She had a nightmare of a stone woman chasing her through a basement. It followed her up the dark steps, and Asa kept tripping. It was raining. The stone creature whispering things Asa couldn’t understand. All she had was fear and the lingering sensation of slimy things stuck to her wet skin.

When the stone woman caught her, when it spread her legs to inspect her, Asa couldn’t move. She was petrified as the statue tore at her cloth, as its cold fingers probed her. The hearts on her arm went out one by one, and just as the third was about to fade, Asa woke up, sweating and frightened.

As she panted and coughed, she realized she was in a soft bed. She’d smudged the white blankets and sheets with the grime from her body.

She still had on the worn gown and no pants; everything was filthy. Sunlight beamed through the windows, revealing a cozy cabin with a fireplace, a table, and paintings on the wall.

Visions fluttered through her head. Escaping the dungeon. The overwhelming sensations of sunlight bearing down on her, of the cool grass beneath her. The bat. The old man. The lust.

Eyes wide, she kicked off the blanket and checked between her thighs. Nothing. No signs of anything freaky having gone down. She collapsed, clutching her racing heart, but as she touched herself, she felt something hard and strange.

There was a ring on her finger. That face surfaced in her mind again, the man in her memories that made her heart flutter, that made her feel hot.

She hadn’t had this ring in the temple. The old man must have put it on her. It felt like the black tiles in the temple, and when Asa tried to pull it off, her head spun wildly, and she thought she might throw up again. She slid it back in place, her hands trembling.

The ring must have something to do with how she felt after the temple. She turned her hands to see that her palm was no longer burnt. Had the old man healed her too?

Three hearts. Nothing ached. In fact, everything felt amazing once her head cleared. She remembered mornings before this world, where she’d wake up exhausted, sometimes horny, but never wanting to get out of bed. Now she felt like she could run a marathon.

Maybe he was just a well-meaning old guy. Or maybe he would eat her. Maybe he was a monster in human shape, and she was just the meal.

She walked around the cabin, not sure why she was tiptoeing. It was all one big room. The windows were barred with wood. A table sat in the center with three chairs around it, all looked hand made. A glass of water rested on its surface, and Asa felt thirstier than she’d ever been.

The water felt cold and refreshing down her throat, and when she’d finish the glass, she touched her belly, eyes widening as pressure built inside her.

“Oh, fuck,” she whispered, cursing more and more as she searched around frantically. There was no sign of a bathroom. She pushed through the door and stumbled onto the dirt, holding down the shirt with one hand.

Breathing hard, she blinked several times for her eyes to adjust. The sounds of birds and bugs and rushing water filled her ears, but that only made her need more urgent. The wind teased her, ruffled her dirty hair and shirt. She heard barking and looked down to see the blue creature darting around her feet.

Lapis Bear - 70 HP

The smell of something juicy made her turn, and there was the old man, cooking in a pot over a flame. He raised his hand as if to say something to her, but the sensation of the creature rubbing against her calves was too much. Asa saw a path in the forest and darted towards it.

The creature chased her but paused when she hopped off the path. She didn’t look back as she raced through the greenery, dodging branches and leaping over bushes. When she found a quiet place between two large roots of an enormous tree, she nearly dove into it.

Squatting down, Asa leaned back, holding onto the roots and shutting her eyes, the hem of her dress between her teeth as she relaxed.

What kind of video game incorporated this? So, this was more than just a video game. All the normal things were still necessary. Sleeping made her stronger. Drinking felt good. Sweating cooled her down. Even this, relieving herself, felt good. Was everything rewarding in some way? Breathing? Eating? What about sex?

She touched her belly. Would she still be on her cycle? Did they even have tampons or pads here?

As she finished, Asa remembered how difficult it used to be. Before this world, she needed help to get to a toilet and then wash. As embarrassing as it was to go in the bushes, at least she could do it on her own now.

She returned to the cabin feeling sheepish. Her face red, she held her shirt down as the Lapis Bear darted around her feet. The old man pointed at a small structure near the log house. “I do have a lavatory, you know.”

It was a small shed, and she blushed even harder, rubbing the black stone on her new ring. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The Lapis Bear licked her ankles, and she knelt to scratch its head. Why was it called a bear if it was so small? Or was this a cub? Its fur felt spiky against her fingers, its tongue rough as it licked her hand. It had a short stubby tail, sharp ears, and blue eyes as bright as the clear sky.

The old man was wearing blue overalls. He looked like a farmer. The wrinkles on his face were deep, his beard flowing and grey, but there was a kindness to him that made Asa feel safe. “This will be ready soon,” he said. His voice was low and soothing. “There’s a pond around back if you’d like to wash up.”

“Thank you,” she said. The Lapis Bear followed her, but then it spotted a butterfly and raced off.

