As soon as Noah logged in, the bright primordial light blinded him for a moment. Squinting, he took in his surroundings.
The area outside the cave was rocky and barren, with only a few patches of hardy grass and scrub brush dotting the landscape. The ground, uneven and peppered with jagged stones, was flanked by sharp cliffs
Off in the distance, mountains stood tall. Their peaks were veiled by misty clouds. The air here was remarkably pure, crisp like a freshly bitten apple. A quiet rustling sound filled the air as the wind danced playfully with the grass. The serenity was powerful, broken only by these whispers of nature. Here, at this elevation, the wind proved relentless. It was constant, unyielding and forceful, offering a clear reminder of the wildness of this highland terrain.
Roh took a deep breath and gazed around, taking in the wild and rugged beauty of the landscape. It was a far cry from the cramped and claustrophobic cave he had been in in his last playthrough and he couldn't wait to explore the wilderness and see what other wonders it held.
He packed up his bedroll and continued to traverse further into the wilderness, the wind rustling through the leaves and the occasional call of a distant bird echoing through the air. The terrain became more rugged, with jagged rocks and steep inclines, but Roh's excitement only grew. He felt a sense of freedom he hadn't experienced in the game before.
As he climbed a particularly steep hill, system notifications suddenly appeared before him:
DISCOVERED NEW LOCATION: DRAKESTONE RIDGE
Attention: You are now outside the instanced area. You may now engage with other players in the game.
Roh's eyes widened with surprise. He hadn't realized he'd ventured so far, but the prospect of being able to interact with other players was an exhilarating one. He paused for a moment, excited to send his friends an invite to join him in this newfound area.
Just as Roh was about to act, a sudden, sharp pain coursed through him, serving as a harsh reminder of his lingering hunger. Realizing that he was still being penalized for his lack of nourishment, Roh knew he couldn't afford to ignore it any longer. Gritting his teeth, he watched his HP and Stamina drop to 60. The pain made it clear that exploring with friends would have to wait; his immediate priority was finding something to eat.
"Ouch, what the fuck?!" Roh exclaimed as a sudden, sharp pain in his abdomen caught him off guard. He was momentarily confused, unable to determine if the pain was virtually induced by the game's hardware or a genuine physical sensation. The virtually induced pain had never felt quite this intense before. Surely, the game can’t be responsible since it has a threshold for obvious safety and legal reasons. The pain must be coming from the real world.
Roh wondered if Casper, who had a habit of clawing at his midriff, was the culprit. He is notorious for that.
But as fear crept in, Roh realized he was isolated in a virtual environment, disconnected from his actual surroundings and potentially vulnerable. He quickly logged out and removed his headset to investigate the source of the pain.
Upon taking off his headset, Roh saw Casper still curled up on the couch, fast asleep. The apartment was empty and quiet, with no signs of intruders or other threats. He also noticed that the pain had vanished as if it had never been there at all.
With some hesitation, Roh put the headset back on and logged back into the game, relieved that nothing sinister was causing him pain in the real world. However, the moment he returned to the game, the pain resurfaced, and Roh began to suspect that the game's developers might have accidentally tampered with the settings, causing him to experience intense pain whenever his HP dropped below 70. Roh knew this issue would necessitate an urgent hotfix patch or perhaps there was a hardware issue requiring a VR kit repair or replacement.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Regardless of the cause, Roh wasn't about to let a little pain ruin his gaming experience. I won’t be able to contact them now anyway since it’s the weekend. Gritting his teeth, Roh continued playing, finding some comfort in the fact that the pains were somewhat bearable and occurred infrequently.
Roh took a further 10 damage to his health and his stamina was reduced by an additional 15 points.
Damn it, I need to eat! I know… the EGG! I never got a chance to eat it in my previous playthrough thanks to that Yawper. I better eat it right away.
As he pulled out the egg from the satchel, a diegetic UI prompt appeared on the surface of the large egg.
Egg Hatching
Due to: Eight hours combined with [Hot blooded] trait and the satchel’s unique attribute to hatch eggs.
Roh's jaw dropped in disbelief, his mind struggling to comprehend what he was seeing. "I can't believe it..." he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. The egg lay there, a tantalizing mystery waiting to be unraveled.
The user interface vanished with a soft whirring sound.
Roh felt the weight of the egg in his palms, the surface rough and warm to the touch. The egg's movements became more pronounced. Roh's excitement mounted with each passing moment, his hunger forgotten in the face of this extraordinary event.
He watched the egg with rapt attention, wondering what kind of creature would hatch from it. The egg was a blank canvas, waiting to be painted with the colors of life. Roh felt a sense of awe at the responsibility he had been entrusted with, the opportunity to witness the birth of a new being.
The egg began to crack and shift, the sound of its movement amplified by the stillness of the ridge. Roh watched with a mixture of excitement and nervousness as the shell began to fracture, tiny pieces falling away like snowflakes. It was then that he heard it - a faint sound that was almost lost in the murmur of the wind, but yet distinctive. It was the sound of a beak tapping against the inside of the eggshell.
The tapping grew more insistent, like the sound of raindrops pounding on a tin roof during a storm. Roh could feel the tension building in his chest as he waited in anticipation. Suddenly, there was a cracking sound, sharp and explosive, like a thunderbolt splitting the sky. The small fractures in the shell grew wider, spreading like cracks in a pane of glass.
Roh held his breath as he watched a very small beak-like snout that resembled a seed appear, extending the perforation with a determined strength. It was as if the hatchling knew that its survival depended on breaking free from its confines. The little beak worked with fierce determination.
As more of the shell fell away, he caught a glimpse of the hatchling inside - small paws with tiny claws emerging like large tendrils growing from a sprout. The claws were sharp and delicate, like tiny needles piercing through the shell. The hatchling's body was coated in a slick layer of translucent fluid, glistening like dewdrops on a blade of grass in the early morning sun.
Finally, the hatchling's domed head protruded out of the shell, slick with translucent fluid. Roh couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sight before him. The hatchling was so small and yet so powerful, its tiny body quivering with energy and life.
The scent of damp earth and the acrid tang of the fluid filled Roh's nostrils, adding to the sensory experience of the moment. As he watched the hatchling take its first breaths, Roh knew that he had witnessed something truly magical.
Roh felt a surge of emotion welling up inside him as he realized that he was witnessing the beginning of a new life. A wyvern?! In such a small egg?! I guess this little guy is a runt.
The little wyvern hatchling’s big, watery, saffron coloured eyes looked up at Roh as it imprinted on him.
Bond Increase +100
You gained: Level 1 Companion Bond - Imprinted
Congratulations! You have now imprinted on a wyvern hatchling. It looks up to you as its keeper.
At last, following what seemed an endless wait, the egg started to crack open. With each tiny fracture, anticipation mounted until finally, the shell gave way and a small, writhing wyvern emerged, covered in translucent fluid and downy feathers. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the acrid tang of the fluid that coated the newborn creature. It released a high-pitched wail, the sound carrying over the vast expanse of the ridge, reverberating off the craggy rocks, and slipping into the boundless forest beyond.