THE MOMENT
"Hey, I'm Outbreak," Gia was surprised when a black portal opened in the mist; but, she was glad to see a friendly face emerge. It was a complete stranger; but, the teenage girl with neon green hair was smiling.
"Hi. Gia," she introduced herself and Outbreak nodded.
"What did you need help with?" Outbreak asked. Gia was instantly embarrassed. She was always happy to make new friends, and it wasn't unusual for a stranger to walk out of a portal. She didn't know why Outbreak was introducing herself until that moment.
"Oh, no! I didn't mean to drag you out here. I was just curious about the mist here; but, Whispering would've been fine. I don't need help, it was just a question," she said.
"That's alright," Outbreak grinned. "I wasn't doing anything anyway. And, I'm happy to help a new Necromancer get started. So, what were you wondering?"
"I've been here in the mist for a little while already, and I haven't seen anything move. Am I doing something wrong?"
"I'm gonna say yes," Outbreak giggled. "Are you sure you talked to everyone?" She began walking toward a nearby cafe as she asked the question.
"I think," Gia nodded as she followed. "I found my way here and talked to the town until the mist rolled in; but, nothing came with it."
"Yeah, the AlterNet is tricky that way. Sometimes you'll be able to start something; but, if you're missing a step you won't be able to progress. I had the same problem when I did it," she giggled. "Are you a Plaguebringer too?" she asked.
"I picked Hordemaster," Gia answered.
"Oh, I didn't see a horde anywhere," Outbreak giggled as they reached the cafe. She opened the door for Gia and waved her in.
"I'm still pretty new," Gia answered once Outbreak entered the building. There were a handful of patrons mostly going about their business. Several loners and duos dotted the tables. Some with laptops, some with newspapers, and all of them ignoring the mist outside. "My horde is three zombies and they don't last very long," she said.
"Oh, you need to visit Turbo," Outbreak replied with a nod. "Turbo Rad if you haven't met him yet, he's a Calavera," she said.
"Turbo?" Gia asked. "I think my friend works for him; is he a Necromancer too? I thought he was an Engineer?"
"He is an Engineer," Outbreak answered. "But, he created an upgrade for zombie nanos. If you equip it as your Flair, you'll summon Turbo Zombies instead. It's good for getting started until you get something better for your build."
"Oh, I'm definitely going to have to meet him," Gia said as she followed Outbreak around the Barista counter and into the kitchen.
"Here we go, did you talk to her?" Outbreak asked. He gestured at an employee sitting on the floor, huddled in a corner.
"No," Gia smirked as she gestured at the kitchen around them. The front of the house could not be seen from the kitchen at all, and the way the young woman was sitting made her difficult to see from most of the kitchen. "I had no idea she was here,"
"Yeah," Outbreak giggled. "Most experienced players will turn it off, and maybe someone suggested it to you too. But, at least until you get the hang of things, it's a good idea to keep the Titles & Tags settings on. I went through the same thing; I couldn't find her until I turned that on."
"Oh no, I'm sorry. I feel stupid for making you come out here...," Gia apologized again and Outbreak shook her head.
"If I minded, I would've answered with a Whisper," Outbreak said. "I'm glad to help. And, after this, I'll introduce you to Turbo, if you want," she said.
"Thank you so much!" Gia grinned, then approached the young woman.
"Hey, hello?" Gia asked. The young woman had her head buried in her lap and when she looked up her eyes were red and puffy. "Are you okay?" Gia asked. "What's wrong?" She wasn't trying to find the right words. She saw a woman that had been crying and wanted to know if she was okay before she asked about the mist. But, it was the right question anyway.
"I forget, you're not from here," the woman said. She looked up and met Gia's eyes. "Mist season is when the cracks in reality open up and things come in. The mist isn't from outside reality, it's just how the weather reacts to the cracks. It usually only lasts a few weeks, and they tend to go away after. It's not so bad once you get used to it," she sighed and dropped her head down into her lap again. "I'm not used to it yet at all...," she added the muffled statement as Gia became aware of something new in her vision.
"I got a buff! 'Mist Stranger'," Gia grinned.
"That's the one," Outbreak nodded. "You need that to kill the monsters, so they won't spawn without it," she said. A horrifying high-pitched screech came from outside. "Actually, let me get it too,' a group invitation appeared in Gia's vision and she accepted it. "It'll go faster if we're both killing." Outbreak approached the NPC and poked her.
"Hey, what's your favorite number?" she asked. Then, she looked at Gia. "If you're already on the quest, it doesn't matter too much what you say."
"I forget, you're not from here," the woman said. She looked up and met Outbreak's eyes. "Mist season is when the cracks in reality open up and things come in. The mist isn't from outside reality, it's just how the weather reacts to the cracks. It usually only lasts a few weeks, and they tend to go away after. It's not so bad once you get used to it." she sighed and dropped her head down into her lap again. "I'm not used to it yet at all..."