Symbiotic: Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Sara moved in silence, the battlefield quiet now except for occasional comments carried on the wind from those that had watched the once sided battle from the Wall. She knelt by each fallen mercenary, hands steady as she searched their bodies. Coins, weapons, scraps of parchment, and relics were gathered with care, each item tucked away without ceremony. She did not rush. She did not speak.

When the looting was done, she stood over them, her armor heavy, her breath slow. Absorbing them would have been efficient, but the thought twisted in her gut. It felt wrong. These had been Challengers, like her. Whatever their intent, whatever their threat, they had fought as people. She could not bring herself to strip them of more than what they had carried. She did Not want the thought of them as part of her network. It was a very unscientific reaction, but it was hers.

One by one, she dragged the bodies to the edge of the Lifewheat fields. The golden stalks swayed gently, whispering in the wind. She left them there, laid out for whichever Life Lion prowled nearby.

The stalks parted, and She Who Laughs Last emerged, her mane shimmering with the glow of the fields. In her jaws she carried the Berserker’s greataxe, which she spat into the dirt with a dull thud. Then she bowed her great head to Sara, a gesture of respect, before seizing the bodies and pulling them into the golden expanse. Sara heard her call, a deep resonant sound, summoning the Pride to feast on the meat she had provided.

Sara stood for a moment, watching the fields ripple as the lions gathered. Then she sighed, the weight of the fight pressing down on her shoulders. She turned back to the gatehouse, waiting for the heavy doors to open before stepping inside.

She knew the fight had been necessary. She needed to understand what her power meant against higher levels, what abilities she could expect from others. What the Valley needed to be able to defend against. And in the heat of it, she had even enjoyed herself… the clash, the test, the surge of strength.

But now afterwards, with time to think and silence to endure, the enjoyment soured. She did not like killing people. Or rather, she realized with a heavy pang, she only counted other Challengers as people. That thought sat uneasily in her chest. What did it mean that she only considered Challengers as ‘people’ when it came to killing? Probably not anything good. Probably something she would have to come to terms with, and quickly.

The heaviness lingered as she walked through the gates and into Haven Valley, her body strong but her spirit weighed down. She inventoried the weapons she had acquired, and tossed them into her ever expanding Pocket Storage Inventory.

“Tas”, she asked wearily. “Can you handle assigning the mercenaries their spaces in the Barracks and introducing them to their VDF Captains please? And send me back to the Residence.”

Sara ignored the System Dings and the Notifications she knew awaited her. She was not ready to face them.

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[Item Acquired: Black Edge Longsword]

Type: Rare Weapon (Longsword)

Description: A steel blade with a dull black glow along its edge, unnaturally sharp and heavy in the hand.

Stats:

• Force: +8

• Speed: +5

• Self: +2

• Passive Effect: Edge of Hunger – strikes ignore 20% of target armor and inflict minor Soul damage.

Ability:

• Dark Resonance (Triggered): Once per encounter, a strike may release a pulse of shadow energy, reducing enemy Self by 10% for 15 seconds.

Slot: Main Hand

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[Item Acquired: Venombrace Daggers]

Type: Rare Weapon (Throwing Daggers, Set of 3)

Description: Slim steel blades mounted in a leather brace, faint green sheen clinging to their edges.

Stats:

• Speed: +5

• Thought: +5

• Passive Effect: Returning Bite – daggers instantly return to the brace after being thrown, causing additional bleed damage on removal.

• Passive Effect: Venom Film – blades are perpetually coated in poison, inflicting Body toxin damage over 10 seconds.

Ability:

• Triple Fang (Triggered): Throw all three daggers in rapid succession; each hit stacks poison potency by +25%.

Slot: Main Hand / Off Hand

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[Item Acquired: Staff of Renewal]

Type: Rare Weapon (Healer’s Staff)

Description: Pale wood shaft wrapped in silver filigree, glowing faintly with restorative light.

Stats:

• Knowledge: +5

• Self: +7

• Sum: +7

• Passive Effect: Healing Flow – increases effectiveness of healing abilities by 15%.

• Passive Effect: Soul Regeneration – restores 2 Soul Energy per minute to wielder.

