Summon the Great Spirits - Book 1 Chapters 4,5,6 (Patreon)

Chapter 4

Big Bad Dig Deer

Ethan panicked as the level 5 deer approached the fray. It put its face-scoop down, intent on flipping Luca away from the battle. The Caller ordered the Symbol away, narrowly removing his summon from danger. If his [Summon Lucantele] spell was five seconds, it wouldn’t be enough time for him to dismiss the spirit and bring a healthy version out. Then there was the problem of his dwindling mana supply. He only regenerated 5 mana per 5 seconds in combat, resulting in a drain of 9 mana per cycle.

The margins were thin on this one. Even if he could get the lower-level deer down, there was the higher one to deal with. Ethan wasn’t certain he could flee from the scene either. Something about the way the level 5 [Dig Deer] moved said that it was fast. And angry. A plan formed in the Caller’s mind in an instant. Something that would work, if only by a razor’s edge.

“Far side of the clearing, Luca!” Ethan shouted, unable to keep the command within his mind.

The Symbol of Luca didn’t hesitate. The creature scampered off, only pursued by the larger of the deer. The first one was near-death. Ethan would be surprised if it had more than 10 health points by now. He counted the seconds it took the deer to catch up with the spirit, then ordered Luca to fight to the death before running another three seconds into the forest behind him.

Ethan couldn’t see the battle between the [Dig Deer] and Luca, only sensing the fight and watching as the little squirrel’s health bar dwindled. If the low-level deer had pursued him, nothing about this plan would work. Suddenly, the spirit’s health hit 0. The Caller channeled [Summon Lucantele] without hesitation, watching as his mana was halved. He issued an order to attack the larger deer, sprinted through the forest with his summon, then held his staff high in the clearing.

One resounding clang of a bell echoed through the forest. Luca grew twice his normal size as the [Spur] ability took effect. Instead of careful pounces, the spirit now moved like a hunting jaguar. But Ethan’s mind was focused on his half of the plan. The low-level deer was wounded, not dead. He approached it, instantly regretting the closeness of his position. With a sweeping motion, the deer gored the ground with its shovel. Swiping through the air, the Caller took a hit of antler and dirt to the chest, sending him tumbling backwards.

Luca engaged with the higher-level deer, dancing around it as the time on the [Spur] ability ground down. The [Dig Deer] let out a grunt as two little fangs sunk into its neck. Claws gored at the side of the monster, raking away flesh and diminishing the creature’s health. Ethan rose to his feet and held his staff like a spear, ready to jab at the dying deer.

“I’m not a fighter,” Ethan said, ready to thrust.

The deer grunted back. It was once again brought to his attention how strange it was to see a lack of gore. Luca had torn the creature up, yet the blood that wept from the wounds was minimal. That made him feel better when he thrust his staff, bonking the monster in the head. Like an expert fencer, the deer swiveled its head in an attempted parry. But the Caller maintained control of his staff, swinging it around in a wide motion to come back down on the monster’s head.

Luca was faring much better against the high-level [Dig Deer]. He danced around his opponent, [Spur] only fading after Ethan had beaten his foe to death. The Caller wanted to feel bad about it, but these deer were nasty. As the spirit shrunk, [Spur] expiring completely, he turned his attention to the larger deer. What it lacked in offense, it made up for in sheer toughness.

“Back off,” Ethan shouted, watching as Luca almost took shovel-antlers to the face. His mana was dwindling with every passing moment. Another battle took place between the perpetuation cost of Luca, and his halved [Mana Regen].

When the deer charged for Luca, Ethan came in hard on the side. He put his entire body weight into the strike, swinging it like a baseball bat to connect to the monster’s side. Tumbling on the spot, the deer lost his footing. Luca and Ethan descended on the creature, the spirit doing so without orders. The Caller bashed away with his staff as Luca tore with claws and fangs until the monster stopped moving.

Drawing heavy breaths, Ethan watched as his companion vanished. His gaze dragged over to his health and mana. He’d lost half his total health, and all of his mana. Then a system message crowded his vision.

The [Dig Deer] was concealing a class-specific treasure chest!

From the sky, an iron-banded wooden chest fell with a resounding thud. Ethan almost ran from the spot, if not for the system message informing him it was a good thing.

“It’s a good thing, right?” Ethan asked, remembering those old games. They always had creatures that pretended to be treasure chests. But the system wouldn’t lie to him, would it? Dropping a mimic instead of a reward seemed like a cruel thing.

Staying as cautious as ever, Ethan waited until his mana reached 100 before continuing. It was a chance to study the effects of health and his body. He noted that as his health rose from his passive regeneration, he noticed that the pain in his injuries were also lessened. Perhaps a mortal wound needed something more than passive regeneration, but he’d be fine with his current injuries.

Ethan cast [Summon Lucantele] before approaching the chest. He knew it was just a Symbol of the Great Spirit, but he still tilted his head to his only companion. Then he approached the chest, smacking it with his staff and holding back. Nothing happened, so he probed all the corners, making sure to bonk it a few more times. But it didn’t turn into a horrible mimic. It sat there, with the iron latch on the front unlocked. As his mana dwindled again, he kicked the latch and opened it up.

Inside was a white robe, inlaid with patterns of silver. They wove a tapestry of abstract concepts, something that Ethan couldn’t understand. He pulled the soft clothing from the chest, pressing it against his face before inspecting it.

[Initiate Caller’s Robe]

[Robe]

Rank 0

Epic

Description:

The depictions on this robe show the rise of the Great Spirits. Many Callers wear the [Initiate Caller’s Robes] to distinguish themselves from the other summoners of the world.

