Fate of the New Arrival

"Where am I?" My voice echoes across the desolate space. I look around. All I can see is black and white, both of which are constantly flashing and swirling to create a spiral of madness. 

"A new arrival? How rare." An echoing voice said. It came from all around. It sounds as if it were a mix of someone yelling while also being both distant and near. 

I try to move my body, but I can feel nothing. I have no eyes, but I can see. I have no ears, but I can hear. I then speak. "Am I dead?"

"Mmmmm... something like that. You see, it was I who called you here. You died in your past life because someone made a few bad choices in life... and I'm offering YOU, yes YOU, a second chance! Prove yourself by surviving and conquering my world. If you pass, I'll grant you any wish you desire!"

"Any wish? World? Slow down... what happened to me? I... I can't even remember my old life." I can't even remember my own face, name, or even where I'm from. I just know I am human. What did I do in my past, and how did I die?

"Hmm... good question. I have all the answers you need, but there's no fun in talking about them! They'll just weigh you down. Ah- I suppose an introduction is also in order. You humans have the concept of a higher force. I'm similar to that. I won't dwell on it, though."

"Can I at least know my name... or yours? I want to know who I used to be or what I did. If you know, at least give me my name."

 "Name? Hmm... Eh, sure. Your name back in your old life was Earl."

"What... EARL?!?! What kind of name is Earl?!? Was I really called that?!?"

"Yes. Earl the Sniffer. You had quite the reputation."

"Just tell me why they called me that!" My name is Earl? That's a ridiculous name! What's even worse is I was called the Sniffer!!! I hate this! If I had my hands, I would strangle whoever named me Earl and called me the Sniffer. 

"Maybe you'll live up to your name as Earl in your new life. I've already set it as your name. Anywho, bye-bye! Oh- one last detail. Two others like you will also be competing. Good luck."

"Wait! I don't want to he called Earl-" And like that... I find myself in a new world. 

I look around. The landscape is barren, musky, and empty. Is this what they call wastelands? Don't tell me... did this jackass of a deity dump me off into a field of nothing but rocks! I swear... if I become a god myself, I'll kick your ass!

"No food. No weapons. And... I'm naked?!?!" I release a girly shriek as I cover myself with my hands. I then notice some water on the ground nearby. "Man... I sure do hope I look handsome at least." 

I look at my reflection. Short red hair that ends in yellow tips. "Hell yeah! At least I look cool. And my body is well built." I flex in the water, admiring myself. A slightly muscular body. Decently tall. A real ladies' magnet. 

"Now, I need to find some shelter and some food. But with my luck, any caves I find could be a monster's nest." I look around and find some conveniently placed dead leaves. I tie them together and create a loincloth of sorts. It's time to begin my journey, beginning with nothing! 

# # #

"Monsters have been acting up recently." 

"Yeah. I know. I can sense them." A female replies. She is standing on a wall of a small settlement, which overlooks the wastelands. She has a chunk of green meat in her hands. Her silver hair sways in the dead wind. She then looks back at the grunt.

"If this continues, the settlement will be destroyed by the Troll Lord!" 

The female looks over the horizon. Her hair sways more, revealing a singular red eye with the other covered by an eyepatch. "I'm aware. Evacuations have already been prepared. A war between the Troll Lord and the Dragon King is inevitable."

"Lady Ares..." The grunt then nods and turns away. "I'll be near the gate." 

Ares, now alone, looks over the fields. She can see the movements of the monsters on the horizon. "These filthy creatures really think humans are so weak? I'll show them." In her hand, she holds a katana-like sword with a red blade engraved with a few markings. 

Ares then leaves the wall and leaps down towards the others. Ares is the leader of a group of bandits known as the Raptors. She has long, silver hair and red eyes, but her right eye is covered by an eyepatch. 

"Prepare to move out, men! We're going to make our way through the deep valley!" Ares holds her sword forward. Her men cheered and moved forward towards the valley. 

As they pass, a group of wasteland monsters, ogres, ambush them. Area, thinking fast, draws her sword. "Red Sword, Twin Gale," Ares calls out. She leaps into the air and, in a rapid motion, she slices through two massive ogres who were standing in their path. 

"Stay vigilant, men! These are only the scouts." 

More emerge from the rocks and dead bushes, surrounding them from all sides. 

Ares makes quick work of the ones in the front while her men handle the smaller ogres attacking from behind. These aren't any ordinary bandits who hunt and rob people. They're monster slayers who specialize in hunting and killing monsters. 

# # #

I lay there, starving. It's been a few hours since I arrived here, and my stomach has already given out. "Some big hero I wanted to be," I say. 

As I lie, I look towards the sky. No stars, no moon, and no sun. It's like a massive funnel of clouds that goes from west to east. The clouds, though, look more like giant blocks instead of being fluffy. 

My stomach growls louder. "I need to find something to eat." I then get up to go find a weaker monster to kill. In my hand, I carry a crudely-made spear I made from a skeleton I found. Perfect tool to defend myself against any threat. I named my spear Bans, Bans the Skele-Spear. I even painted a little face on it out of some mud I found!

I hear some rustling coming from the bushes. I aim Bans. "Alright, this seems like it'll be good target practice. Maybe even some good food." My stomach growls louder. 

I then step closer, Bans in my hand. "Time to use this move I just created. I call it... Heaven-piercing Skeleton Lance of Annihilation!" I throw Bans into the bushes. I can hear the sound of something being hit. I approach to investigate.

"Heh. Seems I did well for my first- What the hell is that thing?!?!" I freak out, stepping back. 

A massive, green, and black monster emerges from the bushes. A Rock Troll. It pulls Bans out of its flesh and tosses it aside. The troll then regenerates.

"How the hell am I supposed to beat something like this?!?!" I freak out and then run away, but I make sure to grab Bans. 

The troll then throws a massive boulder towards the only exit, trapping me. 

"... So, this is how I die?" My carefree, cheerful attitude suddenly fades away in an instant. I acted cheerfully and goofily because of my situation. I thought humor would lighten this situation... but the reality just set in. 

This world is no paradise. All around me are skeletons, dead trees, flying bird-like monsters, and now this troll. The smell of death fills my nostrils. I close my eyes, preparing for the worst, holding Bans out towards the roll.

"Red Blade, Single Gale," a female voice calls out. 

Suddenly, the troll is cut in half and its body explodes into a grayish dust. 

I look up to see who the mysterious female is... oh damn. She's hot!

"You don't see this every day. What's a naked scrawny kid like you doing all the way out here?" Ares says, looking at me as if I'm some kind of lost animal. She then offers her hand to me. "You'll die out here if you stay like that. Come with us."

I reach out and take her hand. This is the start of my new life in an isolated world!