49 You believe therefore you perceive that it is (1/2)
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.