Lost in a familiar world

As Simon stumbled backward, his hands grasping for something, anything, to hold onto, his mind was a jumbled mess of fragmented thoughts.

"What's happening to me?!" he thought, his inner voice laced with panic. "This can't be real. I must be dreaming. I must be going crazy."

But the pain in his head, the feeling of disorientation, and the unfamiliar surroundings all screamed that this was, in fact, his new reality.

Simon's thoughts swirled with memories of his old life, his friends, and his familiar routine. He felt a pang of longing for the comfort and security of his old life.

But as he looked around the unfamiliar room, he knew he couldn't stay stuck in the past. He had to find a way to move forward, to adapt to this new reality.

"I need to calm down," Simon told himself, trying to sound rational. "I need to think this through. There must be a logical explanation for all of this."

But as he tried to calm his racing thoughts, Simon's mind kept circling back to the same question: "What's happening to me?!"

He spun around, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of reality. But everything looked just as it had before - the dresser, the desk, the window. It was all so... normal.

Simon's grip on the bedpost tightened, his mind racing with questions.

How did he get here? Why was he in William's body? What had happened to his own body?

He felt a wave of panic wash over him, threatening to engulf him.

He couldn't shake the feeling that he was living someone else's story, even though he knew every detail of William's life.

Simon's breath came in short gasps, his heart pounding in his chest. He felt like he was going to pass out. He needed to calm down, to think this through.

But his mind was a jumble of fear and confusion.

Simon inhaled deeply, his breath whispering through his lips in a soft "Huuuuuuh..." He held the breath for a moment.

And then exhaled slowly, letting his shoulders relax with a gentle "Haaaaah..." He repeated the process, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth, feeling his heart rate slow.

As he breathed, Simon tried to calm himself down. He let go of the bedpost and stepped back, his eyes scanning the room once more. This time, he tried to focus on the details, to ground himself in reality.

He noticed the way the sunlight streaming through the window highlighted the dust motes dancing in the air. He saw the faint scratch on the dresser, the one that William had mentioned in the novel. He even noticed the faint scent of soap wafting from the bathroom.

As he took in these details, Simon's panic began to recede. He realized that he wasn't dreaming, that this was actually happening. And if it was happening, then he needed to deal with it.

Simon sat on the bed, his eyes scanning the room as he tried to gather his thoughts.

His gaze drifted toward the desk, where a letter from Oasis Academy sat, reminding him of the journey he was about to embark on.

He picked up the letter, running his fingers over the wax seal bearing the academy's emblem.

As he opened the letter he saw the words written on it.

~[Seal of Oasis Academy]~

Oasis Academy

Admissions Committee

[15-2-2044]

Dear William,

We are pleased to inform you that your application to Oasis Academy has been approved. Your academic achievements, personal qualities, and demonstrated potential for magical growth make you an ideal candidate for our institution.

As discussed in your interview, we believe that your unique background and skills will be a valuable asset to our community. We are confident that you will thrive in our academic environment and make the most of the opportunities available to you.

Please find below the details of your enrollment:

- Start Date: [15-3-2044]

- Program: Elemental class and combat class (- Close Quarters

- Hand-to-Hand

- Spear Mastery

- Tactical Melee)

- Accommodations: Dormitory Block C

We look forward to welcoming you to Oasis Academy and supporting you on your academic journey.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Congratulations once again on your acceptance!

Sincerely,

Aurora Silvermist

Chair, Admissions Committee

~Oasis Academy~

Simon's eyes glazed over as he stared blankly at the letter. But his mind wasn't on the acceptance letter or Oasis Academy. Instead, he was consumed by a single, overwhelming thought:

"How did I get here?"

Simon's thoughts swirled with questions. 'Why did I get chosen? And what does it mean for my life now?'

Simon's gaze remained fixed on some distant point, his eyes unfocused as his mind wrestled with the mysteries of his transmigration. The letter, the academy, everything seemed insignificant compared to the burning questions that consumed him.

He thought back to his old life, trying to recall any clues that might explain how he ended up here. Had he somehow been chosen for this new life? And if so, by whom?

Simon's thoughts swirled with possibilities, each one more bewildering than the last. He felt like a pawn in some grand game, with rules he couldn't understand and players he couldn't see.

As the silence stretched out, Simon's mind grew quieter, his thoughts clarifying into a single, determined resolve: he would find answers. No matter what it took, he would uncover the truth about his transmigration and the mysterious forces that had brought him to this new world.

Simon's eyes refocused as he became aware of his surroundings again. He blinked, taking a deep breath as he tried to shake off the lingering fogginess.

As he looked down at his hands, he noticed something that made his heart skip a beat. On the palm of his right hand, a strange tattoo seemed to pulse with a soft, blue light.

The tattoo depicted a complex symbol, with intricate lines and curves that seemed to shift and writhe like a living thing. Simon's eyes widened as he stared at the symbol, feeling an eerie sense of unease.

He turned his hand over, studying the tattoo from different angles. The soft, blue light seemed to be coming from within the symbol itself, casting an ethereal glow over his skin.

Simon's thoughts swirled with possibilities. Was this tattoo somehow connected to his transmigration?

Simon's brow furrowed as he racked his brain, trying to recall every detail from the novel. He had read about William's life, his struggles, and his triumphs. But one thing was certain: William never had a tattoo.

"I could've sworn..." Simon muttered to himself, shaking his head. "William never had a tattoo in the novel."

