Summon the Great Spirits - Book 1 Chapters 25,26,27 (Patreon)

Chapter 25

Return to the Temple

Ethan wrapped his arms around Lucantele. Warmth spread through his body as the Great Spirit allowed the Caller to hug him. Targe and Twist tied off Tulip on a fallen pillar, rushing over to see the spirit. They both bowed.

Ethan pulled away. “Not sure why I missed you so much.”

“You have my Symbol,” Luca said.

“It’s not the same.”

“That’s true. It’s nice to meet your companions. Much better than seeing them during an upgrade ritual.”

“Too bad they can’t understand you,” Ethan said with a chuckle. “Guys, this is Lucantele. The Great Spirit of Hope. He’s a cool guy.”

“Hello,” Targe said, waving awkwardly.

“May I hug him as well?” Twist asked.

“Hey may,” Luca said with a nod.

Twist strode over, awkwardly crouching to hug the Great Spirit. “He is very warm.”

“Yeah. Anything changed while I was gone? Are you holding up well?” Ethan asked.

Luca didn’t respond. He spun on the spot and led the group into the temple. It was just as ruined as Ethan remembered. Perhaps more than before, actually. A few more pillars had fallen down, more steles cracked and shattered on the ground. None of that ruined the good mood the Great Spirit brought, though.

“Parabaxis,” Luca said without prompting. “She’s elusive. A fairy-style spirit that refuses to ascend to a Great Spirit.”

Ethan shuffled his feet awkwardly. The little guy was getting straight to business. “Do you know where she is?”

“Wreaking havoc south of the Fangstone Mountains.”

“Wait, really?”

“Really.”

“Well, damn. Feels like that could have been a letter or something. If you just knew where she was.” Ethan wasn’t mad at Luca. He was mad at the circumstances.

“Telbarantis can extend Void’s life for years, Ethan,” Luca said. “With the power of the [Dungeon Core] you gave him, he can hold her core together with the power of his will.”

Targe tapped Ethan on the shoulder. “Mind translating?”

“Parabaxis is south of the orcs. Void should live for a while, though. At least a year.”

“Well, then I have another question. How do I earn the favor of a Lesser Spirit?”

“A wise question to ask,” Lucantele said. “Would you hate me if I asked you for a favor? A favor that would rob you of money. A favor that only I would see the benefit of?”

Ethan shrugged. He’d already lost a dungeon’s treasure to Telbarantis’ over-eager jaws. Why not do it again? “Sure. No problem.”

“I’m not as cruel as Telbarantis. But I need an intact [Dungeon Core]. Part of the reason I’ve been whispering into Sven’s dreams.” Luca bound over to an opening in the temple, nodding at the beetle. “You’ll need that to transport it down from the mountains.”

Ethan tried not to laugh. He really did. But as he burst out, quickly coming to tears, his companions looked on with concern.

“What?” Targe asked.

Ethan was on the ground by now, trying to catch his breath. He tried to tell his friend a few times, but only after the fit of giggles subsided did he get the words out. “Luca tricked you into buying the beetle. So that we could haul a [Dungeon Core] down from the orcs.”

Targe folded his arms. “I don’t know whether to be offended or impressed.”

“I’m impressed,” Twist said.

Ethan wiped the tears from his eyes. “Alright, Luca. Where’s the nearest dungeon? Also, before you answer that. Are you going to eat the [Dungeon Core] to get stronger?”

“Yes. I am.”

“Cool, cool. Where’s the nearest one?”

“Half a day south of here. At the foot of the Fangstone mountains. Your friends are welcome to stay in my temple.”

Ethan read the subtext of that. He was always welcome to stay in the temple, whereas his friends were not. The quest to gather information on Parabaxis’ location ended too soon. The Caller was left with a feeling of aimlessness that was snuffed out. Luca gave him a new quest and they could start clearing out the orc dungeons. Win-win, right?

“Thanks. We appreciate it.”

“I can tip the scales of the dungeon within my sphere of influence,” Luca said, padding through the temple without aim. “Increase your rewards.”

Ethan rubbed his hands together. “Now you have my attention.”

Luca chuckled. “Rest here for the night. Bring your beetle within my temple. Raiding parties still pass through here.”

Without saying another word, the spirit vanished. Targe and Twist were left standing there with looks of confusion. Ethan explained the situation to them, and they didn’t seem hostile to the idea.

“You’re sure Void will last?” Targe asked.

“I’m not even certain I can form a pact with Parabaxis. Let alone get her to heal Void.” Ethan swung his pack to set it on the ground. “Since we have time, we should get gear and levels. It only makes sense.”

Twist scratched his chin underneath his mask. “Bit of a trip down south. Past the mountains. Not much of a road going that way.”

“There was a road through the mountain.” Targe removed his pack as well. “If we could blast through a few thousand orcs, we’d make it.”

“Not likely,” Twist said.

If Ethan was honest about his motives, he’d say gear was top on his priorities. Luca was offering to swing the pendulum in their favor. The Great Spirit had never lied to him. He was the reason the Caller even came to this world, so there was a debt there. Both Ethan’s life and his core were owed to the Great Spirit of Hope. Denying that would be like claiming he was dry, standing neck-deep in a lake.

The notion of debt would seem stupid to some. But he had a leg-up with a powerful spirit. He wouldn’t make more Great Spirit friends if he acted like a selfish child.

Ethan gave a brief tour of the temple, finding his old bed in one of the second-floor rooms. The leaves had long since wilted, and Targe had a laugh at the rudimentary arrangements. Twist held an expression as though he understood what it took to survive in hard conditions. The dark elf complimented the Caller for his resolve.

“Hard living is nothing to laugh at.” A darkness washed over Twist as he looked on. “Lingering doubts. Like the question laid bare here.”

“What happened to the temple,” Ethan said, stating the question. “Luca hasn’t told me. Not directly. He said it went into disrepair, but…”

“There’s more than just neglect here.” Targe was eager to finish that sentiment. “Both of you need to look more.”

