Summon the Great Spirits - Book 1 Chapters 10,11,12 (Patreon)

Chapter 10

Forest Training

The morning after summoning Telbarantis, Ethan sat before the eastern gate yet again. Staring out on those slums, he reflected on the way things had gone so far. Considering how people treated him as a Caller, even if it was an ornamental attention, he could have swapped teams to a more competent group. People with the resources to see him rise in power. Those that could pay for his advancement into the higher ranks without batting an eye.

Even on Earth he hated people like that. Nepotism and cronyism were common enough, even at Aquarium Warehouse Bonanza, and he’d have none of it. It hadn’t worked out for him back there, but the hard road was the only one he was interested in. That didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the fruits of his station, though. Whatever power was thrust on him provided his group with free meals in town, and discounts at the local suppliers. Ethan stared at their donkey, laden with more supplies than they’d need for a month-long journey into the forest.

Food, fine wine, looting bracelets, and new bedrolls rested on that beast’s back. Only Ethan’s voice of disapproval had Twist and Targe removing too much gear. Stuff they didn’t need like fancy teapots and a magic fire machine. Compared to all the things the Caller needed for advancement, these were luxuries. He clicked his tongue and the gray-brown creature walked.

“So, the easiest thing to get for your advancement is money,” Targe said, coming along and hiking his pack over his shoulder. The pack that contained fancy teapots. Magic fire machines. And other useless gizmos. “We also need a [Rank Seal], a [Dungeon Boss Core], and at least 5 [Monster Cores] at Rank 1.”

“May as well tell me I need moon rocks to rank up,” Ethan said.

The donkey pulled against the reins, braying as they trudged through the slums. The danger of being mugged here was high, but only if a person was without a class core. With Twist ranging ahead, checking the alleys with his threatening presence, that danger was reduced to nothing. The pack animal still didn’t like it.

“Easy enough to get. Compared to the stuff for Rank 2. We have the cores on hand, but the seal is a bit of a bear,” Targe said. “Best way to get one is a solo-clear of a dungeon. Highest chance of one dropping.”

“Alright. Explain dungeons to me.”

“They appear randomly throughout the world. Sometimes they hang around for a while. If they’re managed properly. Adventurers like to pillage them, steal the [Dungeon Core]. But the important thing is, we can find one,” Targe said, withdrawing something that looked like little more than a copper rod from his extensive pack.

“Cool. I’m guessing they’re dangerous,” Ethan said.

“Yep. Real dangerous. Once we hit the forest, Twist and I can really start training you.” Targe returned the rod to his pack. “You’ll hit 10 within a few days. Then we’re going on a scavenger hunt.”

It wouldn’t be hard to shoot from level 5 to 10. Not compared to how difficult it was to get the hang of this world. The problem was made even easier to deal with since both Targe and Twist were there to pull him out of any fires he found himself in. The whole situation reminded him of fighting off the orcs, only to be rescued by the sudden appearance of the dark elf.

A road ran from the eastern gate of Oudsted, heading east. But at a point it curved south, and that’s when the party went into the rocky hills of the unforgiving landscape. The donkey had no problem with the journey, happy enough to nibble on tall grasses every time they stopped for a break. By midday, they spotted the rise of the earth with a forest dotting the surface. ‘Corpse Rise’, Targe had called it. Not a name that inspired confidence. So, Ethan stuck with the other name. The Forests of Oudsted. Easy enough and straight to the point. It was a forest. Near Oudsted. Done.

Along the way, they ran into several groups of adventurers. They were all Rank 0, trying to get their start in the wide world of adventuring. Goblins were the main attraction of the area, but there were also various animal-hybrids that called the place home. Variations of the [Dig Deer] called [Shovel Deer], which seem uninspired. But the danger came with a creature with a plain name. A [Hills Bear] wasn’t known for its cuddly personality. Vicious and blood-thirsty, these creatures would seek out adventurers and kill them.

By mid-afternoon, the party found their way to the forest’s edge. They made better time than expected. Settling down on a log, and tying the donkey off, the group made plans for a camp. It was nothing fancy, just an oiled cloth they tied to two trees to keep the rain off. Twist started a fire, withdrawing a newly acquired pan, and got to cooking. Targe was the one to strategize, maximizing their time in the forest.

“So, we’re going to work you to the bone,” Targe said. “What level is Luca at?”

Ethan checked his interface. “Got him up to 6. And I’m at level 5.”

“Seems like the bond works strangely. Not always experience-based progression,” Targe said, scratching his unshaven face. “I can’t do math to save my life, but you’re gonna need to kill quite a few monsters. By level 9, you’ll be killing 20-30 even-level monsters to get that last level. How many monsters can you handle in a day?”

“Uh, I dunno,” Ethan said.

“Right. Better get started.”

While Twist fed and watered the donkey, taking care of the camp, the pair went off into the forest. Ethan cast [Summon Lucantele] before delving into the thicket, trusting on his [Mana Regen] to keep him topped off. At the forest’s edge, there weren’t many monsters to note. A few [Shovel Deer] at level 1 and 2, and some critters that darted before he could examine them. They worked their way deeper into the forest, finding the hilly environment to be obtrusive. Targe thought he was being sneaky, but Ethan spotted him consulting the dungeon-seeking copper rod.

With several hours left in the day, the pair finally found some [Dig Deer], not [Shovel Deer], that were around level 4. They spotted one in a clearing, and Targe gave the order for Ethan to attack. But there wasn’t much for him to do. He sent Lucantele in to start the fight, then positioned himself near the line of trees.

