The group set off just a few minutes ago. Orion was offered a blanket that would cover him a bit more completely than his woven clothing, which he gratefully accepted. To his relief, he was also handed a waterskin of plain water. Both objects seemed to appear out of nowhere, causing his eyebrows to frown, but he ignored it after taking the first sip.

  With all these experiences, he completely forgot about his body. It also didn’t help that he hadn’t actually drunk anything in the past six months. Now, once again, he could welcome the pure liquid into his mouth and enjoy that cool, refreshing sensation.

  Before they left, Egill had addressed Zaiah, and the levitating crystal flashed. When this happened, Orion instantly felt that any residue of odor caused by immersion in the sticky liquid had simply disappeared.

  At first, they walked quietly, letting him deal with his thoughts. For the first few hundred meters, he’d look back at the village, afraid that someone might be following them. A tired man’s face and his pleading look flashed into his mind at every turn. Unable to shake off the scene, to focus on something else, he asked.

  “So, can you tell me what was going on with these… people from the village?”

  “You witnessed Shavar Harwar, their kind of celebration.” Eyharnis said.

  “Lass, you definitely can’t do stories.” summed up Avir in a rough voice, causing the green-skinned woman to frown.

  “Well, she’s telling the truth, but it’d be best to start from the beginning.” added Egill, and after a long moment of silence, he decided that he would take up the story. “After a few years of assimilation, our world was opened to the multiverse. Various people started coming to visit us. At first, they were simply traders and scouts for greater powers. Our world wasn’t particularly rich, so it was decided that the rulers of the big cities would contribute and buy access to all possible knowledge about what life was like out there. At first, everything went well. Through the availability of new information, technology and magical devices, civilization entered an era of progress.”

  Orion couldn’t wait to learn more about this world, so he devoured every word. If something like what he’d seen in the previous village was common here, he had to know how to prevent it. Perhaps they had some way to get him out of here and back to his world. If so, any knowledge would be invaluable. Naturally, this information would also be useful to him if he wanted to survive here.

  “Soon after, others started visiting us. Groups of newcomers from a certain elite force tried to help us deal with those who were coming to exploit the newly opened world for their own purposes. At first, the rulers were rather suspicious, but the fact that their intentions were genuine was confirmed by many sources. In a way, even through the System itself. That’s how we found out about a multiversal organization called The Adventurers Guild.” the blond-haired man continued, then added, with a hint of pride in his usually warm voice. “By the way, right now, you’re talking to members of this organization.”

  “Hmm? So you’re not from this world?”

  “It’s not like that.” he chuckled. “Each of us was born here. Simply knowing how The Guild works, it was welcomed with open arms. Several branches were opened in our world, bringing in many willing participants. Well, at least at first, but that’s part of a different story.” Seeing Orion’s frown, Egill asked. “Is everything all right?”

  “Yeah, it’s just a little weird. I mean, in my world, until… Yesterday? Or until tutorials started, there was no confirmed information about such things happening in the multiverse. Anyway, the concept of adventurers is familiar to us. I don’t know if your organization works the same way we see it, but that name comes up in stories and stuff like that.”

  “Well, from what I’ve read, we had a similar situation. Probably everyone in their life has at least once heard of adventurers before the real ones actually came to us. But that doesn’t mean those in power immediately bought it. Hearing something in the stories and talking to people who identify themselves as Guild members is another thing.”

  Orion smiled gently at this, and seeing his expression, Egill laughed and said.

  “Well, who am I telling this to? You’ll have to confirm this for yourself.”

  “I’d love to. Although I wonder how that’s possible. You know, this knowledge thing.”

  “Again, from what I understand, there was already some mana in this universe before the System arrived. It’s speculated that it was through this mana that people somehow received visions of what was happening in the wider cosmos.”

  Well, that would be consistent with what the System itself told me. Although, it simply defined it as energy. Was it just mana, or was it referring to various forces? And what exactly is mana? Or these alleged other forces? I understand magical energy from games and all that shit, but how does it translate into reality? Does it have mass? Does it offer some kind of resistance? Does something conduct it? How does it behave? Where does it come from? Damn, so many questions, thought Orion.

