Civilization

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"PHOENIX!!!!!! Do we just suck or something?! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT TAKES SO LONG TO KILL A GODDAMN RABBIT! LIKE WHAT THE HELL???!!! IT JUMPS WAY TOO MUCH!" - Pluto

"Hah… Hah… They are quick fast for rabbits and hurt quite a bit too." - Alice

Pluto and I have been wandering the forest for the past few hours, finding monsters, herbs, and food. Going into this forest, I thought it was similar to the real-life ones. Having been part of Sam's culinary team, I had ventured into different rainforests and jungles in search of ingredients that would change the cuisine we served, however, this forest was different.

At times, it would be silent. In others, I would hear the soft rustling of leaves and branches. It would be bright in a spot as if a streetlamp was overlooking it, but dark nearby like the abyss. Monsters would appear unexpectedly, jumping from bush to bush. Sometimes, they would take interest in us, but other times they would rush away faster than we could react. 

On the off chance we find a goblin, there is a chance we will get caught in a trap devised by them. Small pitfalls, trip traps, and the occasional spikes were more common than I thought, to the point where I started to think that the goblins were more like human hunters. Every player was just another type of prey to them. 

Fortunately, we were a team of two. If we were alone, who knows what would have happened? Dying might have been the best option if that was the case, but with the two of us, we were able to cover our weaknesses. With my previous understanding of tracking, I was able to search for monsters as well as other signs of life, throughout all the wandering we have done in the forest. Pluto, despite his appearance, was a more exceptional hunter than I thought he would be.

Perhaps he did a sport in real-life or was trained in a martial art, otherwise, why else is he so skilled with a knife? On a one-on-one with a goblin, he was able to swiftly disarm them and kill them, eliminating the threat as quickly as possible. However… He was quite clumsy. Many times right before they would fight he would trip over a rock, or maybe it was his own foot, I couldn't tell at that point, leaving enough of an opening for the goblin to escape.

Even after apologizing and promising he wouldn't do it again, it happens again. I can't blame him too much though, because he has been the only person to kill monsters between the two of us. We managed to kill 5 goblins and 1 jackalope, during the last few hours. Now, to me, this felt kind of low. Especially since the loot drops we acquired from them were 4 goblin ears, 1 jackalope horn, 1 goblin knife, and 4 small low-quality Mana Stones. 

I haven't been able to kill even one of those monsters. The best I could do was engage in combat with a goblin for a bit before the danger alarms fired off in my head. Luckily for me, Pluto was still nearby, so he could help, however, I need to slowly change myself or else I'm going to be useless in battle.

"Are you alright? It seems the rabbit gave you a couple of scratches near your calves." - Pluto

"I'm fine. I can still walk, and looking at my HP, I only lost 5 out of 10 HP. Half of my health is gone from that one monster." - Alice

"Well, you are looking better than me. I'm on 1HP." - Pluto

"1hp… 1HP?! Wait… WHAT?!" - Alice

"Yea, I've been on 1 HP since the last goblin. I still felt okay though, so I didn't say anything." - Pluto

"You do know once you lose all your HP, you get forcefully logged out because you died right?" - Alice

"WHAT?! I DO?! I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN! Phoenix! It's time to head back to Everbloom. I can not afford to die here!" - Pluto

"Sigh… I think we should head back as well. The sky is turning slightly orange which means the night will befall us soon. Most places become more active at night and by going off that logic, goblins, and wolves are most likely going to be more active the moment the sun drops below the horizon." - Alice

"Alright! Lead the way! I have ABSOLUTELY no idea where we are." - Pluto

"Don't worry. I know roughly where we are, especially since I didn't veer too far away from the river." - Alice

"The river?" - Pluto

"Yea, the river is a good indicator of our location. The map in Everbloom shows that a river runs between it and HavenFall. If we keep the river on our right and follow it, then we either see Everbloom or the path that connects Everbloom and HavenFall." - Alice

"Ohhhh, I see. I didn't even notice that." - Pluto

"I know. Just follow me, I'll get us back safely." - Alice

"HAHAHA! Of course, you will." - Pluto

With Pluto following me closely behind, we made our way back to Everbloom. According to my calculations, we did eventually see signs of life as the chattering of players echoes in the quiet forest. Following that noise we eventually reach Everbloom, however, it wasn't the happy scene that I thought it was going to be.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE HAVE TO SLEEP OUTSIDE?"