“Your positioning is good,” Targe said, patting Ethan on the back. “As a backliner, you need an escape plan. Let’s say you were attacked from your right by another critter. What would you do?”

Ethan faced to his right, imagining a monster approaching. “I’d order Luca to [Stun] the deer he’s working on, and fend the new one off with my staff.”

Luca savaged the deer’s neck in the distance, growling. The deer bleated, trying to get the Symbol with its face-antlers.

“How about this?” Targe said, moving in front of Ethan and holding his shield at the ready.

“I’d keep Luca on his current target, and focus on healing you.”

“Right. Luca is disposable, isn’t he?” Targe asked.

Ethan looked over at the battling summon. He’d stopped feeling bad for the little guy a while ago, understanding the importance of that separation. Turning back to regard Luca, he attempted to cast the [Cure Minor Wounds] spell to restore the 25% health his summon had lost. But nothing happened. The spell wouldn’t lock onto the summoned creature.

“He is. I can’t heal him, either,” Ethan said.

“Well, that’s useful information. But you have that ability. [Rapid Summon], right?” Targe asked. “And you can just summon him again. So, what happens if Luca goes down over there while I’m holding a monster here? What should I do?”

Luca bound over after defeating his prey, swishing his tail. The monster only gave 5% experience, but it was better than nothing. This seemed like a lesson taught by Targe more than anything.

“I’d expect you to protect me while I summoned him again,” Ethan said.

“That’s what I’d do,” Targe said with a nod. “Sometimes I’ll get tied up, so Twist can come in and save you. But you make sure to communicate that. Shout when Luca goes down, and we’ll shift positions.”

“Let’s find some more deer,” Ethan said.

Trudging through the forest was more pleasant than those back on Earth. There didn’t seem to be many stinging insects here. While Ethan had reflexively checked himself for ticks every time they pushed through a thick cluster of undergrowth.

“We have insects.” Targe grunted, as though reading Ethan’s mind. He pushed through a cluster of saplings. “Not everything in this world is monsterized. But where a place isn’t managed, it tends to get wild.”

“I imagine there’s monsterized bugs.”

“In some places. You’ll notice the variety of creatures is fairly limited in an area. You’ll see many evolutions of the deer around here. Deer, badgers, bears. Then you get monster-versions of beastkin. Like orcs, goblins, and so on.”

“Makes me wonder about ecology,” Ethan said.

Ecological systems were a sensitive thing back on Earth. Back in the lake, Ethan had seen fish in the water, though. That was a good sign that at least some places in this world had stable ecosystems. He spent a fair amount of his time in his old life thinking about animals. How they influenced their environment. Especially waterways. Did that make the monsterized critters here invasive species?

Those thoughts washed away when Targe held his hand out, stopping Ethan in his tracks. There was a sound coming from the dense forest ahead. Then a creature reared back, going up onto its back legs to scan the area. It was easily twice the height of the Caller. Mottled black and green, the level 6 [Hill Bear] scanned the area. It looked much like a black bear. If a black bear took steroids and hit the gym at least 30 times a week.

“Kill it,” Targe said, pushing Ethan forward.

The Caller checked his mana, finding it full. Luca had also regenerated all of his health, and his abilities were off cooldown. With the Fighter at his back, ready to pounce when things went wrong, Ethan moved in with all the confidence he could muster. Luca padded through the noisy forest, not fooling the bear for a moment. It let out a jagged roar that cut through the crowd of trees, barreling for them without warning.

Ethan let out an involuntary yelp, holding his staff in front of him. With a resolute wave, he sounded the bell. Luca grew to twice his normal size, flooded with power from the [Spur] ability. At the same time, the Caller danced in place, the bells on his shoes jingling to activate the [Caller’s Sprint] ability. A sense of speed flooded through him in an instant, and without knowing what he was doing he sprinted forward.

The [Hill Bear] came down on Luca like a storm, but the little guy was too quick. Darting to the side, the Symbol exploited his increased speed to dodge the attack. He nimbly mounted the bear, then dug his teeth into the monster’s neck and savaged it. Ethan came up next, leaning into his strike as his staff cut through the air. It thudded against the monster’s side, gaining its attention only for a moment before it attempted to dislodge the summoned spirit.

There was no visible damage inflicted by the strike with his staff. Ethan ordered Luca to use [Claw], stunning the monster long enough for him to exit the arena. The bear’s motions were unmeasured, swiping at trees and bringing them to the ground with a thunderous sound. Targe watched from afar, shaking his head.

“Stick to your strengths,” the Fighter shouted.

Ethan’s strengths were staying out of battle and running away. Down to 115 mana from the summoning, and a bit of combat, the Caller ran from the scene. He ordered Luca to follow behind at a distance, luring the bear to a more favorable area to fight. He crashed through a thicket, finding a clearing that would suit his needs. He ordered Luca to fight on the side he’d burst from, and counted the time out as he ran to the far side.

There was enough time to resummon Luca again without using his hour-long cooldown. Until then, the summoned spirit would fight it out. Whittling away the health of the [Hill Bear] until he could turn the tide in his favor. Despite his small size, Luca had done enough damage to the bear to make its motions slower. Both the [Sprint] and [Spur] effect had worn off, rendering the summon’s speed and strength back to their normal rates. The result was a one-sided fight. Soon, the Symbol’s health reached 0, and Ethan cast [Summon Lucantele].

A silver circle formed on the ground as the bear sprinted through the clearing. Luca jumped out just in time to dodge out of the way, jumping to the side with Ethan. The [Hill Bear] slammed into a tree, stumbling back in a daze. Then the Symbol went in for another round, clawing at the monster’s back, growling the entire time. Knocked down to 80 mana, the Caller was forced to watch as the two creatures did battle.

