The Seven Thousand Steps

The Seven Thousand Steps

Main Mission: Climb the Seven Thousand Steps

Details: In order to prove yourself worthy to join the Game of Worlds, you will be sent to the land of Skyrim, where you must climb the Seven Thousand Steps up the Throat of the World and reach the High Hrothgar monastery.

Reward: 500 Points

The Seven Thousand Steps? Skyrim? I wasn’t familiar with the name, but it had fantasy written all over it. Hopefully all those hours spent reading fantasy novels were about to pay off. Still, at least it didn’t sound too dangerous. Climbing steps? Sure. That, I could handle. Still, I wasn’t about to start until I was prepared.

Closing the window, I tapped the Store next. I have a hundred points and if I'm going to be climbing a mountain I'm going to need some equipment. The store opens, and it's nothing but a black screen with a search bar. No categories, no filters. Nothing to make navigating the store even slightly easy. Great. A floating keyboard appeared at the bottom.

Thinking for a moment, I type 'mountain climbing equipment' into the search bar. Instantly a massive list of items loads that has everything from basic clothes to swords and, strangely enough, a dragon egg. I frowned as I skimmed through the list. A lot of these the things described don't seem very useful, but there was a _lot _to pick from. All of the items were listed by price, starting with food, most of which were less than ten points and going up to... what look like outright superpowers. I can apparently gain flight for fifty thousand points and become a Dwarf for five thousand points.

I'd rather not grow a beard as a girl. The Trio have enough ammunition to mock me already.

Sorting through the options, she tried to be practical. She wasn’t some kind of adventurer. She needed the basics. A big backpack, robe, sleeping bag, cooking supplies, a tent, a pair of sturdy hiking boots, and a heavy winter coat. The total came to 97 points, leaving me with a measly three left. Not much of a buffer, but I didn’t have a choice.

After a bit of browsing, I selected a bunch of cheap things that I thought were practical. That was a bit difficult as I had never gone mountain climbing before, but at the very least everything I took should help me survive in general. A big backpack, rope, sleeping bag, some cooking supplies, a tent, a pair of hiking boots, and a winter coat. The total came to ninety-seven points, leaving me with only three. I really hope I got everything I need.

As soon as I confirmed my purchase, a soft 'vrrr' sound filled the room and I watched as the items materialize from nothing right before my eyes. They appeared on the floor, perfectly settled, as if they had always been there. I bit my lip. Is that how I was brought here? Teleportation? Explains why there aren't any doors. ... How the hell am I going to get out of this? Getting equipped, I close the store tab, I head back to the mission page and, with a deep breath, I tap the mission button again and confirm.

The world explodes into white light.

***

As the light receded, I'm hit by wind. Opening my eyes, I'm immediately stunned by the surrounding beauty. The sun, hanging just over the horizon, was illuminating the landscape in a way that made it look like it was on fire. I was standing on was at the foot of a mountain. The ground was covered in verdant grass, and just ahead of me, a long set of stairs snaked up the mountainside.

The first thing I noticed, however, was the bugs in my radius. The instant I arrived, I felt them. Bugs. Hundreds, maybe thousands, all within range. Relief washed over me. I hadn’t realized how tense I’d been, not feeling my swarm. Now, even with the cold wind biting at my skin and the swarm buzzing in my mind, I felt more like myself.

Looking around, I saw that I was on the other side of a stone bridge that went over a small river. On the other end was a small medieval village with. So that's a point for this place being fantasy themed. Although... it doesn't feel like it's fantasy. No, this place and the bugs look all too real. I kind of thought I would be put in a simulation or something. Can't I just leave? I don't see any walls, and if I've really been teleported outside...