The Adventure Begins in Teldrassil

I played Runescape. Loved it. Loved the questing, the lore, and the thrill of every adventure. It was my first real MMO, and I poured hours into it. But then I got into a game that would change my life forever. In the best possible way.

I had played the Warcraft games before, and World of Warcraft was the next step in my journey. I loved (and still love) Sylvanas. She was everything—fierce, tragic, and powerful. And Arthas? Well, let’s just say I was obsessed with him. At least, not as a human! (And yes, Arron, as I write this, I still haven’t gotten Invincible. But that’s a whole new chapter of frustration waiting to be written.)

I sat there with the game in my hands—CD after shiny CD, all stacked up in front of me. Remember those? The little discs of wonder that held entire worlds within them. I was so ready. I had my snacks set up: a giant bag of chips, a can of soda, and my faithful dog Kaiser curled up by my feet, waiting patiently like he knew this was a big moment. He’s always by my side, my little gaming companion.

Disc 1. The installation process begins. The progress bar moves at a snail’s pace. “27%,” it tells me. Ugh. Snacks—check. Kaiser—check. Me, bouncing my leg and tapping my fingers impatiently—double-check. I glance at the clock.

Disc 2. The excitement is building. 48%. Kaiser’s starting to doze off, clearly not as excited as I am. I shift in my chair, crack open the soda, and sip nervously. “Come on,” I mutter at the screen. “Come on!”

Disc 3. Finally! 89%! My leg is bouncing so fast now, I’m pretty sure I’m gonna launch into the air. Kaiser yawns dramatically, as if to say, “Is it ever going to be done?” I pat him on the head and whisper, “Soon, buddy. Soon.”

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Disc 4. The moment I’ve been waiting for: 100%. Installation complete. The World of Warcraft login screen appears, music swelling in the background like a fanfare just for me. I type in my username, hands shaking slightly, and I’m in.

The Adventure Begins in Teldrassil

Now that I was in, I created my Night Elf Hunter, Ana. I’m starting off in Teldrassil, which is apparently a massive tree. Not a forest—no, an actual tree that’s so enormous it’s like its own little world. The branches stretch way up into the sky, and the entire zone feels like a glowing dreamscape. It’s a little overwhelming, but also kind of magical.

I spent the last few hours hunting boars. Classic MMO move, right? It’s like the universal introduction quest: “Hey, welcome to the game, now go kill some wild pigs!” To be honest, they aren’t the brightest creatures. They charge at me like I’ve personally insulted their ancestors, and their only strategy seems to be running in random directions. But it’s been oddly satisfying, especially now that I’ve figured out how to use my bow effectively. There’s something about pulling off that perfect shot from a distance that makes me feel like a legit hunter.

Of course, things weren’t all sunshine and rainbows. I had my first death to a grell. Those little goblin-looking things that pop out of nowhere? Yeah, they pack a punch. One minute I was picking off boars like a pro, the next, a grell jumps me, and I’m face-down in the dirt. Respawn, lesson learned.

Then there was the saber cat. I thought, “Oh, it’s just a cat, how bad can it be?” Wrong. So wrong. It chased me through the forest like I was its personal chew toy. I barely managed to escape by weaving through trees like a madwoman. Heart pounding, but I lived to fight another day.

On a brighter note, I’ve learned that at level 10, I’ll get to tame my own pet. That’s right, I’ll have my very own battle companion, which is pretty much the best thing ever. I’m already daydreaming about which creature I’ll choose to be my loyal sidekick. Definitely something cooler than a boar.

For now, I’m just getting the hang of this whole hunter thing. Teldrassil is beautiful—giant glowing mushrooms, trees as tall as skyscrapers, and a sky that looks like it’s straight out of a painting. I could wander around here for hours (and I have). Every new quest feels like a small victory, and I’m starting to understand why people get so hooked on this game.

Alright, back to the hunt. Here’s to more quests, fewer deaths, and hopefully, a pet in my near future. Azeroth, I’m just getting started.

• Lexi (and Ana the Hunter)