Summon the Great Spirits - Book 1 Chapters 31,32,33 (Patreon)

Chapter 31

Spirit Intuition

Ethan had rested better than he expected within the dungeon. When the group rose the next day, having a hearty breakfast that depleted their fresh reserves, they tested Targe’s new shield. The damage chipped away with every Rank 1 orc’s attack was reduced significantly. Since the shield was larger and heavier, it made for a fine defense. The size didn’t stop the Fighter from bashing orcs in the face, this time sending them on their ass with every smash.

“Feels like nothing at all!” Targe shouted, backhanding another orc with his new shield.

Twist stood with Ethan, allowing the Fighter to test his new shield. It was like watching a kid who just got a new toy. The joy on that man’s face would burn an image into the Caller’s mind. Meanwhile, he did experimentations of his own.

Luca darted down the hallway, a ghostly version of him visible through the [Caller’s Domed Hat of Sight]. Instead of vague thoughts coming back from the spirit, he got concrete impressions of things. Almost like thoughts, or whispers of what was actually happening. Ethan understood more of how the Symbol thought. A strand of power ran from the summon to the Great Spirit. While it was only a flicker of the true being’s will, it was there.

“He’s really excited about that shield,” Ethan said.

The pair hadn’t acted in the three-on-one fight yet. Twist shrugged. “For a tank, a shield is important.”

“We’ll have plenty of time to get more gear for you guys,” Ethan said. “We’ll drag the [Dungeon Core] back to Luca’s temple, then head over to Oudsted so you can rank up your [Blood Mage’s Core].”

“A keen plan.”

“Then we gotta run another dungeon so you can evolve your [Rogue’s Core]. Then we need to figure out how to do the feat of valor for Targe,” Ethan said, letting out a breath. “Yeah, we got a lot to do. Hey, that doesn’t even include going to find Parabaxis. Healing Void. Finding other Great Spirits and forming pacts with them.”

“Indeed.”

“Not even going to mention what happens when we heal Void. Feels like she’s a can of corruption waiting to burst.” Ethan tilted his hat, looking at the stone-faced man with his true sight. “Ya know?”

“I do.”

“Think this hat provides any protection?” Ethan asked.

Twist brought a fist down on the Caller’s head. The strike hit the hat, but the fabric held firm.

“Seems tough.”

“More than nothing, right?” Ethan asked.

As they stood, watching the Fighter have the time of his life with his new shield, something itched in the back of Ethan’s mind. The string between the Symbol and Luca twanged, as though plucked. The Caller felt a great sense of peril, then nothing. He looked around for another moment where the dungeon dropped a sub-boss on their heads. But there was nothing. Just the giggling Fighter and his shield. The expressionless dark elf.

“Did you feel that?” Ethan asked.

“I felt nothing.”

“Felt like… damn, I don’t know. Danger? Like someone was in trouble,” Ethan said.

“Targe is doing fine,” Twist said, gesturing to the Fighter. “Although perhaps we should end this. I’d like to leave the dungeon today.”

“Yeah. Me too,” Ethan said. “Clearing a Rank 1 in 2 days. Is that a good time?”

“Not really,” Twist said. “Depends on the team, of course. Those with means clear them far faster.”

“Go figure,” Ethan said, turning his attention to Targe. He sent Luca in to help. “Hey, let’s wrap it up. I’d like to finish this dungeon while we’re still young.”

“None of us are young,” Twist corrected.

Targe grumbled, even as Twist moved in to help with the orcs. They cleared the room easily, looting the orcs and moving on. By Ethan’s estimation, it took them half a day to clear out the other wings of the dungeon up to the sub-boss. The only one left was another [Big Orc], this time without a modifier. That made the fight easy and the group gathered to inspect the loot.

“Wow. Another [Mana Tap Ring],” Ethan said, holding the Rank 1 version of the ring up.

“You can only equip one,” Twist said. “Would you mind if I took your old version?”

“Not at all, good sir,” Ethan said, removing his old ring and handing it off to Twist. He inspected the new version.

[Mana Tap Ring]

[Ring]

Rank 1

Rare

Description:

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

Effects:

Use your current mana to charge this ring.

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

Maximum of 75 mana.

“Some other junk,” Targe said, sifting through the things within the chest. “Another mage piece that increases [Affinity]. Money, sub-boss cores… You know the deal.”

Ethan nodded. He was happy with his new ring. Storing 25 more mana in the ring for use whenever he wanted was great. Between the sub-boss fight, and clearing out the rest of the dungeon, the party had burned away the day. The Caller got his [Evoker’s Subcore] to level 9, and his [Healer’s Subcore] to level 4. When his [Caller’s Core] hit level 4, he put a point in [Mind]. Of course.

Thanks to the increased [Mind] on his hat, Ethan now had 26. That gave him 245 mana, and 18 [Mana Regen]. Since combat regen was halved, he sat at 9 [Mana Regen] in combat. Lucantele’s base cost was 14, reduced to 10 by [Pact Upgrade 1]. Meaning he was only 1 regen away from having a free summon.

But as the group stood outside of the boss room, Ethan’s heart sank. The boss looked much like the Phase Mages they’d fought before. He hated the mages. Their experience with the monster type had been bad. Their luck and timing had been the only thing to see them through.

“Good,” Targe said. “Not a Phase Shaman. Just a regular old Shaman.”

The boss monster danced on a raised platform, surrounded by totems and effigies. It wore a reed skirt, a mask of bone, and held something that looked like a human head in its left hand. The image was only visible through the haze of the boss portal, leaving many details to interpretation.

As they stood there, creating a strategy for the fight, Ethan felt the uncomfortable tug again. This time it was more urgent, coming from somewhere in his chest. He looked around again, then collapsed to the ground. Flashes rolled through his mind. Images of the landscape outside the dungeon from the sky. He saw the dungeons from afar, and gained a great sense of danger. The Caller gasped, his eyes snapping open.

Targe and Twist stood beside him, eyes wide with concern.

