Symbiotic: Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The afternoon light slanted into evening as Sara wiped down the alchemy bench one last time. The workshop smelled faintly of herbs and crystal dust, and the vials she’d crafted gleamed neatly in her Pocket Storage.

“Oh. That’s enough for today,” she said, stretching her arms. “Maybe more tomorrow, depending on what ingredients get turned in from the Job Board tasks.”

Tas shimmered into view, her glow steady. Sara tilted her head. “Actually, Tas. Can you identify any nearby places I could get more Small Life Crystals?”

The spirit shimmered, her voice calm and precise. “Yes, Viscount. Three options present themselves in or around the valley.”

She raised a hand, and glowing images flickered in the air:

• Sun Touched Rabbits - golden furred creatures that breed in large colonies. “They yield Small Life Crystals, quality pelts, and excellent meat. Harvesting a dozen will not harm their numbers.”

• Verdant Beetle Swarm - iridescent swarms that feed on wild plants. “They provide Small Life Crystals and carapaces useful in crafting. Their swarms are plentiful and easily culled.”

• Glow Wing Moths - bioluminescent insects that gather at dusk. “At night, they can be harvested for Small Life Crystals. If a nest is discovered, Glowsilk may be gathered. Highly prized for clothing and fine crafts.”

Tas bowed slightly. “I can prepare quest options for villagers, should you wish to delegate. Or you may hunt them yourself.”

Sara chuckled, already imagining the chase. “I could use a nice hunting break tomorrow. Let’s leave flower and plant harvesting for the villagers until they get some training behind them. But it’s good to know we’ve got options.”

Tas nodded as she noted Sara’s choice preferences. “Additionally, Viscount Bloom, the Liifewheat Fields territory is quite dense in Life Affinity, and Baron The Glorious Lion Who Roars at the Sun may have suggestions.”

Sara nodded, already planning. “Good thinking Tas. Life Affinity, those lions had in spades. I may check with Glory tomorrow.”

She turned toward the Market Square, brushing soot from her sleeves. “For now, I’m going to head back and get a room at the Inn for the night.”

Tas tilted her head, her glow flickering oddly. Sara paused mid step. “…What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

The spirit’s voice was almost amused. “Viscount, as the Owner of this Territory, you have your own Residence. Additionally, when your Rank was raised from Baron to Viscount, the residence was upgraded accordingly. Would you like me to teleport you there? As long as you remain within your Territory, I can send you to and from your Residence whenever you wish.”

Sara blinked, then laughed, the sound bubbling out of her. “Wait. You mean I’ve had a house this whole time? And you can just… teleport me there?”

Tas bowed slightly. “You need only ask.”

Sara’s grin widened, her eyes sparkling with delight. “I may have to change your name to Secretary Bury the Lead, Tas… Oh yes, does Sara want! Yes, Tas, send me home.”

The spirit raised her hand, light swirling around Sara like a gentle storm. The Alchemy Workshop and Market Square faded, the sounds of villagers dimming, and in the blink of an eye she was gone, appearing outside her upgraded Residence, eager to see what awaited her there.

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The mountain air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and stone as Sara stood on the upper slope of the northern ridge. Her eyes swept across Haven Valley, the invisible shielding around her perch ensuring no outsider could see her vantage point. From here, the view was breathtaking: the mines glittering faintly below, the village nestled at the lush valley floor, already bustling with growth and promise. What had once been a scattering of homes and a town square was quickly becoming a structured community, each new addition weaving into the fabric of daily life.

Newly created Crafters’ Row stretched along one side of the new Market Square, a lively street lined with workshops. The blacksmith’s forge glowed hot, sparks flying as hammer struck steel. Next door, the leatherworker’s shop displayed racks of freshly cured hides, while the engineer’s workshop hummed with gears and strange contraptions. The alchemist’s hut, still faintly smoking from Sara’s earlier experiments, stood among the row. Together, the row gave the village a rhythm of industry, metal ringing, hides stretching, glass clinking.

Beyond the workshops, The storage Granary rose tall and sturdy, its stone walls cool and thick to preserve the valley’s bounty. Farmers hauled sacks of grain inside, while children played near its base, chasing each other between carts. The granary was more than just storage, it was security. A promise that Haven Valley would be ready for what may come and would not go hungry.

Her gaze stretched farther, sharpened by her remarkably high Mind stats. At the valley’s edge she could just make out the partially walled front gates, the first couple thirty foot sections of stone rising like teeth on either side. Atop them, the faint glow of the Offensive and Defensive Nodes pulsed like tiny beacon lights. Higher up the mountain to the right, her lone Watch Tower stabbed into the sky, vigilant against danger.