Effect:

Reduce the perpetuation cost of all Great Spirit Summons by 0.5m/5s.

It wasn’t the incredible piece of gear he’d hoped for, only reducing the perpetuation cost of Lucantele to 13.5 mana every 5 seconds. But as he slipped out of his khaki pants and polo shirt, he realized the value of the robe. With a sigh of contentment, he slipped the impossibly comfortable robe over his head. It wasn’t incredibly ornate, but it was extremely comfy. He stood there in the clearing for a long time, appreciating how it felt against his skin. Of course, he left his boxer shorts on. There was no need to have someone see his privates.

Not that there was anyone around to see them.

Ethan didn’t feel as though he was limping back to the temple to recover. He was returning victorious, celebrating in his own way. A single hoot of excitement when he sat on the temple floor. He gazed at the broken steles, appreciating what this place meant. What it must have meant in the past, to the people who came here to worship. In its disrepaired state, it wasn’t much to talk about. A pile of stones that some historians might enjoy studying, but once it was a great place. He convinced himself of that while enjoying the comfort of the robe.

“Some coffee would be nice right about now,” Ethan said, letting out a breath. He tapped the butt of his staff on the ground, finding that he missed quite a few things about Earth. “And the internet. Maybe some chicken wings.”

“What are chicken wings?” a voice asked.

Ethan spun around, finding the blazing silver eyes of Lucantele boring a hole into him. He let out a breath of relief.

“The wings of a chicken. Usually they put some sauce on it. Spicy sauces,” Ethan said.

“I don’t like spicy things,” Luca said.

“Before you go, I have a question—”

“You look good in the robes. The robes of a true Caller,” Luca said, ignoring what Ethan had said. “I’m not certain about the boots, though. They don’t fit with the ensemble.”

“No, I suppose they don’t,” Ethan said. “Maybe you could bless me with some shoes.”

“Your question?”

“Advancement,” Ethan said. “You mentioned a ritual for ranking up, but how about experience gain? Does that dwindle as I go?”

“Astute. Yes, it does,” Luca said, bounding over fallen stones to stare at an inscription. “With every rank, you’ll start out getting experience quickly. As you approach level 10, you’ll find that it becomes harder. Even if you kill even-level monsters, it becomes a chore. Now, do you understand what these inscriptions say?”

Ethan hadn’t tried to read them. While he was speaking a strange language, the same didn’t apply to his reading. They looked like those old clay tablets he saw in textbooks back on earth. But the word didn’t come to him immediately.

“I can’t read them,” Ethan said, approaching the Great Spirit.

“You asked what I expect of you,” Luca said. “And you see my temple is in ruins. Would you care to know why?”

“If you’re sharing, I’m listening.”

“The orcs that call the southern mountains their homes. They weren’t always there,” Luca said. “Without a Caller in the region, there was no way to maintain the temple. People didn’t understand the importance of this place. So those monsters attacked. They pillaged and destroyed what those that worshiped me built.”

“But it’s not like the concept of hope is dead with your temple,” Ethan said. “Seems like an intrinsic quality of people that a Great Spirit isn’t needed for.”

Luca nodded his little head. “That’s true. I’m not the arbiter of hope. I’m a symbol of hope. The downtrodden would come to my temple, praying for me to give them hope. And I would do it.”

Ethan scratched his head. He didn’t clean himself well enough in the stream to stem that desire. He was uncertain how he should feel about people coming to pray for hope. It seemed a bit hand-wavy to him.

“I sense doubt,” Luca said before Ethan could respond.

Ethan grunted, shaking his head. “I don’t doubt you. It’s just hard to put a pin in it. You know? Could you give me an example of how a Great Spirit of Hope could help someone?”

“Certainly,” Luca said, turning away from the stele and gazing at Ethan. “You’re in the Duchy of Wexenhal. When the duchy burned… When the people were driven from their homes and put under a yoke, they felt as though there was no way out. But some came to my temple. They prayed and I gave them hope.”

Ethan thought about it for a moment. So it was a matter of helping people through hard times. There was nothing wrong with that. If anything, it was like free fantasy world therapy. Assuming the temple didn’t charge people for the services.

“I’ve decided that hope is a good thing,” Ethan said.

“You’re a simple creature.”

“That might be true,” Ethan admitted. “But I’m new here. We don’t have magical hope-squirrels where I’m from.”

“I’ve seen into your world. They could use some hope,” Luca said.

Ethan snapped his fingers. “How about going back home? Can I do that?”

“Would you want to do that?”

Ethan deflated. “Not really. As dangerous as it was, I had a good time fighting those deer. There’s a lot to be said about seeing your progress laid out with clear numbers… Wait… Cuneiform! That’s the name of the writing I’m thinking of.”

“A simple creature indeed,” Luca said. “Perhaps that’s for the best. Someone with more ambition might abuse the powers of a Caller.”

“Well, you want to rest with me?” Ethan asked, finding a nice slanted rock to lay on.

“My physical manifestation doesn’t need rest.”

“Best if you try,” Ethan said.

Luca looked as though he was warring with himself. The squirrel spun on the spot, then stopped. He bound onto Ethan’s chest and curled up, spreading a sense of hope through the Caller’s body. They stayed like that until his mana was full, leaving him with a different sense of accomplishment. It was one thing to take this power and use it however he wanted, but there was something Lucantele wanted without saying it. He wanted to restore his temple to its former glory. To banish the orcs from the mountains and bring hope back to the people.

But that required power. If Ethan wanted to help the Great Spirit, he’d need to grow stronger. Perhaps recruit allies to help with the effort. It wasn’t something he could do relaxing in the temple, patting himself on the back for killing a few monsters in the forest. If he really wanted to make a difference, he needed to get out there and grind some experience.

