I looked to Sam, we had a whole day ahead of us, and I was itching to log back in.
"Want to go back to my place and game?"
"Sounds good to me! I'll have to get my setup though."
"Oh, and that means going home?"
"Yeah, but my parents should be out. I'll quickly grab it and head over to yours."
"Wait, I'll come with you."
Sam starts to run off and I follow along. It only takes a few minutes to get there, and I was shocked to see where he lived. A two-story home with a lush garden at the front and stone pathway leading to the door. There's bushes filled with flowers and hedges well-trimmed. It's amazing! Yet Sam just runs past it without a care and enters the home. I follow once more to see the interior is just as magnificent. Expensive paintings on the walls, furniture all in pristine condition and high quality. His family was a lot richer than I remembered, and Sam still didn't seem to care. Just going upstairs to his room, then back down to me. Having changed from his school bag to a smaller black backpack.
"Got it, let's go."
We walk back to my home. I unlock the door and lead Sam up into my room. I sit at the desk, and he sits at the bed. The two of us attaching all of our gear, then putting the headset over our heads and logging in. Back in the closest human town, my friend his barbarian self and me the ever adventurer. Partying up and looking to the quest board for any new missions.
"Hey, there's a player mission here."
"What's that?"
"Means they've put a bounty on someone. Wow, 1,000,000 gold for a single PK? The economy hasn't even started to settle yet, that's enough for end game gear!"
"If it's that much, it can't be an easy fight."
"Well, yeah. But we're two tough guys, what do we have to lose?"
I shrug as Sam accepts the quest. A marker on my interface displaying where the target was last detected. 'Deepwoods south', that's really close. Sam bumps my side as he leaves the tavern and looks for the target. We get into a few fights on the way, nothing too big and nothing too hard. Even helping some other players out who were getting attacked by opposing monsters.
The forests entrance is as dense as it sounds. A cluster of trees hiding whatever might be inside. Our bigger bodies have a hard time squeezing through. But we managed to get ourselves past the first barrier of trees, where it immediately clears to a flatter field. Greenery is still hiding most areas from sight, so we were on guard in case of an ambush.
We hunted for whoever held this bounty, there should be an indicator if we see the player. But the forests were quiet, we didn't see anyone. Nor did we find our target, instead he found us. Jumping out from behind one of the trees was an almost bandit looking figure. An older man with bald head and bright orange beard, mountainlike in length with countless braids stranded through. Stomach large and arms beefy. Watching us with a sly smirk, a gold indicator on his name alerting us that this is the target. 'Mugrel Isnim'. Sam steps in front of me, matching the bandits smirk.
"More adventurers? Hah, I had just finished locking away the last bunch!"
"Then you're nice and weak for our fight?"
"Barely got scratched, pup."
"Oh yeah? Then it'll be an even more fun fight!"
Sam waits for the man's response, though instead of words there are physical changes. Orange fur overtaking the bandit. Covering every inch of him as hands turn to claws and tail sprouts from his rear. His leather armour straining against his new size, head pressing forward into a wolf's muzzle, as he looks to the sky and howls. Countless eyes now looking at us from the darkness, other werewolves who seem entirely focused on us. We can hear their whispers, the beasts speaking to each other as we dare not move.
"Oooh. They'll make good wolves!"
"Yeah man! More packmates!"
"Get em boss! Show why you're the alpha!"
Mugrel looks to the gathering wolves, winking at them before charging the two of us. Sam ready to intercept and take the blow, as I draw my blade and retaliate straight back. But after only a single strike, I realise how doomed this fight is. Not only is this werewolf experienced enough to weave past most of my blows, but he's strong enough to almost drop Sam in a single hit. My tank having to switch from taking the brunt of the blows to trying to avoid each strike. But a second hit lands only a few moments after, as he drops to the ground and Mugrel turns to me. My blade striking clean across his chest, before his claw rips through my armour and knocks me unconscious. The burly werewolf lifting Sam on one arm, and me on the other, as he walks through the woods.
My screen is dimmed while being carried. I can barely make out the details of the nearby trees, or even the brute that's holding me. The bracelet tightening, implanting a new drive. I need to get free from this werewolf's prison. I can't stop playing until I'm out! These wants taking over my thoughts as the screen brightens, and I'm in an underground cavern. Back against the stone wall, entryway leading out to several more tunnels. It's a labyrinth I'm now stuck in, and I need to escape. Sam is next to me, slowly getting up himself as he looks to me with a determined expression.
"Okay, we need to get out of here."
"Yeah, I'm not planning to stay."
We get to our feet. About to leave our holding area until another human is thrown in. It doesn't look like anyone threw him back, it must've just been the game resetting a failed escape. Though the guy looks... odd. He's just in a loincloth, an older human in his early thirties with that same beefy build Sam has. Probably another guy that picked barbarian... but there's something else wrong.
Course black hairs are covering this human, nails longer than normal and feet pressing forward. A small nub pressing out of his rear as he stands and looks to us with a confused expression.
"You guys gotta... help me get out... Rrrrrrrggghhhh."
He starts to uncontrollably growl. The fur spreading before my very eyes. It was just like what Mugrel did, but far slower. The body expanding and being overtaken with new feral might. Nails turning to claws, head pressing forward, eyes focused entirely on the two of us. Teeth sharpening to points, tail sprouting and swaying from his behind. The man turned to complete beast, a humanoid wolf whose howls echo throughout the caverns. Control returning to the new werewolf, as he stands upright and walks past the two of us. Sam moving to protect me, but the beast making no moves to hurt us.
"I hope you fail, humans."
Sam looks to me, clearly worried as he rapidly speaks.
"Open your display!"
I do as he wants, seeing a new status on my bar. 'Lycanthropy - Stage 1 - 1 hour until Stage 2'. My chest has more hairs on it, my posture now hunched. A few growls and grunts escaping my character without any input from me. Sam looks to be the same, the bigger man's back covered in short hairs. Despite it just being a game, it felt like reality. A primitive fear implanting itself in us, as we thought about that transforming man. His sudden change... it was an example of what would happen to us.
"We need to leave, now!"