Summon the Great Spirits - Book 1 Chapters 16,17,18 (Patreon)

Chapter 16

Donkey

Hands held together in a scoop, Ethan watched the minnow dart to the edge of the pool he held. The fish looked much like something from Earth. Maybe just a fathead minnow, or baby golden shiner. Perhaps even one of those species bred in captivity, meant to be fed to other fish. Color variations on the fathead, but unique enough to stock entire feeder tanks at the store. He’d often wondered how anyone made money on that venture.

The sun was dipping low in the sky, the trees on the western bank of the lake casting long shadows over the glass-like surface of water. In the distance, a single rowboat was angling itself toward him. A person clad in blue manned the front, shielding their eyes from the reflections on the lake. The team of rowers worked in unison, causing the craft to glide across the lake. Before long, the nasal voice of High Priest Egbert called across the way.

“Caller Bells!” he shouted.

Ethan parted his cupped hands, letting the small fish pour into the lake below. Something in his heart told him he should be annoyed with the priest’s intrusion. It was a beautiful sunset, after all. Something that some might want to share with others. Lucantele’s bolstering presence must have had something to do with that. Instead of responding with hate, the Caller flashed a smile and waved.

“Egbert! How ya doing?”

“Fine!” Egbert shouted back. “Just a moment while we row toward you.”

The priest laughed, then stood awkwardly as the boat approached. He hiked his priestly robes up to his mid-thigh, then jumped into the shallows with Ethan. They exchanged bows.

“Lucantele appeared within the temple. Discussing something with the Great Spirit Telbarantis. How exciting!”

Ethan thought the two spirits were communicating through… telepathy? Now that he thought about it, it was on-brand for the spirits to speak face-to-face.

“We all learned something today,” Ethan said, shuffling his feet through the water. “When I upgrade my summon spells, the spirits appear. Which is strange.”

“Yes! They’re bound to the land,” Egbert said, joining the Caller in his shuffling procession. “It was a great joy to see them both in the temple. Even if Telbarantis was… ah… much smaller than before.”

“I’m happy to help. Even if I don’t understand how or why I’m helping,” Ethan said.

The pair shuffled to the drop-off. The section of the lake’s shore where a sudden downturn in elevation saw waters that would submerge both men up to their necks. That’s the spot where the fisherman targeted, from what little he understood about the sport. He was more of an observer.

“I’ll say that most citizens would get in trouble if they were to wade in the sacred waters,” Egbert said, chuckling. “We see children playing and don’t punish them, but these waters are consecrated.”

“Whoops,” Ethan said, offering Egbert an apologetic shrug. “Didn’t know.”

“All is forgiven. I just wanted to chat. Before you ran off on another adventure. About the importance of finally having a Caller around.” Egbert reached into the water. Instead of darting away, a school of minnows came to rest in his palm. He lifted them out, and poured them back. They darted around his ankles.

“Can’t say I’m doing anything special. Just show up, and the spirits appear. Makes me feel like an imposter sometimes, but then…”

“Then you feel the light of Lucantele,” Egbert said, finishing Ethan’s thought. “It doesn’t matter if you understand it. Just that you use it to help. There are other temples in the duchy. Other eager priesthoods waiting for you.”

Egbert shuffled through the water, drawing close to Ethan and pulling him in. The Priest gave him a serious look, then a nod. “Telbarantis hasn’t been making good on his pact with the land. Hasn’t been seeing the farms full for years now.”

“You’re saying he’s not doing his job?”

“Exactly, but… Well, I know he can hear me. I’m sorry, Lord Telbarantis. He lost his way. Lost his mind, perhaps. When you brought him back here? That’s what set him right. Showed him what his purpose was.”

That was an interesting concept. Ethan reflected on it while he watched the colors of the sunset play across the lake. When a person with a [Caller’s Core] approached a site of power, somewhere the spirits called home, the spirits could cross into the mortal realm. It was a temporary thing, but they could do it. The implication of Telbarantis abandoning his duties was that he’d spent too much time away from the mortals. Something made him stray, and that left an important reality hanging in the Caller’s mind.

“You’re saying I need to visit all the temples,” Ethan said.

“That would help the spirits out greatly. But not all bind themselves to massive temples. Some inhabit small shrines, not strong enough to offer you their power.”

“You’re very kind not to say it,” Ethan said, patting Egbert on the shoulder with a wet hand. “A selfish Caller wouldn't visit the smaller shrines.”

“Ah, to put it that way… well, hopefully you understand. Adventurers chase power, but look at this.” The Priest extended his hand, gesturing vaguely at the lake then the town. “Regular people. Who rely on the spirits. Don’t lose your way on that path to great power, Bells.”

The thought embedded itself into Ethan’s mind. He’d seen the spirits and power tied closely together, like two sides of a coin. His mind wandered from that topic. The water stirred near the drop-off. A larger fish, a long black stripe running down its brown side, gobbled up a group of minnows.

“Ah! There are larger fish,” Ethan said.

But he didn’t get a good look at the predator. It was there and gone in a blink, descending back into the depths of the lake. Egbert placed a hand on the Caller’s shoulder and laughed.

“I’m uncertain, but there may be a fish Great Spirit out there somewhere.”

“That would be cool.”

Despite his first impression of High Priest Egbert, Ethan decided the guy was pretty cool. His first impression was one of a zealous worshiper of a lizard spirit. A mindless zealot that had this operation set up around him. Instead, he found someone with genuine concern for the normal people. Telbarantis was tied closely to the fertility of the farms. The fertility of the river fed into the life’s blood of the common person near Oudsted.

That painted the worshipers of the Great Spirits in a different light.

While the exchange was nice, Ethan excused himself from the bank of the lake. Egbert was happy to return across the lake, leaving the Caller to explore the town on his own. But there wasn’t much to see within Oudsted. Not unless he stuck to the shops near the duke’s spire. Even then, the places there seemed more opulent than they had any right to be. Instead, he just wandered until the sun had set.

