Chapter 9
It was before dawn as Henkel came back to the café and he was mentally exhausted, his stamina was almost full so it wasn't because of the game mechanics. He opened the door with the spare key given to him by René and went inside the still dark and empty Café.
“Outside Interference detected. Do you wish to pause playing?”
“Yes.”
“Master. It is time to stop enjoying the virtual reality and prepare for sleep.”
“Oh, AL is it already that late?”
“Yes Master Henkel, should I heat up the pool for a swim before you go to bed?”
AL the home AI takes care to follow the schedule set up before-hand and can detect the vital signs of people inside the home. Henkel's heart rate had been slightly elevated for an extended period of time and AL decided to interrupt him earlier to allow for a relaxing swim to allow Henkel a more pleasant sleep. Henkel still had a few in-game hours before his appointment with the children and unlike the usual adventure style games time still flowed even without playing.
“AL, how much time do I have here until 0800 in RR, I have an important meeting I need to attend and when I'm finished I will turn in for the day.”
“From my calculations you have time for a bath in the jacuzzi. Should stop heating the pool and fill the jacuzzi with water, Master?”
“Yes, please do so AL and I would like to use the second massage program as well.”
“Certainly Master Henkel.”
The Jacuzzi was a special construction even in the highly advanced mansion, it was a physio-therapeutic machine with specialised jet-streams for deep stimulation of joints and muscles. Just two weeks ago Henkel still had difficulties getting into the jacuzzi but recently he had managed to get in without feeling much pain and he was surprised with the unexpected improvement. He thought to himself that it was noteworthy to report at his next doctor's appointment.
He entered RR again after listening to AL as he gave him a reprimand for not following the schedule and Henkel promised to tell AL at least a few hours before he changed the schedule. Sometimes Henkel really couldn't tell if he was speaking to a computer program or his mother, God rest her soul. As much as Henkel liked being alone it did get lonely and when he felt like that he often spoke to AL, it beat browsing the internet as AL could answer any of his questions by just asking.
Henkel appeared right before the door to the Café opened when Adam and Daniel came in. Daniel had his throat bandaged and bloodshot eyes while Adam's face had turned ghostly pale and he had big black bags under his eyes. Judging from their faces they didn't put much faith into what Henkel had told Adam. Henkel wasn't sure about it but still felt a little hurt. But he wasn't going to let those kinds of thoughts stop him and he smiled as he greeted them and told them the good news.
“...!”
“Really! Daniel will be able to talk?”
“Unfortunately he won't be able to speak but I can make it so he can voice his thoughts out loud.”
“Well, whatever. As long as he can be heard he can graduate from the academy and become a great Knight.”
“Then may I start the preparations children? I am not sure how long it might take and I need Daniel to be there the whole and how about you Adam, will you stay with Daniel?”
“You betcha.”
“Then follow me to the back of the Café.”
The three of them walked to the back and exited through the back door to the warehouse. It was a warehouse that was shared between all stores in the area and there were plenty of open spaces if you moved around some shelves. They got to work and cleared a space that was four horses long and wide as Henkel needed it to draw the magic circle. The purpose of Inscription Summoning is to draw a magic circle to summon a creature with enhanced effects and even though it sounds as if it is better than ordinary it has it's flaws. While you can use Summoning without magic circles after having contracted the creature Inscription Summoning forces you to draw the circle every time. Depending on the mastery of the skill the magic circles vary in size and speed of creation and the summoning Henkel is trying out for the first time has requires additional preparations.
Henkel took out the brush he had bought at the engravers, an ordinary knife and a bowl. With these he walked towards Daniel with a less than happy look.
“I am afraid the difficult part comes now my child. Will you be so kind and give me your arm.”
“Hey what are you doing with the knife Sir Henkel?!”
“The ritual forces me to draw the recipients blood and use it as ink.”
While Adam rushed towards Daniel in order to protect him Henkel took one last look at Daniel and slashed with the knife along the wrist. Blood started flowing out but Daniel didn't step back, he had steeled himself to be prepared for anything as long as his voice returned.
While Daniel was looking at his wound he glanced at Henkel and saw that Adam had grabbed him by his collar and was yelling at him but Henkel didn't say anything and continued to hold the bowl under the wound. Daniel raised his other arm signalling Adam to stop and let Henkel continue. Adam then ripped off his sleeve and jumped to Daniel's side to stop the bleeding by tying it around his arm, when he had tied it hard enough the blood flow slowed and Henkel took out a second bowl to switch with the first one. He handed it over to Adam and went off to paint the spell onto the floor.
Many things went through Henkel's head after he had cut the young boy, he was most concerned how realistic the blood was. It looked as crimson as a rose and smelled of iron, it reminded Henkel of the accident his wife and him were in 23 years ago. Many memories were stirred up and he felt sick but thanks to Adam violently shaking him he woke up and got to work.
He dipped the brush in the fresh blood and the brush started glowing with a dim red colour as it reacted with the mana in the blood. Henkel carefully remembered what he was told and started drawing the surrounding circle.
