Symbiotic: Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Sara settled herself at the bottom of the Magma lake, resting at the base of the Volcano Territory Control Shard, its crystalline pulse steady and reassuring behind her. She cradled the Greatworm Hatchling Egg in her lap, its shell glowing red from the outrageous ambient heat, veins of fire and stone energy threading across its surface. The hatchling’s spark pulsed erratically, stronger than ever, feeding greedily on the potent ambient energy saturating the magma chamber.

She closed her eyes, slipping into Meditation. Her Soul threads brushed against the hatchling’s spark, feeling its restless hunger, its instinctive drive to break free. The Egg trembled, fissures beginning to spider across its surface. Sara’s breath caught. It was nearly time. Soon. Very soon.

Instinct whispered that the hatching would go better outside the magma, where she could focus fully on the Soul Bond. Slowly, she rose through the magma, clutching the Egg against her chest, and began the slow, awkward swim upward. Her Fire Shield hissed against the molten currents, her armor glowing like a forge. Magma streamed off her body as she climbed out onto the chamber’s edge, cooling into brittle obsidian fragments that cracked beneath her boots.

She dropped to the ground, cross legged, Egg before her once more. Out of time. She steadied her breath, returned to Meditation, and focused inward on the hatchling’s spark.

The Egg shook violently. A sharp crack split across its surface, glowing faintly. Sara seized the moment, triggering the Active Soul Bond attempt.

The hatchling’s energy surged outward, raw and untamed, fighting against the tether she offered. It clawed against her connection, wild and instinctive, resisting the bond. Sara whispered softly, voice trembling but steady:

“Easy now… Plenty of fight to be found out there. But not now. I’m here. I’ll feed you. I’ll protect you. Just let me in.”

She poured her Soul into the link, spore and soul energy flowing like a river, wrapping around the hatchling’s spark. The Egg’s surface cracked wider, shards beginning to flake away. The hatchling resisted with every wild instinctual strength it held, thrashing against the bond. Sara cooed, coaxing, feeding it more energy.

Her network drained rapidly, microbes bleeding away at a disturbing rate. Sweat slicked her brow, her breath ragged. She pushed harder, feeding more, ignoring the gnawing emptiness spreading through her reserves.

“Take it. All of it. I’ll give you everything I have. Just… stay with me. Together.”

Time blurred. She lost track of how long she sat there, pouring herself into the bond. The hatchling’s spark flared, then softened, then flared again. The Egg cracked wider, fragments falling away, the creature within pressing harder against its prison, even as its instincts shoved against her mind. Hopefully the Egg would shatter before her brain did.

Sara’s heart pounded. She was dangerously low, her network nearly hollow. Her reserves scraping at fumes. But the bond was forming, thread by thread. Tenuous, and fragile, but building.

She prayed it would be enough to hold.

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The Egg shuddered one final time, cracks spider webbing across its surface until whole fragments fell away. The hatchling, fed full of fire and Soul, ceased its frantic struggles. Its movements slowed, deliberate now, half in and half out of its shattering stone shell.

Sara leaned forward, breath caught in her throat, as she saw it for the first time.

The Greatworm Hatchling was nearly five feet long, its body a fusion of fire and stone. Jagged crystalline scales ran along its back, glowing faintly with molten veins that pulsed like embers beneath the surface. Its hide was a deep basalt gray, fractured in places where fiery light seeped through, as though the creature itself was a living forge.

Its head was wedge shaped, armored with overlapping plates of obsidian like stone. Two small horns curved back from its brow, glowing faintly at the tips. Its eyes opened slowly. Luminous pools of molten gold, bright and unblinking, radiating raw instinct.

The hatchling’s maw parted, revealing teeth like shards of crystal, translucent and sharp, each one catching the chamber’s glow. When it exhaled, a faint plume of heat shimmered in the air, carrying the scent of scorched stone.

Its underbelly was smoother, lined with pale mineral plates that glowed faintly red, as though magma coursed beneath them. Along its sides, spore like filaments Sara recognized from her own energy shimmered faintly, evidence of the bond already beginning to take root.

