Go West
From Create Your Own Story
You decide to head west, stepping off the cracked road and onto the rugged, overgrown path that leads into the wasteland. The wind picks up, howling through the hollowed remains of what once might have been homes and barns. The sky grows darker as clouds gather, heavy with the threat of a storm. As you walk, the silence of the dead land presses in around you—an eerie quiet, broken only by the crunch of your boots on the dry earth.
The farther west you go, the more desolate the land becomes. The ground is cracked, lifeless, with the occasional skeletal tree standing in defiance of nature's death. But then, just on the horizon, you spot something—a flicker of movement, barely noticeable against the backdrop of ruined farmland.
You crouch low, instinctively scanning the area. There, ahead of you, is a figure moving slowly between the twisted remains of old farm machinery. They're cloaked in tattered robes, their face hidden by a hood. Beside them, a rusted weapon rests casually in their hand. They haven’t seen you yet.
Something about them seems... off. There’s a faint glow around them, a shimmer that suggests they may not be as human as they appear. Could this be one of the resistance fighters, or someone more dangerous? You've heard rumors of wandering bandits, empowered by stolen injections, preying on those foolish enough to venture too far from the city.
The figure stops and begins scanning the horizon, as if searching for something—or someone.
You observe the cloaked figure closely, your instincts sharpening. The desolate wind continues to whip around you, carrying with it a sense of urgency. Two clear paths present themselves in your mind:
You could step out of the shadows and make your presence known. There's a chance this figure is an ally, perhaps part of the resistance hiding in the farmlands. If they are, they may have valuable information about the Maximus or resources you could use. But there's also a risk—if they are hostile, you might be walking into a trap.
Or, you could stay where you are, hidden, and observe the figure. There's something unsettling about the glow surrounding them. If they have powers, it might be safer to assess the situation before revealing yourself. By watching longer, you might learn more about their intentions, but waiting too long could mean losing the element of surprise.