“Bells,” Targe said, slapping the side of his face. “What was that? Are you alright?”

“His pulse is racing,” Twist said.

“We have to finish this dungeon,” Ethan said, pushing his companions away. But they helped him to his feet. “I saw… something. The area outside the dungeons. Then I felt this incredible sense of danger, like I was about to die.”

“A warning?” Twist asked.

Ethan closed his eyes, trying to get a better sense for the message. It was a jumble of things, but the more he concentrated the more he realized who sent the message. What the message was about.

“Luca wanted me to… get out of the dungeon,” Ethan said with a nod. “No, he wants us to finish but he wants us out as soon as possible.”

“Can a Great Spirit do that?” Targe asked. “Send you messages?”

“The Callers are connected to the spirits,” Twist said. “That’s logical.”

The concept might have been logical, but Ethan didn’t understand the message fully. What did it matter if they hurried? Time was moving slower in the dungeon. At a rate that crawled, compared to the real world. Even if they spent 48 hours in the dungeon, only an hour and a half would have passed in the real world. The only reason Luca would have warned him was if…

“Seconds mattered,” Ethan said, reviewing the memory in his mind. There was something outside of the dungeons, he just couldn’t see it. Luca’s sphere of influence was too distant. “Let’s go.”

Equipping his [Healer’s Subcore] and gesturing to the portal, Ethan was ready to go. Targe touched the shimmering portal, sending all members to the other side. A system message appeared.

[Targe’s Party] has entered a [Boss Arena]!

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

Battle difficulty has been increased for 3 party members.

The room they saw outside of the arena was nothing like the room they stood in. The group found themselves in a narrow hallway, stretching forward into a haze. Two lights shone from braziers on the far side, the orc boss barely visible from their position. Twist coiled on the spot and Targe readied his shield. Then the fight began.

“Wait,” Ethan said, holding a hand to stop his companions.

The boss didn’t move on the far side of the hall. One brazier was snuffed out, leaving the other to burn. It crackled with a sickly green flame, while the one that had extinguished was bright red.

“Is this a boss and a puzzle?” Ethan asked.

“Never seen this one,” Targe said, poking his head out from behind his shield. “Why isn’t the boss moving?”

“That’s what I’m saying. They normally charge you down right away,” Ethan said, casting [Summon Lucantele]. When the spell was complete, he continued. The braziers flipped, the red one burning bright. “There’s this game back on Earth. Redlight, Greenlight.”

“You think this is an Earth game?” Twist asked.

“One way to find out,” Ethan said, ordering Luca to charge down the hall.

A rush of fire came from the walls, engulfing the spirit and destroying it in an instant.

“Yep! That’s the game,” Ethan said, chuckling nervously.

Targe made a warding gesture of his chest. “That was a lot of damage.”

“No joke,” Ethan said, allowing his mana to regenerate from [Caller’s Resilience]. Once he was topped off, he cast [Summon Lucantele] again. “Let’s be thorough.”

When the light shifted back to green, he ordered Luca to charge once again. This time, nothing happened. When the red brazier burned, the Symbol stopped. Ethan repeated this several times, confirming his suspicions.

“We can only move on green,” Ethan said. “Easy enough, right?”

“Until we get to the end,” Twist said.

“How are we going to fight if we can’t move?” Targe asked.

“Carefully,” Ethan said.

Edged on by the danger Luca warned him about, and the awkwardness of playing a child’s game in a dungeon, Ethan sprinted down the hall. He and his companions skidded to a stop when the light shifted back to red. Awkward moments of staring up at those braziers before they shifted again, resulting in another insane scramble. It took the better part of an hour to make their way to the end, to spot the boss of the dungeon.

The light changed again. Ethan only took a few steps before a wave of force issued from the platform. Both flames snuffed out, and the gibbering orc jumped from his perch. The monster threw wooden totems at the ground, then dashed for the Caller. Luca was there to intercept the attack, jumping in front of the boss and using his [Claw] ability.

Targe came in hard around Luca, slamming into the boss with his new shield. When the monster tumbled back, the Fighter activated his [Charge] ability to bridge the gap once more. Stabbing with furious strikes, he didn’t give the orc a moment to collect itself.

Twist, sensing something the others hadn’t seen, went directly for the totems. He cut each in half before they could release their deadly effects. Ethan ordered Luca to cast [Barrier of Hope] and [Persistent Light of Hope] on Targe. He activated the [Spur] and [Caller’s Sprint] effect on his gear, growing Luca to twice his normal size. The moment the Rogue and the Symbol descended on the boss, the room changed.

“Don’t move!” Ethan shouted.

He didn’t need to issue the instruction, though. Each member of the party, Luca included, stood motionless. The boss had retreated to his platform, the eerie red glow issuing from the brazier once again. The Shaman waved its hands wildly, and a wave of fire rolled from the platform.

Ethan’s instinct was to dive to the side. But this was a normal dungeon. There shouldn’t have been any tricks that broke the rules. While he didn’t need a command to stay still, Targe still shouted instructions.

“Bells, get the heals ready,” he said, holding his shield firm. “Take the damage. Not worth moving during red.”

Ethan had [Cure Wounds] at the ready, but as the wave rolled over Luca, he noticed it did no damage. It washed over the spirit harmlessly, passing over and inflicting no damage.

“It’s a feint,” Ethan said. “Meant to make us move during this phase.”

“A trick,” Twist added.

Ethan held his staff at the ready, eyes locked on the dim brazier. It turned red, and he slammed his staff into the ground, invoking [Caller’s Steadying Stance]. His mind spun, almost sending him tumbling onto his ass. Luca sprinted to the boss, slamming into it before it moved. Twist and Targe piled on, stabbing and slashing at the monster. More flashes of danger passed through the Caller’s mind. Now, with a plea for help. A drawn-out cry that pierced through the dungeon. In an instant, the puzzle clicked in his mind.

“Hurry!” Ethan said, gasping as his focus was split between his body and the will of the spirit. “We need to leave!”