The bear was flagging when Ethan ran to the other side of the forest clearing. When Luca went down again, he simply summoned him back. 40 mana was close enough, but the stumbling monster hobbled to meet his attacker. The bear was relentless, showing no sign of giving up. That’s where it differed from the creatures Ethan knew. A real bear would have turned and run by now. Or at least backed off. Instead, he was slowly dismantled by the tiny, angry squirrel.

The bear hit the ground, and Ethan followed shortly after. His breath came in shallow gasps. Luca bounded through the forest, falling into his lap and curling up. The experience was good, nearly 20% of his current level, but the strain made it daunting.

“Good job,” Targe said, coming up behind Ethan. He sat nearby, staring at the corpse of the bear-monster. “Your strength is that you can summon your spirit as long as you have mana. That’s going to make you a monster in combat.”

“You think so?” Ethan asked. He stared up at the sky, watching the clouds through the clearing. “Currently it feels like I’m just running for my life.”

Targe knelt near the downed bear, pressing his hand against it. A small metal orb fell to the ground, along with something that looked like a length of uncooked meat. “Low-level [Monster Core] and a piece of [Hill bear Sinew]. Shame. You're working on your build. And we expect you to fight in a team. Except for that one solo dungeon. Rank 0 can be rough.”

A strange-looking cloud floated high above. Compared to the white fluffy ones, and those that looked like little more than wisps, this one was different. A dark underbelly with protuberances on the side that didn’t seem to belong. He started at it for a long time, falling into silence as Targe settled in nearby. They shared that silence, both as a punctuation to the end of the battle and a moment of calm for the Caller to regain his lost mana.

When the Fighter cast his eyes up, he let out a sharp gasp. “Damn, when were you going to tell me a royal airship was flying overhead.”

Ethan squited. It did look like an airship. If he tilted his head just right, it seemed to be the belly of a floating wooden boat. But it was too distant in the sky to make out any details, aside from those things dangling from the sides.

“Airship?” Ethan asked. “So, people can fly around in this world?”

“If you’re rich enough. Notice I said ‘royal airship’. Likely a delegation from the crown, come to check on their duchy.”

“How high up do you figure they’re flying?”

“No clue. I’ve seen one ship in person, and it was massive. I’d wager it's pretty high up there.”

Concerns for oxygen at such an altitude faded away when Ethan remembered that magic was real in this world. The pair watched the ship track a lazy path, coming from the north and headed south. Something shot off from the side, but it drifted along the same general path as the ship itself. When The caller rose to his feet minutes later, his mana having filled, he looked around the forest.

Ethan had never stayed around long enough to see what happened to monsters after they died, but the bear was dissolving. A gentle, reverse-rain of motes seethed from the creature’s body.

“If you butcher them quick enough, you can keep the meat,” Targe said. “We’ll be doing some of that when our rations run out.”

“Doubt that’ll happen. We loaded enough food on that donkey to feast for days.”

“Better for us, then. I don’t like bear meat.” Targe strode to the clearing, shielding his eyes to look at the shaded underbrush. “I like deer even less.”

“I’ve seen you eat deer.”

“Doesn’t mean I liked it. Give me some hog and I’ll eat the whole thing. Trotters and all.”

The thought turned Ethan’s stomach. He shook his head, walking to the forest’s edge as the airship drifted behind the endless sprawl of canopies. If he was going to solo a dungeon for his [Rank Seal], he needed to focus on getting better. Not just levels, but tactics. Targe was there to teach him the best way to use his summoning ability, and he wasn’t going to waste it staring at airships.

“Still some sun,” Ethan said, clapping a hand on the Fighter’s shoulder. “Means there’s more monsters to kill.”

Chapter 11

Dungeon Crawl

It took three days for Targe to find the Rank 0 dungeon. Arduous days of fighting monsters the entire day, only for Ethan to collapse into his comfortable bedroll under the stars. The monsters grew more difficult the closer they drew to the dungeon, providing an amazing grounds for the Caller to grind experience. He gained 3 levels and jammed all his points into the [Mind] attribute. Luca had likewise grown to level to 9 in their bond.

Standing outside of the dungeon, sweating in the midday heat, Ethan inspected his attributes screen.

[Ethan Stout]

Outworlder Human

Caller

Rank 0

Level 8

Health

54

Mana

175

Strength

1

Vigor

2

Agility

3

Mind

15

Affinity

5

Health Regen

5

Mana Regen

12.5

Ethan had no intentions to put any points elsewhere. Mana was his life’s blood still, and there was no sense in not taking advantage of his scaling [Mana Regen]. Each point put him closer to a free summon during combat, a thing he couldn’t wait for. More mana didn’t hurt matters, either. But his distraction faded when Twist poked him in the side.

“You going, or not?”

The entrance to the [Goblin Dungeon] was a stack of rocks in the forest. Not even a large stack of rocks, just one big enough for him to crouch before breaking through the shimmering ebony portal. On the other side, according to the two adventurers, time moved strangely. Once he entered, he had to clear the dungeon or give up. Giving up meant losing everything he’d gained, and locking him out for at least a week.

“Remember your strengths,” Targe said. “Might take a day or two to clear it for you. So remember to manage your rations. And don’t forget the purpose of the delve. You’re here for the seal.”

“Right. The seal.”

That thing he needed to rank up. To get to the next leg of his quest and purge the tainted dungeon near the lake. During their training in the forest, he’d almost forgotten about it. Perhaps a willful ignorance of the situation, but he still held the thought far from his mind. With the dip in the earth waiting to swallow him up, there were few topics that could distract him.