Ethan grabbed another pear before heading outside again. There was plenty of time left in the day for him to grind. Luca’s words rang true when he found an equal-level deer and killed it. When he’d first slain a [Dig Deer] it gave him 25% of his level in experience. This one provided 10%. Instead of killing 4 deer for a level, he now had to kill 10. That number would only grow as he rose in levels.

Another [Thorn Badger] fell to the Symbol of Lucantele’s claws. With excitement, the Caller watched as his level rolled over to 4. But even more exciting, the bond with his summon rose to 5. Before consulting with the upgrade screen, he dropped another point into the [Mind Attribute].

Sitting on a log, Ethan flipped through a list of upgrades. There must have been 100 options to pick from, but they got so specific that he doubted their usefulness. Instead, he narrowed the list down to three useful picks.

[Retreat]

Lucantele Summon Ability

Mana Cost

Extremely Low

Cooldown

5 minutes

Description:

Order Lucantele to retreat from battle. He will reappear at your side instantly.

[Pact Upgrade 1]

Lucantele Summon Passive Ability

Description:

You form a stronger pact with Lucantele, reducing his perpetuation cost by 4 mana/5s.

[Regenerate]

Lucantele Summon Ability

Mana Cost

Low

Cooldown

10 minutes

Description:

Order Lucantele to regenerate. He will move slower for 1 minute, but regenerate 5% of his health every 5 seconds.

There were many selections in the vast list that were grayed out. Ethan couldn’t even inspect them, and when he tried it warned him there was a bond level limit to them. Of the three he’d picked for inspection, two were of dubious quality. [Regenerate] might be useful later, but for now it didn’t fit with his strategy. Instead of regenerating the summon’s health, he could just dismiss it and resummon at similar cost. He considered that one for a long time before dismissing it.

[Retreat] was an interesting ability, but it wasn’t what he needed. Lucantele’s Symbol didn’t have a weakness related to running speed. He could easily retreat when the time arose.

[Pact Upgrade 1] was extremely interesting to Ethan. He’d been operating under the idea that mana regen and perpetuation cost was the center of the class. Everything surrounded that concept, and the amount of perpetuation cost reduction for the skill was great.

It was a difficult pick for Ethan. He could have taken any of the skills in the list and been happy with it. But the idea of reducing Luca’s ongoing base cost from 14 to 10 was enticing. Out of combat, that meant he could now keep the summon out forever. With his [Mind] upgraded to 11, he now had 10.5 [Mana Regen], meaning he’d actually gain mana while the Symbol was out. He selected [Pact Upgrade 1] as his selection.

Heading back into the forest, Ethan found it a great comfort to keep the summon out all the time. He was no longer worried about being ambushed without Luca out. The little squirrel could even range ahead, searching for monsters where the Caller couldn’t see them. Although it was just a reflection of the real Great Spirit, Luca’s symbol was like a bloodhound.

By the time Ethan was close to level 5, he felt dead tired. His new robe was stained with mud, a problem made worse by its pristine white appearance. He worked his way back to the temple, harvesting more pears from the tree outside, before entering his makeshift room. He settled in for the night, spreading out the bounty of pears and digging in.

The hard stone floor under his makeshift bed didn’t seem as hard that night. He stared up at the cracked ceiling of stone and wondered where tomorrow would take him. If Ethan hit level 5, earning him a new ability, he’d head off to the east. To the source of that fire, and perhaps other people. Lucantele was good company, but there was only so much chatting he could do with a squirrel. He missed the warmth of human conversation.

All those concerns were washed away as he fell asleep. A deep sense of hope for the future spread through his mind, and he drifted off without a problem.

Chapter 5

Orcs

Wind whipped from the east, blowing the scent of a fresh campfire into Lucantele’s temple. Ethan stood with the Great Spirit, looking out on the forest. Both bore pensive expressions, or as pensive as a squirrel could look. Despite the spirit’s previous words that east was the best direction, there was a sense of heavy hesitation in the air. The caller didn’t want to leave his haven, and the spirit didn’t want to lose his Caller.

In just a few days, the pair had formed a bond. Perhaps that was reinforced by the system. A relationship forged by these rules that governed the world, but a kind of burgeoning friendship. But Ethan didn’t plan to leave the temple until he hit level 5, a fact that would come true with only a few monster kills.

“You’ll slim down if you keep eating only fruit,” Luca said, piercing the silence.

“I wonder what the nutritional value of your pears are.” Ethan chuckled, turning to meet the silvery gaze of the Great Spirit.

“You won’t find anything better.”

Ethan intended to check in at the temple before he made the journey east. As he departed through the northern entrance, he felt a sense of adventure. Excitement for the coming skill and the road ahead. He cast [Summon Lucantele] and worked his way through the forest. It took more kills than he’d have liked to get up to level 5. Fortunately, there were enough [Dig Deers] and [Thorn Badgers] to make the job easy.

The Caller rested on a log once he got the level. He found himself jittery as he consulted his new potential abilities. Like when he upgraded the Great Spirit summon, he had a slew of things to look at. They ranged from flat increases in various attributes, to new abilities altogether. He narrowed it down to a set of 8, then down to 3. Then he took time to think about them before making his selection.

[Empower Attack]

Caller Ability

Cooldown

15 Minutes

Description:

Your next summon ability will be enhanced.

The way the ability is enhanced depends on the ability. Damaging abilities do more damage, healing abilities heal more, and so on.

Ethan considered this skill because of its raw power. He wasn’t building himself as a powerhouse of damage, though. Instead of focusing on attacks, he’d been using his tactics to last longer in fights. This was a great ability to consider for the future, but for now he would pass.

