[Lifeberry Tea] = Lifeberry (0.35-0.5kg) + Water (Fresh, 0.5-0.75L) + [Bowl] (Any, 1L) + [Campfire] (Any, 370-380°K)
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Little by little, Jay’s life trickled away.
The hospital was still there. Still in the background, with all the shouting and curses as doctors and nurses rushed about. But it had gotten so quiet. So distant.
Jay was dying. He could feel it. Right here, at this moment, his body slowly drifting away…
He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t die. If Jay had any wish in this world, it was to get a second chance. Someone had to save him. Anyone!
Out from the endless abyss, a chorus of voices beckoned. Each was soft and viscous alone, but once combined, they wriggled together like a bucket filled with worms, squirming into the back of his mind. What started as a low murmur coalesced, forming the strength and tenor of Gods.
These alien creatures reached out to him, calling from the infinite void as one.
Do you want to live, boy? they asked.
Huh? Jay thought.
Your life in this dream is forfeit, the creatures continued. But another awaits… If you’re willing to accept the Grand Bargain and fight for it.
You’re saying I won’t die? Jay asked.
Only if you fulfill your quest. A low crackle pervaded their voices. You’d better choose quickly, Jay Reis. Your current death is imminent.
Another chance at life… He didn’t know where these voices came from or what they wanted him to do, but every fiber of his being screamed to seize this opportunity before it was lost forever. He could not die without ever having the chance to live his true self.
Done, he decided.
Wish granted, the creatures said.
And then Jay’s mind plunged into chaos.
* * *
Seagulls cawed in the distance, heralding a fresh day.
Jay groaned but did not move. Everything was terrible, and he wanted to sleep forever.
Buzz.
The tell-tale sign of the Guide vibrated nearby, and Jay jerked his head straight up. The memory of the evening before washed through his mind as he recounted that surreal battle. Bodies lay strewn about, reminding him that he’d defeated his monstrous enemies in the end.
But his head felt clearer, like he’d awoken from a dream.
Or a nightmare.
He checked the Guide.
Congratulations! Upon reaching 1 Vitality, your Earth-based Will To Live has summoned a one-time temporary Stats boost. Use this buff before it is lost forever, Expatriate!
Oh, no! Your poor diet has caught up to you, Expatriate. Low-quality food will lower your max Vitality, while higher-tiered meals will raise it back up!
Oh, no! Your Hunger has dropped below 20%. Eat more food and spend less energy to keep your stomach full!
Oh, no! Your Thirst has dropped below 20%. Wear better clothing to avoid dehydration and cure any Wounds you have sustained to prevent further blood loss!
Congratulations! You have spent two nights in a row resting without a bed. You have gained the Poorly Rested Affliction, and your maximum fatigue will be stunted. Craft a bed and sleep well in it, Expatriate!
New recipe available.
Again, Jay wanted nothing more than to swap bodies with someone who wasn’t half as miserable as him. It took everything out of him to look at his Stats again.
Name: Jay Reis (Primal Age)
Vitality – 4/18 (Wounded+3, Will To Live+5)
Hunger – 5/72
Thirst – 3/24
Fatigue – 50/40 (Poorly Rested, Will To Live+5)
Sanity – 74/100 (Will To Live+5)
He rubbed his eyes, struggling to process all this new information. First the attack itself and then his weird behavior during it. To think that he’d been so convinced about half the shit floating through his brain. Like being stuck in a dream, every decision made perfect sense at the moment as he jumped from thought to thought, but now the ridiculousness became crystal clear in the cold light of day. Why did I just assume there’d be a ranked tournament here?
The numbers changed a beat.
Vitality – 3/18 (Wounded+3, Will To Live+4)
Hunger – 5/72
Thirst – 3/24
Fatigue – 48/40 (Poorly Rested, Will To Live+4)
Sanity – 69/100 (Will To Live+4)
He blinked through the sudden shift, and a thin smirk crossed his lips as an epiphany appeared. That was right. Most competitive games had ranked tournaments, and the combat here was straightforward. He just needed to find some more people and practice PVP and…
No, that’s still stupid. Why would Jay even be thinking about that?
