Maribelle was out for a morning gallop on her horse, exploring the area near their camp. She’d never been to this continent before, and she thought it was a good chance to broaden her mind. Just when she was getting ready to turn around and head for the camp, she found a cave in the side of the mountain. She debated with herself on whether it was worth it to go in, but she was a Shepard, a warrior, she could do this. She tied her horse to a nearby tree, and entered the cave.

The inside of the cave was dark, and the air was damp. Maribelle used her staff to light her way, but the lighting didn’t make her fear dissipate. This cave felt…off. The air tasted differently than it had outside, and something about the walls of the cave looked unreal. Her fear overtook her, and Maribelle turned around to leave. As she did, her foot triggered some sort of trap, and the ground beneath her opened up, and she was swallowed by the earth.

When she awoke, Maribelle was outside. However, it was not the outside she had known. The sky was a duller blue, the sun a little dimmer, and she was in some kind of small camp. There was only a single tent, a campfire, and a note. She walked over and read the note.

“Dear Champion,

You have fallen into another world, one you cannot escape unless you are able to fix it. This world is corrupted, and if you ever want to see your home again you must try and purify it without being corrupted too much yourself. There are monsters everywhere, and if you fail you might find yourself as one of them.

Good luck.”

Maribelle wanted to cry, wanted to scream for help, wanted to beg the goddesses to bring you back home. But she was a noble, and now a champion, apparently. It was her duty to save this world, so she would. Her stomach grumbled a little, and Maribelle realized she hadn’t brought any food or water. She was going to have to explore to find refreshment.

She watched as the dim sun sank below the horizon, and the moon took its place. She decided to sleep for now, and that she would start exploring in the morning, even if that meant going to bed hungry.