Hello everyone, welcome to Taris! I trust that have by now met your group members. If by chance you are thinking of abandoning your group in favor of trying to survive on your own, I highly recommend that you reconsider. I have already explained why when we met in the white room, so there is no need to go into to details, but I will still say it… do not go off on your own, as individuals none of you are prepared to survive on this planet yet, stay with your group for at least a month, preferably longer. All of us gods recommend that that each group finds a place to make a home. Since this planet is so ginormous, no groups are visible to other groups for now.

The council decided that we should help humanity have a better chance at survival so we are implementing a rewards system. Every time a group accomplish a goal that very group receives a reward. The goals shall not be made known to you humans nor will we help you achieve them. Individual groups will need to accomplish them on there own.

            Be in mind though, the goals are meant for entire groups not individual humans. So you will achieve the goal in a group and receive the reward in a group or not at all.

Lastly, to encourage teamwork, we are putting out a leader board where every single one of the 525,000,000 groups will be ranked. The more goals you accomplish the higher rated on the list your group will be. Every group starts off equally, once a group finishes a goal they will be able to see the ranking board by looking at a tablet each group will receive, there will be only one tablet per group so don’t loose it!

     I wish you all the best of luck!

  -Hermes

After I finished reading the message from Hermes I glanced around and noticed everyone still reading.

(I guess Ile wait until everyone finishes reading before saying something.)

A minute later, after it looked like everyone was done reading, they were all looking around not sure what to do. The two Asian families scooted closer together, whether subconsciously or intentionally I have no idea, nor do I really care either. The two old people were also gradually getting closer to the families.

(Makes sense, they all have similarities and probably speak the same language.)  

While that was happening the two mothers along with their kids were drifting in the direction of each other.

(I guess similarities attract.)

And all of them were moving closer to the celebrity look alike.

(It’s like moths to a light, all of those people definitely view him as some sort of savior.)

(Wait what?! Why is that freaky cloaked girl coming straight over to me?)

With her amber eyes locked onto me, it felt like I was being stalked by a tiger.

(Damn, she isn’t even being discreet about it.) The odd girl was walking in a straight line right over to me, she didn’t even glance at anyone else, not even the Channing Tatum clone. As if sensing something amiss, the one person everyone was crowding around was following the cloaked girl around with his eyes, not even paying attention to anyone else.

            (Really?! You already have those hot older women right in front of you! Stop trying to hoard all the women here, even if they are weird, at least leave one for me.)

The cloaked girl was now only around three feet in front of me. Subconsciously, I stepped back and couldn’t help but gulp in fear. She stopped A foot in front of me. Still staring; right as I was about to ask her what the hell she was doing; a sweet melodic voice came from somewhere under that hood:

“Hello my name is Kristen, I hope we can get along and help each other out in the future.”

(Huh? Just a normal introduction, from her weirdness so far I thought she wanted to kill me, and what’s up with that voice someone so creepy should not have such a beautiful voice.)

There were a few awkward seconds of silence where she was just standing in front of me.

(Snap out of it Marek, maybe I am just overreacting.)

I finally decided to respond, though in a somewhat hesitant shy manner.

“Ummm h-hello Kristen… nice to meet you, my name is Marek.”

While introducing myself I couldn’t help but try and peer under her hood.

(Did she just smile?) I thought for a second I could maybe see some of her facial features, but I couldn’t be sure.

(How is it so dark under her hood? I should be able to see under it pretty easily, but it’s like a black hole, well besides the eyes.)

As we introduced ourselves the Channing Tatum look alike made his way over.

(He really didn’t even say anything to all those people right next to him?!)

When he was about three feet from me and Kristen he stopped, staring right at Kristen:

(Hello Kristen… and Marek my name is Jack, nice to meet you.”

I narrowed my eyes at that… he obviously just wanted to talk to Kristen, he did not even spare a second to glance over at me.

(Not that I look all that impressive right now. My beanie and sunglasses are covering my facial features, and I am wearing a baggy sweater and jogger that cover up my body, no wonder nobody paid me any attention, I look like a weirdo.)

As I was going into my usual depressive mode I remembered to check and see if the bag I packed came with me to Taris. I stretched my hand back to check and see if was still there.

(Dang I don’t feel, the only thing on my back right now is that magic bag that we all have on right now. I really could have used all those materials I prepared.)

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Completely zoning out, I was oblivious to the conversation going on around me:

“Marek!” I snapped out of it once I heard Jack’s voice.

(M )“Wha-what, why did you yell my name?”

