Ark - Survivors Lost In Time - Exodus

Day One

We knew where we wanted to set up camp, we had claimed it before we were dropped, we knew we wanted the Hidden Valley, Oasis some called it, while our numbers were small, we knew we could be safe in a place like Oasis, it was hidden, surrounded by cliffs with only three clefts leading into the main valley from the northern shore. Water was easy to find as was food in the form of fish in the lake and berries in the bushes that grew around the base of the cliff.

We did not know how much time we would have between the drop and the availability of the valley, the last thing we wanted was to go into a fight outnumbered and unarmed. The Shadow Knights are everywhere now, we never know when one of their tribes will attack or who, their attacks are random but often well organized, they hit fast hard and get out before the victims can mobilize. It has always been their method on every Ark that our civilization had been on. While we the Nomad were considered a neutral company there are always those Shadow Knights that are willing to bend the rules and attack those less fortunate then themselves to gain coveted resource, and the Divine Knights, our so called protectors will only go so far to get revenge for a fallen tribe.

It was almost time now, we are all waiting patiently in our cryo pods, the time was coming, Cradix, was across from me in his pod, Kabr, in the pod beside me, and Skull across from him, we could see the members of the other factions in their own pods eyeing each other wearily, this was one of the few times that we were all in the same place at the same time. Before a drop to a new Ark.

"Oasis," Cradix mouth he closed his eyes and disappeared.

I closed my eyes, then felt my bare back hit the hot sand of the beach, I opened my eyes, and looked around, the sound of waves on the sand and wind in the palms filled my ears, the taste of salt on my tongue as the sea mist sprayed up at me from the water. I glanced down at my left arm, there was the diamond shaped beacon that bound me to this Ark, it was my life force it was all of our life forces, they draw their power, and in concurrence my own power from the three obelisks that floated around the Ark, I looked North I could barely make out the Blue Obelisk in the distance just past the Ice Fangs. I tried to get my bearings I knew I was in the north close to where the Hidden valley was, fortunate I suppose, I would not have to make it as far alone.

Movement to my left pulled my attention from the mountains to the north, a Dilo. Dilophosaurus the acid spitting punks of the Ark, these guys were everywhere and while they often did not pose much of a threat to me, currently, naked and unarmed I was defenseless, I moved before it saw me, I ducked around a nearby boulder and continued north without incident.

I continued along the coast, it was far to dangerous to step foot into the trees unarmed. Until I could meet up with the others and start harvesting and crafting our weapons and armor I would stick to the hot sand. I stopped dead, a few hundred yards ahead of me was a Trike, his head was down as he single minded clipped away at the fronds of a fern. While only a threat if provoked Trikes were easily startled and had horrible eye sight. I had two options take to the water and swim around him, or go into the trees, I looked at the dark forest at the edge of the sand, no I was not ready for that yet. I headed into the water, I would stick to the shallows. The water was as dangerous as the trees without being prepared. The cold salt water felt amazing on my sore feet, I would have blisters from the hot sand by the time I made it to the others. I waded through the surf until I was clear of the Trike, he never lifted his head, I am sure I would have been fine had I just kept my distance but I was not going to risk being respawned this early on. I made it back onto the sand and broke into a steady trot, my body could keep up the pace for as long as I needed I was used to this.

"Shit," I whispered as I came to a river, I was on the wrong side of the river, I could see the hill leading to the Oasis, it was two hundred yards across the river. I looked up river away from the sea, too many animals waded in the shallows, it was to dangerous to go for a shallower or a shore closer. I had to make this swim, I would either make it or not, I looked at the other coast, in time to see a naked human form climb from the water, he was quickly joined by two other men from the bushes, they stopped and looked back across the river, they waved. My tribe, I was almost to them, I could see them, but could I make it.