“I look plenty good,” Ethan said.

Targe pulled him by the arm, leading the pair downstairs. They planned to set up camp on the first floor this time and set watches. But the Fighter was eager to show them something outside of the pyramid-like temple. When they were outside, he gestured at the exterior. It was mostly overgrown, but sections of the stone were visible. When neither Twist nor Ethan saw what he was talking about, the man cleared away a section of vines.

“Interesting to see that you’re still blind,” Targe said, approaching the stone. He ran his fingers along the surface, where the individual stones were connected with mortar. Then he traced another path, cross-crossing each stone. The lines dug over the sections where the blocks connected.

“Tool marks?” Ethan asked, stooping low to inspect.

“Claws. Talons. Giant swords—who knows?” Targe gestured to the higher parts of the structure. “All over the building. Lucantele’s temple wasn’t neglected. It was attacked.”

“By what?” Twist asked, his voice dripping with doubt.

“I wouldn’t want to guess.” Targe said. His face held a grim expression. “Not within the realm of the spirit. If he wants to hold that information back, he has a good reason.”

“Bells isn’t ready. Yet,” Twist said.

There was one entrance large enough for the group to pull Tulip through. She was reluctant to do so at first, but with some encouragement from Targe she came through. Twist ran around the exterior of the building, deciding which doorways to guard during their nighttime vigil. Once everything was settled, the Rogue went south to do some scouting.

While there were hills directly to the south, the Fangstone mountains weren’t an immediate thing. Those mountains hardly poked up over the sprawl of the canopy, and there were no orcs in the immediate area. But there were plenty of [Dig Deer]. Ethan left Targe to fawn over his beetle. While his main cores couldn’t get experience by slaying the deer, Telbarantis could.

Spotting a deer in the distance, Ethan called forth the spirit. When he ordered his summon to attack, he lurched forward. The initial burst of speed was all the Symbol could manage, falling into an awkward lope. Unlike Luca, Tel was built for sturdy power. Not agility. What he lacked in speed was made up for in raw strength, though. Instead of taking shots at the deer errantly, he rushed in and grabbed the scoop-faced creature by the leg.

“Damn,” Ethan said, watching as Tel savaged the deer.

Once the deer broke free from the spirit’s grasp, it fell back and readied its scoop. Ethan ordered Tel to use [Bulwark], rooting him to the ground. The [Dig Deer] came in with its scoop-like antlers and tried to launch the Symbol. But Tel didn’t budge. Instead, he broke out of the ability and latched onto the deer’s neck, shaking until the monster hit the ground. When the deer tried to rise, he moved in again to finish the job.

“Why didn’t I start with you as my first summon?” Ethan asked. But he knew the answer to his question. “Yeah, I enjoy being a support summoner.”

Luca’s Symbol wasn’t meant to be a powerhouse in combat. If Tel faced off against an enemy stronger than him, he’d have to fall back on the [Bulwark] ability. Luca could avoid attacks easily, dodging around them, jumping into the air to get behind enemies, and other feats of agility that Tel just couldn’t manage. Ethan ran around the forest, murdering monsters to test the limits of his summon’s abilities.

The thing he learned was that his initial read was right. Tel was tanky as hell, and couldn’t be rooted from the spot without great effort. He came up with a strategy, using his experience in the [Corrupted Ant Dungeon] as reference.

Before, Ethan would send Luca to gain the attention of a monster in the rear. That monster would get pulled off, unable to interfere with the battle. The key was tight spaces and the need for agility. Hopping over the monsters would be impossible for Tel. Where the more tanky spirit came into play was situations where they already had control over the battle.

Ethan dismissed Tel and waited for his mana to regenerate before searching for another deer. This time, he cast [Summon Lucantele]. Giving orders only to attack the monster to get its attention, not to kill it, the Caller sent his summon in to a low-level [Dig Deer]. The deer followed the spirit, peeling away from the place he imagined his group. He saw Targe fighting a group of 3 other deer, Twist weaving around them. After a few moments, he dismissed Luca and cast [Summon Telbarantis].

In this scenario, Luca would have cast [Barrier of Hope] on Targe before heading off to distract the enemy. Ethan watched as the deer came for him, Tel springing from the ground in time to intercept the monster. He’d practice this with his group, making sure no one attacked his target while he made the swap. The Symbol tore into the deer, latching onto its leg and preventing it from moving.

So, Luca would have either died at the end of the hall or been dismissed. The ideal scenario would be one where he died. That would activate [Caller’s Resilience], giving Ethan 30 seconds of full [Mana Regen]. During that time, the monster would run back down the tunnel toward him. The Caller thought of this as juggling. He could repeat the process with another monster, sending them off to chase Luca and gaining his [Mana Regen] effect after the summon died.

This was only part of his grand strategy, though. The first step to something bigger. As Ethan expanded his access to Great Spirits, he’d expand his arsenal. Each spirit could bring a different supportive effect to the table. He envisioned changing summons during the battle to gain varied effects. The ideal support summoner.

“Practicing?”

Ethan spun around, finding Twist emerging from the underbrush. The Caller clutched at his chest, his heart rate spiking. He took a breath, then cleared his throat. “Working on strategy.”

“Back to the temple.”

Ethan finished up with his deer, following Twist through the forest. It felt like being home, under those expansive boughs. The light that filtered through dappled the forest’s floor with spots of bright green, illuminated browns. Skittering creatures, bugs, and birds made a chorus of peace that he’d missed. He couldn’t decide if it was this place of power, the seat of Lucantele’s power, or the wooded area itself that brought such peace. Likely both. While Oudsted was nice, it came with streets seething with humanity.

But that wasn’t the right word, was it? There were more than just humans in this world. Sapient things with a consciousness all their own. A community knit together by the need to survive against the monsters. That wouldn’t have worked back on Earth. Where cultures should have made thick patches in the fabric of humanity, they seemed to drive a spike. That, or Ethan was feeling homesick. Some mental gymnastics meant to drive his own spike between his old life and his new one.