His eyebrow twitched,

(J) “…I was asking both you and Kristen if we should go introduce ourselves to everyone else, then head out to look for a place to sleep for the night. I was thinking the forest by that mountain over there, the trees will give us good protection and cover from possible animal threats and rain.”

(M) “Ohh okay, well that sounds good, but if we are going to find a place to sleep tonight I would prefer if we go in the direction of the river. It will be a good source of water and hopefully food for us.”

(J) “That may be, but I do not want to be sitting ducks out here in the open waiting for whatever that wants a free meal to come and eat us.”

(ugg that’s a good point, but I still think its better to be by the river…)

(M) “I feel like all the predators and dangerous beasts will be in the forest though! If we stay out in the open, while they might see us It would give us plenty of opportunity to escape.”

The more we debated the louder we got.

(J) “What!? Escape where? Into the water? Then, some giant crocodile type thing will come and kill us, by the river is definitely not a good choice.”

Before I could retort Kristen stepped in to ease the tension.

(K) “Guys no where will be safe! What should be priority is cooperation and teamwork, you both read the message it kept repeating stay in our group, work together, and then we may be able to survive. Besides your scaring everyone else, just look at look at them.”

Both Jack and I glanced over towards the other group members, you could see unease and fear in the eyes of the parents and children. All of the parents were hugging their children while the two older people were surprisingly calm and trying to settle everyone down.

I looked over to Jack to see what he was going to do.

(they all already follow him around anyways, he should be the one that calms them down, even if they don’t understand what he is saying.)

(J) “I’m sorry everyone we were just debating about the best place to make camp; we didn’t mean to upset you all.” Jack finished off his apology with a small bow to increase the sincerity of his apology.

(Pfft. looked like an act to me.)

I wasn’t really sorry, so I didn’t anything grand.

“Sorry everybody, wasn’t intentional.” I kept it nice and short, no need to to be long winded.

After Jack’s and I’s apology, the old man started saying something in what was either Mandarin or Japanese, couldn’t really tell. It looked like he was speaking to the two families about something, so I didn’t really pay it any mind.

While I was staring at the old man, the business lady/mom started talking.

“It’s okay, I understand, you said your name was Jack right? My daughter and I were just worried that are group would break if the argument continued and we didn’t really know what to do. My name is Katherine by the way, and this is my daughter Charlotte.”

(Not a shock, she paid no attention to me, maybe I should take off what I am wearing, wonder if that would get her to notice me?) I didn’t take it off though, I felt quite comfortable with what I was wearing, and I had no desire to be cold.

“A-and I am M-Mary and this is my son Connor… I will do my best to help everyone survive.”

The petite blonde mom balled her fists in front of her chest adding a degree of cuteness, that sucked my gaze straight to her.

(So hard to resist staring at her, she is not as pretty as Katherine but that look of determination and her adorable attitude really makes her hard to resist.)

As Mary said that she was looking at Jack the entire time, and paid no attention to me.

(Even though I know it is going to happen, I still can’t help but feel a tiny bit depressed. Maybe he will leave one for me to have!)

I shifting my eyes away from that scene I noticed the old man had stopped conversing with the two families and was approaching Jack.

(What is he doing? Can he speak English?) My questions were answered shortly after they were asked.)

“Hello young man, Since I am the only one out the of the people from the east that can speak English, I am going to translate what they say to you and what you say to them. I have already been doing it, so there are informed about your names, and what is going on right now.”

(J) “Sounds good, you never told me your name though.”

“My name is Dong Chun; it is a pleasure to meet you, but you can call me Mr. Dong” The old man gave a slight gave a slight bow to show his respects.

(J) “Okay, Mr. Dong, Marek, that guy with the beanie over there, and I are debating about whether or not we should sleep out in the open by the river, or in the forest covered by the trees, what is your opinion?”

(Wow, what a loaded question he completely made my suggestion sound stupid while his sounds like the best plan possible. He really wants to be the leader of this group… and I am in no position to even try and fight for it. No one else seems to care too.) I couldn’t help but glance over at Kristen hoping that she would support my suggestion. I was disappointed though; she was staring off into the distance looking at who knows what. All of the sudden though she turned to look right at me… again.

(K) “Marek, we need to run, something is coming.”

(M) “What? I don’t see anything, where do we even run to!?”

(K) “The forests let’s go… Now!”

(M) “Umm ok but I need to tell everyone else first.”

I shouted to Jack and the old man. “Kristen spotted something!! She says we need to go hide in the forests… Now!”

Jack looked skeptical but still told the old man to listen and tell that to the people that couldn’t understand.

(Please don’t be a giant predator!!!)