2022-04-13 20:08:11This sucks. I look around. I'm laying in the middle of a stone bed in some kind of dark cavern. As I sit up I feel cold suddenly, colder than before. It's as if the temperature dropped immediately once I was transferred into this massive underground chamber. A violent chill goes down my spine, something I've never experienced with another avatar. I must admit to the developers of this game, this sensation and feeling are the best I've encountered so far. So, this game experience might have something to offer in the end.
I take a minute to compose myself. I feel like I'm wearing rags. Nothing like a sorcerer of my caliber should wear, but the game stated I was level 1. This must be some kind of tutorial. Gotta give them credit if they were going for something spooky. They nailed it. The air is humid and smells like bat guano. Not the best thing in the world. There is another scent in the air. Earthy, soil perhaps? I can't be sure. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that there isn't a logout button.
I lay aside my thoughts when a soft sound echoes inside the steaming empty chamber. "Who's there?" My voice reverberates around the cavern, bouncing from one wall to the next. It's clear this isn't a small cave. I wait and listen before demanding again. My voice echoes again, followed only by silence
There's no light coming in here from the ceiling and I don't have Dark Vision, so it's impossible for me to see anything but a few feet away. I think what little light there is, it seems to shimmer off some kind of crystal near the top of the ceiling. Glowing stalactite? Maybe. I shouldn't have chosen Hardcore, that was a mistake on my end. I'm certain there's someone here, I can feel it.
Well, since I'm stuck here it's time I prepare my spell slots. I recognize most of the spells here. So if I'm in a cavern, probably I'll face ghouls, vampires, and most likely various undead. Hopefully not ghosts, I hate ghosts.
I don't have that many options, as I'm a Level-1 avatar at the moment.
I can select three cantrips. I choose Chill Touch, Light, and Fire Bolt. Can't go wrong with fire. At least that's what Leda would say. I can also choose and use two Tier-1 spells. I add Shield and Catapult to my spell slot inventory. Improved defense is always a plus.
A notification appears in my Neural Control Interface: You can use two Tier-1 spells in a single day.
Ok, so far everything works as in Elysium. Known territory. No bugs.
I touch the stone bed I was laying a moment ago and cast Light. It's an evocation cantrip that makes any object I touch shed bright light. The stone glows in a bio-luminescent green. There is a slight haze around it. I can see moss growing near the bottom.
"At least some light," I sigh relieved, taking a breath and calming my nerves until I notice a pale man in red-cloaked armor, ten feet away from me. "Who are you?" I ask the creepy man. I do my best to hide the panic in my voice. Had he been watching me the whole time? Stalker. The Devs of this game got a sick sense of humor. This is definitely going in a review. Since he didn't attack me the moment I woke up, I can only assume either A, he hasn't noticed me yet or B, he is some kind of guide. I activate my Insight skill to scan him for information.
A tooltip appears above his head.
Vampire Lord. Threat Level 56. HP: 107 out of 175.
Fuck, I'm a goner! It's the first time I've played a game where I'm Level-1 and my opponents start at Level-56. He seems badly injured though, but still, I'm no match for him.
My feet start trembling and something inside my chest beats hard, demanding immediate release. It must be my heart. I heard that actual bodies have multiple organs. The pressure is so intense from my adrenaline rush, that my eyes are ready to explode. So, am I in the real world?
My predator looks at me with his sharp, purple-red eyes, "Oh? A sorcerer? Down here? I didn't know that Ambrosia was so desperate that she hired human mercenaries to aid her." His voice is dispassionate, stern. Still, I can't tell whether he is concerned or insulted.
"Look, I just appeared here, I don't have any idea who you're referring to. I was just leaving!"
"Don't worry human, you can trust me," the Vampire Lord tells me. His voice is different from before. Softer, calming.
For some reason, I trust this guy. My heart beats decrease and my blood pressure returns to normal. My hands stop trembling. It's the most at ease I've felt since waking up. Definitely better than that whole river of fire bullshit they started me with.
A notification appears in my Neural Control Interface: You have been Charmed!
How could I not be charmed? This guy is friendly and cool. Exactly the person I need to help me in this unfamiliar world.
"I'm Athanasios, I just woke up here. I don't know Ambrosia."
"Ahh, is that so?" He approaches me even more now, standing only two feet away. His fangs are visible, sharp, clean. He smiles at me and licks his lips. The motion of his tongue resembles that of a creature, rather than a human being.
So funny, I think to myself, but I try not to laugh. It wouldn't be proper to insult my new friend.
Another notification appears in my NCI: You have been granted access to the Difficulty Menu.
At last, probably the developers are fixing bugs as we speak. I access the Difficulty Menu from my NCI and change it from Hardcore to Casual.
Ok, another notification: Casual difficulty confirmed.
I wonder what'll happen now.
Hoofbeats reach my ears and I'm certain my new vampire friend heard them with his heightened senses. This can't be good.
"You hear that? Something is coming," I warn him but he ignores me. I feel hurt as he passes as fast as the wind, ignoring me entirely and heading in the opposite direction I'm staring. Something has him running...
I look back and I see that the place has become infested by ghouls, all of them ranging between level 6 and 8. Still, I'm not a match for any of them.
"Ambrosia, come and face me, you coward," the Vampire Lord screams in the direction of the ghouls. "How many of your pathetic servants must I kill?"