“Ever miss your home?” Ethan asked.

“It is only natural,” Twist responded. “Even as it was.”

“Right? That’s what I was thinking.”

“Thoughts loud enough to stir the forest.”

The pair trudged down a gentle rise, spotting the temple shortly after.

“How was the scouting?” Ethan asked.

Twist waved the thought away with one hand, the other resting on a knife. “Nothing to speak of. The orcs remain south.”

“What’s the strategy with them?”

“For Targe to decide. Come.”

Tulip had settled in on the stone floor, Targe scrubbing at her shell. He seemed intent on keeping her clean no matter what. The beetle chewed on a length of meat, previously a [Dig Deer]. Ethan shivered, finding a spot away from the pair to settle down. Sleeping in the open section of the temple wasn’t something the Caller would do on his own. But if his companions, more experienced in adventuring, thought it was a good idea he wouldn’t complain. Unwilling to set out as dusk threatened, the group settled down to prepare meals and discuss strategy.

The orcs weren’t mindless things, but they were still creatures generated by the system. Classified as monsters, they followed a set of instructions. Twist explained what he knew from his brief scouting journey, only making it part-way down the valley that separated the temple and the Fangstone mountains to the south. The Fangstone Orcs had set up scouting camps close enough to the temple to threaten their safety.

Advanced planning like camps and perceived supply chains represented an intelligence that the monsters shouldn’t have had.

“They are driven, then,” Twist started, adding dried black tea leaves to his kettle. “Beyond what is normal for monsters.”

Targe let out a heavy sigh. “But we knew that, didn’t we? When we saved Bells.”

Twist offered a weak shrug in response.

The endgame was to completely wipe out the orcs. All their dungeons and whatever monsters were left on the surface. Ethan wasn’t certain they could accomplish that. He doubted their ability to kill every last orc, even if they were equal-rank. Even with the duke’s contract, he couldn’t see it happening.

“What tactic could we use to clear the orcs out? How long is this going to take?”

“This isn’t something you finish in a day,” Targe said. “But, there are standard procedures for scenarios like this. Push the monsters back, destroy their dungeon cores, repeat.”

“Sounds difficult.”

Targe rummaged through their supplies, sorting out vegetables, meats, and butter for their dinner. “But we only need to take out one dungeon. Luca wouldn’t send us to a Rank 2 dungeon… would he?”

“I don’t think so,” Ethan said. “Are we expecting Rank 2 orcs?”

“A scatter. They can show up even around a Rank 1 area. I’d imagine the center of the mountain would be at least Rank 3.” Targe watched Twist make the tea. The moment the kettle left the flame, he scooted the magical device over and placed a wide frypan on top. The butter went in first, then a scatter of herbs and salt. The Fighter held out his hand, casting a knowing look at Twist.

“You should use a knife appropriate for the task,” Twist said.

“Yours are sharper.”

Twist reluctantly handed over one of his two blades, his one eye narrowing.

Targe cut strips of meat off, letting them fall into the pan. The temple was filled with the scent of cooking game meat and browning butter. The Fighter jiggled the pan on the fire, flipping the lengths of meat before they could burn to the bottom. Next, he cut the vegetables. Carrots, a fatter version of Earth’s celery, and thin snake-like sprouts. Bean sprouts, maybe. The mixture sizzled for only a moment before he added watered wine from his wineskin. It sizzled louder for a moment, then reduced to a fierce boil. Then a simmer.

“Why is food so much better on the road?” Ethan asked, inhaling the mingling scents.

This was a dish that Targe was skilled at making. They had it over noodles, if they had fresh noodles, or hard bread. Either way, the result was a delicious mixture that always helped Ethan sleep.

“Because there’s no people,” Twist said.

Chapter 26

Attack the Orcs

Morning came with the sound of battle outside the temple. Ethan woke with a start, finding the sleeping area empty. Jumping from his comfortable bedroll, he cast [Summon Telbarantis] before running outside. There he found Targe and Twist, standing over the bodies of three orcs.

“Rank 0,” Targe said, spotting the Caller. “Guess they don’t like people stomping around their area.”

“Let’s hope they’re all Rank 0,” Ethan said.

Twist explained that the orcs were scouts, like the ones that attacked Ethan when he arrived in this world. Scouting behaviors for monsters wasn’t normal, but this seemed pointed. It was as though the orcs were looking for the adventurers. That was just a suspicion the Caller had. He hadn’t forgotten about the strange markings on the temple. Or the urgency that Lucantele displayed. He couldn’t help but feel as though they were missing a piece of the puzzle.

As the group packed up for the journey, foregoing their tea in favor of watered wine with dried meat, he considered the facts. From what he’d learned, smarter monsters meant there was at least a sub-boss pushing them forward. Perhaps even a boss monster, considering the Fangstone orcs hadn’t been disturbed in quite some time. As new adventurers themselves, Twist and Targe had little to add to the theories. No matter how many Ethan put forth.

Tulip was happy to get out of the temple. She stretched her legs after Targe led her out of the stone building, nibbling on greenery as they went. Luca claimed she was vital to their plan, but it revealed another fact about the Great Spirit of Hope. The [Orc Dungeon] was out of his range. Meaning his realm of influence in the mortal world was minimal.

The group set off from the temple. Ethan glanced back at the place as they went, feeling the influence of Luca drop with every step. From the temple, heading south, the landscape dipped. A valley ran east to west through the area, a place that segmented the mountain range and the temple’s area. While it wasn’t treacherously deep, it still provided a challenge for travel. At the bottom of the valley, several hours into their journey, the party stopped to rest.

Slightly southeast of their position, smoke rose into the air. As Twist made tea, they discussed the possibility of orcs in that direction.

“How else are we going to find the dungeon?” Targe asked with a shrug. “If not for the signals burned by the damned monsters themselves.”

