The memory of their shameful encounter had yet to fade, but against expectation, no one spread any rumours or made fun about them. The players who had witnessed this event did not think much about it. They had long forgotten about this and decided to pay every bit of their attention to acquiring their NPCs.
Although this development could not have been any better for the both of them it still left a bad taste in their mouths. While their reputations were not in any form of danger, it was their pride that had taken the brunt of the damage.
The feeling of being made a fool of did not disappear and was reminding them over and over again about the situation. His ridiculing smile, the gall to just disappear while they were preoccupied. Everything hateful came right back at them, making them relive the humiliation inside of their heads.
This grudge could not be put aside that easily but getting revenge for it is easier said than done. They had been searching for any NPC that even remotely fit his descriptions, followed even the most ridiculous rumour just to locate him. Yet, just as he had appeared, he quietly disappeared as well, leaving them without any chances with getting their peace of mind.
Finding him in the middle of the current chaos, was akin to finding the needle in a haystack. The only upside this chaos brought with it, was the fact, that he could not hide for too long before being found once more.
This hateful NPC would not be able to stay quiet for too long before mayhem occurred. Wherever he appeared chaos would follow. It was just as if, he actively tried to antagonize as many players as possible with his antics.
The dream of making Moirai their slaves was enough motivation to keep searching for his whereabouts. They had even hired other NPCs and used this manpower to cover as much ground as they could.
This actions still did not yield the result they had hoped for, but they would not stop just because they had suffered a setback. Their grudge was running way to deeply for that. Regardless of how much hardships they had to endure or how many dead ends they would find, sooner or later he would be caught.
This was enough to motivate them and to keep on trying against all odds. Even the most ridiculous rumour was investigated and searched for any kind of potential traces leading to him.
Given his unique appearance, it should be easy to spot someone like him. They had yet to see another NPC with burning hair or with strange runes embedded in his forehead. So any description that remotely mentioned one of these things was worth looking into.
Though the first one had claimed to have spotted an NPC, which was burning. This much was not a lie, though the charred remains left no doubt, that this had not been the NPC they had been looking for.
After it had been revived it did not even resemble the hateful face, they were looking out for. They ignored this NPC and kept their vigilance about all the rumours. But still, their persistence did not pay off.
The violent trouble maker, nothing more than a small fry and was taken care of in a matter of seconds. He had been taken in by someone else and was promptly forgotten.
An NPC with a unique fighting style, a good find but still a disappointment in comparison to their target. It was quickly subdued and had no other choice then abiding by the rules of someone else from now on.
Someone who decided to be sneaky to escape from the players was discovered quickly and could not escape the fate of its brethren. It did not take much effort to convince it. Regardless of how many NPCs they had followed and spectated none had been able to refuse for more than a minute.
Every wee bit of confidence, which they might have had, disappeared with their capture. What was left was blind obedience for their masters. This sight kept on repeating no matter how many times they saw this scenario play out.
Not an ounce of pity could be found in their faces. They only found it lamentable, that they had to watch all of this just to maintain the minuscule chance of spotting the brazen NPC, that had caused their public humiliation.
No matter how many different NPCs they had looked at, none of it even came close. The NPC Moirai was shrouded in mystery and remained a complete irregularity in this world. Its behaviour could be compared to a player in its complexity and its manners and bearing did not resemble a typical NPC at all.
This weird mix formed the NPC called Moirai. This facts alone made it a rarity in the world of Primal Survival, but there was more to it than these words can convey. It did not seem to fit in this place. Its presence felt distant and foreign and its unorthodox nature raises a lot more questions than expected from a simple NPC.
But before they could get any answers from this NPC they had to find and capture him first, which was easier said than done after all the effort they already had spent on this particular task.
Laura and Samantha decided to take a short break and discuss the current situation before continuing their blind search. The odds of succeeding were not in their favour, that is why they sat down at a cliff and stared into the wide surroundings.
The scenery was calm and serene if not for the mob of players running all over the place searching for any last remnants of NPCs hiding somewhere. But they did not pay any heed to minor details like this.
For the time being and even if it was just meant to be shortlived, they took it all in and relaxed among the chaos.
Times like these were a rare occurrence for both of them. Between all of their responsibilities and the expectations placed on them, it was hard to be not under any kind of stress.
No words had been spoken so far as they were still enjoying the view, but the issue was nagging st them subconsciously.
Therefore it did not take too long before the obnoxious NPC became the topic once again. However this time around they started to discuss their plans after it had been caught by them.
By indulging themselves in their fantasy, they had found a way to deal with the lack of success. Whether it was Laura dreaming about possessing its combat abilities and the secret to its strength or Samantha longing for utilizing it in the upcoming battles.
Many different ideas were brought up and quickly agreed on. They decided to share the custody to avoid tension building between the 2 of them.
Although the competition was important, it was not nearly worth enough to strain their relationship over.
This entire activity was a luxury as they could not escape the responsibility waiting for them in the real world.
