Valmont Series - Inheritance Code

Chapter 3.7 - The Real Playbook

"Now that you're both synced, we should talk strategy. Not fashion strategy—real Avalon structure."

She swiped her own ONYX, a gentle chime marking a projected display above the table.

The shimmering interface displayed two glowing names — Aria Lancaster and Aurora Waldorf — now linked under a shared Prestige connection.

"Everyone here talks about VYXA," Allegra said, her voice lowering just slightly — not secretive, but tuned for power.

"But VYXA is only the surface. It's the visible currency — what gets flaunted, spent, ranked. Prestige, though? That's the system you never see coming."

Aria and Aurora leaned in, almost simultaneously.

Allegra smiled — not like a nine-year-old. Like a mentor.

"I'll show you what matters most in Avalon," she said simply.

"How to earn. How to rise. How to stay visible in a place that only remembers the exceptional."

Aria exchanged a glance with Aurora, curiosity overtaking rivalry — for now.

"Okay, Allegra," Aria said, folding her arms, intrigued. "Enlighten us. What's the real play here?"

Allegra's ONYX flared softly as she pulled up another projection — this time sharper, more structured.

A layered chart bloomed into view, each tier labeled with cryptic yet elegant names.

Sovereign.

Archon.

Luminary

Patron.

Meridian.

Phoenix.

Collapse.

Unranked.

Aurora's eyes narrowed slightly.

Aria raised her brows.

"Sovereign Ranking – or as most people call it, Prestige Rank or just Prestige," Allegra explained smoothly, like she'd rehearsed this a hundred times before.

"VYXA is your spending power. Prestige is... everything else."

She swiped her ONYX, and her Veritas profile flickered open — her name glowing beneath the word Luminary, highlighted in silver-gold light.

Just beneath, a line of fine print shimmered into view:

Top 5% VYXA Holdings – MyMo Project Initiate

It was impressive, no doubt — being in the upper 5% meant she'd outperformed thousands in Avalon's ruthless internal economy. The MyMo Project had skyrocketed in value, and she'd ridden the wave early.

But in Avalon, VYXA was just one thread in the tapestry of power.

Prestige Rank — the true currency — measured more than money.

It tracked influence. Leadership. The invisible weight a name carried when it entered a room.

Her Luminary title meant she was rising. But not untouchable. Not yet.

Aria and Aurora scanned the projection. Their own names weren't there. Not yet.

"You'll show up once you've completed your House Challenge," Allegra added lightly. "Until then, you're still in orientation mode."

She glanced down at her blazer, brushing a sleeve like it meant nothing. "Oh — and the silver accents on my uniform? That's from my Luminary rank too. They're system-synced."

Aurora tilted her head, visibly processing.

"Translation?" Aria prompted.

Allegra smiled faintly — like this was the fun part.

"Prestige decides what doors open for you. Who notices you. What you're invited to — or left out of. Avalon doesn't reward just wealth or grades. It tracks everything. Network. Style. Achievements. How much you matter in the social grid. It's invisible... but it rules."

Aurora frowned thoughtfully. "And how do you rise?"

Allegra's eyes gleamed — poised like a tutor delivering a foundational rule.

"No one knows. AVNX Core guards that like a sealed myth."

"But people whisper. In addition to VYXA ranking, they say it tracks your integrity, your strategy, the way you treat other students, the risks you take, the ally you keep and the enemies you choose. That every move you make—every click, word, hesitation—is archived and interpreted."

"Some believe there's a Trust Index — a running score of how aligned you are with Avalon's deeper ideals."

"One rumor says it weighs the way you lose more than how you win."

"Another claims it flags anyone who pretends to care, but doesn't actually move culture forward."

"The most disturbing theory? That AVNX knows your real self better than you do — and ranks you on that."

"Some students rise because they lead. Some because they innovate. Others because they completed the right milestones – at the right moment."

"House Challenges," Aria guessed, her tone edged with quiet deduction — like she'd just spotted the move beneath the move.

"So that's where we come in."

Allegra nodded.

"For new students? It's your launchpad. Early prestige gains are easiest right now. The Challenge gives you a stage."

Aria glanced at Aurora, who had gone quiet — though her focus sharpened visibly.

"What happens if you don't do it early?" Aurora asked softly.

Allegra's answer came without hesitation.

"Someone else fills the space. Avalon forgets fast."

Silence followed — not uncomfortable, but heavy with implication.

Aria swiped her ONYX lightly, feeling the weight of that truth settle.

"So," Aria said at last, her voice low but certain, eyes glinting with something newly awakened.

"House Challenge it is."

Aurora met her gaze — serene, calibrated, unreadable.

The moment didn't need more words.

"I'm in."

Allegra smiled, the kind that meant checkmate before the game even began.

"First Solara lesson," she said, rising with the precision of a performer taking stage.

"If you want Avalon to care... make it impossible to look away."

Coming Soon:
Chapter 4 — The Art of Being Seen
Aria and Aurora were no longer invisible — one black signal, one white echo.
Aiden wasn't watching to be impressed. He was watching to understand.
And Luc? He didn't chase — but he noticed.
As alliances formed and attention turned, Avalon began to watch back.
Because in this world, visibility isn't survival.
It's the opening move.

If you're enjoying the series, tap the star — or leave a comment.
Not for validation.
Just to let Avalon know you saw it.