Ethan made his way back to the Golden Ox Inn, finding both Twist and Targe waiting for him in the lobby.

“About time,” Twist said with a huff.

Ethan waved him off. “Can’t a man enjoy the fruits of his labor?”

“Your robe is wet,” Targe said. “So are your pants. Worse news, we need to meet with the duke before we head to the dungeon. It’s all hush-hush.”

“Naturally,” Ethan said. “Do we have our dungeon guide for the run?”

“The news gets worse. The duke, in his infinite wisdom, threw his weight around at the Guild. We’re running it with just us. When we bring the corrupted core back to him, the job is done.”

Targe didn’t seem to like that news very much. Ethan sensed it was because the duke was violating the sanctity of the Guild’s procedures, and he couldn’t blame him. That implied there was something about the corrupted dungeon that Duke Leonard didn’t want anyone else to see. It was all too strange, but the Caller wanted to get back out there. The sooner they cleared it, the sooner he could work on Luca’s temple.

“I’m guessing we leave tomorrow,” Ethan said.

“Yep. Bright and early. Good thing the [Corrupted Dungeon] is close.”

Ethan let out a steady breath. At least it was close.

“Dinner?”

Ethan fought back the urge to clutch his coin purse when the group went for food. They sat in a full-service restaurant, something only common in the fine dining areas of Oudsted, and enjoyed a meal. The Caller seemed to gravitate towards places that gave him a better view of the lake, feeling a constant pull to those deep waters. He sipped a glass of unwatered wine, enjoying the fruits of those hard-working farmers.

Creamy pasta dishes, sides of a tomato-like plant grilled with salt, and as much wine as the group could drink. But with the looming delve, they held back. Both on the food, and the drink. Instead, Targe took the dinner to discuss tactics. The group was untested as a unit, giving way to the need for proper planning.

“Diving straight into the dungeon right after you ranked up?” Targe asked, snorting a laugh. “Stupid idea. The duke can stuff it if he thinks we’re that stupid.”

“Training. In the forest,” Twist said.

Ethan nodded. He liked that idea. It would give him time to figure out how to work with the other men. In his intended capacity as a support summoner, instead of a solo act.

“We should buy a donkey.”

Ethan stood near the western gate of Oudsted, looking at their newly rented donkey. Targe shrugged at the comment, and Twist made no motion to offer his opinion. At the stables, the donkey was the cheapest option for rental. The way the creature sagged in the middle, laden by all the traveling gear, showed that. There were other creatures, some exotic and some mundane. Massive horses would have done the job well. But the Dark Elf was convinced that if they bought a steed, they should buy a giant beetle.

“A strong mount. Thick carapace,” Twist said.

The Caller eyed the various beetles in the stable, wondering how they got along with the mundane creatures. His eyes lingered on the lizard-cat. Sleek, but likely useless for carrying their gear. Perhaps the beetle was the best option.

The group paid for their rented pack donkey, then headed out the western gate. Like all gates within Oudsted, it was manned by a group of sturdy guards. Guards that seemed uninterested in checking the medallions of those leaving the town. Carefree in their vigil of the gate. It saw less traffic than both the southern and the eastern gate. The only thing west was a monster-ridden forest and the half-circle of mountains that protected the town.

Following the road from that gate, the group found farms along the way. More strange crops mingling with those that Ethan could recognize. Once again, Oudsted showed its willingness to invest in textiles and food. The Caller had seen none of the end-products of that textile industry, though. Perhaps the banners within town when they had the festival. These were distracting thoughts, meant to bring his mind away from the journey ahead.

The Duchy of Wexenhal, as Ethan had come to see, was filled with thick forests. Most were marked by the broad leafed, oak-like trees with the triangular bark patterns. While there was a scattering of interesting conifers, there weren’t enough for them to stand out. The journey to the forest’s edge only took an hour, if that. With the help of the road, the group made good time. Even if the donkey brayed with objections, standing near the shadow created by the canopy.

“Come along,” Targe said, tugging the reins. “Hope we didn’t rent a skittish donkey.”

With Oudsted still in sight, the group plunged into the forest. A few paces in, Ethan felt the hair on his neck stand up. With [Summon Lucantele] in his mind, he watched in the distance as an insect-like creature emerged from the underbrush. Instead of going for their weapons, Twist and Targe offered a wave. The creature was bipedal, looking like an upright ant. It wore something similar to adventurer gear that Ethan had seen in the past. A medallion hung from its neck.

When the creature approached, Targe offered a series of rapid hand gestures. Ethan was lost, especially after the ant-person responded. They exchanged silent words for some time while Twist held the donkey back. Then the creature chittered something, and headed toward Oudsted.

“Care to explain that to me?” Ethan asked.

“Ah, yeah… big problem with them.” Targe shook his head, taking control of the donkey once again. “Insectoid races get a bad reputation. Worse than dark elves, if you can believe it. They can’t speak, which makes it worse.”

Ethan had noticed the difference between Targe’s hands and the insectoids. The bug-person didn’t have the digits to perform the more complex motions. “But they can use sign language?”

“Some military forces use the Silent Tongue. Gestures meant to convey basic information. Nothing complex. She was following a dungeon scouting object, but ran into something. Couldn’t understand what it was, though.”

“Now that is weird,” Ethan said.

“If one of her race doesn’t get with the Guild, they’re in serious danger. I’m happy to see our local branch took her in.”

Targe didn’t withdraw his copper rod to find the dungeon. He plunged deeper into the forest, ignoring the Rank 0 deer that littered the area. Instead of attacking, when they spotted three Rank 1 people, they scattered into the forest. Twist ranged ahead while they moved in a generally northwest direction. It was hard to tell with the crowd of canopies overhead, but they made good progress.

“Rank 1 [Mountain Bear] up ahead,” Twist said, stepping from behind a tree. “Practice?”

