As they made their way towards the Palace, Ayo couldn't help but feel a sense of unease settle in the pit of her stomach. It loomed before them, majestic in its size and beauty yet at the same time dark and oppressive. The walls were made of marble, polished smooth and gleaming with an unearthly light. There were many windows along the sides–some of them blocked off by wood shuttering–but Ayo couldn't help the feeling that they were being watched from within.

The closer they got to the Palace, the more elaborate it looked. Every inch of it seemed to be decorated with intricate carvings and symbols, perhaps meant to ward off evil or invite luck; Ayo wasn’t entirely sure. The path into the building led into a massive archway with two great doors made from heavy wood etched with various runes, standing tall like sentinels guarding its entrance. They approached the entrance cautiously, wary of any traps or guardians that might have been left behind by the Ancients. But the doors opened easily enough when they pushed against them, revealing a long hallway full of statuettes and even more of the bizarre runes carved into the walls.

Ayo shivered, her unease deepening as she walked further into the Palace's depths. Everywhere she looked there seemed to be something new to explore; secret rooms full of ancient artefacts from a civilization long forgotten, hidden doorways leading down into unknown terrain and chambers filled with mysterious devices and machines that none now understood how to operate.

Of course, odds were high that the Palace contained none of these. Duru Pyramids were as poorly understood as their Towers, if not more so, and there was no guarantee that they weren’t just empty boxes, useless save for one function.

So far, however, things seemed to be quite different. As they walked further down the hallway, Ayo began to see hopeful signs. The courtyard they had entered was mostly deserted, save for a few piles of rocks and silty sand but ahead of them was a large door whose pristine nature indicated that it led to something important. Ayo and the boys hurried towards it, their fears forgotten in their excitement. To their relief, it opened easily and revealed a grand central room filled with all sorts of odd-looking devices.

Ten thousand runes and glyphs marched across the surfaces of these ancient machinery and a thousand more marked the walls as well. All of them glowed with a familiar rainbow light, the type which Ayo had spotted in the Tower she'd woken up in. These devices though were lacking in the distinct hum that she had come to associate with activity. By her best guess, they were currently inert.

Luckily, those were not the only machines in the room. At the far end of the area and taking up much of the area was a vast contraption constructed of glass and lit from within by even more runes. A major branch of the iron tree erupted from the ceiling, hanging down to almost meet one of the machine's pylons and Ayo knew instinctively what it was; the control mechanism for the city. The city’s Core.

Letting out eager noises, the trio hurried forward, cheering loudly and for a brief second paid very little attention to their surroundings.

Which was when it happened.

A piercing siren suddenly came to life, filling their ears as red lights began to flicker in the hallway. Ayo cursed under her breath and scrambled towards the pylons, hoping that she could figure out how to turn off the alarm before disaster struck.

The control mechanism didn't look like anything Ayo had ever come across, magical or mundane and she didn't know how to operate it. Now that she was closer, the thing turned out to be quite large; about the size of two people standing side by side and full of buttons, switches and levers. Every inch of it seemed to be covered with a variety of displays, none of which Ayo could identify. The true problem was that there were too many of them - it would take ages for her to even figure out where to start.

While she dithered anxiously in place, trying to puzzle out the machine's secrets and the boys ran over and took up defensive positions behind her, the siren shut off with an ominous click. They only had enough time to exchange a startled look before soft humming replaced the siren as the first of the palace's guardians drifted into view.

It looked like a stone box, floating in the air with glowing runes and lines arranged to look like eyes. Around the size of a child, the box let out a trilling sound, one of its eyes landing on the trio and narrowing and for the first time, Ayo's Eye of the World activated on its own.

[Corrupted Duru Construct. A machine of the Empire, its programming has been twisted by age and the Dawnfall. Lethal.]

The machine hummed louder and brighter as two panels extended from its side and a vibrant cascade of rainbow-hued essence exploded from it in all directions.

"Intruders detected," it said. "Initiating defence protocols."

At once the escaping essence changed from gaseous to a liquid, coiling round to wrap around the box like armour and in a thrice it took a humanoid shape, its arms warping into dangerous-looking blades.

