Isa woke up with a start. Pain radiated throughout her body. She could sense that she had numerous notifications but couldn't see anything.
Oh, yeah, that’s right, I went blind.
Isa summoned the notifications in her mind’s eye, she wasn’t even sure she could do that, but it worked.
Be Aware: You are blind.
Be Aware: You have multiple broken bones.
Be Aware: You have significant damage to your extremities.
Be Aware: You are now considered crippled.
Be Aware: Because of your blindness, you have developed a keen sense of hearing.
Hearing: Level 1: You can hear sounds 15% better.
Isa lay there in silence for what felt like hours as the video game-like healing did its thing. Eventually, she got the notification.
Be Aware: You can now see again. Vision impaired 80%. It will very slowly revert to normal.
Be Aware: Your damage is healed.
Be Aware: Your bones are mended. You may move again.
Be Aware: You are considered disabled. You cannot run or jump until healing is complete.
Isa slowly stood up and realized that she had utterly forgotten about Hunter. She looked around but couldn't see clearly over a couple of feet in front of her. She walked carefully around until she heard sounds not unlike rats eating. As she got closer, she heard the "rats," which were actually rats, disperse. Whatever they had been eating was right in front of her. She knelt and put a hand out just for it to come away, coppery-smelling and dripping red. She had found Hunter; that was the grunt she heard as she fell. She felt around until she found what had killed him. A crossbow bolt in his heart killed him instantly, or so it seemed. She looked down at herself and then at the corpse.
It did say to do whatever I could to survive.
Isa looted Hunter's corpse. She took everything. She took his armor and clothes off and his wooden crossbow with all 25 bolts. Isa found a knife, a very crude knife, and a case for it. She put all the clothes on and then the leather armor. They both magically resized themselves to her size. Then she put the belt on and attached the knife and crossbow. She proceeded to put the bandolier on and put all the crossbow bolts back. Lastly, she put some leather shoes on. Everything resized itself to fit her perfectly.
Isa pulled up her status screen:
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Name: Isa
Level: 3 Experience 141/400
Disposition: Neutral
Reputation: Not worthy of thought
Constitution: 1
Vitality: 1
Strength: 1
Wisdom: 1
Intelligence: 1
Endurance: 1
Charisma: 1
Luck: 450
Health: 120/120 Health Regen: 3/s
Mana: 0/0 Mana Regen: 0/s
Stamina: 105/150 Stamina Regen: .75/s
Two Attribute Points Available
Abilities: Tracking, Hearing (New)
Tracking Level 4: Highlights footprints of small, medium, and large animals and beasts. I can track smells as well. Additional stamina used for combining: .25 stamina/s. Active skill. Consumes stamina at a rate of .75 stamina/s.
Hearing Level 2: Allows for hearing faint sounds up to 20% better. Active skill. Consumes .25 stamina/s
Be Aware: Abilities may be upgraded at any time. Your abilities and skills only upgrade when you check the status page if an upgrade condition has been reached.
Isa looked into her abilities and saw that she had gained 3 levels in Tracking and gained a whole new ability, and leveled it up. As soon as she realized this, Isa activated her Hearing ability. She could hear so much better. Isa also saw that she had 2 Attribute Points to use. Isa looked back into her status and decided to hold onto them until after this cave.
Isa’s hearing picked up rowdy behavior in the cave. She didn’t realize this cave was going to be occupied. But it made sense since Hunter had been killed.
Wait… how am I supposed to complete this quest now that the quest giver is dead?
Be Aware: Your situation has been considered, and changes are currently being made…. Success. XP rewards have now been tripled, and Items upon completion have been upgraded.
Oh, Okay. I still didn't answer how I'm going to complete this quest, but I guess that doesn't need to be fixed right away.
Be Aware: This cave has now become a Dungeon named [Thieves' Den]. Enemies have become harder, and the cave is now substantially larger. Quest completion is now when the Dungeon has been completed.
Well, that fixes that problem.
Be Aware: As you are in the Dungeon already, your bind point will be changed to that of the Dungeon entrance, and you will be teleported there. Bind point synchronization in 15, 14, 13,… 1. Synchronized. Teleport to bind point in 5, 4,…
Ummmm….. Shit.
2….1… Teleporting.
Isa appeared at the entrance again and heard a twang. Then all she saw was darkness.
THANK YOU FOR PLAYING MY ANCESTORS; YOU HAVE DIED… SPAWN AGAIN?
4th of March, 2192
Company internal memo to all employees working on My Ancestors:
Hello again. I have noticed some stark changes in a particular area of the game world. Things are changing quickly, and I can't pinpoint the directive given to the AI to do these things. I pride myself on being a company man… But also, an employee is doing the same thing you guys are doing. More people seem to be dropping out of this beta phase because of various, almost game-breaking bugs that have been found. THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST DAY! We need to double down as a company and fix these problems if we want this game to work. I will now offer overtime to anyone who wants it and access to the company suite to stay in so you don't have to drive home when tired. Meals will be provided to the company and drinks once the game is back in a stable beta. Whoever wants to sign up for this, please email me at my company email. There are now only 3 confirmed VR and 2 unknowns; One we suspect is the FDVR model. We have lost 12 players in the beta. I am under the assumption that it is because of the bugs. Concerning the "investigation," it has now become an internal audit. Expect to have your movements within the company questioned. I, myself, am not immune to this as well. Give overtime a thought and get back to me as soon as possible.
Your CEO Herald.