  He didn’t intend to tell them all about his peculiar condition and his conversation with the System. Admittedly, he already felt a bit embarrassed that he’d immediately revealed he was from the newly integrated universe. The fact that he was here instead of on Earth might suggest a lot, especially considering Avir’s words. When he first spoke to them, he still forcibly believed that he’s at home and that they’re in the same situation as him.

  However, this mistake could cost him dearly in the future. He wouldn’t be surprised if there were plenty of people eager to be the first to study this newfound life. What’s done is done, but he’d have to be more careful about what he said. Still, he wouldn’t want to show that he was trying to hide something.

  The place they were currently in offered a calming view of dominant greenery. Overall, the terrain beneath the hanging island he found himself on somewhat reminded Orion of Stokksnes in Iceland. Initially, the barren, cracked earth, with only a few visible tufts of grass, was gradually replaced by increasingly dense vegetation, covering small hills. The terrain they were now traversing was filled with weeping willow-like trees that, instead of leaves, had something like long, thin roots that fell and intertwined on the ground. They had to start paying more and more attention to where they were stepping so as not to get caught in them. As not to prolong the silence, he asked.

  “So you’re saying a real Guild showed up and, judging by the way you talk about them, they actually turned out to be alright?”

  “Yes. These people genuinely wanted to help. And although, as I mentioned, they were initially welcomed, after a while our people started making life difficult for them. Well, at least that’s what everyone thought. Fights would break out, slander would be heard, and adventurers were always being framed for something.” Egill said, with a melancholic gaze turning to the sky. “Unfortunately, since The Guild was new to us, it was easier to believe a neighbor that they’d seen something than a stranger that it was a lie. Before they even got settled in, they were chased away. Sure, they were much stronger than the locals, but their work ethic prevented them from using force against civilians, so they simply left.”

  “I think I see where this is going. Some new race with the ability to transform into ordinary people?”

  “You catch on quickly, but unfortunately, it was worse. Before the adventurers left, they tried to tell the people what was causing this chaos, but they were not listened to, taking what they said as excuses. Once they were gone, the situation became progressively worse. People generally began to show an increasing desire to cause pain or suffering to others.” he said. A grimace appeared on his face and his voice grew colder. “Kidnappings were becoming more and more common, and overall trust in each other was declining at an alarming rate. Fortunately, although the Guild departed, they didn’t completely abandon us. Apparently, they passed on word of this planet, and thanks to this, several groups of priests from the Church of Liberty arrived. They confirmed the Guild's words and showed us what we were really dealing with.”

  Even before Egill had finished speaking, Orion heard the sound of rustling branches and what he almost automatically recognized as the sound of a panicking chicken.

  “Stupid bird.” Avir concluded but nevertheless went over to help Olympia, who was now comically entangled in numerous branches entwining her. “Watch where you walk.”

  The woman brushed off her feathers, then scratched her head in shame.

  “Yes… Sorry for the trouble.” she said, speaking for the first time in Orion’s company. He had imagined her voice quite differently, and honestly, he wasn’t even sure she could speak. But what she muttered was a soft but vibrant, pleasant sound.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “I think this is a good sign to stop and set up camp. I don’t know about you, but my legs are already aching from all that walking thing.” said Zaiah.

  His joke generally elicited chuckles, but the group turned their attention to Orion, who reacted with what could only be called a definite overreaction. A loud laugh echoed through the green hills, but after a moment, seeing the frowns, he calmed down and said.

  “Sorry. That was… unexpected.”

  “Are you sure everything is okay?”

  “Yeah. Well, some shit happened, and the last village didn’t help. But hey, everyone has their own baggage.”

  After finding a comfortable spot, the group began preparing to set up camp, which actually went quite smoothly. Objects appeared out of thin air, and a fire was lit using an orange crystal the size of a coin.

