Season 2. Chapter 3: Connection linking

Chapter: Link Established

The forest-tech border that separated the growing Traveler zone from the outer city blocks shimmered faintly in the early dusk. Under the deep violet sky, the ground felt alive—roots shifting beneath stone, leaves murmuring in tongues of old magic. Yet within this quiet tension walked three figures: Yotel, Oliver, and Fern—a trio of unmatched temperaments and odd synergy.

Yotel walked ahead, mop slung over his shoulder like a weapon, head slightly tilted as he scrolled through a sleek, rune-etched arcane phone—his version of the Systematic Guide, customized with embedded filters, spirit-linked stabilizers, and UI mods that most people hadn't even heard of.

"Alright," Yotel said casually, eyes still on the screen, "we're gonna do something useful. You ever link your account before?"

Oliver, masked and stoic, tilted his head slightly. "No."

Yotel paused in his stride, turning with a faint grin. "Of course you haven't. You've been running solo since the start, huh?"

Oliver gave a single, short nod. "I don't connect often."

Yotel raised his eyebrows and tapped a few quick glyphs. "Well, good thing I do."

He spun the screen around to show a request sigil blinking softly in a warm gold hue.

> [Link Request – YOTEL → OLIVER]

Share Access: Vita Flow, Communication Sync, Location Relay (Optional), Status Updates.

Yotel added, "If you accept the link, we can share system data directly. Fast-tracks planning. Also, my Vita reservoir is way above standard—you can pull from it in emergencies. Limited, but you'll feel the boost."

Oliver didn't hesitate. He extended a hand and tapped the center rune.

The guide shimmered—Link Established.

Suddenly, Oliver's HUD blinked—new passive stats flowing through, a noticeable warmth humming beneath the interface. Yotel's Vita signature—crisp, bright yellow like structured lightning—now echoed faintly alongside his own more stoic, muted gray-blue current.

Yotel gave a satisfied nod. "That's one connection down."

Oliver looked to his left. "Add Fern."

Fern blinked slowly, her cloak shifting slightly in the wind. "...Why?"

"You're part of this too," Oliver replied. "The system works better when we're linked."

Fern crossed her arms. "I don't like artificial channels."

"It's encrypted," Yotel added, already scrolling through the guide. "Doesn't interrupt druid flow. We're not harvesting your soul or anything."

She scoffed, quietly but sharply. "Tch. Fine. But if I start glowing like a tech tower, I'll cut it."

Yotel smirked. "Deal."

Another tap. Another glowing rune. This one blinked green.

Fern hesitated only a second before extending her hand and accepting. A subtle pulse swept through her system—Yotel's Vita current now sharing bandwidth with her natural energy.

She blinked once. Her eyes narrowed.

"…It's clean."

Yotel chuckled. "You sound surprised."

Fern didn't answer. But she didn't disconnect either.

Oliver now had both connections active. On his guide, two new glyphs appeared in the corner:

– YOTEL: [High Vita | Artificer Class | Active Link]

– FERN: [Wild Vita | Druid Class | Passive Sync]

Oliver closed the screen. "This will help."

Yotel nodded. "The more we're synced, the faster we respond. When the first group of seventeen show up... and the dozens after that? We'll need every advantage."

Fern looked at the two of them, then toward the distance—where the forest shimmered faintly in anticipation.

"Seventeen's just the start," she murmured.

Oliver looked at her, eyes unreadable behind the mask.

"Yes," he said. "And when they come... they'll be walking into something real."

Yotel, checking a pulse-read on the next incoming data batch, smiled faintly.

"Then let's make sure we're linked enough to carry them."