“Wish me luck,” Ethan said, ducking his head to enter the dungeon. His pack caught on the rocks. He shifted, shimmied, then fell through the portal as Targe shouted something.

A blur of scenery flashed by in an instant. Ethan tumbled through space, then performed a horribly executed roll when he landed on firm, mossy ground. Dizzy from the ordeal, he assessed his surroundings. Stone walls, slick with moss and unidentifiable goo, formed a tunnel that spanned far into the distance. The sound of chittering voices rang through the passage. Pale blue light filled the area, cast by toadstools nestled into the cracks of rocks.

Then a system message appeared.

[Ethan Stout] has entered a solo [Goblin Dungeon]!

[Rank 1 Trial] activated. Clear this dungeon to earn your [Rank Seal].

Time is moving at 1/16 rate within the dungeon.

Defeat the [Dungeon Boss] or touch the portal to retreat.

All rewards will be forfeit if you retreat.

Good luck!

Ethan took a deep breath and rose to his feet. The floor was slick underfoot, but no worse than the slippery ground he’d grown used to. But while the forest was filled with similar terrain, the dungeon seethed a kind of hate that made the atmosphere oppressive. The Caller moved along the tunnel until he came to a fork. Taking the left tunnel first, he quickly found a room with horrible green creatures talking to one another. But they didn’t move to attack him, staying where they were and respecting the boundary of the room.

Targe had already explained this mechanic. In most low-level dungeons, the monsters would stick to their rooms and wouldn’t pursue unless in combat.

The goblins were horrid. Knee-high green creatures with long ears and barely any clothes. Covered in warts, sores, and stuff that looked like poop, their smell was worse than their yellow-toothed smiles. The first room seemed designed to start him out slow, holding only two of the foul creatures. They were both equal-level to Ethan.

The training he’d received from Targe and Twist painted the leftmost goblin as the threat. Holding a splintered spear, topped with a copper spearhead, that one would have the most reach. The second had a gnarled bone dagger, and looked more frail than the first.

“Standard tactics,” Ethan told himself.

The Caller exploited his [Pact Upgrade 1] skill, summoning Lucantele then waiting for his mana to crawl to full. Once he was topped off, he was ready for combat.

“Standard tactics, right Luca?” Ethan asked. The Symbol didn’t speak back. “You grab their attention, and I’ll start bashing. Right?”

No response.

Luca padded across the mossy ground, gaining the attention of both goblins immediately. They shouted something with their strange language, the dove in with more speed than their little bodies should have had. The Symbol wasn’t surprised though, darting to the side of one strike, then tangling the dagger-wielding goblins up with a hopping strafe. The spear goblin came in hard, though, landing a glancing blow on the summoned creature.

Ethan wasn’t sitting idle, though. What little experience he had with humanoid monsters told him to aim for the head. He swung his staff like a bat, connecting with the back of the dagger goblin’s head, sending it tumbling forward in a heap. That gave Luca enough breathing room to dance around the strikes of the spear goblin, weaving around the searching weapon until an opening came. The Symbol flashed forward, jumping up to sink his teeth in the monster’s exposed neck.

A howl of pain filled the room, quickly joined by repeated grunts of anguish. Ethan bonked the dagger goblin as it was prone, chipping away at the monster’s health as Luca did the actual work. The spear goblin stumbled back when the Symbol jumped, butting his head against the monster’s. Then he went to work on the prone goblin, claws and fangs flashing to finish the job. The spear goblin found a similar fate moments later

Ethan wiped his brow with the sleeve of his robe, falling to a seated position. The combat was brief, but intense. “How many more rooms, do you think? That took 5 minutes. Why did Targe think we’d be here for more than a few hours?”

Luca seemed to shrug.

Looting the goblins produced a few copper coins, but nothing else. The room they were stationed in was barren except for a pile of rotten wooden crates in the corner. Contained within were piles of rotten food. Nothing usable, and overall disappointing. But the experience the creatures gave was good. Even better than equal-level monsters outside the dungeon. At level 8, getting even 5% per kill was absurdly good.

Instead of heading forward, into the hall that snaked off the first room, Ethan made his way back to the fork. He found another, almost identical room. This time, the two goblins within held a spear, and a hammer. But the fight went the same way as last time. The one with the hammer was the weakest one, so the Caller beat it to death with his staff while Luca handled the dangerous spear-wielder. Once again, the goblins only dropped a few coins for his efforts.

With some experimentation, Ethan determined he could interact with everything in the dungeon. He could pry the boards from the rotting crates, cause those to interact with other objects, and even build a fire if he needed. He tested the fire by lighting shavings of the rotting wood, just to make sure he wouldn’t spend the night cold. A draft blew from deeper in the dungeon, washing over him with a foul stench and frigid touch.

While the first rooms were identical, those that connected with them weren’t. There were blobs of something in the right side of the dungeon’s path. Ethan edged to the threshold of the room and looked around, finding two of the fetid creatures within. With intent, he inspected them.

[Viscous Ichor]

Monster

Rank 0

Level 8

Description:

Blobs of living ichor. These creatures are horribly hard to kill with physical attacks, and will reform if not disposed of properly.

A grim reminder that he didn’t know everything about the world. At least the system was kind enough to give him warning signs before he left the right side of the dungeon, heading back to the first room he’d cleared. In the connecting room on that side were three goblins, instead. None held a spear in this room. They had a dagger, a hammer, and what looked like a gnarled tree branch. This room had more obstacles. It was circular like the others, but had a raised section on the left with a ramp and a sudden drop.