Targe and Twist redoubled their efforts. The Rogue burnt all his cooldowns as the Fighter drove his spear through the monster’s heart. But bosses were made of tougher stuff than the regular monsters in the dungeon. Even with two of the three party members at the peak of Rank 1, it wasn’t enough to drive the orc down so easily.

A wave of fire washed over the entire party, inflicting damage and sending them back to the start of the puzzle. The red light blazed.

“Heals!” Targe shouted.

Ethan spent 100 mana healing everyone up, dropping his reserves to 50. He used his new [Mana Tap Ring], then slammed his staff into the ground. The second bell rang, filling him with the power of [Caller’s Mana Regen]. Then, he sent Luca forward. A wave of fire consumed the spirit, killing it instantly. [Caller’s Resilience] washed over him, sending his [Mana Regen] skyrocketing. When the light turned green, he was almost at full mana. The next time the light turned red, he cast [Summon Lucantele], ending with 180 mana.

“That [Mana Regen],” Targe said, drawing heavy breaths. “You’re a monster, dude!”

“Dude?” Twist asked, eyes locked on the braziers.

“Yeah. Bells says it all the time. It means ‘my friend’,” Targe said.

“That is not true,” Twist said. “What does it mean, Bells?”

Ethan’s mind wasn’t on the definition of Earth slang. He had to rip his thoughts away from Luca’s warning to offer an answer. “I’d say… ‘my guy’ is a better translation. Although, I see it as a unisex term. Some on Earth don’t.”

“Proper usage?”

“Let’s kill this boss, dude. Dude, where’s my loot? And so on,” Ethan said.

“I’d love to get this stupid boss mechanic over and leave, dude,” Twist said.

“Dude, right?” Targe asked.

The light turned green and the party surged forward. This time, the boss seemed to toy with them. It only gave them short sprints of time before turning red again. Targe was almost incinerated when he ran too far during the green phase. By the time they reached the shaman next time, each member was eager to end the fight. Running down the hall had worn them down, reducing their combat ability.

Twist took care of the totems when the shaman jumped from his platform this time. Targe didn’t give the boss a chance to attack and was upon him in moments. Without cooldowns, Ethan played the support role he was so good at. While the boss didn’t have any status effects to its name, the monster had a health pool that seemed endless. The party couldn’t burn him down quick enough to avoid another daunting phase down the hall. But as another wave of fire rolled out, they found themselves in a new position.

Instead of teleporting to the start of the hall, each member of the party stood before the platform. The boss danced and mumbled on the platform, shifting from one foot to the other. Ethan couldn’t move, but he spotted three braziers this time. All were unlit and aligned with where each member of the party was standing.

With a wide gesture, the boss pointed at the Caller.

Ethan could move, and the boss dove in at him. Revealing a hidden dagger, the orc drove hard at the Caller’s heart. Luca jumped, taking the hit as the party looked on in horror. Flooded with [Caller’s Resilience], he used [Rapid Summon] and cast [Summon Telbarantis]. The lizard-spirit sprung from the ground, snatching the orc’s outstretched arm and savaging it.

“Not fair!” Ethan screamed, bringing his staff down on the monster’s head.

The orc writhed under Tel’s grasp, cocking its fist to strike the spirit in the head. Tel used [Bulwark], taking no damage from the hit. Then the boss was back on the platform. The fire that represented Ethan was gone, and it gestured again. Targe’s brazier lit up, and the orc jumped at the Fighter.

Targe had no problem deflecting the first blow from the dagger, swatting it aside with his shield and driving in hard with his spear. He shoved the monster back, stabbing repeatedly until he lost control of his weapon. Then his word was in his hand, cutting deep into the boss’ flesh.

Once again, the encounter was over in a flash. But Ethan saw the problem with what happened next.

“You have to dodge the hit, Twist!” Ethan shouted. “I think the dagger is instant death!”

Twist grunted a response, unable to coil like he normally did. The orc danced on the platform, holding there for dramatic effect. The Rogue’s brazier lit up.

Twist used his [Rogue’s Leaping Ring], jumping high enough to twist in the air and touch the ceiling with his feet. The orc missed entirely, stumbling forward with the dagger extended. Twist pushed off from the ceiling, driving down with both knives leading. The strike connected in the back of the boss’ neck. Twist screamed, planting both his feet on the monster’s back and pulling his weapons to either side. Severing the orc’s head entirely.

The room flashed, releasing the party from the mechanic.

“Dude,” Targe said.

A system message appeared.

[Targe’s Party] has defeated the [Stop and Go Blorg], earning a [Gold Boss Chest]!

You defeated the stop and go boss without losing a party member, earning you a [Gold Bonus Chest]!

You’ve defeated every monster in the dungeon, earning you a [Platinum Bonus Chest]!

Clearing the dungeon in under one day earned you a [Gold Bonus Chest]!

Chapter 32

Leaving the Orc Dungeon

The [Dungeon Core] rose from the ground. Twist looked to the bonus chests in the distance, lingering on the platinum one. Ethan placed a comforting hand on the Rogue’s shoulder, shaking his head.

“That was one hell of a move,” Ethan said.

“It was great,” Targe said. “Eyes off the chests, guys. I know everyone loves chests—no matter the size—but we have a job to do. We owe it to Luca.”

“Agreed,” Twist said, shifting his gaze to the core.

It was like the other cores Ethan had seen. A big ball of metal, roughly the size of a man, that radiated power. When clearing a dungeon, a party had a few options. They could destroy the core there, if they had the means. Taking the core was another option, although Ethan had never done that before. Or they could leave it, allowing the dungeon to continue on. The last option was the most common, as it allowed them to get the loot. Destroying or removing the core took away the chests. Took away the [Platinum Bonus Chest].

“Alright,” Ethan said, slapping the core. “How do we get this bad boy… oh.”

A system message appeared.

Only the party leader can remove the [Dungeon Core].

“Guess you gotta slap it, Targe,” Ethan said.

Targe placed his hand on the core, looking at his companions. “Ready?”

Twist and Bells nodded. A system message appeared.