“Convenient,” Twist said. “We’ll make the good stuff.”

Twist had several satchels of fine tea provided by the good people of Oudsted. Not the normal stuff that they used daily, but the good stuff. The stuff used by the duke himself. It wasn’t much more fancy than the normal tea. But the manufacturer had put pieces of dried citrus peels and crystalline chunks of sugar in the mix. When brewed, even with a breeze blown by the valley, the air filled with the smell of black tea and citrus fruits.

Instead of stopping to drink their tea, Twist poured everyone a cup and packed his magic fire up. The group carried their cups and sipped them along the way. Several minutes later, the Rogue stowed his copper cup away and ranged ahead of the group. Despite Tulip’s size, she was far quicker than the donkey over rough land.

Twist jogged from up ahead, jabbing a thumb back from the way he came. “Not monsters. You’ll laugh when you see what.”

Instead of revealing what was up ahead, Twist simply led the way. Up a rise, and around a cliff face, the group entered a camp. A camp belonging to mortals.On the other side of a blazing fire, sitting with a stupid smile on his face, Radiant waved to the approaching group.

“Warm yourselves by my fire,” he said, laughing. “Figured we would have seen you guys here.”

Pit stood, looking off from the cliff. He didn’t turn to acknowledge the group. Not even a grunt when they greeted him.

“Anything worth note?” Targe asked, coming to stand near the fire.

Radiant rose to his feet, gesturing to the looming Fangstone Mountains. “Well, we know the orcs are in the mountains. Not a surprise, everyone already knew that. Have you seen their scouting parties?”

“We have,” Ethan said.

“Odd, right?” Radiant asked. “We have a theory about a boss monster, or a sub-boss monster controlling the horde.”

“That was our thought,” Targe said.

Radiant walked to the cliff’s edge, staring out over the valley with Pit. “Means we’re dealing with a dungeon that’s been lingering for a while. Likely deep in the mountains.”

“We agree. But our quarry is a low-level dungeon. Near the mountain’s base,” Twist said.

Radiant pointed again, gesturing to the far side of the valley. “The crag makes a fine marker.”

Ethan narrowed his sight on the place where he’d pointed, trying to commit it to memory. There was a rise of stone near there, stabbing skyward. “Thanks for the help.”

“No problem. We’re not moving in to engage with the orcs. Just scouting. Safer that way.”

“Just mind the scouts,” Targe said. “We were attacked this morning. Near Lucantele’s temple.”

“Oh, my. I wanted to visit the Great Spirit’s temple while we were in the area. Could you point me in the right direction?”

“Far side of the valley,” Ethan said, pointing northward. He took another sip of his tea.

Radiant watched where Ethan pointed for a only a moment before allowing his gaze to linger on the cup. He opened his mouth as though to speak but paused before continuing. “Tea? This far out?”

“Want a cup?” Twist asked.

The group sat around the fire, the kettle resting on smoldering coals. Twist would take any chance to make tea, even if he’d just drank a cup. How the man didn’t need to take more bathroom breaks was beyond Ethan, but he was selfish in the endeavor. When the Rogue poured out tea again, he was happy to take another cup. But it was a fine thing to delay their dive into the [Orc Dungeon]. A slice of peace before battle.

Targe took the chance to grill his captive audience. He wanted Radiant’s opinion on the best god to pledge himself to, and what that implied. Service to a god, unlike service to the Great Spirits, was more binding. The gods expected their disciples to follow a code of ethics, and would often downgrade the cores of those who didn’t follow them.

Ethan didn’t care about that nonsense. Unless the gods made exceptions for circumstances, they weren’t worth following. Blind faith had no place in his life, and he’d actively refuse binding himself to any of the gods. The two Great Spirits he’d met were reasonable beings. They exemplified their aspects but asked nothing of their worshipers. Faith didn’t belong in the pantheon of spirits. Service, perhaps, but not faith. Not a blind devotion to… what? Even if that was the case, devotion to hope didn’t sound bad. Neither did devotion to fertility.

The gods and the spirits were in different realms.

But Ethan wouldn’t voice his objections. Targe seemed set on taking a god-related core, and he wouldn’t stop him. If it meant the man had a stronger tank core, all the better. They’d deal with the consequences of smiting later. Creating another situation like Void, perhaps.

“Thank you for the tea,” Radiant said, offering a bow.

“Yeah, need any supplies?” Ethan asked, gesturing to the giant beetle.

“We’re set on those,” Radiant said, patting his pack on the ground. “We made the mistake of going out under-prepared before. Right, Pit?”

“Right.”

Twist, Targe, and Bells left Radiant’s camp feeling far better about their situation. They weren’t alone out here. Adventurers were taking the orcs seriously. They’d learned there were other adventuring parties out here, scouring the hills around the mountains for orcs. If they kept that up for a while, the orcs would be pushed back to the mountains.

Targe led Tulip by her reins. He shook his head at the thought. “Might cause some problems, but it's a good start. If the orcs all retreat to the mountain, we might have a harder time scouring it.”

They pushed across the valley, finding their way to the craggy peak by midday. The group didn’t rest, sending Twist ahead to scout the area for the dungeon. Ethan and Targe pushed east of the crag, circling around to spot an orcish scouts. While there were no scouts, the shifting wind brought the smell of a campfire. Blowing from the crag itself, this wasn’t Radian’t fire. Either another adventuring camp, or orcs.

Ethan cast [Summon Lucantele], sending Luca to range ahead. He got a flash of sensations from the spirit. A barrier. Monsters roaming around that place. Then danger, causing the spirit to rush back. Twist appeared shortly after that, catching up to the party. The Rogue relayed information that Targe and Bells had expected. There was an orc encampment around the dungeon.

“Palisade wall. Guards, patrols… looks strangely like a mortal settlement,” Twist said.

Targe led Tulip behind a cluster of stone. Between them and the camp was a dense forest. Thick enough to hide their beetle of burden as they assaulted the camp.