The pond was out back, enclosed by a ring of large stones. She slipped off the worn gown, letting it vanish into her inventory, and stood naked. She eyed the forest. It came right up to the pond, its branches stretching over her head. Little birds chirped somewhere, but she couldn’t spot any.

In the sunlight, everything felt warm and fuzzy. The wind raced around her, tickling her sensitive parts. This felt like a summer vacation, and there was another memory. In this one, Asa was skinny-dipping with friends at camp, filled with mirth and naughty excitement. But she remembered the temple, and she toed the water, her reflection shimmering.

She looked so healthy. Her tummy was toned and felt taught to her fingertips. Her arms and legs looked strong and muscular. Her shoulders were straighter, her posture immaculate. Even her breasts felt bigger and firmer when she squeezed them, triggering memories of being flat and avoiding bras, feeling unwanted and not sexy. Then she caught sight of her hips and turned slightly to inspect her butt. No wonder the Slimes had been so eager, this view would kill in some leggings. Now if only she could find some.

Undoing her hair, Asa let it flow down her shoulders and back. She tutted to herself, feeling the rigged, gross locks between her fingers, remembering the stone thing that had licked her scalp. Some shampoo and conditioner would be amazing. Then she noticed something strange around her neck.

Dropping to her knees to inspect her face, Asa saw a thick line around her neck. Almost like a dark choker to complement her pale skin. She leaned in close, touching her neck and feeling nothing out of the ordinary. It was black with her name stenciled in the center, making her think of a collar.

She sat down on a flat stone, her feet in the water. She shuddered at how cold it was, then dropped till her toes scraped the bottom. The water came up to her shoulders, letting her rest her head on a stone and watch the few clouds race across the blue sky.

With the bird songs in the air, the rustling of the leaves, the water cleansing her filthy skin, Asa felt like she could stay here forever.

Something licked her cheek, and she heard sniffing. “Hello,” she said, not moving.

The Lapis Bear pressed its snout to her neck.

“Are you curious about that too?” she asked, picking it up in her hands.

It licked her face, making her laugh and drop it into the water. It swam around, panting before stopping in front of her and pawing her chest.

“Okay,” she said. “I guess I should clean up.” Asa dunked her head underwater. The cold felt amazing against her face. The bear swam down to her toes and swirled around her legs as she rubbed herself all over.

When she felt clean, she climbed onto the stones, dripping wet but feeling refreshed. The hearts on her wrist were still there, pulsing gently to the rhythm of her heartbeat. They were much more apparent now that her skin was clear. She licked them. They didn’t taste like anything, and she wasn’t sure what she expected.

The bear continued swimming as she rung out her hair and studied her pale reflection. The light felt warm against her wet skin, and she wanted to lie down and sunbathe. Asa gasped when she saw the old man standing nearby. She covered her breasts with her arms, heart pounding as she looked up at his ancient face.

He presented her with folded clothes. “These are for you.”

“Thank you,” she said, blushing as he placed them on a stone in front of her. She covered her privates with a hand, an arm still held over her breasts. Had he watched her the whole time? Wouldn’t she have noticed?

He must have appeared from thin air just as she’d finished. Was he an NPC? Was he just like the monsters and everything? She lowered her arms slowly; his expression didn’t waver.

“Thank you for the clothes,” she said, feeling the heat on her cheeks. She stood, biting her lip, waiting for any change on his face as water trickled down her bare body.

She remembered being able to see his cock in front of the temple. Could NPC’s get hard? She didn’t notice any change in his crotch. Her nipples were hard now, but as far as she could tell, he had no interest in her nudity.

“Can you tell me about this ring?” she asked, holding her hand up for him to see.

The old man scratched his beard. “That is a Black Stone ring,” he said. “The material serves as a limiter.”

“Oh,” she said. That was why it made her head spin when she tried to take it off. This must be keeping her from freaking out again. The temple was built from this, she realized, and she had more questions about it now. For one thing, why didn’t it have a blue screen with information?

The bear jumped out of the pond and shook itself dry. When Asa turned back, the man was gone, leaving her trembling with naughty thoughts racing through her mind. She picked up the clothes.

WHITE SHIRT +4 Armor

BLACK SHORTS + 3 Armor

Pulling on the shorts was one of the most satisfying things she’d done so far, even if she didn’t have any underwear. The cloth felt lush against her, tight and soft, and she could stretch and squat and jog without any trouble. Wearing this in front of some guys would have been a lot of fun, she thought, gently smacking her ass. The shirt hugged her tightly as well, and she realized it was slightly translucent, but it would do.

Then she noticed the sandals. Wooden slats with straps for her toes.

