[Flint Spear] = Wood (Any, 1.3-2m) + Flint (0.75-1.25kg) + Twine (Any, 0.3-0.4m) + [Knife] (Flint)
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“I need a team over here, stat!” a doctor called out.
“Has anyone found those trauma kits!?” another screamed. “We’re running low!”
A woman gasped. “Oh God, I can’t feel a heartbeat. Somebody, help me!”
“Where the hell did those FEMA reps go!?”
“Clear the way! Clear the way! This guy’s going cardio.”
“For fuck’s sake, somebody find those trauma kits already!”
On and on, the onslaught continued.
Jay couldn’t move. He couldn’t feel anything other than pain. Even breathing hurt.
But Jay could still hear. All the shouting. All the crying. This earthquake hadn’t hurt him alone. Everyone else was suffering too.
A finger pressed against his neck, warm and soft.
“This kid’s still got a pulse!” a nurse called out. “Doctor, this way!”
Her finger disappeared, replaced by one that was colder and calloused.
“He doesn’t have much time,” he said. “He’s lost too much blood.”
Silence sat for a moment. The doctor’s hand shifted away.
The nurse called out. “You aren’t seriously going to walk away from this, are you? He’s still alive!”
“There’s nothing we can do for this one. His lungs are punctured in a dozen places, there’s internal bleeding, and with all that debris in him, I wouldn’t be surprised if his heart’s been ruptured. It’s a miracle he’s still breathing as is.”
“But he is still breathing. That has to count for something, right?”
The doctor scoffed. “I’ve got fifty patients in this wing alone, and most have better odds. I’m sorry, but we can’t save everybody. Until those FEMA teams get here, I have to pick and choose the people who stand a chance of surviving this mess.” He sighed. “Not this kid though. If he had a fighting chance, maybe. But he’s a goner, so I won’t waste precious time on him.”
No, that wasn’t fair… He was Jay Reis. His life had a purpose. They couldn’t just leave him here to die. Could they?
The voices dwindled, and Jay was again forced to sit and wait and hope that someone else would save him.
It was the only chance he had…
* * *
The battle was about to begin!
Night had fallen. Though the red planet still burned bright in a starlit sky, the same could not be said for the land beneath. What had been a pleasant tropical forest an hour before had transformed into a veiled thicket of twisted brambles under blackened trees. Nothing could be seen inside there.
The beach stood as its opposite, however. Jay had gotten the brilliant idea of crafting torches with his newfound flint and thicker sticks with vines wrapped around them. Now, Fort Knox radiated with firelight. Where the rest of Annwyn turned cold and dark, his base blazed hot. A contradiction against this established order. A defiance of his own making.
Oh, if only this could be streamed right now. No doubt all sorts of people would love to see this fight.
Stats check. Jay flipped the pages of his Guide, still visible under the light of the torches.
Name: Jay Reis (Primal Age)
Vitality – 20/20
Hunger – 65/72 (Parasite)
Thirst – 18/24
Fatigue – 32/48
Sanity – 61/100
Main Crafts: Armor Crafting 1, Base Building 1, Cooking 0, Medicine 0, Tool Crafting 1, Weapon Crafting 1.
Weapon Crafts: Axes 0, Bows 1, Spears 1.
Armor Crafts: Heavy Armor 0, Shields 0.
So much progress! Only a fraction of these crafts were available at the start of the day, but he’d since built so many different things.
His Stats were all fine too. Other than sanity, of course. That kept going down for no reason.
Didn’t matter though. Jay didn’t need “Sanity” to win. Who cared about some stupid number on a sheet when he had all this cool shit?
In fact, it was time for a gear check. Jay went to his Inventory, fingers quivering in excitement.
[Palm Bark Helmet] (Reinforced+2) – A basic helmet fashioned from the bark of palm trees. This [Palm Bark Helmet] has been modified for extra durability.
[Palm Bark Chestplate] (Reinforced+2) – A basic chestplate fashioned from the bark of palm trees. This [Palm Bark Chestplate] has been modified for extra durability.