  They sat comfortably, and Zaiah was still floating several centimeters above the ground. A pot of water was placed over the fire, into which something that looked like dried fruit was thrown, and sticks were drilled into the perimeter of the fire, which were filled with unidentified meat.

  Egill continued his story, but Orion noticed, as time and again, he was discreetly looked at. Trying not to let it show, he sneaked a glance, seeing how ready Eyharnis was to move and use her shield and how close Avir’s shadowy hands were to his daggers.

  “The priests captured several people and performed the first public exorcism on them. What remained of these people were empty shells. They still showed signs of life, but they were motionless. This let people know then that something different was among us. It was learned then; and confirmed in books; that there are many races in the multiverse, implicitly considered aggressive. Among them, there’s a race of demons.” Egill paused for a moment, gazing into the fire. Silence fell between them, broken only by the crackling of burning wood and the hiss of meat juices falling into the flames. “No one knows where they came from or how long they have actually been here. Whether this happened right after the opening to the multiverse, or whether they arrived later? In either case, as you can probably expect, this news was also soon downplayed.”

  “Were the priests also chased away?”

  “Again, worse. The narrative has been established that priests are blaming demons, using this as an excuse to murder. People were shown accounts from books about churches that serve under other types of deities. The gods of blood or war are not benevolent beings. Furthermore, they were told that the Church of Liberty intended to ‘release’ people from the shackles of life. It was stated that the clergy of this particular church are free to do whatever they want and justify it with ‘a greater purpose.'” Egill continued, his eyes now meeting Orion’s, gauging his reactions. “Matters were further complicated by the past of a race known as demonkin. This is a neutral race, but it is associated with demons. However, there are records that they were often considered demons and, if encountered, were immediately killed; a position the churches maintained for a long time. This history fueled theories that the church was bloodthirsty.”

  There was another moment of silence, broken by the shadowy lizardman. Standing, he announced.

  “I’m gonna take a shit.” then unceremoniously disappeared into the ground.

  “What a lout.” Eyharnis concluded.

  At this point, Orion assumed they might suspect him. Still, they remained friendly towards him. He intended to raise the matter after Egill had finished his story. The man in question stood up and poured the contents from the pot into several mugs. Sitting down next to Orion again, he handed him one.

  The fruity aroma filled his nostrils. At that moment, he wasn’t sure if he should take a sip, but seeing the others drinking, he went for it. A wonderful, sweet taste spread across his mouth, the consistency of the drink resembled something like drinking jam. However, he tried not to show his delight too much.

  “The people then split into two camps. Some were hostile to the church, while others defended it. This resulted in fights, often involving priests. They didn’t have the same restrictions as the Guild, so inevitably, whether in self-defense or not, civilians were sometimes harmed, which only tipped the scales in favor of the church’s opponents. It’s also worth noting that just after assimilation, only the weakest individuals were allowed into this world, who, faced against a significant numerical advantage, simply stood no chance. After several violent years, it was decided that, given the growing number of victims, the church would give up. They left our world, and this planet was marked red.”

  “What does this marking mean?”

  This time it was Zaiah who answered, his complex voice leaving a faint echo.

  “The red marking is a multiversal label, indicating that this world is overrun by aggressive races. The planet has been blocked. No one else can leave or reach it. The only entity that can legally ignore these markings is the System itself.”

  The last words rang in Orion’s head for a moment, but before he could think it over, Egill continued his story.

  “Here we were left alone with the demons. As the years passed, we learned more and more about them. They are a scheming and brutal race that thrives on suffering. They take over the bodies of their victims, disguising their true forms. Multiplied so widely, some of them have formed their armies and waged open wars to enslave all life, while others continue to play the role of ordinary humans, further infiltrating society.” Egill explained patiently, holding the cup close to his lips. “Fortunately, although the priests left, the deities haven’t forgotten us. Thanks to revelations, branches of the churches have opened, which, over time, educate priests capable of recognizing a possessed person.”

  Orion decided this would be a good time to bring up his issue.

  “So I understand that I am also suspected of being a demon in disguise?”