[Targe’s Party] has taken the [Dungeon Core].

Removing the core will result in the destruction of the dungeon. Please stand clear.

The world swirled around them, sending them hurtling through nothingness. Alongside them was the massive silver dungeon core, sailing across the black void. As Ethan traveled, he felt the pull of urgency in his mind. Something like a series of instructions, whispered from Lucantele washed over his brain. But he didn’t need it. He’d put it together before they’d finished the boss battle.

Before Ethan’s eyes adjusted to the outside light, he’d used his [Deep Healing] ability. He spotted the prone form of a man in the orc’s camp and cast [Cure Wounds] without hesitating. A voice of surprise issued, but the light was too blinding. The [Dungeon Core] rolled awkwardly down a slight hill, coming to rest just as the Caller’s eyes adjusted. A notification appeared.

[Spinal Decay Poison] removed from [Maxwell Ainsworth (Radiant)].

[Ethan Stout’s] [Healer’s Subcore] gained 0.1% experience.

Resting near the entrance of the second dungeon was Radiant. Pit knelt near the downed Healer, casting a concerned look up at Ethan. His mouth was agape, as though words begged release they’d never get.

“We…” Pit started, unable to form a coherent thought.

“Damn, Ethan,” Targe said, rushing over to the downed man. “How’d you know?”

Ethan joined them, kneeling to inspect Radiant. “Lucantele told us to hurry up. He showed me the outside of the dungeon. I could barely make out the pair of you. What happened?”

“Poison,” Pit said, scowling. “Took hold quicker than he could heal.”

Radiant coughed. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” Pit said. Ethan spotted the tears forming in the corners of the man’s eyes. “You almost died, Max. You had five health left.”

“Seconds,” Ethan said with a nod. “That was too close.”

“Perhaps we should expand our team, Pit,” Radiant said, still laying on the ground. “I suppose we weren’t ready for it.”

But that could have happened to anyone. If the poison was strong enough, and the Healer was out of mana. That could have been Ethan, or Twist, or Targe. Any adventurer would have died from that nasty poison. Anything called [Spinal Decay Poison] would have been absolutely vile.

“Thinking you guys need to do some training,” Targe said, clapping a hand over Pit’s shoulder. “We got lucky with our dungeon.”

Pit’s eyes were suddenly glued to the [Dungeon Core]. “You brought the core? Why did you bring the core?”

Without explaining himself, Pit scooped up Radiant. And ran.

“You’re welcome!” Targe shouted back, shaking his head. “Yeah, but we should run.”

Twist was already running off to find Tulip while Targe rolled the core.

“Uh, why?” Ethan asked.

“The cores attract monsters,” Targe said, grunting against the heavy core. “Give me a hand.”

Ethan’s eyes went wide, then he was there with his companion. Pushing the massive core uphill toward Tulip. “Important information!” he shouted, shoving his full weight against the core. “I feel I was denied critical, need to know information!”

“Well, damn,” Targe said, having a much easier time rolling the core. “Thought everyone knew that.”

“I’m not from here!”

The pair rolled the core for a short while longer before Twist brought Tulip up. Now came the task of getting the damn thing on top of the beetle. Targe urged her to get down, lean to one side. Then he wrapped a rope around the core, pulling it from the other side as the beetle tilted with him. Some seriously good knots later, and the [Dungeon Core] rested, secured on the back of Tulip.

Targe smacked the core, grinning at Ethan. “This thing ain’t going nowhere.”

Ethan swapped his [Healer’s Subcore] for his [Evoker’s Core]. “Good. Can we leave now?”

“Yes, let’s retreat,” Twist said, urging the beetle forward by her reins.

“How fast can she go?” Ethan asked, slapping the beetle on her shell.

“Not fast enough,” Targe said, casting a concerned look over his shoulder. “How much daylight do we have left?”

“A few hours,” Twist said. “And… ah, of course.”

The sound of horns issued in the distance. Orcish war horns, echoing off the sparse landscape. Tulip picked up her pace, urged on by the Fighter. The group was already exhausted from the fight. Worn down and out of breath. But as the horns grew louder, they dug deep. They tapped into hidden reserves. Bursts of strength born from fear. Because the horns grew in number. When they reached the rise to the top of the valley to the north, they could see the monsters.

From the south, the flicker of torches danced across the orc’s camp. The thunderous sound of thousands of feet hammering down from the mountain. Shouts, from the throats of every orc on the mountain, filled the valley. From the north, the stampede of monsters. [Dig Deer], [Thorn Badgers], and [Hill Bears] burst from hidden places, descending on the group.

While the Rank 0 monsters provided no challenge, they delayed the group’s progress. Targe would remove the head of a monster, only to find Tulip scattering in panic. Ethan brought up the rear, keeping Luca’s symbol out for the journey. The silver squirrel lit the way under the dense canopy of trees. Latching onto the neck of a monster, the spirit growled. A sense of hope bloomed in the Caller’s chest, but he wouldn’t dare to grasp it.

“Not far!” Targe shouted.

But the Fighter had no idea how far they needed to go. The temple was a ways off, and the orcs were closing in. No one knew how far Lucantele’s influence went, or if the Great Spirit could aid them in the fight. Ethan slapped Tulip’s shell again, forcing her forward over the difficult terrain.

A horn issued, closer than ever this time.

“I’ll delay them,” Ethan said, holding back as the others went forward.

“You’re an idiot!” Targe said, tripping over an errant root.

“They’re right there!” Ethan shouted, pointing down the slight hill they rested on.

The Caller ignored whatever Targe said next. But Twist was near him, a firm hand pressed onto Ethan’s shoulder. Under that mask there must have been a grim resolve. A hardness to match the stone. The Caller dismissed Luca and cast [Summon Telbarantis]. The lizard-spirit emerged, eager to find something to chomp.

“Get ready to run,” Ethan said, taking a steady breath.

The orcs were there. In their thousands. A seething mass that rolled over the forest below. Trees bent to one side as the insane creatures hacked away, flailing their makeshift weapons as they went. Another steadying breath was all Ethan needed to face them down. That, and a combination of abilities.

