Summon the Great Spirits - Book 1 Chapters 13,14,15 (Patreon)

Chapter 13

Big Viscous Ichor

A seething mass of slime pulsed from the center of the sub-boss room. Ethan stood, arms folded, as he assessed the arena. He’d cleared his way to the eastern sub-boss, only to find a massive slime taking the vague shape of a goblin. Spotting it from a distance, he thought he was in for a fight against another [Big Goblin]. Instead, he found the damned slime.

[Big Viscous Ichor], like the [Big Goblin] was just a larger version of the normal [Viscous Ichor] monsters. There the Caller was left with a decision to make. The rewards for defeating the [Big Goblin] were great. Beyond just the experience, the new core and ring were worth the trouble he had with the fight. But a prolonged battle in a narrow area wasn’t appealing.

Ethan swapped his [Evoker’s Subcore] for the [Healer’s Subcore] and weighed his options. Like the other slimes, this one moved incredibly slowly. It displayed more bursts of speed, though. More concerning than that, the ichor had taken on the appearance of Ethan himself. It paced on the other side of the threshold, cupping its chin in its hands.

“I don’t look like that,” Ethan said, gesturing to the slime.

The monster shrugged a response.

He inspected the creature before deciding on his next move.

[Big Viscous Ichor]

Sub-boss Monster

Rank 0

Level 8

Description:

Larger and more capable than normal [Viscous Ichors], the sub-boss version is also smarter and faster. Like their weaker cousins, they’re incredibly hard to kill. Making matters worse, they can change forms.

Ethan had already seen the power of Luca’s new ability, but it might not have been enough to take down the sub-boss. But the facts of the dungeon were laid before him there. The sub-bosses were leading to something. A real boss. Something he’d need to face in the end if he wanted to clear the dungeon and keep everything he’d gained. To do that, he’d need to hit level 10. That wasn’t a question, and the sub-boss would provide the experience to do so.

Studying the arena, Ethan found that it was extremely favorable to his method of combat. A set of twisting ramps, leading to a second-floor sat in the room. He estimated he should have enough time to out-maneuver the monster, get up on the platform, and rest his mana. As long as he could outpace the creature, it didn’t matter how long the fight took. Luca would handle doing damage. All the Caller needed to do was to stay alive.

With all his cooldowns up, and [Mana Tap Ring] full, he made a decision. There was no point in avoiding the difficult things in the dungeon. He summoned Luca, then ordered him to charge in before holding his breath.

Sub-boss engaged!

[Ethan Stout] has engaged [Big Viscous Ichor] in combat!

Arena locked. All participants teleported inside.

3…

2…

1…

GO!

Ethan snapped to beyond the threshold as time rolled back to its normal speed. The slow pulsing of the magical energy behind him put off waves of cold. Luca sailed through the air, having no regard for his safety as he engaged the mimicking creature. For now, the Caller would study the monster’s motions and make a plan. He moved up the slick ramp, watching the fight below from the platform.

Unlike the other [Viscous Ichors], the sub-boss version was quick. But there was a limit to its ability to change into another form. Ethan counted out loud as his summoned spirit battled. The monster could hold the form for 30 seconds. Once that expired, it went on cooldown for an unknown amount of time. It was twice as fast as the normal oozes, but that still sent it across the arena at a snail’s pace.

“About five minutes?” Ethan asked, dangling his legs over the platform.

Luca was in full defensive mode, relying on his shimmering shield to absorb most of the glancing blows. The [Big Viscous Ichor] formed a spear from its side and jabbed forward, shattering the shield and gaining a deep wound on the Symbol’s side. Then Ethan noticed that Luca’s health bar had turned purple. Health began ticking away, one at a time.

“Of course. Poison.”

The first time Luca died during the fight, Ethan was resting atop the platform. He had plenty of time to resummon, and simply watched as the squirrel jumped down below. From the time that the summon went down, to the time it was back in action, the slime had only just reached the ramp. The fight went on like that until the Caller was getting dangerously low on mana, slipping down to 60. And the slime sensed it.

Luca went down again. The moment the summon vanished into a puff of silver light, the [Big Viscous Ichor] transformed into some four-legged animal. It sprinted up the ramps, reaching Ethan before he could even begin channeling the spell. The ooze jumped from the platform, landing hard on the hard stones before turning its attention to the Caller.

“Ah, crap.”

The animal-slime rushed across the open arena, coming to within a step of Ethan when it transformed back into its normal form. He stumbled back, tripping over himself in an attempt to retreat. And the slime undulated toward him, back to its old slow slimy self.

It seemed as though different forms used different time for the monster’s transformation. The four-legged, goat-like form it picked had reduced its transformation time from 30 seconds to about 5. Ethan retreated to his platform again, grumbling down at the slime. It was a good time to let his mana rest and get off a single [Cure Minor Wounds] on himself. He’d only lost 10 health jumping from the platform, but he wouldn’t risk it.

At first, Ethan thought the form the slime took was random. But that last display meant it had a plan. There was a rudimentary intelligence there. The only way he’d win was through his old methods, and a lot of luck.

Once the Caller had restored his mana, having another scare when the monster transformed into a ponderous turtle, he summoned Luca yet again. The squirrel jumped down, slashing away at the monster. Ethan rang the bell on his staff, activating the [Spur] ability. The Symbol grew, and tore larger chunks out of the monster. He wouldn’t use the effect on his shoes, saving those for when he needed to escape with haste.

The battle fell into a familiar pattern. Ethan felt like he was bugging a video game, taking advantage of the monster’s one weakness. He couldn’t remember a battle that he’d won head-to-head without using some stupid trick. An hour later, the slime used the same trick as last time. Luca died, and Ethan was preparing to summon him back while at low mana. The [Big Viscous Ichor] transformed into another random four-legged animal, and sprinted up the ramp. The Caller activated his shoes and ran for it.

