I woke gasping for breath. The kind of breath that feels like you've been holding it for too long, only to realize you didn't even know you needed it. I pushed myself up from the ground, my body feeling strange. I was dizzy, unsteady, and as I glanced around, I realized I was in a forest.
Not just any forest.
A dreamlike forest.
The trees were towering and immense, their bark ancient and twisted with age. The leaves above caught the moonlight, shimmering in an ethereal glow that felt like magic itself. The air was crisp, filled with the earthy scent of moss and the freshness of the night. It was... otherworldly, to say the least. I had never seen anything like this in my life. My fingers trembled as I brushed against the rough bark of a nearby tree, steadying myself.
I had to be dreaming.
But then the thought hit me like a jolt of electricity. I blinked, the realization creeping into my chest.
This wasn't a dream.
I looked down at myself, heart pounding. A child's body.
I swallowed hard. My silver hair shimmered in the pale light, strands cascading down my back, and I reached up to touch my face. It was smooth, too smooth—too young. My reflection was nothing like the woman I once was. My blue eyes—eyes that seemed to glow faintly in the dark—stared back at me in confusion.
The realization hit me like a wave, drowning out any thought. I was no longer the person I remembered. This body—this girl—wasn't mine. It belonged to someone else. But who?
I stumbled back, my hands pressing into the ground to steady myself. The soft hum of the forest filled my ears—the sound of distant leaves rustling, the quiet call of nocturnal creatures. There was no sign of life, no sign of anyone, no civilization.
It was silent.
Where am I? What happened to me? My mind was blank. I couldn't remember anything, couldn't recall how I got here. I could barely remember my own name. My heart raced as I stood up, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
I touched my face, fingers brushing against something unfamiliar. Hair.
Silver hair.
My breath caught in my throat. Silver.
It was long, falling past my shoulders in waves, catching the pale light of the moon. Not just silver, but glowing—like strands of moonlight woven together. I reached up, almost afraid to touch it, but my hand met the cool strands.
A chill ran down my spine, my chest tightening with disbelief. What is happening to me?
And then, my eyes. I looked down at the ground and saw my reflection in the still water beside me. Blue eyes.
Not just any blue, but a blue so vivid, so unnatural, that it was like looking into a pool of starlight. I stared at my reflection, utterly dumbfounded. This couldn't be real. It couldn't be me.
But the longer I stared, the more I realized it was. I had become someone else.
I had always been a quiet person, even back home. I'd never minded it, in fact, I preferred it. I liked observing, watching others, learning from them without speaking. But now, this new me, this body... it felt like an extension of someone else's life. I wasn't sure how to explain it, but I could feel something inside me stir. I was someone else, yet still, I was me.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. Okay. Focus.
Where am I? How did I get here?
The forest stretched endlessly in every direction. I had no idea where I was, no memory of what had happened. The only thing I could focus on was the strange stillness of the place. The air felt heavy with something I couldn't name, like the entire world had paused just for me.
I took a step forward, the soft dirt beneath my feet sinking slightly with every movement. The moonlight seemed to guide me through the thick underbrush. No signs of civilization. No roads, no houses, no familiar landmarks. Only the trees—the ancient trees that whispered secrets in the wind.
This couldn't be real. And yet, here I was, standing in the middle of some bizarre fantasy forest.
And then, I felt a spark inside me. Excitement. A rush of energy that was equal parts joy and awe.
This was an isekai.
I could barely believe it at first. Was I really in some other world? Had I really been transported to a fantasy realm? Did this happen to people? I had read books, watched anime, imagined it in my dreams, but never did I think it would be me. Now that I was here, I couldn't contain the excitement that bubbled up in me.
This was my chance to live differently. To really live.
I laughed quietly to myself, a sound that felt foreign and light on my tongue. I'm in an isekai. I could hardly believe it, but I was. I was in a world full of magic and monsters—and I had abilities. Abilities.
That thought caused my pulse to race again. I thought about all the isekai's I had watched, all the characters who gained powers that allowed them to survive, thrive, and shape their new worlds. Could I have abilities too?
I had to know.
Suddenly, there was a flicker in the air, a soft, subtle shimmer that appeared before me, almost like a window had opened in thin air. Without thinking, I reached out, my heart pounding in my chest.
A translucent screen appeared in front of me, glowing softly in the dim light. A status screen.
Status Screen:
Name: ???
Class: Mage Race: Vampire
Level: 1
Abilities:
Magic Creation Physical Strength: Low Mana: 50 Health: 100/100
I stared at the screen, blinking, then looked back up at the world around me. This... was real. Magic Creation. I had powers—real magic.
My breath hitched in excitement. Magic Creation? What did that even mean? I thought of all the isekais I had watched where characters had the ability to summon weapons, create food, or build things out of thin air. Was that what this was? Can I create anything? The possibilities were endless, but it was hard to know where to begin.
I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. I'm in an isekai, and I have magic.
My mind raced with all the things I could do with Magic Creation, but there was one thing that stayed with me more than any other thought—I'm free. In my old life, I had always been bogged down with responsibility, always working to support my family. I had spent years toiling away, putting others before myself. But now? Here, I was free to create, to explore, to live.
I could do anything. I could be anyone.
For the first time in a long while, I felt like I could breathe. But even with all the excitement bubbling inside me, I knew one thing was true: I didn't have to rush. I could relax.
I could finally live the life I wanted.
I took a deep breath, letting the moment settle in. This is my new life. And I'm going to make the most of it.
I stood there, the screen still floating in front of me, my heart thumping in my chest. Magic Creation. That was what I had. The thought sent a fresh surge of excitement through me. What could I create? What could I do with it? My mind was racing with possibilities. Weapons? Shelter? Food?
