1 Into the wilderness

Arima blinked, her eyes adjusting to the harsh glare of the sun overhead. The last thing she remembered was sitting in front of her computer screen, fingers flying across the keyboard as she battled in her favorite online game, League of Heroes. But now she found herself in a place that was altogether unfamiliar.

She rose slowly to her feet, feeling the coarse sand of the desert flowing through her fingers. As she glanced around, she saw nothing but endless dunes stretching out in every direction. Confusion washed over her as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. 

Her heart racing, Arima reached for her smartphone, hoping to find some clue as to where she was. But to her dismay, there was no signal, no connection to the outside world. It was as if she had been completely cut off from everything.

Looking around once again, she became even more desperate, as there was nothing around her that she could use to locate where she was. The sun shining stronger than ever.

"Calm down. Calm down." She said to herself, "There must be a way out of this hellhole....yea, there must be."

Having calmed herself a little, she realized that even though she was in the middle of the desert with no water, food, or shelter, she was just fine. No thirst, no hunger, no headaches from the sun.

"Something is wrong here. I remember once, when I had to go to Dubai for the championship, the sun was so strong that after half an hour of walking outside, my head started hurting. So, why then am I ok after being asleep here for god knows how long, and like that's not enough, I'm not thirsty either?"

"AHHHHH!!!! JUST WHAT IN THE GOD'S NAME IS HAPPENING!!!!" shouted Arima in a fit of anger and desperation. 

But just as she was scratching her head trying to find a solution, she noticed something weird. On her wrist was a weirdly shaped golden bracelet with a green jewel in the middle. "I don't remember wearing any jewelry." 

Arima's fingers traced the intricate design of the bracelet, her mind racing with questions. Where did it come from? How did it get there? And most importantly, what did it mean? "Somehow it feels familiar."

She tried to remove the bracelet, but it wouldn't budge. It was as if it were fused to her skin, a part of her now.

Arima's frustration grew as she tugged at the unyielding bracelet, but it remained firmly in place. "Great, just great," she muttered to herself, her voice tinged with sarcasm. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something significant about this bracelet, something she couldn't quite grasp.

With a sigh, Arima decided to focus on the task at hand. She needed to find shelter and figure out where she was before she could even begin to unravel the mystery of the bracelet. Squaring her shoulders, she set off into the endless expanse of the desert, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of civilization.

A few hours later as Arima continued her journey through the desert, she couldn't help but marvel at her body's resilience . The scorching sun beat down upon her, but instead of feeling the usual discomfort, she found herself strangely unaffected. It was as if the sun's rays simply slid off her skin, leaving her untouched.

Curious and somewhat perplexed, Arima paused to examine herself. She ran her fingers along her arms, feeling for any signs of sunburn or heat exhaustion, but there were none. It was as if she were shielded from the sun's harmful effects by some unseen force.

A sense of wonder washed over her as she realized the extent of her newfound abilities. Could it be that the bracelet on her wrist was somehow responsible for this protection? And if so, what other powers did it possess?

Just when she was beginning to lose hope, Arima spotted something in the distance. As she drew closer, she realized it was an oasis, nestled amidst the dunes like a mirage in the desert.

With a surge of relief, Arima quickened her pace, her thirst driving her forward. As she reached the edge of the oasis, she dropped to her knees and cupped her hands, greedily drinking in the cool, refreshing water.

For a moment, she allowed herself to forget about the bracelet, about the strange world she found herself in. All that mattered was the here and now, the simple act of survival.

Having satiated her thirst, she decided to take a look around. Tall palm threes and green bushes could be seen all over the place. The water she had just drank came from a river that she could not see the beginning or the end.

What shocked her the most was neither the greenery or the river in the middle of the desert. The thing that shocked her or better said the beings that shocker her were the giant turtles roaming the land. They were not normal turtles either , they were taller than her, with different colors and .... full of muscles?? 

As Arima observed the peculiar sight of the giant turtles, her mind raced with questions. What were these creatures? How did they come to inhabit this oasis in the middle of the desert? And most importantly, were they friend or foe?

With caution in her heart, Arima approached one of the turtles, her steps slow and deliberate. The creature regarded her with curious eyes, its massive shell gleaming in the sunlight. Despite its intimidating size, there was a gentle aura about it.

Slowly, she reached out a hand to touch the turtle's shell, marveling at its smooth texture. To her surprise, the creature nuzzled against her hand, emitting a low, rumbling purr that reverberated through the air.

Arima couldn't help but smile at the unexpected display of affection. It seemed that despite their formidable appearance, the turtles were not hostile. In fact, they seemed quite friendly, almost... familiar.

Suddenly, a memory stirred within Arima's mind, she remembered now. Why the familiar feeling when looking at the bracelet or the turtles. She remember a game she loved and used to play before becoming a professional gamer. She spent countless hours farming, building and battling on this very desert.

As the memories flooded back, Arima's heart skipped a beat. She realized with a jolt of recognition that she wasn't just in any desert – she was in the world of Conan Exiles, the very game she had immersed herself in for hours on end.

The realization sent a surge of excitement through her veins. This wasn't just some random occurrence; she was a part of her favorite game, living and breathing its reality. But how? And why?

The golden bracelet on her wrist suddenly felt heavier, its significance weighing on her mind.

"And to think i tried so hard to remove it. Damn, could have been GAME OVER before it even began."

As she examined the bracelet once more, she noticed intricate engravings along its surface, symbols that seemed to pulse with a faint, otherworldly glow. It was clear that this was no ordinary piece of jewelry.

With a determined glint in her eye, Arima resolved to survive this hell like land filled with cannibals, monsters and much more.

She may have started this journey as a bewildered traveler in a strange land, but now she was something more. She was a player.

Arima took a deep breath, steeling herself for the challenges that lay ahead. She may have been a seasoned gamer, but this was unlike anything she had ever faced before. The dangers of Conan Exiles were real, and she knew that survival wouldn't come easy.

For now though, she knew she was still in the beginner area, named by the players " The newbie River". Though mostly safe, there were danger like hyenas, crocodiles and cannibals. 

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling roar echoed through the air, sending a shiver down Arima's spine. She froze in her tracks, her heart pounding in her chest as she strained to identify the source of the sound.

And then, emerging from the shadows, she saw it! A massive creature, its eyes gleaming with hunger as it locked onto its prey.

Arima's breath caught in her throat as she realized which creature it belonged to.

But before she could react, a pair of hands covered her mouth, preventing her from screaming while at the same time slowly dragging her back, away from the giant predator.

Realizing the potential danger she might be in she struggled to get free. In the end, after the giant creature went away the iron grip holding her, eased up and she was now free. Turning around to take a look at the person who grabbed her a moment ago she was shocked.

It was a tall, imposing man, clad in weathered armor and carrying a formidable sword at his side.

"Who are you?" Arima asked, her voice trembling with excitement as she now recognized the man.

"I am Conan, warrior of Cimmeria," the man replied, his voice resonating with authority. "And you, my friend, are in need of guidance if you wish to survive in these unforgiving lands."