[Spur], [Caller’s Sprint], [Echo], [Duplicate Effect], and [Caller’s Steadying Stance]. The forest filled with the sound of bells, echoing even as Ethan’s mind split into four distinct pieces. He fell to one knee, then heard the sound of battle around him. Three massive versions of Telbarantis barreled into the orcish force, tearing them limb-from-limb. The Caller’s mind was split among them, [Caller’s Steadying Stance] filling him with the rage they felt. The need to tear apart every orc, no matter the cost.

Twist danced around Ethan, cutting down Rank 0 orcs and maiming the Rank 1 ones. Experience notifications rolled in by the paragraphs, the limbs of orcs tossed in every direction. Watching Tel do his thing against a single orc was bad enough. There, in the field of thousands, a river of blood soaked down the hill.

“Not good,” Twist gasped, ripping a rusted dagger from his gut. His voice carried none of the distress of the wound. “We must retreat.”

Ethan let go of the [Caller’s Steadying Stance] effect, turned to plant a foot in a climbing orc’s face, then ran. Far slower than Twist, he stumbled through the forest. A moment of running full-out, and he felt his connection with his summoned spirits fade. The copies vanished, then the Symbol was destroyed. The Caller’s head already felt as though it were split open. Sundered by the connection to too much of Tel’s power.

Twist’s footfalls ceased behind him. Ethan spun, watching the dark elf stand with daggers wide. “Go,” he said.

“Like hell!” Ethan shouted, casting [Summon Lucantele]. The silver squirrel burst from the ground before the orcs arrived, trotting to stand near Twist. “If one of us dies, both of us die. Hear me?”

Twist only offered a sharp nod, tightening the grip on his weapons.

Ethan followed suit, the palms of his gloved hands hurting under the force of his grip. He grit his teeth, jaw bunching painfully as he awaited their fate. Luca jumped into the air, casting [Barrier of Hope] and [Persistent Light of Hope] on Twist. There was little else the Caller could do.

Except wait for the forest to come down around them.

Whatever damage Telbarantis did to the orcish force was not enough to diminish their numbers. The Caller put his entire body into the first swing of his staff, cracking an orc over the head. Twist danced between strikes, jabbing his knives to find the heart of the monsters. Luca lunged with gnashing fangs, tearing the throats out of the approaching creature.

Until the group was encircled. Fighting back-to-back against a horde that had become tepid. Once a raging river, they were now dribbling into the fight. The ground shook beneath them as an orc lunged with a spear, catching Ethan under the arm. Blood soaked into his white robe, even as he struck back against the monster.

The ground shook again, sending several orcs pitching over onto their backs. Twist swept in and ended them before the others could take their place.

“Come on!” Ethan shouted, swatting at an orc and missing. “Lucantele! Where the hell are you?”

A pulse of silver light washed over the battle. Ethan’s doubts were scoured away. Then Lucantele appeared before him. The Great Spirit bowed his head to the Caller.

“A true Caller,” Luca said, bowing deeper. He turned away from Twist and Ethan to look at the orcs. “Not just a man. Or an outworlder. A Caller, Ethan Stout.”

The first row of orcs encircling the group burst into silver flames.

“A Caller dedicated to the Great Spirits,” Luca said, another row turning to ash in moments. “To PURGE this world of FILTH.”

With the last word, Luca vanished. Ethan looked up, seeing how wrong he was. Lucantele was different. The opposite side of hope. The Caller’s blood ran cold, even as bolts of silver light burst from the massive form of the Great Spirit. His laughter boomed across the forest, laying trees flat with its force. Silver arrows fell, twice as long as a man, to impale each orc gathered. They made to flee, but it was too late.

Despair had fallen on the monsters. And they were wiped clean from the world.

Ethan and Twist stood, clutching wounds and drawing breaths filled with more blood than air. The sound of footfalls issued behind them, and they spun around. The Rogue was already leading with his daggers, a single insane eye flashing under his mask. His weapons stopped an inch from Targe’s heart, breath still coming as ragged gasps.

“Holy shit,” Targe said.

Space warped around the group. Suffused with silver light, they were suddenly standing in Lucantele’s temple. The silver spirit stood before them, reduced to his normal form. If a squirrel could have an expression, this one would be a twist of regretful pain.

“There are two sides to every coin,” Lucantele said. “Hope… and…”

“Despair,” Ethan finished, managing a weak smile. He stumbled on the spot, collapsing. His health pool was dwindling, siphoned by the slowing beat of his heart. “I don’t feel so good.”

Targe dug through the Caller’s pack, pulling out the [Healer’s Subcore] and holding it out for Ethan. He took it weakly, pressing it against his chest to no effect.

“Get your other one out, you idiot!” Targe shouted, slapping Ethan in the face. “Luca, can you heal him?”

The spirit said nothing. Ethan urged his [Evoker’s Subcore] out, watching as it tumbled to the ground. Targe forced the healing core into his chest, slapping his face again.

“Heal yourself,” Targe said, pressing his calloused hand against Ethan’s face.

Ethan didn’t move for a long moment. Looking up at the crumbling ruins of Luca’s temple, he felt some kinship there. More than just their related circumstances, he felt as though he were crumbling. From the inside, perhaps. His consciousness ebbed and flowed, finally catching long enough for him to cast a spell.

The golden motes of light danced through the air as he cast [Cure Wounds]. His health shot to full, the deep cut on his side knitting in moments. Ethan could only remember it feeling itchy, until his mind caught up with the present. He bolted to his feet, focusing on Twist to cast [Cure Minor Wounds], then Targe for the same thing. The Rogue coughed once, then bowed his head.

“Thanks.”

“Damn it, Luca,” Ethan said, staring at the Great Spirit. “That was a close one.”

“You have done me a great service today,” Luca said. He stood tall on his four legs, pulses of hopeful power rolling off the Great Spirit in turgid waves. They stirred the air, sending drips of silver power falling from the ruined walls. “You’ve restored my full power.”