No Moirai and no competition could ever be important enough. Even if they would win in any contest the burden on their shoulders would not lessen, it would rather increase. The high expectations of their families should not implicate their core principles.
They were not willing to risk their friendship over this matter regardless of what others told them. That still does not mean, that they wouldn't do everything to win the competitions they took part in But betraying each other was something they wanted to avoid.
They kept on laughing and giggling while discussing the future of their (un)fortunate subject. Their vivid imagination and creativity delivered them enough content to fuel this discussion for a long time. From time to time they searched for new rumours on HolyTube but did not find anything worthwhile.
The latest development focused more on people showcasing their NPCs and making them do utterly ridiculous things. Some NPCs were forced to slaughter each other in cruel and inhumane ways, while others had to endure humiliation with a smile on their face. Others had to do whatever the audience demanded from the specific player, ranging from simple gestures to fighting against a monster.
This diverse content attracted a lot of different attention from people outside of this world but was not the thing Samantha and Laura were looking for. Finding a trace in all of this was nearly impossible and as much as they wanted to, getting ahold of their target was quite unlikely as well
It would have been delusional to follow this path to the end expecting nothing but success, they were aware of this detail, but losing themselves in their "fury" was a pleasant activity to pass the time.
It was a rare occurrence to be emotionally invested into something and it would be foolish to pass up on this opportunity to behave differently for once when the public eye was not focussed on them.
While looking half-heartedly at these broadcasts they stumbled onto something very interesting. They watched the stream from CallMeDaddy who was currently interviewing someone. But this interview did not take place in Primal Survival but the real world.
" Its CallMeDaddy and I am currently talking to a lead developer of Primal Survival. He is here to tell us more about the current situation. Mister Noclu, I am speaking for everyone one, when I say, that the current event is greatly appreciated by everyone. Tell us more about it"
His voice was a lot more formal and respectful in comparison to his usual tone. The clothes he was usually wearing had been replaced as well. Instead of the frill and bright colours he normally wore, he currently was dressed in a simple robe.
It was apparent just how much importance CallMeDaddy was placing on this interview as his entire persona had changed for this occasion. But the limelight did not fall on him but the person standing on the opposite side.
The developers of Primal Survival were normally very secretive, which made this type of interview even rarer. Every viewer wanted to know more about the entire situation.
" First let me say thank you for interviewing me on such short notice." said the person, whose voice could be heard for the first time. He was wearing the standard uniform of Casum Entertainment, which consisted of a black suit and fine jacket with their logo printed on it. The white dove, with its wings spread, had been their trademark since their establishment.
Although this way of dressing was considered standard on Earth, it was considered to be an absolute luxury to be dressed like this. Therefore it was no wonder, that every onlooker was staring intently at the middle-aged men.
" The decision to revert the safety of the NPCs had to be made. Although we promised a realistic depiction of the primal world, the interaction between players and NPCs did not occur as we had imagined it. Our aim was to provide an environment, which would motivate the players to talk and listen to them and sadly we failed to accomplish this feature."
His expression turned downcast after those words had crossed his lips. With the disappointment visible in his face he made a short pause before continuing his speech.
" But by giving the players the chance to do whatever they please to their NPCs we have found a way to achieve our initial plans. This possibility was welcomed by everyone and we from Casum Entertainment are glad that you found it to your liking. This has always been our greatest priority."
Those words were spoken with a captivating smile and a compassionate tone. It was apparent. that everything that had been said came straight from his heart.
" To provide our players with the necessary experience, we had to make some adjustments to their psyche. But do not worry every NPC you can possess is special, you will not be able to find any NPC which behaves exactly like any other. It will feel like they are real humans from back then."
" Granting the players this huge opportunity is the next big step in our plans for the future training of our youths. We tilted this part of the plan" Gotta enslave them all", its name should highlight the necessary actions for the future of Primal Survival."
The audience agreed whole-heartedly with this statement. Why should they care about the NPCs in the starter towns? Nobody considered trading with them or even talking to them. They had been nothing more than a tool to vent their frustrations on given the chance to do so.
At least this way players could find a way to make them useful. Since NPCs were not still not perceived as something else, it was a welcomed change, which players gladly used in various ways. Nobody was batting an eyelid and players did whatever their heart desired with the new NPCs.
Gotta enslave them all became the official motto for the period of time before the competition. Except for the tacticians, nobody was interested in utilizing the NPCs other than for the entertainment.
Even the tacticians were only interested in the number of NPCs under their control. This equation changed when the unique NPCs came into play. If an NPC was unique then it could be used as bragging rights or traded for monetary value.
This hot commodity was sought after but was not easily obtained.
The interview continued with the developer talking about his experiences with the world of Primal Survival and some funny anecdotes about the development of Primal Survival. This interview was well structured and easy to follow thanks to the professionalism from Call me Daddy.
Gotta enslave them all was a promising aspect for the future of Primal Survival, although the ramifications were nothing anyone could have foreseen.