NeoRealm – Staring Back Into the Future

The sun rises on the horizon as Jason stretches. Satisfied with his growth so far he heads back into the wasteland. Even with how big the emu area has been so far he feels that it will end soon. Of course ‘soon’ is relative as he takes another three days before he encounters something besides a bird. Though once he does a smile steals across his face. Up ahead lays a giant monitor lizard. In fact, the System identifies it as a Giant Monitor lizard with a level of 15. No strange animals spliced in or warped visage. Just a big lizard. Mind you, it isn’t joking about the ‘Giant’ part. From Jason’s position he can’t even see all of it because of the spires. Though laying down it is at least twice Jason’s height. This actually disappointed him a little. In an open field or even a normal forest the fight would be much more difficult. As it is though the spires will restrict the lizard’s movement.

Picking up a nearby rock Jason gives it a solid throw, plinking the lizard’s head. Opening a single eye and glancing at him it seems shocked. Then again, few things out here would challenge it. With a grunt the lizard stands up and with a flick of the tongue walks away. Jason sort of stands there for a moment before asking aloud, “Aren’t you going to fight me”? This doesn’t change the lizards mind and even just walking the lizards pace has it disappear from Jason’s view in moments. Shaking his head, Jason can only continue onward.

Soon though his worries about not getting any good fights are relieved as some smaller enemies seem to be ahead. Maybe the Giant Monitor lizard was a one off or something as he now faces a new enemy. Before him is a trio of goat snakes. With bodies of a serpent and head of a goat the creatures look quite weird. Especially as this doesn’t seem like a beneficial combination. A head of a herbivore with a splendid set of horns attached to a carnivores body that slithers. Jason still carefully approaches them ready for a fight. Magic can plaster over a number of inconsistencies.

Not that it does this time. While able to slither along their ability to charge Jason is quite low. Along with that when Jason is close, he can see that their bodies belong to venomous snakes. Now if Jason had to make something like this, the horns would be venomous or something but the heads just seem like that of a regular goat. Without venom, a powerful charge, or a constrictors squeeze they easily fall. It honestly makes him feel like he was picking on a child. Shaking his head at his sympathy for a monster he avoids the next few groups. They likely only still exist because they nested next to that Giant lizard.

Jason is honestly getting frustrated at this point. He checked his progress and knows what he needs to work on but he can’t find a good fight to save his life. The next creatures just make him angrier. A tortoise’s head and feet on a wolf. What is that even supposed to do? These are clearly just impossible creatures. Sure at higher levels even these could be a threat. A snapping turtle's head would do massive damage. But as it is Jason is clear on why the wastelands monster population changes so much if this is what most of them are like. Instead of swapping out body parts whatever causes this should focus on properly mixing monsters.

Not that the System is listening to his internal monologue as the next creature is just as pathetic. With a body of a hydra you would think thing were looking up. Having a different head on each of its 5 necks gives the chance of not being completely useless. Sadly, each of those heads seem to have a mind of their own. Jason doesn’t even need to fight it as an owl head is trying to swallow a mouse head. Besides those two an alligator head is munching on two dead antelope heads. Not being able to help it any longer Jason shouts at the sky, “If you aren’t going to do it right then STOP MIXING PREDATORS AND PREY! Goodness gracious, this is just getting silly!”

Days pass and Jason is absolutely fuming. The only thing close to a challenge was a herd of tiny hippos. Even that was only because hippos are evil creatures to begin with. Making them tiny, just removed one of their best features. Jason however has some hope left. He crossed the halfway mark in the wasteland a day ago so maybe things will change. These monsters don’t have to fight anything as the rabbits stay in the plains. Now though they will likely have to face adventurers more often. After all the other sides of the wasteland has a town right on the edge. Even though it isn’t a beginner’s town the monster population likely changes more often because the higher level players will kill the leaders further in. Jason even suspects that these outer monsters are simply the dregs of better tribes that live deeper in the wasteland. Calming himself down with these positive thoughts Jason sets out his Energy Herbs and starts his meditation. A small corner of his mind is at least happy with his cultivations progress.

Someone else is happy as well. A Silver Antlered jackalope sits by off in the distance. A small fae can be seen perched between the rabbit’s antlers stroking the soft fur. The rabbit guides the local young to absorb the energy being dumped into the local area. The fae pouts as some of the jackalope’s brood become regular Nubbed rabbits. It flies off its perch and goes around tapping the remaining adolescents before they can finish changing. Then where a single horn was forming it splits off into two. With the faes blessing the rest of this powerful rabbits young become Nubbed jackalopes. A smirk spreads across the faes mouthless face and it returns to the Silver Antlered jackalope. As the new jackalopes leave the area small lights blink on and off. Easily mistaken for fireflies these low fae gather and each chooses a jackalope to partner with and their glow stabilizes. The Silver Antlered jackalope nods its head. Having just taken over the post of watching this strange human it is quite pleased. Being the third Elder level rabbit to watch over this event nothing much should change but life isn’t always that simple. Being a fae variant the jackalope develops its mind a lot quicker. Mentally at the level of a child this Elder of the rabbit community now plans to extend the reach of which young get pulled in to be evolved. In the background fae dance around and play.