“Wondering if that’s a good thing,” Targe said, turning to face the spirit. “You really messed those orcs up.”

“When you brought the core to me, I consumed it. Regaining my power. They were within my realm, so I annihilated them,” Luca said. “The forests around my temple will no longer be the home of orcs.”

“What about the Fangstone mountain?” Ethan asked.

“My influence stretches to the foot of the mountain range now. To the dungeon you just delved,” Luca said, looking at Ethan as though seeing him for the first time. “Eat of the fruit, Caller Bells. Rest.”

Then the silver spirit was gone without another word. Twist, Targe, and Bells stood there for some time. They shared a look then silently agreed to set up camp. Ethan went to the north of the temple to retrieve the [Lucantele Pears], something his companions hadn’t enjoyed yet. Twist got a pot of tea on, and Targe secured Tulip. The beetle had attempted to flee away from the massive spirit. And the Fighter let her go. He was too concerned about his companions.

When Ethan returned, having pulled up his robe to create a container for the pears, he found Twist working on the tea. The Caller let the fruit bounce over the ground, then fell into a seated position near his friend. He leaned back, letting out a steady breath.

“Deraeda,” Ethan said, staring at the dancing flame. “I hope you know we’re brothers now.”

Twist laughed, shaking his head as he set the teapot aside. “We didn’t leave each other, did we? Not even when we could have. We are brothers now.”

Twist reached under his hood, working his fingers over something. His mask tilted to the side before he grabbed it and slid it off. The visage of a once-handsome man was illuminated by the flickering flame. He pulled his hood back, revealing his bone-white hair. His single working eye was violet, revealing that there was some magic in his mask. It obfuscated the true hue. Otherwise he had elegant features, and a lop-sided smile. His skin was bunched where it was burned on the right side, his dusky skin purple in places.

“It took you half a year to show me your face!” Targe said, stomping over. “Damn, Ethan! What did you guys do in that forest?”

“We’re all brothers, now,” Twist said, setting his mask to the side. He told the story of their brief battle in the forest.

The details Twist relayed weren’t accurate. According to the Rogue, Ethan had done a backflip, kicking two orcs in the face at the same time while smashing a third with his staff. Instead of summoning three copies of Telbarantis, he brought forth no less than a hundred. When they tore through the ranks of the orcs, they only left behind a red mist. Targe nodded along to the story as though it were gospel, never interrupting.

Only when Twist was done with his embellishments, moving on to cook their dinner, did the Fighter speak.

“Alright. Now tell me the real version, Bells.”

Chapter 33

Hell of a Fight

Ethan didn’t know where Targe had hidden sugar, but he wouldn’t complain. After relaying the true events of what happened with the orcs, the Fighter worked on making a dish. He cooked the pears in their blackened pan over the magical fire, allowing the juices to accumulate and simmer in the bottom. He then added the sugar, and something else that thickened the liquid into a sauce. While they had more provisions, there was something about the pears that filled more than just their bellies.

The plan to find Lucantele a [Dungeon Core] was shady, Ethan realized. There would have been easier dungeons out there to do the job. Perhaps it was the party’s eagerness to understand the orcs in the Fangstone Mountains that drove them to the risky task. Or the Caller’s impulsive need to rid himself of the weight brought by Void.

The group sat on the ground floor of the ruined temple, shoveling pear-halves into their mouths. Ethan watched his companions, especially Twist’s revealed face, as they ate. Then he got curious.

“Luca,” Ethan said. And the spirit appeared.

Lucantele hopped around the temple’s floor, bounding over the fire excitedly. He came to rest in front of his caller, tilting his head. The squirrel didn’t need to smile. The spirit exuded the sense of happiness that came with a big grin. “I cannot consume more [Dungeon Cores]. Not for a while.”

Luca must have sensed that need within the Caller. If he could expand the Great Spirit’s influence, he could use them as tools. Too bad.

“You read my mind,” Ethan said, reaching out to pet the spirit. “Can you tell if Radiant and Pit are alright?”

“They’re working their way to the temple. Searching for refuge for the night,” Luca said.

“Good. And Parabaxis?”

Luca settled onto the ground, resting his head on his forepaws. He let out a breath, stirring the dust of the ruined temple. “An obstinate child. You’ll find her to the south of the mountain range. Likely near the river. When you draw near, your [Caller’s Core] will sense her.”

Ethan nodded, turning questioning eyes to his companions. They shrugged at him. He’d forgotten they couldn’t understand the Great Spirits. “How long will it take us to reach the south side of the mountain range?”

Targe tossed more halved pears into the skillet. He tilted his head from one side to the other, humming for a moment. “Well, that’s hard to say. A week? A month? It depends on the path and the orcs.”

“The orcs have contracted inward. Into the mountains,” Luca said. Ethan relayed the information.

“Two weeks, then. At most,” Targe said, pulling the pan off the heat and holding it high for a moment. He adjusted the flame on the magical device, lowering it considerably. “We’re stocked with provisions. Can even take some pears.”

Ethan craned his neck, looking out one of the usable entrances of the temple. Moonlight dappled the forest floor outside, creating spots of light that shifted as the wind blew. Luca’s soft silver glow fought with the yellow-orange of the open flame. Waves of contentment rolled from the spirit’s body, bathing the temple in more than just his comforting glow.

“Your friends approach,” Luca said, standing at attention. He gazed off to one entrance. Waiting.

Heavy footfalls came from outside. Twist replaced his mask. Pit was laden with Radiant, who he was carrying over his back like a backpack. He held his massive sword in his left hand, letting it drag along the ground behind him. It clattered to the ground, then he set the Healer down without ceremony.

“May I?” Pit asked, gesturing to a bedroll. Targe agreed without objection.

The group watched as Pit tenderly cared for his charge. He rolled out the bed, then placed Radiant within. He pulled the edge up to the Healer’s neck, then secured the clasps at the side. The man approached the fire before falling on his ass and letting out a breath. Without asking, he plucked a cooking pear from the fire and ate it without letting it cool.

