Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

Before reaching the 8 hours mark into the Ordeal of the Dusk, we were met with harsh waves of consistent Calamity Objects galore,

They keep on coming and coming without giving us a chance to rest, reminiscent of the time where we fought under the presence of the Hollow Star on my first day.

—

[The Twisting Mariner]

[Description: A figure dressed in an old, tattered sailor's uniform, their skin gray and slick like that of a deep-sea creature. Their body is constantly shifting, contorting into shapes resembling underwater predators—arms elongating into tentacles, spine curving into fins—yet they remain humanoid enough to disturb the sense of familiarity.

The Mariner walks as though underwater, leaving puddles of saltwater that distort reflections. When they appear, the air grows thick and heavy, as though submerged, and those nearby feel a pull toward the ocean, no matter how far they are from it. As they approach the Mariner, they begin to suffocate as though drowning in open air]

[Hint: The Mariner can be warded off by burning wood from a shipwreck, as the flames disrupt the unnatural tide that follows in its wake]

—

Kuzunoha, ever unbothered, spun her parasol, her voice laced with amusement. "If I had a coin for every time a Calamity tried to drown me without water, I'd simply buy the ocean and be done with it."

Verina shot her a look. "You and your impossible solutions. But, if you're offering to buy the ocean, you'll have to deal with these slimy things yourself."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of taking all the fun away from you." Kuzunoha winked.

The Twisting Mariner weren't much of a panic-inducing crisis, but man do they arrive in large numbers. The fact that each of them contributed to the suffocating feeling of drowning under the sea regardless of whether we touched them or not, sucks bad.

Thankfully, I equipped the recruits with pikes. The Twisting Mariner came with all sorts of weapons, from a blunderbuss, to one of them single-handedly lifting a whole anchor before transforming into a half-sea half-man thing.

We suffered minor casualties in the form of brushes and open wounds from that encounter. Thankfully, Erika still got some of her medical items to help up with the healing.

We weren't given much time before we were introduced with the next wave of Calamity Objects, however.

—

[The Skybound Marrow]

[Description: A massive, floating mass of bone and sinew, pulsating in the sky like a grotesque, organic island. Its surface is riddled with jagged spikes and ancient carvings, and it drips blackened blood that poisons the ground beneath it.

Birds, drawn to the Marrow's presence, circle it endlessly, their feathers gradually falling off until they are skeletal remnants that fly as if bound by unseen threads. When the Marrow passes overhead, it emits a low, thrumming hum that causes the bones of anyone nearby to resonate painfully, weakening them and causing fractures.

Over time, these people feel their bones being pulled upward, toward the sky]

[Hint: The Marrow's attracting force can be repelled by grounding oneself with something heavy like chains of iron, as the metal disrupts its pull, but carrying the weight is its own burden]

—

Kuzunoha, ever unfazed by the surreal horrors, looked up at the Marrow with a sigh. "I hate it when they make me feel weightless. It's so tacky."

Verina grimaced, her voice tight as she felt the pull in her own bones. "For once, I agree. I'd rather not have my skeleton ripped out of my body, thank you very much." Explore more at m,v l'e-m|p| y r

Every second felt like an eternity, but slowly, agonizingly, the Marrow drifted away, its pull weakening as it passed overhead. The recruits were battered and exhausted, but we had survived another Calamity Object.

However, afraid that a group of them will come back to this bastion on the next wave, I immediately created a hunting squad consisting of Verina, Kuzunoha, and Kara, since she was the strongest when it comes to using her pike.

The hunting squad were successful, and they arrived at the bastion with bones! A lot of it!

I love bones, they can be turned into anything.

—

[The Emberhand Coven]

[Description: A trio of scorched, soot-covered figures that move in unison, their faces obscured by the ash clinging to them. Their hands are eternally aflame, but the fire does not burn; instead, it steals warmth from everything it touches, turning forests to frost and deserts to tundra.

When the Coven arrives, the temperature plummets, and their laughter—dry and crackling like burning wood—echoes in the distance. The Emberhand Coven is always hunting for warmth, feeding on the heat of living creatures. They are often seen dancing around a smoldering, frozen fire, the flames twisting and flickering unnaturally]

[Hint: The Coven's flames can be doused only by lighting a fire in an ancient kiln that has been cold for centuries, a task requiring deep knowledge of lost rituals]

—

"So, we've been through drowning, suffocating, and now freezing. What's next? Boiling alive?" Verina chuckled as she rolled her eyes, tugging her garb tighter around her shoulders as her breath turned to mist. "I might need to use a lot of lifeline to return the temperature that was lost."

Kuzunoha, still twirling her parasol with practiced grace, smiled faintly. "Oh, my friend, if we're lucky, maybe we'll just be turned to stone next time. At least then, we'd be statuesque!"

"Well, I'd rather not end up as an ice sculpture this time," I chimed in.

Kuzunoha's eyes sparkled with amusement, her lips curling into a smirk. "Oh, sweet Narcissus, you'd make a lovely centerpiece. One that I would bring anywhere just to brag in front of random people on the streets."

"That sounds like a bad idea," Verina playfully scoffed. "That will result in the mass brainwashing of people, turning them into an art-collecting zombie that will seek anything with Narcissus-related things in it."

"Now you two are going off the rails with the hyperbole."

"The idea alone makes me want to have a collection of them," Kuzunoha playfully grinned.

"I don't hate that idea. Why not try making a set? Verina added.

"We're currently in the middle of encountering a new Calamity Object," I dejected. "Have some worldly restraint."