Horror gripped Jay as the answer came together. His “Will To Live” was temporary and boosted his Stats, and once he lost a unit, that boost dropped with it. This bonus affected his vitality, fatigue, and most important of all…
His sanity.
It wasn’t just some meaningless metric, as he assumed. Like the rest of his character sheet, the value of his “Sanity” determined his mental health, and he hadn’t realized how much it affected his thought process until now. The change was so subtle and his presence here so surreal that he’d never expected it to mean anything. But now, he couldn’t look back. He’d been slowly going insane while also trying to stay alive, clinging to the one notion that he thought would push him through.
This wasn’t a hallucination.
The memories came flooding back… Of the hospital… And those creepy voices… And the Bargain he’d made to stay alive… The truth could no longer be denied.
Jay was right here, right now, staring at a magic book that told him how close he was to death. There was no longer any avoiding this reality.
If he died now, his life would be gone forever.
And with that recognition, the severity of his circumstance fell into focus. His eyes lay fixed on the Guide, watching each of these numbers that would determine whether he lived or died. Three of the five were inches away from zero, and all of them were on a timer. What the fuck was he supposed to do!?
Think, Jay. Think! His mind slipped back into gamer mode. No, he wasn’t trapped in a video game, but Annwyn followed the same rules. So long as he used everything he’d learned until now, he could live to see another day.
Vitality first. Jay’s health was closest to zero, and he needed to patch these Wounds to proc his regeneration. He fell into the routine, tearing more of his shirt and grabbing a stick for a crude tourniquet. Within moments of crafting, a tourniquet was ready.
But his hand paused over the gash in his leg. He sobbed. This wouldn’t be good enough. The tourniquets took time to work, but his vitality was temporarily boosted. What would happen if his Will To Live ran out before he could regenerate? He paled, knowing the answer.
What else do I have? He frantically flipped through the Lexicon, searching for an alternative. One jumped out, also under medicine.
[Basic Aloe Cream] = Aloe Vera (0.05-0.5kg) + Water (Fresh, 50-500mL) + [Bowl] (Any, 1L)
That’s right. He’d uncovered that recipe as an afterthought yesterday, and still had some aloe in his cargo shorts. It was supposed to recover lost vitality rather than treat his wounds. Perfect for this crisis. The bowl wouldn’t be too tricky either… He could fashion one together with spare wooden planks from the walls.
But then there was the water. His base had been built on the sea. The closest freshwater was much further inland. Would he be able to make it?
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You have to try. Jay surged to his feet, ignoring the crippling. He didn’t even have the luxury to question whether this would work out. There wasn’t enough time!
One foot after the other, Jay stumbled. Out of the beach, into the jungle, and up the hill, aiming for the pond he’d uncovered the day before. Before he was even halfway there, his Will To Live dropped to +3, and a sudden surge of heat overtook his body. He didn’t need to see the Condition to recognize what happened.
His shirt had been damaged too much from the fight and could no longer protect him from the “Sweltering” nature of the sun.
Don’t stop! Not for a second!
But as one leg bumbled in front of the next and his throat struggled to bring in air, he could not avoid the cruelty of it all. Why did this have to be so unfair? Why couldn’t he have been given a real chance to survive?
The sun beat down harder, driving another point a thirst away.
He shook his head, beads of sweat forming. It didn’t matter how this had happened, only that he made it through. This was his second chance, and he refused to lose it for good.
Jay reached the pool, and not a moment too soon. The heat had driven him further down, and his throat felt like it was coated in sand. His skin had dried out, and he wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep…
But he couldn’t. His sight narrowed onto the pool, along with the nourishment that it would soon bring.
Jay fell into the pool and opened his mouth. Euphoria rushed through him as the cool elixir roared down his throat. He could have been there for an eternity before finally rolling over.
That would solve it. He’d staved off death.
But then he opened the Guide again.
