Homestead Survival

<20 September 2024, MIRROR DEEP RETREAT, ????>
[Theo and Julia]
Julia smiled at their next opponent, "Lamalla, it is good to see you."

Theo looked across at the group of four succubus-esque women.

{Lamalla, Level 141, S-}
{Istallia, Level 127, S-}
{Halla, Level 119, A+}
{Jyla, Level 111, A+}

Lamalla nodded to Julia. "Lady Sorrin, it is good to see you once again."

Lamalla cast a licentious look at Theo and licked her lips. "It is always a pleasure to see you, Lord Sorrin."

"Lamalla," Theo said with a curt nod.

"Ladies, these are the humans who helped our younger cousins during the mana event." Lamalla said, then cast a hard, not-so-playful look at Theo, "We would be foolish to underestimate them."

The other three women, who were eyeing Theo and Julia up and down, nodded. Laurel chose that moment to speak up. "Are you all ready?"

Theo, Julia, Lamalla, and the other three Arthintry nodded. And Laurel stepped back. "Begin!"

Once more, Theo found himself in a strange space with other souls. Immediately, he shaped himself into what was feeling more and more natural, taking the form of the Overlook, towering over the battlefield. Julia followed suit, and soon they were ready.

Strangely, none of the Arthintry attacked. Instead, Lamalla's soul reached out to them, opening up communication. "I must say, I understand why I was unable to sway you, Lord Sorrin. Our powers draw directly on the soul, and you are something else. When you get to an appropriate level to work with your soul... Well, suffice it to say I look forward to seeing what you become."

"Thank you, Lamalla." Theo said, confused, "Do you intend to fight or are we serving another purpose at the moment?"

"We could not beat you, Lord and Lady Sorrin," One of the other Arthintry said, "When Lamalla said you are something else, she meant that you are a monster. Souls are rarely this large or this well defined."

"So then what did you want to tell us that didn't want others to hear?" Julia asked, jumping to a conclusion.

"Have you heard about the other who is in this contest, Xi'Sys?" Lamalla asked.

"We were advised by Varess Karzun-Morrakai to withdraw before facing him, but he was not explicit with why." Theo said.

"Xi'Sys is the same species as Lady Strigthix, but he is young and has given in to some of his baser instincts in a way that is quite disastrous to those who face him in any way that exposes them to his soul." Lamalla said, "He will overcome your defenses, and then he will use what control he has to torment you both until your minds shut down. We will accept defeat from you, and do so gladly, but I highly recommend that you drop out. Second place is not bad for your first time, especially at your level."

Theo and Julia were silent for a moment. Theo finally responded. "Thank you, Lamalla. The warning is appreciated. One day, we will have to sit down and discuss some things. Hopefully, Julia will not slap you for your innuendos at that point."

All four of the Arthintry's voices rang out with laughter at this. Lamalla spoke, "Of course. Have an excellent day, Lord and Lady Sorrin."

With that, they were all suddenly outside the mental space, and Laurel was speaking. "The Arthintry have submitted. Our victors, Lord and Lady Sorrin!"

The crowd went wild. And Laurel continued speaking, "I have been informed that one of the contestants of the next match has withdrawn, so now we are left with only the final match. Lord and Lady Sorrin versus Xi'Sys!"

A roar of anticipation washed through the crowd. And the almost feral-looking male torso on a spider's body stepped forward. Theo raised a hand, "May we have a moment?"

Laurel bowed to them, "Of course."

With a wave of Laurel's hand, Theo and Julia were isolated from the outside world. Theo turned to Julia. "Do you want to do this?"

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Julia hesitated. "I do, but I worry. If both Varess and Lamalla were worried about this guy, then what is he really like, and will we be able to fight him?"

Theo shrugged, "I honestly don't know, I feel like this is way easier than it should be."

"Me too," Julia said, "but I think that has to do with the Bond letting us draw on each other naturally for strength. I also think that my Warmth of the Hearth skill is affecting our souls. Not to mention we have the ring."

Theo looked down at his hand, "I think it just gives us a blanket boost to soul manipulation resistance. I have not tried to actively pull on the ring."

"So let's try it." Julia said, "If you have to draw on the ring."

Theo nodded, "Okay. Laurel, we are done."

They were no longer isolated. They looked across at their opponent.

{Xi'Sys, Level 150, S}

"Right on the bleeding edge, huh?" Theo muttered under his breath at the spider-legged man's level.

Julia nodded, and Laurel spoke. "This is the last match! Everyone ready?"