“Hell of a fight,” Ethan said.

“Indeed.”

The group settled into an awkward silence for some time. Radiant seemed to be asleep, unaware even after the group talked again. PIt didn’t seem eager to join the conversation, and Luca watched from the sidelines. The Great Spirit seemed taken by Pit and Radiant. Interested in them for a reason Ethan couldn’t determine.

“We’re likely to cross into a few Rank 2 zones,” Targe said, finishing up another batch of cooked pears. “Hopefully, nothing too crazy.”

“Then there’s the matter of contacting the Lesser Spirit,” Ethan said, blowing out a steady breath onto his cooked pear half.

“She will agree to help you,” Luca said.

The party, including Pit, turned their attention to the Great Spirit.

“What do you hear when we talk to each other?” Ethan asked. He remembered Targe describing it as ‘babbling’.

“Like this,” Twist said, throwing his head back to make ululating chittering.

Pit choked on the pear he was eating, reaching for a skin of watered wine.

“Why would she agree?” Ethan asked, ignoring the men as they cackled.

“The spirits are many things. But we’re all hungry for power. For influence. Reach. Whatever you want to call it, we want to serve our purpose,” Luca said. “She is the Lesser Spirit of Mending Broken Things. And Void is as broken as they come.”

“Good enough for me,” Ethan said, stretching.

The day had been long. When he fought on that hill, Ethan thought that would be the end of his time in this world. An emotionally exhausting battle. The near death of Radiant didn’t help with that, although the Healer seemed fine by now. He stirred in his bed, but never woke.

“Where are you headed?” Pit asked.

“South along the river,” Ethan said. “How would you describe Parabaxis, Luca?”

“A wayward child.”

“To find a wayward child of a spirit,” Ethan said.

“You lead a strange life.”

The conversation died down, and the pears stopped coming. Everyone was full beyond bursting by the time Targe snuffed the magical flame. Pit and Radiant didn’t have bedrolls, but the party had several spares. They were acquired by Twist, who had taken advantage of the Caller’s good graces in town for more free crap. The group set a double-watch, starting with Targe and Pit. They would wake Bells and Twist in the small hours of the morning.

Ethan took this as a sign to get to sleep as quickly as he could. Luca vanished as he fell into his comfortable bedroll. When he drifted off, he dreamed of what the Lesser Spirit Parabaxis would look like.

Groggy and grumpy, Ethan was awoken in the middle of the night. He rose from his bedroll like a zombie, shuffling off and yawning as he went. Twist joined with him, steering him to his station before heading off to brew some tea. Pit and Targe found the used bedrolls, falling into them without a word. They were snoring shortly after that, the even breaths of Radiant a constant reminder of his presence.

Ethan was stationed near one of three good entrances to the temple. Insects chirped outside as he stood at his station, nodding off against the wall as he fought against sleep. Luca spun out from nothing, bursting from the wall to stand before the Caller. He padded over the ground, then did a shuffling dance.

“That would have woken me up when I first got here,” Ethan said, keeping his voice low.

“The watch isn’t necessary,” Luca said. “It would take an ascendant ranked adventurer to even challenge me.”

“Is that so?” Ethan pushed off from the wall. He moved into the pale moonlight outside. He stood there for some time without saying a word to Luca. When Twist approached sometime later, with a cup of citrus tea, he was broken from his thoughts.

“This will help,” the dark elf said, pushing the steaming cup into the Caller’s hands. He walked away, saying nothing else.

The tea helped, of course. Ethan didn’t know if it had caffeine in it. Maybe there was some magical version of the stuff in there, but it perked him up right away. This wasn’t the Golden Ox Inn, but it was nice. There was a peace to this place. A somber reverence that the Caller held tightly in his heart. A breeze kicked up, sending a shuffle of fallen leaves scattering through the forest’s floor. Luca preened in the moonlight.

“The tea helps. He was right,” Ethan said, wandering out of the temple and onto the forest path. “How big was your following back in the day?”

“Extremely large,” Luca said, bounding off into the forest with absurd speed. The leaves followed him, rushing off as the spirit created a gust of air. He was back in moments. “Hundreds of worshipers. Thousands of followers. That was a long time ago.”

“The duke agreed to help rebuild this place. As you planned, I imagine,” Ethan said.

Luca looked up at the Caller. If only the damned squirrel could smile. “You’re not a child. You must understand what it cost me to bring you here. The last of my power, before you brought me the [Dungeon Core]. Even that is borrowed power.”

“Unlike Telbarantis, you don’t have followers.” Ethan made the logical leap easily. He didn’t understand the cost of bringing him to this world, but it couldn’t have been cheap. “Why didn’t you give me a new body?”

“It was easier to bargain for the same one,” Luca said, casting him a knowing look.

“Oh, my first hint!” Ethan said, laughing. He winced, looking back to make sure he didn’t disturb his sleeping friends. “No, I get it. We don’t know each other well enough for that. We’ll get there.”

“How completely reasonable for a mortal,” Luca said. “I selected you for a reason. Do you know how many people die in the multiverse daily?”

“I can’t, actually. Because I don’t know what the multiverse is. Multiple universes? All connected and whatever?”

“Exactly.” Luca paused for a long moment. He often seemed distracted out of nowhere. “Have you considered returning to your world?”

That wasn’t even a question, though. The implication was that there was some higher power that Luca had contracted with to get Ethan here. That meant that if he wanted to go back, he needed to offer that being something worthy of trade. He wasn’t a Great Spirit, and he wasn’t even a decent adventurer. He was a Rank 1 guy with a decent enough core. A rare core that let him talk with the spirits. That was all he had going for him.

The more Ethan thought about it, delaying his response to the Great Spirit, the more he realized there was little for him on Earth. Avansea was a nice enough place. Well, the Duchy of Wexenhal was nice. People treated him well, and even the Kingdom of Slonen was fair enough. People lived simple lives here, and maybe that was better. But there was still war. Disease, famine, strife.