Vitality – 1/18 (Wounded+3, Will To Live+2)
Hunger – 4/72 (Parasite)
Thirst – 24/24 (Sweltering)
Fatigue – 44/40 (Poorly Rested, Will To Live+2)
Sanity – 59/100 (Will To Live+2)
Another point had been lost in vitality, and he’d regained that parasite again. What a stupid bullshit game. Out of the fucking kettle and into…
He slapped his cheek and shouted aloud. “Snap out of it, Jay. You’re still dying!”
Right. He’d come here for a reason. With all the speed he could muster, he fashioned together a wooden bowl and scooped up water. The aloe fell inside, and he mashed his injured fingers against it, forcing the mixture of water and leaves into a fine paste.
His eyes never left the Guide, however. The walls were once again closing in as he raced to finish this recipe, and he knew that the last vitality point would drop any second. He could feel it. Just as he’d become accustomed to until now. That moment of death was fast approaching.
The cream took shape.
But it was too late. Jay had become too weak. He couldn’t move. He could hardly see straight. The finished aloe cream was so close, and yet so far.
That ephemeral desire to live wasn’t enough to see this through. The one-time boost it gave had already dropped too much.
The world narrowed into a tiny tunnel, with only a bowl sitting above his wounded legs and his dirty hand struggling to grip the rim. It was over…
No, not yet. Jay’s will to live wasn’t defined by numbers but by his own strength! With a clench of his teeth, he summoned the last of his power and slammed his fist down. The aloe cream splattered against his wounded legs, coating his injuries in its healing property.
The tunnel disappeared, and the jungle grew into focus again. He exhaled, feeling death averted yet again.
Now, he could apply the tourniquets. Jay quickly cobbled the remainder from the last of his torn shirt and some nearby sticks, leaving him bare-chested.
Again, he looked to his Stats…
Vitality – 3/18 (Wounded+3 (Treated+3), Will To Live+1)
Hunger – 2/72 (Parasite)
Thirst – 23/24 (Sweltering)
Fatigue – 42/40 (Poorly Rested, Will To Live+1)
Sanity – 54/100 (Will To Live+1)
He guffawed at the sight. Did he seriously lose two whole points in hunger just for sitting around a minute? What a hilarious joke! Like a comedy built just for him. Of course he couldn’t get a single break.
With another groan, Jay bumbled away in search of some more lifeberry bushes. Another patch was nearby, and he knew the way.
But when he reached his destination, he started to have second thoughts. Maybe this was what they wanted him to do. Get him running around the maze like a rat. But he could still break free, so long as he didn’t follow their orders.
Yeah, Jay could give that a try. Let the hunger tick to zero and see what happened. That’d call their bluff, and they wouldn’t be able to do a thing ab–
He smacked himself again. That’s the insanity talking, Jay. Don’t listen!
Or maybe that sudden thought was the insanity. Who even smacked themselves? Only insane people, that’s who! He shouldn’t trust a single voice in his head. Not when multiple ones could get him better answers.
Competition bred results, after all.
His stomach roiled in sudden agony. He fell to his knees, and the Guide tumbled out of its pouch, landing on his Stats.
Vitality – 3/18 (Wounded+3 (Treated+3), Will To Live)
Hunger – 1/72 (Parasite)
Thirst – 24/24 (Sweltering)
Fatigue – 39/40 (Poorly Rested, Will To Live)
Sanity – 49/100 (Will To Live)
So this low sanity again? he started, but then another thought came as well. Shut up! I got here first.
Jay ignored both, feeling that endless void closing in again. His limbs were so weak, and his stomach had gone numb. With the speed of the parasite, another death was rushing straight for him.
He yanked a lifeberry from the bush and threw it into his mouth. His teeth mashed down, and his tongue exploded with rich flavor. The sensation poured down his throat before landing in his stomach. The strength returned to his limbs.
So good! He grabbed another lifeberry, and then another, and then another, ripping everything free from the bush for this epic meal. He’d become a chef class after this. The best one ever! Jay Reis, Master Chef and Chief Martial Artist of Annwyn. He giggled over that brilliant title. Chef and Chief. Chief and Chef. Maybe he’d become the Chief Chef-Chief.
