Anna paused mid-step, the sweetness of the last strawberry still lingering on her tongue. The soft crunch of it, the burst of sweetness tasting like the sun. But as the voice echoed in her ears, the last remnants of her enjoyment flickered. Herbalist?
She blinked, startled by the sudden announcement. Herbalist sounded like a profession pulled from the depths of some quaint fantasy. Was that her only purpose on this server? To roam the forests, collecting plants, mixing ointments, and healing ailments and injuries with nothing more than the gifts of nature. It felt almost... right, in a way she couldn't understand.
In this new reality, she was being given the chance to live in a way that felt almost primal. The thought that she could grow something, that she could shape this world and help the inhabitants of this world with her hands, made her pulse race.
Her fingers tightened around the flowers, and she looked around the forest again, the way the last remnants of sunlight filtered through the canopy, turning everything into gold. It was so beautiful. How could she refuse this?
With a soft smile, she made her decision.
"I'll keep it," Anna whispered to herself, her voice barely louder than the rustling leaves around her and she slowly continued to roam the forest, exploring it's beauty.
Everything seemed so peaceful until she almost ran into a group of three men trying to skin a fawn, still faintly whimpering. Overwhelmed with panic, she stumbled backwards, desperate to escape the haunting scene.
Atention. You've encountered players who are about to complete the first half of the prologue. Go say hello.
There was no way. Nope.
But they noticed her, probably receiving similar notification as her. They dropped the screaming ball of fur glistening with fresh blood and followed her with the promise of much better fun.
Her heart pounding, she darted deeper into the darkened forest, praying that they would not catch up with her. A naive wish. The sounds of heavy footsteps, snapping twigs and crunching leaves behind her only added to her terror.
Every fiber of her being screamed at her to keep running, even as her legs grew heavy with exhaustion. At that moment, her hope mixed with undeniable desperation as she searched for any way to escape the relentless pursuit of these men.
She wasted a few precious moments trying to log off this server, but it was no use.
Error. Unable to proceed, hostile monsters nearby.
Hostile monsters? Great. Just amazing. So much for a relaxing holiday…
Her lungs burned and she felt a sharp pain in her waist as she ran a little further. She could feel an oppressive force approaching, swallowing the air in the area.
She glanced back, hoping to get away, but they were still in sight. And the unease gnawing at her guts were even stronger now. She felt like the forest itself was closing in around her, tightening like a noose.
As she slipped through some bushes, her body swiftly flew into a wide ravine. The fall was far from smooth; she was jostled and knocked around by the rough fall, losing around 50% HP. What was worse, Anna rose to her bleeding knees and realized that she was near a provisional camp other humans probably built.
Her eyes stopped at its only inhabitant just as he reached for the huge battle axe and slowly stood up, enlightened by the soft campfire light, towering above everything else. A low, guttural growl vibrated through the ground beneath her feet. Her heart thudded harder.
Atention. You've encountered the boss of the prologue.
Error. You are unequipped for combat. Retreat strongly recomended.
Paralyzed by fear, she could only stare at him with her eyes wide open. This night might be dark, but she still noticed that his skin was stained with blood and some of the old body paint was already peeling off. Is he injured too? Yes, for sure, those thick arrows in his chest didn't look very comfortable. His heavy breathing and the wheezing sound he made when he tried to breathe could only mean one thing. He was dying. Slowly and painfully.
High orc ~ hostile ~ 8% HP
That's not a human. The realization hit her completely unprepared.
He wore some kind of leather armor strengthened with bones, but it was still sparse, so he could maintain his agility. She couldn't help but notice his impressive physique, even when his posture was deformed under the unbearable pain. From his thick neck and broad shoulders, solid chest to his sturdy waist and thighs. It was clear - just his physical presence left her in awe, even when he was heavily bleeding and at the edge of his strength.
Despite her confusion over his dark hair, which was weirdly braided into a wide mohawk, there was no denying it. She was drawn to his striking features, unable to ignore the magnetism. His appearance left her torn between fascination and fear.
But for him - she was merely a lamb obediently waiting to be slaughtered. Every human was. Even her, despite her pretty lips and long legs. He approached her with a clear intention to grant her quick death and her green eyes widened in shock as he made another step closer.
"Help me," She breathed out, as cold sweat trickled her back.
As he turned his gaze to the spot where she fell from, his attention was drawn to the subtle movement between the massive rocks. At first, it seemed like a trick of the light, but then he noticed them - stirring in the shadows as they tried to slowly climb down the steep hillside.
It took them only a moment to consider whether it was worth trying their luck. But she seemed to be by the end of her strength and that NPC over there was half dead already.
The one with a short dagger charged at the wounded orc to get rid of this inconvenience, distracting him for a brief moment.
Anna quickly grabbed her chance and attempted to rise to her trembling feet, desperation urging her to flee.
Her body froze, when she heard the loud yelp and glanced back.
The third body just hit the ground as that orc managed to butcher them without much struggle, leaving her no time to escape.
Breathing shallowly, with his fingers pressing onto his wound, he watched her trembling eyes for a short moment before he opened his mouth and spoke.
"Why would they hunt you, if you are of their kin? Are you a human, or not?"