After running for some time, I spot something in the distance. Mighty stone walls welcome the river, and stretch toward a gate. I've found a settlement!
I enter the the city through the gate as the sun begins to set. The gates were very busy with returning farmers, fishermen, and other kinds. My simple clothes help me fit in with the crowd, but the guards are sharp.
"You there. Display your token."
"What is a token?"
"Entry fee for travelers is one copper."
I pay the copper and enter the town. A market sprawls in all directions from the gate. Fruits, meats, trinkets, even furs.
I find an affordable inn for the night.
That night, a vivid dream takes me. I am once again floating above still waters and beneath a splendid sky, where I met the false goddess. A glowing figure stands before me.
"Welcome again." This entity is a vaguely human-shaped silhouette with a bright but fuzzy glow. Its voice is cold, like a polite but apathetic clerk, and difficult to place as male or female. "It has come to my attention that your welcome process did not follow protocol. I will be responsible for handling it this time."
"Who and what are you?"
"I am the agent who is welcoming you. You were welcomed before by Irena, and she made the mistake of calling herself a goddess. This was a breach of protocol on her part; you have my apologies."
"Entity, it seems that you are the same kind of being as Irena, or a higher kind. If she claims to be a goddess, how do you not?"
"It is against protocol for an agent to claim to be a god or goddess."
The entity keeps bringing things back to protocol. It continues.
"She also called you a hero, which is also against protocol. While those reincarnated here often go on to be heroes, their cooperation with our agents is strictly voluntary, and welcome gifts are unconditional."
The figure shows me how to open my status screen and access the help menu, and explains some of the defining quirks of this world. I notice a few items under my skill list. A long table appears, bearing a selection of exquisite weapons.
"The protocol requires that reincarnated souls receive a blessed skill, either in a weapon or a magical element. However, your case is unusual, and only a weapon skill will be possible. Please choose one from the table before you."
On the table, I see a dagger, a sword, a spear, a club, a bow, a whip... every manner of weapons I know of, and many I don't.
"Entity, anything I take from this table can be taken from me. I want to rely only on what the One True God gave me."
"Very well. According to protocol, failure to select a weapon is equivalent to choosing the unarmed skill blessing. Please check your status screen for the unarmed skill."
As the entity said, "Unarmed" is now in my skills list. After confirming this, a great impact rocks the scene, like something collided with it from the outside.
"Something has taken place that needs my immediate attention. I will contact you in the future to complete your welcome process.
I wake up with a start, in my bed at the inn, to see rays of sunlight that slipped through the shutters.