Sara was so immersed in admiration that she nearly forgot why she was here, until Tas faked a polite cough.

“Ahem. Viscount Bloom,” the spirit intoned, “your Residence awaits.”

Sara blinked, turning away from the valley. She imagined she would find a large cottage, perhaps a farmhouse, something rustic and sturdy. But when her eyes fell on the structure before her, her jaw dropped so low she half felt she might need to cast Repair Self.

The Viscount’s Residence was no mere cottage. It rose from the mountainside like a fortress manor, wings of thick pale stone walls veined with magically glowing silver spread in either direction for what seemed like a hundred feet or more, its windows tall, arched to catch the light but angled to avoid an arrow. Balconies jutted outward, offering sweeping views of the valley below, and excellent turret placements. A grand stairway led to a massive 12 foot wide carved double door, flanked by statues of winged guardians. The roofline swept upward in elegant tiers, capped with banners that shimmered faintly with protective wards.

It was massive. Regal, commanding, and somehow all hers.

Sara stood frozen, awe flooding her chest. “This… this is mine?” she whispered.

Tas’s glow brightened, almost smug. “Indeed, Viscount. Your Territorial Residence has been upgraded to match your rank as a Viscount of the Contested Lands. It will serve as both your home and your seat of power in the challenges to come.”

It was then that Sara took her eyes off of the Residence itself long enough to admire the lands around it. And realized that the peak was no ordinary mountain. The summit her Residence stood upon formed a wide, shallow basin, its rim broken in places where ancient eruptions had torn the rock apart. The shape was unmistakable: a dormant volcano set among the cloudtop peaks, long cooled but still commanding.

The Residence itself seemed to nestle against its front, protected by the invisible shielding, with the domed crater rim surrounding it on three sides The thought sent a thrill through her. Her home was not only a fortress manor but also perched upon a place of immense, slumbering power.

Sara’s eyes lingered on the crater rim, imagining what it must have looked like ages ago when fire and ash had poured into the sky. Now, it was a quiet fortress, a seemingly solid wall of hardy Ironwood pines surrounding a lush edible garden of fruits and vegetables of all kinds. Actually, a lot of kinds she had no clue about. She’d have to ask Tas sometime.

She exhaled loudly, a wide smile tugging at her lips that she could not resist. “You mean to tell me I have a Secret Volcano Lair?!?!”

Sara’s childlike shrieks of joy probably couldn’t be head from the village below…. Probably!

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Still cackling gleefully, Sara climbed the broad stone stairs, each step echoing faintly against the quiet mountain slope. The banners above the portico stirred in the wind, and though the evening air was calm, she felt a prickle along her neck, like unseen eyes were watching.

When she reached the landing before the massive twelve foot reinforced doors, she paused. Her Intro to Architecture studies whispered the word portico into her mind, but the academic memory was drowned out by the sudden movement beside her.

The two colossal winged lion statues flanking the doors turned their heads in unison. Their eyes glowed with menace, gazes heavy with killing intent. Stone muscles rippled as if alive, wings flexing slightly, promising immense power should she prove unworthy.

Sara froze, heart pounding. Then a shimmer passed over her, a scan she could feel in her bones.

[System Identification: Viscount Sara Bloom]

The killing intent vanished. The lions bowed their heads low, wings folding, stepped back, and the doors groaned open, granting her entry.

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Sara stepped inside, and stopped. She didn’t know what she was expecting from her new home, but it wasn’t this. The entry hall stretched wide and tall, its vaulted ceiling supported by carved pillars that gleamed faintly with warding runes. The floor was polished stone, veined with silver threads, reflecting the light of enchanted sconces that burned without flame.

But it was the guardians that stole her attention.

Along the walls stood living statues of armored warriors, each one carved in the likeness of the races she had seen in Haven Village below. Two dozen statue guardians, all radiating intense power, all frozen in eternal vigilance. Their eyes glowed faintly, tracking her as she entered, but their stances remained disciplined, protective rather than hostile. She had a personal army in her hallway?

The hall itself radiated authority. A grand staircase rose at the far end, splitting into two sweeping arcs that led to upper balconies. Tapestries hung between the statues, depicting a story of the valley’s growth below. Fields, mines, workshops, walls, and more, woven in threads that shimmered faintly with magic.

Sara’s jaw slackened, awe flooding her chest. “This… this is mine?” she whispered, her voice echoing softly in the vast chamber.