“Yeah. Great time to practice,” Targe said. He unloaded the donkey, aided by Ethan, and hobbled the creature. The donkey didn’t mind, nosing at the ground to search for food. “We’re going to see where we all fit into combat. Alright?”

“Sounds fine to me,” Ethan said.

“This is a bad test, but it’s better than throwing the team into the fire.”

A single enemy did not reflect the reality of dungeons, let alone a corrupted one. Ethan didn’t have a measure for how much more difficult the dungeon would be, but he’d rather hone himself on something easy. Targe was right.

“We’re going to establish a standard formation. Normally, Twist runs the show.”

“Damn right.”

“He skirts the edge of battle, taking opportunistic shots while I hold the line. He’ll update me with information, then I can make a plan. That’s your job now, Bells.”

Targe gave Ethan a short nod.

“Not sure you have to use my adventuring name.”

“Sure I do. You’re an adventurer now.” Targe clapped a hand over the Caller’s shoulder. “Now you get to use Luca to scout the edge of the battle. Intercept anything that’s coming in. Use your summoned spirit to distract them.”

“That’s a good strategy,” Ethan said. “Used it a few times when I was in the [Goblin Dungeon].”

“Otherwise, make sure you have your [Healer’s Subcore] equipped,” Targe said.

Ethan rubbed his hands together. “You don’t even know what other abilities I have. I got something juicy for you.”

Targe raised an eyebrow. Ethan laughed to himself, casting [Summon Lucantele]. The silver squirrel burst from his circle, padding around the forest’s floor and chittering with excitement. Perhaps there was something of the Great Spirit in that vessel.

“After you, scout,” Twist said.

Ethan sent Luca ahead, bounding off into the forest where Twist had indicated. Luca sent a mental signal back after a time, spotting the [Mountain Bear] clawing at the trunk of a rotting tree. The Caller informed his companions. Targe, with a kite-style shield strapped to his hand, spear at the ready, pushed forward. The group spotted the bear, and the Fighter seemed to vanish.

The sound of cracking bones, a great impact, filled the forest. The [Mountain Bear] let out a sound of surprise as Targe slammed into it, nearly pinning the creature to a tree with his spear. Then his sword was out, flashing a deadly pattern of the beast’s hide. Twist came in next, slicing away at the creature from behind. Ethan was left at the clearing’s edge, hesitating before sending mental commands to his summon.

[Barrier of Hope] flashed through the forest, filling it with a pulsing silver light. The shield popped up around Targe, who made a surprised sound. Then the Fighter laughed, going in harder on the bear. Luca bounded around the clearing, sticking to the edge to search for potential ambushes. Ethan was left holding his staff near the edge, his eyes casting over the emptiness.

“Heal!” Targe shouted.

Ethan cast [Cure Minor Wounds], dropping his mana from 160 to 130. A mental warning came from Luca, who had increased his circle around the clearing. The Caller repositioned himself, craning his neck to see into the forest. The underbrush swayed, low-hanging branches swept to one side.

“Something is coming,” Ethan said, watching his companions battle with concern.

Luca sent another series of thoughts back. They were jumbled up. Confused in a way the Caller couldn’t understand. It was as though the spirit had spotted something that couldn’t exist, yet was.

“Something bad,” Ethan shouted.

Luca’s health halved. The spirit flew through the air, leaving a trail of silver motes as he went. Slamming hard into a tree, and losing another length of his health bar, the summoned spirit fell to the ground with a whimper. The Caller bit back his empathy, and sent his summon back into the forest.

“Almost done!” Targe shouted, blocking an oncoming swipe from the bear.

“A few more hits,” Twist put in.

The ground fell from beneath Ethan. No, he just wasn’t standing on it anymore. A mass of twisting purple and black swept through the clearing, shattering trees and sending the Caller tumbling end-over-end. Channeling [Cure Minor Wounds], and chipping his mana bar down to 100, Ethan watched as the bear fell. A system prompt flooded his vision, a notice of his experience gained, as a massive figure emerged from the forest.

Chapter 17

Forest Attack

Targe raised his shields a moment before a massive length of purple-black flesh crushed Ethan. The Fighter grunted under the force, his boots digging grooves into the hard forest ground. With great effort, the man parried the man-width tentacle and reposted, drawing a line of oozing black from the monster.

“Twist! Scout!” Targe shouted, gesturing for Ethan to get back.

Ethan didn’t need more than a gesture, he was already scrambling back. He took stock of his mana and abilities. With a mental command, he used his [Mana Tap Earring], setting his current pool to 150. Targe was unharmed, and he didn’t remember Twist getting hurt. Luca sent mental reports that the tentacles led back to a singular creature that radiated countless such appendages.

“Big monster. Lots of tentacles,” Ethan breathed, holding his staff in front of him.

“Corrupted dungeon?” Targe asked, slashed wildly at the monster.

Ethan couldn’t see where the tentacles led. He only had the information provided by Luca, which was sparse. He felt his summoned spirit dodging strikes, weaving through them to strike at the main body.

“Corruption,” Twist said after bursting from the treeline. He fell in line with the group, twin daggers ready to lash out. “Giant bear. Rank 2.”

“Of course!” Targe shouted, dancing on the spot.

The tentacle the Fighter had been battling retreated. It slithered back into the forest with a horrid squelching sound. Ethan called Luca back before checking on Targe’s shield. It would hold for a few more hits, but it only reduced damage. It didn’t absorb strikes completely. The party waited there, not willing to make the first move against the corrupted bear. But the sound of its movement rattled the ground. Where it stepped, ancient trees fell away.

“Bad news. I think we’re running,” Targe said, adjusting the grip on his sword.

“To town? Risky.”

“Can we kill it?” Ethan asked.

To answer his question, the bear burst from the trees. The creature was twice the size of a normal bear. If that was its defining feature, Ethan would have been happy. Instead of a thick coat of fur, the monster had pools of pulsating ooze. Tentacle-like appendages burst from every part of the thing, writhing through the air as though searching for something. It let out a mournful roar, vibrating the ground beneath their feet.