“Numbers?” the Fighter asked.

“Hard to say. Fewer than 50.”

Ethan choked on his spit.

“That’s hardly encouraging.”

“A mingle of Rank 0 and Rank 1. We need to test their defenses,” Twist said.

Targe nodded, finding a tree to tie off his beetle. “Agreed. We’d know if there was a boss or sub-boss present. They’d have noticed us out in their territory. Let’s pull a few away from the walls and see what the response is.”

This was unlike any scenario Ethan had imagined. Targe was applying dungeon tactics to a camp out in the open. How would they know if it worked? What if they pulled the entire camp instead of just a few guards? It seemed reckless at first, until the Caller realized. They could do little else than test the defenses of the camp. He wouldn’t turn away now, forsaking Lucantele. He’d push forward, the way he always did.

“Alright. Anywhere I should look?”

“The gate is that way,” Twist said, pointing in a general direction.

“Here it goes,” Ethan said, sending Luca off into the forest.

The Caller watched through the vague senses the spirit sent back. He felt the forest, then the palisade wall. An amount of orcish guards stood near a gate. Ethan couldn’t get a sense for how many. He could feel them there, though. Without another plan, he ordered the spirit to attack then retreat.

“Incoming,” Ethan said.

“How many?”

“No clue.”

Luca took damage on his way back to their staging area. A few hits, but nothing serious. The Symbol was too good at dodging attacks. The moment he was within range, Ethan ordered him to use [Barrier of Hope] on Targe. Readying his spear and shield, the Fighter dug in. Silver light filled the area.

Three orcs burst from the forest, driving hard to reach Luca before he got away. Targe intercepted them, sweeping at their feet with his spear. One toppled over, the next taking shield to the face. Twist was already behind them, stabbing wildly with his daggers. The third got away, focused entirely on the Symbol and caring nothing for its allies.

Ethan breathed a sigh of relief. They were behaving just like dungeon monsters. Each was only Rank 0, resulting in a fight that was one-sided. Luca didn’t have a problem soloing his orc. Twist and Targe had cut their orcs to ribbons by the time the Symbol was done with his. Then the group waited over the bodies of the orcs, listening to the sounds of the forest. None of the camp’s other inhabitants pushed out to attack them.

“Success?” Twist asked.

Targe knelt by the fallen orcs, rolling one over to inspect the creature’s bare flesh. Like those Ethan had seen back near Lucantele’s temple, they were dressed in simple loincloths. These monsters had painted their skin with various pigments, tracing patterns up their torsos and over their bald heads. Their faces weren’t entirely repulsive, but the sharp tusks and thick brows struck a powerful image. The layers of muscles covering their bodies didn’t help matters, making them look more fearsome.

“Maybe,” Targe said. “We’re lacking experience with groups of monsters like these. Out in the world. Not crammed in some dungeon.”

“We should take it slow,” Ethan said. “Pull them back like that.”

“Agreed.”

The group left Tulip near the tree. Instead of tying her off, Targe let her roam the area in search of food. Ethan looked away when the beetle found the bodies of the orcs to snack on. They weren’t even worth looting, so the group left them where they were. Twist ranged ahead as they worked through the forest, though it didn’t take long to spot the orc’s fortifications.

Crudely built walls, little more than trees hewn and jammed in the ground, circled the jagged rock. The sound of a crackling fire issued from within, smoke rising into the sky. Targe and Ethan remained in the forest while Twist scouted ahead, jogging past the stumps of trees to poke his head in the camp. He trotted back, nodding to the group.

“About 50,” he said. “It’s like a real camp. I saw a blacksmith’s forge.”

“Time to test my theory,” Targe said.

Worry stained the Fighter’s face. If he was wrong, and they pulled the entire camp, it would become a fight for their lives. Even if every orc in the camp was Rank 0, they’d have a hard time with it. Ethan reluctantly sent Luca in, having the spirit skirt the edge of the camp. The spirit sent a feeling about a smaller group of the orcs before attacking. Then he ran back, jumping over the wall to stand before the party.

Ethan ordered luca to use [Persistent Light of Hope] on Targe, then dismissed the spirit. He cast [Summon Telbarantis] as a group of orcs thundered around the corner, passing through the gate the moment they spotted the party. The Fighter rushed in as Tel sprung from his magic circle. Twist moved to the side, waiting for his chance to strike.

Four Rank 1 orcs descended on Targe, poking with makeshift spears and slashing with rusted swords. Ethan winced when their strikes reverberated off of the shield, filling the clearing with the sounds of battle. Tel trundled over to the assailing group, snatching one orc by the leg and shaking his head. The spirit entered a death roll, throwing the monster from its feet to slam hard on the ground.

Twist came in from the side, providing relief for the embattled Fighter. With one orc writhing on the ground from a serious leg wound, Tel picked another off. The spirit gave that one similar treatment, gaining the attention of three of the five orcs. That gave Targe and Twist room to work.

Ethan ordered Tel to activate his [Bulwark] ability right before a massive club came down on his head. The strike bounced off the spirit’s ability, glancing harmlessly to the side. Alligator-like teeth sunk into the orcs arm and savaged it, making the monster regret his action. But the other orc, the only other one on its feet, came in hard. The Symbol took a hit on the head, then one on his side. His health dipped, but didn’t dwindle past the half-way mark.

The Caller’s attention was drawn away from the fight, hearing a grunt of pain from Targe. He was casting [Cure Minor Wounds] before he understood the severity of the blow. The Fighter had missed a block with his shield, taking a crude dagger to the chest. But the damage was removed in a flash, eating at Ethan’s mana to drive it down to 120. What the less-effective spell failed to heal was mended slowly by Luca’s light.

Telbarantis gave up on sending the other monsters prone, and went for the first orc’s neck. They chipped away at the spirit’s health faster than they should have, dealing massive blows that Luca would have easily dodged. Before long they ground the spirit down to nothing, killing it. Motes of blue light flowed from the spirit, the power of [Caller’s Resilience] flooding through Ethan.

