It has been a long first day in this new world. In 24 hours I have been in three worlds and turned into my game''s avatar, followed by getting stuck in the form of a big evil dragon. At the end of the day, the only thing I want is a good night''s sleep and dinner.


    "Kaikai, you can drop it here!"


    Following the demoness instructions, I drop our hunt. A giant wild boar that is almost too big for me to carry on my hands.


    I say our hunt, but it is mostly Mia''s. Besides flying, I am not capable of fighting yet. I don''t know any skills or magic. I don''t think of myself as useless, my body is big, and I could use it as a damage barrier. Kyroz was supposed to be the tank.


    Mia jumps from my back, and I can try to land again. I am not yet confident in attempting it while I carry someone.


    I flap my wings to hover for an instant, extend my feet and arms, and finally dropping my weight.


    Success! I can finally land!


    It''s still hard on my knees tough.


    "You did it! I am going to prepare our dinner. You can go and rest with Sira."


    Sira has been sleeping since we left. She taught the basic telepathy to Mia before we departed, and that put a strain on her mind. She endured a lot. She has used her powers non stop all day, after all.


    When we left, Holly promised to keep an eye on our surroundings and went to wander off. She hasn''t returned. She probably wanted to avoid Sira, or she might have some things on her mind.


    Mia is placing a big flat rock that Holly made with earth magic over the embers of the bonfire. She is going to prepare grilled boar meat with forest herbs as spices.


    It''s regrettable that I am not human. My hands are very dexterous for a beast. At least I would like to be smaller.


    An iguana dragon. I believe I would look cuddly and carriable. Not that I think iguanas are. I never understood that people. What I want is to look friendly, not an evil creature to be removed from the face of the world.


    With my weird thought still in my mind, I notice Mia has uncovered one of her many knives. This one looks like a big butcher knife with a white handle.


    Seriously, I know she is an assassin, but why so many of them? Does she throw them? She has two pointy daggers at each side of her hips that are her primary weapons. But she has several dozens on her leather vest, and I''ve seen she carries the handle of a broken knife as a necklace that she keeps hidden.


    I can''t stop myself from joking.


    <You won''t add poison to our food, right?>


    She doesn''t get offended by my quip. Instead, a smile pops in her face.


    "When it comes to poisons, I am the expert. Want to know rule number one?"


    <What is rule number one?>


    She comes closer to me and jokingly places her index finger at my nose.


    "Not to eat them."


    It''s unusual to be joking about eating poison. I feel I have to find my way into a new definition of normality after today''s events.


    Mia has finished sharpening her knife and approaches the fallen beast. It immediately reminds me of Holly''s words.


    <Mia, have you ever gut someone?>


    "There was that one time. A merchant tried to lie to us about the price of a mithril dagger. I took his dagger and made him reevaluate his assessment."


    <Did you kill him?>


    "No, but I don''t think he would want to keep selling daggers anymore."


    <Scary.>


    A video game assassin indeed. Mia does not go around the topic of gutting a person, or a boar.


    No choice but to adapt to a new normal quickly. I should put some effort into it.


    <Want me to help you?>


    "I don''t think you can cook."


    <No way that''s true. I love to cook.>


    I love eating more, though. In Storm and Tempest, I had maxed out cooking. I''ve learned all the recipes in the game except player vs. player exclusives.


    "Really? First time I hear about it."


    <Are you telling me I never cooked in all our years of travel?>


    "No? I believe I did it most of the time."


    This is weird. At first, I believed that all my game experiences got reflected some way into the girl''s lives. But I clearly remember maxing out cooking and going into Olive''s lab. Is there a rule to what experiences where shared?


    It doesn''t matter right now. The one here is me now, and I don''t like sitting on the sidelines of a good meal.


    <Mia. We will stop that here. From now on I will help you, no questions asked.>


    "Sure! I''d love some help from you! Are you sure you can?"


    I look at my hands as pointed out by her.


    Oh, right. My size.


    I guess until I become human I''ll do what I can.


    <hr>


    We continue our evening preparing dinner. We are all starving as we haven''t eaten in all day.


    Sira is soundly sleeping. Using telepathy for so long has tired her a lot and probably won''t wake up until our meal is ready.


    We don''t know where Holly went, but its still bright and she promised us not going too far away.


    We keep cooking together and chatting. Mostly chatting for me, I couldn''t do much after I helped Mia skin and butcher the boar.


    At least with our conversations, I managed to prove myself an amateur when it comes to cooking.


    Sometime later the meal is ready, and Mia goes wake Sira up.