Targe stood ready to intercept any attack, hoisting his shield a few times as the tentacles feinted strikes. “Can’t kill it, can we? Gotta run. Where? Send Luca away, make it seem like he’s retreating.”

Ethan obeyed, sending Luca back the way they came. A tentacle shot out, attempting to wrap around the spirit’s body. Narrowly dodging the strike, Luca spun around in the air and used [Claw] of his own accord. The appendage recoiled, and the bear let out another roar of anger. Once he landed, the spirit cast his eyes around the forest. He sensed something out there. Lurking in the forest.

“We may have more,” Ethan said, swallowing hard. “Luca feels something out there.”

“Perfect! Good training session, Sven! Just take the new guy to fight some corrupted horror and—”

Targe cut himself off, raising his shield to absorb a strike from the monster. Twist didn’t miss a beat, descending on the bear like a cyclone of blades. Large chunks of corrupted flesh fell off, slapping against the ground with a vile sound. Ethan ordered Luca to the main body, the squirrel striking at the thing’s face with vicious clawing attacks. The beast recoiled from the attack, falling back.

“Watch the tentacles,” Ethan said, gesturing to the flailing things. “They’re not coordinated anymore.”

“Weakpoint… tentacles?” Targe asked. “That’s bad design.”

The Fighter pushed forward, hunkering under his shield as the bear lashed out again. Luca tore at the monster’s face while Twist wove a dance of blades on the monster’s tentacles. A massive swipe of an errant appendage sent both Twist and Luca flying back. While the Rogue kept his balance, the spirit tumbled. With only a fraction of his health left, Ethan sent the summon back in.

The forest lit up behind them. Ethan couldn’t turn around in time to spot the source, but blue energy radiated in a turgid wave. Bolts of blue-black bolts of magic slammed into the monster’s face, sending it reeling. Targe spotted the opportunity and drove in, leading with his shield as he charged. Twist joined him, dodging the flailing tentacles and stabbing at the monster’s side.

The bolts came in rapid succession. Where they hit, there was simply nothing left. It was as though the attacks deleted the pieces of the monster completely, leaving nothing behind but a clean wound. Ethan threw out several [Cure Minor Wounds] casts, topping Twist off after he took a tentacle to the face. With one last push Targe drove his sword through the bear’s heart. One last massive roar, and it fell to the side.

Before the system message appeared, Targe was already shouting into the forest. “Friend or foe?”

A snap of magical energy radiated in front of the exhausted group. Someone stepped out, scoffing. “Last time someone saved your ass then turned around to attack you. No? Right, cause I helped.”

Ethan got a better look at the short person. They were roughly the size of the dwarf he’d seen before, coming up to his waist. The high-pitched voice could only have belonged to a woman, but he wasn’t sure. She wore an ornate dress, puffy at the bottom and filled with patterns of stars and moons, and held a staff. The weapon looked more like a rod of solid darkness than anything. Her skin was a shifting pattern of black and blue magic, but the Caller suspected that was a spell. Otherwise, she just looked like a tiny, slightly rotund elf.

“Thanks for the help,” Ethan said, forestalling snide remarks from his companions.

The heat of battle still ran through all their veins. It was an intense fight that had almost drained his entire pool of mana.

“Void,” Targe said, taking a long breath. “How’d you get that name? Someone hadn’t taken it before?”

“The old Void died,” the woman said, performing a bow. “I camped out at the Guild to snag it.”

“Grim,” Twist said.

Ethan didn’t know how Targe knew the woman’s name. Spotting the woman’s necklace, he focused on the medallion under her dress. As expected, a system message appeared.

[Void]

Rank 1 [Void mage]

Current Standing:

Excellent

“Sure, formal introductions. Hooray,” Void said, bowing. “Pleasure to meet you, Caller Bells. You’ve been making waves.”

“In a good way. Right?”

Void ignored the question completely. “You must be thinking ‘wow, Void. You’re so strong. But what are you doing messing around near a restricted dungeon?’ Well, let me tell you. Those guards the duke placed near the dungeon? SUCK!”

“The monster was from the dungeon?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah, and they let a little worm get past. Infected that bear, I guess.” Void folded her little arms, shaking her head. Her long ears flopped. “Doesn’t take a genius to see they sent you to clear the dungeon. Go figure, right? Hard work doesn’t count for nothing when you have a [Caller’s Core].”

Ethan coughed into his hand, falling into a resting position on the ground. He didn’t disagree with her on that point. “Telbarantis can heal the dungeon.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m just mad,” Void said. Then she screamed, tilting her head back to let it all out. “All better. Mind if I join you on the trip?”

“We’re training for the dungeon. Trying to get our synergy working.”

“Hey, you guys did good,” Void said. Her entire tone had changed. She’d gone from accusatory to supportive in a blink. Ethan noticed the strange shimmer of color fading from her skin. “Summoners can fill a lot of roles. That’s why it’s so great to have them around.”

“Agreed,” Twist said. “Let’s walk.”

The group went back to retrieve the donkey. Among adventurers, there was an innate trust. Ethan spotted the “Current Standing” section of Void’s information, and figured that she was worth trusting. That must have been the system that Targe told him about. The system where renegade adventurers were marked, and bounties were placed. So long as someone had that hunk of metal hanging from their necks, they were trustworthy enough. Besides, Void’s constant shift in personalities was entertaining enough.

“You two need to specialize more,” Void said, helping un-hobble the donkey. “I’m thinking a pure tank class for Targe, and a bleed build for Twist.”

“I’ve wanted a bleed build,” Twist said. The single eye visible under his mask twitched, searching for answers from the short woman.

“Yeah, I’ll give you some pointers. Some people like secrets, but screw them. Slot a [Blood Mage] Subcore, level it to Rank 1. Bathe yourself in the blood of a fallen dungeon boss, and your main core will evolve to [Blood Rogue].”

Twist had withdrawn parchment from the donkey’s pack, scribbling the information down. “Thank you, Void.”

