Chapter 139: The trial of ascent

Two months had passed since the fall of Korrath. Two months since the Nexus Engine of New Chicago dimmed and its heartbeat severed, its master uprooted. Two months since Clayton Hunt, the once outskirt rat turned Verdant Lord claimed his throne not by inheritance, not by luck, but by blood, fire, and by roots. On that fateful day, history changed. There are not many Verdant Lords in existence despite the fact that it’s been 3 centuries since the Genesis Protocols descended on Earth, corrupting the world. And there are even fewer cases of Verdant Lords dying. Afterall, Verdant Lords are those who survived the Genesis Trials, not just the influence of Genesis Embers. These were guys who entered the Origin World, Echoterra, faced the Old Order and somehow survived. They were the best of the best, the strongest, smartest, and most cunning warriors of humanity. Matter of fact, it’s been over a century since a Verdant Lord last died. The news of Korrath’s death spread far and wide. Yes, with the fall of the previous human order, a lot of conveniences like social media to quickly spread information became obsolete. But it didn’t just disappear though, they got a replacement, Aspects. There are different types of Aspects in the world, including those that could enable long-range communication between enclaves. The world leaders, the Luminous Seed Verdant Lords, and the Verdant Warden rank elders all got the news within a week of it’s happening. On small enclaves like Verdis Hold, and in bars and inns different versions of the tale of Clayton’s conquest against Korrath, the Mechanic were spun. Some said he’s not a man, and is rather a tree. Others said he’s a god. Each story was more twisted and fantastical than the other. To the current rulers of the world who maintained a semblance of order and led the fight against the Genesis corruption, a new Verdant Lord entered their radar... Clayton, the Verdant Lord of New Chicago and Atlanta. It didn’t take them long to find out his origin, all it took was some digging. Most records from centuries ago were lost to time, but with certain unique Aspects, the people in power found out about Clayton’s origin. They also learned that he was over 300 years old. That came as a shock, but all in all, Clayton was now on the radar of human powerhouses across the world. Personally, for Clayton, victory was liberating. It brought freedom. And to the inhabitants of the ruined cities of Atlanta and New Chicago, it was a breath of fresh air. And like they feared, it wasn’t a transfer of power from one tyrant to another. Rather, it was a transfer of power from a tyrant to a true ruler. Once Clayton took over, Atlanta and New Chicago no longer groaned like wounded beasts. Rather, they breathed. The streets that once choked with smoke and grinding gears now pulsed with greenery and life. Vines stretched across collapsed highways, flowering with bioluminescent blossoms that cast gentle light at night. Once-dead skyscrapers dripped with ivy and ferns, their windows cradling gardens that fed the enclave. Children ran in streets that had only ever known fear, holding toy figurines of Clayton’s Verdant Lord form. The towering sentient tree was now like a god to the community, a figure of worship and adoration. As it was the center of the Rootsite, the inhabitants of the Rootsite recognized it even more than Clayton’s humanoid form. On other sides, merchants shouted deals across makeshift markets where fungus fruits and ember-grain replaced ash and rot. Civilians were no longer trembling in the shadows, rather, they lifted their heads when Clayton walked past. Not in terror, but in reverence. The Rootsite was no longer just a sanctuary. It was a city. It was not exactly on the level and scale of famous Verdant Cities, it was far too early for that. But compared to the hopeless ruin that Clayton came back to months ago after returning from Trial I, the growth was apparent. Over two thousand souls now lived within its bounds, drawn from the ruins of the south, the ashes of Chicago, and the wilds where no one was meant to survive. They all came after they heard of the new Lord in the East. And the Awakened? They had doubled. Dozens more Initiate Ember warriors now trained under the shade of Clayton’s Heartseed, learning to wield their Aspects with discipline and purpose. Eight Luminous Seed anchors, veterans of the war