Vysala slowly settled back to the ground, panting for breath. “That,” she said carefully, before a smile split her face, “was a rush. Damn. Didn’t think getting my core changed would feel like that.”

Zaria chuckled. Zaria paused.

Vysala stood up and stretched. She had a faraway look to her eyes. “I can. Actually, let me try something.” She closed her mouth and focused.

Zaria said.

Vysala looked at her hand and focused. An orb of moonlight appeared over her palm and started to spin. Moments later, it coalesced - into what was unmistakably a mob heart. “So,” she said, switching back to vocalizing her speech. “First thing I can do is that. I can’t make mobs… but the option of Heart based spellcasting just opened up to me. Let me see if I can send it to you.”

Words appeared for Zaria, but not in front of her vision, like one of her own system messages. It was more like… the memory of the words. Like she’d already seen them and read them.

Heartcasting: You can create mob hearts, and use them for spellcasting as a dungeon. A mana pool has been added for you to use this ability. It will regenerate at full capacity within your dungeon’s area of influence - outside of that, regeneration is (Tier * 10, currently 20)% of the listed value. Unlike normal spellcasting, you do not pick from a set list of abilities, but can use these hearts to manifest abilities related to their associated element. Consult with your bound dungeon for information about their spellcasting. Spells from your dungeon’s spellcasting list are also available if they’ve taken ranks in that ability. Yagacore Special: While at your Yagacore’s Cauldron, you are able to cast spells from the Cauldron using your own mana, and can also replenish the Cauldron once per day using your own mana to completely refill it for your dungeon to utilize.

Zaria said.

Vysala nodded. “Still, it’s powerful. I can feel the energy in this Heart. And…” Vysala focused for a moment on the Heart. It flowed over to her spork, distorting and warping until it had wreathed the tip in her power. Vysala grinned. “Looks like I can use it to amplify that. I’m pretty sure I can use it defensively, too. Please tell me you’re picking up new elements with some of the upgrade points.”

Zaria hesitated.

“It is, isn’t it,” Vysala said, her expression still far away. She must have sensed Zaria’s concern through their bond. “I’m sorry. It’s just… a lot to take in. My senses have expanded too. I’m aware of my surroundings in a way I’ve never been before.”

Zaria said.

“Yes. It’s a lot to take in.” Vysala shook her head, her forehead furrowing. She didn't seem aware she had repeated herself. “I also have a self-repair ability now. Healing. It’s healing. I’m biological and therefore I heal, not repair.” Now Vysala’s forehead creased in concern. “Okay, that’s weird. I think I’m getting feedback from your mind. Can you switch back to speech until I’m a bit more used to this?”

Zaria flowed back into the Babamorph. “Sure. Did that help?”

Vysala sighed in relief, her eyes finally focusing. “Yes. A lot. I think we need a Fae, Zar. I could feel you in my mind. Still can, but not as strongly. I need to understand this better.”

“I agree. And Zar?”

“Trying out a nickname. Not sure if I like it. I’ll let you know.” Vysala grinned.

Zaria chuckled. “Fair. But overall good changes?”

“Oh yes,” Vysala said. “Another important note - when you’re not commanding a mob, I can. Even outside of your dungeon, so long as I infuse them with one of my Hearts.”

“Oh, that will come in very handy. How about your normal Witch abilities? Those still present?”

Vysala grinned, relaxing now that her head was clearing. “Fennistrath’s crimson ballsack, are they ever. Except I can now make new runes on anything I’ve infused with one of my Hearts as quickly as you craft. Just slow enough I won’t be able to focus on it mid combat unless I can get some space between me and a foe.”

Zaria rubbed her hands together. “Space which Candlemen can supply.”

Vysala nodded. “I’ve also got some new runes to pick out. Going to give that some thought before I do. No new permanents - but I’ll take it. Shame that I don’t have much in the way of new defensive options, though. The healing is nice, but I’d rather not get cut up in the first place.”

Zaria grinned. “I had an idea for that. While you were busy glowing and rising in the air all fancy like, I gave Rav a snack. He has a new form.”

Vysala cocked her head. “Oh? What is it?”

“Well...that is one downside to this new form. It’s not mobile without someone else. Mind going downstairs to the attic and picking him up?”

Vysala’s confusion deepened the lines on her forehead, but she went downs the ladder. Immediately, she saw it.

Zaria had taken the time to gather up some of the weapons and armors of the Reclaimers. The Knight had a suit of Uncommon Armor, and on a whim, Zaria had fed it to Rav. She pulled up the words to smile at them again.

New Mimic Type Unlocked: Uncommon Armor Mimic (10 Command points.)

Rav couldn’t move while an Armor Mimic. He had to be worn. In the meantime he’d adjusted his appearance. This form was the black of Vysala’s armor, with purple and blue lines that reinforced the midnight theme of the Coven. He’d also grown a skirt for Vysala, to match the clothing she performed while not in armor. That hadn’t been Zaria’s idea - that had been his first act as armor. One of those lines, across the stomach of the armor, could split open to reveal his mouth, and two other lines, on the pauldrons, could open up into eyes.

“You want me to wear Rav,” Vysala said, scooping up the mimic and taking him up the ladder.

“Not yet,” Zaria said, nearly cackling again. “I want to make Rav into a Boss level Servitor, then see about him serving as living armor for you.”

Vysala paused to consider. “Wearing Rav is one thing. I can command him now. But wearing free willed, Sapient, and hungry armor? That may rebel? That sounds like a good way to get eaten.”

“I know, but I’ve been reading up on Servitors, now that I can safely make one. Mind if I send the details to you directly? It’ll be easier than repeating them all.”

Vysala took a deep breath and braced herself. “All right, hit me.”