The sound of squelching slime and jingling bells echoed through the arena.

Sprinting slightly faster than the slime’s cat-like form, Ethan ran a circuit around the room. When the ooze shifted back into its formless form, the Caller stopped to catch his breath. Jogging back to the platform, he put together the pieces. The [Big Viscous Ichor] only activated the travel form when he was about to resummon Luca at low mana. He sat on his platform to regain his mana before summoning his spirit again. While the pair were busy fighting it out, he searched the room.

Unlike some goblin-themed rooms, the slime rooms seemed filled with nothing. Goo dripped from the walls, sometimes bubbling from the floor, but it was otherwise barren. The only landmark was the twin ramps and the catwalk above. Letting out a heavy sigh, Ethan fell into a rhythm for the fight. Hours passed with the same tactics repeated. Weariness washed over him some time later. Time seemed to have little meaning in the fight.

“Attrition is fine,” Ethan yawned, looking down at Luca battling. “It’s just boring.”

That was another strength of his class, though. Each time Luca came out, he was fresh and ready to fight. Ethan wouldn’t allow his mana to get low, taking breaks between fights, so the ooze wasn’t even shifting into a travel form anymore. The repetition went on. And on. But eventually, the sub-boss fell in the least spectacular way.

Ethan earned no bonus fight for his pitiful effort. And the system message that appeared seemed to taunt him for his slow method of killing the sub-boss.

You defeated the [Big Viscous Ichor] solo, earning yourself a [Wooden Sub-boss Chest].

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

The amount of experience rewarded for killing a monster wasn’t affected by the time it took to kill it. Ethan felt something swell through him as he ascended to level 10. Another system message appeared.

You’ve reached the level cap. Perform a Rank 1 ritual to continue gaining experience for your [Caller’s Core].

A bit disappointing, but his other cores would get experience until he could perform the ritual. Ethan opened the wooden crate, only to find the [Sub-boss Core] within. The dungeon deemed his performance so dismal, that it didn’t even throw him a magic item. But at least the slime was dead. And he had a new list of abilities to pick from for his [Caller’s Core].

Like with most level-ups, he took a while to sift through the list until he found abilities he liked. There were the old ones that he saw before, [Empower Attack], and [Chain Attack]. He lumped those together with two new abilities that were locked behind the level 10 requirement.

[Spirit Radiance]

Caller Ability

Cooldown

30 minutes

Description:

Your currently summoned spirit performs a massive attack, consuming half of your mana. The nature of the attack depends on the summoned spirit.

[Spirit Radiance] was tempting, since he assumed it did massive damage. Perhaps Lucantele’s attack would be supportive, but that didn’t matter. His current strategy was about lasting longer in combat, not dealing damage. While this ability would be useful if he intended to solo all the time, that wasn’t the case. This dungeon run was a one-off, but the abilities he selected were permanent.

Before he examined the next one, he considered the two older abilities. [Chain Attack] allowed him to use a summoned spirit’s ability twice in a row. He was impressed with it the first time he saw it, but now it had lost its shine. [Empower Attack] was likewise lacking. It increased the amount of damage, healing, or effectiveness of protective magic on the summoned spirit’s next ability.

[Caller’s Resilience]

Caller Passive Ability

Description:

After your summoned spirit dies, your mana regeneration will double for 20 seconds. Combat limitations on mana restriction are removed.

If you cast a summoning spell before the 30 seconds has expired, the cost of your spell is reduced by a quarter.

Effects:

After your spirit dies, regen double mana (even in combat) for 30 seconds.

Summoning a spirit before the expiration of this effect reduces the cost of your summon spells by a quarter.

This ability was the most interesting he’d seen so far. He’d get a burst of mana regen when Luca died. At his current rate, after applying another point to [Mind], he’d get 81 mana back. If he didn’t allow the effect to tick at all, he’d save 10 mana on casting the [Summon Lucantele] effect. This ability fell more in line with his build. He selected it, confident that more mana regeneration was always better. It worked so far, anyway.

Ethan swapped to his [Evoker’s Subcore] and got to clearing out the rest of the dungeon. He worked through the rooms of goblins, thanking whatever gods this world had that there weren’t anymore slimes. Without the ability to gain experience, he spammed the [Echo] ability to level his subcore. Since days meant nothing down in the dungeon, he judged the time by how tired he was.

Finally clearing the eastern side, Ethan sat down near a shimmering portal. Since he hadn’t fought the boss, this was either an exit or the boss room. Touching it gave him a prompt, something asking if he wanted to “do the final battle”, so it was the boss room. He had no desire to clear the western side of the dungeon, but did so anyway. Those fights showed the power of his new [Caller’s Resilience] ability.

The rush that filled Ethan after a goblin killed Luca was intense. His mana jumped in large increments when the spirit went down. Even as the goblins trundled down the hall, he waited for the last moment before summoning the Symbol again. With those goblins dead, he found himself before the boss’ room. There were no more rooms to clear, and a singular goal. To obtain his [Rank Seal], and whatever other goodies were in store for him.

Ethan camped outside the boss room for the night, finding it hard to get any sleep. He rose after one fitful session of sleep, and decided that now was the time. He packed his things away, slung his bag over his shoulder, then pressed his hand against the barrier.

This is the [Boss Room].

Entering will start the final fight of the dungeon. Do you wish to proceed?

[Y/N]?

Ethan confirmed his desire to move forward. Against his will, his body moved forward, stepping through the barrier. Time slowed down and another system message popped up.

[Ethan Stout] has entered a [Boss Arena]!

Defeat the boss or solve the puzzle to complete the dungeon. Your reward is based on the amount of rooms and sub-bosses you’ve cleared.