“Hey, no problem.”

The group made their way back into the forest with their mounts. Targe looted both the regular bear and the corrupted version. Two [Monster Cores], but nothing special otherwise. Void had a lot of information for them to consume, but it seemed to come at a cost. She was not-so-subtly inserting herself as a member of their party. Ethan couldn’t get a read on his companions. Twist seemed absorbed with the idea of becoming a [Blood Rogue], and Targe had closed himself off.

Ethan had Luca ranging ahead, searching for more bears. He sent a thought back that he’d found another normal [Mountain Bear], and the group closed in. They came to a stream, finding the bear eating a freshly killed fish in the water. It peeled away layers of flesh, slurping it down happily.

“I’ll just watch,” Void said.

This battle was more standard. Ethan stayed back, enjoying his position as a support summoner. Luca ran a tight circle around the area, keeping an eye out for interlopers. But nothing came. That left the field of battle clear for Targe and Twist to work their magic. The Fighter was a wall when he had his shield out. Each strike from the bear still chipped away at his health, but it was nothing [Cure Minor Wounds] couldn’t take care of. When the bear fell, Void clapped.

“Very standard,” she said.

There was nothing more the group could learn from single-monster combat. They’d fallen into practiced teamwork instantly. Ethan thought it was because he had experience adventuring. By doing the solo dungeon, he’d learned a lot about positioning. That seemed to be the most important part. Isolating monsters, and making sure he had an excellent position was the key. Otherwise, being the point-man was a simple job. Look out for other monsters and keep everyone topped off. Simple job.

Seeing the exercise as a waste, the group made their way to the dungeon. The copper rod leaned to the correct direction, sometimes fidgeting away. But a few hours of hiking, and a few more dead bears, the group found the dungeon. Unlike the [Goblin Dungeon], this one was set on a hill. It was piled on either side with massive stones that dripped with black goo. A palisade wall was erected around it, at least 20 ducal guards within.

“Halt!” one called from a distance. “State your name and business.”

“Caller Bells!” Ethan shouted back. “Come to purify the dungeon.”

A murmur spread through the assembled guards. A guard with more ruffles than the others came to the front. The massive feather dangling from his hat bounced, and he stroked his beard.

“I was told to expect a party of three.”

The group edged toward the makeshift gates where the man with the big hat waited.

“Change of plans,” Void said.

Ethan cleared his throat. “We needed more firepower.”

Void had inserted herself into the party, but he wouldn’t decline her offer. If the things inside the dungeon were anything like those outside, they’d need every bit of help they could get. The guard regarded them with a discerning eye. Then he shrugged.

“Breaks are becoming more common. We lost a larva earlier.”

“We know,” Targe said. “Discovered the thing in the forest.”

“Fine. So long as Bells can purify the dungeon, you can take an army. I don’t care,” the guard said, gesturing for them to enter the walled camp.

Ethan worked with Targe to sort through their supplies. They loaded up packs filled with watered wine, food, and assorted necessities. There was no way to tell how long they’d be inside the dungeon, so it was best to pack heavy. The Caller had already learned he could just dump his pack while they fought, picking it back up after he was done. The Fighter moved, grabbing Void by the arm and moving her aside.

“Just so we’re clear,” he said, looking around at the ducal guard. “You’re not getting a cut.”

Despite the woman’s size, she stared up at Targe with a defiant expression. “Duh. You’d be dumber than a headless mole to think I’d expect anything. But what’s in the dungeon? Those creatures? They seem close enough to the void to be worthy of study.”

“Not entirely selfless,” Twist said. “Cut the chatter.”

“If she wasn’t a mage, I’d have tossed her to the side,” Targe grumbled, approaching the dungeon entrance.

Similar to the [Goblin Dungeon], there was a shimmering portal of blackness resting at the threshold. Targe approached first, then a system message popped up.

[Fighter] [Targe] has invited you to a dungeon party.

Accept?

[Y/N]

Ethan mentally accepted. Several status bars appeared near his, representing each member of the party. They trusted the duke’s men to keep their donkey safe for the few hours they were inside. Targe regarded his companions.

“Ready?”

Everyone affirmed, and the familiar sense of being tugged through nothing by the belly filled Ethan. He hurtled for only a moment before finding himself standing in the dungeon. Once again, there was a system message to mark their descent.

[Targe’s Party] has entered the [Corrupted Ant Dungeon]!

Time is moving at 1/32 rate within the dungeon.

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

All rewards will be forfeit if you retreat.

Difficulty increased based on 4 party members.

Good luck!

“Now that we’re out of range of the duke’s guards,” Targe said, turning to Void. “Any reason you’re interested in this dungeon? No need to be coy, we’re a team. Even if it’s temporary.”

“This isn’t the only corrupted dungeon in Wexenhal. Let alone the kingdom,” Void said. Whatever boisterous arrogance she held earlier fell away. “I’m from the Duchy of Brasbek—to the north—and we’ve had corruption spreading through all our dungeons.”

“The same corruption?” Twist asked.

“The Dark Elven Empire might as well be the experts on the topic,” Void said, tilting her head to the Rogue. “But, yes. My father sent me to Wexenhal to investigate. Been here for about two weeks, and here we go. Just gotta know where to poke your nose.”

“Sending his Rank 1 daughter off seems risky,” Targe said, folding his arms. The big man wouldn’t budge, would he?

“Risky? Maybe. Best way to stay incognito.” Void wiggled her eyebrows. “No one expects a Rank 1 mage to be in this deep.”

“Fine. I was blustering out in the duke’s camp. Wanted to put on a show. You’re welcome to any [Void Mage] specific gear,” Targe said. “But I’m afraid we need the cash.”

“No worries,” Void said, waving the question off. “Just glad we got the air cleared. So we can work on actually doing some good.”