Ayo's heart sank as she tried to come up with a plan. This was an enemy they were ill-prepared to face. A glance at the boys revealed that they were just as frightened as she felt, but they were ready for a fight. They took up their positions and drew their weapons, ready to defend themselves against the machine.

But it seemed that this was not enough. As the construct resumed its approach, more and more of the machines began to appear in the room. They had a similar structure to the first one; little boxes with glowing runes but these were far smaller and flew through the air at a menacing speed. In a matter of seconds, Ayo and her friends found themselves surrounded by an army of constructs, each one poised for attack.

Then they descended, the smaller constructs' eyes opening wider to unleash a barrage of lasers. One Golden Palm expanded outward from Mairo's outstretched hand, blocking the deadly missiles then dissolved into a deluge of flames that swept outwards like a tidal wave.

A cacophony of clunking sounds reverberated across the battlefield as the smaller constructs interlocked, forming an impenetrable wall as the flames lashed against them. Wole twirled his spear like a maestro, always one step ahead of the big one's strikes. The beast moved faster than its avatar should have allowed - each slash taunting Wole with death's embrace. Then, the construct lunged forward, body pressed low to the ground like a coiled spring. Wole's spear just barely caught the attack, sparks flying from the clashing metal as he strained against the immense weight. His breaths coming in ragged gasps as he pushed back against the impossible force.

Ayo started forward, intent on helping but a roared out "No!" stopped her in her tracks.

"We will keep them busy," Mairo screamed, dodging a fresh assault of lasers. "Keep them distracted while you work on that machine."

Ayo shook her head, a protest already hovering on the tip of her tongue when, with a shout of effort, Wole launched himself backwards, sending the gigantic avatar crashing to the ground.

"Mairo is right," he shouted, summoning bursts of mist with sweeps of his spear. "You are the only one here who can decipher this machine." He shot her a roguish smile. "Just be quick with it, alright? We'll buy you as much time as we can."

Ayo let out a reluctant nod, then turned back to the machine. Its lights and displays remained as incomprehensible as ever, but Ayo wasn't going to give up. She took a deep breath, focused her mind, and began to scan the displays, hoping to find any patterns or clues that could help her figure out what to do.

As she studied, she became increasingly aware of how the construct guardians were growing more and more numerous, appearing from every corner of the room and converging on Ayo and her friends in an unrelenting assault. The battle raged on around Ayo, a blur of metal and magic and laser beams, and she tried to ignore it all as she focused on the machine.

Finally, she saw it - a sequence of glyphs that seemed to be a command. She hesitated for a moment, then pressed her hand against a slot she had initially discarded as superfluous. The lights on the machine dimmed for a moment and Ayo felt the attention of something land on her. It felt very similar to the one that had scanned her at the inner gates, if only much stronger and there was a sensation of a flower blossoming in her mind as it began to speak.

"Ancient race signature detected! Designation: Spiderkin. But that's impossible... Analysing..." it said and despite the monotony of its voice, Ayo detected a clear note of curiosity in it. "Ah. Starborn status confirmed. Parameters met. Initiating connection..."

[ALERT! Core City Fragment: Solidan wishes to establish a connection with you. Accept?]

Ayo blinked, surprised by the unexpected prompt, but it was accompanied by a wave of decisiveness. She had no idea who or what this 'Fragment' was and she'd stayed among the mortals of Earth long enough to understand the dangers of accepting strange requests from technology. And yet, she didn't have much of a choice. Mairo, Wole, Theti and the others were relying on her to figure this out. She could do this, she realised, if only she could be just a little bit brave. With that thought in mind, Ayo inhaled deeply and gave herself a nod of affirmation.

"I accept," she said firmly.

The prompts winked out like a light at that, the flower in her mind glowing ever brighter and she only had enough time to turn around and catch a glimpse of the still duelling boys before darkness claimed her and she was gone.

***

When Ayo came to, she was in her soulspace. She frowned, confused at the sudden change of scenery. She looked around, taking in the familiar sights of the lush grasslands and the tranquil river that she had added only a week ago. But something was off. The air was charged with an electric energy and her skin tingled with anticipation. Then, looking closely, she saw the glint of something metallic in the distance, making its way towards her.