As a solo delver, you’re eligible for a [Rank Seal] when you complete this dungeon.

Good luck!

“Really?” Ethan asked after seeing the boss. He inspected it.

[Really Big Goblin]

Boss Monster

Rank 1

Level 1

Description:

If you thought the [Big Goblin] was big, wait until you get a load of this guy. While goblins are dumber than a bag of hammers, they know where to draw the line. These massive brutes keep order within the goblin ranks by bashing them over the head. Isn’t that nice!

“What happens when the goblin is bigger than ‘really big’?” Ethan asked.

Time was still frozen, and the massive goblin didn’t have answers. It stood on a dais, in front of a throne made of oozing stone. Resting on the throne was a box with small holes in it. Hanging on the hewn stone walls were keys of every type. The goblin itself was twice the height of Ethan, holding an even longer spear. It looked like an oversized version of its kin, bulging with muscles and releasing a threatening aura.

“Puzzle,” Ethan whispered, even as time caught up to him. He channeled [Summon Lucantele] before the boss could even move.

But when the creature did move, it was with a flourish of movements, ending in a jab that would have skewered an ox. Both Ethan and Luca dodged to the side at the last moment, avoiding the strike. Then the spirit was off, jumping onto the over-extended goblin’s face and raking with his claws.

Ethan skirted the room’s edge, inspecting the keys as he went. There was nothing common among the keys. They were made of all shapes and sizes, with more teeth patterns than he could count. As Luca and the boss did battle, he studied the box. It was made of rusted metal. Each hole looked like a small keyhole, but there was no discernible pattern. Each surface of the cube had several holes.

“I don’t get it,” Ethan said, flipping the box over. The goblin’s spear caught a nearby pillar, shaking the ground from the force of the blow.

Ethan dragged his attention away from the box for a moment, spotting a few places he could run and hide after Luca died. The arena was big enough to make that happen, but the Caller wouldn’t rely on distance to save him. He saw the way the massive goblin fought. It covered several steps in one and moved with more grace than nature should have allowed. Instead, there was a space near the wall of keys that he could shimmy into. A narrow pass of pillars that would buy him more time than running.

The battle became more pitched. Luca held his own, relying on his speed to outpace the searching spear. Ethan activated the [Barrier of Hope], sending the spirit into the air to gain a shimmering silver shield. Jabs came at speed after that, probing for the squirrel as it fell from the air. Luca took a few hits, but still remained above half health.

Ethan edged closer to the boss, spotting something on its tattered belt. Like most goblins, the monster wore little more than a loincloth. But this one had a pair of tattered shorts with a cord for a bet. On that belt, there were a series of bone placards. Filled with symbols. The Caller studied them the best he could, commiting a single one to memory before retreating to the key wall. He searched for a matching symbol. Looking for anything on the keys that matched what he’d remembered.

With his focus away from the fight, he didn’t see the spear diving for his abdomen. Luca jumped in the way at the last moment, absorbing some of the blow with his barrier. The rest of the force sent the Symbol flying across the room, only to smash into the far wall. The keys there rattled, creating a sound that was joined by bells shortly after. Ethan felt the mana flood through him, regenerating quicker after his summoned spirit’s death. But he was off. Sprinting away from the fray with [Caller’s Retreat], he found a safe spot on the opposite side of the room to wait it out.

He waited too long, and the boss was upon him.

Cursing his greed for more mana, Ethan activated his [Rapid Summon] ability and brought Luca back into the fight. He only noticed the wound on his side when he went to check his mana reserves, finding that half of his health was missing. But the spirit slashed at the boss’ chest, ripping it open. More blood than usual flowed from the room, splattering the wall.

That’s when the Caller saw it. Of the thousands of keys on the wall, hundreds of which were now doused with blood, one glowed.

Chapter 14

Keys

A massive spear swept over Ethan’s head, the tip shaving stray hairs from his scalp. The Caller performed a quick roll, only putting himself in more danger after snatching the key. The distance he traveled was less than if he were to have taken a step, leaving him open to errant spear jabs. But Luca was on it, placing himself between the spear and its target. Though his memory wasn’t the best, he guessed there were at least 20 holes on the box.

The way the [Very Big Goblin] fought, even after being maimed by Luca, revealed the depth of his health pool. This wasn’t a fight Ethan could win by attrition. His mana ticked down to 110, from its original pool of 185. Even with the [Mana Tap Ring], this fight was hopeless.

Burning that pool down to 90 to cure the glancing blow he took, Ethan formed a plan. Luca executed the idea immediately, edging the boss toward the wall to take pot-shots. The key still glowed in the Caller’s head, sending his mind back to the box. He watched Luca’s health, darting toward the box and jamming the key in every hole. On the tenth attempt, he found the correct hole. It turned with a satisfying click, and the box took on a pale blue glow.

First key inserted!

Insert the remaining 23 keys to finish the boss fight, or kill the boss.

Ethan would be dead without the puzzle. As Luca and the boss fought it out against the wall, splashing it with faint hints of blood, he realized that. Several more keys glowed, but the Caller had no time to collect them. He focused on his next move. With only his full cast-time summon available, he was out of decent options. Left with nothing but risky moves, he’d need to make every motion count.

Like the intelligent ooze sub-boss, the large goblin was likely smarter than normal. It would know what he was trying to do. Before he did it, if Ethan’s luck was anything to go by. The scenario where the boss didn’t pursue him between the pillars was slim.

Luca found five more keys by the time his health dipped dangerously low. Ethan still gained distance from the fight, watching from behind a stone pillar. The Symbol’s health hit 0, and the Caller weighed his options. That moment of hesitation was enough for the goblin boss to be upon him. The spear swept through the room as the monster blurred. Mana flooded through his body, but his health dipped when the spear caught the pillar. Shards of stone and rubble exploded from the strike.

