Brittany Parker strode through the dark forest, trees thickening around her. She had strayed from the path and had entered a strange forest with dark boughs and large protruding roots that hampered her path at every possible turn. A warning alert had popped up in her HUD indicating that she had entered a ‘Lost Zone’, but she had ignored the prompt and pushed onward. On the chat boards she had read about unique player experiences and rewards found in Lost Zone areas in Conquest, but you could only retain these rewards if you were able to find your way back out with your bounty. Rumor had it however that few players had ever succeeded.
The air around was musty, and it seemed like the darkness wanted to draw every bit of strength out of her. The NeuReality environment was so real that she was having difficulty breathing. Moreover, it was dark. The thick canopy above didn't help. Her inner voice started screaming its apprehensions about continuing any further, and it might be better to just accept the penalty XP deduction and log out.
Part of her wished she could see the NR enhanced sky, experience the freshness of open air. She wanted to welcome the sun on her avatar’s face, or if it was night in the game world she wished she could gaze at the twinkling stars and appreciate the crescent moon's beauty. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. The map on her HUD had grayed out the instant she had swiped away the warning, so she was trapped here in this forsaken Lost Zone.
The forest was a trap. No living thing could possibly stay cooped up inside such a cage.
Eager to get out, she quickened her pace, often tripping over the protruding roots. She still carried her old spear, primarily using it as a hiking stick to maintain balance. She cursed every time her mouth opened to let out a word. Her bones complained of ache and demanded rest. Yet she gave no thought to her avatar body's complaints, strengthening her grit to leave the place as soon as possible.
“Such a stupid idea!” she mumbled to herself.
This is SO not worth it!
Regardless, she moved on. Deeper and deeper into the forest's depths she went. A chilly wind blew, making her shiver despite the armor she wore. Usually, it kept her warm, but this cold seemed uncanny. The trees around her changed, its boughs even darker, its canopy even thicker. She cringed and halted in her tracks.
Should I keep moving forward? Or would it be better to retrace my steps and get out of this wretched place?
The darkness ahead did her no favors. Yet, when she looked backward, she felt a sense of dread hit her. The way back no longer seemed as safe as it had been while she trudged along. Yellow glowing lights dotted in every direction. Whichever way she went, she would have trouble getting out.
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Perhaps I might not even find my way out.
What those yellow lights were, she had no idea. They had appeared out of nowhere. She was pretty sure they weren't there before. They just lingered, never coming near. And with it a funny smell lingered in the air. It was as if they were gauging the risks of approaching her.
Is someone following me?
A grunt escaped her mouth and she trudged forward, feeling very uneasy about the strange arrivals. She took narrow steps, wary of her surroundings. The trees closed in around her, trying to hem her in from all sides. It felt as though the trees talked to each other and had decided to block the way forward.
Then she heard it - a whisper. Perhaps it was just the air. The dread only increased every passing second.
Looking behind, she saw the yellow lights disappear and heaved a sigh of relief. Perhaps it was just a trick of her eyes. She was about to thank her fortunes when the yellow lights appeared again, this time closer and brighter. A frown encroached on her forehead.
What are they? And why are they following me?
Then she heard a hiss, like that of a snake.
It made the hair on the back of her head stand on end. She looked here and there, trying to decipher where the sound had come from. The yellow lights blinked suddenly. She closed her eyes and realized the error in her guess. The lights didn't belong to torches as she had presumed at first, but instead were eyes. She wanted to smack her forehead, but refrained.
I should have known!
By its sound, she was pretty sure it was some type of reptilian creature. And then it swished its tail, its dark green scales hitting a tree and leaving a dent in its thick bark. As it drew near, she saw its face. It looked somewhat like a dragon, but with a snake-like body. It had no legs.
Threat Detected: Level 20 Basilisk
HP| 2,000/2,000
Strengths: Prolonged exposure to the basilisk's eyes can cause temporary paralysis of players and on occasion instant avatar death. Once paralyzed, the basilisk will often bite its prey with its poisonous fangs, causing instant avatar death. Further, a single drop of basilisk poison is potent enough to melt skin upon contact. Classified as one of the rarest creatures in CONQUEST, but yet one of the most dangerous.
Weaknesses: Unknown.
Oh, great!
She retreated, trying to make her footfalls as quiet as possible. Not that it would make much difference, but she knew if she ran, they would follow. Snakes could outrun most animals and humans, and there were at least six of them here. Although, five of them remained at bay.
How can I get rid of one basilisk, let alone six?
When the reptile opened its mouth, it displayed its fangs, green ooze dripping off it.
Poison.
“You've got this!” she tried to rally herself.
She raised her spear and waved it in the air, issuing a challenge to the reptile. It was stupid, it was reckless, but she did it anyway. Running was no solution. Standing rooted to the spot waiting for it to strike her was no solution either. The only way out was to go swinging.
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