Ethan busied himself by studying the tunnel. It wasn’t the same as the tunnels in the [Goblin Dungeon]. Instead of cave walls, this one was made of dirt. Gnarled roots poked from the walls, insects visibly crawling on the ground below. The worst of it was the sense of malevolence radiating from deeper within the tunnel. And the sound of chittering mandibles up ahead.

The tunnel led into the first room, which was empty of monsters. A widened cavern spread before them with a thorny bush growing in the room’s center. It had the same theme of dirt walls and roots sticking from them. This dungeon fanned out in three paths. East, center, and west. Before continuing, Targe went over tactics.

“Not much to change here,” he said. “Twist and I will hold the front line with Luca running interference. Luca is what we call Ethan’s summoned spirit. Yeah, it’s really a piece of the Great Spirit Lucantele. Anyway, Luca catches the stragglers and Ethan throws out his pathetic heals.”

“My heals aren’t that bad,” Ethan said.

“They’re bad. But better than nothing,” Targe said.

“I’m good at firing indiscriminate [Void Bolts],” Void said.

The group edged to the western passage, staying outside of the room. The threshold was obvious, making it easy to keep out of range. Inside were at least 4 massive ants. They held similar infections to the bear outside. Tentacles writhed on their bodies, but unlike the bear they were only Rank 1. The monsters looked similar to ants under the purple-black goo and tentacles. Six legs, fat little abdomens, and a pair of wicked-looking mandibles on the front. They were also roughly the size of small ponies.

Void let out a heavy sigh. “Not the most encouraging sign. The corruption my father detailed is more advanced than this. But this dungeon has been infected for a while.”

“What do you mean?” Ethan asked.

“Some dungeons lose the monster type in their title. So they just become [Corrupted Dungeons],” Void said. “That’s when you have to worry… worry, yeah… uh, guys?”

Ethan’s head swiveled back to the room. He blinked, watching as the heads of each ant turned their way. They issued a chittering squelch, tentacles slapping against the ground. Every ant in the room charged toward the party.

Chapter 18

Ant Dungeon Brawl

The first ant-monster slammed into Targe’s shield. Flailing limbs joined with tentacles, slamming against the walls and broad shield alike. Ethan had fallen to the ground, near where Twist and Void stood. They were shouting at each other, desperate to find a solution to the situation. The passage was too narrow to fight the ants, but retreating to the first room was dangerous. Too close to the other passageways, and they’d gain the attention of the other ants.

Monsters weren’t meant to leave their rooms in low-rank dungeons. They were supposed to stay where they were, or suck the party in when it came to bosses and sub-bosses. Targe shouted a series of orders and the group began a backwards procession toward the first chamber. Twist hoisted Ethan under the arms, shoving him back. Sound bled back into the Caller’s hearing, and he had his orders.

Targe had taken too many hits from the charge. The tentacles battered against his shield, several well-placed insect limbs jabbing into his midsection while he retreated. The health bars made it easy for Ethan to judge when the right time for a heal was, so he popped off a [Cure Minor Wounds].

Down to 175 mana, Ethan channeled his [Summon Lucantele] spell. The silver squirrel was given his orders mentally, and went to work. A blinding sliver light flooded the tunnel, the shield from [Barrier of Hope] springing up around Targe in an instant. Luca jumped over the tangle of monsters, using [Claw] on his way down. Stunned by the attack, the ant in the rear of the group chittered, then gave chase.

Ethan activated the ability on his staff and shoes, the sound of ringing bells filling the entrance room. Luca was off like a bolt of silver lightning, trailing the one ant monster behind him. The group emerged into the large room, fanning out into position. Three angry, flailing ants burst from the tunnel. Tentacles slapped against Targe’s shield, errant strikes reaching back to search for the backliners. The Caller stuck with Void, finding a spot nearest the entrance to watch the battle.

“Focus one,” Targe grunted, his knees almost buckling from the force of attacks.

Blue-black bolts of energy flew from Void’s hands, spiraling through the air like a wounded bird. They slammed against the rightmost ant to great effect. The creature toppled over, the tentacles on its back acting like legs. Twist moved in without missing a moment, chopping away at the flailing black tentacles with his daggers. Ethan kept his mind with Luca, ensuring they wouldn’t have a fourth creature to deal with.

“Heals,” Targe said.

Ethan’s eyes shot to the Fighter’s health, then he began casting [Cure Minor Wounds]. Luca’s health was dropping by the moment. He wasn’t doing well against the ant solo. There were too many tentacles to deal with, and those chittering mandibles looked as though they could crush steel. Down to 100 mana, the Caller kept his [Mana Tap Ring] in mind. The bright side was that he had allies now. Resummoning Luca would be a simple task, so long as they kept the ants off him.

The barrier around Targe shattered, falling away in sheets of clanking silver. But Void’s attacks were relentless. Her skin didn’t turn the strange seething color this time, but Ethan could tell she’d used some ability. Her mana bar was drained by large chunks everytime she cast her spell. But the effect was absolute. Between her magic, and Twist’s methodical chopping, the ants fell one-by-one.

“Take a moment,” Targe said, breathing heavily. “Got one more to deal with.”

Ethan sent his mind to Luca, begging for information. The spirit was in a panic. The Caller popped his [Mana Tap Ring], bringing him to 150. Then it was time to deliver the bad news.

“The spare is bringing a pair,” Ethan said, tightening the grip on his staff.

“You’re joking!” Void shouted.

Luca’s health hit 0. Ethan didn’t miss a beat, he was casting the moment his summon went down. The effect of his [Caller’s Resilience] ability reduced the cost of the spell by 10.

“Form up,” Targe said. “Welcome to the party, Void. This is our luck. Ethan, keep another busy in the tunnels.”

“On it,” Ethan said, sending his fresh version of Luca down the dirty tunnels.

More chittering, the snapping of mandibles and wet slapping of tentacles, came from the passage. Lit by a silver light, the ant’s shadows were cast in long, seething pillars down the hall. Ethan felt Luca grab one ant, bringing  it down the tunnel to fight. Two monsters burst from the tunnel, descending on the group with a flurry of attacks.