He could even try drawing it in the Guide! He looked down, wondering if it held a secret pencil compartment where all that ghostwriting came from whenever it updated. His sight fell to the Stats again.
Vitality – 2/17 (Wounded+2 (Treated+2))
Hunger – 40/72 (Parasite)
Thirst – 22/24 (Sweltering)
Fatigue – 37/40 (Poorly Rested)
Sanity – 43/100
Oh, so he no longer had a will to live, huh? Fine! Jay had a new goal in life anyway. He was going to become the Chief Chef-Chief class of Annwyn! That was the true, righteous path. He gleefully flipped through the Lexicon for options before grimacing under the Cooking tab.
His culinary career only had one option to start, and it didn’t look like a fun one.
[Lifeberry Tea] = Lifeberry (0.35-0.5kg) + Water (Fresh, 0.5-0.75L) + [Bowl] (Any, 1L) + [Campfire] (Any, 370-380°K)
Better than nothing. Though this recipe appeared to be based on some Eldritch unit for temperature that he’d never seen before. What the fuck did the ‘K’ stand for?
Didn’t matter. This would again boost that “sanity” thing, and Rational-Jay wanted that anyway. Maybe he could please Chef-Jay and Rational-Jay simultaneously and level up into a better cooking tier?
He’d have to be careful though. As the Guide explained, lifeberry tea’s effects were capped at 40 vitality. Can’t make the tea too awesome.
He dedicated the next half-hour to this goal, ignoring all else. Collecting more lifeberries, finding some flint, building a proper campfire. The heat added another level to his Sweltering once the fire was made, but Jay wouldn’t let that stop him now that his other Stats were fine. He was in the zone!
The water boiled with the lifeberries, and a sweat aroma filled his nostrils. Jay knew that he was supposed to wait for it to cool down. That’s what the recipe called for, anyway. But who wanted to wait? Boiling water didn’t hurt that much, and pain was part of the pleasure!
“Ohhh!” he called out as the lava-hot tea guzzled down his throat, with some spilling onto his chest.
But no sooner did the inferno hit his stomach that his thoughts cleared up. Jay looked at his sizzled hands, a wooden bowl on fire, and the first-degree burns on his chest. His throat tasted nothing but ash.
He watched the Guide, still by his side.
Vitality – 1/14 (Wounded (Treated), Burned)
Hunger – 38/72 (Parasite)
Thirst – 19/24 (Sweltering+1)
Fatigue – 37/40 (Poorly Rested)
Sanity – 93/100
True to form, his latest ailment could be found under Updates.
Congratulations, Expatriate! You have gained your first Burn. This Affliction will reduce your total vitality until it is treated. More Burns can also affect your regeneration!
Jay sighed, not feeling much better. As was the case before, every decision he made while losing his sanity had been his own, but like a train slowly nudging off its track, he hadn’t noticed his thought process had been derailed until it was too late. Even though he followed his instincts the whole way through, they stopped being tethered to logic the second he got too low.
He studied his burnt hands again, unsure what he’d expected when he drove his sanity to this height. Maybe an epiphany that would get him out of this place. Maybe a moment of inner peace.
But what came to mind instead was a colder, darker clarity. This was his new life. Every single day. Again and again. Fighting hunger and thirst and monsters and sanity itself, all the way until whatever end of the Bargain that had been planned. His Will To Live buff wouldn’t come again, so he’d already wasted the leverage of it to the max.
No, that was bullshit.
His will to live wasn’t defined by numbers, but by the power of his own desires. Just as he’d survived this day’s trials and the last, so too could he beat anything that crossed his path. So long as he believed in himself, nothing would stop him.
Even beaten, burnt, and broken, Jay could still eke out a smile, not one borne from Stats-induced delirium. As he munched on the leftover lifeberries and watched his vitality tick back up, he tasted a hint of something that he’d never known before. The very flavor denied to him for his whole life on Earth, and only achievable through here.
It tasted of victory.