Ethan tumbled back from the strike, looking up at the descending goblin. He rolled to the side, and the spear missed him. Even more proof the monster was intelligent. Toying with him. But the Caller was on his feet, running away as quickly as he could. He darted between the crowd of pillars. The spear darted in, searching for where its prey hid.

“Come on,” Ethan said, watching his mana tick up. He gained 40 mana before he lost his nerve, casting the [Summon Lucantele] ability.

The quirk of [Caller’s Resilience] meant that he still got the 10 mana discount on the spell. So long as the mana regeneration effect was active. The spear nearly found him during the 15 second cast time, but Luca sprung from his silver circle. The formation appeared on one pillar, allowing the Symbol to jump forth. He latched onto the boss’ face and clawed away.

Ethan removed himself from the tangle, finding that his leg was almost pinned from the destruction. He’d only use the pillars again if he was desperate. The Caller poured his will into the summoned spirit. They needed to find the keys. As quickly as possible.

While Luca fought against the wall, dancing around the spear strikes, Ethan inspected more keys. He collected those glowing ones, desperate to find some common factor. Something was off about the ones that glowed. Their construction was identical, but the design was different. He ran his fingers along the flat part of the key, his finger sensing tiny indentations. The keys that weren’t glowing didn’t have those marks, but it led to another problem. He couldn’t run his finger over the thousands of keys.

“Get him Luca,” Ethan said, sprinting toward the goblin. Instead of away.

Luca used his [Barrier of Hope] ability, falling to the ground and growling at the goblin. That gave enough room for Ethan to move in, smearing his free hand over the boss’ back. The monster turned, swiping its spear through the air. But the Symbol jumped, latching onto its neck and tearing away. With blood-smeared hands, the Caller left the fray and touched every key he could find.

Between the efforts of the summoned spirit, and the dousing of blood, Ethan found the remaining keys. Luca’s health dropped by the second, now. Without time to worry about a strategy, he dropped his staff and snatched the box. The pouch he’d created with his robe, jangling with keys, slowed him down as he retreated to the tangle of pillars.

“I hope I counted right,” Ethan said, jamming keys into various holes.

Luca’s health dropped further, plummeting to empty.

Tenth key inserted!

Insert the remaining 14 keys to finish the boss fight, or kill the boss.

10 keys…

5 keys…

The summoned spirit died.

4 keys..

3 keys..

A searching spear plunged into the tangle of rubble, striking the box to send it clattering to the ground. Ethan froze, two keys in his hands. He jabbed the first forward into the box.

1 key…

The spear found his shoulder, digging in and pinning him to the wall. In all the chaos, Ethan reflected on how little it hurt. His health had reduced to 10 points, dropping by the moment. The Caller kicked at the box, hooking his foot around the corner and edging it toward him. With a deft motion, the boss twisted the spear. Now that was painful.

Ethan held the last key in his working hand, edging the box closer to himself. The goblin outside the protective pillars shrieked. Shimmying the heavy metal box inch by painful inch, the Caller focused. One last hole within the box needed a key. The goblin reached inside with its massive hands, probing to grasp anything.

The last key fell into the hole before the boss’ hands grasped anything.

[Puzzle Solved]!

You’ve completed the Rank 0 [Goblin Dungeon]!

Defeating the final boss by solving the puzzle and surviving has granted you a [Gold Boss Chest].

Clearing the entire dungeon has granted you a [Silver Dungeon Chest].

You completed the [Rank Seal] challenge! Find your reward in the treasure room.

The room melted away. Ethan suddenly stood in the room’s center, where the box was originally. His health and mana were restored, all memories of the pain in his shoulder gone in a blink. Standing stunned, he watched as a pulsing orb rose from the ground. It radiated a sense of a predator, as though it were a lion and he was an antelope. He watched as it rose to hover in the air, barely larger than his head.

No system message came up. It was just him and the dungeon core for long uncomfortable minutes. A door Ethan hadn’t spotted before swung open behind the core. Perhaps it was never there, but he had no interest in messing with the core. He side-stepped it, and proceeded to the treasure room. Unlike most of the dungeon, this room was made of finely hewn stone, displaying torches burning in ornate sconces. Three objects marked the room.

Sitting in a row was a plinth, and two chests. One chest was gold, and the other silver. Ethan approached the plinth first, finding a metal disc containing the text “Rank 1”. It was his [Rank Seal]. His ticket to ascending to the next stage of his leveling.

Next was the [Silver Dungeon Chest]. He popped the lid open, finding several items inside. First was a set of pants he couldn’t wear. Not until he hit Rank 1.

[Caller’s Pants]

[Pants]

Rank 1

Epic

Description:

Tight-fitting but comfortable, [Caller’s Pants] are meant to preserve their modesty while wearing robes.

Effect:

Your summoned spirit will occasionally steal health while attacking with physical attacks.

The attached effect was amazing. Even better than that, he could finally wear something other than his boxers underneath his robe. Next, there were 2 [Sub-boss Monster Cores] and a handful of silver coins. Ethan nodded to himself, unable to keep the smile from creeping across his face. Next up was the [Gold Boss Chest].

Unsurprisingly, the first item in there was a Rank 1 [Boss Monster Core] and a pile of silver coins. The piece of gear that dropped was unexpected, and not useful for him. He picked up the single earring and chuckled to himself.

[Fighter’s Earring]

[Earring]

Rank 1

Rare

Description:

Invest your health in this earring, allowing you to enhance a single future attack.

Effects:

Use your current health to charge this ring.

At your command, activate this item to enhance your next attack.

Maximum of 100 health.

