Back at camp, we were greeted by a group of surprised faces. The others had clearly been expecting us to return with worse news. I quickly briefed them on what had happened inside the dungeon, sharing our near-miss moments and the loot we'd managed to secure. James, however, headed straight for his tent, no doubt needing some rest after the intense fight.
Once I finished explaining the events, I decided it was time for a much-needed shower. After all the tension, the thought of relaxing by the river was a welcome escape. But before that, I took a moment to check my inventory. The Tier 4 bow we'd found caught my eye. It didn't have the usual red glow like it did in the game, but it still looked incredible.
In Albion Online, you could equip any weapon or armor you wanted, but you'd need to level up your proficiency with that weapon to use higher-tier versions effectively. Here, though, it seemed different. Despite only recently using a Tier 2 bow, I could wield the Tier 4 bow without any issues.
'Does that mean I could use a Tier 8 bow if I found one?' The thought filled me with excitement. This world was turning out to be even better than I had imagined. Without the game's artificial limits, the only barrier to using stronger gear was finding it. And with no markets to easily buy such high-tier equipment, it meant we'd have to earn or craft them, making everything feel more rewarding.
I decided to leave the bow in my inventory for now. After storing it away, I grabbed a towel and headed to the nearby river to wash off.
The cool water was refreshing as I sank into the shallow stream, letting it wash away the grime and sweat from the day's events. The temperature was perfect—not too cold, not too hot—likely due to our camp's proximity to both the forest and the desert. I stared up at the clear sky, trying to clear my mind.
'What should we do next?' I wondered. Completing more dungeons seemed like the obvious path forward. We could gather more silver, better weapons, and higher-quality equipment. But I knew that not everyone would be willing to dive into dangerous dungeons, especially given the pain we had felt in the last one.
No one could die here, but the pain? That was all too real. I could still remember the sharp sting of getting hit by monsters. James and I had taken quite a few hits, and if it hadn't been for the healing potions, we might not have made it out. The fear of that pain alone would deter many from dungeon runs, no matter how great the rewards.
Three Hours Later
It was getting late. The hunting group returned to camp, hauling back enough food to last us through tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, the gathering group had made good progress, collecting enough resources to craft some Tier 3 tools. But a problem had arisen—Tier 4 materials were scarce in the blue zones. If we wanted to upgrade to Tier 4 tools, weapons, and equipment, we would need to venture further or come up with another plan. That's when the thought came to me.
"We need to get a mount," I said, breaking the silence as I sat down next to James, who was gnawing on a piece of cooked chicken.
He looked at me, confused. "A mount?"
"An ox mount," I clarified, watching as his eyes widened in surprise.
"But how are we going to get one? There's no market to buy one," James replied, clearly skeptical.
I smiled and reached into my inventory, pulling out the trusty book. This book had saved us more than once, and I had a feeling it would have the answer to our problem.
I flipped through the pages and asked the question aloud: "Where can we find an ox mount?"
The book responded quickly, as usual:
[Ox mounts can be found around the zones. The higher the zone, the higher the tier of the mount.]
That was promising. Then I asked, "How do we tame an ox mount?"
The book's answer came again:
[You can tame them by giving them food. Mounts function similarly to the game. They are categorized as summons and do not need food unless you are raising baby mounts.]
James leaned over to read the answers. "Okay, but can your map show us where the oxen are?" he asked.
I hadn't considered that. "I'm not sure, but I'll check."
I opened my map and scanned the area. Unfortunately, there were no specific markers for oxen or any other mounts. "Nope, no luck," I said, disappointed. I should've added that to my wish when I had the chance.
"This could take a while, then," James muttered, finishing his chicken. "We should prepare an exploration party for tomorrow. We might have to comb through the area before we find what we're looking for."
I nodded in agreement. Finding an ox would be essential for hauling large amounts of materials, especially when we started collecting Tier 4 resources. It was the only way we could gather enough without wasting too much time and energy.
The next morning, we gathered a small team of six, including me and James. These were the most experienced players in our camp, and we needed everyone's expertise. Each person was outfitted with the best armor and weapons we had available, which wasn't much, but it would have to do.
"Alright," I began, standing before the group. "Our mission today is to find an ox mount. It's going to be a long trek, and we may run into some hostile creatures along the way. Stay alert, and don't take unnecessary risks."
Everyone nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. If we found an ox, it would be a game-changer for our camp's progression.
We set off shortly after sunrise, heading deeper into the map. The walk was mostly uneventful at first, with the sun filtering through the trees and a light breeze keeping us cool. However, the further we went, the denser the forest became. The trees were taller, their branches stretching out like claws, casting long shadows across our path.
After several hours of walking, we began to see signs of life. Small animals darted through the underbrush, and the faint rustling of leaves hinted that we weren't alone. Then, not far from a small clearing, we spotted it—a massive ox, grazing near a cluster of trees. Its dark brown fur shimmered in the sunlight, and it moved with a slow, powerful grace.
"There," I whispered, pointing toward the animal.
Everyone crouched down, staying hidden behind a thick patch of bushes. The ox was huge, larger than I had imagined, and it would be perfect for carrying heavy loads.
"Alright, we'll approach slowly," I said. "Remember, we need to tame it with food."
One of the group members handed me a bag of grain, and I slowly made my way toward the ox, careful not to startle it. Step by step, I got closer until I was only a few feet away. The ox raised its head, its large, dark eyes watching me intently.
"Easy," I whispered, holding out the grain.
The ox snorted but didn't back away. I inched closer, gently placing the grain in front of it. After a tense moment, the ox lowered its head and began to eat. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Then a small light surrounded the ox and me. Confirming that I had tamed the ox.
"We've got it," I whispered back to the group. It was much easier than I thought, but it was good.
James grinned as he stepped forward, helping me secure a harness around the ox's neck. Once it was tamed, the ox would obey us like a summoned mount in the game, allowing us to ride and use it to carry supplies.
We had done it. The ox was ours.
With the ox in tow, we began the journey back to camp, eager to share the good news. This was only the beginning, but it was a crucial step forward in surviving—and thriving—in this new world.
To Be Continued…