[Chain Attack]

Caller Ability

Cooldown

15 minutes

Description:

Your next summon ability does not go on cooldown, allowing you to use it again immediately.

This ability does not reduce the mana cost of your summon ability.

[Chain Attack] was like [Empower Attack], in that it increased his damage output. Ethan couldn’t decide if the abilities were too closely tied, but he wouldn’t take this one either. It was marginally better than the last, but he’d had his eyes on the last one since the start of his internal debate.

[Rapid Summon]

Caller Ability

Cooldown

1 hour

Description:

Activate this ability to instantly cast any [Caller] summoning spell.

An ability with a one hour cooldown seemed like a waste of a selection. With Ethan’s current tactic of sending Luca in to do the dirty work, waiting for him to get killed, then running away to summon him again, this was perfect. It was his emergency button, allowing him to bring the Symbol back into the fight with no delay. He selected the ability and felt it slot into his core. Without caring about the consequences of going into a full [Mind] build, he put another point into [Mind]. That brought him up to 12.

Ethan now had a mana pool of 160, and a [Mana Regen] of 11.

He walked a lazy path back to the temple. Ethan collected more pears from under the span of trees, using his clothes as bags. Slinging the laden bags over his staff, and propping the weapon on his shoulder, he returned to the temple. Lucantele was waiting for him there, still holding that pensive squirrel look. Like a forest critter that had forgotten where his supply of nuts was. A common look among the creatures.

“Well, this is it,” Ethan said. “I still smell the fire. So I guess people are still out there.”

“Right on time,” Luca said, turning among the rubble to stare at Ethan.

“I’ll be back. However long that might take.”

Ethan was delaying for his own sake. Something about the forest outside shouted danger. That was always the case, but the path to the east seemed especially bad. He couldn’t stop himself from thinking about other people in this world. With no knowledge of them, it was impossible to know if they were friendly. The Caller spent some time coming up with a story, bouncing that idea between himself and Luca.

The Great Spirit encouraged him to use his name. Those who followed the spirits were often strange. They did things others didn’t understand, following the words of normally invisible creatures. That was in the name of the class. Callers.

“Most cannot call us to the mortal realm,” Luca said. “With your staff and robes, no one would doubt you. Even if there hasn’t been a caller in the region for an age.”

“I’ll tell them the squirrel of hope sent me. No problem, right?”

The pair shared conversation for longer than they should have. Ethan didn’t want to waste a moment of daylight if he was meant to find people in the woods. It seemed like a difficult task, but he’d delayed long enough. The Caller made his way to the exit and looked back on the ruins. Luca stood there, bathing the area in a faint silver glow. He turned and left, snaking his way around the temple to head east.

It didn’t take long for the scent of a burning fire to become more intense. Ethan walked a plodding course through the forest, finding the landscape here to be more unforgiving. He had to divert several times, tracking a path down hills and around sudden drops. When he lost sight of the temple, he found it difficult to navigate. Turned around, he relied on his nose to bring him closer to the fire. Atop a gentle rise, bordered on three sides by steep declines, a fire burned.

Ethan could barely make out the form of two people, sitting by the fire. They talked about something, but he couldn’t hear them from this distance. Hooded in threadbare cloaks, furs, and armed with blunted axes, the people paid him no mind as he approached. The Caller stood there, staring at the crackling fire for a while. The words just wouldn’t come to him. They caught in his throat before he could manifest them, leaving him feeling a fool.

His mind wandered as he approached, something of an introduction forming in his thoughts. Without knowing why, he unintentionally inspected one of the people. Blood running ice cold in his veins, body seizing with the frost of fear, Ethan stammered.

[Belgar Orc]

Monster

Rank 0

Level 6

Description:

Orcs are horrible creatures. Their human-like appearance fools some adventurers, but there is a difference between monsterized orcs and their more civil cousins.

Two faces turned to meet his gaze. Tusked and almost pig-nosed, the pair of orcs shot for their weapons. They rose to their full height, more than a head taller than Ethan. They stared down the Caller with deadly intent, even as he cast [Summon Lucantele]. The pair of level 6 orcs bore down on him, interrupting his spellcasting and sending him tumbling down the hill. The world spun around him, a smear of green and brown before he impacted the ground below.

With 10 health less than when he started, Ethan panicked to his feet. He channeled [Summon Lucantele] again, trying to get ahead of the massive green-skinned creatures stomped down the earthen ramp. He cast the makeshift bags of fruit to the ground and readied his staff. A mental command sent Luca to intercept the first creature. He flew through the underbrush, bursting from a bush to latch onto an orc’s neck.

The monster screamed in agony, shaking its head like a dog ridding itself of fleas. But Luca had both of their attention now, and disengaged just as the second orc brought a blunted blow down on his companion’s neck. The first orc howled in pain, pitching over and falling on its face. It squirmed on the ground, not completely defeated.

But the second orc wasn’t as stupid as Ethan expected. Instead of focusing on Luca, it turned to find the Caller. With a war cry, it thundered through the forest with its head lowered. Saplings bent to give way to the creature’s massive frame, allowing the Caller only a breath to react. He dove to the side, landing directly in a pile of thorny branches.

“Balls!” Ethan shouted, shaking his staff with intent.

The bell rang through the forest. Luca doubled in size, then kicked off from the ground with force. Under the effects of [Spur], the Symbol tore into the closest orc. Currently stunned by his wild charge, the orc howled with pain. Ethan swiveled his gaze, spotting the first orc rising to his feet. If he couldn’t control them both at the same time, this wouldn’t end well. He needed to keep the battlefield under his command, or…

“I’ll die,” Ethan breathed.