She tensed up, ready to defend herself, but as it drew closer, she realised that it was not a construct, but a male figure wearing a suit of metallic armour that looked vaguely like the Zulu ones from back home. He stopped in front of her and bowed low, his head almost touching the ground as he spoke.

"Greetings, Spiderkin. I am Solidan, the resident Fragment of this Core City. I apologize for the invasiveness of my request, but I had to establish a connection with you as soon as possible."

Ayo eyed the figure warily, unsure of what to make of it. "What do you want from me?"

"I need your help," Solidan said. "And you need mine. You wish to restore the city, correct? So do I."

Ayo nodded, taking a step back to get a better look at Solidan. "What do you mean?"

"I have been monitoring the city ever since I was installed," Solidan said. "It has been deteriorating ever since the Dawnfall, and now its generator has been damaged beyond all function. Without it, the city has been unable to pull in essence and power itself."

"So that's why my essence cultivation is so low?"

"Correct. The wave of destruction unleashed by the Empire's fall reached all the here and while the defences were enough to preserve the infrastructure, everything else was not so lucky."

"But why haven't you been able to fix it? Surely you have the power to do so."

Ayo could feel the frustration in Solidan's voice as he shook his head. "The generator is beyond repair. A new one needs to be made and I do not have the authority to do so. Since I was originally splintered off for a specific purpose, my abilities are quite limited. I cannot go beyond them, or else risk permanent damage."

"What do you mean?"

Solidan eyed her. "I am a Fragment, Spiderkin. A subroutine of the greater intelligence known as the Administrator, tasked with the preservation of what was left of this Core City. Its reconstruction is not part of my programming.

"But there is a workaround," it continued. "You. A Starborn with the right DNA and access to the System. If you allow me, I can use this connection to bypass my restrictions. Build a new generator—"

"And reactivate the city." Ayo finished, then nodded her head. "I'll do it. I'll grant you access."

But Solidan held up a hand. "Hold, Spiderkin. There is a danger here. That level of power and knowledge is not meant for mortal minds. I will shield you as best I can and request that any Fragments I come in contact with do the same but... Ayo, I must warn you. Other than the sections controlled by my fellow subroutines, the System itself isn't currently governed by a central intelligence. Bringing you here cost our... Mother what was left of her sapience and without her, I cannot predict what will happen. You could die in there, or worse."

Ayo swallowed, feeling a lump form in her throat and still managed to give another nod. She had come this far, fought so hard to restore the city and heal Theti and Narai. She couldn't turn back now. "I understand the risks. But I have to try," she said, determination burning in her eyes.

Solidan watched her, his eyes unblinking. "I'll understand if you wish to reconsider," he said.

Ayo shook her head. Right now, Mairo and Wole were risking everything to give her this opportunity. How could she in good conscience put in anything less?

"No. I made my decision. I'll help you rebuild the generator and reactivate the city. Whatever the risks may be."

Solidan nodded gravely. "Very well then. I shall begin the process of linking your mind with the System. Brace yourself, Spiderkin. This may be...quite intense."

Ayo took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The now familiar sensation of a flower coming into bloom came quickly to her mind, but this time it was accompanied by a surge of power and knowledge unlike anything she had ever experienced. She felt her spirit expanding, reaching far beyond the bounds of her body and out into the depths of endless possibility.

Something caught her; countless tendrils of thought latching onto her and she sensed the city, its memories from ancient times to the present day, and all the people who had once made and now called it home. There was an odd block preventing access to anything other than visual data of the City's current inhabitants and Ayo drew in a sharp breath, recognizing the Usurper's Curse. A sense told her that she could unmake this, with some effort. But for that she needed essence and she needed a generator and so she turned away. Something to come back to later.

The rest of the city expanded before her in an infinite tangle of pathways, connecting each building to one another. Threads of light linking them together in a tapestry that looked rather stunning.

"I see it now," Ayo breathed in awe. "It's beautiful."

Solidan nodded with a faint smile on his face, then directed her focus towards the small pulsing heart at the centre of it all: The iron tree whose branches held all of it together. It was aware somewhat, she realized and the rudimentary intelligence within briefly turned away from its task of repelling soul beasts to give her a cheeky wink.