[Flint Spear] (Poisoned) – A spear with a tip made of flint. This [Flint Spear] has been coated with [Basic Poison Grease].
[Wooden Bow] – A bow fashioned from wood and twine.
That was what he had in his hands as Jay read the page, but he also tucked a couple extra tools into his cargo shorts and the plants he’d collected.
[Flint Knife] – A basic tool designed for cutting. Can be used as a weapon during emergencies.
[Stone Axe] – A basic tool used to chop down trees and break rocks. Can be used as a weapon in emergencies.
[Stone Hammer] – A basic tool for hammering objects in place. Can be used as a weapon in emergencies.
10 [Crude Arrow] (Poisoned) – Terrible arrows fashioned from sticks. These [Crude Arrows] have been coated with [Basic Poison Grease].
What an unstoppable arsenal! Just one night prior, Jay had access to no better than a crude axe and spear, but after finally spending a day in this dream without interruption, he’d crafted so many more powerful things.
All to beat a single vined coyote too. Jay could almost laugh. The poor thing wouldn’t stand a chance this time!
The howl rolled through the beach before long, spawning somewhere inside the dark forest. He recognized the familiar sound at once, ancient and foul, like roots in a swamp, ready to swallow him whole.
He gripped his weapons tight. Unlike the first night, he got to see the vined coyote get close, its snarls growing louder and abominable form taking shape inside wooded shadows.
Jay grinned. This was precisely what he thought would happen. He raised his bow and took aim, placing one of his poison-tipped arrows between his fingers.
But then something happened that wasn’t part of the plan. A second monster appeared, heralded by that same hideous crackle. Then a third showed up, louder than the others.
Three vined coyotes stepped into the open. Though they were all fashioned from wood and vines, how these mutations presented were all unique. One had thorns along its hind legs like its paws were miniature maces. Tiny mushrooms sprouted from the nose of another. The last was slightly larger than the others, with fangs that protruded an extra inch and moss in the shape of a diamond on its scalp.
And another monster towered behind them all. Out from the darkness, a fourth set of glowing green eyes thumped into the open. This monster was more humanoid, with a hunched grey body that glistened with moisture, and muscular arms that bulged as thick as tree trunks. Dried reeds ran along the length of its torso, jutting out like hair. The brow formed a slant the closer the monster limbered forth, its green eyes piercing deep.
Is that a gorilla? Jay gaped against these extra enemies, unsure what to do. Wasn’t he supposed to fight just one of these guys?
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A thought fell into focus. One that he’d taken for granted until now. He flipped through the Guide, back to the Rules page, which he’d ignored since the start.
4) Natura can only grow with time. It does not recede.
It all came together. Not only did Natura attack him every night, but how it manifested would only ever get stronger. These extra enemies proved as much.
Jay once again stared into this wall of supernatural horrors, his mind struggling to process these monsters.
…Only for something inside his brain to snap.
What was the point in having doubts about these creatures, anyway? This was all pretend, and he preferred having a fair fight. He could become a monster too. A better one. Stronger and faster and smarter and stronger and faster! Jay was the ultimate gamer. The best streamer to have ever walked this earth. They could send a thousand coyotes for all he cared!
Buzz.
He grunted. What could the Guide possibly want from him now!?
Congratulations! Your Sanity has dropped below 50%, Expatriate. Sanity will fall whenever you’re exposed to Natura’s despicable manifestations or the glorious, mighty Wyrms. Avoid both if you want to stay sane!
Be sure to also maintain a healthy diet and rest well. That will help keep your spirit strong until your mind adjusts to Annwyn’s passive madness!
New recipe available.
What a bullshit mechanic. How was he supposed to avoid Natura if it attacked him every night? Bet they’d never thought of that!
It didn’t even make sense either. Jay wasn’t going insane. Far from it! This was him at his peak. He’d never understood the world with more clarity. This was all a dream. His dream. Spawned in by his imagination after he lapsed into a coma. These plant monsters weren’t real! This was just him playing make-believe so he could fight his way back to reality.