A shiver ran down his spine as he stared at the symbol on his palm. What did it mean? And why did he have it now, when it wasn't part of the original story?

Simon's mind whirled with questions, but he knew he had to keep searching for answers. He needed to understand what was happening to him, and why his new life was deviating from the story he knew.

Simon's eyes widened as a sudden, searing pain shot through his head. He felt like his brain was being squeezed in a vice

And then, in a burst of release, Simon let out a loud, anguished shout:

"AAAAAAGH!!"

Simon's shout echoed through the room, and then he felt himself falling, his body collapsing onto the cold, hard floor.

Simon's eyes snapped open, and he was met with a vision that made his blood run cold. He saw a vast, desolate landscape stretching out before him, filled with nothing but blood and corpses as far as the eye could see.

The air was thick with the stench of death, and the ground was slick with the viscous fluid. Simon's gaze wandered across the carnage, taking in the twisted, mangled bodies that seemed to be piled upon one another.

But it was the creatures that truly caught his attention. They were unlike anything Simon had ever seen before - twisted, nightmarish beings with eyes that glowed like embers from the underworld.

Some had multiple limbs, while others seemed to be nothing more than twisted, pulsing masses of flesh. They moved through the carnage with an unnatural, jerky gait, as if they were puppets being manipulated by some unseen force.

Simon's mind recoiled in horror as he took in the sheer scale of the devastation. "W-what...the hell...i-is happening?!" he stuttered, his voice trembling with fear.

The vision faded as quickly as it had begun, leaving Simon gasping for breath. He stumbled backwards, his eyes wide with fear, as he struggled to process the sheer horror of what he had just witnessed.

As he struggled to catch his breath, Simon heard a knock at the door. "Sir, are you okay?" a deep, masculine voice called out. "I heard a loud noise coming from your room."

Simon hesitated, unsure of how to respond. But before he could say anything, the man opened the door and stepped inside.

"Sir, I'm afraid I need to check on you," the man said, his eyes scanning the room. "We've had some... issues with our guests before."

Simon nodded, still trying to process what had just happened.

"I'm fine," Simon said, trying to sound calm. "Just a little... overwhelmed."

The man nodded sympathetically. "I understand, sir. It can be a lot to take in. Is there anything I can get for you? A glass of water, perhaps?"

Simon shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm just... trying to wrap my head around everything."

The man nodded again. "I understand, sir. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. My name is Jenkins, by the way. I'm one of the staff members here."

Simon nodded, trying to remember the name. "Thanks, Jenkins. I appreciate it."

Jenkins smiled and turned to leave. "If you need anything, sir, just give me a call. I'll be right down the hall."

Simon watched him go, feeling a sense of gratitude towards the Jenkins. He closed the door and took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering fear from his vision.

Simon's gaze wandered around the room, taking in the familiar details. He had seen illustrations of this very room in the novel he had read. The same four walls, the same furniture, the same layout.

"It's definitely the hotel William had stayed in on his way to the academy," Simon said to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.

A sense of unease settled in as he thought about the implications. He was actually living the story now. The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

He couldn't help but think about how many times he had imagined himself as the main character, living in this world, experiencing the thrill of the story firsthand. But he had never thought it would actually happen.

Simon's mind reeled as he thought about the implications. He was actually living the story now. The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

He had always romanticized the idea of being the main character, but now that he was actually here, he realized that it wasn't all excitement and adventure. There were real dangers, real stakes.

Simon's thoughts were interrupted by the memory of the vision he had seen earlier. The blood, the corpses, the twisted creatures. He felt a chill run down his spine as he wondered what other challenges lay ahead.

-SLAP-

Simon slapped himself on both cheeks, the sudden sting snapping him back to reality.

Simon took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. "I need to come to terms with what's happening," he told himself.

"Whether I like it or not, I'm stuck in this world. I might as well accept it and figure out how to navigate it."

But despite his words, a nagging sense of unease lingered in the back of his mind, refusing to be shaken off. The feeling of being trapped in someone else's life, of being forced to play out a story that wasn't his own, continued to simmer just below the surface.

Simon rubbed his temples, trying to massage away the growing headache that threatened to split his skull open. His mind was a jumbled mess of fragmented memories, eerie feelings, and unanswerable questions.

As he was trying not to think too much, a faint, pulsating glow emanating from the corner of his eyes caught his attention.

A translucent status screen suddenly popped out of thin air in front of him, its borders shimmering with a subtle, otherworldly energy.

[World Integration: Success]

[Reality Distortion: Compensated]

[Story Sequence: Initiated]

*Status*

- Name: Simon Reed (William Barlowe)

- Age: 17

- Current Status: [Disoriented, Overwhelmed, Searching]

*Attributes*

- Mana: 100/100

- Vitality: 95/100

- Strength: 7

- Endurance: 8

- Agility: 6

- Intelligence: 10

- Charisma: 15

- Sanity: 80/100

*Progress*

- Level: 1 (Awakened)

- Experience Points: 0/100

- Attributes Points: 0/5

*Skills*

- Basic Spearmanship (Level 1)

*Magic Affinities*

- Chronomancy: +0

- Elementalism: +0

*Equipment*

- Wooden Spear

- Pocket Knife

*Afflictions*

- Fatigue

- Minor Injury (Left Arm)

*Quests*

- Main Story: "Awakening" (Ongoing)

- Side Quests:

- "Find Inner Clarity" (Completed)

*Stigma*

- Chrono's Mark (???)

...