It turned out there was a lot more to soul energy than the spirit had first implied.

As it wished to make a deal with him, it was compelled to answer his questions regarding everything to do with the deal—literally compelled. When Xavier asked about the spirit’s honesty over this matter, a notification from the System popped up, telling him that during an Otherworldly Communion spell, a spirit was not able to lie.

Xavier glanced at the grey stone nearby. He couldn’t help but think of the fae again. Legend had it that the fae weren’t able to lie—but that didn’t mean they couldn’t trick you.

Not being able to lie didn’t mean you couldn’t obfuscate the truth or mislead someone. That was why he needed to be thorough in his questioning of the elf.

He had discovered that soul energy wasn’t just something that kept mortals rooted in this plane of existence, it was also a valuable resource in its own right. It wasn’t something that Xavier had the ability to manually tap into—at least not at this stage of his development—but it was what made his summoning of spirits from the Otherworld possible in the first place.

Each summoning ate his soul energy.

But it was more than that.

Soul energy accumulated. It was what gave Denizens their long lifespans. Normal, unintegrated humans had a very limited amount of soul energy. No matter how well one kept their body and mind in good shape, without soul energy things would always degrade, and entropy would take place, placing a hard limit on human lifespans if one wasn’t able to create more soul energy.

Xavier tapped his foot as he considered what the spirit truly wanted from him. If it were to take a part of his soul energy, it was essentially cutting years from his ultimate lifespan away.

That didn’t sound like the worst thing in the world, especially when the lifespan of someone like him had already been drastically increased beyond his previous imagination.

But it was still, well, his life.

And something told him there was more to soul energy—something that he was missing in this conversation. But he didn’t know what questions to ask if he didn’t know exactly what that was.

The bargain still felt too easy, but Xavier wasn’t going to fight it. He was sure the elf had his own reasons, his own agendas. And the fact that he was willing to reside in the mortal realm for the foreseeable future as a silent observer in his life—at least, silent to everyone else—meant there must certainly be something important in it for him.

Unless that’s exactly what he wants…

He supposed if he was a spirit from the Otherworld, he would wish to return to the mortal realm too. In fact, he’d claw his way back.

But that wasn’t something he would need to worry about. He wasn’t going to die. At least, not if he could help it, and not for a very, very, very long time.

All right, Xavier said to the elf. I will make your deal.

The elf hid his expression of surprise and genuine pleasure fairly well, but not well enough. Xavier was able to see when the emotions slipped onto the elf’s face.

It didn’t take long for the elf to draw up a contract. Xavier’s attention wandered as the task was being performed. Colour was still drained from the world, time frozen where he sat. He looked to the stream, its water stuck, no longer flowing toward the cliff and the pool below.

When the contract was finished, Xavier looked it over thoroughly, trying to discern if there was anything in there that shouldn’t be. He even asked the elf if there was. The elf, having to be honest to him in this situation, assured him there was not—the contract included only what they had spoken of.

The contract also had the elf’s name.

It’s nice to meet you, Rhaalir.

It took a long moment for Rhaalir to respond. Xavier thought he would respond with some quip. That seemed the elf’s way. Instead, the elf bowed his head, and it was the most serious and sincere he had looked since Xavier had summoned him.

Same to you, Xavier. This deal is an interesting one. I could not pass up the opportunity to do it, especially not with someone like you.

Xavier, after having read through the contract three times and finding nothing amiss, finally signed it.

The moment he did, he felt something. A minute tug, deep inside. Suddenly he felt sad—as though he lacked something vital. As though he were missing someone that he didn’t even know he’d had to begin with.

That must be the portion of soul energy Rhaalir is now entitled to.

The moment Xavier had signed the contract with the elf, time had started moving forward again. But unlike the other times when this had happened after Xavier had cast Otherworldly Communion, the spirit did not disappear.

Rhaalir remained standing exactly where he had been, and he remained transparent. The water started flowing down the stream, rushing off the cliff. The shadows from the trees behind him shifted, moving across the large standing stone.

Can you still hear me? Xavier thought to the spirit.

I can hear you.

Xavier sighed. That was a relief. He was glad that he wouldn’t have to speak aloud to the spirit-ghost-elf from the Otherworld. That would have made him look… unique.

Rhaalir folded his hands behind his back and raised his chin. First, share with me your ranks. In this state, all you must do is will that I have access to them. If I’m able to see everything you’re capable of, it will make me a far better asset.

Xavier saw no reason not to comply. It took barely a moment for the permission to be granted—all he needed was his own will.

Rhaalir was quiet for a long moment. The spirit’s eyes glazed over. He was clearly looking at Xavier’s status sheet, nodding his head as he went down, until finally he came around to Xavier’s spells.

The elf let out a long sigh.

Well, isn’t that absolutely pitiful.

Xavier blinked. Pitiful? He had been called a lot of things since being integrated, but pitiful wasn’t one of them. I think I have accomplished quite a bit.

Rhaalir sniffed. You have not once used the Otherworldly Communion spell properly.