Theo, Julia, and Xi'Sys nodded. Laurel stepped back. "Begin."

Theo and Julia found themselves in the strange mental soul-scape once more. Theo's soul was already in the shape of the Overlook, the shape feeling as natural as breathing now. Julia was also in place. They both felt around for the soul of Xi'Sys.

"No wonder Laurel wanted you to compete here." Xi'Sys said, his tone as slimy as it was possible to be. "It is impressive for a level fourteen. Even for a level one hundred, but you are out of your depth."

Suddenly, Theo and Julia realized that a transparent cloud had been surrounding them the entire time. Theo looked for any way he could think of to beat this, but could see none. Xi'Sys reached out and was brushed back by one of the massive stone hands.

"Can't get to you quit yet, you both support each other, but you're a big lad, used to violence of a sort." Xi'Sys said calmly, almost analytically. "But your pretty little friend is not as ready for what I can do."

Suddenly, the transparent cloud condensed into a pitch black spike and shot towards Julia. Theo instinctively dropped Julia into the center of his strange, ocean-like shape that they had started in. Xi'Sys laughed. "Good! Good work, Lord Sorrin. She would not have been able to fight back if I had touched her. But now the question is, how long can you hold out?"

With this, the soul of Xi'Sys formed into several spikes that all started to fly and stab into Theo, over and over, never giving him a chance.

[Theo]
Theo was panicking. He didn't even have a chance to speak with Julia; he had to focus on holding Xi'Sys back.

What the fuck do I do! Theo thought to himself. He focused on the ring, and focused on the aura that the ring had, and how it seemed entwined with even his soul. The damage that Theo could feel building up in his soul lessened slightly.

Fuck-fuck-fuck! Theo thought desperately searching his mind for anything. The ring whispered, in his mind, a strange sensation, and only one word was clear "Class."

Theo thought for a moment. My class, what the fuck is my class, Heir of the Earth? What the hell does that have to do with this? How is Heir of dirt going to help me?!

Theo stopped, the mounting pain in his soul forgotten for a moment. Theo had noticed that the System capitalized certain things. Theo also knew suddenly in that moment that he was not the Heir of dirt, he was the Heir of the Earth. Something in his soul resonated in that moment with the realization.

A planet, not just a part of it, like the Overlook. A whole planet. That was the thought that Theo had. He looked at Julia. And at my core, the woman who is my heart and the Warmth in my life.

With that, Theo began to reshape his soul.

[Julia]
Julia had been scared when Xi'Sys had shot at her, and had been eternally grateful to Theo when he suddenly enveloped her. But now she was watching as Theo bore the brunt of the attacks that were flying in, trying to pick their way through and get to her.

She felt Theo's soul grow denser, and then a pulse of something came from the strange clump of Theo's soul that she could only guess was the ring. Then she felt a sense of resolve and clarity emanate from him. Theo's soul began to shift. A Sphere formed around her, a small room that contained her inside. She realized what he was doing.

Theo, if I am your core, then you better be hoping for the tropics. Julia said, taking initiative to reshape her soul, she created a perfectly spherical room, maximizing her contact with Theo's soul, and in the middle of the room was an absolutely gargantuan hearth.

[Xi'Sys]
Xi'Sys let out a chuckle at the efforts of the two low-level humans. "Your struggles are amusing, but I guess it is time to show you how this works."

He moved to attack with even more force when something clicked within the two humans. They spoke in their souls and out loud in perfect unison.

"No, it is time to end this."

[Lord Ka]
Ka was watching the battle closely. He had interacted several times with the soul of Xi'Sys. But this was the first time that he was seeing the souls of Lord and Lady Sorrin in action. And he was impressed. "I think that is the first time he has relied on the ring, other than the boost he has unlocked so far."

Patriarch Karzun nodded. "I agree. To see them excelling like this so far outside their level of ability. It is rather impressive."

"But my cousin-kin will of course be victorious." Lady Strigthix said. "Dragons and very few others are the only ones that can overpower my kind."

Lady Xandur was watching closely and watched as Theo and Julia almost simultaneously formed their souls into another shape. "Oh my. These two are quite interesting."

Theo and Julia spoke in unison, extending their hands to Xi'Sys. "No, it is time to end this."

Suddenly unfettered heat, produced by the interactions of their souls, began to roll off of Theo and Julia.

"Well, that is interesting." Lord Ka said, watching Laurel's many hands sprout from the floor and work to contain the heat that was slamming into Xi'Sys.