Third person POV:
The forest breathed. Aelira walked carefully through a world that felt both alien and oddly familiar. Sunlight poured through the silver canopy above in shifting beams, catching on floating motes of magic that shimmered in the air like dust in a sunbeam. Birds called with strange melodies some musical, others sounding like laughter and somewhere distant, something howled.
She tightened her grip on the fallen branch she'd picked up earlier. Her footsteps crunched softly on the moss-laced earth. She had no idea where she was going only that staying still felt wrong. She needed to move, to do something. Every step helped keep the rising panic at bay.
"Okay, Aya no, Aelira. You read enough isekai stories to know the drill. Step one: find civilization. Step two: don't die." She forced a breath and kept moving.
That's when she heard it....a low growl, guttural and wet. She turned, from between the trees, a creature emerged. At first, it looked like a wolf but its body rippled with unnatural shadows, and its eyes glowed red. Mana-beast. She didn't know how she knew that, but the word sprang into her mind like instinct. It crouched and she ran.
Branches tore at her arms as she sprinted through the undergrowth. Her breath came in ragged gasps. The growling grew louder behind her...then she tripped. The ground vanished beneath her feet, and she tumbled down a slope, crashing through ferns and landing hard in a clearing. Her branch clattered away.
The mana-beast was already above her. She raised her arms....Then crack. A blur of green and brown slammed into the beast, knocking it aside. A massive figure stood between her and it now, wielding a heavy axe. The man or rather, half-orc growled louder than the beast. The mana-beast hesitated, snarled, and leapt again. The half-orc moved with surprising grace. His axe spun, catching the beast mid-leap and sending it crashing into a tree with a yelp. It didn't rise. Silence.....
Aelira blinked.
The half-orc turned. His tusked face was stern, weathered, and a little surprised. "You're not from around here," he said gruffly, his voice like gravel." Aelira struggled upright. "I....I guess not." He looked her over, eyes narrowing at the silver shimmer in her hair. "You're glowing. You a priestess or something?"
"I don't think so. I just… woke up in the glade." That made him pause...
"Forest of First Light," he muttered. "Didn't think it was real." He offered a hand. She took it. "I'm Thorne," he said. "You're lucky I was hunting nearby. That shadow-wolf would've made short work of you." Aelira managed a shaky smile. "Thank you, Thorne. I'm… Aelira."
He grunted. "Strange name." She almost laughed. "You have no idea." Together, they began walking. He led her toward a rough trail, pointing out landmarks and hidden dangers. She listened, absorbing everything. Eventually, as they settled near a stream to rest, she asked, "Why did you help me?" Thorne shrugged. "Didn't see anyone else around. Besides…" He hesitated, then muttered, "Didn't feel right letting someone die alone in the woods. Even if they glow."
Aelira smiled, genuinely this time. "Well… I'm glad you didn't." And as the sun began to set, painting the forest in gold and violet, the first thread of a bond was woven—between a girl from another world, and the unlikely warrior who saved her.