Twist dealt the final blow to one of the two orcs. The last of their pair ended with a deft stab of Targe’s sword. The two orcs who could walk limped toward Ethan, but were quickly set upon by the two close-range fighters. Watching them come, the Caller did nothing. His mana was ticking up by the moment and his companions were descending on the wounded monsters. Out in the open, with no dungeon tricks to mess with their battle, they made quick work of the creatures.

Silence fell over the clearing as the battle ended. All eyes were glued to the gate, but nothing came. Only the chirping of birds and insects issued over the stillness.

“I see the strength of Telbarantis,” Targe said, wiping his sword and spear clean.

“He wounds them well,” Twist said, inspecting the leg of one fallen orc. “Against humanoids? He is better than Luca.”

“But he’s only Rank 0,” Ethan said, shrugging. “There’s only so much he can do.”

But Tel’s use was more than clear. Ethan’s mana ticked up to 200. 10 points shy of full, even after using an ability, summoning a spirit, and casting a healing spell. The spirit wounded two orcs so badly that they had trouble moving. Those powerful jaws crippled them before they could move to attack the party. So while he was certainly a tank, he was more of a support tank. Once he got up to Rank 1, he’d be able to take a hit. Then he’d be something to fear on the battlefield.

All of Ethan’s self-congratulatory thoughts fell away. From deep within the camp a sound issued. A horn blew through the silence, then the sound of forty-some voices calling up in a guttural war cry.

“Balls,” Ethan said.

Chapter 27

Brave Sir Ethan

There was nothing shameful about running away. Especially not when 50 angry orcs poured from the gates of the camp. It certainly wasn’t shameful when a group of the creatures locked onto the party after Ethan shrieked with terror. Tumbling through the underbrush, they bolted for the valley. Only when the burst from the forest, finding Tulip bolting northward, did they slow their pace.

Targe brought his shield around, angling it toward the forest. A rustling, then five orcs emerged with weapons ready. Ethan hesitated for only a moment before casting [Summon Telbarantis]. Twist slipped to the side, gaining the attention of one orc. The Fighter pushed forward, slamming with his shield and stabbing with his spear. He lost control of the weapon, the bronze tip firmly lodged in one monster.

Telbarantis burst from his circle, sparing no time to assess the situation. Four orcs were pounding on Targe’s shield, chipping away at his health with every blow. Tell took one orc by the foot and tossed it aside, sending the creature tumbling over rocks and into the underbrush. He then snarled, hissed, and engaged another.

Ethan could only focus on keeping Targe’s health from dipping to zero. Down to three orcs to contend with, the Fighter was doing much better now. It helped that two of the five orcs were only Rank 0, putting them at a serious disadvantage. The Caller spotted an opening with the remaining orcs, and shook his staff. A bell rang across the open field, the [Spur] ability applying to Tel. The spirit grew not to twice his size, but at least three times. He surged with power, flailing among the melee with gnashing jaws and swiping tail.

“More!” Twist shouted.

Through the forest, another group of four burst forth. They spotted the party in an instant and descended.

“Fighting retreat to the valley,” Targe shouted, placing one foot behind the other as he held his shield.

“Fucking run!” Ethan shouted, ordering Tel to make a mess of the area.

Telbarantis was happy to obey. Still under the enhancing effects of [Spur], the spirit thrashed through the orcs. What monsters weren’t already sent prone by the beast’s savage jaws or stunning tail were soon sent tumbling to the ground. Each member of Targe’s adventuring party turned tail and ran. Moments after they’d gained distance, Ethan saw his summon die in battle. Skidding to a stop, the Caller used [Rapid Summon] and brought forth Luca.

The silver squirrel jumped, casting [Barrier of Hope] on Targe before taking off across the field. He would keep the orcs busy long enough for them to retreat. That was the hope, anyway. As they caught up to Tulip, still running away wildly, Luca went down. Reduced to 90 mana from the rapid assault, Ethan sighed with relief as [Caller’s Resilience] flooded through him. He sprinted again, joining with his retreating friends.

Targe got a hand on Tulip, comforting her. She chittered her mandibles, producing something that sounded like distress. More worrying, the orcs hadn’t given up. Across the open field, Ethan spotted them hot in pursuit. Of the original nine orcs, only three gave chase.

“Telbarantis really messed them up, huh?” Targe asked. “Lost my damn spear.”

“Again,” Twist said.

Ethan felt the effects of [Caller’s Resilience] wear off and cast [Summon Telbarantis] again without hesitation. He did a jig on the spot, activating the [Caller’s Sprint] effect on his shoes. The alligator took off into the distance like a fleeing hare, finding himself among the orcs in moments. He thrashed, sending more prone as he activated [Bulwark], absorbing a heavy strike to the head. The Caller shook his staff, the second bell ringing across the open field.

[Caller’s Mana Regen] flooded through him, giving him full mana regen even in combat. He outpaced Tel’s perpetuation cost by 4 mana every 5 seconds. Sitting at 170 mana after the effects of [Caller’s Resilience], he wasn’t feeling too bad.

“Strategy?” Twist asked.

“Let Telbarantis do his thing,” Targe said. “Damn, Bells. How good is your [Mana Regen].”

“It’s a combination of things,” Ethan said, his breath finally slowing. He watched the battle below, knowing that Tel could never win. But that wasn’t the point. The spirit was tearing through the monsters’ limbs, shredding muscle and bringing them low to the ground. They’d have to crawl to attack the group at this rate.

The group rested on a rise, overlooking the battle below. Tel would never last long, but the damage was done. [Caller’s Resilience] activated yet again as [Caller’s Mana Regen] faded. At the end of this effect, he’d be at full mana.

