fanfiction Florian's Journal Chapter 9 (Wind Riders!)

[FlorianWind9]

HI!!!

Well; in the previous chapter we actually managed to get to the end without any structures being destroyed, or anyone dying......I think that may be a first for this story. By this point I was becoming a bit more competent and beginning to attain a firm grasp of at least the basic principles within the game. Still a long ways away from truly discovering the underlying secrets of The Island and possibly finding a means of escape; but hey, in a game where what you've spent the past few real life days building can be completely wiped out in a matter of real world minutes, any amount of progress is something to be excited about; even if it's just a progression of learning how to play the game better.

To Celebrate the Existence of This Game, and to Mourn the approach of its Death, lets see how long Florian can stay afloat and ride the winds of this mysterious isle.

FIRSTLY: I would like to state that this story is NONFICTION, meaning that every event is completely true and really did happen. wildcard did not provide a nonfiction prefix for me to choose, only a fanfiction one, so I guess that's what I have to go with...

SECONDLY:

IMPORTANT CONTEXT!!

              The events of this story are Very Heavily based upon the true life events experienced through the perspective of the player character Florian, Nine, Wind. The events are marginally smoothed to convert video game aspects into real life description, and ever so slightly dramatized for entertainment purposes; to make the story more enjoyable.

                These events occurred within the online video game “Ark Survival Evolved” which is owned by “Studio Wildcard”. So…while the original life events occurred through Florian and the other player characters mentioned within this story; the world scenery and visual assets, as well as the in-game story elements, were created by and are owned by “Studio Wildcard”.

                  These events occurred majoritively upon the “Official The Island Server 39”, with only the very ending occurring upon the “Official The Island Server 2”; and the planned Epilogue on the “Official Ragnarok Server 65”; all of which no longer exist. Server 39 and 2 would be considered "Legacy Servers" if they still existed. Server 65 would be considered a "Modern Server Soon To Be Ended" if it also still existed.

                  The player created events of this story occurred between the time period of the game’s early access launch, on the online video-game hosting service “Steam” owned by “Valve”, which debuted on June 2, 2015; and just slightly beyond the game’s "full 1.0 release" on August 29, 2017. More specifically; the story of Florian’s journey, which would be depicted within the completed version of this book(If I ever manage to fully complete it), transpired approximately between November 28, 2015 and November 4, 2017.

                    I am hoping that this story will be a way for people who love Ark; that have friends that don't like playing video games; or not open world sand box video games; but who may like to read; to show those friends what the game Ark Survival Evolved is really like; or at least what it CAN be. I am also hoping to convey to those who may read it what This Video Game Has Meant To Me Personally.

                  So...Without Further ADO...I Hope You Enjoy!  

 

76                                                                                                                                          76

Chapter 9

Wind Riders!

                I woke early the next morning…and stretched my extremities beneath the patch-work hide blanket... The thatch mattress had been a bit prickly to sleep on…but it was a welcome comfort, amongst everything that had happened.

              Glancing around the gently swaying house-boat, I noticed Pqpe leaning against one of the open windows; intently staring at the holographic panel, which sprang from his left wrist. Emerging from the warm bed into the brisk morning air, I yawned deeply and asked; “You’re up a bit early huh? How’re things looking out there this morning? Did we drift much?”

                 Pqpe continued to gaze at his holographic panel while responding; “I couldn’t sleep very well last night……and no, we didn’t move much… Hey, you know where it says ‘Tribe Affiliation: None’?” I stood up, and walked sleepily over to him as I answered; “Yeah? What about it?”

               Pqpe pointed to the statistic on his hologram and continued; “I think I know how to create a tribe; or…is it register one? Well, in any case, the holographic panel is interactive! If I touch the tribe affiliation statistic, it pops up with an option for me to create one; since I’m not connected to any...”

                Seeing that I was still half asleep, and therefore unable to fully understand the significance of this, Pqpe resumed; “I’m thinking that one of the implant color modes, might be a Tribe-Chat channel. White is apparently an island wide chat, as we’ve seen…I think Red is a local proximity chat…I tested it out last night while you were sleeping, and heard my voice coming from your implant; but didn’t get any random responses from other people…I was thinking Green might be for tribe specific communication, but wanted to wait until you were awake to test it. You’ve been here longer than I have, and you’ve more or less taken the lead on things so far, so I think you should be the one to create the tribe registration.”

77                                                                                                                                          77

                Feeling a bit under-qualified, I gave him a serious look…then acknowledged; “Okay…if you’re sure?” Pqpe nodded in the affirmative, as I double-tapped my implant to bring up the hologram.

                 I then navigated to the tribe affiliation statistic and touched it. The screen’s text swiftly changed to depict the words; ‘Create Tribe’, under which was an empty rectangular space above a keyboard of letters.

