Magic & Mithril: ADVENTURES IN LITHIA, #1

By Lorraine Sande

A slice of life Fantasy Adventure.

 

So I got Isekaied into a world of swords and magic.  I now have to learn about a new culture, make my own weapons, learn how to use them and make a living along with a bunch of upity trust fund babies who have never worked a day in their lives.

 

Life is never easy for an orphaned black girl from Harare

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lorraine Sande
• Release date: Mar 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201133795

Book preview

Magic and Mithril

Magic and Mithril book 1

Copyright © 2021 by Lorraine Sande\All Rights Reserved

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No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, excerpt for brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.  The personal names have been invented by the author, and any likeness to the name of any person, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

This book may contain references to specific commercial products, process or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, specific brand-name products and/or trade names of products, which are trademarks or registered trademarks and/or trade names, and these are property of their respective owners.  Lorraine Sande or her associates have no association with any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, specific brand-name products and/or trade names of products.

Magic and Mithril

By Lorraine Sande

I

‘Have a great weekend!’ I called to my workmates as I clocked out and headed home.  It had been a tiring day at work with the boss in a snit because they had been denied a loan by the bank.  Their grand plans for expansion had to go on hold now.

Since I lived near work, I walked home, taking a shortcut through an alley between buildings that bisected a very long block of factories and their offices.  Just before I reached the end of the alley, there was a very bright flash of light and everything went black.

The first thing I heard were birds and what sounded like wind in tall grasses.  There was a lot of light around and I knew there was no way I was in my small studio apartment.  I opened my eyes to grass and wildflowers and a clear blue sky.  This was definitely not my room!  I got up with a groan, everything ached, and looked around me.  The first thing I saw, other than the grass and flowers, were the trees that formed a ring around what looked to be a clearing of which I was in the middle of. The trees were tall and big enough to be in an old forest.  I just didn’t know anywhere trees this big could exist.

A groan to my left had me turning to see a blond headed man getting up and looking around in confusion.  I supposed I looked just as confused since he looked at me dumbfounded for a bit and then turned away to peruse the forest around us.  Before I could say anything, two more people made their presence known.  They too were young men in their early twenties, all dressed like they had been out on the town before ending up here.  Wherever here was.

‘Does anyone know where we are?’  I asked and was roundly ignored.  How rude! I thought.  I was only trying to find out where I had been dropped.  I patted my pockets looking for my phone, kicking myself for not thinking about it immediately but my search was fruitless.  No phone was to be found on my person.  Since it was the only piece of technology I had had on myself and since I had not had anything else on me that evening and my I.D and keys were gone too so proving my identity to any lawman would be an exercise I didn’t wish to go through.  Especially since I didn’t know where I was.

A scream pierced the air and we all turned to see a tall blond girl brush at her face and arms.  She looked up and turned around frantically looking for something.  ‘Where am I?’ She asked in a high pitched squeal. ‘What is this place?’

‘I don’t think anyone knows.  Where are you from?’ 

‘Chicago. What do you mean no one knows?  How did we get here?  And where are you from?’  She asked me.

‘Harare, Zimbabwe.  I don’t know how we got here and those guys are not talking.’  I told her.  The girl looked at me in shock, like the idea of meeting an African person was the furthest thing from her mind.  Blondie turned to the guys and walked towards them, asking them the questions she had asked me.

‘No idea where we are.  I’m Brody by the way.’  The tall blond guy introduced himself. ‘I’m from Long Island.’

‘I’m Tomas, from Madrid.  Never been in a forest before.  Do you suppose this is the black forest?’  The black haired olive skinned guy introduced and asked with a lilting Spanish accent.

‘No Idea but I don’t think so.  I’ve never seen trees like those anywhere.  I’m Pete by the way. London.’  The three guys shook hands with the Blond girl who seemed to calm down now that she had three strapping young men to protect her.

‘Do you think we should find a way out of here?  I don’t think I want to stay here.’  I approached the small group but they ignored me.  Brody going so far as to turn his back on me.  The blond girl shrugged, she still hadn’t introduced herself and none of them were interested in knowing me.

I turned away from the group, deciding to climb one of those tall trees to see if there was any village, town or city nearby, or even something like a landmark to use on my trek through the woods.  Just as I reached the trees, I saw what looked like a path leading into them and on the path, shadowy figures in an orderly line were moving at a fast walk straight at me.  I made a hasty retreat back to the centre of the clearing.

‘Someone is coming.’  I told the rude white people behind me.

‘Who?’  Brody asked officiously. 

‘Didn’t stop to ask.’

‘So what use are you?’  He grumbled and I rolled my eyes.  I was not his servant to pander to his every whim.  In almost no time, the figures emerged from the forest and resolved into a troop of soldiers.  Middle ages soldiers armed with swords, bows and arrows and spears.  The man out front who looked to be their leader raised a hand and the troop stopped.