Those advantages washed away in an instant. In the distance, the horn sounded. It echoed over the land, urging the fallen orcs to attack the group that had assaulted their camp. The orcs dug into the ground with their fingers, dragging themselves across the landscape. Targe refused to execute them, not willing to place his party in a disadvantageous position. When the Rank 2 orc sub-boss showed his massive, ugly face, that decision was cemented as a good one.

“Knew it,” Targe said, rolling his shoulders.

Ethan counted the moments down as his mana regen effect faded. The sub-boss lingered on the far side of the field, near the break in the forest. Behind him stood a party of orcs, impossible to count from this distance. But the Caller wouldn’t wait. He cast [Summon Lucantele] and sent the silver squirrel to the middle of the field. The spirit tore into the downed orcs, biting into their necks while they were defenseless. Ignoring the flood of experience notifications, he kept his eyes on the sub-boss.

“We’ve done sub-bosses before,” Targe said. “Can’t remember fighting a Rank 2 in an open field… but that shouldn’t matter. Standard tactics.”

When Luca had finished with those orcs in the center of the field, Ethan dismissed him. Out of combat, his [Mana Regen] attribute kicked in. Before the sub-boss even acted, he was back at full mana. Then the horn sounded again, and the orcs charged into the field.

They hadn’t discussed this scenario before. No one in the party could have understood how good Tel was at delaying humanoid monsters. As Ethan cast [Summon Telbarantis], he knew this was the right move. The sub-boss must have sent his highest ranking orcs to the fore during their initial confrontation. The five monsters that charged with him were all Rank 0. Perfect fodder for a hungry alligator.

Tel waddled into the field, ignored completely by the sub-boss as he passed. Among the five Rank 0 orcs, he wrought havoc. Tail slapping, jaw crunching, the spirit painted the field with the orcs. That give Targe room to work.

The Fighter activated an ability, shooting forward like a cannonball. The sound of the impact echoed across the field, the reverberating shield singing after slamming into the orc. Then Twist was behind the sub-boss, driving twin daggers into the monster’s back. It shouted a cry before spinning around to swat away the Rogue. Targe drove forward, sensing the opening and drawing thin red lines over the sub-boss’ back.

Ethan’s eyes were locked on Tel’s fight. The lizard-spirit wasn’t doing horribly, but he wasn’t winning. Health points drained away by the moment, and not every orc had been crippled. Two still stood, keeping out of the spirit’s range with sharpened sticks. The moment Tel went down, the Caller was casting [Summon Lucantele]. He wouldn’t wait for his mana to regenerate, relying on his [Mana Tap Ring] when the time was right.

Targe took the next strike from the sub-boss well, absorbing the full force of the bladed blow with his shield. The shield rang, then the Fighter was flung back on his ass. Twist ducked below a backhand strike, driving up with his daggers. The orc was shocked when the Rogue held his hand out, channeling a spell. Sword sailing down to interrupt the casting, the sub-boss only hit air. Its body shimmered with red energy, then blood burst from each wound like a tide.

Lucantele jumped, using his [Persistent Light of Hope] on Targe. Knocked down to 120 mana, Ethan relied on that heal-over-time effect to keep his friend fighting. Luca had little trouble keeping the pair of Rank 0 orcs distracted. The tide had already shifted for them in the open field. Although Targe was tossed around like a rag doll, the healing effect kept him alive. Twist’s deadly bleeding effect sapped the monster’s life away.

In the distance, another horn blew.

“You’re joking,” Ethan said, scanning the horizon.

From the forest came another group of orcs. Headed by another massive creature. Another sub-boss.

“Finish him quickly! We have another sub-boss!” Ethan shouted.

“Of course we—” Targe said, grunting as he caught another bone-crushing blow from the sub-boss. One deadly enough where Ethan drained his precious mana with a [Cure Minor Wounds].

Down to 85 mana.

Luca had finished his group of orcs and was running across the field without command. He headed directly for the new sub-boss, charging to meet him half-way. The spirit wanted to activate [Caller’s Resilience] as far away as possible, giving Ethan enough time to gain some mana back for the effort.

“He won’t die!” Twist shouted, stabbing the orc in the back repeatedly. One dagger stuck against bone, and the Rogue couldn’t pull it free. The Sub-boss swatted him aside, sending the dark elf rolling into an embankment of rocks.

“Come on,” Ethan said.

Luca engaged the sub-boss, dodging the first strike but taking a follow-up right to the face. Without pain to stop him, the spirit kept fighting. It was his intention to hold that group up while Targe and Twist dealt with their first sub-boss. Ethan watched in horror as the Symbol fell. Far faster than it should have. He closed his eyes.

“Lucantele. Damn, are you close enough to hear me? I need help,” Ethan whispered.

A prayer that carried on the wind. Falling onto deaf ears. A spirit either too uncaring or too distant to help.

Ethan’s eyes snapped open. He used his [Mana Tap Ring], then cast [Summon Telbarantis]. He wasn’t up any mana points by then, spending what he gained from the ring on his summoning spell. An hour cooldown remained on his staff’s effects and [Rapid Summon]. As Tel waddled over the battlefield, he realized he was out of tricks. Twist and Targe had nothing worth note. Unless something happened, they’d die there on that field.

Telbarantis went to tear into the sub-boss’ followers, but he was having none of that. Turning and snatching the spirit up by the throat, the monster tossed him aside as though he were nothing. Targe struggled to keep his footing against the first sub-boss. Twist turned on the spot and rolled his shoulders, staring down the charging orcs. He tilted his head. Cupped his ear. Then turned around.

A dark shadow sailed over Ethan’s head. A billowing cloak that caught theair,r then a bellowing cry of battle. With a deft swipe of a sword, especially dexterous considering he was airborne, the man removed the first sub-boss’ head. Falling into a roll and maintaining his sword, the Pit dashed  toward the second sub-boss.

Tel was already there, snatching the sub-boss by the foot and dragging it to the ground. Targe and Twist didn’t hesitate, rushing into battle to aid their fellow adventurer. A rustle of cloth behind him, then Ethan saw Radiant jumping from the small hill. The Caller ran after him, intending to lend his healing magic to the efforts.