His voice is deep, demanding. He sounds like a warrior. I don't know what his beef is with this Ambrosia person, but I'm sure I'm about to find out. The stage feels set for an epic confrontation. I had heard the real world was full of violence, war, and encounters like these.
The other Vampire Lord makes her entrance, clapping her hands slowly as if she's a spectator in a performance. "My dear Nestor, you never stop to amaze me. You came here all by yourself?" Then she stares at me. "Oh, forgive my insolence, I see you brought a toy with you. Is he your blood bag this time?"
I want to yell out I'm no blood bag, but there isn't really a point. If I'm not with her, I'm obviously with the enemy.
I must say though, I've never seen in my entire virtual life an avatar so gorgeous and hot as this one. I can feel my crotch hardening. So, this body-avatar of mine is made for other things as well. Not that it matters right now.
"Hi!" I greet her, smile on my face. "I just met him, but I think he's a great guy." I don't know why I say that. Must be the charm effect.
"Shut up!" They both shout in unison.
"Ok!" I reply.
I use the Insight on Ambrosia and the tooltip on her head informs me she's a Threat Level 23 Vampire Lord. Her HP bar is full at 86 but still lower than Nestor's. She must suck as a player because all the babbling gave Nestor the time to heal 20 Hitpoints. Vampire Regeneration is a cool thing to have, I admit. There are thirty, maybe more, ghouls here at the moment. Still, I don't think she can beat Nestor, not without taking some serious damage. I give her a 30, maybe 40% chance.
The two Vampire Lords stare at each other. Both are predators, creatures of attack. Each measuring up each other's strength.
"Enough talk, kill them," Ambrosia commands her ghoul servants.
The ghouls attack Nestor, with no concern of formation or strategy, like the mindless creatures they are. What I admire though, it's their speed and sheer strength. The Vampire Lord is strong and fast, yet, despite all his supernatural speed, they begin to tear at his body, but he keeps pushing, killing one ghoul after the other with a single hit.
Ambrosia's army doesn't let up. One ghoul grabs Nestor from behind while another takes a bite out of his rib cage. The vampire tosses the one into the other, right over his shoulder, then grabs the face of a third, swinging it around and smashing all three of them together to the ground. I can't believe it. He's even cooler now than before. His fangs protrude and his fingernails look like they've grown longer too, but that could just be something wrong with my eyes. I'm still struggling to see in the dark. Either way, he stands out, his pale skin lit up by the stones, his movements different each time he attacks. He’s swift like a feral animal, but something tells me he is in complete control. Another five ghouls go down without a hitch.
The ghouls keep coming though. Like a horde on parade. A few larger ones seem to get the better of Nestor. He struggles to push them out of the way. A few of the smaller ghouls trip over them and try to grab his legs. Nestor isn't only fast though. His agility must be off the charts because he's able to dodge and jump several feet up in the air to avoid them. Of course he can't avoid them forever.
I use my Insight again. Nestor has 42 Hitpoints left, but for a moment it seems that he has taken control of the battle. That's until Ambrosia makes her move. She hisses and attacks Nestor. She grabs him by the throat as another large ghoul gets the better of him. He uses both hands to push up at her forearms, right at the elbows. Her arms bend upwards as he makes his increased strength known, forcing her to let go. She hisses again, clawing at his stomach before they exchange a raging series of deadly attacks, each more powerful than the last. With my eyes it's impossible to follow their speed.
I must act though, my friend needs me.
I access my Spell Control Menu and cast Catapult, the Tier-1 transmutation spell that I placed in my spell slot earlier. With this spell, I raise a 5-pound rock that I see beside me and throw it straight in the direction of Ambrosia. Unfortunately, a bigger ghoul shields her and the rock crushes its head, achieving a critical hit of 24 points, thus killing it.
My Neural Control Interface notifies me I leveled up and now I'm Level 2. At least you level up fast in this world.
The ghouls which previously ignored me, now see me as a potential threat. Two of them come against me. I use Catapult again and throw it against the first ghoul. It's a direct hit on the chest and I see that his HP decreased down to 10 HP from 22, which was a moment ago.
"Yes!" I shout excitedly.
Shocked by the impact, the ghoul falls for a moment.
No more spells for today, it is time I make full use of my cantrips. I cast Chill Touch and a ghostly, skeletal hand appears before the ghoul, achieving a 5-point hit.
"Nice!"
The second ghoul charges against me, but I fall back, trying to gain some time before I activate my second cantrip: Fire Bolt. I hurl a mote of fire at the ghoul and I achieve another critical hit of 10 points, but it's not enough to stop it. It approaches me and performs a vertical slash with its claws, achieving a 6-point damage to my avatar.
It hurts. My skin tears and blood gushes out. The pain is so intense and I can't control it. There's no fucking option to decrease the pain level in this world. I must admit, being an alpha or beta tester is harder than I thought.
I notice that my vampire friend is at his limit as well, only 26 Hitpoints in his bar, but he can win. He has Ambrosia cornered and only three ghouls still support her. The rest of them have become minced meat by his claws.
But it's not the time to worry about my vampire friend. I have two ghouls I must fight by myself. I cast Fire Bolt again, but before I finish my move, something or someone hits my head and I lose consciousness.
The only thing I see before I black out is a notification: You have been paralyzed!
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