The world of Eryndor

Leon stood in the barren wasteland of Vryndor, surveying the land that would become the foundation of his kingdom. Though the dry air and rocky terrain were far from ideal, the challenge only fueled his determination. Beside him, Selene silently examined the surroundings, her sharp eyes scanning for any threats.

"Not much to work with, is it?" Selene finally said, breaking the silence.

Leon chuckled. "No, it's not. But it's what we've got. The system says we need to start with a settlement." He gestured to the translucent interface in front of him.

Selene frowned, watching him wave his hand at seemingly nothing. "You keep talking about this… system. What are you seeing?"

Leon paused. She couldn't see the interface. Of course—why would she? The system had chosen him, not her. "It's hard to explain. It's like… a guide. It's giving me objectives, tools to build a kingdom. Right now, it wants us to gather resources."

Selene raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me some mystical force handed you a list of chores?"

"Something like that." Leon laughed softly. "But it's more than that. If we follow its instructions, we can survive here. Maybe even thrive."

Selene didn't look entirely convinced, but she shrugged. "Fine. Let's start with these 'resources.' What do we need?"

Leon focused on the quest panel.

[Quest: Establish Your Kingdom]

• Gather Resources:

• Wood: 0/100

• Stone: 0/50

"Wood and stone," Leon said. "A lot of it."

Selene drew her dagger and motioned to the sparse trees in the distance. "Wood we can manage. Stone's everywhere. Let's get to it."

For the next few hours, Leon and Selene worked tirelessly. Armed with a crude axe provided by the system, Leon hacked at the withered trees, each swing filling his hands with stinging vibrations. The system, to his surprise, made the task easier. Whenever he felled a tree, it would automatically collect the usable wood and store it in an invisible inventory.

[Wood Collected: 45/100]

"Not bad," Leon muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.

Nearby, Selene was gathering stone, prying loose chunks from a rocky outcrop with practiced efficiency. She worked in silence, her movements quick and precise.

"You're good at this," Leon said, walking over to help.

"I've spent most of my life surviving," Selene replied without looking up. "You learn to be resourceful."

Leon hesitated. He wanted to ask more about her past but decided against it. Selene didn't seem like the type to share easily.

[Stone Collected: 50/50]

A soft chime echoed in Leon's mind as the system updated his progress.

[Quest Updated: Build a Basic Settlement]

"That's the last of the stone," Leon said, standing and stretching. "Now we just need to build something."

Selene straightened, brushing dust from her armor. "What exactly are we building?"

Leon opened the system's "Blueprint" menu, a list of options appearing before him. Most of the structures were locked, requiring more resources or higher levels to unlock. However, one blueprint was available:

[Basic Shelter Blueprint]

• Materials Required: 50 Wood, 30 Stone

• Capacity: 2 Residents

He selected the blueprint, and a glowing outline of a small structure appeared on the ground in front of him. It was simple—a wooden frame with stone walls and a thatched roof—but it was a start.

"We'll start with this," Leon said, gesturing to the glowing outline.

Selene tilted her head. "It just… appeared?"

"System magic," Leon said with a grin. "Help me gather the materials, and I'll show you how it works."

Together, they piled the required wood and stone into the designated area. As soon as the materials were in place, the outline shimmered, and the structure began to take form. The wood and stone seemed to move on their own, assembling into walls, beams, and a roof.

Selene stepped back, her eyes wide. "Now that's impressive."

[Basic Shelter Constructed]

[Quest Updated: Recruit Citizens: 1/5]

Leon let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "We've got our first building."

Selene walked around the small shelter, inspecting it. "It's not much, but it's better than nothing. What's next?"

Before Leon could answer, a new notification appeared.

[Alert: Incoming Threat Detected]

• Enemy: Bandit Scout

• Time Until Arrival: 5 Minutes

Leon's heart sank. "Trouble's coming."

The bandit scout arrived exactly five minutes later, a wiry man with a jagged blade and a cruel grin. He approached the shelter cautiously, his eyes flicking between Leon and Selene.

"Well, well," the scout sneered. "Didn't think I'd find anyone alive out here. You lost, boy?"

Leon stepped forward, his fists clenched. "This is our land. Leave, or you'll regret it."

The scout laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Your land? You've got nothing but a shack and a couple of sticks. Hand over whatever supplies you've got, and maybe I'll let you live."

Selene drew her dagger, her stance tense and ready. "Try it, and you won't walk away."

The scout's grin faltered, but he raised his blade. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. Let's see how long they last."

The fight was quick and brutal. Selene moved like lightning, her dagger flashing as she dodged the scout's swings and struck with precision. Leon, unarmed but determined, tackled the man from behind, giving Selene the opening she needed to finish the fight.

The scout crumpled to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.

Leon stood, breathing hard. "Are you alright?"

Selene wiped her blade on the scout's tunic. "I'm fine. You did well."

A new notification appeared before Leon.

[Alert: Bandit Scout Neutralized]

• XP Gained: 200

• Loot Obtained: 1 Rusty Sword, 10 Gold

The system chimed again.

[Quest Updated: Recruit Citizens: 2/5]

Leon blinked. "Wait. How did that—"

A faint glow surrounded the bandit's body, and to Leon's astonishment, it dissolved into motes of light. In its place stood a confused, spectral figure. The man looked around before focusing on Leon.

"What… What happened? Where am I?"

Selene stepped back, her dagger raised. "What is this?"

Leon stared at the figure, realization dawning. "I think… the system turned him into a recruitable citizen."

The man's spectral form solidified, and he fell to his knees. "Please… I'll do anything. Just don't let me die like that again."

Leon exchanged a glance with Selene before nodding. "If you're willing to work for this kingdom, you'll have a place here."

The man bowed his head. "Thank you… my lord."

[New Citizen Recruited: 2/5]

Selene sheathed her dagger, her expression unreadable. "Your system's full of surprises."

Leon smiled faintly. "And we're just getting started."