               ‘It wants me to choose a name?’ I looked towards Pqpe; “Since we’re living on a boat…how about ‘Wind Riders’? We use the wind to travel around…we’re flexible, and will go where-ever the wind takes us…also my last name is wind, so it works on multiple levels!” Pqpe simply nodded saying; “Sure; sounds good to me.”

                 I typed in the letters, and touched a confirmation button. With a shifting of visuals, the panel quickly changed to display the tribe designation; ‘Wind Riders’, at the top of a screen which listed the members of the tribe…along with various signifying options concerning them. Seeing as the clan was newly created, it currently listed only me; with the title; ‘Tribe Leader’, beside my name.

                 There were also instructions on the panel, for how to add more people to the list; “face your implant towards that of another individual’s implant, and press the ‘invite’ option when this screen is viewable on their display. The other individual will then have the choice of pressing either the ‘join’ or ‘ignore’ options, which will become available on your display.”

                  We followed the directions just as they were described…and after a brief flashing of transferring energy between our implants, not only did Pqpe’s name show up on the list; but he could view the tribe’s information on his holographic screen as well. Pqpe pressed his hologram off, and began swiping through his implant’s color modes; setting it to green as he said; “There, now we should be able to keep in communication with each-other privately; without bothering anyone else. Let’s give it a go!”

               I turned my own panel off, and set my implant so that it acquired the slightest hint of a green hue; then pressed down on the diamond while speaking clearly into it; “Will this work?” ‘Will this work?’

               Success! My voice echoed from Pqpe’s implant, without anyone else responding!

78                                                                                                                                          78

              Suddenly filled with an excited energy, I rushed to the rudder controls shouting enthusiastically; “This is great! What do you say we head to shore, and give it a proper test by doing some inland exploration?!”

               Pqpe dismissed my fervor with a passive wave, and dropped onto his bed with a muffled creak; “Told you; I didn’t sleep so good last night. You can head off into the wild unknown if you want, but I’m going to stay right here; and try to get used to sleeping on a moving floor.”

               My eagerness now greatly diminished…I walked over to the storage containers, and began removing various materials as I asked; “How bout you help me build a basic raft real quick then? That way I can head back to the coast, and you can stay out here getting used to the waves.”

                  Uttering a quiet grumble in protest, Pqpe rose from his bed and began sorting through the extra resources we’d gathered before beginning our initial voyage. With his help, it didn’t take long to construct a simple wooden floor…securely attached to a base of buoyant logs…with a steering rudder hooked to the back…and a sail-covered mast tied on front. Before the morning sun had crossed even half-way to the middle of its daily arc, I was speedily sailing off towards land; while Pqpe waved from the open door of our house-boat.

              Swiftly approaching the swamp-covered shoreline, which was closest to the location of our raft-house, I noticed the looming figure of yet another enormously floating metal tower; this one radiating with a green vitality. ‘That’s three different ones now I’ve seen…red…blue…green. Were there any more? What did they mean?’ No-matter their importance…it seemed getting to this one, would likely be far too difficult a trek for today; as it appeared that I’d have to make my way through the ever growing marshland before me in order to reach it.

                After only a few minutes of travel, I found myself gently coasting along the mangrove covered shoreline of the large swampland. The water here was green, with a thick layer of algae; and smelled of sulfuric methane. The area appeared to be mostly covered in a shallow blanket of water, with a large sandbar following along its ocean side; which opened in a few spaces, so that it was difficult to tell where the marsh ended and the sea began.

79                                                                                                                                          79

            Peppered here and there, I could see the tops of large boulders sunk deep into the soft ground; so that they barely poked above the algae coated surface.

               Curiously glancing through the dense forest of lengthy mangrove roots, which acted as stilts coming from the water to support large trees above, I couldn’t tell how far inland the wetland persisted; but it seemed to cover an area of about two or three miles down the coast. The air hummed with the buzzing wings from thousands of insects, and sang with the varied calls from a multitude of other creatures; hidden deep amongst the steaming muck.

               Finding a very large spine of rock, poking a few feet above the ocean waves, I securely wedged my raft against it; so that it wouldn’t drift away…and hopped off with a splash into the cold, refreshing water. Swimming a couple yards through the gentle surf, I came to stand upon the unstable sandbar; a few feet from the mangrove jungle.

               While quietly reminding myself to stay alert for potential dangers, I heard a loud cracking of wood and quickly turned to look in the sound’s direction!

               A few yards down the sandbank to my right, I saw the giant greyish-tan form of a Paraceratherium; bending the trees as it squeezed between them, and stepped out into the open near the water’s edge.