Ethan’s tactics were closely tied to the environment, so he appreciated the touch. But his strategy for this room was one of kiting, like with all of his encounters with multiple monsters. There was no better time to see how the monsters pursued him from room to room.

Instead of joining Luca in the fray, Ethan sent the Symbol in and retreated half-way down the hall. He had a sense of how far he could go before his connection with the spirit would end, allowing him to push it as far as he could go. Something of a mental connection remained between them, and he had a general sense of how the fight was going. Without a spear-user, the goblins had trouble pursuing the summoned spirit. He led them up the ramp, taking pot-shots at them before jumping down. They lacked the agility to pursue, but that didn’t stop them.

The idiot goblins got the better of Luca at some point, killing the summon. Ethan channeled [Summon Lucantele] the moment the Symbol fell, gaining a new silver squirrel in the narrow passage. Three goblins came trundling down the path, no longer adhering to their previous threshold. Luca was on them in moments, running up the wall to land on the face of the goblin holding the tree branch. The others stumbled, running into their companion to fall into a heap. Both Ethan and Luca took turns savaging the tangled mass of green flesh, defeating them all and gaining a few more coins.

In the room with the ramp, Ethan found nothing useful. He climbed up the rise, dangling his feet over the edge, and sat for some time. Without a companion to talk to within the dungeon, he realized how lonely this run was going to be. While his original intention was to clear every room, gaining an absurd amount of experience, he was now questioning that thought

Ethan had assigned north within the dungeon, marking it as the direction the tunnels seemed to go. The next room on the western side of the dungeon was larger than any he’d seen so far. It had rows of cupboards, tables, and other rotting junk piled on the side walls. Standing in the center was a larger-than-normal goblin holding a wooden club. It came up to the Caller’s chest, but otherwise just looked like a big goblin. He inspected the creature before forming a strategy.

[Big Goblin]

Sub-boss Monster

Rank 0

Level 9

Description:

Bigger than normal goblins, [Big Goblins] are big. Like… really big. They’re so big that other goblins sometimes think they’re not goblins, causing strife among monsterized goblins. Many a greenskin has lost his life to a case of mistaken identity.

“Yep,” Ethan said. “Big goblin.”

While it felt like cheating, Ethan’s current strategy was still the best one. Against a single, large enemy, the best thing would be to send Luca in and run. It was the core of his kit, though. Massive mana regen, and a disposable fighter. He waited for his mana to top off before sending Luca in for the initial salvo. Before he could shake his staff and stomp his feet, time froze as a system message appeared.

Sub-boss engaged!

[Ethan Stout] has engaged [Big Goblin Goblob] in combat!

Arena locked. All participants teleported inside.

3…

2…

1…

GO!

Ethan stumbled from the sudden shift in time and space, but Luca wasn’t disturbed. A barrier of shimmering green energy appeared at the entrance baring both entrance and exit.

“Crap.”

The Symbol jumped even before Ethan shook his staff, landing on the goblin’s face and tearing away. The Caller shook his staff, invoking [Spur] before doing a little jig to activate [Caller’s Sprint]. He ordered Luca to use [Claw], stunning the goblin for a moment. He counted the seconds, finding it to be lacking. There wasn’t enough time to call Luca again once he fell, rendering the strategy useless. Utilizing the effects of [Sprint], he darted toward the goblin, clawing at the squirrel on its face, and bonked it over the head.

Nothing happened.

Unlike the smaller goblins, the [Big Goblin] wasn’t vulnerable to swift smacks on the head. Instead, it fell to Luca to do all the damage. Ethan was left to look around the room, desperate for a solution to the fight. It was only a matter of time before the summon died. While the Caller could pop his [Rapid Summon] ability, that was a one-time deal for the fight. He split his attention between watching how the goblin fought, and searching the various cupboards and cabinets for a solution.

Like most of the junk in the goblin-themed rooms, they were filled with rotting material. Spoiled food, crumbling trinkets, and other garbage. The results of goblins going full goblin mode. Luca had little trouble avoiding the wild blows from the sub-boss. The club cut through the air in a lazy path, often only gaining a glancing blow for the effort. But those small chips of damage were all the monster needed. Small hits that brought Luca’s health down in 1 percent increments. Without a health bar over the sub-boss, there was no way to estimate how much time he had.

Perhaps despair was the correct response to the situation. Ethan felt none of those negative emotions as he dug his staff into the edge of a cabinet, prying it apart into smaller pieces. He kept swiveling his head between the growing pile of tinder and the Luca’s fight, estimating how much time he had left. By the time the summon was near-death there was a pile of wood large enough to make a bonfire.

“Plenty of time,” Ethan lied to himself, pulling out his fire-starting kit.

He suddenly wished he had that magic fire thing that Twist insisted on keeping. The kettle might not be useful, but as he slid two rods together, generating a pathetic spit of sparks, Luca’s health bar plummeted to 0.

“Crap,” Ethan said, activating his [Rapid Summon] ability.

The [Big Goblin] was already turning toward him, club raised with rotting teeth bared. Ethan cast his [Summon Lucantele] ability, sending the summon forward to intercept the attack. The club came down, narrowly missing the Caller and striking the pile of wood. Several boards shattered, sending splinters darting through the air. But the Symbol was shredding at the monster’s neck, biting with all his might and kicking with his back feet.

“This is fine,” Ethan said, staring up at the fight from a prone position. “Everything is fine.”

While the goblin’s attention was still on Ethan for the moment, he shuffled around the pile of wood. Eventually, Luca gained the creature’s attention. They took the fight to the room’s center, clearing the pile of wood. The Caller swept in, kneeling by the edge and striking his fire-started once again. He nursed a spark to life, blowing gently until the flames rose. Then the pile exploded into flames.