But then, a small pang of uncertainty followed the rush. What does it mean to have Magic Creation?
The screen gave me no real explanation. Beginner. That was it. What did that even mean? Was I limited in what I could create? Could I really make anything I wanted? Could I make a sword, or something like food from nothing? Could I create a new world?
I took a deep breath, willing myself to focus. Slow down, I told myself. I had all the time in the world. I was in an isekai—my new life—and there were no deadlines, no responsibilities to rush for. I could figure it out at my own pace.
Still, the curiosity gnawed at me. Magic Creation.
I turned my attention to the forest around me, my eyes scanning the area. Tall, gnarled trees, their branches tangled and reaching high into the sky. The earth beneath my feet was soft and damp, the ground covered in thick, green moss. Small flowers and plants grew in abundance, their leaves shimmering faintly under the moonlight.
I stepped forward, moving carefully through the underbrush, the excitement still bubbling in my chest. Could I create something from the plants around me? I looked at a nearby bush, its small berries glistening in the dim light.
I reached out, closing my eyes for a moment. The magic felt like a hum beneath my skin, like something was just waiting to be called upon. I raised my hand toward the plant, my fingers tingling with the energy I could feel building inside me.
A soft pulse ran through the air. The magic shifted. The leaves trembled, as if answering a call, and—nothing. The berries remained on the bush.
I opened my eyes, feeling the cool air brush across my skin, the excitement fading into confusion. What did I do wrong? I tried again, focusing this time on the energy around the plant, trying to summon something—anything.
Another pulse. This time, the plant wilted slightly, the leaves turning an odd, greyish colour. I jerked my hand back in alarm.
I stood in the forest, feeling the cool breeze brush against my skin, the world quiet and almost unnervingly still. I had managed to set up a small shelter in the hollowed-out tree, but there was something missing. Something didn't feel right. I had an instinctual need to create—but what should I create? The world around me seemed so empty. The urge to shape this space into something more familiar was too strong to ignore.
As I wandered through the underbrush, my feet led me to a clearing. The soft moonlight illuminated something strange on the ground. It took me a moment to process, but then I saw it—a dead body. The lifeless form of a human lay sprawled in front of me, an adventurer by the looks of it, judging by the ragged clothes and sword at his side. His face was pale, his expression frozen in what seemed like pain.
I felt a strange mix of emotions. Curiosity, a little bit of fear, and discomfort. What had happened to him? How had he ended up here, in the middle of the forest, alone? I wished I knew more about this world, about its dangers, its rules—but my memories were lost, and all I had were fragments.
I stood there for a long moment, unsure of what to do, but something inside me stirred. Appraisal Magic. I thought about it, my mind racing as I realized it might provide some answers.
I focused, letting my senses heighten, and as soon as I did, the magic surged through me. My blue eyes flickered, glowing faintly, and I felt the rush of energy course through my fingers as if I was tuning into the world around me. The air around the body shimmered, and a status screen appeared before me.
Status Screen:
Name: Unknown Race: Human Class: Adventurer Cause of Death: Unknown Notable Features: Wounded by sharp objects, likely from an animal or another adventurer.
I sighed, relieved to have more information, though it didn't explain much. He had been wounded, but the cause was unclear. No one should die out here like this, not alone. Not without a chance to survive.
I lowered my hand, feeling the faint hum of the magic still lingering in the air. It was then that I remembered the warning from my status screen: Magic Creation. I had the power to create magic, but only one new magic per day. It was a limitation that gnawed at me. I could only create one thing—a single spell, one piece of magic that would help me, protect me, or shape my environment.
But this felt like a waste. Why had I created Appraisal Magic to examine this dead body? I could have used it for something more useful, like creating food, a weapon, or something to help me better survive. My frustration bubbled up, and I let out a soft scoff.
"Idiot," I muttered to myself, scolding my own carelessness. I could only make one magic a day, and I had wasted it on a dead body.
Still, I learned from it. I had to be wary about what I created. It wasn't just about power; it was about what I needed to survive and what I could afford to create. The world I was in was harsh, and magic could only help me so much.
I felt my hunger stirring again, the familiar, gnawing ache deep in my chest. Blood. I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to give in to the vampire side of me. But there it was, like a silent whisper in the back of my mind. Could I go without it? Was it something I could avoid, or would my instincts take over?
I turned back to the body and, this time, used Appraisal Magic once more. The screen flickered again, revealing more detailed information about the deceased adventurer, his skills, and what equipment he had with him.
Status Screen Update:
Inventory: Sword: Damaged, but usable Health Potions: 2 Tent: Small, but intact Rations: 1 day's worth
I didn't know how much of this was important, but the sword and health potions could be useful. I decided to take them, carefully moving the adventurer's belongings into my inventory. It was strange, but the more I used magic creation, the more I realized I had a bigger purpose here than I had thought. This world wasn't just about surviving—it was about understanding how to survive and using my magic wisely.
Before I left the clearing, I paused, kneeling next to the body. Even in death, the adventurer had been part of this world's harsh struggle for survival. Perhaps, in some way, I could honor him by taking his things—things that might help me stay alive.
I took a deep breath, a flicker of doubt still nagging at me.
Could I really survive here without blood?
But I didn't have answers. Not yet. I only had time and a chance to start over.
As I turned to leave the clearing, the cool night air seemed to calm my nerves. I would need time to understand my new life, my new abilities. And I would need to learn the rules of this world.
But for now, I was content to keep moving, to stay hidden, and to find some semblance of peace in the strange silence of this world.
I returned to my shelter in the hollowed-out tree, where I would rest, reflect, and try to find the answers I was searching for.