He considered what to do with it when he left the dungeon. Ethan didn’t remember how much time he’d spent in the dungeon. It felt like a month, but he knew his friends were waiting outside for him. The Caller loaded all his items into his bag, pushing the idea of selling it out of his mind. He had little use for money. The coins seemed to do almost nothing for him. He needed items. Monster cores and gear. It was doubtful anyone in the land sold caller-specific gear.

After looting the items, a shimmering portal appeared on the far side of the room. Ethan approached it, gaining a system confirmation to leave the dungeon. He accepted, finding himself tumbling through space. An uncomfortable knot formed in the pit of his stomach as he arrive in the forest, dazed and almost unable to stand. He shielded his eyes from the blinding sun, spotting two looming figures nearby.

Without caring if it was actually Targe and Twist, Ethan stumbled and yanked the nearest one into a massive hug.

“Alright there, Ethan?” Targe’s powerful voice asked. “You were gone for quite some time.”

“You’re telling me,” Ethan said, taking a shuddering breath. “Not sure I want to do that again.”

“Worrying,” Twist said, coming over to pat Ethan on the back. “It is the easiest way to get your [Rank Seal]. We apologize.”

“I almost didn’t make it a few times,” Ethan said.

“But you did it,” Targe said, ruffling Ethan’s hair. “You’re not the most powerful class out there. Not by a long shot. But you have staying power.”

Ethan pushed away from his friend. His eyes had adjusted to the bright light, but the images he saw were blurry. A tear rolled down his cheek without him noticing. Three days of hard fighting splattered against the forest floor, forgotten immediately by the adventurers.

“You’re going to get far, kid,” Twist said. “The loot.”

Ethan showed Targe the [Fighter’s Earring] first. He shoved it in his companion’s hand and gave him a stern look. “Payment for all the training. If you need a reason to accept it.”

Targe grinned. He put the earring near his earlobe and it attached. “I won’t complain.”

“Nothing for you, Twist,” Ethan said. “Monster cores, money, a few pieces of gear, my seal…”

“Four sub-boss cores?” Twist asked, counting the pile several times.

Targe shared a concerned look with Twist. The Fighter cleared his throat. “Didn’t I tell you to go straight for the boss?”

Ethan couldn’t remember that instruction. “I wanted the experience points.”

“There’s usually a strong sub-boss and a weak one in the Rank 0 dungeons,” Targe said, laughing nervously. “Wait, why are there so many monster cores? You didn’t clear the whole thing, did you?”

Ethan thought back. He had cleared the entire thing, hadn’t he? “Yeah. Did the whole thing.”

“You did it solo. Like I said, you have staying power,” Targe said. “Do not do that again, though. Not in a Rank 1 dungeon.”

“Message received. Now, can we please go back to Oudsted? I need a bath, and about a week’s worth of sleep.”

“To the camp, first,” Targe said, helping Ethan pack his bag once again.

The walk through the forest was heaven. Ethan appreciated everything that he saw. When he crossed a narrow stream, he stood inside the cold water for a long time. Little fish, minnows or the fry of another species, clustered around the cloud of dirt he kicked up. Targe and Twist said something but he was lost in the mix of sensations. They left him to it, giving way to a silent understanding about the ordeal.

Further down the rise, near the forest’s edge, they ran into another group of adventurers. Ethan tried to give them advice about the dungeon’s sub-bosses, but Targe had a useful bit of information.

“The layout changes every time,” he said, nodding to the small group of fresh adventurers. “They won’t be able to run it for about a day. The timer is longer for high-rank dungeons.”

“Good to know.”

Ethan hugged the donkey when they returned to camp, scratching behind the smelly beast’s ears. The donkey brayed in response, deafening the Caller temporarily. Then he collapsed onto a bedroll and stared into the sky. Blue skies, only marked by the occasional crawl of a fluffy cloud, spread in all directions. The warm sun beat down on him, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Each sensation was a joy compared to the wet, oozing place he’d spent three entire days.

The peaceful rest was broken when Ethan heard the whisper of daggers from sheaths, then shouts.

“Don’t sneak up on someone like that,” Targe said, groaning.

“Sorry,” a familiar voice said.

Ethan propped himself up, squinting to see the form of Lilac approaching. The fox-woman’s red- and white-patterned fur shimmered in the sun. She performed a shallow bow before approaching.

“Message from the Guild,” she said, revealing her sharp teeth when she smiled. “Thanks to ducal initiatives, you’re clear to run ‘that dungeon’ whenever you’re ready. Whatever that means.”

“Oh, thanks,” Ethan said. “We’ve got a few things to do.”

“No rush. Although, there’s normally a rush. Which means this isn’t a normal dungeon. Meaning—”

“We get it,” Targe groaned. “Yeah, it’s a special dungeon. No, you can’t come. It’s Rank 1. You’re Rank 5.”

“Shame,” Lilac said, slipping past the two adventurers to sit near Ethan. She flopped down on the ground, staring into the sky. “Hard not to follow something this interesting. Not when all the other jobs are low-level cleanup jobs.”

“That reminds me,” Ethan said. “I need to talk to Telbarantis when we get back. Figure out how to upgrade Luca.”

Targe shifted uncomfortably. “Little loose with the information near a stranger, eh?”

“I’d bet a stack of silver she’s been spying on me anyway,” Ethan said.

“A Caller’s first dungeon is a big deal,” Lilac said, nodding to herself. “I have an interest in the class. Knew a summoner-style guy when I was younger.”

“Maybe you can explain how summoners are meant to work.”

Ethan’s eagerness to know how other summoners worked was one of self-interest. He knew [Caller] was special, just not how special.

“The closest class to yours would be a [Necromancer]. Or the various styles that archetype generates.”

“But I’m not evil.”