Xavier opened his mouth to protest. But, considering he hadn’t gained a single rank in the spell, he didn’t have a leg to stand on. Explain.

The elf smiled. Had he been trying to goad Xavier to see what his reaction would be? To try and make him defensive? A defensive student wouldn’t be receptive to being taught… then again, an arrogant bully doesn’t sound like the best teacher.

To gain ranks in this spell, you need to obtain insight and then show that you have acted upon that insight—only then will the ranks accumulate.

Huh. Xavier stepped over to the edge of the cliff. He thought about the times he had used Otherworldly Communion—to gain information on his sector, or to gain information about how to bring the Spirit of Vengeance into this world.

They had been important things that he’d learnt… but the elf was right, he hadn’t acted upon them. He hadn’t acted on any of the insight that had been given to him. Not really. Not in a tangible way.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

He wasn’t sure where to begin, considering he couldn’t cast the spell again until the cooldown ended or he reached his next level.

Then he realised—he had a teacher now. And he had gotten that teacher through the Otherworldly Communion spell. Everything this spirit taught him would count as using the insight, wouldn’t it?

Then let’s put it into practice. What do you have to teach me about being an Otherworldly Reaper?

First, you’ve been absolutely wasting your class. The way you fight lacks finesse, and that’s putting it mildly. You are an Otherworldly Reaper, for System’s sake! Yet in truth, you have done absolutely nothing of use with that combination. So I shall teach you a great lesson—there is a spell available to you, one that you should be able to gain with ease. Today.

Xavier tilted his head to the side. How do I just… learn a new spell?

He’d gained Spell Quests before, and gotten spells as rewards or once choosing a class… but this was different.

Rhaalir began pacing around the clearing. At one point he paced right off the side of the cliff. Xavier had to restrain himself from moving to catch the elf—not that there was anything to catch. The spirit wasn’t corporeal.

The elf walked on air until he stepped back onto solid ground. You must offer up a sacrifice. There was a hunger in the spirit’s eyes that Xavier hadn’t seen before.

What kind of sacrifice?

Xavier shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Despite everything he had done, all the people and beasts he’d killed… he never wanted to kill a Denizen when it was seemingly unnecessary—when another solution could be found. And he didn’t like the hunger in the elf’s gaze.

Rhaalir looked at him through narrowed eyes. You must sacrifice a great deal of the souls within your reserve. Offer them up to the Otherworld, and see if they are deemed worthy.

Offer up souls to the Otherworld? He shook his head. He had no idea how he would have stumbled on something like that naturally.

Xavier didn’t hesitate. Didn’t second guess.

Show me how.

According to Rhaalir, it was time for Xavier to perform his first ritual. He hadn’t even realised rituals were a thing—apparently, according to this elf, they were a staple of those in the Otherworldly and Reaper line of classes, though as the skills weren’t learnt when the class was taken up, Xavier wasn’t sure how he was supposed to have known that.

Rituals aren’t strictly a part of the classes, but they are supplementary. Being an Otherworldly Summoner, or a Reaper, or both, makes one a perfect candidate to perform rituals. Soul energy is also perfect for rituals, but that will come into your training later, the elf had told him.

The first thing Rhaalir did was have Xavier learn a skill—which was a good thing, because he still had a skill point he could use for that. He’d been saving it, not being sure what he should use it on. He’d done the same for the skill point that had gone to Dismantle, and he was glad he had.

You have learnt the skill Ritual!

Ritual – Rank 1

The ritual skill grants a Denizen the ability to perform rituals of power. These rituals are wide ranging in scope, from performing a ritual that would light a candleflame, to performing a ritual that would siphon the lifeforce from an entire sector.

Rituals are a dangerous path to walk. Be careful you know what powers you are working with.

The last line of the skill’s description made Xavier a little wary, but he would have to trust that it was in Rhaalir’s best interests to steer him in the right direction.

I don’t have any candles.

You don’t need candles to perform rituals. You need symbols of power, time, and an energy source. There are other things that can help, but those are the three essentials. Rhaalir’s arrogant air hadn’t completely left him, but the elf seemed far more serious now that he was instructing Xavier.

He paced around the clearing, tapping his chin with his index finger, glancing down at the ground, until finally the elf nodded. Yes, this area will work rather nicely. I am to understand that you have a Time Alteration spell?

Xavier inclined his head.

That will come in handy. Use it now.

There was a part of Xavier that wanted to bristle at the man’s command, and the tone he’d used as he’d said it—the elf sounded as though he was used to giving out orders, and always had them carried out—but he’d cultivated enough patience while working with Liana to stop himself.

He wanted to learn from this elf. He could endure the abrupt way Rhaalir spoke to him. At least for now.

Xavier cast his Time Alteration spell. He made the bubble stretch into part of the stream, just to observe what happened with it. The water rushed to the edge of the bubble, but wasn’t able to push through it—the water on the other side stopped it. It sloshed, as though it had hit a wall, and a bit of the water went over the top and out of the time dilation field.

