Setting foot outside the portal, I was immediately hit by a wave of cool air, and something else, something strange. A faint pressure settled on my shoulders, not heavy, but definitely there.
Looking around, I saw trees stretching endlessly into the distance, tall and wide. The forest was dense, and sunlight barely pierced through the thick canopy above.
These trees weren't normal. They were twisted, malformed, creating a chaotic, almost oppressive architecture. Their trunks were gnarled and warped, as if their growth had been tormented. Some branches curved into natural arches, others jutted out at absurd angles, clawing at the dim sky.
The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and ancient wood. Despite the coolness, a cold sweat ran down my spine. Every breath carried an odd scent, a mix of moss, sap, and something metallic I couldn't quite define.
I stepped forward, and the spongy ground gave slightly beneath my weight. A faint crack echoed, followed by a soft rustling among the leaves. My eyes swept the green and brown darkness, nothing moved. Yet I felt it: that icy sensation, the feeling of being watched.
The silence was almost absolute, too absolute. No birdsong, no buzzing insects. Just the distant whisper of the wind in the trees, an indistinct sound, almost like breathing.
Opening my inventory, I noticed a new book tucked into the corner. I picked it up and began to read.
[World: Middle Earth, The Hobbit. Mirkwood Forest]
"Oh right… I'm in Mirkwood! And I'm actually in The Lord of the Rings universe… That's insane. But it says The Hobbit, so maybe I'm in that timeline instead. But when exactly?" I murmured to myself.
"Well, first thing's first, I need to figure out where I am."
Looking up with a slight smile tugging at my lips, I said, "Only one way to find out!"
I pulled out some cobblestone blocks and placed the first one on the ground. I jumped onto it and–
"What the hell?!"
I screamed as I was launched skyward, shooting past the canopy and into the open sky.
"What's going on?!" I shouted again, completely shocked by how high I'd jumped.
Spinning in the air, I forgot everything for a moment, captivated by the view.
Above the dark green sea that was Mirkwood, the vastness of the land stole my breath. The forest stretched endlessly below me, an ocean of twisted, oppressive trees so dense it looked frozen in place. Wisps of mist clung to the treetops.
To the west, my gaze fell on a massive, solitary shape, Erebor. The Lonely Mountain stood proud, its steep sides carved with ancient galleries and balconies. Its peak, bathed in pale light, contrasted sharply with Mirkwood's choking darkness.
Far northeast, along the horizon, the Iron Hills rose like a threatening wall, their jagged peaks tearing the sky. Distant, surreal even, but undeniably immense.
To the southeast, a shimmering light caught my eye, Long Lake. Its calm waters reflected the sky, a stark contrast to Mirkwood's stifling gloom. On its banks, I saw the silhouette of Lake-town or also called Esgaroth, perched on stilts over the water. From here, it looked tiny, fragile, like a speck of humanity clinging to this wild world.
The sheer size of the forest amazed me. It swallowed everything in shadow, stretching like a sleeping beast. Even Erebor looked small next to its vast, dark expanse.
For a second, I forgot where I was, suspended in the sky, mesmerized by the raw beauty around me. Then gravity reminded me of reality.
"Oh crap, I'm falling! Uh… quick ! Water bucket!"
Grabbing one in my hands, I hoped to pull off the trick just like in the game.
I'd never tried it before, but I prayed it would work. I had no idea why a simple jump had launched me so high, but I wasn't keen on testing my fall resistance.
"ARGHHHHHHH—" I screamed as the forest rushed back toward me. I tried to place the water below me—
Wait… I don't have a right click ! I was just flailing like an idiot—
*Crack.*
*BOOM.*
I slammed into the ground. A huge cloud of dust and smoke exploded outward.
*Cough cough.*
The thick air made me cough. Then—"Wait… I'm okay?" I patted myself all over, checking for injuries. Nothing.
Sitting down, I tried to make sense of what just happened.
"Okay… I barely jumped, and got launched. And then the fall didn't hurt at all. So… two possibilities. Either I'm super strong in this world, or gravity works differently here.
Now that I think about it, I can carry gold blocks in one hand. That definitely makes me stronger than a normal human…
But then, why do Minecraft mobs still hurt me? They must be strong too."