of Root and Machine like it was dubbed stood like pillars of living steel in the city; Torren, Veyra, Lorn, Kaelin, Soren, Harrick, Mira, and Clayton himself. Their existence was why civilians could finally live their normal lives in peace. Since Korrath’s death, Clayton doubled down, solidifying the defense of his Rootsite. No Behemorph had ever breached their defense. Not even when a Verdant Warden rank Behemorph attacked. The difference between Korrath’s reign and Clayton’s was night and day. Korrath drained, but Clayton gave. Korrath hoarded power, trusting only himself and his A.I controlled machines but Clayton spread power, investing in training, in defenses, and in growth. The people thrived under him because their Lord did not treat them as batteries, but as roots to be nurtured. And now, at the center of the dominion stood the Verdant Spire, once Korrath’s throne tower. It had been transformed. Where once jagged steel and pulsing biomechanical veins spread fear, now broad roots climbed the tower’s sides, full of life, knitting with its alloy to form a living fortress. It was the heart of Clayton’s new dominion. The top bloomed with a radiant canopy, green and glowing, visible for miles, Clayton’s Heartseed pulsing like a beacon. The Spire was not a seat of tyranny anymore. It was a beacon of renewal, a symbol of what this world could be if it survived the Genesis Protocols. Clayton? He stood upon the balcony of the Verdant Spire, looking down on the city that was now his domain. He had a melancholic look on his face. He wore no crown, nor did he wear any robe. All he wore was his battle-worn armor, bark and thorn fused with his skin, with Regalia reliably at his side. He did not care for symbols. The city itself was his crown, and his people were his proof. Behind him, Torren joined, Pyreaxe resting against his shoulder. "Hard to believe, isn’t it?" he said, his voice carrying the easy tone of a man who had seen too much war and still chose to smile. Clayton did not turn. "What part?" "All of it. That we’re standing here. That this place isn’t screaming anymore. That you," Torren smirked, "a guy who didn’t trust anyone two months ago, now rule the biggest fortress in the east." Clayton allowed himself a faint grin. "Rule? I don’t rule. I keep the walls standing. I keep the roots fed." His gaze lingered on the distant horizon. "I’m not Korrath. I don’t sit still." Torren tilted his head. "Still restless, huh?" "Restless isn’t the word." Clayton’s eyes narrowed, faint green fire burning behind them. "Prepared is." The others joined later. Veyra, like usual had her bow at her back, and her silver gaze was sharp as always. Kaelin materialized like a ghost, shadow clinging to his form even in daylight. Soren was quiet but his hand always rested on his Emberblade. Lorn, calm and steady, her healer’s aura grounded them all. The war had scarred them, but it had also sharpened them. And Clayton knew, deep in his core, that Korrath had not been the end. At night, he heard it. The whisper of the Genesis Protocols. The low, deep call of the Earthcore Nexus. It stirred when he slept, when the Heartseed pulsed strongest, when the city quieted into uneasy dreams. It whispered of the Third Trial of the Genesis Protocols, a trial not meant for one, not meant for a city, but for those who dared to reach beyond survival, beyond dominion and toward truth. Trial III would not simply test strength, but unity, resolve, and the will to shape the end of the world. Clayton did not share all of this yet. Not with the civilians. Not even fully with his Sporelink, Torren. He simply worked. Every day he trained. Every day he tested Regalia’s amplified thorns. Every day he measured the growth of his Aphid Network, stretching it wider, deeper, until even the streets of New Chicago pulsed to his Dominion’s rhythm. Unlike Korrath, who grew fat and comfortable on his throne, Clayton sharpened himself further. He knew comfort was death. He knew the Genesis Protocols did not end with one fallen Lord. They would test him again. And when that time came, he swore he would not just survive it. He would tear the truth out of the system’s heart and finally understand why the world ended. As the sun dipped, casting Atlanta and New Chicago in hues of gold and green, Clayton turned from the balcony. His friends followed, their trust unshaken. Trial III was coming. And Clayton Hunt would be ready.