Author's note: this chapter mentions self-harm and trauma. If this makes you uncomfortable, skip this chapter.
[Main Quest]
Clear conditions: occupy one of the twelve bases in the Ozarks
Time limit: 1 month
Reward: 5,000 coins
Failure: Death
Summary: many beasts have begun to swarm the cities of the Ozarks. You must fight through the hordes of beasts and get to a [Base]. The level of the beasts will be between level 1 and level 4. Beasts are unable to enter a [Base], however any other player can enter the [Base] at any moment. There will be no penalty for killing another player.
The rumbling of the ground grew and grew. The buildings around the group appeared to shake. They stood in the center of a three-way intersection. And as the rumbling and shaking grew, an apparition of a large serpent approached from the north, accompanied by two large eagles from the east and west. Their cries mixed and merged into a horrible screech, but their approach continued unceasingly. Slowly closing in on the trio the serpent opened its mouth and released a cloud of purple and green fog. It spilled out and encircled the group and was lifted up by the wind from the eagle's wings. As the group was swallowed a relaxed and lethargic feeling consumed them, and they soon fell into a deep sleep. Alex awoke in a hospital lying on a bed. There was no one around so he sat up and got out of bed. He approached the door to the room which burst open, and standing in the doorway is his Mom and Dad. His Mom looks as though she had been crying and his Dad had a stern look on his face.
His Dad spoke
"What the hell were you thinking?"
Alex was confused, his parents should be dead. It was a calm passing a couple of years ago. So he responded,
"You should be dead, I went to your funeral."
His Mom, on the verge of tears, spoke
"That's not funny Alex! Not after that stunt you pulled."
Alex, still confused, decided to ask.
"What happened? What did I do?"
His Father addressed him with a bitter tone.
"First you take my gun, then you head over to Table Rock dam, and try to shoot yourself? Thank God the chamber was empty! And now not only are you making jokes about us being dead, you're playing stupid."
Alex remembered a moment like this in his past, but it was five years ago. No one had realized it yet, but he suffered from genetic depression. Because of the pain he felt deep inside he decided the only path to relief was to take his life. His plan was to shoot himself on top of the Table Rock dam, and then fall to ensure his death. During his attempt however he slipped and fell into the water behind the dam and hit his head, knocking him unconscious. Thankfully a passerby saw him and fished him out of the water. He was taken to a nearby hospital. The same hospital he stands in now.
His Dad continued
"How could you do something so stupid. Taking your life?! Did you even think about me and your mother at all?"
His Dad continued on and on in a similar fashion but Alex was distracted as
*DING*
(Direct chat request from Lythren)
Alex spoke under his breath
"Accept"
[Chat room active]
{Participants: Alex, Lythren}
L: Catch on yet?
A: Of course. It's a dream serpent, but normally they can't make things this vivid and they can't access memories.
L: Correct, but this isn't a normal serpent, it's name is Vehemor. A level 4 nightmare serpent.
A: So it's kind of a mini boss?
L: You could call it that.
A: Do you know I can escape?
L: Find the core. Oh, and since you have to face a hard fact of your past…
{Side Quest}
Facing Demons
Summary: find and destroy the core of the dreamscape and defeat Vehemor, Before he devours you while you are consumed by a never-ending nightmare.
Time Limit: 24 hours
Reward: Ability
Failure: Death
A: Joy, a new quest
[Chat room closed]
"Rude"
Alex thought to himself. As his Mom and Dad, still furious, left the doorway before vanishing. Alex stepped out of the room and continued to search for the core. A light glow began to fill the hall leading Alex deeper into the hospital. He presses on through the light eventually making it to a room. As his eyes slowly took on the details of the room, voices filled the air, calling out to him. Each voice was a different doctor he had been forced to see throughout his pain.
"Stop overreacting."
"It's all in your head."
"There's nothing we can do."
"Take these, you'll feel better."
Alex's heart rate began to rise as his brain was filled with horrors he thought he had escaped years ago. His palms began to sweat and he lost his balance. He fell to the floor and began to retch, and his focus was shattered. It felt as though inky black tendrils ensnared him, dragging him down and suffocating him. The panic and fear consuming his mind left him paralyzed, forced to continue to listen to the voices. Each one is more painful than the last. But in the midst of the chaos he saw a little girl, she spoke softly and barely audible, even still it pierced through the voices to reach him.
"Wake up, I need you. Please. WAKE UP!"
Her voice calmed his mind and silenced the voices. Still unsteady Alex got to his feet and continued to press forward, guided by the girl's voice bringing him finally to a small orb. The orb had a light blue hue, and inside were all Alex's memories swirling and colliding in bright clashes of color. Determined to end this nightmare Alex drew his dagger and slammed it into the orb.
A bright flash consumed the hospital and Alex.
Alex slowly and groggily awoke in the midst of a purple and green fog, no longer under Vehemor's spell. The large serpent screeched, as did both of the large eagles. Both of his companions still lay unconscious on the ground.
Alex shouted at the large serpent
"Think it's fun toying with our minds? Well now I'm going to inflict onto you ten times as much pain as you have dealt me."
Then he activated his skill insight.
{Charge}
The notification popped up prompting Alex to leap out of the way before Vehemor charged at him. He swiftly delivered an attack of his own by driving his dagger into the side of Vehemor.
{Tail whip}
Alex took in the new notification and quickly vaulted over the tail, slashing across it as he landed. The serpent screeched in agony as its flesh split. Revealing the bones in its tail but Alex wasn't finished, he continued to dash around slicing and stabbing the serpent until its screeches finally quelled, and the fog lifted and both of his companions began to wake. The two eagles took off in different directions as the beast commanding them had been slayed.
{Side Quest}
Facing Demons
Summary: find and destroy the core of the dreamscape and defeat Vehemor, Before he devours you while you are consumed by a never-ending nightmare.
Time Limit: 24 hours
Reward: Ability
Failure: Death
{Side Quest}
Facing Demons
Status: complete
Reward: Trauma resistance level 2
[Achievement]
Title: Nightmare Walker
Description: you are the first to slay a level 4 dream serpent. The serpent's name was Vehemor. Rewards will be boosted due to the difficulty level of this encounter. As one who has now treaded the dangers of the mind, you are qualified to enter the Dream Walker (dungeon).
Rewards: Dungeon key{Dream Walker}, 750 coins.
That's the end of this week's chapter. I want to apologize for disappearing for a while, but life was very busy, and now along with the release of this chapter, we have the release of our discord server. you can join us using this link: https://discord.gg/H2v9QHzU
Alex spent most of his life playing video games he became very good at one game in particular. One day as he was heading home from work, he received a notification. It mentioned a once in a lifetime event. When the time for the event arrived the world of the game merged with reality now, he has to fight for survival in a world that's falling apart at the seams.
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