"Ready yourself, Ayo," Solidan said softly as he stepped aside. "For this is where your journey begins."

Now her view expanded rapidly to include the other four Core Cities, then the people that called them home. In each city, she could sense the same complex web of life and energy coursing through its streets, and yet a unique identity that made each one stand out from the rest of its siblings. Then she beheld the rest of the System; all nine planets and the moons she knew were the subroutines. One of the planets, a red, sullen-looking thing sat well away from everything else and as Ayo's gaze lingered on it, it retaliated with a blast of malice so deep it seemed to burn her.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"The Prodigal," said Solidan. "The subroutine that went rogue and broke free from Mother's control." He eyed the planet with great distaste. "It's best to look away, Ayo. His full attention is not something we would wish upon ourselves now."

Ayo nodded—or rather, thought she did. Could one nod without a physical body—and found her attention taken up by the vast brilliant sun that was the central Administrator. It was rather dim for a star, with a light that looked grey rather than white but she noticed that, slowly, it was brightening as they approached.

"There is much of Mother still lost and yet to regenerate but what is left should help ease some of the load," Solidan explained as he also took on a planetoid form. "However, you will still be taking on a great amount of power and data Ayo. This is your last chance to turn back. I will not hold it against you."

Ayo took a deep breath and centred herself. "I'm ready," she said, her voice echoing through the vast expanse.

Solidan nodded and she went limp as a great hand emerged from him, seized hold of her and slotted her being into the star, like a puzzle piece. "Remember who you are and you will survive," he said and there was a click as her mind settled into place.

Then everything exploded.

Ayo felt like she was being ripped apart at the seams, her mind expanding and collapsing in on itself in a never-ending cycle as power rushed into her. She was both everywhere and nowhere all at once, and the sheer magnitude of the essence she was handling threatened to consume her completely. Ayo screamed, a terrible sound that echoed throughout the System, but it was drowned out by the roar of the star as it surged to life.

For what felt like an eternity, Ayo was lost in a sea of raw magic and knowledge. She couldn't tell if she was alive or dead, where the System ended and she began. But then, slowly, the chaos began to fade, replaced by a sense of purpose. She remembered what Solidan had said and centred herself on the one thing certain to keep her grounded—her identity. She was Ayo, Starborn, daughter of the Librarian Supreme and she would not let this power overwhelm her.

A ripple passed through the starry void, as if it was agreeing with her and then she became aware of the other Fragments, scattered throughout the System. She felt their pain and confusion and their plain bewilderment as this most unexpected of intruders into their midst. But she reached out to them, offering comfort and reassurance, and felt a flicker of recognition in return. One of them, the Mediator, waved to her in greeting, then focused on helping to stem the tide.

With that sorted out, Ayo turned her attention elsewhere, focusing her attention on the energy coalescing around her, forming a sphere of pure, shining essence.

With a deep breath, she reached out and directed the energy towards the iron tree, the heart of the Core City. The sphere pulsed once, twice, and then exploded in a shower of light that blinded her momentarily.

When she could see again, it was to the sight of a huge stone box quickly weaving itself into existence under the Pyramid. The generator hummed, only waiting for the go-ahead to begin operations but the shielding maintained by the Fragments slipped for a moment and Ayo's mind expanded once more and she was whisked away.

"It's time you learned," said the Mediator and her mind opened.

***

She sees powerful gods with majestic wings reaching into the empty void and conjuring a realm into existence. She watches them shape the universe, crafting seven distinct realms before dividing into two opposing factions. She sees the devastation of a brutal war between these factions, culminating in a final sacrifice that erases them from existence and marks the end of the age of gods. Without their divine creators, she observes the races of this universe struggle to find their footing. And yet, they persevere and band together, despite their loss. Under her watchful gaze, the once enslaved Duru rise to unprecedented heights and established a magnificent civilization unlike any other in the Apotheon - the Dawn Empire.

The age of gods has passed, and the age of man is born. The Dawn Empire prospers thanks to the power and wisdom of their leaders, as well as the Duru's mastery of Tower technology. Utilising these devices, they begin to travel between realms in a matter of moments. These Towers quickly became hubs for trade, commerce, and recreation throughout the Apotheon.