I stood up and brushed off my shorts, then frowned.
"Uh- I'm shirtless. Really? Just bare-chested out here… Though I can wear my armor."
Tapping the icon, I summoned my diamond armor. At first, I thought it was a good idea, but then I hesitated.
"Yeah… walking around in full diamond armor, armor no one's ever seen… might freak people out. Being shirtless might actually be less alarming."
Looking around again, I saw no sign of the portal. Checking my inventory, I found it safely stored as an item. Handy.
Wasting no more time, I started walking toward the direction where I'd seen Erebor.
…
After several hours of walking, I heard shouting.
"—rin… —horin… —flee!"
I turned instantly toward the noise. Like any good adventurer, I decided to investigate.
Using my newfound strength, I sprinted and reached the location within seconds.
Perched on a tree branch, I surveyed the scene. Huge spiderwebs were strung across the trees, a full-blown nest.
A chill ran down my spine, and a drop of sweat rolled from my brow. Spiders… I should've known.
Dark shapes struggled in the sticky threads, fighting back against a swarm of creatures. My eyes locked onto about a dozen small figures trapped in white, glistening silk. Dwarves, judging by their height, most likely Thorin and his company.
Surrounding them were massive spiders, bigger than horses, moving on long black, chitinous legs. Their fangs gleamed with green venom in the dim light filtering through the twisted trees.
Some watched from afar while others tried to wrap more dwarves in silk, hanging them from branches like prey. A few were locked in fierce combat with those who'd broken free.
Thorin, sword in hand, was fending off two spiders closing in on him. Fili and Kili slashed desperately at the webs trapping their companions. But they were outnumbered.
Without hesitation, I opened my inventory and summoned my bow. Instinctively, I drew the string and conjured an arrow. My fingers tightened around the nock as I aimed for a spider creeping up behind Thorin.
They're slow… I can see everything. Every movement, every twitch of their muscles. This is easy picking.
*Fwip!*
The arrow shot out at lightning speed, piercing through the spider's exoskeleton as it collapsed instantly with a shrill screech. Everyone froze for a moment, trying to locate the origin of the shot.
I didn't let them the time to figure the origin of the shots, a second arrow was already nocked. Another spider dropped dead, its head bursting under the impact.
Kili, eyes wide, shouted, "Someone's helping us ! Quick, let's free Balin and the others !"
Thorin, still on guard, turned his head toward me. Our eyes met for a split second. He had no idea who I was, but he didn't have the luxury to ask questions.
I didn't wait for a thank you. Another arrow was already notched. I aimed and released—thwack—right into another spider's abdomen. It writhed in pain and fell off the branch it was clinging to.
I leapt from my branch, landing on the ground with such force that the earth trembled. The spiders hesitated, as if sensing a threat they couldn't understand. Some of them even started trembling in front of me.
"Oi what's wrong lil spiders ? Are you scared or somethin' ?" I said with a smirk.
One of them screamed and lunged at me. In one smooth motion, I drew my enchanted diamond sword and decapitated it mid-air. Its body crashed heavily at my feet.
'They are too slow to even pose a threat… even a zombie is more dangerous…'
With all the spiders' attention on me, the rest of the company quickly managed to free themselves, reacting swiftly and proving once again their great combat skills.
Spinning my blade through the air, I dashed straight into the horde of spiders, tearing through everything in my path. Realizing they had no chance, some of them tried to flee, but I was far too fast.
With a single step, I reappeared ten meters ahead, sword in hand, and brought it down on the head of a fleeing spider, stopping it cold before turning my gaze toward the others.
But just as I was about to continue, a horn sounded, followed by a volley of arrows that rained down on the remaining spiders, ending their miserable existence.
That's when I felt a presence behind me- no, several blades pointed at my back.
I made my sword vanish into my inventory and turned my head slightly toward the newcomers, the Elves.
"Don't move! Or we will be forced to act!" said one of them, pointing his sword even closer to emphasize the threat.
I knew they were Elves... and that they were supposed to be the good guys... but...
"I don't appreciate being threatened," I replied, just before taking action…
...…
Drop me some stones ! If you have some to spare ...