While a certain someone had been hiding underground doing his best to tidy up the latest bizarre complication, another was developing in the various Boar Killing Grounds around the world of Saana.
The Western Continent. Besalaada, Bes. A temperate forest, its canopy blocking most of the sunlight.
A Grey Wolf and its pack were battling a group of humans when a blow from a mace sent it tumbling down a ravine.
At the base, the wolf picked itself up and tried to climb the slope to rejoin the fight. However, the steepness of the sides made it fall back down, again and again.
In time, the red glow of Bloodlust in the wolf's vision faded and, regaining its senses, it realised that the party of humans had gone.
With its calmer mental state, it followed its nose in search of a path back to the clan den. Along the way, it stumbled across a boar digging at a root.
The wolf snuck up beside the fat beast and tore out its throat, initiating a fight that didn’t last long.
Afterwards, the wolf, sensing the den to be nearby, tried dragging the boar in that direction, but it found the beast too heavy.
Covering the boar with leaves, the wolf ran off to recruit help.
The Northern Continent. Hembami, Heimland. A field of snow glowing in the moonlight with players ankle-deep fighting boars with thick white hair.
Watching the scene of the newbies farming the wolves was an Artist player and his canvas. He had come to capture the untainted exuberance of youthful beginnings.
Around him, several floating paintbrushes were poised for action.
Beep.
SYSTEM ALERT: It is highly recommended that the player log out and visit their bathroom.
Cringing, the Artist vanished.
He logged back in a moment later to a drastically-changed scene.
The air sang with anguished screams, and everywhere the pure whiteness of the snow was being stained by the lifeblood of players and boars alike, as they were mauled by a thousand-strong pack of wolves that seemed to be rushing ever closer, like a tsunami making landfall - steady, unstoppable, its march devouring all who could not hope to outrun it.
Soon, the Artist realised, the wave would be upon him, too.
But, an artist, he did not flee. Staring down the oncoming, howling tide, he made his brushes dance and flicker with sensuous joy.
The Official Forums. The first of many new threads.
-Freya2042: Umm...hello...my name's Freya...I just made my first character. I apologise if this is a silly question. Is it...like...normal..at level two...to be torn apart...by a massive pack of wolves?
Suchi. The Horny Boar Fields, the howls of wolves clashing with the grunts of men.
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Flying around the once peaceful fields of grazing boar herds were claws, jaws, swords and spells. A tide of ravenous Grey Wolves was clashing with a coalition of Village recruiters and tutorial trainers, fighting valiantly to hold back the snarling advance with muscle and metal. Despite continuous losses on both sides, the numbers never ceased to grow, Human reinforcements racing from The Slums, fresh packs emerging from the shadows of the forest to the west. Everywhere man and monster fell together in violent union, crushing whimpering organs, tearing crying throats, smashing growling muzzles, gnawing swearing faces, and the soil quenched its thirst with their crimson libations.
Had a war begun between man and beast? Perhaps. Perhaps not. To glance at those sprinting on two-legs headlong into the fray, those conditioned to the animosity of Suchi's lawless streets, one would recognise in their euphoric grins something of the beast as well.
While battle howled its hateful song, two-thousand new players, hit by this random event in the middle of their game tutorial, were observing from an earthen-wall emergency fortress created by a team of Shaman. At first, they'd longed to join in, only being stopped by their trainers. Now, though, watching the fierce struggle of sword and fur, they knew they couldn't have helped.
One noob, the VR experience tricking him into thinking he was in actual danger, thrust a trembling finger in the air. "It's returned! The Wolf Emperor!"
From the forest's edge sprinted a wolf as large as a house, its fur coloured royal blue, its head decorated by a crown of canines. Its target was another wolf on the verge of defeat.
Leaping over a group of players, this giant monster, 'The Wolf Emperor', landed beside its struggling underling, grabbed it by the scruff, and ripped it away in time to avoid a death blow.
Before anyone could respond, the massive beast was already sprinting with its cargo back to the forest.
A team tried to intercept the beast's escape path, but the monster seemed to have calculated the distance. The team reached it right as The Wolf Emperor darted into the safety of the dense tree cover.
The players, confident, continued to give chase.
Moments later, a member of that same arrogant group ran back out, her movements impeded by the fact of having the jaws of four wolves locked on each limb. While she was struggling to throw them off her, The Wolf Emperor exploded out from behind and closed its teeth around her upper body. As it tried to drag her away, she evaporated into lights.
The giant beast, retreating, growled in annoyance.
It had not killed the player - she'd smartly suicided her character to avoid capture.
Amongst the noobs safe in the fort, an extremely handsome guy watched the scene with jealousy.
Dan wished he could be down there, too. The thrill of fighting to escape a giant wolf's jaws, when would he get to experience this joy?
Something bumped him from behind.
He turned to the donkey, which'd nudged him with a panicked insistence.
Dan gave the donkey's scruffy mane a helpless pat. "Donkey Bro," he implored, "I told you, bro! I don't have any food left. You ate it all!"
No matter how much rabbit and boar meat Dan had fed this Donkey Bro, he'd never seemed satisfied. Donkey Bro was greedier than a prop after a slogger in the heat.
The donkey, as if to indicate this handsome human had been mistaken, shook its head. Flicking its nose, it tried to point towards a group of horsemen arriving at their improvised fortress. Amongst the riders was one person in a monkey mask, sitting on the back of one horse.
Dan, misreading the gesture, raised his chin back. "Sup to you, too, Donkey Bro!"
The donkey, seeing the monkey-headed figure dismount, quickly hid for safety behind the meathead.
Henry, arriving at The Empire's temporary camp, thanked the riders using a fake southern American accent. "Much appreciated, partners. Best of luck out there."
"You, too, friend!" replied one.
"Don't wait too long," warned another. "We're not going to leave any for you!"
Waving, Henry watched as the group of comrades galloped off into the battle against the wolf army and the colossal emperor leading it. The friends, using their mounts to race to the frontline, and then beyond, were swarmed and torn apart in seconds, their bodies bursting into souls to make the slow flight back to a respawn point. Their horses, not so lucky, were devoured alive.
Henry, behind his mask, wore a blank, dumbfounded smile.
So, yeah, this whole wolf business...
He’d been surprised when emerging from his hole to discover the roadway packed with Villagers in battle attire, claiming they were going to defend the country from an invasion of the furry hounds.
While hitching a ride, he'd learned a few more details.
In the brief time of his absence, an over-sized wolf had spawned into The Grey Wolf Forest, the adjacent Killing Grounds, and, by picking up one of the over-levelled recruiters and exposing them to other wolves, it had amassed an army of sentient wolf minions.
With this intelligent horde, it had conquered The Grey Wolf Forest in minutes, eradicating all the unfortunate souls inside, and now it sought to claim The Horny Boar Fields.
Could the arrival of this boss monster be related to the bizarre questline derailing Henry's tutorial?
Possibly.