Ethan stumbled back, the heat of a sudden gust washing over him, singing his eyebrows. Half his health was missing, and there were still flames dancing over his robes.

Through gasping breath, he managed a laugh. “Treated… with something? That goblin lacquer really packs a punch.”

That was the easy part of his slipshod plan. With every step the [Big Goblin] took, it moved with sturdy feet. Heavily planted strides that made it impossible to topple. Impossible to push into the fire. Smoke billowed, gathering at the room’s ceiling to create a choking miasma. It didn’t affect Luca or the goblin, but Ethan held the sleeve of his robe over his mouth, coughing. His health dipped down to 20, an effect of the smoke.

The Caller stood, finding a spot outside of the battle to cast [Cure Minor Wounds]. His health immediately jumped to full, all 54 points of it. But his mana fell to 50. Barely enough to summon Lucantele again. Without the ability to talk, Ethan sent a series of mental commands to his summoned spirit. Luca understood them with ease, dancing over and under the swipes of the club, working the goblin into position.

Ethan found his spot near the flames, falling to the ground as the fire ticked his health lower. The inferno singed his skin, ate away at sections of his robes, and removed what little of his eyebrows remained.

“Do it!” Ethan managed to cough out.

Luca removed himself from the goblin’s throat, falling back and coiling on the spot. One last powerful push of his little squirrel legs sent him sailing into the monster’s chest. The goblin let out a squeal, stumbling back. The back of the creature’s legs ran up against Ethan’s form. The monster grunted, then tumbled backward over the Caller, who had been on all-fours. Screams of agony from the fire as the [Big Goblin] was engulfed by the inferno.

Ethan rolled away from the flames, slapping at his robes to put the fire out. He gasped for breath, both his health and mana ticking down to nothingness. Five health, then four… two, one. A system message appeared.

[Ethan Stout] has defeated the [Big Goblin]!

[Bonus Fight]!

[Giggling Goblin Rush]!

The room filled with the sound of a thousand giggling goblins.

Chapter 12

Goblin Rush

Ethan was suddenly standing at the entrance to the room. Both his health and mana had been restored to full, and Luca was gone. The fire was gone, the room reset to its original state. All except for the carpet of tiny goblins, giggling to themselves and casting various looks up at the Caller.

[Giggling Goblin Rush]

Defeat as many tiny Rank 0 Level 1 goblins as you can within the time-limit!

Ready?

3…

2…

1…

GO!

Ethan wasn’t sure what it said about him that he didn’t hesitate. His staff moved in a sweeping motion across the ground, scooping up tiny goblins and sending them sailing into the wall. He stomped with every step, watching as a counter filled the top-center of his vision. Each swat of his weapon saw five or ten creatures dead, and he fell into it like a kid at a carnival game.

Even as the goblins died, splattering against the wall or underfoot, they giggled. The timer ticked down with hundreds of goblins dead. When it hit 0, there were almost 1,000 of the poor, witless creatures smashed in various states of death.

[Silver Bonus Chest]!

Congratulations! You’ve defeated 895 [Giggling Goblins], earning yourself a [Silver Bonus Chest]!

You defeated the [Big Goblin] solo, earning yourself a [Gold Sub-boss Chest].

Defeating a sub-boss has extended your time within the dungeon by 1 day.

The room shifted again. Each splattered goblin vanished, and two chests fell from the ceiling. They clattered onto the hard stone ground, one silver and one gold. Ethan fell onto his ass. His mind couldn’t catch up to the current moment, leaving him feeling numb. But whatever fears and reservations he had melted away as he looked at those bonus chests. Rubbing his hands together, he approached the silver one first.

A single ring sat at the bottom. It had a silver band with a single red gem set in the face. Ethan brought it up, inspecting the craftsmanship and nodding with approval. He inspected the ring before slipping it on.

[Mana Tap Ring]

[Ring]

Rank 0

Rare

Description:

Invest your mana within this ring, allowing you to restore it at will.

Effects:

Use your current mana to charge this ring.

At your command, restore the amount of mana you’ve invested.

Maximum of 50 mana.

Now that was a ring worthy of smashing 895 [Giggling Goblins]. As he was appreciating how the ring looked on his finger, he noted that all the damage to both himself and his gear was reversed. Happy with that change, he charged his ring.

While the silver chest was nice, the golden one had an aura of power around it. Ethan couldn’t deny that whatever was inside would be amazing. Remembering his days playing those old games, perhaps a little late, he summoned Luca before approaching this chest. Perhaps there was another bonus wave where the chest came to life and ate him. But as he popped the lid open, he experienced no such issues. The chest simply popped open, revealing the contents.

First was a single pulsing metal cage, energy swirling within. Ethan inspected it.

[Sub-boss Monster Core]

[Monster Core]

Rank 0

Rare

Description:

The core of a sub-boss.

That was simple enough. The bright side here was that he didn’t need to use his [Bracelet of Looting] to get the core. Saving even a single charge seemed worth it, seeing as the dungeon was dense with goblins. Next was something that might just help him clear the dungeon without dying.

[Evoker’s Subcore]

Epic

Support Mage Style Subcore

Rank

0

Level

1

Description:

Evokers are support mages dedicated to aiding their allies with ability-enhancement related skills

Abilities:

[Echo]

The core itself didn’t seem very useful, and he might dump it later if he didn’t like the way it worked. But with his [Healer’s Subcore] unable to affect Luca, the attached ability on this core seemed awesome.

[Echo]

Evoker Ability

Cooldown

30 minutes

Description:

Echo the last ability used by a selected party member, including yourself.