  “No offense, but you’re level one. You didn’t even react to the Identification.” Eyharnis replied. “It’s unclear whether you would even survive possession, let alone the absolute pointlessness of having it performed on you. How did you even get past the tutorial with such a level?”

  Asking this question earned her a frown from Egill, which Orion noticed out of the corner of his eye, but the blond-haired man said nothing more. In this world, is it uncivilized to mention the level of another person? He thought. In any case, he felt relieved, but he still knew he shouldn’t blindly believe these explanations, especially considering their wariness towards him.

  “As I mentioned, some shit happened. Let’s just say I missed the tutorial. The System explained how it all worked but didn’t mention why I was separated from the people in my world.” he replied, trying not to reveal too much.

  Throughout this entire conversation, he’d been trying to gauge the others’ attitude toward him. Although Eyharnis had mentioned the topic of ‘level,’ it might have been just an excuse to calm him down. Besides, he could have sworn that from the very beginning he saw calculation in Olympia’s eyes regarding his every reaction. He would rather not attribute this to stereotypes from his world, but owls were generally considered symbols of wisdom. She, however, seemed, or tried to seem, the very opposite of that.

  “Well, to end this long story and get to what you witnessed. It looks like you’ve arrived at the fully possessed village we were planning to investigate. The celebration Eynis mentioned is their ritual; a warning about how easily food can be lost. If they catch a living person, they torture them physically or mentally, keeping them alive, often through magic. Shavar Harwar reminds them of the need to be careful.”

  “It makes sense… but if they are so scheming, why did they let me see all this and then escape? They didn’t have any guards, and no alarm was raised about my entry into the village. Shouldn’t they have stopped this?”

  His question was answered by a rough voice coming from a dark spot nearby. From it, the silhouette of the lizardman emerged once again.

  “Who’s raising the alarm about the visit of a tiny insect? You weren’t even noticed, yeah?”

  “Avir, for fuck’s sake.” Eyharnis intervened.

  “What?”

  Orion frowned at the comparison but nodded and said.

  “It’s true. I was treated like air. Only the tortured man before his death noticed me. But I couldn’t… I couldn’t help him.”

  “You have no idea how lucky you are to have been ignored. Outside of ritual, you wouldn’t have been allowed to die.”

  They sat by the fire for about an hour. Mostly in silence, but they talked a bit more about demons and the differences between them and the demonkin. Meanwhile, Orion tried a bite of the meat offered to him and barely managed to hold back tears of pure pleasure.

  Regarding the races, he also learned that sometimes it could be really difficult to tell them apart. While ordinary demons in their true forms had red or black skin and horns, they usually had rather grotesque forms. Demonkin, on the other hand, despite their red skin and horns, were humanoid.

  It’s possible, however, for a demon to take on a more or less human form, resembling them. Orion, for his part, indulged in a few tales about his world. Nothing too revealing, but he admitted that only humans, of the communicative races, lived on Earth. He recounted his days before his abduction and how humans lived day-to-day.

  Soon, the scattered equipment was gathered, the fire extinguished, and the group set off towards the town. This time, Avir led the way, and Orion again noticed a certain change in the atmosphere. He would even say they were afraid of him. It was understandable if they thought he might be some kind of monster in disguise.

  If there were indeed priests in the city who could clear him of these accusations, then he would have at least one problem solved. Several times, the idea of escape crossed his mind, suspecting they were leading him into some kind of trap. But he had to admit that between the group’s unknown abilities and Avir’s mysterious disappearances, he simply stood no chance.

  Finally, he saw the walls in the distance. This time they were made of stone and definitely solid. Although their height was difficult to judge from this distance, they were certainly more than twenty meters high. Beyond the walls, the roofs of larger buildings could be seen, and in what Orion identified as the city center, a skyscraper towered. Maintaining a round architectural style, it resembled a giant grain of rice. The ground beneath it lit up suddenly, and he stopped, finding himself unable to move.

  “We hope we’re wrong. If you survive this, then…” said Egill, his voice tinged with worry. He didn’t catch the end of his statement, however, as he felt a dull blow to the back of his head, and a second later, darkness fell.