    Normally, I would have waited for Holly to return before eating. This time we are famished. The three of us are focused on filling our bellies; not a breath left for conversation. When I feel satisfied, I start worrying about the fox girl again.


    <I believe I will leave the rest for Holly. By the way, where did she go?>


    I have eaten most of the boar. I can''t help it; I am a giant dragon. Holly has also changed into a big sized creature, so I try to control myself for her.


    "She will be okay. Sooner or later the dog will come asking for leftovers."


    Her attitude had been friendlier since a while ago. It''s sad it didn''t last. For now, I will unapologetically change the topic.


    <You know, sometimes leftovers can make a good meal next day.>


    "Really? Like what?"


    Mia quickly catches up to our new shared interest.


    <You can make a delicious stew with yesterday''s grilled meat. You add potatoes, carrot sticks, onion in thin slices and maybe some green peppers. Some bow-tie or spiral noodles go great with it too.>


    Sira is a little intrigued by our conversation. She stares intently at the happy Mia, who addresses her when she notices.


    "Kaikai does actually know how to cook."


    "I''ve never heard of you cooking."


    With clears doubt in her face, Sira turns her interrogation to me.


    <I guess losing my memories, made me remember others? I learned how to cook with my grandmother.>


    From all the surprises they have received in the last day, this has to be the one with the most extreme response. Saying they are stunned is an incredible understatement. They have jumped off their seats.


    When the shock finally dwindled a little bit, Sira is the first to continue.


    "That''s a first."


    <Again?!>


    "Yeah. You have never mentioned anyone from your family before. We''ve been together for more than thirty years. Mia more than doubles it, and from her reaction, I guess she feels the same. Until now I was sure you didn''t have one."


    What is wrong with you Kyroz? More than sixty years and not a word about family?


    <I am starting to feel anger toward my former self.>


    Anger and curiosity. I know my story with the girls, but his? How did he even manage to ask them to follow him?


    <I guess I should say sorry. For all the stupid things I did back then.>


    I am not sure what is the exact connection between me, the Kyroz I played as, and the Kyroz the girls knew. In any case, I am being confused as him, and I don''t feel comfortable being thought as an idiot who is incapable of sharing with his companions.


    The oddest part is that the girls look uncomfortable with me apologizing. Sira is, again, the first to start talking.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "By the way. I am sorry for screaming at you back then."


    <When did you?>


    "When we were about to teleport from the academy."


    <You did? Ah! The time I grabbed Holly''s tail. You don''t need to apologize for that.>


    I had forgotten about that. Did that weight so much on her head to warrant an apology?


    "Thank you."


    She keeps staring at me; something is trying to get out of her mind and into her mouth. That something finally succeeds.


    "Ky, are you sure you don''t want to tell us now?"


    I knew she would not keep calm about it.


    <Yes, I believe we must focus on secure our grounds in this new world. After that, I have no troubles telling you anything.>


    My response ended up being the one she expected. With a resigned sigh, she requests for a final time.


    "As long as you promise to tell me eventually."


    <It''s a promise.>


    And, it happened again. Every time the old Kyroz shows its head the funny ambient disappears. The mood changes so drastically that event the current awkward silence feels pleasant.


    We keep there sitting in the front of our improvised kitchen. The sky is turning darker with each second passing.


    Holly still hasn''t returned. Now it would be an excellent opportunity to tell her about my situation. Last time I would have told her if we were not interrupted by Sira''s telepathy.


    <I will find Holly.>


    Sira''s already dark mood suddenly obscured even more. Mia is the one to answer me.


    "Are you sure? Is getting late."


    <Extra reason to find her sooner.>


    "She should know better than go alone into the forest."


    Sira returns from her dark spot with her usual mean comments towards Holly.


    <Sira, is this situation difficult for you?>


    "What do you mean?"


    <Being sent to another world, your body has changed for no reason, and It''s almost sure you will never meet the people you knew again. That is if they are not dead.>


    What happened to us is no joke. We escaped armageddon by jumping into a bathtub. Wasn''t that the plot of a movie?


    "I didn''t know a lot of people, but it has been a few stressful hours."


    <Then you have a hint at how Holly may feel. She probably needed some time alone. I''d be glad to give her as much time as she needs but is dangerous to be alone in the forest at this hour.>


    I stand up and turn towards the direction Holly went this afternoon. Before I enter the tree line, Mia''s voice stops me.


    "Should I accompany you?"


    <No, you should protect Sira. Her psychic powers are strong but she doesn''t have a sword, and we don''t know what else may be lurking in this place.>


    She nods regretfully, and I enter into the darkening forest.


