Jericho the Bard A VRMMORPG Story - 49 You believe therefore you perceive that it is

Director Fletcher watched the many monitors of players he had interest in. The ten screens showed players that were currently in the area of Pren. The software had run an analysis of players deemed likely to survive despite the mist overrunning the city. “The Dragoons guild leader was indeed smart to back off and take precautions. Even his own understanding of the mist was fundamentally flawed.”

The secretary who brought in some more hot chocolate placed the cup on the table. “Sir, your hot chocolate has arrived. Don’t let it get cold this time.”

The man turned and smiled back. “Thank you.”

The male assistant nodded. “Sir, I may be overstepping what I am allowed to know, but may I ask what the Dragoons were mistaken about?”

Director Fletcher smiled and pointed to one of the screens with two bears on it. “They will discover it soon, thanks to the smaller kid. So there is no harm in sharing it.”

“Um, sir, that is a bear.” The assistant corrected.

The man laughed. “Yes, indeed. But back to your question, they overlooked two very simple factors. First, foxes and demons are a very common combination and yet they didn’t consider that the lore would be useful to them because of the guild leader’s habit of avoiding assumptions regarding situations. Second, they did not consider the power of belief. You believe therefore you perceive that it is. This is a factor that plays more heavily into virtual reality than the AR, console, and computer games of the past.”

“I don’t get it. That sounds way more complicated than simple.” The assistant shook his head.

“We trust our senses more than we realize.” The director replied. “How will they react? Do you want to watch it with me?”

***

Princess struggled to move as she was being held fast by a powerful three headed demonic bi-pedal creature.

[Yun’s staff has absorbed enough of the energy attempting to invade your body. You will be protected from that energy for 2 hours 16 minutes.]

“Where are you taking me?” She shouted at the monster holding her tightly.

“{(To your death.)}” The creature with three heads replied.

The girl struggled some more before shouting at the creature again. “If you were taking me to my death, you would have killed me already. You are much stronger than me. Where are you really taking me?”

“{(To your death.)}” The creature with three heads replied again. “{(My job is to bring you to your death. Not cause it.)}”

“Fine.” Princess stopped struggling to break free. “Then while we travel can you at least tell me about yourself?”

“{(No.)}”

“I’m Dancing Princess, do you have a name?”

“{(Why wouldn’t I have a name puny human.)}”

“Tell me your name! I told you mine!”

“{(No. Even if you are about to die it is stupid and pointless to waste the time telling you my name. Monologing is dumb.)}”

“Then at least talk to me about something.”

The giant demonic creature remained silent.

She became irked. “I didn’t want to have to do this, but… Spark!” She shouted as electricity cackled from her hands and into the demon’s flesh.

No notifications or damage indicators appeared.

“{(That tickled. You won’t be able to get me to let you go with that weak of power.)}” The demonic creature mocked.

The pressure around her tightened as the creature picked up speed. She closed her eyes to deal with the pain. They traveled at tremendous speeds for a long time.

A familiar roar caused her to open her eyes. “Ken? Ken back off! It is too powerful!” She shouted. “I really wish my brother was here with me.” She took a breath.

The fiend stopped moving and turned around. “{(Stupid pest. Buzz off!)}” The voices shouted.

“Ken watch out!” She shouted.

***

“(Heath, I know you have been connected to the video since before the mist showed up. Are you seeing what I am? The forest becoming a thing of nightmares and seeming bigger on the inside… I can walk through these trees! They are all fake.)” Harr exclaimed excitedly.

Lednar nodded to the side. “(There can only be one explanation since the other creatures are moving around these trees and we are also able to see the normal forest behind all of this craziness. We are inside of a powerful illusion that not only messes with our sight but our depth perception and internal compass as well. Is this really the power of a Bringer? I don’t think I could ever create an illusion on this scale while at a beginning area.)”

Heath sent a message to reply to their videos streaming to him. [The mist doesn’t look like is has changed. The mist itself and probably the curses that have been affecting creatures are all real. Please be careful. And yes, this is the power a bringer can show under the right circumstances. I had Near confirm the information just now. By the way, I have been meaning to ask. Why do you both look and sound like bears? And… Why are you already halfway to the exit? I thought I told you to stay close to town.]

“(Both of those are my doing.)” Lednar admitted. “(I wanted to make sure my friends were alright and had us leave town early. The bear disguise is also an illusion. We haven’t been attacked at all by the creatures here because they think we are one of them.)”

Harr sighed. “(Be grateful smell doesn’t transfer over in the video. He also splashed himself and me with some unknown pungent disgusting liquid.)”

[I see I will count my blessing this time. But Harr, I told you not to let him boss you around. You are the leader.]

Harr gave a creepy grin with the bear face scaring the nearby prey. “(True, but he is a smart kid and his reasoning made sense to me. Besides, we have learned more about the mist in the last few minutes they we did the entire week prior.)” He attempted to send a message out. [He is definitely your brother.]

