Sam loved to explore. He was only eleven years old, but every time his parents took him on a weekend camping trip, he'd wander as far as he could without getting into too much trouble. The forest behind the campsite was his personal playground, filled with trees that seemed to whisper secrets, animals that darted by just out of sight, and rocks that could be anything from hidden treasure to dinosaur bones if he used his imagination.
This trip wasn't supposed to be any different. His parents were busy setting up the tent, and Sam had slipped away, pretending to gather firewood. The crunch of leaves under his boots felt reassuring as he pushed further into the woods, further than he'd ever gone before.
Sam's eyes locked onto a hill in the distance. Something about it called to him. The way the light hit its jagged sides made it stand out among the forest. Curiosity sparked in his chest. What could be up there?
His small legs carried him quickly toward the hill, and as he approached, he noticed something odd—an opening, like a mouth, hidden in the shadow of the trees. A cave. He'd never seen one before, at least not a real one. Sam's heart raced as he tiptoed closer.
It was dark inside, but his adventurous spirit pulled him forward. With a deep breath, he crouched down and stepped inside. The air was cooler here, and the sound of the outside world seemed to disappear as he ventured deeper.
Sam's eyes adjusted to the dim light, and he saw something that didn't belong. In the middle of the cave was a strange, metal structure—gleaming silver, though it was covered in dust and dirt. It didn't look like anything from this world.
"What is this?" he whispered, stepping closer. His hand reached out before his brain had a chance to stop him.
The moment his fingers touched the surface, the machine hummed to life. Lights flickered across its surface, casting strange shadows on the cave walls. The ground shook slightly beneath Sam's feet, and the air buzzed with electricity.
Suddenly, the machine opened up, revealing a screen—filled with symbols and words he didn't understand. Sam tried to back away, but his feet felt glued to the ground. Before he could shout or run, the screen flashed with bright light, and everything went white.
When Sam opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the cold. Bone-chilling cold. He gasped, his breath turning to mist in the frigid air. He sat up quickly, his head spinning, and looked around. The cave was gone. The trees were gone. Everything was different.
Snow stretched out in every direction, an endless white expanse. Mountains loomed in the distance, and the sky above was a dull gray. His heart pounded in his chest as panic surged through him.
"Where… where am I?" he muttered, wrapping his arms around himself. His thin jacket did nothing to protect him from the freezing air.
And then, a soft ding rang out, followed by a voice that seemed to come from nowhere.
"Welcome to the Primal System."
Sam blinked. "What? Who said that?"
"Initializing... Primal System activated. Gather resources to survive."
Sam turned in circles, looking for the source of the voice. There was no one around. The only sound was the wind howling across the icy plains. He looked down at his hands and noticed something strange—a glowing blue box hovered just above his fingers, displaying a list of items. Wood. Stone. Tools.
Sam reached out hesitantly and touched one of the words. The box changed instantly.
"New objective: Collect wood."
Reward: 2 Primal Points
He stared at the screen, his mind racing. None of this made any sense, but there was no time to figure it out. He had to find shelter—and fast.
Sam wandered across the snowy landscape for what felt like hours, his body shaking from the cold. He didn't see any trees to gather wood. He didn't see anything except snow and more snow. His fingers were starting to go numb when he noticed a ridge up ahead.
Scrambling toward it, Sam hoped there might be something—anything—to help him. As he climbed, he nearly tripped over something buried in the snow. His hands brushed it away, revealing fur. A soft, warm fur.
Sam froze. It was a baby animal, small and fragile, with wide eyes that stared up at him. A baby sabertooth.
The creature looked weak, barely moving, but it was alive. Sam didn't know much about animals, but he could see it was in trouble. He couldn't leave it here.
"Hey… it's okay," Sam whispered, carefully scooping the sabertooth up. The tiny creature let out a soft mewling sound, and Sam cradled it against his chest, trying to share his body heat.
"New objective: Protect your companion.
Reward: 3 Primal Points."
The glowing box appeared again, and this time, it showed a tiny icon of the sabertooth next to his name. Sam stared at the screen, his heart racing, but a sense of calm washed over him. He wasn't alone anymore.
As the cold winds howled around them, Sam hugged the baby sabertooth closer.
The winds howled around them, carrying a biting chill that seeped through Sam's jacket. He could feel the baby sabertooth trembling in his arms, its tiny body pressed against his chest for warmth. Sam's heart raced, not just from the cold but from the sheer excitement of having a companion in this strange new world.
"Alright, little buddy," he said, glancing down at the sabertooth, whose wide eyes seemed to reflect both fear and curiosity. "We need to find a safe place. Let's stick together, okay?"
With renewed determination, Sam started moving again, careful not to jostle the fragile creature in his arms. The landscape was desolate, a vast white void with mountains looming like giants in the distance. He needed to find shelter before the cold became unbearable.
As he trudged through the snow, he glanced back at the glowing blue box, which had now shifted to display a new objective.
"New objective: Find shelter.
Reward: 2 Primal Points."
"Thanks for the reminder," he muttered, his breath forming clouds in the frigid air. "I was just thinking the same thing."
He scanned the horizon, searching for any sign of refuge. His eyes fell on a cluster of rocks peeking through the snow, forming what looked like a cave entrance. Hope surged through him. Maybe it would be a good spot to rest.
As he approached, he noticed that the rocks were warm to the touch, a stark contrast to the biting cold around them. Sam carefully set the sabertooth down, watching as it sniffed the ground, its instincts taking over. He felt a rush of protectiveness for the little creature. It was just as lost and vulnerable as he was.
"Stay close," Sam instructed, kneeling down to gather some loose branches and sticks that had managed to escape the snow's grasp. "I'm going to make a fire."
He fumbled with the sticks, trying to recall the fire-starting techniques his dad had taught him during camping trips. Rubbing two sticks together felt impossible in his current state, so he glanced at the glowing box again.
"Crafting option: Fire Starter."
A grin spread across his face. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"
He tapped the screen, and within moments, a small fire starter appeared in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, he struck it against a rock, and to his delight, a spark ignited into a warm flame. The heat was a welcome relief, radiating toward them as Sam hurried to arrange the branches around it.
"See? We're going to be just fine," he said, watching the sabertooth curl up beside the fire, its eyes fluttering closed. Sam sighed.
"Okay, let's see if you're a boy or a girl," he said, kneeling down to inspect the tiny creature. After a moment of gentle examination, he breathed a sigh of relief. "You're a girl!"
Sam smiled widely, feeling an overwhelming sense of affection for her. "How about Kira? That's a cool name for you!"
The baby sabertooth blinked up at him, tilting her head slightly as if she understood. Sam's heart swelled.
"Alright, Kira. We're going to be a team!"
As the fire crackled, he settled down beside the sabertooth, the warmth wrapping around them like a cozy blanket. The creature stirred, looking up at him with those big, innocent eyes, and Sam couldn't help but smile.
As Sam settled into the rocky shelter, a soft ding echoed in the air, drawing his attention. A glowing blue box reappeared above his hands, shimmering with a message.