Maybe the doctors were in on it too. Yeah, they could’ve planned the whole thing after the earthquake. Used cutting-edge technology to throw his mind into a VR simulator or some other form of experimental therapy. That would’ve definitely taken black ops government money and needed to be conducted on a secret island base. But once Jay broke out, he’d crack the whole thing open! Just like in a movie…
He’d watch that movie in a heartbeat.
Jay rubbed his eyes, cutting this abrupt train of thought short. There was still important work to get done here. These monsters would have to be beaten into submission.
The spawns of Natura continued to limber about, eyeballing his defenses. So hesitant. So weak. No surprise, really. He hadn’t named this base “Fort Knox” for nothing. They should’ve brought a nuke if they planned to break through here!
Jay cackled, admiring his brilliance. “Come at me, assholes!”
He fired an arrow. The shot struck the nearest vined coyote, cracking against its flesh. It flinched with a yelp, and ichor leaked free from bark.
The next arrow came in quick, but the coyotes sprinted before he could aim. His shot missed.
He fired another. Same thing. Not fair! These bastards were moving too fast.
Jay exhaled. This was still fine. His wall was laced with spikes, and nothing could break through the impenetrable Fort Knox. He launched volley after volley from safety, tracking the coyotes as they raced around.
Only the gorilla went on the retreat, inching back into the shadow of the jungle while the rest ran around. The little bitch!
Jay shook his head. He’d deal with the gorilla later.
It wasn’t long before he burned through his poisoned arrows, though he managed to get a few extra hits in. The coyotes winced where their bodies had been struck. One even slowed as the poison took effect.
But once he ran out of arrows, they sprung into an offense. Teeth and claws snapped against the wooden spikes. Gore sprouted out where they failed to breach its barbed boundary.
Jay laughed. First a small snicker, but this was so fucking funny, and he couldn’t help himself. Did these noobs think they were getting anywhere? He didn’t even bother with the spear, instead thrusting more materials onto his workbench to fashion new arrows together. Within moments of starting, he had another built. Within the minute, he had a dozen extras, with more on the way…
Snap.
Whoops. Jay hadn’t been paying attention to his flint knife’s durability. Oh well. He could make another later.
The wall began to shake where the coyotes broke through the spikes. They clawed against the log frame, mouths salivating a mix of slobber and blood for the adversary they would soon claim. More ichor leaked free from the wounds they’d sustained.
The pitiful cretins! Did they not see how exposed they were to him? This was all part of the plan…
Jay barely needed to aim with them so close. Blackened spores exploded from a mushroom as his arrow pierced the nearest coyote’s nose. It whimpered. He did not relent, firing another pair with a speed he did not know he possessed. The coyote’s eyes dimmed, and it went limp.
The others retreated a beat, and Jay’s heart thumped in tandem with their cries. This was the best stream he’d ever performed! A LARP taken to another dimension. His APM alone would land him straight into Platinum League once they set ranked up! The Annwyn Tournament… Who could beat a god like him here!? Certainly, not this Natura guy. He was Bronze, at best.
The ground quaked as something landed behind. Jay gulped and turned. The gorilla rose where it had jumped over the wall.
He gaped. “Imposs–”
The smack took Jay in the chest. His body rocketed into the wall with a crash. He coughed a second later, a dull throb growing in his chest where his armor had taken the hit. The gorilla towered where it stood.
And Jay laughed like a maniac.
That blow might’ve stopped some casual, but he was the best of the best. He could easily defeat some monkey made out of clay!
He scooped up his spear and prepared for defense. The gorilla hopped in the other direction, right for the door to Fort Knox. Before Jay could wonder what it planned, the gorilla knocked the wooden beams away and threw open the door.
“Oh, fuck!” Jay shouted.
The surviving vined coyotes rushed through the opening, ready to kill.