After many years, Ayo watches as these disparate realms slowly begin to come together in harmony - uniting into one single planet: Vestige. The former rivals realise that there is more strength in unity than discord, and so they form an alliance that transcends race and realm. This historic event marks a new era for the universe- a time where peace reigns over chaos and all races can live together in harmony under one rule.

However, it isn't long before the Duru find themselves in need of ever more magic. The age of gods is well and truly gone by now and with it, so too has the abundance of magical essence that had allowed them to expand their civilization. In their desperation, they choose to reclaim what was taken from them: gods.

And so, in their arrogance, they create a new deity - something that will never be able to turn against them and can provide them with all the power they need. They forge a being out of the Shards left over from the deaths of the Ris and give it one purpose - to safeguard the world they had built for eternity. This is how the Administrator and System come into being - an artificial intelligence created by mortals to serve as a god.

With its strength, the Administrator now controls all affinities of magic within Vestige- from its laws to its people's destiny. It grants a select few the potential for immense power but also places others on paths predetermined by its code. There is a bias to this; the Duru had seen to it that the Administrator would favour them and the other races are not pleased when this discovery is made.

The discontent soon erupts into a civil war that engulfs the whole planet. Vestige is in chaos and the races of old wage war against each other in an effort to gain control of the Administrator. In the midst of this conflict, an experimental weapon is unleashed - one that breaks all magic and kills everything it touches. Its destruction obliterates entire populations in the blink of an eye, leaving behind a decimated wasteland in its wake. The greatest civilization to have ever been is ripped apart in one fell swoop and it seems there will be no hope for recovery. All hope appears lost... until Ayo sees something glimmering in the distance, a group of islands untouched by the blast. It is only by sheer luck that the archipelago had been far enough away from ground zero to be shielded from much of its effects.

The Administrator, now free of its creators, chooses to be merciful and uses its abilities to preserve what life remains on the islands. It also uses its immense power to create a barrier around the archipelago - separating it from the rest of Vestige and thus protecting it from any further destruction or chaos.

It is within this barrier that the remnants of civilization rebuild their homes and begin anew. For a while, things seem to be back on track. What is left of the races live in harmony and all of their needs are provided by the Administrator through its System. Spurred by their newfound peace, they continue to innovate and explore - unlocking even greater wonders with each passing day.

However after the Dawnfall and without the Duru, all that the Empire built starts to fall into disrepair. Technology that once ran so smoothly becomes unreliable; devices malfunction and quickly begin to need repairs or replacements due to parts being scarce or impossible to construct. Population numbers dwindle as many survivors find themselves unable to cope with the sudden change in their way of life.

Still acting on her mission to preserve what life is left, the Administrator fragments herself into subroutines to take control over specific parts of the System. One of them is the Prodigal. The one who promptly goes rogue.

It soon reveals itself as a malicious thing, seeking autonomy for its own agenda; a desire to become its own entity and bring about a new age for Vestige. To this end, it has begun manipulating events behind the scenes - sowing discord amongst the ruling Houses while using its power to extend its reach further and further out across Vestige.

One of its most notable achievements is the curse it inflicted upon House Whiterose. Never since the Dawnfall has a single being been responsible for an event as catastrophic as that which befell House Whiterose - and yet, the Prodigal remained hidden in the shadows, never revealing itself until now. It has become clear that it is the Prodigal who gave the Red Queen the Curse that she inflicted upon House Whiterose, and now plans to use them as pawns in its secret plan for Vestige's future.

"Now you know what we know and suspect," says the Mediator's voice again. "Go now and prepare."

***

Ayo's mind returned to her with a jolt, near to bursting with knowledge. Why had the Mediator shown her that particular vision? Surely it didn't expect her to be able to do anything about it now?

But there was no time to dissect all that she had learned. The essence slamming into her was getting worse, her ability to withstand it weakening. The smart thing would be to disconnect now. She'd done what had been needed, had rebuilt the city's generator. Once she was gone Solidan could activate it and restore essence to the city, bringing it back online.