Tas shimmered into view beside her, glowing with quiet pride. “Indeed, Viscount. Your Residence is both fortress and home. These guardians will serve you faithfully, as will the halls beyond. And should it not be to your liking, just let me know and I can change it to fit your needs.”

Sara took another step forward, her boots clicking against the polished stone. The statues’ eyes followed her, not with menace, but with loyalty. For the first time, she felt the weight of her title settle fully upon her shoulders. “OK, Tas”, Sara said as she looked around the entry hall that was itself larger than any apartment she’d ever lived in. “I guess we better have a talk about this Title stuff. I’m guessing it’s more than a tracker of how big a house I get?”

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Sara moved deeper into the grand hall, her boots echoing against polished stone. Each statue she passed turned its head in solemn salute, and though the gesture unnerved her at first, there was no menace in their glowing eyes, only loyalty.

The guardians were not faceless warriors of distant lands, but carved in the likeness of those she had seen in Haven Valley below. A towering human knight stood in full plate, sword resting against his shoulder. Beside him, a lithe foxfolk archer held a bow drawn, ears perked as if listening for danger. A badgerfolk warrior hefted a massive hammer, his stance wide and unyielding. Further along, a deerfolk shaman stood tall, tribal armor draped across his frame, a staff crowned with antlers glowing faintly in the firelight.

And there were more. Bearfolk clad in heavy mail, catfolk duelists poised mid strike, even hawkfolk and owlfolk sentinels perched high above with wings spread wide, frozen in eternal vigilance. Each statue was alive with faint energy, their eyes glowing softly as they acknowledged her presence.

Sara’s heart swelled as she realized: these guardians were echoes of her people, the valley’s strength embodied in stone. Their salute was not just to her rank, but to the bond between ruler and village.

By the time she reached the sitting room, her nerves had settled into awe. The chamber was warm and inviting, with high backed chairs arranged around a low table carved from dark wood. A fire flickered in the hearth, its flames steady and bright, casting shadows across the walls where more statues stood guard. Sara sank into one of the chairs, exhaling slowly.

Tas shimmered into view, her glow softening in the firelight. “Viscount Bloom,” she began, “it is time you understood the meaning of Royal Rank in the Contested Lands.”

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Sara sat in the quiet of her Residence’s sitting room, the firelight flickering across the statues that stood watch. Tas shimmered before her, voice calm and instructive.

“Viscount Bloom, it is time to summon your Signet. This ring is more than a symbol. It is the System’s recognition of your authority. Focus your will, call upon your bond to Haven Valley and the Mines, and the Signet will answer.”

Sara closed her eyes, steadying her breath. She pictured the valley floor, the bustling village, the walls being built for defense, and crafters’ row. She envisioned the mines glittering beneath the mountain, veins of ore and crystal waiting to be claimed. She felt the weight of her title, the bond between her and the land.

The air shimmered. A pulse of golden light coalesced in her hands, the sudden weight heavy and warm. When she opened her eyes, she was starting at her Signet.

A ring of what seemed like solid gold, but heavier and much more durable rested in her palm, thick and ornate. Without even needing to try, she knew that there was nearly nothing in the world that could cause even the slightest scrape on the surface of this more than metal ring. Its face bore a miniature relief of Haven Valley, fields and village etched in exquisite detail. Beside it, somehow, as if space upon the ring’s surface was larger than the rings size should allow, was the likeness of the Mines, tunnels and crystals gleaming faintly. The craftsmanship was impossibly fine, alive with faint energy.

Tas bowed her head. “Your Viscount’s Signet. Wear it, and the land itself will answer.”

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Signet Ring – Abilities & Bonuses (Viscount)

+10 to all Base Stats (Note: This is a System Applied Bonus to Base Stats and not an Equipment bonus.)

• Authority Recognition

o The ring marks Viscount Sara Bloom as the rightful ruler of Haven Valley and its Territories. All System bound entities and other Ranked rulers will recognize your Rank instantly.

• Teleportation to Residence

o While within her Territory, Viscount Bloom can will yourself to your Residence, and back to any location within your Territory at any time. The ring acts as the anchor for this ability.

• Territorial Command

o Grants access to the Territory Management Interface, as well as communication with Territory Assistant, (Designation: Tas), allowing Viscount Sara Bloom to issue Territory changes, sales and purchases, and monitor resource flow directly regardless of location. (Note: Some areas of the Contested Lands may block communication and access.)

• Resource Bonus

o Passive +10% yield for all Resource Nodes within linked Territories. The land responds more generously to its recognized ruler.