Jay only managed to strike one in time, piercing right through the moss-diamond on the larger coyote’s skull. The second broke through, teeth sinking into his exposed legs. He screamed.
The gorilla joined in. Its claws tore into the palm bark armor, cutting deep like obsidian blades.
On and on, the butchery continued. Only one vined coyote remained, but it had the extra thorns on its hind legs and slashed through Jay’s exposed legs. The gorilla sucker punched harder. Jay tried to counter, but his spear was built for a longer range. He’d never expected them to get inside!
The rain of blows continued against his weakened body, and the world started to blur…
* * *
“Are you going outside today?” Dad asked.
Jay mashed the controller with all his might, eyes glued to the screen. “Just give me a minute. I’m almost done.”
He wasn’t, but his father didn’t need to know that. There were only a couple hours left in this double XP event, and he wasn’t missing a second of it. At this rate, he’d get a full prestige rank from today’s grinding session.
But Dad kept hovering behind. Jay could feel his eyes on his back. Why wouldn’t he leave him alone already?
“I’m worried about you, son,” he said at last. “You’re wasting your life…”
Jay said nothing, his sight still locked forth. His father didn’t understand. None of them did. This was his life. Not working at his family’s restaurant or trapped in an office. He just needed to wait a little longer, and he would break through and become that professional gamer.
Then he would finally be free…
* * *
Snap.
Jay coughed up blood as his helmet shattered. His eyes struggled to stay open against the monsters in front.
The gorilla struck his face. Light flashed upon hit. His ears rang, now without protection. He could barely feel his legs where the coyote continued to rip into his flesh.
This was it. His final moments. Jay could see the walls closing in… Could sense the lightweight numbness in his limbs…
Just like the hospital.
It was all coming back together. There was more after the doctor walked away… Strange voices… An offer… No, a bargain. One that he hadn’t thought possible in that dying state, but his only chance to see another day…
And with his death fast approaching a second time, his mind tasted fresh lucidity again.
This wasn’t a game, or a hallucination, or some dream Jay conjured up. His soul was somewhere else in time and space, struggling to stand its ground against an impossibly strong enemy.
How could he have forgotten?
Snap.
His chestplate shattered, leaving him completely unprotected.
The gorilla raised him up, readying a killing blow. Its eyes locked with his in this final moment. They weren’t filled with hatred, or envy, or malice. There was a certain blasé stoicism. As if Jay did not matter to the puppeteer beneath. As if he was a mere gnat compared to Natura.
As though his life held no meaning whatsoever…
And Jay suddenly roared, the weakness draining from his body in a flash. He cried out against the unfairness. Against the oppression. Against the cruelty of it all. He didn’t deserve to die. He wouldn’t!
With a jerk against his cargo shorts, he drew his last tool. The gorilla recoiled as the head of his stone hammer bashed against its skull. Black fluid rolled down its cheek as it stumbled back.
The vined coyote recoiled from the sudden counter, and Jay pressed his advantage. The hammer fell with a slam, sending the coyote down. It whimpered, legs struggling to find stability against pale sand. He swung a second time, now with full force. The coyote stopped struggling.
The gorilla punched, knocking Jay against the wall. It followed with another hit, but he dodged in time.
Jay blinked through the burning pain and gasped for air, a spear and hammer in hand. His body was at its limit, and he could barely stay standing. But he still had this last ounce of stamina, and his adrenaline pulsed fire through his veins.
His enemy towered above, fists clenched to finish what he’d started. It looked down on him, unfazed against the pest in front.
Jay hurled his hammer with all his might. The gorilla batted it aside with ease.
Jay charged with a grin. This was it. His last chance. A split second where his enemy dropped its guard. Where Jay could finish it in a single blow. The gorilla’s green, apathetic stare twisted into panic as it realized the trap it had wandered into.
He lunged forth, his flint spear piercing through a widened eyelid with every last vestige of strength. The gorilla gasped as Jay flew into him. The two fell as one.
Then his body gave out completely, and the world dimmed.