    <hr>


    Even if there is still light, the interior of the forest is quite obscure. Even knowing it, I can see reasonably well. I can''t say its military night vision, but I can definitively see the contours of objects before me.


    Maybe if I learn how to fight, I could hunt in the dark. A dragon should be an apex predator. I don''t know any animal dumb enough to attack one.


    I try walking among the trees, but some of them are too close together, and I end up pushing them to the ground.


    It''s a good thing I found Holly in a small shadowy open space, covered by the treetops. We are about 100 meters straight downhill from our camp.


    I found her lying on the floor, her head resting in her front paws. When she hears my heavy steps, her head rises, and I notice the wet fur on her cheeks. She has been crying alone.


    <Holly are you okay?>


    <What do you think?>


    <Yeah, stupid question.>


    I walk by her side and gently lie on the ground. We stay there in the shadows as they grow in strength.


    <Are you not asking me to return?>


    <I am, but you clearly need a minute or two.>


    <Thank you.>


    Holly has stopped weeping and is now in that uncomfortable state when the tears are evaporating from your cheeks. She probably doesn''t want Mia and Sira to see her tear marked face.


    <Kyroz, or whoever you are called. Don''t you miss the Rift?>


    <I do, but not in the way you are thinking.>


    <You never told me about who you are.>


    <I was going to, but Sira interrupted us.>


    Her voice sounds with less pain behind it. Her relaxed demeanor and sharp insight have recovered in part.


    <Can you do it now?>


    <Are you sure? If you don''t feel like it, I can tell you tomorrow.>


    <I am asking, and I would like some distraction.>


    A distraction? I understand that. That''s why I have been keeping myself busy.


    <Okay.>


    I accept her proposal and start trying to figure out ways to better explain about the Rift. I can''t use a movie reference, can''t I?


    <Well?>


    <I was thinking about the best way to get into the topic.>


    <How about from where you know about us. You apparently do, even if it looks like we''ve never met.>


    <I guess I could. But you''d be lost without all the preamble.>


    <Then preamble first.>


    So easy to say. It''s like asking to describe the sun to a mole-man. Oh, I could have used that light-cycle movie to explain.


    <You, Sira and Mia are... were my NPC followers. From the place I come from, the Rift was part of a video game, an interactive puppet show. The NPCs and avatars are the inhabitants, and also the marionettes. The NPCs were controlled automatically by the game system and the avatars by people. Kyroz was my avatar.>


    I believe its a good explanation. There still a lot left, but I should answer as doubts come from Holly.


    <What is this game system?>


    <The game is a simulation, a simplified caricature of reality. The system managed it. That''s why some things were reduced in complexity for the sake of fun or because it was too expensive to go full scale.>


    <That explains Academy City''s size and the class trainers. So we, the Rift were your toys?>


    <Thats a hard question to answer. My answer when we were still there, and I was still convinced I was dreaming would have been yes. Right now there are a lot of things that bug me about you three and the Rift. The major one is that you all have an evident past that I completely ignore. Right now my answer is a definitive no. More than toys getting sentience, to me you look like I fell into a world similar to that of the game.>


    Holly again falls into silence before asking her next question.


    <You know what happened to the Rift?>


    <I have a good guess. The game ended. That may have been expressed as the aether eating the Rift. The creators of it couldn''t spend more money maintaining it. They turned the game off the night before I met all of you.>


    My last answer may have been the last drop as Holly starts crying again. I tried to use the gentlest words I could to express myself. Hearing that your world was a game cannot be an easy blow to receive.


    After a while, she calms down and talks again.


    <Did you know. My father managed an inn near Saint Severus City. He was the one who encouraged me to go with Kyroz and the girls.>


    She did lose someone too. Why does she bring it into collation today of all days? I have to keep calm and not think about it. I need to remain stable for a little while.


    At least I should say something.


    <I am sorry.>


    <Thank you. You know? He would be happy.>


    <Yes? Why?>


    She hesitates. Her body language seems odd.


    <Because I am still alive.>


    You are lying. There is something else. If you don''t want to tell me, I''ll play along.


    <We all are.>


    <hr>


    More time passed. The sun has already hidden, and we are still lying in the ground in silence. Holly is now composed and stopped asking questions.


    <We should leave before it gets darker.>


    I encourage Holly to stand up before anything dangerous found us in the forest.


    <Dear, are you ashamed of spending a night with me?>


    It seems Holly''s good humor has returned.


    <I''d be honored, honey.>


    We laugh at our little joke before I stand up and invite her to our camp.


