Chapter 113: Roots of a domain

The soft glow of dawn hadn’t yet faded from the Nexus vault’s entrance when Clayton made his decision. Standing before the vine-entangled metallic door, he let out a long, steady breath. "We explore it," he finally said, his tone calm but resolute. After much thought, Clayton realized that being cautious was good, but he was underestimating the trio of him, Torren, and Kaelin. All 3 of them were battle-hardened warriors, adventurers who have encountered their fair share of dangerous Behemorphs, even Null Crowns, and even survived a Behemorph stampede together. Even if inside the Nexus vault was dangerous, Clayton doubted it could be as dangerous as the Behemorph stampede that they survived. Besides, compared to then, he was stronger now. And close to his Rootsite, his Aspect and all his abilities were amplified. Clayton felt that they were equipped to deal with any danger that the Nexus vault threw at them, unless there was a Verdant Warden Behemorph inside there. Even if there was, Clayton no longer dreaded those horrors as before. As an Initiate Ember Awakened, he was already killing Luminous Seed Crown Behemorphs and subordinating them. Now, as a Luminous Seed, even if he could not kill a Verdant Warden rank Behemorph yet, at the very least, Clayton was confident in his ability to escape. This was what necessitated his decision. Torren’s brow lifted slightly, Kaelin’s mouth quirking with eager anticipation. None of them refuted his decision. But before any of them could act, hurried footsteps echoed behind them. Soren emerged from the misty corridor, his expression unusually animated. "Clayton," he called out, his deep voice carrying urgency, "we’ve got unexpected visitors". Clayton turned sharply, his senses extending instinctively to feel what Soren already knew. With Hive-Sight active, he saw them immediately. Stragglers; desperate, malnourished, yet carrying a flicker of hope, 8 of them were approaching the Rootsite. He felt the subtle hum of the Earthcore Nexus as if it guided these survivors directly toward him, like a shepherd leading its flock. Clayton was surprised. Noting the look on Clayton’s face, Torren asked. "Stragglers?" Clayton nodded. Torrens stepped forward, his gaze thoughtful as he glanced at Clayton. "I think the Earthcore Nexus directed them here". "This is part of being a Verdant Lord," he said firmly. "Territory is more than power; its people. Building a domain means giving others a reason to live, a place to survive". "It’s the same way that Ashka the Emberborn founded the Scorched Clans". Clayton looked at Torren, a silent thought ringing in his head. ’Am I about to start my own clan?’ In the end, he nodded slowly, understanding settling on his shoulders like a mantle of responsibility. "Then we welcome them". ... 8 survivors stood trembling near the outer edge of the Rootsite, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and relief as Clayton and his companions approached. The terrain around them pulsed faintly with life, roots weaving protectively around their feet as if recognizing them as no threat. The group was ragged, clothes torn and stained with soot and blood. Yet, amidst their desperation, they stood upright, drawn by something greater than fear. Even before they stood before them, observing them from afar with his Hive-Sight, Clayton realized how much harder it was to survive in this world as a civilian. Yes, life during his times were hard for civilians. But at least, then, everybody was a civilian without superpowers, and there were no horrific monsters roaming more than half of the world, preying on them. Life now as a civilian... was pure horror. In a world of Behemorphs and Awakened warriors, if you didn’t have the resources to stay in an enclave like Verdis Hold or the expensive Verdant Cities, as a civilian, it was hard to stay alive. The 60-day trek to the Scorchpaths gave Clayton a perspective on what it entailed to survive in the wild in the era of the Genesis Protocols. Clayton was never a heroic person, but at this moment, more than ever, he questioned the existence of the Genesis Protocols, and the system. He never imagined himself playing the hero, but that was then. Now, seeing these people, he suddenly had a yearning. ’How about let’s create a self-sustaining Verdant City that welcomes all civilians?’ Then, his eyes gleamed slightly. ’How about ending the Genesis Protocols?’ That thought brought another question. ’Can the Genesis Protocols even end? What if it’s never-ending?’ Clayton left that thought for later as he stopped before the stragglers, his presence a towering calm. "You’ve found refuge," he said, his voice steady, carrying over the hush of the wind. "This territory is mine, and here, you are safe". "As long as you stay within my roots, no Behemorph or scavenger will harm you". Relief washed over their weary faces, some collapsing to their knees in gratitude. Seeing Clayton at first, his green skin and everything made them scared, thinking he was some kind of humanoid Behemorph, but the presence of the others eased the group of stragglers. They were surprised to learn that the green one was the Verdant Lord. Clayton stepped closer, his gaze sweeping the group. "What are your names?" He asked gently. One by one, they spoke, voices hesitant but growing stronger. There was Mara, a scavenger and cook; Jeren, a former mechanic; two siblings, Anya and Lis, skilled in gathering and foraging; Roder, an old man who once kept records of city archives. There was also Kael and Mira, twins with a knack for rudimentary healing and tending plants. And finally, a young man named Trist, standing apart, posture tense but unbroken. Clayton sensed something different about the young man. When his gaze landed on Trist, the young man met his eyes squarely. "I’m... awakened," he said, a hint of shame in his voice. "But my Aspect, it’s nothing impressive. It just warns me when danger’s close. That’s it". Before Clayton could speak, Torren stepped forward, his tone sharp with conviction. "That’s no nothing, boy. A beacon like yours can save lives. In a community, knowing danger before it strikes is priceless". Trist blinked, surprise flickering across his face as Torren clapped his shoulder. "You’ve got a gift," he said. "And now, you’ve got a home to use it". To satisfy his curiosity, Clayton asked how they knew about his Rootsite and they confirmed it. The moment he defeated Korrath, the Earthcore Nexus no longer kept it secret. It spread the news of the new Verdant Lord in the Forgotten Atlanta Expanse. Lorn moved among the survivors, her healing vines gently weaving around their injuries and worn forms. "We’ll take care of you," she said softly, a warm smile on her lips. "This is the first building block of something bigger; something worth protecting". Clayton’s eyes softened as he watched his people; yes, his people finding hope for the first time in a long while. ’Is it just me or am I becoming more emotional?’ He thought, his expression dark. Despite his thoughts, a quiet sense of purpose settled within him. This wasn’t just about surviving anymore. It was about rebuilding. Once they were settled and given food, Clayton gathered his team. The conversation turned to the Nexus vault, his decision clear. "We’ll explore it," he told them. "Whatever lies behind that door might hold knowledge about Trial III. Knowledge we can’t afford to ignore". "That means you’ve made the decision to challenge the third trial". Torren said, looking at Clayton. "Of course". Clayton looked back at him. "I’m not satisfied with half-truths". "I want answers, and time have proven that the only way to get the answers I want is to get power, so I’ll get power, with you guys accompanying me". "In the end, even if I don’t get the answers that I want, at least I’ll be able to protect lots of civilians like this". Veyra and the others nodded in agreement. "I also want to challenge the trial," Veyra said, drawing the attention of the others. She shrugged. "I have ambitions. I don’t want to stay a Luminous Seed awakened my whole life". Torren crossed his arms, nodding slowly. "And while we’re gone, someone has to guard what we’re building here". Clayton agreed, his mind already splitting between responsibilities. "My Verdant Lord form stays, he’s the primary protector of the Rootsite". "Lorn, you’ll oversee the Rootsite with the big guy. Make sure these people find stability and safety". Lorn chuckled. Clayton looked at her. "What?" "I mean, it’s weird when you address your other body in a 3rd person POV," she smiled. "You guys are literally the same person". Clayton coughed, throwing a distant glance at the towering tree, who also seemed to react to his gaze. "Umm, me and that guy, we’re essentially different". The others laughed. Lorn nodded eventually, determination shining. "You can leave them in my care. I’ll protect them as if they were my own". Before they departed though, Clayton turned to Veyra, eyeing the Regalia bow in her hands. "One more thing," he said. "Before we enter the vault, you need to be properly equipped," he said firmly. "I need Regalia, not just its bow form. We need to find you a new bow Artifact, something worthy of your skill".