Luca had a better sense of how to fight the ants on his own. Ethan felt him dodging tentacles, then moving in to strike the vulnerable appendages. He couldn’t get in close enough to strike at the main body, but he could inflict enough damage on their weak spot to make it worth it.

Void dug deep, wringing the last of her mana until she was empty. Twist’s breath came in ragged gasps, sweat forming to drip from the bottom of his mask. From beneath that stone visage, the singular eye darted with wild abandon. Targe stabbed with everything he had, slamming away attacks and shouting for heals.

“Last one,” Targe said, bringing his shield down on the last ant. Twist moved in, finishing the job. “Bring us the remaining monster, Bells.”

Ethan nodded, ordering Luca to return. But the spirit, at half-health by the time he arrived, came alone. The Caller never received word that the ant was dead. The party stood in tense silence, no one willing to hope that the last had died to the summon. Limping down the hall, an ant came into view. The creature’s tentacles were mangled, seething with black ooze. Now that he looked at it, he noticed the amount of goop stuck to Luca’s ethereal fur. He’d gone for the tentacles to great effect. It seemed to dampen the monster’s ability to move at all.

Targe made quick work of the last monster. Everyone collapsed in a heap.

“That… was…  fun,” Void said between labored breaths.

“Disagreed,” Twist said.

The team composition had a clear advantage. Targe didn’t need to tank an entire group of monsters with Ethan around. Luca could run away with the attention of one monster, weakening the attacker’s force. Without Luca, things would have been different. Perhaps not the complete destruction of the party, but casualties came to the Caller’s mind. The only thing that distracted him from that fact was the notification popups. His [Healer’s Subcore] hit level 5.

“Let’s take a break,” Ethan said. “I need to upgrade my [Healer’s Subcore].”

“Break faster the first fight,” Targe laughed. “Fine. You do that. We’re going to discuss strategy.”

Like his main core, Ethan’s subcores gained ability picks every 5 levels. They didn’t provide attribute points, though. He sifted through the list of healer abilities, finding only two that stuck out. The Caller was building himself to save mana, so those are the abilities he eyed.

[Healer’s Subversion]

Healer Ability

Cooldown

2.5 minutes

Description:

Any healer-related spell cast after using this ability will have halved cast time and mana cost.

[Clarity of Mind]

Healer Passive Ability

Description:

After casting a healing spell, you have a 50% chance to gain 10s of out-of-combat [Mana Regen] instantly.

Effect:

Restores 2 ticks worth of [Mana Regen] 50% of the time after casting a healing spell.

Ethan decided on [Clarity of Mind], since it synergized with his scaling mana regen. Half of the time, after casting a healing spell, he’d gain 28 mana back. Since this was tied to his [Healer’s Subcore], it would see a lot of use. Compared to [Healer’s Subversion], where he would save half the cost of a healing spell every 2 and a half minutes, it was slightly better. The Caller didn’t do the math on it, but he didn’t want to take another active ability at the moment. He felt the ability slot into his core, then turned his attention to the conversation.

“Well, we’re not under attack now,” Void said, chuckling. “And! Listen to this! We cleared two rooms!”

“We assume they have the attack range of normal monsters,” Targe said with a nod. “20 paces… sometihng like that, anyway. Now that we have two rooms cleared, we have more room to pull them back. And the means to do so.”

Everyone looked over at Ethan, who had finally caught his breath. “Yay,” he said with exactly no enthusiasm.

The group went about the disgusting task of looting the monsters. They spasmed when looted, revealing monster parts no one wanted to touch and a [Corrupted Monster Core]. Ethan inspected the item.

[Corrupted Monster Core]

[Monster Core]

Rank 1

Epic

Description:

Seething with hate, this corrupted core is useless for core-related applications.

“These are more trouble than they’re worth,” Void said. “And hard to destroy. Best to leave them in the dungeon. Hope they get purged when it collapses.”

Twist, Targe, and Ethan agreed. They made a pile of the pulsing black cores near the entrance, then came together to form a plan. The order in which rooms were cleared was important. Especially since they didn’t know how the sub-bosses would interact. Assuming those monsters would not obey the rules of the dungeon, they intended to take it slow. Everyone could use the experience, and it was possible random chests would drop from regular monsters.

“We can clear the entire west side, if you want,” Targe said, pressing his finger into his chin. No one, not even the Fighter, wanted to stand too near the other passageways. “There’s room to work in those chambers. They might connect to the center, or eastern lines. Who knows?”

“Agreed,” Twist said.

“Bells, did you catch our assessment of the fight?”

“Nope.”

Targe broke it down for him. They did everything they could have done right, except for Void. Her attacks weren’t measured, and she burned everything she had in the first burst of the fight. Ethan wouldn’t blame her for that strategy. So long as the Fighter had the monster’s attention, there was no reason to hold back. Most fights in this world took place over the course of minutes. Quick bursts of battle where the objective was to whittle an enemy down. His mind went back to the [Goblin Dungeon], where he’d spent hours working on the slimes.

“You never told me that story,” Targe said, his brow knitting tightly. “A constant, hours-long battle? That must have been stressful.”

Ethan shrugged. He didn’t see it that way. “I figured it was part of my [Mana Regen] build.”

Twist nodded. Void blew out a breath.

Something the Caller noticed from the fight was the experience he gained. When he arrived in the world, equal-level monsters gave 25% experience per kill. The ants they killed here, which were Rank 1 level 4, only gave 10% for his main core. His subcore didn’t suffer from that problem, jumping up two levels after the fight. But he still needed 4 kills at the same level and rank to get a single level in his [Caller’s Core].

The group moved down the passageway on the western side of the dungeon. “So, it really does slow down at Rank 1. Doesn’t it?” Ethan asked.

“Thought you’d be sailing through the levels, huh?” Targe asked, laughing. Despite the dirt walls, his booming voice echoed.