    <Come on. We left you some grilled boar.>


    Before Holly stands up completely, I can see something moving quickly in the corner of my eye. Whatever it is, it is trying to circle us.


    Holly has noticed my restlessness and prepared a stance.


    Soon we see the creature. It is a long snake with the head of a rooster. It has fangs on its beak, and they leak drops of what is most likely venom.


    It''s a basilisk.


    Holly''s fur gets on ends as she glares her fangs to the creature. Her nine tails flail around to make her look intimidating.


    Animals should feel afraid of animals bigger than themselves. I lower my posture and look directly at him. Then I extend my wings at max span to look as big as possible.


    It appears to work, as the basilisk slowly retreats its head.


    It is not too late to retreat with your tail between your... stomach? I guess. You don''t have legs, do you?


    Maybe some more encouragement will help.


    <Leave!!!!!> "ROAAARRRR!!!!"


    The creature is startled and instead of fleeing it jumps at me.


    Luckily Holly was prepared and stops his jaws with a stone wall before they reach me.


    The basilisk shakes the dirt off his mouth and circles the forest clearing at a fast speed.


    With the disturbed forest floor fly debris in the form of small stones and twigs, annoying dust fills the air that gets in my eyes and itches my throat.


    <Holly what do we do?>


    <I will deal with it.>


    With her magic, she creates three floating lances of ice and throws them into the spiraling monster. They shatter and fail.


    <I need something stronger.>


    After her words, Holly starts shinning in a dark purple light that dyes the mysterious forest. Her sky-blue eyes shine of the same color, and a wave of energy explodes from her.


    The blast passes through me without damage. It felt cold like a winter morning after waking up from my warm bed.


    The basilisk is struck by the expansion wave and gets frozen, a terrible screech of pain tears the air around us.


    <Kyroz run!>


    After Holly''s impressive spell we run through the forest away from our camp. It is not a good idea to lead a monster to were you plan to sleep.


    Holly swiftly runs avoiding trees, while I am more clumsy and slow. Why am I even running? I could fly!


    I try to extend my wings, but the space inside the forest is not enough for me to take flight. I need to get to a clearing.


    The sound of the forest being turned over by the giant snake body plays behind me.


    The creature almost catches up to me. I know this didn''t work last time, but I am out of options.


    <Get away!!!!!> "ROOOOAAAAAARRRR!!!!!"


    Frightened the creature fastens its crawl and moves its ugly chicken face forwards where I cannot see it.


    Oh, Shit! It''s targeting Holly!


    Taking the opportunity, I stop and start putting my weight on the trees. I create enough space for me to take off.


    Jumping into the air and flying was never a problem. It''s on my approach to the ground where I lack confidence.


    I fly in the direction where the basilisk left, and I can see a storm of dust moving in a straight line.


    Trough the small windows between the trees I position myself on top of Holly.


    She is throwing spells at her back. Ice spears that shatter on the basilisk face and stone walls that the creature smoothly runs trough.


    <Holly your spells are not working!>


    <I do what I can. I still don''t get the hang of this body!>


    What? Until now I assumed they could use their abilities easily. Sira has used so many of them. No, since we got here all of them used only the most basic abilities of their classes. Mind-read was middle-rank that''s why she needs practice!


    I need to do something.


    I look around and see a road up ahead. At this time no one should be there, I hope.


    <Holly! Keep running. There is a road soon. I will catch you there and fly away!"


    <Okay!>


    I go to the road and prepare myself to catch her.


    The basilisk is closing in, even at Holly''s current speed the creature easily overcomes it.


    Holly is very close to the edge of the forest, just a turn left, then right avoiding a final tree and jump over the road''s wooden fence.


    In an instant that froze my body, one of Holly''s tails got scrambled on the fence. A good portion of her honey strands got caught on it.


    Even worst, the few seconds are enough for the basilisk to catch up to her.


    With his insane speed, he will catch her in just a second.


    Time to be the tank.


    I decide to tackle the ugly chicken face. I know I won''t be able to secure Holly safely with my bad landings.


    I smash onto the basilisk as he prepares to pounce onto the fallen Holly. Its sharp teeth pierce my right tight''s flesh.


    A warm intense pain irradiates from the wound and soon after I start feeling my limb dumbing down.


    If this wasn''t the worst outcome, from the road, a platoon of armed knights appears, summoned by the noise of our battle.


    Let them deal with the snake bird.


    I limp to Holly''s side take her in my arms.


    I spread my wings in front of the knights and take off in the direction of our camp.