Harper

Shock clung to me like a second skin, dulling my senses, but by midday, the weight of it began to fade, replaced by the slow creep of reality. If this so-called experiment was meant to help me process grief, it was failing spectacularly. Instead, it felt like a cruel joke, amplifying my trauma rather than soothing it. My hands still trembled slightly, though I kept them tucked close to my body, unwilling to let Thorin see just how shaken I still was.

Thorin had barely spoken since we left. His silence wasn’t uncomfortable, though. It felt like he was giving me space, letting me absorb what had happened without interference. I appreciated that. But as the sun climbed higher, hunger gnawed at me, and the tension in the air suggested that the quiet wouldn’t last much longer. Sure enough, he stopped to water the horse and he finally broke the silence.

“Harper, are you okay?”  His tone was sincere.

I didn’t answer. I wasn’t really sure how I could. I turned to look for a place to sit down. Thorin stood behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Would you like to talk about the mission?” He asked.

An attempt the change the subject. Smart move.

“Sure…” I said softly as I took a seat on a large rock.

Thorin sat down next to me, he leaned back on his hands and looked up. “I was tasked to find someone.”

I perked up, “You were looking for me?” I asked eagerly.

Thorin let out a laugh, “No, but you did stick out as someone who did not belong, just like the person I was looking for.”

“Who is this person you are looking for?”

Thorin pauses for a moment. “I’m not allowed to tell you.”

This is cryptic and super annoying. Why even tell me about anything?

Thorin leans forward and looks at me. “Where do you hail from?”

Where do I hail from? Why does he speak like that?  The question made me hesitate. I wasn’t home anymore, and I had no idea where, or even when, I was. But I figured honesty couldn’t hurt.  “I’m from a small town called Doylestown, but I moved to Washington to attend Georgetown University.” I paused, debating how much to reveal before deciding I needed answers too. “Where are you from?”

“I am from Iron Ridge,” he answered easily, then tilted his head. “Have you not heard of it? It is quite well known for raising warriors.”

Warriors. That tracked.

“Have you heard of Washington?” I asked carefully.

His brow furrowed. “No.”

A knot formed in my stomach.

“Pennsylvania?”

Nothing.

“New York?”

Still nothing.

Each answer tightened the knot a little more.

“Scotland? England?”

Now he looked genuinely confused.’ What are those places?”

The world seemed to tilt beneath me.

Not countries.

Not cities.

Not even continents.

My mouth had gone dry.

“Am I...” My voice cracked. “Am I even on Earth anymore?”

The question hung between us.

For the first time since we'd met, Thorin's expression softened. He rested a hand on my shoulders.His eyes locked onto mine. “You are in Eldoria.”

The name struck harder than I expected. Eldoria. Not Europe. Not Asia. Not Earth. Eldoria. A laugh nearly escaped me, sharp and hysterical. This had to mean I really am in a simulation. Anything made more sense than another world. Yet the rough stone beneath me felt real. The breeze felt real. The fear twisting in my chest felt painfully real.

“What is Earth?” Thorin asked quietly.

I stared at him. How do you explain an entire planet to someone who has never heard of it?

“It’s...” I swallowed. “It’s where I'm from.”

The answer sounded too basic, even to me.

“And it's very far away?” He asks.

“I think so.”

He nodded, accepting my answer with a surprising lack of skepticism. “Well then, Harper from Earth, how did you pass the time there? Did you learn a trade at this Georgetown University?”

A small, humorless laugh escaped me. “I obtained a degree in finance. I help people manage their money.”

His eyes lit up. “Ah, you know how to keep the books!”

I arched a brow. “Yes, I guess that’s a good way to describe what I do.”

He shrugged. “Maybe you could help us with our books, as a way to repay your debt to me for saving you. Twice.”

My eyes shot back to him. “Repay my debt?”

He laughed, “I can tell you have no where else to go, so staying with my group, settling this debt will help you get accustomed to things.”

Thorin is very observant. I do have no place to go. This world is not my own, I have no money, and one set of clothing to my name. I guess if I’m to level up in this simulation, I’ll need to join a guild or a group.

“We can decide what you can do when we meet the others. Once your debt is settled, and if you’d like to stay with us, we can discuss terms.”

I continued to sit in silence while Thorin went off to hunt. With nothing else to do, I wandered over to a stream, lifting the skirt of my dress and letting my feet dangle in the cool water. The momentary peace was nice, almost surreal. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my head, but every time I did, the weight of my situation came rushing back.

I had no idea how long I sat there before Thorin returned, carrying a few rabbits slung over his shoulder. He made quick work of preparing them, and as he started cooking, I decided to probe for more information.

“Tell me about the rest of your group.”

He grinned, clearly amused by the question. “Well, besides me… the handsome brute of a spellcaster… there’s Arandur. He’s gathers information and can hide himself in plain sight when needed. Then we have Morag, another spellcaster, but she focuses on healing and explosive magic. Maisie is a fighter and archer. Funny enough, Maisie and Morag are sisters, but only Morag became a spellcaster. Lastly, we have our leader, Rhylen. He is known for his combat skills, but he mostly organizes and plans our missions.”

I smirked. “Sounds like a real fellowship.”

Thorin chuckled. “It really is.”

I couldn’t resist teasing, “There isn’t any evil dark magic rings we need to destroy, is there?”

He laughed, shaking his head. “We haven’t taken a mission like that before. But who knows? Maybe after this one, if that sort of thing interests you.”

I let out a quiet laugh. Harper in a magical fellowship as the bookkeeper. I want the movie rights when I wake up.

Thorin stretched and brushed off his clothes, signaling it was time to move. “I think we’ve rested enough. We have to get going to reach Dunlam on time.”