Ability:

• Renewal Surge (Triggered): Once per encounter, channel staff to restore (Soul Sum x2) health to allies within 20 feet.

Slot: Two Hand

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[Item Acquired: Whisperwind Longbow]

Type: Rare Weapon (Longbow)

Description: Dark polished wood etched with runes, faint whispering sound when drawn.

Stats:

• Speed: +15

• Thought: +10

• Passive Effect: Silent Flight – arrows fired make no sound and leave no visible trail.

• Passive Effect: Piercing Growth – every third arrow sprouts fungal roots on impact, binding target briefly.

Ability:

• Whisper Volley (Triggered): Once per encounter, fire three arrows in unison; each arrow gains +25% penetration.

Requirement: Level 5+

Slot: Two Hand

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[Item Acquired: Greataxe of Raging Hunger]

Type: Rare Weapon (Greataxe)

Description: A massive axe with jagged edges, its steel darkened and faintly glowing red as if smoldering.

Stats:

• Force: +12

• Self: +5

• Passive Effect: Blood Frenzy – each successful strike increases Force by +2 for 10 seconds, stacking up to +10 for as long as strikes are landed every 10 seconds.

• Passive Effect: Ignore Pain – wielder suffers 20% less penalty from injuries while raging.

Ability:

• Frenzied Cleave (Triggered): Once per encounter, unleash a sweeping strike that hits all enemies within 10 feet, dealing +25% damage.

Slot: Two Hand

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Returned to her Viscount’s Residence, Sara stormed immediately into the Training Hall, her footsteps echoing against the stone floor. The air was heavy with her frustration, her anger, her grief. She moved with purpose, programming the statues one by one. Five statues to mimic as best she could the mercenaries she had fought, each armed with the styles and weapons she remembered. A sixth she added herself, a crude approximation of a warlock, its hands glowing with imagined blasts of shadow and raw energy.

She activated them all at once. Six opponents, level 10 power. The statues came alive, weapons raised, spells forming. Sara met them head on, shield braced, Tetsubo swinging. She fought, and fought again, each clash a test of her strength. When she won, she reset them. When she faltered, she pushed harder.

Level 11. Level 12. Level 14. Level 17. Level 20. Each escalation brought sharper blows, faster strikes, more relentless pressure. She endured, screaming out her rage and sadness, sweat pouring, spores swirling, her body aching. But at power level 22, the tide overwhelmed her. The statues struck in unison, blows raining down until she staggered, nearly unconscious, her armor cracked and her breath ragged.

She healed. She rested. And then she tried again. And again. And again. Tears streaked her face as she screamed into the empty hall, voice raw and breaking:

“It’s not enough. I have to be better. I have to be stronger. Strong enough that no one will challenge me. And I won’t have to kill!”

Her strikes grew desperate, her movements fueled by grief as much as rage. But exhaustion claimed her at last. She collapsed to the floor, her body trembling, her Soul drained, her Mind refusing to quiet its dark thoughts.

She lay there on the cold floor and whispered into the silence, voice hoarse and heavy:

“I have to be the strongest. Or, I have to give it all up. Anything in the middle means those around me are at risk. Will die.”

The Training Hall stood still, statues frozen once more, as Sara lay on the cold floor, breath heavy, caught between her fury, her sorrow, and the crushing weight of what strength must mean. Of what the Contested Lands required.

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Sara’s armor dissolved into motes of light as it slipped into her Pocket Storage, the weight of the fungal steel leaving her shoulders. She dragged herself upright, every muscle aching, and stepped beneath the cold waterfall shower. The icy torrent hammered her skin until sensation dulled, until her body felt distant, until the spiral of grief and anger was forced into silence.

When she finally stepped out, dripping and raw, her mind was clearer. Each step she had taken, good or bad, was another lesson. Another rule learned of the game she was trapped in.

She wasn’t strong enough. Not yet. But she would be. She was on the right path.

Her thoughts sharpened as she dressed. The Valley had to be defensible. That was her first duty. She could hunt, she could grow in power, but Haven Valley had to stand on its own legs before she could leave it.