• Crafting Resonance

o When crafting within Viscount Bloom’s Territory, Allies gain +5% success chance and +10% efficiency in resource use.

• Defensive Aura

o The ring links to the valley’s Defensive Nodes. In times of attack, Viscount Bloom can channel energy through the Signet to strengthen walls or empower guardians.

• Ambient Energy Alignment

o The ring links Viscount Bloom to the ambient energy of her territory, providing a 25% bonus to ALL regenerations within her Territories.

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Sara slipped the ring onto her finger, feeling its weight settle onto her finger and into her very core. The golden band pulsed once, syncing with her heartbeat. She smiled as she felt the pulse of power within her as her base stats, compounded by her Commander ability, built upon each other the further reinforce her foundation.

Once the feeling of personal growth had passed, and Sara allowed herself a quick peak at just her current stats:

Core Stats (Commander Bonus 500%)

Body: Force 245 | Speed 275

Mind: Thought 255 | Knowledge 225

Soul: Self 265 | Sum 265

[Free Stat Points for allocation: 7]

Physical Defense 245 (+20 Armor +20 Shield) = 285

Mental Defense: 225 (+20 Armor +10 Shield) = 255

Soul Defense: 265 (+20 Armor +10 Shield) = 295

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Sara leaned forward, focusing on Tas’s words, listening intently as the spirit raised her hand. A glowing ladder of titles appeared in the air:

• Baron – 1 Territory

• Viscount – 2 Territories

• Earl – 5 Territories

• Marquess – 10 Territories

• Duke/Duchess – 25 Territories

• King/Queen – 50 Territories

• Emperor/Empress – Planet

Tas’s voice carried weight, each word resonating with the authority of the System itself. “At first, as you have been experiencing thus far, the Contested Lands are a battle for individual power. Challengers first must succeed, or die, as individuals. Either rising in power to arrive in the Contested Lands, or perishing and becoming nothing more that fuel for the growth of others."

"Then, as they enter the Contested Lands, the game changes. Individuals begin to encounter System NPC’s such as Haven Village, and, inevitably, other Challengers. The System does not block or limit Challenger interactions, which means that every interaction with another Challenger can be a new Ally or a new Enemy. The System encourages combat, as through combat comes growth. So Challengers meeting will often find themselves receiving quest options that …”

Sara watches startled as Tas’ voice cuts of and she flickers wildly before disappearing and reappearing moments later. “Forgive me, Viscount. We should return to the discussion of Ranks.”

Sara blinked. What had happened there. She wanted to ask, but she could feel that it would be a bad idea at the moment. Tas had been talking about violence between Challengers, and seemed to be saying that the System promoted Challengers to fight each other? But why? There was more to the story, she was sure. But she was equally sure that asking for information now would get her nowhere.

“As I was saying. The first ranks are individual. But as Challengers reach the Contested Lands, they will find opportunities to band together as parties, or, as you have, to acquire ownership of Territories.”

“Once Territory ownerships have been established, the next level of the contest begins. Each Territory ruler then fights to claim and hold territory, to grow stronger, to rise in rank, all while defending their territory, through combat, statecraft, or financial dominance. But as power expands, the struggle shifts. It becomes a battle of groups, then territories, then kingdoms. Alliances form, wars rage, and the land itself becomes the prize.”

Sara’s eyes widened as the glowing ladder pulsed, the higher ranks shimmering brighter.

“The Contested Lands remain contested until one person is named by the System as Emperor or Empress,” Tas continued. “Only then is the struggle for the planet decided. But the endgame does not stop there. Once a plnetary ruler is chosen, the battle moves beyond the planet itself & into the Contested Realms. There, rulers clash across worlds, vying for dominion over Solar Systems, Galaxies, and more.”

The fire crackled, and Sara sat back, her mind racing. The statues around the room seemed to stand taller, as if the weight of Tas’s words gave them new purpose.

Tas bowed her head. “Yes, there is a long road ahead of you, Viscount Bloom. You have taken your first steps. The path ahead is vast, but it is yours to walk. And to walk that path is to risk leaving what you guard behind. So now is the time to shore up your Territory defenses, build up their foundation for growth, and ready your people to protect what is yours while you take steps to expand.”

Sara stared into the flames, excitement and determination warring with concern and lack of confidence in her chest. Was she ready for this? No. Was she even the right person for this? Sure, she’d lucked into ownership of the valley somehow. And she’d thought herself on top of the game. But now she realized the game had not even started. The game pieces were still just being placed. Haven Valley was only the beginning.

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