The water fell back down, and within the bubble, it was a little shallower than without. The stream—even inside the time dilation field—stopped flowing.

Perhaps you aren’t as pitiful as I made you out to be, Xavier Collins, Rhaalir said, as the elf observed the same thing Xavier was. A spell like this… it will be invaluable when performing rituals. Rituals are time consuming—there are ways to shorten them, with vast amounts of experience, but I have struggled to find a way in which to use a ritual in combat without adequate time to prepare for it. He opened his arms in an expansive gesture. This, on the other hand… This could work.

There was a hint of awe in the elf’s eyes. After the way Rhaalir had spoken to Xavier, he couldn’t help but be a little proud of that.

What types of rituals will I be able to perform?

The elf waved a transparent hand. All in due time. First, we put our minds to this task and this task alone. You have the required attributes to achieve something like this, and it seems as though your mind will be strong enough to endure the rigours…

Seems? Rigours? That sounds ominous.

The elf smiled, though this one didn’t look like the others. It was more companionable. Indeed. There are risks to taking this path, as I’m sure the System outlined in the skill description for you.

Xavier inclined his head. My entire life is comprised of taking risks. What’s a few more?

Rhaalir chuckled. Perhaps I could grow to like you, Xavier Collins.

Thanks?

Now, we move onto the ritual. The elf crouched close to the ground. You will need to use something to calve the symbols into the ground. A blade might be best.

Xavier didn’t have a blade. Not anymore. But there was something he did have. He summoned one of the Rhinoceros Monkey horns to his hand. Will this do?

The man raised an eyebrow. Indeed. That should do nicely. He stood from his crouch and walked over to Xavier. Do you have more beast parts in that Storage Ring of yours? Different beast components can be used to strengthen rituals.

Do I have beast parts? It was Xavier’s turn to chuckle.

He summoned a large portion of the dismantled Rhinoceros Monkey parts into a pile in the middle of the time dilation field.

The elf blinked. It’s almost as though you were preparing for this… He stared at Xavier. His eyes glazed over. You possess the Dismantle skill. I almost forgot.

Will these come in handy?

The man nodded. There are several ways in which one can create a symbols of power. The simplest way is to draw one into the dirt—as I was about to instruct you to do. But that is not the most powerful way. Another way is to use beast parts to create the symbol. It is a considerably more time-consuming method, but… He gestured to the time dilation field. For you, time does not appear to be an issue.

They got to work. Rhaalir instructed Xavier on exactly what he needed to do. For a little while, he felt foolish, and a little… well, off. Like some sociopathic kid playing with animal parts, trying to make art.

That wasn’t too far from the truth.

A lot went into the symbol of power, which Rhaalir said was called a Conduit. There were symbols within symbols. Some of them looked like shapes he recognised—triangles, squares, circles, rhombi—and to Xavier’s surprise, the entire symbol of power sat inside of…

A pentagram.

When Rhaalir instructed him to make the pentagram from the beast horns, Xavier stood back and looked down at what he’d done.

What is it? the elf had asked.

We have that symbol back on Earth… pre-integration. In fiction, its often used as part of summoning rituals.

That does not surprise me. The deep knowledge can be found even in the remotest, most backwater baby planets in the Greater Universe.

You always say the sweetest things.

Being sweet was not part of the contract I signed.

When the symbol of power was complete, Rhaalir looked down at it with something akin to pride. The spirit pressed his hands together. It’s time to activate it.

How many souls do I need to sacrifice? Xavier asked.

As many as you can spare. Better to ensure this ritual goes off without any… issues. Besides, if your sacrifice is more than adequate, the spell you receive will be stronger for it.

Xavier stared at the elf for a long moment. This ritual… it’s going to do what you say it’s going to do, isn’t it?

The elf looked at him, then smiled. I have not tricked you into doing something sinister, Xavier Collins. As you might remember, part of the contract disallows me from doing such a thing. Rhaalir paused. Not that I would have done that without the contract stopping me.

Xavier kept his gaze on the elf for a long moment before inclining his head. He had to trust Rhaalir, otherwise what was the point of taking him onboard as a teacher?

Xavier contemplated just how many souls he could get away with using for this ritual. He looked at his reserve.

Soulkeeping Reserve: 4,170/4,170

It still felt surreal to him that he currently had over four thousand sounds at his disposal. Souls of formerly living beings that he had plucked from their corpses. His threshold grew every time he raised his rank in a soul-based spell, and there was still plenty of room for it to grow.

Especially if he gained more soul-based spells.

Soon, he would be a part of a raid against a C Grade beast. He would need as many souls in reserve as he could muster.

However… there would be time to gather more before the Hunt Quest began. It wasn’t until later in the week, after all. And, after facing that first stampede of Rhinoceros Monkeys, he’d discovered that there were more out there—it was the perfect source of souls.

Xavier raised his chin.

How does a sacrifice of four thousand souls sound?

The elf looked over at him with wide eyes. That will do it, yes.

Xavier grinned. It was time for him to perform his first ritual.