Lilac shrugged, letting out a sigh. “The man I knew had a [Summoner’s Core]. He could maintain a single familiar at a time. When he needed a new one, it was costly. A massive ritual he’d have to perform to get a new one. It was a pain in the ass.”

“I’ve only seen summoners. Never partied with one,” Targe said, inserting himself into the conversation.

“So, you see why I’m interested in the [Caller] class,” Lilac said. “Your summon is weaker than most, but bringing it back mid-combat? Oh, that’s an interesting tactic. Bet it made short work of that dungeon you just did.”

“Well, since you’re going to bother us anyway,” Ethan said. “Care to join us on the trip back to Oudsted?”

“Certainly.”

As the group rested, Lilac seemed more interested in talking about herself than learning about the adventurers. She wasn’t a renowned adventurer, barely into Rank 5. There wasn’t much demand for her illusion magic in the field, making it hard for her to find a permanent team. Instead, she provided a support role on an “as needed” basis. That sent her floating between many teams, never finding a home of her own.

Ethan understood the implication that she wanted to join their team, but the gap between their levels was too great. While the duchy had many high-level dungeons, the team they’d formed wouldn’t be hitting them for some time. After they declined her offer, she asked if she could hang around with them. No one at the camp had a problem with that, even if she was weird.

Ethan decided he wanted her around more often after they began the journey back to Oudsted. She generated illusions of animals that ran along the fields and roads. The Caller asked her to adjust the appearance of the animals, turning them into new creatures altogether. By the time they reached the main road, Lilac had created a convincing copy of a dachshund that chased Twist around with yipping barks.

The group traveled into the night, intent on putting themselves up in the most expensive inn within Oudsted.

Chapter 15

Rank Up

Ethan sunk into the most luxurious mattress he’d ever rested his body on. It felt like clouds had come to life, only to support his exhausted frame. Renting separate rooms in the illustrious Golden Ox Inn had lightened his coin purse, but that hardly mattered. The room was massive, compared to the Marsh Wolf Tavern. And it didn’t stink of stale ale. His enormous bed afforded him a view of the plaza outside the duke’s spire through a clear glass window. A fresh skin of fine wine sat on his nightstand.

Lilac broke off from the group when they arrived in town. Ethan was just happy no one bothered him on the way to the finer districts in town. He’d all but confirmed that people were interested in the spirits, not him, but it was still a relief. Waking from the night’s sleep, he couldn’t imagine going out into the wilds again.

Although that was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

Today’s agenda was contacting a ritualist and negotiating a price for his ascension into the next rank. Ethan sipped his watered wine by the bedside, watching the people below go about their day. After a time, he made his way to the bathroom attached to his room. An actual bathroom. Not some bush, or the walls in the dungeon. It even had a bath.

As the grime of travel fell away from his body, Ethan formed a plan for the day. He hoped his companions were as dazzled by their accommodations as he was. He needed a word with Telbarantis, and felt the spirit’s will flowing from the lake.

Cleaned and ready for the day, Ethan descended the wide staircase in the inn’s lobby. A man in a black vest over a pressed white shirt bowed his head as the Caller exited. The streets were bustling with activity, the events of the festival still taking place. Once he called the spirit back to the mortal realm, there would be more celebrations. There was nothing he could do about that. People needed to learn that the spirits would show themselves when he was near.

The spirit of Telbarantis was near enough to feel at the docks. Ethan didn’t need to travel to the island or the temple to commune with the Great Spirit. His mind put off his intent to meet with Tel and before he could decide against it, the water was bubbling. Like last time, it boiled  under the surface. Unlike last time, a massive monster didn’t break free, showering those within miles with lake water. Instead, a creature roughly the size of Luca shot into the air, only to flop down onto the dock.

“Tel?” Ethan asked, stooping low. The creature was an exact copy of Telbarantis’ massive form.

“Greetings, human,” he said. “Did you expect a show every time you call me?”

“I did.”

“Too bad. I sense you have questions.”

“How do I upgrade my summons?” Ethan asked, patting the lizard-like spirit on the head.

Tel narrowed his eyes. “Same recipe for the mortal rank-up rituals. Except you don’t need a seal. Substitute the boss core for a sub-boss core.”

“Thanks.”

Ethan turned to leave. Tel cleared his throat.

“I’m looking forward to lending you my power.”

“I haven’t forgotten about you, Telbarantis,” Ethan said. “I didn’t want to delve into a corrupted dungeon before I hit Rank 1.”

“Yes, fair enough,” Tel said, shuffling awkwardly on the deck. “I liked the larger form better.”

When Ethan turned to leave again, the lizard-spirit cleared his throat again.

“I confess I wasn’t certain about you. Perhaps I’m still uncertain,” Tel said. “But there’s something strange about the corruption.”

Ethan came over, sitting on the dock near the spirit. He watched the motes of blue light fall off the creature, like a bird losing feathers in the air. “Strange?”

“Dungeon corruptions aren’t common. I’ve heard whispers of them before, but only whispers. This seems more like a shout. Like an attempted corruption of the land.”

Ethan rubbed his chin. He didn’t know enough about how the Great Spirits worked to say either way. “That’s why we’re investigating it. Right?”

“Curious, though. Isn’t it? That the system wants you to investigate it. A roundabout way. Sending you to me. Then I send you to the dungeon. Where does it end?”

“If you’re uncertain about this, Tel… I don’t know what to say. We’ll take it one step at a time. First the dungeon, then we can work on rebuilding Lucantele’s temple. More spirits is better, right?”

“Right. Of course. I haven’t heard the Spirit of Hope whisper through the aether in a while. Troubling, isn’t it?”

“Perhaps it is. If I knew how common that was.”

“Quite common.”

“Does that imply that the Great Spirits draw their power from worship?” Ethan shifted on the dock, finding a spot that didn’t poke splinters into his butt.