“I don’t know,” Ethan said, finally breaking the silence. “My body is dead on that side, isn’t it?”

“My connection with your universe faded the moment I brought you through the void,” Luca said. “I was sifting through the infinite souls when you reached out to me. I only saw your mortal form for a moment. It seemed beyond repair.”

That tracked with the system message Ethan got when he died. It even gave him a cause of death. “Hard to say if there’s any point in going back. No matter what, I don’t want to give up these powers.”

Luca brushed against Ethan’s leg, making a happy chittering sound. It was the same sound the Great Spirit’s Symbol made when it was excited. A [Dig Deer] pushed through the brush in the distance, making a half-hearted grunt. The Great Spirit blinked on the spot, and the monster fell to the ground. That was one way to keep the temple clear.

Even at night the forest was full of life. It was the perfect place for a Rank 0 person to plop down. A place where they could learn how the world worked. There were many other places Ethan had visited that would have been a nightmare to get transferred to. If he had arrived as an outworlder in Oudsted, there would have been problems. This haven set the caller up for success in the world, and tied him closely to the spirits.

They were bound now. Ethan on the mortal end, and the spirits on their end.

Ethan had made some progress in the dungeon and on the slopes outside the temple. He noticed his [Caller’s Core] crawling up in experience, not nearly as fast as when he was Rank 0. That core was stuck at level 4, while his [Evoker’s Subcore] was almost at level 10 of Rank 0. With his [Healer’s Subcore] approaching level 5 of Rank 1, he’d have several skills to pick for each.

Then came the concerns for the skills of his Symbols. Luca already got his Rank 1 level 5 ability, but Telbarantis was edging closer to his Rank 1 upgrade.

The wind shifted again, bringing with it more smells of the forest. Decaying vegetation and uprooted earth filled Ethan’s nose. Then the smell of something familiar. He turned to spot Twist walking the temple’s edge, waving awkwardly as he patrolled. The Caller walked to join him, watching as the Great Spirit followed.

“Excited to track down Parabaxis?” Ethan asked.

Twist grunted a response, shaking his head. “The tea helped, but I’m drowsy. The river might be fun.”

“Oh, maybe we can take a boat,” Ethan suggested.

“That might work,” Twist said. “We’d need to find one, though. One large enough for Tulip.”

The massive beetle would never fit on any boat they could afford. Ethan wasn’t willing to part with his creature comforts for the trip. He’d rather take a month to find Parabaxis than go without those things. But Void was a ticking clock, wasn’t she?

“What do you think about Pit and Radiant?”

“Pit is a known mercenary. He’s good. Just like Targe and I. Got his core late in life. Radiant as a…” Twist paused for a long moment, cupping the chin of his mask in his hand. “How to put this? A good guy.”

“What does that mean?” Ethan asked.

“He’s a man who is concerned with doing good in the world. A real holy dude,” Twist said.

“Is that a good thing? I can’t tell if that’s good.”

“They normally end up dead.” Twist picked up a leaf and crunched it in his hand. “Embroiled in a war. A cause. Some god’s vendetta.”

That tracked with Ethan’s impression of the Healer. They shouldn’t have gone down into the [Orc Dungeon]. Before they left Oudsted, off on the duke’s new orc-killing contract, he expressed a desire to scout the area. Radiant was going to bring information back, keeping himself and Pit safe. Instead, they plunged right in and almost died. Targe was right. They both needed more training before they went in. Compared to Ethan’s team, they didn’t have an ideal team composition to make delves worth it.

Targe’s party had a tank, a damage dealer, and a generalist. Radiant’s party was a healer and a damage dealer. Without a tank, the Healer was vulnerable. That reminded Ethan of his solo dungeon, back when he got the [Rank Seal] for his advancement. He could solo the dungeon because he always had something to take the hits. And it didn’t matter if his Symbol died, he could just summon it again. Maybe [Caller] was an excellent class.

“Am I right about this?” Ethan asked. “They lack a tank, making it hard to keep Radiant safe.”

“That’s my thought. It isn’t uncommon to go without a tank, but those teams are usually burst teams,” Twist said. The more the dark elf came to know Ethan, the more he’d talk. The Caller enjoyed this side of the man. “You see teams with four damage-dealers and a generalist who provides heals. Making a duo is the hardest. Usually that’s a generalist and a damage dealer. Or a tank. But not a healer and a damage dealer.”

“Think they could make it work? Maybe a tank sub-core for Pit and a damage-dealing sub-core for Radiant?”

“That might work,” Twist admitted. “They would need to be good sub-cores, though. Better if Pit evolves his class into a tank, and Radiant evolves his into something more general. Radiant wouldn’t do that, though.”

There were so many combinations of classes and sub-classes someone could do in this world. The combinations were infinite, and as Ethan had observed the evolutions were cool. Twist was going for the [Blood Rogue’s Core], which shifted him from burst damage to damage-over-time. Targe wanted to be some holy paladin-like tank, which might take the need for healing off of the Caller. Whatever roles they took, he could adjust his tactics with more Great Spirits.

The pair walked the forest until dawn threatened in the distance. While Ethan didn’t know what Pit’s plan for the next day was, he assumed it involved leaving the temple and heading for Oudsted. They’d lick their wounds, but Radiant wouldn’t give up. Not if he was smart about it. The Caller thought they should build their team out, trying for a more traditional setup for delving dungeons. Otherwise, they could find a living doing scouting missions. There was nothing wrong with that.

Ethan watched as Luca faded just after dawn. When he and Twist returned to the temple, Targe was already preparing breakfast. The Fighter was ready to issue orders for the day. The collection of pears and their preparations for traveling south. He wanted to escort Pit and Radiant east until they hit the river, then follow that south to where Parabaxis was.

As Ethan hoisted his pack over his shoulders, staring off into the forest to the east, he felt Luca’s light spread through his chest. Adventure awaited them in that forest. Beyond where he’d first fought the orcs. Where Twist had saved him and they’d started this journey. It felt like his first steps into Avansea all over again.