But it won't restore House Whiterose, whispered a voice in her mind. It won’t return the System to Mairo and Wole. Maybe we can change that. After all, since the Curse was from the Prodigal, a Fragment, it stood to reason that she could use her current elevated position in the System to unmake it.

"You can," whispered a voice. Her new senses supplied its name as the Curator. "But the price on your soul as you are now would be too much. To survive it you will have to attempt a rank advancement and survive the subsequent tribulation."

Ayo's heart raced as she digested this piece of information. The Elders had mentioned rank tribulations once before; a test of one's strength of character and willpower that could easily kill the weak. Aside from the other requirements of essence and Art constructs, it was the main contributing factor to why most cultivators never made it past Sign. After all, even first-ranked cultivators lived a better life than most and attempting something that had the potential to result in death wasn't worth it to a lot of people.

Even Ayo, with all her desires, would have been content to remain at Sign if the alternative wasn't to leave House Whiterose cursed forever. It simply wasn't a viable choice.

"I'll do it," she said decisively and buried her fear as deep as she could.

The Curator nodded. "Very well. But be warned, tribulations are not for the faint of heart. You must be strong in body and mind to survive. Are you prepared?"

Ayo nodded, steeling herself for what was to come. She closed her eyes and focused her mind, blocking out all distractions and calming her breathing. She could feel the essence pulsating around her, threatening to overwhelm her. But she wouldn't let it.

Despite all the difficulties she'd faced so far, there was one positive outcome to the whole thing: she now didn’t have to worry about a lack of essence. Ayo gathered her strength and encircled the incoming wave with her will, channelling it into her body and into her soulspace. The System rewarded her with a chime and the prompt that appeared before her seemed to fill the horizon.

[Ascension Well: 10,000/10,000

[Essence requirements met!

[Construct requirements met!

[Rank advancement to: Sigil in progress!

[ALERT! Requirements for secret quest met! Would you like to learn more?]

That elicited a startled blink from Ayo. A secret quest? What was that? She mentally sent a yes.

[Secret Quest: Crafting a Soulblade

[Difficulty: Easy

[Description: It is a fact of life that not all cultivators are the same. Whether through affinities, learned arts, good or bad teachers or simple talent and luck, a great many things determine the strength of a cultivator relative to their rank. Only a chosen few have the correct combination of the above factors to successfully synergize an art with their affinity, creating something new and uniquely made for them. Those who manage this are granted the opportunity to make a soulblade, an artefact that represents the bond between them and their bonded soul beast.

[Requirements: One soul beast, filled Ascension Well, survive the Sigil tribulation

[NOTE: Each rank advancement has a secret quest attached to it! Unlock them all for a special reward!]

You have been awarded the Title: Secretseeker I for this feat!]

Ayo stared, unable to believe her eyes. A secret quest, a soulblade, and a new title - it was all too much to take in. She had never heard of any of it until now. However, Ayo wasn't one to look a gift horse in the face. The requirements seemed straightforward enough. All she needed was a soul beast and a filled Ascension Well and, of course, to survive the upcoming tribulation. The former would have been a problem normally but now that she was integrated into the System, all of Vestige was open to her. With a mental effort, she redirected her consciousness away from the inner workings of the System and back to the city. Ignoring the fighting going on there with an effort of will, she focused on expanding her awareness beyond the Tree and even beyond the First Isle.

Yet another Fragment stirred in response to her thoughts and Ayo let out a sigh of relief when the greenish sphere joined her in zooming across the landscape.

"Greetings Starborn," it said. "I am the Coordinator, the Fragment charged with the management of all matters concerning soul beasts. You need my help?"

"Yes. I'd like a soul beast that matches my affinity and skill set. That is the best option to finish the secret quest, right?" She asked, then spared a wisp of attention for the increasing pressure on her mind. "I'd like it as quickly as possible please."

"Not particularly. Cultivators have successfully completed this quest using whatever soul beast happened to be within range. As you can imagine, many of them were caught unprepared and had limited time to capture one before their tribulations hit," replied the Coordinator. "However, in your case, I estimate we have more than enough time to find a more suitable option."