While the second orc reeled from the attack, Ethan ordered Luca to attack the first. The Caller repositioned himself, cursing as thorns dragged through his new robes, sinking into his skin. Pinpricks of blood stained his robe, but he found better footing. Better still, the second orc would need to brave the same pain to attack him.

Luca tore into the first orc, but Ethan kept [Claw] on reserve. He focused on his tactic. The thing he was working toward. The Symbol inflicted enough damage on both monsters to draw their ire, leaving the Caller free to employ his new strategy. Against two level 6 orcs, the spirit didn’t stand a chance. He’d inflicted enough damage on each of them to make it worth it, and the entire thing would have gone wrong if not for his new ability.

Ethan invoked the [Rapid Summon] skill just as Luca’s Symbol faded from the world. The shock of channeling a summon, only to have it instantly activate, was jarring. Luca jumped from a silver circle and turned, facing down the charging orcs.

“[Claw],” Ethan said, gesturing to the weaker of the two orcs.

Luca sprinted through the underbrush, jumping and activating his [Claw] ability. A line of red was drawn across the monster’s chest, and it reeled back from the force of the strike. Ethan ordered his summon to immediately turn its attention to the second orc before running over clumsily. He tripped on the way, almost losing his grip on his staff. But as the first orc was still struggling with its footing, he brought his staff down in an overhead arc. The sound of brass cracking over the head of the monster rang through the forest, although it lacked the distinctive bell.

While the monster was downed, Ethan repeatedly beat it over the head with his staff. He could sense it was doing minimal damage, but the act kept it on the floor. Unable to act as Luca tore the second to shreds. When the tide of battle was turning in their favor, the Caller heard something in the distance. His heart sank when the rustling drew closer.

The worst-case scenario flashed through his mind. He had 80 mana left from his original 160. The speed of the fight made sure he had enough to summon Luca twice more, but that didn’t take into account perpetuation cost. It was really one spell left, and then a few minutes of fighting. Assuming they made it that far. The sound of heavily-shod feet crunched through the forest. Emerging on the far side of the rise were more orcs. Five of them. All level 6.

“Double balls,” Ethan said, staring the creatures down. He delivered one last resounding smack to his downed orc, satisfied when the experience notification popped up. “Get their attention. Lead them into the forest.”

Luca nodded, dismounting his prey and sprinting toward the interlopers. But the Symbol’s health was dwindling. At only a quarter of its full value, Luca wouldn’t last long against the new orcs. Ethan was out of tricks, but refused to give up. Jumping over the downed orc, and sprinting past the one that his summon had savaged, the Caller ran to the top of the rise. He saw a series of events that could go his way, but he didn’t like the odds.

Ethan scooped up a burning stick, tossing it down into the forest. He’d envisioned a scenario where he’d create a wildfire. That would drive the orcs away, even if it burned the forest down. Instead, the torch smoldered on the ground, letting off wisps of gray. The Caller only got a faint sizzle for his efforts, leaving him standing to wait for Luca to die below. He looked around, desperate for any solution to the impossible problem.

Two orcs was hard enough. Ethan didn’t have the means to deal with two of them, but now there were six. He and Luca had only taken out one orc. The highground hardly seemed like an advantage. The attacks with his staff were minimal, often barely bruising his opponents.

“Think,” Ethan said, forcing his mind to spin out the possibilities. Even as Luca’s health dropped. Even as the second orc below rose to its feet, rubbed its head, and approached the rise.

The forest was too wet to burn, so fire was out of the equation. Ethan rummaged through the belongings of the monsters, finding little more than animal skeletons and junk. There were basic supplies like food and water, although he doubted they needed to drink or eat. The way monsters behaved was strange, but they seemed to follow a set of predictable patterns. Instead, he counted out the seconds that he could delay.

Luca had led the orcs 30 seconds into the forest. If he timed it by the second, he could have 3 ticks of his mana regen and still have time to summon Luca. Except there was an orc barreling its way up the steady rise, leaving him with exactly 0 seconds for his plan to work. The Caller sent a mental command to his summon to delay the orcs, rather than engaging. He got a sense back from the Symbol that it was already doing so.

“Just you and me,” Ethan said, his breath coming in shallow gasps.

Ethan backed away from the approaching orc when something entered his mind. A memory from moments ago. He looked back, spotting the ledge behind him. The Caller held his staff at the ready, preparing to strike at the attacking monster. He smiled when the creature lowered its head, sprinting into a charge that would have killed him. If he didn’t step to the side at the last moment. The orc let out a surprised grunt when firm ground was no longer beneath its feet. It let out an even more dismayed sound when it impacted the ground, flashing experience gain into his vision.

Lead them as far as you can get, Ethan thought. More of a prayer than anything.

He got the impression that Luca could only go so far away. 40 seconds as the crow flew, leaving Ethan with some wiggle room. He gave the order for the Symbol to engage the orcs full-force. To die out in the forest, only to be summoned back on the rise after 20 seconds. 4 ticks of mana, resulting in 44 mana gained back from passive regeneration. Enough to pull this stupid trick again. One last time.

Ethan counted the seconds out after Luca fell in the forest. “One Mississippi… Two Mississippi…”

20 seconds passed and he channeled [Summon Lucantele]. The spell halved his mana, bringing him down to 40. The silver circle appeared, and Luca’s Symbol jumped out. It cast a concerned look to the Caller, sensing his intentions. Ethan suddenly realized that not every orc would fall for the dodge trick. One, perhaps two of them would. But not all of them.

“I’ve heard of picking a hill to die on,” Ethan said, his breath coming in steadier gasps. “But this is ridiculous.”

Luca gave him a flat look.