“No, the temples are anchor-points. Places that keep us from slipping away. Most of our bonds to the land are strong enough, but Lucantele represents an abstract concept. If he loses his grasp on the temple, he’ll drift away.”

But Ethan had never doubted the importance of his purpose here. Lucantele brought him from Earth for a purpose, trusting him to get it done without supervision. He couldn’t count the spirit’s Symbol as a watcher, since the thing didn’t have a personality.The Caller didn’t want that faith to be misplaced. Just like he wanted to do right by Targe and Twist, he needed to show that he was worthy of the powers he’d been given.

Memories of Earth flashed by. Without realizing it, Ethan had experienced what it was like working the night shift alone in that dungeon. The long silence of it, punctuated by moments of rest that seemed more disturbing than his wakeful hours. Living like a vampire in both Aquarium Warehouse Bonanza and the [Goblin Dungeon] had made him realize how little he wanted to solo another dungeon. Perhaps like the fear for the night shift, that feeling would fade. Not before he’d soaked up enough sun for several lifetimes, though.

Telbarantis descended into a pleasant conversation about the river. Oudsted’s mighty river was fed by the mountains to the north. The water pooled in the lake, creating an interesting ecosystem that the Great Spirit enjoyed. From there, it flowed south into the ocean. Dotted along the length of the river were towns. Farmer’s towns that worked the earth, enjoying the endless bounty of fresh flowing water.

The Great Spirit had memories from the moment of his birth. Before what he referred to as his creation, he was a salamander-like lizard that roamed the banks of the river. From nowhere, he gained consciousness. While he’d spent eons trying to understand what gave him such a gift, he came up with nothing. From there he was a spirit beast, finally ascending to become a Great Spirit after much effort. Too many trials for him to relay in casual conversation, but it ended when he pierced the veil and became more than an intelligent lizard.

“Although salamanders are hardly lizards,” Tel scoffed. “You understand my meaning. Lucantele was not formed in that way.”

Instead, the story of Lucantele, the Great Spirit of Hope, was shrouded in mystery. None of the spirits knew how he came to be, but theories were thrown around. When two Great Spirits met, the topics of conversation surrounded the idea of conceptual spirits.

“Born from nothing, meant to serve an idea,” Telbarantis said, nodding his tiny salamander-lizard head. “Ah. Your friends are looking for you. They think you were kidnapped by someone named Lilac.”

“Whoops. Better go,” Ethan said, gathering himself up. “I’ll stop by the chat later.”

“Please do.”

Ethan was off, turning on the spot and heading back to the Golden Ox Inn. He found Twist and Targe outside, casting their eyes around the crowd in a desperate search. When they spotted the Caller, they looked annoyed.

“Can’t just run off like that,” Targe said.

“I thought about leaving a note.” Ethan shrugged, clapping a hand on Twist’s shoulder. “But I didn’t. Are we ready to upgrade me?”

“Yes,” Twist responded.

The magical services provided in Oudsted were extensive. While Ethan was impressed, Targe wasn’t. Compared to the larger towns in the duchy, the services here were lacking. They could only perform a rank-up ritual to a certain level. After that, one would need to travel to find a Ritualist who could handle the job. Near the duke’s spire, surrounded by affluent people going about their lives, the group ducked into a stuffy shop. Like most places in Oudsted, they burned a censer in the room’s corner. Resting in the center was a large, ornate circle wrought in silver.

“Yay. New caller comes to town, needs an upgrade,” a voice said from behind the counter. “Come to drop coins in my hand. You love to see it.”

A squat woman came from behind the counter, trundling over to the circle to assess Ethan. She came up to the Caller’s waist, and was wider than a normal person should have been. After a moment, he realized she was a dwarf.

“What are we doing? Hmm? Rank 0 to 1? Fine,” she said, waving them away. “A gold coin if you don’t have the materials, otherwise it’ll be 10 silver coins.”

Ethan swung his pack around, digging through to find the coins he’d gained from the dungeon and his [Boss Monster Core]. Twist provided the regular [Monster Cores], which was nice.

“Perfect. Junk goes in the circle. Along with the Caller.”

The dwarf had no desire to talk to them any longer than she needed to. The group obeyed without a word, dumping their stuff in the silver circle then shoving Ethan within. She cracked her knuckles, approaching the circle and nodding.

“My money?”

Ethan handed the coins over.

“Aren’t we all happy, now?” she asked, cracking her knuckles. “This will only take a moment. Groblag’s Magical Upgrades does not guarantee the power provided by a rank-up. Side-effects may include nausea, dizziness, an excessive need to seek out water and drink, but are not limited to these things. Do you understand the terms of the upgrade?”

Ethan blinked a few times, then nodded.

“Excellent. Hold still.”

A flood of magical energy spread through Ethan’s body before he could think. Something swelled in his chest, as though something was growing inside. It radiated outward from there, racing to the tips of his fingers and toes with an electric sensation. A moment passed as a magic wind whipped through the shop, then nothingness. The still silence brought by a sudden sound. A system message appeared.

[Ethan Stout’s] [Caller’s Core] has ranked up! Rank 1!

Level has been reset to 1.

Free point earned.

And that was it. Checking his attribute screen, Mark found that his mana had increased. Total mana was tied to rank, then. But he didn’t feel much different than before. Perhaps a little stronger than before, but that was it.

“Thanks for your business. Bye.”

“One second. How do I upgrade my subcores?”

“The standard ritual for subcore upgrade is typically cheaper to perform,” the dwarf said as though reading from a script. ‌”Provide 10 equal-rank [Monster Cores]. Typical fee is 1 silver coin for the starter ranks. And we only do the starter ranks here. Bye.”

The dwarf disappeared behind the counter. Targe clapped Ethan on the back. Twist playfully punched him in the arm.