“Always start with creating a boundary, that is your most important rule as if you forget it the mana will disperse as you inscribe it but with a circle the inscriptions will have no way to escape and all your hard work will be for nothing.”
The Summoner Instructor was very helpful after Henkel had agreed with her business proposal, she was one of those people that valued regulations over familiarity and as long as you went through the proper channels she showed you affection. It's not a bad trait in a woman but it does make it hard to understand them.
“Do not worry if you can't draw a perfect circle because ones you connect the lines you will have activated the first mechanism and a permanent perimeter will be erected. It's what comes next that is the tricky part. Depending on the magic circle you will have to spend some time writing a lot of words and complicated symbols but if you're lucky you might only have to make specific geometrical shapes though looking at it you will have a tough experience your first time.”
She was right. It certainly was rough. After spending half an hour he had only written the first line following the circle and there were two lines left with one final giant symbol that stretched and turned in unimaginable directions almost looking three-dimensional. Henkel was already using his second bowl of blood and it looked like he would need three or four more but there was a problem. A human could only lose an amount roughly the same as four bowls which means that Daniel would die before he could finish the summoning circle.
“I felt my ears burning and figured I was needed.”
“René! Glad you came friend, can you take care of Daniel and make sure he recovers some blood?”
“I can brew a certain medicinal tea that is good against blood loss but unfortunately I know no healing magic.”
“Please do that, I need to focus over here.”
As there were ways to use herbs in wounds to mend a cut there were ways to improve the internal functions of the body. René wasn't the owner of the Café with the most delicious tea, west of the Kingdom of Haven for nothing. With tea specially brewed for medicinal purpose he could rival a novice priest but it was just way too expensive as rare herbs were worth more than their weight in gold.
With René taking care of Daniel Henkel went back to drawing the second line, this time compromising a mix of east Asian symbols. He got confused by some characters as there were modifications to them that made no real sense which made it difficult to write.
As Henkel was nearing completion he was forced to slow down as Daniel had taken a turn for the worse and wasn't able to bleed more blood without putting him in a dangerous position. Adam pleaded with Henkel too stop for a while but Henkel remembered that letting a magic circle sit unfinished it could ruin all the work as the mana dissipated. He made up his mind and threw away the empty bowl and went directly to Daniel's side and stuck the brush in his wound. This made Adam grimace and then faint, Henkel made sure he was taken care of and both René and Adam monitored his heart rate and breathing.
Before putting the last line which connected a a symbol of a mountain that to person He signalled for Adam to bring Daniel and lay him down on the human shaped symbol. Henkel then drew the last line, stepped back and yelled.
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“I, Henkel summon thee Satori to link together with the person before you.”
[FLASH!]
A bright line shone from the circle and all the symbols began to dance on the floor. As they danced round and round the border shrunk and compressed everything drawn inside into the mountain symbol.
“Sir Henkel, look!”
“Incredible, I never dreamed I'd witness magic as peculiar as this in my quiet life.”
René was mesmerised and Adam pointed to the ground where the symbols assembled. The ground first sunk and then as if drawn up created a miniature mountain covered in light green moss. The lights faded and all they could do now was to wait for Daniel to wake up.
Henkel wasn't sure if it was a success yet and decided to check the personal window that popped up after the light had faded.
From Inscribing a magic circle of such size for the first time additional experience points are awarded.
Inscription Summoning has gained 5% + 6% experience
Summoning has gained 3% +4% experience.
+ 4 Concentration
Judging from the window message it was a successful summoning and Henkel breathed a sigh of relief.
***
Ru-Lan was meeting up with her friends for drinks and snacks again, they made sure to see each other at least once a day counting real time days. More often they met each other every time evening came in RR if they were free. They had found a great pub with delicious food and drinks, they all loved it because depending on their mood they could eat a wide variety of dishes. From Pastries and cakes to deep fries and stews but the best part was that they didn't need to look beautiful while gorging on the food. They had found an only-women pub where no one below legal drinking age was permitted and even the staff was all female.
From the outside it didn't look very big with only two floors but it was very long taking up the building space that was normally available for another house behind it. Buildings were normally placed in rows of two buildings with a fireroad in between. A fireroad is a space between combustible material to prevent the spread of fires and also gives easy access to fire-fighters. When they created city's in RR they didn't skimp on building techniques and safety as each building and segments inside large buildings had firewalls to further prevent the spread of fires. Maybe an unnecessary thing as there were plenty of magic that could put out fires and you could enchant buildings to become fireproof and other fantastical ideas.
The inside of the pub was divided into many small rooms and two big dining halls and the second floor housed an inn for tired guests. This evening there were 5 friends gathered eating sweet pastries and drinking cheap but good grape wine in a private room.
“Did you see the new nurse working under me?”
“She dresses better than you or what?”
“It's a HE!”
“No way!”
“Yes, and he's super cute...”
“I've been forgetting to hit the gym since I started playing RR.”
“You even went to the gym? I thought you only jogged.”
“I still jog though I'd rather call it running to work to save some money for the RR fees.”
“You got showers at your clinic?...”
“I've been chanting a lot in the church lately.”