It required testing, of course, but if this applied to any ability, he could use it to great effect. [Rapid Summon] was something that came to mind. With effort, he removed the [Healer’s Subcore] from his chest and inserted the [Evoker’s Subcore]. His mind expanded as it wrapped itself around the [Echo] ability. The gold and silver chest vanished after they were looted. There was also a scatter of silver coins at the bottom, which the Caller placed in his bag.

Falling into a seated position, Ethan rested against the wall. The fight had been intense enough to exhaust him, although he didn’t know how much time had passed within the dungeon. He gained another day within those mossy walls, although it was hard to tell if that was a good thing. The sub-boss had also provided a decent amount of experience, almost pushing him over the edge to level 9. One more level, and he’d find himself with a new ability and a chance to ascend to Rank 1.

Ethan removed dried meat and a waterskin from his bag. He sipped on the watered-down fine wine, tearing into the length of meat to sate his hunger. Once he was rested enough, he poked his head into the connecting room to the north. Four level 8 goblins waited in that one, so he back-tracked to the room with the weird ooze-creatures. Inspecting them once again, he found no desire to fight them. Fire might be a solution, but he wasn’t ready to choke on fumes again. Not yet, anyway.

He whittled away the time until he felt his [Rapid Summon] ability come off cooldown. With everything at his disposal, he should make quick work of the four goblins. But that was the problem with his current build, even with the new [Evoker’s Subcore]. Long cooldowns that left him vulnerable if everything didn’t go his way. The deep sense of loneliness would have affected him, if not for his time spending nights at Aquarium Warehouse Bonanza. This was just like one long, unbroken night shift.

Ethan stood at the entrance to the four goblin room. He summoned Lucantele and sent the squirrel in to fight alone, intending to use his new abilities to their fullest. The four goblins were armed. One held a spear, the next had a dagger, and the last two seemed to have no weapons at all. The unarmed monsters were the easiest for the summoned spirit to dodge, allowing him to foul their approach as he dealt with the spear wielder.

The Caller stomped his feet, activating [Caller’s Sprint] and shook his staff for [Spur]. The room filled with the sound of jingling bells and Luca grew twice his normal size. Ethan took the chance to dart into the room, bonking the two distracted, unarmed goblins before retreating to the entrance. [Claw] tore into the spear-goblin, sending the creature stumbling backward, affected by [Stun]. The Symbol took the chance to tear into the monster’s throat, dealing massive damage in a short period of time. But the other goblins sensed the attack and moved in, tearing into the spirit.

Ethan could have retreated to the tunnel, gaining enough distance to summon Luca without using his ability. But he wanted to test the power of [Echo], so he simply popped [Rapid Summon] and called a new version of Luca once the first one died. The silver squirrel sprung from his circle, barreling down on the goblins with abandon. He tangled them up near the mouth of the tunnel, weaving between their strikes and inflicting passing blows. The Caller watched as his mana ticked down. Down to 90, which put him in a dangerous situation.

Smiling to himself, Ethan activated the [Mana Tap Ring], restoring 50 mana in an instant. With 140 mana, he watched as the Symbol whittled the creatures down. Luca took down one unarmed goblin, mortally wounding the other, by the time his health reached 0 again. Ethan activated the [Echo] ability on himself, feeling the power of [Rapid Summon] flood through him. Down to 90 mana again, and with a fresh version of Luca the Caller hooted with excitement.

His longevity in battle had nearly doubled, assuming he couldn’t get away to resummon. With the remaining three goblins wounded, Luca had little trouble killing them. Something swelled within the summoned spirit, and Ethan sensed it was close to hitting bond level 10. Something else came with that feeling, though. An urgent halting which told him the truth of ranking the spirit up. Because why wouldn’t the spirit need a ranking ritual? If people needed to upgrade themselves to get more powerful, so would the summoned spirits.

Ethan looted the monsters, finding only a few coins and Rank 0 [Monster Cores]. And the next room was a disappointment. Two level 8 [Viscous Ichor] rested in the center of a swamp-themed room. The Caller let out a sigh of disappointment. The dungeon wanted him to fight the damned living globs of ooze, forcing him to consider a strategy. He sat on the ground, employing the first part of his plan. Drinking his watered wine and waiting for his hour-long cooldown to expire. That gave him enough time to think and observe.

Assuming the oozes were moving at maximum speed, they were slow. They weren’t not fast, they were ponderous. Their bodies moved in an undulating way, seething from one side to the other to get across the swampy terrain. During his hour of observation, he saw one perform a sudden roll. But even that was slower than the Caller’s running speed, leading to an obvious solution. No matter how long it took to kill the monsters, he could always outpace them on mana regeneration. A slow kite through the entire dungeon, assuming they weren’t sub-bosses, was the only solution. During his wait, he made sure his [Mana Tap Ring] was charged.

Tiredness was wearing on Ethan by the time he stood to engage the monsters. After this fight, he’d need to take at least a nap. He placed his pack on a nearby shelf, not wanting to drag it around the dungeon for hours, while he outpaced two murderous slimes. Luca darted into the swamp, taking a tentative strike at the first slime before retreating. As expected, the slime did a quick roll, gaining five paces of distance before returning to the normal slow method of movement.

Ethan sent Luca in to take a hit, groaning as he saw over 10% of the summon’s health drop. They were slow, but tanky as hell. They attacked by changing parts of themselves into weapon-like appendages before swinging. Luca found the strikes easy enough to dodge, turning the fight into a battle of attrition.

