Civilization

A week passes by with little to no drama, and with Sam at the helm, we started our daily routine. Our training session continues every day, for 3 hours in the morning, and another 3 before dinner, with our only break in between the two sessions being lunch. Alice would come down the elevator with 2 trolleys of food, and after eating, she would join in to help Evan and Sam train.

On the other side of the training room, the girls have been improving as well. At the start, Nina could barely even dodge one or two of Adam's and Eve's attacks, but now she was able to last in a fight with them for 15 minutes straight. Likewise, the other two have become faster at making split-second decisions, lasting longer and longer in each fight. However, it wasn't just sparring that they did.

Adam and Eve taught the girls general combat advice in between fights, introducing them to combat against multiple opponents or against opponents who were physically stronger than them. One of the key pieces of advice that they made sure the girls understood was to always be watching all the attackers. Situational awareness is a saving grace in fights against multiple opponents, and understanding where the enemies are at all times, will help when defending, escaping, or even attacking.

Against stronger opponents, it was advised to bring the opponent to an area where they were at a disadvantage. Of course, this doesn't always work, which means, the next best thing might be to escape, and create some distance. Since Nina and Sabrina use a lot of skills and magic in fights, it was important to be able to dodge to the side or to create space between them and the attacker, before retaliating.

Nina and Sabrina, even received books and wooden sticks to emulate the magic books and wands that were used in the game. Even if the weapon wasn't made to be used as a melee weapon, there could be times when they will have no choice but to use what was around them. Taking in that same notion, Rebecca starts to utilize different weapons, including a small hand ax, short swords, spears, gauntlets, claws, and even whips.

While some weapons she had no idea how to use properly, she felt that some were easier, and some she preferred. With such a wide range of weapons readily available to them, there was no harm in trying out different weapons and understanding the small nuances of each weapon. She told me that she was doing this because there might be a time when her weapon breaks, and she has to pick up a weapon from an enemy. Preparing for that time might come in handy.

And then there was Kingston and me. We were constantly fighting each other for as long as we can, using Kingston's Demon Trigger to its fullest each time the cooldown was finished. His speed and strength increase exponentially once he activates Demon Trigger and since we weren't in a game, I could barely dodge or counter-attack him, at the start. However, Selino would provide me with small tips during the fight, allowing me to grow quickly, to catch up to Kingston's strength.

That didn't mean it got any easier. Even without Demon Trigger, he was still quite strong as he practices his technique against my aggressive attacks. Using a spear for quite a while myself, I understood one of the weaknesses is its range. Pressing against the spear user will make it harder for them to use the spear to its full capabilities. In order to help Kingston overcome this weakness, I never let up my attacks, pressing close to him quickly using the spider legs, over my own legs, followed up by lightning-fast stabs.

We played a game of Offense-Defense, switching each time Demon Trigger was active, attacking each other to the point of injuring the other. Blood splatters across the floor and walls, and bruises would accumulate, but that didn't stop us. In fact, I was enjoying it, and I was sure Kingston was enjoying it as well. Until today, where we had to do a small intervention during lunch. Gathered in a circle around Alice's food trolley, Sam mentions some new information.

"Alright, everyone! Good news and great news. Which one first?" - Sam

"GOOD! I chose GOOD!" - Evan

"Sigh… What are you a CHILD!? God… Just take Evan's word as ours, Sam. Makes our lives easier. I think." - Sabrina

"HAHAHA! Alright, Sabrina. The good news is the VR Capsules have been delivered already, and are being set up in your rooms at this very moment. There was also a truckload of N1 supplies already delivered as well, and I will distribute them shortly, once we do a stock take." - Sam

"And the great news?" - Ian

"The new patch has just dropped on their website, and it is accompanied by a trailer, called Cataclysm. It also mentions that the game will begin tonight for everyone that has previously played but will begin tomorrow for new players, saying that it will give old players time to adjust to the influx of players." - Sam

"A patch and a trailer? Are we able to see it here? Or do we have to go up?" - Nina

"It will have to be us moving back above ground. Is everyone okay with that? Otherwise, we can have a look later." - Sam

"I would like to go up and take a bit of a rest, after discussing the patch." - Kingston

"I second that. 1 week of strenuous exercise is a lotttttttttttt." - Rebecca

"Alright, let's move up. Adam, and Eve, clean up the place. Alice, lead the way. We will be going to the lounge room, and please set up the screen." - Sam

"Yes, Mr. Sam." - Adam, Eve, Alice

Following Alice with everyone, we arrive at the lounge room, and within moments Alice sets up the screen with the Settlement website filling it up. As we could see on the front page, there was a trailer as well as a link to the patch notes. After a quick debate, we decide to watch the trailer first, but as we go to click the video, there was a prompt saying for a better experience, to use VR to watch the trailer.