“Tie them up,” Ethan said, hearing the orcs thunder up the ramp before he could see them. “Delay them as long as you can. I’ll think of something.”

Luca dashed off, jumping through the air and delivering a swipe of his claws to the face of the lead orc. Ethan scooped up a burning branch and tossed it at an orc who slipped by the Symbol. The monster yelped, slapping away the flaming stick and leveling its gaze on the Caller. But more sticks came. Even hot rocks that burned Ethan’s hands as he tossed them. By the time the orcs approached him, he was out of things to toss. Left with his staff held in two hands. Left with ragged breaths and dwindling hope.

Luca struggled to keep as many orcs at bay as he could. There was nothing Ethan could have done about it. He’d done his best setting this build up. To base it on longevity in combat meant that he was able to survive this long. His backup plan was to dive into the forest below, hoping he didn’t snap his neck on the impact. The Symbol of Lucantele faltered, catching a weapon to the chest and soaring through the air.

Five sets of beady eyes leveled on him. Five sets of hands held weapons, holding them up with deadly intent. Ethan closed his eyes for a moment, trying to find that Symbol of Hope in his chest. Trying to remember what Lucantele told him about how people just needed a push. He opened his eyes to see the orcs charging.

That hope would have slipped away. If not for the pair of daggers that flashed from the forest, spinning like a hurricane of death.

Chapter 6

Oudsted

The thing that burst from the forest cut through the remaining orcs. That was the only way Ethan could describe the figure, it was moving too fast to make out any details. All he saw was the flash of steel and the confused looks on the orcs’ faces. Luca, whose health had dipped to dangerously low levels, watched on with amazement. It was all they could do in the face of such overwhelming power.

There were a few moments in the fight where Ethan caught sight of his savior. But the details he drew in his mind were vague. A brown cloak, a hooded face, and one terrible eye that caught the light of the sun. Before he could process what had happened, the orcs fell to the ground. The Caller gained no experience for the display, and was left standing there. Finally facing the person who’d saved him.

Standing half a head taller than Ethan, the figure cleaned their blades. Twin knives, more like shortened swords, were rubbed against the fallen bodies of the orcs. They were clad in a long brown cloak with a hood drawn over their face. A criss-cross of belts holding knives and vials were strapped across their chest. Boots clasped with brass buckles connected with leather pants, but the most striking feature was the mask. A stone mask that covered the person’s face, the left eye completely covered. Etched into the mask was a placid face, but underneath Ethan saw the single eye darting around.

“Caller?” the figure asked.

He was a man, judging by the tone of voice. Speaking the same language that Luca did back in the temple.

“Ethan,” the Caller responded, holding a hand out for the man to shake. But he didn’t. “Thanks for saving me.”

“Twist,” the figure responded, turning on the spot to walk away.

“Wait! I need to get to Oudsted,” Ethan said, reaching out. Luca bounded over, sinking his teeth into the stranger’s boot leather.

At least he stopped.

“Rank 0. Straggler,” Twist said. “Come.”

And that was all the strange man said. From the moment Ethan fell in line behind the stranger, through the entire hours-long journey in the forest. Twist didn’t say a word, simply fording a path at a reasonable pace. No matter what the Caller asked, the masked man did not respond.

“Kinda a wild forest, isn’t it?” Ethan asked, stepping over a log. “You know, I’m kinda chosen by Lucantele.”

Twist didn’t respond.

“I had those two orcs before you showed up. But five of them?” Ethan scoffed a laugh. “No way I could handle them.”

“Targe,” Twist said, pointing ahead.

Ethan had been smelling more smoke in the air. An hour or so into their aimless walking, the scent had wafted through the trees. A stiff breeze seemed to blow from the east without end. The pair passed into a clearing, spotting a large man sitting by a fire.

Unlike Twist’s slight form, this guy was a monster. They were the same height, but the man by the fire wore some kind of armor. From a distance, Ethan could see layered scales overtop a padded shirt-thing.

“Targe?” Ethan asked. If Twist had a fake name, then the big guy had one too.

“You were supposed to scout, Twist,” Targe said, rising to his full height. “Not bring back a stray.”

The masked man shrugged, then sat down by the fire.

“I need help getting to Oudsted,” Ethan said, coming as close as he dared to the armored man. He reached his hand out, expecting nothing but appreciating his own gesture.

To Ethan’s surprise, a smile spread across Targe’s face. He had a great mane of brown hair, and a bushy beard. Everything else about him seemed well put-together. His armor was clean, even the shield, sword, and spear near the fire seemed polished to a shine. And the smile was magnificent.

“Targe,” he said, shaking Ethan’s hand. “Out here in the middle of nowhere on business with the Guild.”

“I’m foreign,” Ethan said, digging into the story he’d created with Luca. “On a pilgrimage to the sites of the Great Spirits.”

Targe shared a look with Twist. The man with twin-knives simply nodded, tossing a stick into the fire.

“Twist thinks you’re alright. Then again, not sure I’d want his approval. Come. Sit by the fire. Rest.”

Ethan could do nothing but obey. He didn’t know how Twist knew he was Rank 0. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t examine the two men. They could be any rank. Despite the warming day, the fire was nice. It was only at that moment that the Caller realized he’d left his entire supply of food back near the rise in the forest. But it was good to be alive.

“Your story could use work,” Targe said, digging through a nearby satchel and withdrawing a waterskin. He passed it over.

Ethan took a tentative sip, finding that it was more than just water. Watered down wine, by his estimation. Enough to add a touch of flavor. He drank his fill before handing it back. Would it be proper to respond to the comment? The story was fine enough, even if it had holes.

“I’m a [Caller],” Ethan said.