“What good does that do?”
“I've raised my holy and light affinity and it sure beats listening to lectures from the abbot.”
“I wouldn't be able to do such boring things.”
“A least it's not dangerous as opposed to what you've been doing...”
The friends were celebrating one persons graduation from being stuck in the city but some were a bit irritated that she couldn't wait for them all to connect to RR at the same time. The real celebration would be held in a couple of days when they all could travel outside. Even though they were having a merry time the person in question had told them she still wouldn't be leaving town yet as she still hadn't gotten her class.
Yes, Ru-Lan was still class less even though she had been training hard to become a Warrior. It was the guildmaster that gave out classes and he was still not satisfied with her and his entertainment. Ru-Lan was in the process of learning one final skill that would increase her magic defence and once she learns it she would officially become a member of the Warrior's guild.
“Just a bit more...”
***
“Thank you Sir Henkel, you have my everlasting gratitude as a Knight. Oh my what I think actually comes out of this weird little thing on my shoulder. I'm so tired. A Knight must not show weariness. Hungry! Thank you mister René for the delicious tea. Though I don't want to drink any more for quite some time. My head hurts and so does my arm. Damn it Henkel. No I didn't mean to say that. I'd like to kick your a-nooo! Let it stop! Noo-...sob, sob...”
“Sir Henkel what is wrong with Daniel?”
“I think the little creature at his side is saying all his thoughts out loud. Adam would you be so kind and distract Daniel before he starts crying.”
When Daniel woke up and came to the small mound of rock and moss started creaking and shattered. From the rubble a small cute child no larger than Daniel's own hand that was made of stone and moss crawled out and up to Daniel's shoulder where it sat down and started talking in Daniel's own voice. It was a sight to behold as Daniel tried to cover his own mouth first then realising he hadn't even opened it then quickly trying to cover the creatures mouth. Though when he tried to touch it his hand went right through it as if it was a ghost.
Adam was trying to comfort Daniel but seeing as it didn't work he instead turned to Daniel's Knight side and began reciting the Knight's code. It helped as the little creature also recited the code.
“Good, good. You are going to have to focus whenever you think in the future as you wouldn't want someone to accidentally hear something incriminating.”
“But Henkel he can't keep reciting the Knight code all his waking hours. Isn't there something he could do?”
“No one told me anything René and I'm not all knowing, the child will have to live with it and make the best of what he has.”
“Then maybe I can brew him a calming tea to make him relax and empty his mind.”
“I'm glad you always have a tea for any situation René, hehehe-! I have it!”
“Tea is it?”
“No, it's empty his mind. I think I saw something that could help him on the television once, a documentary on monks I think. They would meditate in silence in the early mornings and if they slouched or fell asleep they would be hit with a stick. I think it helped them focus. I might try it.”
“I don't know what a te-le-vi-sion is but there is a temple in a valley on the other side of the Falling-stone bridge.”
“There's no time to go all the way there, let's try it out here. Now.”
Henkel made a mental note of there being a temple in a valley east of the city, he had heard of the bridge but he hadn't made any plans to cross it as the monsters there were too strong for a beginner.
Henkel proceeded to tell Adam and Daniel of the plan and grabbed a long, thin wooden board and made the two sit in front of each other on the floor. They were a bit uncomfortable but still followed Henkel's orders. Because Daniel had stopped reciting the Knight's code to listen to Henkel he again started blabbering about everything he was thinking.
“Adam you will ask Daniel questions until Daniel is able to stay on topic and not speak nonsense. Daniel you will answer Adam and if your thoughts stray I will DISCIPLINE you. Ready, start.”
“Ehm... Tell me the names and relation of every person in your household.”
“Me, mother, dad, brother, sist-”
[WHAM!]
“OUCH! Why. Pain. Are you insane? How dare y- Sorry, I will answer correctly. Don't hit me. There's me: Daniel Capio, my Mother -...those are all. Didn't know there were that many, it's like a party. When is the ball again? Mother told me to take-!”
[WHAM!]
“Focus Child! Go on Adam.”
So they continued until the sun travelled over the sky and was about to disappear beyond the horizon. Daniel's back and shoulders weren't a pretty sight to behold as they had swelled from repeated blows. All the while the three of them were in the back René was keeping himself busy in the Café denying he knew anything of Daniel and Adam's location and sometimes escaping to the back with a fresh pitcher of newly brewed tea.
Daniel had made huge leaps forward in controlling his thoughts and was able to hold conversations without straying off-topic. Though when he drank a cup of tea his emotions took the better of him and he couldn't stop mentioning how delicious the beverage tasted and Henkel smacked him again. René let Daniel and Adam sleep in his room while Henkel went back to the Summoner guild to report on the outcome of the summoning.
There he was informed of a quest he could complete as long as he made the summoning spell to summon Satori for sale in the Summoner guild shop. It was an interesting proposal that would give him 15% of the money for each sold copy of the skill book and a commission worth 10 silver. Henkel was curious to take the offer but remembered Sanova's words and thought if it became public knowledge it might be traced back to Sanova which was precisely what Sanova tried to avoid.