[You are in a zone where messaging out has been blocked. The current out video has not been blocked because it was actively engaged prior to your present condition.]

“(Darn, it seems I can’t send direct messages to you while we are in the mist.)”

[Alright, I will wait until we are in person to talk about the situation. Don’t the two of you need to hurry to find Lednar’s friends?] Heath reminded.

“(Right.)” Harr replied as the two of them started to run instead of walk.

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It didn’t take them long to arrive at the abandoned satyr village.

Harr bent down. “Looking at the hoof prints and the occasional foot print it looks like they gathered recently and started heading towards the exit of the forest.”

Heath sent another message. [Follow them. If the trail ends, you will know they fell. If you find them, we might get more insight on how to combat this mist.]

“(Wait)” Lednar called out as he placed a beaker with a crystallized plant bulb on the ground and poured a syrupy red liquid onto it. “(By the powers of life-force and divination I call upon you to reveal to me the life signatures of the recent past. Echoes of Life!)”

Images appeared showing people talking right before the mist appeared. The adult male pulled out an instrument and Lednar’s friend danced with a staff that seemed to be swallowing the mist.

“(If it is like that, then they should be fine. Let’s go catch up so we can talk to them.)” Lednar suggested and started running north once more.

Harr followed.

[Harr, walk backwards, I feel there is more to that situation than meets the eye.]

As he followed instructions he saw the dancer swept up by something unseen. Two more of the adult carrying other objects showed up. One of the younger humans turned into a beast and ran after the girl.

“(Come on Harr! Hurry up!)” Lednar called back seeing that Harr had practically stopped to keep watching the hologram.

[Thank you. Don’t tell him what you saw. Knowing my brother, he would lose focus of the reason you are there in the first place. I don’t want him losing proficiency with his alchemy and magic skills for a pointless reason.]

“(Just like you when you see me get into trouble?)” He turned forward and ran to catch up with the alchemage.

[Yeah. Just like me…]

The two bears swiftly caught up to the slow moving satyr, bard and friend group that was traveling towards the northern exit of the forest.

***

Kenneth dashed into the mist after shouting at Jericho and Lux. He activated his True-Lynx Eyes ability as he ran through the forest. Other than a light haze the forest looked almost normal.

(Is that a spirit beast?)

(He is running through trees and other things like they aren’t there. He must be.)

(Wow, I want to know how he became a spirit beast. To be able to run through things like they aren’t there is really cool!)

Ken sighed as he continued to run with a large assortment of animals attempting and failing to follow him. (Why are they moving like there are thing in their way?) He questioned quietly. (From what Alex and Lux said, I thought the forest was supposed to be scary. Other than the mist, woods look normal.) He continued to chase down the fiend that took Princess. He was grateful he had invested into his stamina and his lynx form was suited for running. (We should be near the center of the western forest.) He muttered to himself tired from the chase that had already taken over an hour. He caught sight of princess floating midair flying at high speeds.

(Princess!) He roared.

“Ken? Ken back off! It is too powerful!” She shouted.

(Wait! What’s too powerful? There is nothing there!) He shouted back.

Princess stopped flying away from him but she seemed unable to see him.

“{(Stupid pest. Buzz off!)}” The voices from before shouted.

“Ken watch out!” She shouted.

The lynx stood there strangely unconcerned. (There is no danger here.) He muttered trusting the animal instincts.

“Ken!” Princess shouted once more.

(Moira, it is fake! You are being held up by an illusion!) Ken shouted.

Princess fell to the ground. “Akh!” She cried out as she landed. “Huh? I really am moving through it.” She said as she moved her hand through the leg of the demonic creature.

The girl froze and her eyes glazed over like she entered some sort of trance.

(Princess! Wake up!) Ken shouted and tried to shake her.

Nearby hissing and yapping sounds echoed nearby. (Why? Why do you choose to help this human? I thought we were friends little princelynx. I saved you, gave you power, and yet you choose to help one of the humans that tried to kill you? I don’t understand.)

Ken shook his head. (You must be talking about my little brother. The one you cursed. Do you know how miserable you made him?)

A slender fur covered lanky snake like creature with a fox head appeared out of the nearby tree.

[Because of your True Lynx Eyes you have successfully warded off an illusion targeting you.]

(The human is experiencing an illusion that doesn’t seem to be affecting you. You seem to be immune to my powers. Indeed you are not the little Princelynx. You called him your little brother? Interesting, I didn’t know he has a spirit beast for a sibling.) The snake-fox like creature explained.

Ken got ready to pounce and started snarling. (Release her, this instant, or I will attack you.)

The creature slithered a little higher. (She is fine. I will release her when we finish talking if you really want to save one of those disgusting creatures. Besides, I did not curse your brother. So let’s talk amicably; Spirit Beast to Spirit Beast. Or are you too dumb of a Spirit Beast to reason with?)