The result was a five-hour-long fight. It was a test of endurance where Ethan ran up and down the tunnels, kiting the monsters. [Echo] was useless for resummoning Luca, so he used it every half-hour for an extra [Claw]. The first slime fell at the three-hour-mark, and the pair used what they’d learned to whittle down the second one over the course of two hours. It was arduous. By the end, the Caller couldn’t even prop himself up against the wall. He drew ragged breaths, crawling toward his pack without looting the downed monsters.

With no care as to what found him there, Ethan placed his bedroll on the ground. He climbed inside and welcomed the exhausted sleep.

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed. The dungeon didn’t care to give Ethan a countdown on his remaining time, but it felt like he’d slept for a week. His muscles were stiff, especially in his back, but he rose to have breakfast on the mossy stone floor.

Ethan enjoyed a meal of dried meat, dried fruit, and watered wine. It didn’t count as day drinking, since he was in a dungeon. For comfort, he summoned Lucantele to join him for a meal. It felt like talking to himself, but he verbalized his thoughts to the spirit.

“It comes down to time for me,” Ethan said, snapping off another length of jerky. “If a monster can’t catch me, I can fight it forever. Imagine a room with a split of slimes and goblins. That might be hard.”

Luca nodded, an action commanded by the Caller himself.

“Agreed. We should go back and clear that room with the other slimes. Yeah, totally. I got three levels in my [Evoker’s Subcore] from using [Echo] so much. No, I don’t think it’s going to be a useful class long-term. The hope is I can find something for different situations. Yeah, right? The [Healer’s Subcore] saved me in that boss fight. Might be worth keeping that equipped.”

Disturbed by the one-sided conversation, Ethan rose and made his way to the other slime room. While he had no desire to fight the slimes long-term, he wanted their experience. After fighting the other [Viscous Ichor], he had the confidence to get the job done. During his battle with the two oozes, he tried the old fire trick. Unfortunately, there was no way to lure the creatures inside. They just slimed around it, and continued attacking Luca.

Instead, he took the chance to kite the room of slimes up and down the halls. Using their strategy from last time, they shaved a few hours off the affair. But spending a day on the slimes was the least of Ethan’s concerns. After they fell, he hit level 9. More interestingly, Luca hit level 10. He placed his free point into [Mind], of course], then looked at the upgrades for his summon. While the Symbol didn’t hit Rank 1, as expected, new abilities popped up.

The new selections went in line with what Tel said. He could build Luca to be a support summon. He narrowed the list down, dismissing a few new abilities that did damage. They weren’t impressive, and didn’t offer the one thing he’d hoped for. Poison damage, or any damage-over-time abilities were high on his list of priorities. But the support abilities were amazing. He picked three as his top contenders.

[Light of Hope]

Summon Ability

Mana Cost

Low

Description:

Lucantele shines a light of hope over the selected party member, healing them for an amount of damage scaling with rank.

Effect:

Cure the wounds of a targeted party member.

Luca gained a heal with this ability. Being able to heal someone without a [Healer’s Subcore] was a big development, but would it be the right pick? If he couldn’t use this ability to heal the summon itself, it was no better than [Cure Minor Wounds]. It was a tough choice.

[Barrier of Hope]

Summon Ability

Mana Cost

Medium

Cooldown:

1 minute

Description:

Form a barrier of hope around the target, reducing the amount of damage they receive. Amount of damage absorbed scales with rank.

Effect:

Create a magic barrier around your target, reducing all damage taken for 5 minutes or until the effect is depleted.

Ethan was drawn to this ability right away. He had nothing that could reduce incoming damage, let alone something that didn’t need a subcore. It was also an extremely low cooldown, although it had a higher mana cost. The Caller estimated the cost to be around the cost of his [Summon Lucantele] ability. Between 40-50 mana.

[Mist of Hope]

Summon Ability

Mana Cost

Low

Cooldown

5 minutes

Description:

A soothing cloud of hope surrounds your targeted party member. Removes a poison, disease, or ailment from the target. Remove an additional effect for each rank.

Effect:

Remove one poison, disease, or ailment from target.

Ethan wouldn’t select [Mist of Hope] for this upgrade. While it was incredibly useful, he hadn’t seen status effects. He knew the moment he ran up against them he’d want this ability, but that was a problem for future Ethan.

By the end, Ethan went with [Barrier of Hope]. So long as he could use it on Lucantele, it was the most useful out of all of them. Even if he couldn’t, it would be an incredible support ability once he got back to his party. The only thing he could do was hope that he could use it on his summon. He felt the ability slot into summon, and he used it without hesitation, targeting Luca.

The squirrel jumped into the air, silver light flooding out from his body. It settled around him, forming a shimmering silver barrier. Hooting with excitement, Ethan pumped his fist in the air. More abilities were always better, especially when they helped Luca stay alive for longer.

Before continuing into the next room from the eastern slime room, Ethan took a rest. He prayed there were no more slime rooms, as they were the absolute worst to clear. While he couldn’t deny the massive experience gain, he was getting stir-crazy in the dungeon. The watered wine helped more than he’d care to admit.

With his latest upgrade to the [Mind] attribute, Ethan could almost support Lucantele out of combat forever. He was 1 [Mana Regen] away from making that a reality. With the effect of [Pact Upgrade 1], he had already achieved that and then some. He resolved not to stop putting points into [Mind]. Not while it brought him so many benefits. With 180 mana after his latest point applied, he was far from where he started.

But the dungeon sprawled on. Beyond the eastern slime room, there was another filled with goblins. Craning his neck, Ethan spotted a large goblin in the room after that. Another sub-boss that he was eager to kill. Without hesitation, he stowed his waterskin and pushed forward.