“Now we can do the dungeon,” Targe said.

“Miss dwarf,” Ethan said, digging items out of his bag. “I have an odd request.”

“I like odd requests,” the voice said from behind the counter.

Ethan channeled [Summon Lucantele], watching as the spirit burst forth from the ground. The dwarf hobbled over, poking her head around the counter. Her eyes went between Luca and Ethan.

“I’m listening.”

“I need you to perform an upgrade ritual for my summoning spell, but…” Ethan said, trailing off.

“You don’t know how to do it. Do you know the ingredients?” the dwarf asked, withdrawing a book from behind the counter. She placed it on a dwarf-height table.

“A [Sub-boss Core] and five [Monster Cores],” Ethan said.

“Perfect. Falls almost in line with the standard pet-upgrade spell. I just need to make modifications,” the dwarf said, withdrawing parchment and a pen.

Targe gave Ethan a look. “Forgot you’ll need to upgrade your summon. What happens when you have more than one?”

“Then it gets expensive,” Ethan said.

“Meh,” the dwarf said, coming over to hold her hand out. “One silver. This one is easy.”

Ethan produced both the items and the silver coin. She tossed the items into the circle haphazardly. The Caller ordered his summoned spirit to stand in the center, waiting for his upgrades.

“Same rules apply for your critter,” the dwarf said, closing her eyes.

Energy swirled around Lucantele. The spirit rose into the air, rotating on the spot. The silver like that came from Luca grew more intense, filling the room with his hopeful glow. Then they felt the power of the real Great Spirit of Hope flood into the room. A warm comfort that spread through all their bodies, easing what troubles they had on their mind. Ethan forgot about the dungeon alltogether. He’d happily delve into one right now, if he had the chance.

“All done,” the dwarf said. Lucantele’s symbol lowered to the ground, slightly bigger than normal.

A system message appeared, marking the occasion.

[Ethan Stout’s] [Summon Lucantele] spell has been upgraded to Rank 1!

“Indeed, it is,” a voice came from the silver circle. There were now two versions of Luca standing there.

“Since when can you make two of them?” Targe asked. The bored dwarf was already retreated behind her desk.

“I can’t,” Ethan said, bowing his head at Lucantele. “That’s the real one. How are you here, Luca?”

“A temporary effect from upgrading my Symbol,” Luca said. Both Twist and Targe looked with confusion at Ethan. They realized they couldn’t understand the Great Spirit, and shrugged it off.

“How are you?” Ethan asked. “I’m working toward fixing your temple.”

“I’m speaking with Telbarantis at the same time. Eager to share what I know with the other spirits,” Lucantele said. “I’ve been cut off for too long, but now there is hope.”

“Should we hurry up with the orc problem?” Ethan asked, feeling guilty now that he was speaking to the spirit that brought him here.

“No. My fading into obscurity happened over centuries. You’ll change nothing by rushing.” The spirit’s head tilted to the side, silver eyes locking onto Ethan. “A full [Mana Regen] build was popular the last time I formed a pact with a Caller.”

“You think it’ll work out?” Ethan asked.

“I watched how you used my Symbol in the [Goblin Dungeon]. I think you’re going to do great things with that build.”

“Thanks. I haven’t even told them about the [Evoker’s Subcore] I got. Didn’t want to make them envious. Do you have a read on them? My companions? Are they on the level?”

“They are,” Luca said. “Their hearts are pure, despite their pasts. I’m proud of you, Ethan. You didn’t jump to another… team. Sorry, I must go. Telbarantis’ rantings are dragging too much of my attention away.”

“Until next time,” Ethan said, bowing to the spirit before it faded. He turned to his companions. “All done.”

“Good, now get out of my shop,” the dwarf said from behind the counter.

“What did he say?” Twist asked as they left the shop.

“Just some words of encouragement.”

“Damn. I can see why people worshiped him. Feels like I don’t have anything to worry about,” Targe said, letting out a contented sigh.

“The power of hope, I suppose. Hey, check out my new core.”

The pair was less offended than Ethan expected about his new subcore. The subclass was weird and situational. They encouraged him to hold on to it, even if his [Healer’s Subcore] would be more useful for their purposes.

Instead of rushing to the corrupted dungeon, the group had business to take care of in town. Twist and Targe needed to sell what little they collected in Oudsted forest, so they planned a few days break before heading back out. Ethan wasn’t interested in selling what he had and stowed his bag back at the Golden Ox Inn. After that, he headed for the lake once again, with Luca’s symbol close behind.

On his way, there were many citizens that wanted to play with the summoned spirit. It brought none of the waves of hope that the real thing did, but just the sight of him was enough to make some people’s day. Luca would dance with people, play games of tag with children, and otherwise just be cute for them to admire. It took most of the day for him to make his way to the lake. When he finally came to the water’s edge, he snaked a path to a shallow spot.

With his shoes off, and his robe tucked into the belt of his new comfortable pants, he stepped into the waters. Bodies of water on earth varied drastically. In the United States, it wasn’t uncommon to see an ecosystem destroyed by invasive species. But the waters in this lake seemed pristine. There were clusters of algae and water plants resting under the surface. They were joined by minnow-like fish holding under the shade, and other skittish fish that held near the drop-off into deeper water.

The markings on the fish that held the deeper water were foreign to him, but Ethan guessed they were panfish. Although he waited for hours, wading through the shallow area of the lake, he didn’t spot predator fish. He expected to see something like a bass swing by, gulping up the minnows before darting back into the depths. Instead, he was treated to sights of water foul, and the small fish that stuck to those safe places.

Combined with Lucantele’s soothing effects, the cool water over his legs was a treat. The road ahead didn’t seem so bad. Not even the idea of the corrupted dungeon could dampen his spirits.