“An Outworlder,” Twist said, not taking his single eye away from the fire.

Targe drank from the waterskin, nearly draining it. He wiped the back of his hand across his face, barely clearing the liquid from his beard, before speaking again. “You’ve got a few options.”

“I’m listening,” Ethan said with great reluctance.

“Stick with old Twist and Targe. Get a sponsorship for the Guild. Run some dungeons with us, do some contracts,” Targe said, tapping his nose. “Or go it alone. Brave the forest and… Well, you’re likely to be eaten.”

“Does the first option require the truth?” Ethan asked.

“I don’t really care,” Targe said, shrugging. “How about we lay our cards on the table, Twist? Think that’ll make him feel better?”

“Yes.”

“Adventurer parties. People who work for the Adventurer’s Guild. We roam the land, taking out dungeons when they pop up. Putting down monster waves. Stray monsters. So on and so forth. Healer-types are rare enough. Mages, too. Summoner-style classes? Let alone a Caller?” Targe laughed. “May as well be grabbing at mist in the air, trying to hold onto it. Rarer than seeing the Great Spirits themselves.”

“What are you implying?” Ethan asked.

“That you’d be a good addition to the team. Twist and I are at the peak of Rank 1. Late bloomers, ya know?”

“I don’t. Outworlder, remember?”

“Oh, right. You came over with your core. Well, not everyone gets a core. And not everyone who can have a core starts with it. Some of us have to buy some real expensive stuff to make that happen,” Targe said. He dug through his bag again, withdrawing a length of dried meat. Ethan took it when offered. “So, old Twist and I have been saving our coppers. Finally got the chance to get out here. Make a difference.”

“So you’re working a job for the Guild.”

Ethan was putting things together, but it was a rush of information. He wouldn’t be able to adapt his flimsy story if he wanted to with knowledge. So there was no point in hiding his identity as an Outworlder. If these two Rank 1 dudes had done it, how easily would someone at a higher rank figured it out?

“A job. Yeah, just a checkup on the temple. Is that where you landed?”

“It was. Lucantele brought me over,” Ethan said.

“Really? The Great Spirit Lucantele brought you here?”

“Yep, watch this,” Ethan said, channeling his [Summon Lucantele] spell.

After the spell fulminated, the silver squirrel jumped from the circle. Even Twist gasped when the creature appeared, muttering something in a foreign tongue. Targe let out a long whistle, shaking his head.

The big man bowed his head to the spirit. “Sorry for what’s happened to your temple, Great Spirit.”

“It’s not really him,” Ethan said, ordering the Symbol over. The squirrel curled into his lap, making chittering noises at his command. “Just a reflection.”

“You have to be the first Caller in the region in… I dunno. Twist, do you know how long?”

“No.”

“Hundreds of years. According to Luca.”

“Damn. Close enough with the Great Spirit for a nickname,” Targe said, whistling again. “So there’s my offer. You join our adventuring party, and we’ll show you the ropes. No crap about it. No fussing, no negotiation. Just a three-way split of profits, and pick of gear that applies to you.”

But that meant these men needed him more than he needed them. Judging by Targe’s appearance, he was more than just a late bloomer. Edging into his forties, the armored man had more to make up for than him. And people seemed to treat Callers and the Great Spirit with reverence. That might open doors for them.

It came around to the idea that Twist had saved Ethan. That was the fact that helped the Caller make his mind up. They already knew he was an Outworlder, and they were willing to help him along in his journey. Even if it was only to Oudsted, where he could meet with the Great Spirit there, it would be worth it.

“I have conditions,” Ethan said.

“Of course you do. Not an idiot, are you?” Targe asked. “I just hope they’re reasonable.”

“Nothing insane. I assume there are other temples in… Ah, where are we?”

“The Duchy of Wexenhal,” Twist said.

“Right. In Wexenhal. I need to visit them. And we need to return to the Temple of Lucantele when we can to purge the orcs,” Ethan said.

“Well, then we have some conditions,” Targe said. “Again, nothing crazy. You don’t have a subcore. Right?”

“Correct.”

“Take a support subcore. Healing, shields, enhancement. Whatever, so long as it supports us in battle,” Targe said. “Deal?”

“That works for me,” Ethan said, holding his hand out. Targe shook it.

Settling in by the fire, Ethan dismissed Luca and considered his position. Latching on to the first group that he came across might not be the best idea. But when he couldn’t even pass as a foreigner coming to see the Great Spirits, what hope did he have? Things would be easier if he attached himself to these people. Once again, Twist’s selfless act was set in clear focus.

Targe came up with a story that was better than Luca’s. The Great Spirit hadn’t seen Ethan finding a group of people that would lie for him so the mistake was understandable. Targe and Twist were escorting Ethan from a distant country. Somewhere beyond the southern sea, where the Great Spirits were in short supply. As a Caller, he’d come to Wexenhal to visit all the temples. To grow in power.

“That’s a common strategy for classed folks,” Targe said. “Wanting to be stronger is an easy way to tell someone to back off. They don’t need to know what you’re doing, and it won’t matter. Because both Twist and I are going to spend our sponsorships on you. That’ll fast-track you to a trial mission.”

“Which involves?” Ethan asked.

“Well, you have sponsors. So they’ll find an official judge, attach them to the party, and send us off on some job,” Targe said. “We’re going back to Oudsted, anyway. Gotta report on the temple, don’t we?”

“You’ll have a full report. I slept in the temple for a few days,” Ethan said.

“See? You’re already helping us out.”

It was hard to judge the distance between Lucantele’s temple and Oudsted. Targe revealed that there was a large river to the east, providing the largest obsticle to their journey. But traveling in the forest wasn’t going to be quick. Two days to reach the river, then another half-day to a day to reach the town.