Already, she had tripled the size of the Valley Defense Force. With the 20 contracted mercenaries, all levels six through fifteen, and the advantages of Haven’s walls and gates, she had a foundation. She would build on it. Offense and Defense Nodes along the walls. Watchtowers to extend sightlines and readiness. And tonight, she had a party of Challengers to meet. She would make them an offer: free access to the Dungeon, equipment improvements, in exchange for a Defense Pact. If they agreed, the Valley would gain another layer of protection while she was away.

Her hand brushed the edge of her Pocket Storage, eyes flicking over the looted magic items. And then she remembered. Another step. Another path forward.

Her lips curved into something close to a smile, excitement breaking through the exhaustion.

“Tas,” she called, her voice carrying more life than it had in days. “What can you tell me about hatching Monster Eggs and Bonding?”

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Tas shimmered into view, her glow steady and calm, voice carrying the weight of the System’s authority.

“Viscount Sara,” she began, “the System recognizes Egg Hatching and Companion Bonding as foundational mechanics for those who seek allies beyond their own strength. Allow me to provide the basics.”

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System Notification: Egg Hatching & Bonding Companions

• Egg Hatching:

o Monster Eggs require time, care, and exposure to stable Territory energy to hatch.

o The hatchling’s growth rate is influenced by Territory stability, food supply, and the bond formed with its caretaker.

o Eggs may fail to hatch if neglected or exposed to hostile environments.

• Bonding Companions:

o Bonding is the act of linking Soul energy between Challenger and creature.

o Success depends on compatibility between the Challenger’s Soul and the creature’s nature.

o Bonded companions share awareness, loyalty, and limited stat resonance.

o Higher Bond levels unlock advanced abilities, shared skills, and emotional synchronization.

o Failure to bond may result in the creature remaining unbound, or enraged.

• Novice Companion Bond Skill:

o Required to attempt initial bonding.

o Grants the ability to channel Soul energy into a creature and establish a basic link.

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Tas’s glow pulsed warmly. “For instruction, you should speak with Whistle, one of Cadri’s scouts. His true name is Wilbur, but all call him Whistle, for he prefers speaking to his hawk in whistles rather than words to people. He has successfully bonded his hawk and can teach you the Novice Companion Bond skill.”

She paused, her tone sharpening with significance. “Once you learn the skill, the System itself will determine whether you are a bonding match for the Juvenile Greatworm. If your Soul resonates, the bond may form. If not, the creature will remain unbound. The choice is not yours alone—it is a test of compatibility.”

Tas’s glow dimmed slightly, as if to emphasize the gravity of the path ahead. “You may prepare to improve your chances, but the System will decide.”

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Sara knelt in her chambers, the Greatworm Egg cradled in her hands. Its surface shimmered faintly, veins of crystalline light pulsing like a heartbeat. She set it down before her, and Tas’s glow brightened as she extended her senses.

“Scanning…” Tas intoned, her voice resonant with System authority. A moment later, she pulsed warmly. “The Valley’s energy absorption rate is well above the required threshold. The egg is thriving here.”

Sara exhaled, relief softening her shoulders.

Tas continued, her tone shifting to guidance. “You should take the time to infuse the area around you and the egg with your personal energies. Let it learn your resonance, your Soul signature. This will strengthen the chance of a bond when the time comes.”

The glow deepened, wrapping the egg in a faint aura. “Keep the egg out of your Pocket Storage. Allow it to remain exposed to your own and the Valley’s energy as much as possible. The Territory’s stability will nurture it and your energy will help determine if the Hatchling accepts your bond or not.”

Tas paused, then added with quiet certainty: “And you should speak with Whistle, one of Cadri’s scouts. His true name is Wilbur, but all call him Whistle, for he prefers whistling to his hawk rather than speaking with people. He has long claimed a bonded hawk companion and can teach you the Novice Companion Bond skill. Once you learn it, the System will decide if you are a match for the Juvenile Greatworm. If your Souls resonate, the bond may form. If not, the creature will remain unbound.”

Sara’s fingers brushed the egg’s surface, feeling its faint warmth. The Valley was strong, its people growing resilient, but with bonded like a Greatworm Guardian… it could become unassailable.

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