GETA +5 Armor

She slipped into them wondering how footwear provided more defense than clothes, but as she walked around, feeling taller and stronger and much more solid, she couldn’t help but smile. Rubbing the hearts on her wrist, she made her way back to the cabin, thinking about her equips.

She wondered if the Sacrificial Dagger and the Black Stone were related in some way. If the burning was connected to the overwhelming sensations. It felt like a power or an ability, like her Piercing Blow, except she couldn’t control it.

With her dignity covered, Asa felt more at ease approaching the old man. He offered her a plate filled to the top with sizzling meat, peppers, and wild rice. She started salivating as she inhaled the delicious aroma, but it vanished in her hands.

“Where did it go?” she asked, her stomach growling, but the man turned and walked away. The fire was dead. Smoke rose from the embers, and Asa looked around wondering what happened to her meal. She opened her inventory, and there it was.

SEARED MEAT PLATTER x 12

She pulled one out. It was the same meal the man had handed her, but it was on a new plate, and eleven more remained in her inventory. The bear rushed over and barked around her feet. She dropped a few pieces for it to tackle, and Asa sat down on a log beside the garden to finally eat.

The man tended his garden as she ate. Blue screens flickered over everything, denoting tomatoes, okra, corn, wild rice, and other things. The sun was still rising overhead, and the air grew warmer, but the man showed no signs of stopping.

He pulled on weeds and watered more plants, and before her eyes, flowers sprouted and bore fruit. When he stood and stretched, she remembered the muscles underneath his clothes. She’d seen it clearly in front of the temple, every detail of his body, and she blushed imagining wicked favors and sexy things.

The ideas filled her with heat as she thought about repaying his kindness. He’d given her clothing and food, a place to sleep and heal. She pictured them together inside the cabin. She could hold on to his beard as she sat on his lap. As his big strong arms made her feel tiny and safe… she wondered if NPC’s could orgasm. Did they even feel lust?

When he finished, Asa looked away, chewing on the last bit of meat. The Lapis Bear scratched its back against the ground, happily panting at the sky.

“Feel free to help yourself to my garden,” he said, wiping his hands on his pants. “You can cook whatever you like. And you should try mixing various ingredients.”

“How can I repay you?” she asked, wiping her mouth as the empty plate vanished in her hands. She could clean around the house or something.

He pointed to the cabin. “My bed is yours as well. You can rest when you are exhausted.”

“Okay,” she said, wondering if he was on a script. “But what can I do for you?”

“Oh?” he asked, scratching his beard and staring at her intently in a way that made Asa wish she was still naked. He paced around for a moment before sitting down on the log next to her. He took a deep breath. “I dropped something in Fairy Lake a long time ago. If you can retrieve that for me, that is all the thanks I require.”

A big screen appeared in front of her. For a moment, she thought she saw the old man react, his eyes widening by its blue light. He seemed so real, so alive, and a little frightened. She almost asked if he could see it too, but he called for the bear, and he seemed to forget it. The screen flickered to catch her attention.

QUEST: The Earth’s Gift to the Sky

OBJECTIVE: Retrieve the SEED from the lake.

When the screen fizzled away, the old man presented her with a book. “This is a gift for you,” he said, his voice low and solemn. “It will keep track of your journey. You might find useful information by looking at the past.”

Asa held the crimson covers. It felt warm to her fingers, but she slipped it into her inventory, and the man continued speaking, pointing towards the forest.

“The bear knows its way to the lake. If you give it a treat, it will guide you.” He paused again, his expression one of deep sorrow. “Be careful,” he said, then stood and made his way towards the cabin.

She caught his arm. He felt warm and alive, and she thought he’d react.

Instead, he blinked at her absent-mindedly and asked if she needed anything. Then he repeated that she could use his flame and his bed whenever she’d like. When she turned, the bear was sniffing her sandals.

She knelt and scratched its ears. “Can you show me how to get to the lake?”

It nuzzled her calves, purring gently.

From her inventory, she pulled out another plate of meat and placed it on the floor. It sniffed the meat, then shoved its face into the food, making a mess, and making her laugh. When it finished, it wagged its tail and burped.

“Will you show me the way now?” she asked.

The bear jumped up and down, then bolted towards the forest. It paused at the dirt road, waiting for her to follow. Asa straightened her shoulders, failing to suppress her smile as she thought about how this was a clean slate. Even if she didn’t understand everything yet, she could grow much stronger here. She’d get to see the world. She wasn’t the girl confined to a hospital bed anymore.

The Lapis Bear barked impatiently, and she tied up her hair. “Alright,” she said, looking back at the cabin. The man had gone. The sun was high. All she had to do was get to the lake. If this world really was a video game, then she’d take it one quest at a time. “I’m coming.”

The bear ran into the bushes, and Asa followed closely, wondering what sort of creatures she’d encounter.