The group packed up camp, Twist and Targe showing Ethan how they did things. They traveled with minimal supplies, relying on hunting monsters for their meat while they were out. Still, they both carried packs stuffed with supplies. Watered wine, bedrolls, and emergency provisions as well as various potions and herbs.

Ethan even got to see currency for the first time. A small sack of rattling coins was strapped to Targe’s pack. Peeking inside, he saw a small copper coin. It was embossed with a flower on one side, and a strange creature on the other. As the group traveled, the Caller fired questions.

“So the Guild pays in these coins?” he asked.

“Well, they do. But these also drop from monsters and dungeons.”

“I’ve killed a few monsters. Never seen a single coin.”

Twist, in the head of the formation, laughed.

Targe turned for a moment, offering Ethan a smile. “You need a ritual, or an item to loot monsters.” He pulled the sleeve of his padded armor up, revealing a copper bracelet. “They’re common enough, but the low-level ones only have so many charges.”

“You’re saying I missed out on some sweet loot?” Ethan asked.

“Low-level creatures? Maybe. Likely just crafting materials. But you can still butcher the monsters and eat them. People say eating monster meat makes you stronger. Not sure about that one.”

The journey through the forest was arduous. Twist was an excellent scout, often ranging ahead of the pair. Ethan decided to join him, summoning Lucantele and ordering the spirit to search through the forest ahead. Everytime Targe saw the squirrel, he muttered words of admiration. But the journey wasn’t without danger. By the middle of the second day, they’d been attacked by strange forest monsters more than a few times. The Caller couldn’t keep up with the rapid pace of battle, but he did his best.

When the group reached the edge of the forest, near dusk, they were treated with a magnificent sight. Crawling far into the distance was a wide river. From this distance, Ethan couldn’t make out what was on the other side. Even finding a decent vantage point didn’t help with seeing the rolling hills below. When they camped on that rise, lighting a small fire, other flames flickered to life on the far side of the river.

There were even lights that drifted like fairies on the river, catching the current and riding it downstream. While traveling with the pair was enjoyable, Ethan noted a sudden lack of experience-gain. He was no longer prowling the forest alone, killing every monster he found. When combat came, Luca got a few hits in but it was nothing compared to Twist or Targe. They were too far ahead of him for the rare class to make up the difference.

They promised that the gap would close, just as soon as he got a decent subcore. But they also didn’t promise to pay for that core for him. The implication was that he needed to buy it himself, which was impossible. His mind spun as he thought about that, but it wouldn’t do to worry. This was a natural part of the adventuring life, wasn’t it? Traveling from place to place. There had to be times when he wasn’t just grinding experience out.

Things were made worse by the next morning. Where he could normally get a few hits on the monsters in the forest, the plains below were barren. Farmer’s fields spread out, and there were regular patrols by guards. Those guards were unclassed, according to Targe. Another interesting quirk of the world.

Ethan let out a sigh of relief when the group finally found their way onto a packed dirt road. There were no more hidden roots trying to foul his steps, or camouflaged rocks attempting to twist his ankle. The unclassed workers in the fields even shouted words of encouragement to the group.

“An unclassed trained soldier can fight in a unit against most monsters up to Rank 1,” Targe said. “But when something above Rank 1 shows up, it comes down to adventurers.”

“How are wars fought?” Ethan asked.

Targe shrugged. “Depends. Nations rarely settle disputes with all-out war. Sometimes they’ll send their classed military to fight it out. But I’ve heard of mundane wars being fought. Wars where classed folks aren’t involved.”

It was too grim of a thought for Ethan to entertain. He wished he hadn’t asked about war, but the thought was on his mind. Instead, he looked around at the surrounding industry. The farmers here grew many different crops. It must have been summer, or this world’s analog of that, since the fields were packed with high-standing plants he’d never seen before. Targe explained they were primarily textile crops, subsidized by food crops.

When they reached the crossing at the river, Ethan regarded it with a skeptical eye. There was no bridge here. He watched as a group of farmers removed their shoes and pants before crossing. The Caller swore he could see a smile forming on Twist’s mask. Refusing to remove either his boots or his robe, he entered the shallow stream of water. It was ice-cold.

“Now we don’t need a bath in Oudsted!” Targe shouted, showing no shame for his bare behind.

“I’d really like a bath, if you don’t mind.”

“Don’t go soft on us now, Caller.”

As promised, the journey up into Oudsted was about half a day. Ethan walked with sloshing boots. Even after emptying them, he couldn’t completely remove the moisture. It made for an uncomfortable trip, but the more of the sprawling town he could see the more excited he was.

Oudsted was, as far as Ethan could tell, a medieval-style town. He remembered seeing images in school and on the internet about towns in medieval Britain. As they approached a tall stone wall, he was reminded of those castles. Clusters of buildings surrounded the exterior of the wall, not shielded from whatever would attack. But inside was a maze of well-kempt buildings. Outside, they displayed thatched roofs and mud walls. Inside, every building was made from timber and plaster with multicolored slatted shingles on the roofs.

The town, if it could be called that, was buzzing with activity. Targe and Twist showed a small medallion to the guard at the gate, saying something about a sponsorship before they were let in. Sights and sounds Ethan never expected washed over him. The bustle of a city in the middle of a work day. People in various levels of fancy clothes walked around. Vendors barked their sales for the day, offering increasingly generous discounts. Eyes turned, watching as three classed men walked down the wide avenue.

“More heads turning than normal,” Targe said, jabbing an elbow into Ethan’s side. “Eyes turning to see the Caller. The Caller and his new party.”