“Funny thing about that,” Void said, trotting to keep up with the group. “The system is smart enough to understand intent for experience gain. With your [Healer’s Subcore], you could prance around town curing people of ailments. That would give you experience. But likewise, you gain experience killing monsters with your [Caller’s Core]. That brings up an interesting distinction.”

“Between combat and non-combat,” Twist said.

Void nodded. “Because there are crafting and harvesting classes. Do you think they gain experience by slaying monsters?”

“I hope not,” Ethan said.

“They don’t. Someone with a [Jewelcrafter’s Core] gains experience from making jewelry. If you took a [Jewelcrafter’s Subcore], you’d experience the same thing.” Void tapped her pitch-black staff on the ground. “Even more curious. What happens if you kill someone? A sapient being?”

“I assure you, I have no idea,” Targe said.

“Do you gain experience? Hmmm? It depends. If you’re a bandit, praying on low-level adventurers you get nothing. Curiously, if you’re a bandit and you kill an equal-level person… you also get nothing. But if you’re a bandit, and you kill an equal-level person who slew your father?”

“You gain experience,” Twist finished.

“Strange, right?” Void asked. “Talk to a scholar about the ‘why’ because I don’t know.”

“This is all very academic,” Targe said.

“Indeed!”

The group rested in the next room. Ethan made sure to charge his [Mana Tap Ring], and Targe charged his [Fighter’s Earring]. Void’s mana regeneration was slow, crawling back from empty at a snail’s pace. It gave the party time to inspect the room. This one seemed more themed around an ant’s nest. Pulsing hives were dug into the wall. Tiny larvae were visible within, undulating in a way that made the Caller feel uncomfortable. Twist checked to see if the future-ants were aggressive, which they weren’t. The one bright side of the entire dungeon delve.

Ethan summoned Lucantele and sent him ahead to ensure the next room was clear. It wasn’t. On the far side of the room, there was a single ant that hadn’t joined in the attack. The group made quick work of the singleton and inspected the room. The hives covered everything, but these also pulsed with the oozing black goo from the corruption. He formed a theory that the deeper they got, the worse it would be.

It was a decent room for a fight, though. Mounds of dirt with ramps created kiting areas, while pillars of hive-material scattered the room. Ethan marked it in his mind as a place where they could retreat if things got hairy in the sub-boss room. But as he edged closer to the next room, he spotted more ants. There wasn’t a sub-boss in the third room, which meant one thing.

“This dungeon is bigger than the [Goblin Dungeon]. Deeper, anyway,” Ethan said.

“Obviously. It’s Rank 1,” Targe said.

“First Rank 1 dungeon?” Void asked. “I remember my first.”

“Can’t have been that long ago,” Targe said. “Right. Everyone charged up? Ready to go?”

The group affirmed, bowing to the Fighter’s leadership. It was better to have one point of command, anyway.

“Right. Ethan, give me a sense for the next room. Pull them if it’s decent. No more than four. Then send Luca back to distract one,” Targe said.

“Understood.”

Ethan sent the mental command to his summoned spirit. The silver squirrel bounded through the tunnel, sending back a general sense for the area to his master. The tunnel was long, gaining more of the black ooze as it descended into the dungeon. Luca was at the edge of his range, forcing the Caller to step into the tunnel a few paces. But the report he sent back was promising. Three ants in this one, all in worse states of infection than the last.

“Three,” Ethan said, ordering Luca to engage before retreating back to the group. “Coming in hot.”

Luca dodged what shots he could, taking a few hits on the way back. He made his way back through the tunnel, passing the group before waiting for the next command. The ants slammed into Targe, the summoned spirit jumping into the air to cast [Barrier of Hope] on the Fighter. Luca kicked off the ground after landing, jumping over the ants to use [Claw] on the rearmost one. Targe walked the remaining two back for a clean fight in the larger room.

Void didn’t seem like a woman who took orders easily. But as they battled against the two ants, she measured her mana usage. Instead of an all-out volley, she focused on sections of the ants. Her bolts slammed into places on their exoskeletons that would inflict the most damage. Most shots were designed to cripple the monsters, rather than kill them outright.

Twist picked up on the same energy, focusing all his efforts on attacking the tentacles. Each slash of his knives sent the other tentacles flailing, giving Targe a moment to adjust his position or move in for a deft strike.

Unlike the last fight, perhaps owing to having less ants to fight, the group killed the two ants with coordinated effort. Void had barely burned through her mana, resting just above half, when the two ants fell. Targe gave the order to let the two close-range fighters take out the last. Ethan called Luca back, satisfied when he finally saw him bounding down the passage. The summoned spirit had hardly taken damage, but the ant that limped behind him was near death.

“We’re getting the hang of this,” Void said, chuckling to herself. “I suppose you never know when a big ant king is going to burst through the ground, right?”

Ethan topped Targe’s health off with a [Cure Minor Wounds]. He felt his new ability [Clarity of Mind] trigger, reducing the cost of the spell to 2 mana, down from 30. He felt much better with 168 mana to play with, instead of the normal 140-ish. Void even conserved her mana, expected that ant king to arrive at any moment. When the last ant fell, experience rolling through both of the Caller’s cores, they breathed a sigh of relief.

That was the first normal fight they’d had in the dungeon. Even if it was with a bunch of corrupted ants.

“Might as well rest up,” Targe said, nodding to the group. “That was the easiest fight by far.”

“Yeah,” Void laughed. “And no ant king… woah, am I feeling woozy?”

Ethan felt it too. He wasn’t feeling off, though. It was the ground beneath their feet. A gentle rocking of the soft soil that made him feel seasick.

“Guys?” Ethan asked, pointing down. “I think something is coming.”

“Damn it, Void!” Void shouted at herself. “Why did you have to call forth the ant king?”

Magic barriers sprung up on both ends of the room. Time froze as a system message flooded all their vision.

Sub-boss engaged!

[Targe’s Party] has engaged [Hive Tunneler 5368] in combat!

3…

2…

1…

GO!