The exit from the dungeon turned out to be anticlimactic: a simple upward tunnel that opened into a forest clearing, lit by the glow of two moons hanging in the night sky.
'So this world has two moons…' Mark thought as he took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh air for the first time since he'd woken up.
The contrast with the stale stench of the dungeon was almost intoxicating.
"Master, are you alright?"
Elyndra was at his side, close enough that he could feel the unnatural cold radiating from her body. It wasn't unpleasant, just different.
Like standing next to a marble statue that had come to life.
"I'm fine," said Mark, trying to sound confident. "Just… taking in the view."
"The view is beautiful," she agreed, though her eyes never left him. "But not as beautiful as you, Master."
Mark cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Ely… can I call you Ely?"
"You may call me whatever you wish, Master. Any name from your lips will be music to my ears."
'Yeah, I definitely overdid it with the personality modification,' Mark thought.
"Ely," he continued, forcing himself to push on, "I need you to explain a few things about this world. I've… been isolated for a long time. My knowledge might be out of date."
It was an obvious lie, but Elyndra accepted it without question — she was programmed to accept anything he said.
That stirred a pang of guilt in Mark.
"Of course, Master. What would you like to know?"
Over the next hour, as they walked through the forest looking for signs of civilization, Elyndra explained the basics.
It was, just as Mark had suspected, a fairly typical fantasy world.
Adventurers had ranks from F all the way to SSS.
Dungeons appeared naturally and generated monsters.
Magic existed, though it was relatively rare.
And there was an Adventurers' Guild that regulated everything.
"Necromancers," Ely explained, in a tone that carried barely concealed disapproval, "are… frowned upon. Manipulating the dead is considered an offense against the gods. Most are hunted down and executed."
'Great. I'm a social pariah in an unknown world.'
"And you?" Mark asked. "What do you think of necromancers?"
Elyndra looked at him with those impossible blue eyes, her expression softening.
"I think my Master is the most wonderful person in the world. If he is a necromancer, then necromancy must be the noblest art in existence."
"That doesn't answer the question, but I suppose it's the best I'm going to get."
They eventually found a road that led them toward a town.
It wasn't large. It looked more like a medieval European village — stone walls, wooden and thatched houses.
The usual.
"Master," said Ely, stopping just before the gates, "my presence could cause… complications."
Mark frowned.
"Why?"
"I… was… known. Elyndra Ashford, the Knight of Dawn. My disappearance three weeks ago likely caused quite a stir. If anyone sees me…"
'Damn. I didn't think about that.'
"Can you… hide somehow?"
Elyndra tilted her head, thoughtful.
"I have a skill. Shadow Meld. It allows me to conceal myself within any nearby shadow. But it only works if a shadow is available."
"Perfect. Then stay in my shadow. Only come out if I call for you, or if I'm in danger."
"As you command, Master."
And with that, Elyndra dissolved. Her body turned translucent, then transparent, then vanished entirely — melting into the shadow Mark cast under the moonlight.
Mark found it deeply unsettling to watch, but he had no time to dwell on it.
He composed himself and approached the town gates, trying to look as normal as possible.
Which was difficult, given that his appearance screamed "typical edgy video game character" from a mile away.
The gate guard looked him over with suspicion.
"Name and purpose."
"Mark," he answered, going with his real name because nothing better came to mind. "I'm an adventurer. Looking to register with the guild."
The guard looked him up and down, clearly sizing up his gear.
Or rather…
His complete lack of gear.
"Rank?"
"F."
A smirk spread across the guard's face.
"Another rookie. The guild's in the main square. Don't cause trouble."
Mark nodded and walked into the town, feeling the guard's eyes boring into his back.
But in his shadow, invisible to everyone but him, traveled a Rank SSS warrior who adored him unconditionally.
'Maybe being Rank F isn't so bad after all.'