Zaria gathered the information and, making sure it carried no trace of her emotions or thoughts to avoid cluttering Vysala’s mind again, sent it to the Striga.

Servitors are free willed beings a dungeon can create from existing mobs. Once a Servitor is created, it will level up alongside the dungeon that made it, and it naturally has a bond with the dungeon and any other being bonded to the dungeon. Although a Servitor has free will, it has certain instincts at birth to regard the dungeon and other bonded creatures as part of a collective, pack, hive, family unit, or other similar nurturing structure. If mistreated, a Servitor may choose to rebel and sever those bonds, going off on their own to live their life. It is rare, but not unheard of, for a Servitor to grow hostile towards their parent dungeon. However, that typically only happens if the Servitor is badly mistreated. The dangers of Servitors becoming parricidal is about as common as Sapient children doing so to their parents.

That being said, consult your Wisp for how you can best care for your Servitor, and remember that as free willed beings, they will express their desires, and it is best to at least listen when they do so.

To prevent abuse of Servitor mechanics, the risk of Rebellious servitors increases for each Servitor spawned. Eventually Servitors will be born with the knowledge their host Dungeon is deliberately making them as weapons of war, and will be more likely to rebel out of self-preservation.

Vysala’s eyes unfocused for a second, but they snapped back quicker this time. “And with the new ability to make Boss level servitors you unlocked… that risk is amplified, but it does sound less likely I’m going to get eaten than I feared.”

“That was my though too. And I’ve been wanting to make a Servitor for a bit. Now that I have a stable core, I’m eager for it.”

“Make him a Servitor either way,” Vysala said. “Worst case scenario, you can give him a Lycanthrope or Candleman to wear if it’s not going to work out.”

Zaria grabbed a Lycanthrope to be ready, and started to spin up a Boss Heart for Rav. “Worst case scenario, he can take another form still.” The boss heart floated in the air before settling on the table next to Zaria’s core. She reformed the crystal ball around her core, glad for the safety of it. “Going to need to return to my core to do this. Prefer I stay silent while I do?”

Vysala nodded, flexing her fingers again. She was clearly still adjusting to the changes. “Yeah, please. Until we figure out how to stop the psychic bleed over.”

“Perfect. Give me a moon heart then? I want to use some of your power for him.”

Vysala made the moon heart, and Zaria slid back into her core. The process for creating a Servitor was fairly clearly laid out in the Dungeon Instructions. She just had to focus part of her personality - the traits she wanted the Servitor to inherit from her, although those would change as the Servitor naturally grew - into a single point of her core - then sever it. That damage to her core was the exact reason she didn’t want to do it until her Stability had increased.

Zaria made sure to keep a light touch on her personality. Rav’s existing traits would remain intact, and she didn’t want to smother them. To aid that, she only focused on traits that matched what Rav had already displayed flow into the point - her interest in exploration, her protective feelings towards Vysala, and her hunger for more. Once that was done, it was just a simple matter of respawning Rav with that fragment of herself inside him. She included the Moon Heart Vysala had made - and the Bird Heart Vysala had from earlier. Since Rav would be boss level, two hearts were allowed, and might as well give him whatever powers came from that.

The suit of armor that served as Rav’s body rose into the air for a moment, and at Zaria’s command, the lycanthrope stepped forward. Rav’s back split open, letting the Lycanthrope enter, and then sealed seamlessly around the beast. Rav tried to move and let out a low growl, and Zaria quickly commanded the lycanthrope to respond to Rav’s movements. Moments later Rav could move again, shifting his helm back and forth and testing his arms and legs. Vysala watched, and fascination flowed through her bond with Zaria.

“Mothers,” Rav said, looking at the two of them. “Mothers, I crave violence.”

Vysala stiffened, but Zaria laughed. That fit the crate she’d come to know well.

Rav let out a low coo of anticipation. “I… think?”

Zaria said to him.

“I… do.” Rav paused, testing the word. “Yes. I was box. Then I was sword. Then I was bow.” Rav focused for a second, and two new arms erupted from his back - one the spitting image of a sword mimic, the other a perfect mirror for a bow mimic. Rav noticed them and studied his new limbs for a moment, then absorbed them back into his body. A moment later his back flowed again, and two new limbs sprung from it - wings, but made of metal feathers. Rav grinned at them from his mouth with delight. “Now I am armor, and I can fly. This is… good. I think.” Rav scowled. “Are thoughts always this… confusing?”

Vysala laughed, relaxing some from her earlier tension. “Rav, welcome to Sapience. The thoughts are confusing and sometimes annoying, but they also let you do more than you ever could have imagined before.”

Rav hesitated. “Imagine. Yes. I can do that. I am now picturing a chicken that dances. I have never seen a chicken dance. This is imagination, yes?” He pointed at Vysala before either of them could answer. “You. I sat on your back. I… made armor that would make you happy. Did I do poorly?”

“No,” Vysala said quickly. “You’re just new to existence. I wanted to get to know you - and for you to get to know me - before we trust each other with life or death fights.”

Rav withdrew his wings. “What is trust?”

Vysala looked over at Zaria, who had put her mind back in the Babamorph. Zaria went for the answer. “That’s a deep, complex thing to consider. But in short, trust is believing that you can rely on each other.”

Rav nodded. Well, moved his helm to make the lycanthrope nod. Zaria was going to have to get used to looking at the lower eyes, not the mob’s eyes, when speaking to Rav. “I am hungry,” he said. “Can I eat? And then will there be violence?”

Vysala grinned. “There’s meat downstair. Violence… may be a bit away. But I’m sure we can find other ways to pass the time.”

It was good to be certain that some things wouldn’t change from Rav at all.