd survive it. But one thing was clear: if he was going to make it in this world, he had to learn fast.

"Alright, Middle-earth," he muttered, a flicker of determination in his eyes. "Let's see what you've got."