The hatchling’s tail lashed once, scattering fragments of the broken egg. The sound was like stone cracking under pressure. Its body was powerful even in infancy, muscles coiled beneath crystalline armor, every movement radiating both danger and potential.

Sara’s heart pounded. She whispered softly, voice trembling with awe:

“Look at you… my beautiful little fire stone furball.”

The hatchling turned its molten eyes toward her, instinct still wild, but its spark tethered to hers. The bond was fragile, tenuous, but it was there.

Half in and half out of its shattered egg, the newborn Greatworm Hatchling glowed like a living fragment of volcano as it opened it’s maw wide, already eager to eat.

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Slowly, quietly, almost reverently, Sara whispers, “Identify”.

[Magma Greatworm Hatchling]

Type: Bonded Creature

Tier: 1 (Juvenile Apex Variant)

Slot: Companion

Stats (post bond, infused)

Juvenile Hatchling Stats: (Base + Bond)

• Body: Force (29 +26) = 55 | Speed 25 + 27) = 52

• Mind: Thought (24+25) = 49 | Knowledge (22+25) = 47

• Soul: Self (26+29) = 55 | Sum (23+29) = 52

Abilities

• Subterranean Burrow: Tunnels through stone, magma, and soil at moderate speed, creating temporary passages.

• Tremor Sense: Detects vibrations of movement within 75 feet (enhanced by magma infusion).

• Stoneplate Armor: Crystalline plating reduces incoming physical damage by 20%. Energy based attacks refracted, lowering effectiveness 30% unless precisely focused.

• Resonant Cry (Juvenile): Emits a sonic pulse that disrupts concentration, inflicting stagger and minor Soul drain within 40 feet.

• Magma Infusion (New): Passive absorption of ambient fire/stone energy. Slowly regenerates vitality and strengthens armor when near sources of substantial heat.

• Bonded Spark: Gains +10% of Bond Owner’s stats, with power levels scaling with Soul growth.

Growth Potential

• Bonded Companion's power scales with bearer’s level and Soul stat. +10% Bond Holder Stats. (+25% at Adolescent. +50% Adult. +100% Elder)

• Evolves into Adolescent Magma Greatworm at Tier 2 with enhanced tunneling, armor disruption, magma breath, and larger stat bonuses.

Limitations

• Requires Soul Bond (−25 permanent Soul from bearer per Tier = 25 Soul Self & Sum).

• Juvenile size: currently ~5 feet long, ~250 lbs; will grow rapidly to 12 feet, ~600 lbs.

Durability: High. Self repairing stone plates reinforced by magma infusion. Resistant to fire and stone damage; vulnerable to piercing cold or void energy.

System Description: Magma Greatworm Hatchling

A newly Soul Bonded Magma Greatworm Hatchling, born of fire and stone, strengthened far beyond normal juvenile levels. This Hatchling has absorbed the essence of two Volcanic Elementals, integrating their fire stone aura and growth energy into its crystalline body. In addition, prolonged immersion in the high ambient magma energy of the volcano core has infused its spark with extraordinary resilience and elemental potency.

The Hatchling’s basalt gray plating is laced with molten veins, its crystalline armor self repairing and reinforced by volcanic infusion. It passively regenerates vitality when near magma or strong sources of heat, and its abilities scale with the Bond bearer’s Soul stat.

Though juvenile, it already displays traits of an apex predator: tunneling through stone, refracting energy attacks, and resonating with seismic cries.

Note: This Hatchling is not a typical juvenile Greatworm, it is a Unique Volcano forged variant, empowered by elemental absorption and magma saturation. Its growth potential is immense, destined to evolve into a formidable Adolescent Magma Greatworm with enhanced armor disruption, magma breath, and expanded tunneling capabilities.

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“Well, who’s a big healthy goodboy! Are you hungry, Fluffy?”, Sara asked rhetorically, as the gaping maw yawned wider.

Not expecting any response, Sara is stunned when she hears in her head:

“Hungry? Oh yes yes yes! Belly rumbles! Need foods. Magma treats! Feed me, Mistress! Feed me more and I’ll be the happiest worm ever!”

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