‘Hello there strangers.’  He called out in a deep voice. ‘Welcome to Lithia.  I know you are confused about where you are but rest assured you are safe.’

‘Where are we?’ Brody asked the man. He just said Lithia you idiot.  I wanted to roll my eyes at him.

‘Like I said Lithia, near the village of Dean.  We, members of the Guard, are here to collect you and lead you to the village.’  The man responded calmly, like he was used to explaining this to total strangers.

‘Why did you bring us here?’ Pete asked.

‘We didn’t bring you here.  People from your world just keep popping up here every few months after a lightning storm.  If you would come with us, we have a place you can stay and get your bearings.’  The man offered.  ‘I am sorry to say that we cannot send you home as we have no knowledge of where it is or how you got here.  All we know is you are here and we have to do something with you.’ After looking at each other and having a silent conversation.  You could practically see the distrust and unhappiness in their faces but the four people who had arrived with me turned to walk towards the men.

‘Why all the weapons?’  I asked the man as I reached him.  ‘Raine Moyo.’  I held out my hand for a handshake.

‘Captain Darren.’ He introduced himself.  I couldn’t tell if that was a first name or a last name and decided not to care as I shook the man’s hand. ‘The weapons are for security.  There are monsters in these woods.’

‘What kind of monsters?’ I asked him. We had no monsters where I come from.

‘No need to worry about them.  There is a monster book at the guild that you can study if you wish.’  The leader responded before turning about and stalking back through the woods.  He had neatly dodged the question.

The five of us were led to the nearby village of Dean by the guards who had found us in the clearing.

‘Because you people keep randomly showing up, we have had to add that clearing to our patrols.  I don’t know where you lot come from but you will get the same treatment as everyone else.’ The Guard Captain said.  As we crested a hill, we saw the village we were headed to.  It was a fairly small walled medieval looking village.  There was barely any traffic.  After about thirty minutes and two villagers who looked at us suspiciously, we reached the gate where we were issued with temporary identification documents.

‘What’s this then?’ Asked Brody.

‘That is your temporary identification, valid for four days.  You will need it to get into the village.  As I said, before you were issued the thing.’  The Captain said in an exasperated tone.

The idiot had been asking questions and basically behaving like a spoiled rich arsehole since he woke up.  The Captain had explained about how people regularly showed up after a lightning storm.  No-one knew where they came from but the local lord had sent out orders that the people had to be taken care of for a few days as they acclimated.

‘Yeah but when are you lot sending us back home?  I have things to do.’

The Captain rolled his eyes and ignored the Brody and walked away.  One of the unnamed guards who had brought us motioned for us to follow the Captain.  The three guys and the girl, whose name turned out to be Rachel, followed the Captain with me bringing up the rear.  I had a million questions but until we reached our destination, it was useless to as the questions might just be answered without the need to annoy a man who was clearly overworked and still trying to be helpful.

The Captain turned right just after the gate office and waked down a wide lane between the wall and a row of warehouses.  After a couple of turns, he stopped in the yard of a smithy and turned to address us.  After we all lined up he gestured to the left.

‘For the next three days you will be staying in these barracks.  You will be provided with food and a place to sleep.  Any questions?’

‘Yeah.  You still haven’t told us why we are here.’ Brody sneered at the Captain.

‘And as I said before, I don’t know.  No-one does.’ The Captain rolled his eyes again. ‘Any questions about your accommodation?’

‘Yes.  What happens after the three days?’  I asked him.  Unlike the spoiled quartet,  I believed the Captain when he said he had no idea how we arrived in Lithia.  The man was just doing his job.

‘You will be taken to the Adventurer’s guild to register and then you can decide what you want to do with your lives from there.’  He looked pleased that someone had asked an intelligent question.

‘And what will we be doing in the three days that we are here?’ I asked as I wondered what was expected of us.  I had a feeling they would not just toss us out into the world without some preparation, however brief.

‘First thing tomorrow morning you will be given access to the smithy.  You will have three days to fashion a weapon for yourself.  After that you will be taught how to use whatever weapon you make properly at the Adventurer’s Guild.  For now, you can go explore the barracks and the canteen.’  With that the Captain walked back the way we had come.

After a few moments, I turned to the barracks only to be pushed aside by Brody and his lackeys.  No doubt he wanted to be the first to see where we would sleep and take the best place for himself.  I moved aside and looked around for anyone in the yard.  I found myself being watched by the Captain who had not left as I had thought. He nodded to me, then he walked away.

A boy about twelve years old came around the corner and I called to him.

‘Hey, can you show me where the toilets are?’  I asked him.

‘The outhouses are out behind the barracks.  You can either go through the barracks or go round.’  He motioned the way