“Great timing!” Ethan shouted.

A pair of ethereal stag’s horns appeared above Radiant’s head, radiating a pulse of golden magic. Ethan felt the healing spell rush through his body. Then his companion’s health bars were at full. It seemed to even affect Tel. With the party bolstered, they made quick work of the second sub-boss. They weren’t tied to the difficulty scaling of the dungeon, so the sub-boss didn’t grow stronger with more adventurers. Targe tanked the orc while Twist, Pit, and Tel cleaned up the rabble. A few moments of heated battle, then the second sub-boss fell to the ground. Dead.

Ethan collapsed on the spot, his heart working to leap from his chest. He heard the sounds of blades finishing the lingering orcs. Pit’s low voice grumbling about something. Then he felt the calming presence of Radiant near him.

“I’m not sure if that was brave, or stupid,” Radiant said.

“Stupid!” Pit shot back.

“I think it was quite brave. You would have won if there wasn’t another sub-boss,” Radiant said, chuckling.

“We owe you, man,” Ethan said, gasping for breath. His heart wasn’t calming down. Not even after Tel’s Symbol came over to lick his face. His tongue was like sandpaper.

“It was a matter of numbers,” Pit said. “No one would have expected another sub-boss. That shouldn’t be a thing.”

“Unless… well, that would just be crazy,” Radiant said. He laughed. “I figured it out. There isn’t a single dungeon in the camp. There’s two!”

“Ugh,” Ethan groaned, rising to a seated position. “Can that happen?”

“Two dungeons in the same spot?” Targe strode over, searching the fallen orcs for his spear. He didn’t find it. “Not sure. I’ve never heard of it.”

“Me either,” Twist said.

“Nope,” Pit added his wisdom.

“So the orcs have a unique situation,” Ethan said. “That’s horrible.”

“Radiant, Pit,” Targe said, bowing. “The loot is yours.”

“Targe,” Twist hissed.

Radiant laughed again. “We’ll take one of the sub-bosses. I doubt they have anything worthwhile.”

The Healer rose, leaving Ethan behind to loot the second sub-boss. A [Sub-boss Core] appeared in the air, along with a pile of silver coins. The items clattered to the ground, the core rolling around before coming to rest. “As expected.”

When Targe looted their sub-boss he found the same thing. Nothing of great value. But the experience was vast. Luca leveled to 6, Tel to 7, Ethan’s subcore to 2 and his main core to 3. Of course, the Caller put his free point into [Mind]. But the fight was intense. More tiring than most other fights he’d taken part in.

“Say, mind coming with us to the camp? To clear it out?” Ethan asked.

Radiant and Pit shared a look. The Healer cracked a smile. “We didn’t want to step on a Caller’s toes. You were searching for a dungeon, so we figured it was a good time to return to town.”

“Now there’s two dungeons,” Targe said, clapping Pit on the back. The other Fighter cast him a dangerous look.

“It’s best if we clear them at the same time, I think,” Radiant said.

Ethan noticed a shift in Radiant’s approach. Compared to the uncertain man he’d seen in Oudsted, this version was far more confident. Was that something simmering under the surface, or just the way he was? And he couldn’t even get a read on Pit. The man said so few words he seemed mute. But a simple fact remained. They’d come to the rescue and could take as many dungeons as they wanted. An even-split was more than fair.

“You gents up for that today?” Ethan asked.

Radiant and Pit shared another look. “Gents. Yes, I think we are.”

Targe gathered Tulip and led her to join the group. The expanded party moved across the scenes of destruction. They came across the scene where Tel was empowered by [Spur]. Several orcs still crawled along the ground, limbs crushed to uselessness or missing entirely.

“That was Telbarantis?” Radiant asked. “Very savage, compared to the gentle Great Spirit of Fertility the stories talk about.”

Ethan nodded in agreement. He’d never expected the spirit to fight like that. The differences between Telbarantis and Lucantele were many. But he appreciated both spirits for their talents. Especially now that Luca’s abilities were growing.

When the group entered the camp, they found a few orcs scattered around. They were dispatched with impunity, leaving the entire camp free of the horrid monsters. Only the stink of their existence remained. A stain on the peaceful mountainside area. While the camp was large, it wasn’t hard to find the two dungeons. They were placed next to each other, both Rank 1 [Orc Dungeons]. They rested against the stabbing crag of rock, revealing twin black mirror portals.

“Tea?” Twist asked.

“Oh, yes please,” Radiant said, finding a pleasant spot to sit.

Twist brought out his magic fire and prepared another kettle of tea. Ethan nursed his wineskin of watered wine, the events of the battle still reverberating in his mind. One fact about the area brought him great comfort. Neither of the dungeons were corrupted. They were basic orc dungeons, nothing more. At Rank 1, they wouldn’t be too difficult. Enough of a challenge to gain some experience, but nothing as wild as the [Corrupted Ant Dungeon].

Ethan bowed his head, accepting a cup of tea from Twist. It was another batch of the expensive tea. The scent of citrus flooded the Caller’s nose. The first sip of tea was always the best, and he savored it.

“I think you have a tea addiction, Twist,” Targe said.

“I do,” Twist responded.

“You’re a funny group, aren’t you?” Radiant asked.

“Not ‘haha’ funny,” Pit said, begrudgingly accepting a cup of tea.

“We’re a strange trio,” Targe admitted. “Not sure how we made it this far.”

“Did you ever doubt us?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah. Every time we almost die.”

The group settled down for some tea before heading into the dungeons. Adventurers knew about the time-dilation effect of dungeons. They knew that once they entered, they might not emerge for days. The time they spent in those confined tunnels was hectic. Even sleep didn’t come easy when you worried about monsters descending on you at any moment. But this would be Ethan’s first non-corrupted dungeon with his group. A test of how good they really were. When the cards weren’t stacked against them.