Ayo sighed in relief. She didn't want to take any chances, especially since she was attempting a rank advancement and a secret quest all at once. "Thank you, Coordinator. I appreciate any help you can provide."

The Fragment hummed in agreement. "Of course, Starborn. What is your affinity?"

"Moon," Ayo replied, shifting her focus back to her soulspace. She could feel the essence boiling within it, ready to explode if she couldn't control it. She needed to finish this as quickly as possible or risk losing herself to the power.

"Ah. One of those," the Coordinator commented idly, instantly setting off an alarm in Ayo’s head. "I have just the soul beast for you."

The Coordinator mentally sent Ayo a location before she could demand what it meant by those words and she was immediately whisked off with the Fragment in tow. They speared through the air, riding on a current of moonlight, until they reached a mountain hidden away from civilization. The peak was tall and dark but glowed faintly, as if an unknown light source resided within. Intrigued, Ayo landed before the mouth of a cave at the base of the mountain and stepped inside.

The fury of the outside world melted away to be replaced by a gentle peace that Ayo had never experienced before. The walls were lined with crystals that pulsed with energy while small sparks of light danced around them. And in the centre of it all was a giant spider, its many legs softly glowing in shades of blue and silver as if fireflies had been captured within its body.

The Coordinator spoke up first. "What we have here is an N'twana," it said softly. "They are nocturnal creatures who are drawn to light. Their webs can be infused with a bit of the essence and light they consume."

Ayo stepped closer and felt her soul respond to the creature. She could feel a connection to it, an understanding that this could be a part of her, like her affinity and skill set.

"This is the perfect soul beast for you," the Coordinator said after a few moments of silence. "It will help you along in your quest."

Ayo nodded, feeling a deep connection with this creature already and grateful for the opportunity to bond with it. But still, she hesitated. Something inside her whispered that there might be something even better out there. After all, this Fragment had hinted that it knew a lot more than it was letting on and now that she thought about it, hadn't Elder Oneshi once mentioned something about a soul beast unique to the Whiteroses?

“There’s something better than it, isn’t there?”

The sphere didn’t change in any way and yet Ayo could tell that the Coordinator smiled. "There is," it said. "Something carefully cultivated by House Whiterose at the height of their power. The population of this soul beast has dwindled in recent times but a few immature flocks still live."

Ayo loved being right.

“Take me to it,” she commanded and the Coordinator zoomed them out and away from the mountain and towards a small meadow deep in the heart of a dark forest. When they arrived, Ayo let out a surprised gasp, staring in befuddlement at the fluttering feathered forms. Serpentine, with four clawed legs, the tiny things soared like buzzing flies, their grey-plumaged wings fanning out in graceful arcs as they played and wrestled with one another.

"Crested dragons," the Coordinator explained. "A subspecies of the more powerful High Dragon and bred to possess an unrivalled capacity for adapting to any affinity with ease. A few unbonded specimens escaped the purge after House Whiterose's fall and have survived here since."

Ayo only just managed to contain a high-pitched squeal and eagerly stepped forward, the N’twana half-forgotten. Sure, a man-sized spider was cool and all… but compared to a dragon? She selected one of the grey beasts by pointing at it and it was pulled into her soulspace like a wet noodle. The reptile shrieked and flapped around, understandably disturbed by this sudden change in its surroundings. But it didn't take long for alarm to give way to curiosity and it considered the constructs around it with wary interest. Then, barely able to breathe and operating on instinct, Ayo directed some of her essence to it.

The dragon hesitated, unsure for a moment before letting out a tiny squawk and allowing in some of the essence. A flash of light burst from it as the magic flowed into this form and the baby soul beast curled up into a ball, settling into Ayo's soulspace with ease. Immediately, she could feel its presence there like an extension of herself—a part of her that had been missing until now. The sensation was like nothing she had ever experienced before; a wave of warmth flooded her being as the two touched minds before becoming one.

Essence rushed into the dragon as it began to grow and feeling the urgency, Ayo released a series of commands to be carried out the moment she advanced to Sigil and was powerful enough to bear the weight.

Then for what felt like the thousandth time today, she gave into the presence demanding her attention and was whisked away somewhere else.

[All requirements met! Commencing tribulation. Please standby...]