The soft rustling of leaves and distant chirping of birds filled the air. The forest was still—too still.
Tessa stood motionless among the towering, twisted trees. Her stance was tense, her eyes scanning the dense shadows. But it wasn’t just the unknown surroundings that occupied her thoughts.
It was the voice in her head.
Mike.
“So… maybe don’t go sprinting off just yet, yeah?”
Tessa clenched a gauntleted fist.
“And why not?”
“Because we should figure out what’s going on with you first. Like—do you still have your full strength? Are you as powerful as you were in the game?”
Tessa snorted. Her reflexes felt… different, yes—but that didn’t mean she was weak.
Still… he had a point.
“Tsk. Fine.”
She rolled her shoulders, flexed her muscles. The armor felt slightly heavier than usual, but maybe that was just in her mind?
Test 1: Physical StrengthTessa eyed a nearby tree trunk—thick, ancient, its roots gnarled and deep. Perfect.
With a swift step forward, she smmed her armored fist into it. A dull thud echoed through the forest, bark cracking at the point of impact. The tree wobbled slightly, but didn’t fall.
She pulled her fist back and examined the result.
“Hmph. I should’ve ripped it out of the ground.”
Mike chimed in.
“Maybe you are weaker?”
Tessa ignored him, shook out her hand, and went for another strike. This time, she focused—connected more deeply with the body she now inhabited.
Then she struck.
And this time, the tree exploded.
Wood splinters flew in all directions as the massive trunk cracked and crashed to the ground. The mossy forest floor trembled from the impact.
Tessa stared at her hand.
Then grinned.
“There it is.”
Mike sounded impressed.
“Okay… so you just needed a moment to sync with your strength.”
Tessa rolled her shoulders again. Her body now felt whole—like she’d only needed a moment to remember how power worked.
Test 2: Agility & ReflexesShe sprinted forward—slowly at first, then faster.
Yes.
The agility was there. Every movement flowed smoothly, like her body was one with the terrain.
Tessa climbed a tree with ease, leapt from branch to branch, twisted mid-air, and nded silently on her feet.
Mike saw everything through her eyes, and his awe was clear.
“You’re definitely back in shape. Good to know.”
Test 3: MagicTessa stepped into a clearing.
“Alright. Time to test my magic.”
Mike’s voice turned cautious.
“Maybe start small?”
Tessa ignored him. She raised her hand, focusing on the spell she’d cast countless times in-game.
Fireball.
Energy gathered in her palm. The air shimmered.
Then—nothing.
No fme. No heat. Just a strange, heavy pressure in her chest.
“What was that?” Mike asked.
Tessa grit her teeth.
“I can feel the mana. It’s there. But… it’s harder to call.”
She tried again. This time, she focused longer. Her muscles tensed, and after a few seconds of intense strain, a small fme flickered into life in her palm.
Mike sighed in relief.
“Okay, so magic exists here. But… you need more time?”
Tessa closed her hand around the fme. It flickered and vanished.
“No. I need more energy.”
Mike understood.
“So it costs more mana than before?”
Tessa nodded.
“Yes. The magic is unstable. I have to focus harder—and it drains me faster.”
She didn’t like that.
In the game, she could summon firestorms, hurl lightning, suffocate enemies with shadow.
Here?
Here it felt like wading through mud just to conjure a spark.
Test 4: Weapon – FrostmoreTessa slowly unsheathed her sword.
Frostmore.
The bck bde hummed in the air, and instantly she felt its icy aura seep into the clearing. The temperature dropped. Her breath formed small clouds.
That still worked.
She lowered the bde.
“Alright. I’m still strong. Reflexes are fine. Armor’s intact. Magic is... tricky, but usable. And my sword works.”
Mike gave a mental nod.
“Better than I expected.”
Tessa slid Frostmore back into its sheath.
She and Mike still didn’t know where they were, or how they’d ended up here.
But one thing was certain:
They had everything they needed to find out.
End of Chapter 4