On that note, Sam laughs loudly and asks his staff to fetch everyone their VR helmets. After 5 mins we all had our helmets and were connecting to the website. Smiling to myself, I realize that this was kind of where it all started. A trailer for a new game, and a spark of curiosity.

[Loading Settlement Trailer, Cataclysm…3…2…1… Start!]

The green grassland stretched out as far as the eye could see, basking in the warmth of the sunlight. A gentle and warm breeze flowed across the open space, carrying with it the sweet scent of blooming wildflowers. The blue skies above were a perfect canvas for the white fluffy clouds that slowly drifted by.

The rustling of the grass in the wind and the distant songs of birds created a peaceful harmony that enveloped the senses. This idyllic scene offered a much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, allowing one to simply breathe in the fresh air and revel in the beauty of nature. That was if the stench of death didn't permeate and taint the environment.

Within a single moment, the luscious grassland disappears, replaced with dry, cracked red earth and an orange sky, with a deep navy blue sea creeping along it, covering it bit by bit. One could see, without even looking around, that there were pearl-white, jet-black, and deep crimson skeletons surrounding them. Thunderous marching could be felt, as the earth vibrates underneath my feet. Enclosing me, one step at a time, leaving just a small open space around me, free of the tainted atmosphere.

Darkness befalls the world. The moon replaces the sun and only a silver light could be seen peeking through the gaps of the fluffy white clouds. Standing only an arm's width away from me, skeletons of different sizes and shapes, chatter with their bony jaws. Unable to move since it was just my consciousness in the trailer, I could only feel the creeping fear and anxiety slowly fill my body.

Suddenly, a cold sharp metallic presses against my neck. Warm rich blood drips down, and a familiar voice could be heard. A low, slow monotonous voice.

"So, you thought… You could invade me and leave. So, you thought… No one else will move. I wonder… What made you think that…? Regardless… It is time."

The dark atmosphere warps and wraps around within it, as the space below me falls below me. Darkness embraces me, holding me tight like a blanket, until I loud thud could be felt, as I crash to the ground. A large figure, hidden in the shadows grabs onto my head, covering my eyes with their large hand, as they pick me up. Dangling in the air, their booming voice pierces through the ringing in my ears.

"To think, you thought you could do as you, please. I'll play along with you… Reaper."

Smashing my head down into the ground, crushing it as I fall through the floor like a piece of glass. Only a single phrase could enter my ears, as I feel the world spin.

"As the land trembles…"

Water replaces air, as breathing becomes impossible. Struggling for breath, I feel my body flail about, dragging myself down slowly. As my brain slows, and my vision fades, a cold embrace, wraps around my neck, pulling me from the depths. Coughing out mouthfuls of water, as waves crash against the side of my face, I hear the seductive voice of a young lady.

"As the seas churn…"

Thrown into the air like a rag doll, flung around by the ever-increasing raging winds. My body rips and tears. Even water droplets were like little knives against my soft baby-like skin, but it only took a second before I was above the clouds, and on a cold hard rocky table. Unable to speak, I could only see someone walk over to me wrapping a blindfold over my eyes. Their cackling laughter resonates inside my head.

"HeheHEHEHEH! As the SKY ROARS!"

Suddenly, something rips the blindfold off my face. I'm back… The green grassland. The warm embrace of the sun. The gentle breeze… But it wasn't just me. A metallic object pressing against my neck, a gigantic hand pressing down on my head, a cold wet grip wrapping behind my head, and an insane laughter. The mix of all 4 voices, echoes in my mind, bouncing back and forth, as the environment flashes before my eyes, showing me everything I had just experienced, over and over again.

"We will move. We will appear in front, beside, and behind you for blood is our water, and flesh is our food. WE WILL MOVE!"

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