               I wasn’t too concerned by its sudden appearance, as I knew that it wasn’t a carnivore, yet still; just the size of it made the creature something to be cautious of. The animal looked to be about thirty feet high, and forty feet long; with a large bushel of hair on the tip of its lengthy, skinny tail. It stood upon four massive elephantine legs; which rose like thick trees up to its body, covered in a thick leathery hide. The animal’s long, muscular neck carried its huge bulbous head; with a pair of squinting eyes beneath two pointed little ears. I watched carefully…as it bent its neck slowly down…and began taking long, deep gulps of water; apparently preferring the ocean’s clear liquid to the swamp’s algae encrusted surface.

               A loud screech then assaulted my eardrums, as a small flying figure suddenly swooped down from the branches above; aiming for my head!

              I ducked just in time to avoid the collision, and followed its path with my eyes as it flew off to my left.

80                                                                                                                                          80

             It was a Dimorphodon; a relatively harmless creature about two feet long, with a three foot wingspan. It had two little four-clawed feet at its back, with a long skinny tail between them…a little three-clawed hand in the middle of each winged arm…a long, bulky head; which was a bit large in comparison to its body, with sharp little teeth filling its mouth…an almost cute, little predatory eye on either side of its head…and a thin covering of colorful purple and red feathers over its torso; as well as along its wings.

               While carnivorous, I was certain that such a tiny creature would prefer insects and small rodents to larger prey.

             However, it did seem possible, that a group of them might perhaps swarm larger quarry…especially if they felt threatened.

             Though the Dimorph had darted violently towards my head…it may have actually done so in sympathetic warning; as by following its flight to my left, I suddenly found myself looking down a tunnel of teeth!

             My muscles springing to action before my mind had even processed the danger, I leapt to the right and fell into a roll; narrowly dodging the swiftly clamping jaw!

             The creature had crept upon me so slowly and silently from the ocean, that I hadn’t even had the slightest hint it was there!

             Barely taking notice of what the beast was, I rushed to the water and dove towards the relative safety of my raft!

            The monster eagerly pursued me into its natural environment; and lunged with a crashing snap!

             It missed its mark by just a few inches, as I spun in the current of its rapid movement; while it swam past me propelled by its huge, powerful tail!

           Regaining control of my underwater position; time seemed to slow for just a moment…as I found myself looking at the largest alligator I’d ever seen!

              Despite my bloodily, and painfully, honed skills of situational awareness…it seemed I’d become the easy target of a previously prehistoric Sarcosuchus!

81                                                                                                                                          81

                The beast looked to be about thirty feet long, and as though it could stand about six feet high. It had four strong legs; each with five webbed toes, which carried deadly sharp claws. Its extensive, muscular tail appeared perfectly suited for aquatic predation; and its long, slender snout filled with large jagged teeth; would be ideal for waterside ambush. Its bulbous nostrils, and pair of upwardly set eyes, would certainly allow it to move alertly; unseen beneath the waves, as it approached its target from a distance…and its deeply green, leathery hide would help camouflage the creature against the thickly green algae of the swamp.

               In desperation, I kicked and grasped my way through the water; knowing that my only hope for escape, however slim, was to reach the raft and unfurl its sail!

                The Sarco charged at me again through the twelve foot deep water; and barely missed catching my legs as I scrambled aboard the raft! It took a large bite out of my modest vessel’s back left corner, as I quickly untied the ropes which kept the sail closed; and let the wind take hold, while I pushed against the rock to free it from its lodging!

                The Sarco came at me once more, propelling itself out of the water in attempt to land on the raft, but missed its chance by just a few centimeters; as a strong gust of wind took me rapidly down the coastline, and out of its reach!

               With a heavy sigh of relief…my body shaking from the fear and adrenaline…I abruptly decided, that my little exploration trip would be done for the day.

             Turning the rudder, so that I’d be heading towards the general direction of the raft-house, I pressed down on my implant and pleaded with a shiver; “Pqpe! Can you hear me?!”

              A brief moment of silence…then clear as if he had been standing right beside me, I heard his comforting voice; “Yeah! Guess this really does work then? So…how’s your exploration going?”

              Another sigh of relief…and then I responded with renewed confidence; “I’m headed back now. I took a closer look at that swamp we passed by yesterday... Seems like a pretty dangerous place! I nearly got killed by a giant alligator! The raft…will need some repairs.”

82                                                                                                                                          82

             Pqpe replied with a slight hint of concern; “Really? Hmm… Maybe we shouldn’t stay parked over on this side of the island then? If the nearest coast is that dangerous, it could be difficult to go ashore for resources? Although…there seems to be a lot less people living on this side as well…maybe because of the swamp? Well…tomorrow’s another day. We’ll figure out what to do in the morning eh?”

              With the sun slowly drifting into the start of late afternoon, I could just make out the shape of the raft-house on the blue-framed horizon, as I answered with renewed determination; “Yeah! We’ll figure it out tomorrow!”