"WHY AREN'T THERE ANY HOUSES OR AN INN WE CAN SLEEP IN?"

"I can't sleep on the ground! It's too cold!" 

"I'M SO DIRTY!!! WHERE IS THE SHOWER?! Or a bath… I don't mind a bath too." 

"PEOPLE! PEOPLE! Please be quiet. I understand your concerns, however, Everbloom is more of a trading hub. A place for players to receive equipment and items, not a rest spot. There are several bedding options in HavenFall and Krepost, however, they do cost Mana Stones. Otherwise, the option to sleep on the ground is still there. Make a simple shelter with what nature has given you. It has been done before, it can be done again." - Evan

"SHUT UP! YOU ARE ONLY SAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN SLEEP IN A BED!" 

"YEA! WHAT HE SAID!"

"YOU SNAKE!"

"It seems people are displeased with the fact that they have to sleep on the ground." - Alice

"Woah… Some people are privileged. Some of us find a soft bed a luxury…" - Pluto

"Pluto… Were you brought up in less fortunate circumstances?" - Alice

"Hmm… You can say it is something like that, haha…" - Pluto

"QUIETTTTTTTTTTTTT!" - Robin

Roaring above all the players, standing on top of the map in the center of Everbloom, Robin silences the crowd the best she could. Some whispering persisted but she refused to let them carry on. Drawing her bowstring and pulling it taut, her arrows whistle through the air, slamming into a tree nearby the whispering.

"How shameless all of you are. Is this what the followers of Ariel have come to? Begging for a bed? Screaming at a singular person? Unbelievable. Some of us didn't even know what a bed was until recently. The best we ever got was the moss or the branches we found ourselves, piling them together in a neat bundle. The warmth could only be found in each other's bodies. 

WHAT do you think would happen once it got colder than normal? A fire? No. Fires attract monsters. SO what did we do? Shiver. Tremble. Warm each other up the best we can. Otherwise, we would die. No… Some of us did. AND HERE WE HAVE EVERYONE HERE! How many people are here? Tens? Maybe hundreds? Throughout the day, I saw some people venture off to HavenFall or even to the Krepost. I'm sure those people have found a bed and if they didn't, they are huddled in a corner. 

Why is that? Because they still need sleep. Sleep regardless of the conditions. Everyone here is lucky. You have us, the Forest Wardens to protect you. You can sleep with your back to a tree and wake up the next day unharmed. You don't need to worry about the potential monsters that may sneak up on you in the night. Take that privilege. Rest your weary minds and bodies. 

Do not get upset. Instead, innovate. Find ways to create shelter. Gather people together. Combine your strengths, and live on in this world to see another day." - Robin

While her speech was long-winded, it struck a nerve in some players. Realizing their mistakes, they started to cheer, yelling our Robin's name, and getting together with the players nearby. A wave of positive energy washes throughout the crowd, invigorating them, and like a tsunami, players were leaving the area, in search of their shelter, whatever it may be.

"Wow… What a powerful individual, right Phoenix?" - Pluto

"I guess." - Alice

"What do you think we should do? Should we rest up as well?" - Pluto

"Hmm… Maybe after I hand some things in." - Alice

"What do you mean?" - Pluto

"Well, during the whole time, we were wandering around the forest, I picked up a few things that might be useful." - Alice

"Ohhhh, let me see?" - Pluto

"There is no description on them, so I'm not sure if they are even viable, but I found what looked to be fungi and some herbs. I also found nuts, seeds, and flowers that might also be herbs. Since these things look different from their real-life counterpart, I'm not sure if they are edible. Instead, I gathered them regardless, and I'm going to show Maria and Mia and get an analysis." - Alice

"WOWWWW! THAT'S AMAZING! I didn't even see any of these during the whole time I was with you. I only noticed the monsters. PHOENIX! You are amazing!" - Pluto

"Hahaha! Thanks, Pluto. Come let's find out what they are." - Alice

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