As I returned to the grove, the familiar surroundings of ancient trees and vibrant flowers greeted me, but my mind was focused elsewhere. I found myself standing by the heart of the grove, its pulsating energy radiating warmth. For a moment, I simply stared at it, letting the calmness wash over me. The grove was safe now, but I knew that wouldn’t last forever. The shadow blades were still out there, and my artifacts were still missing. I couldn’t let that go. I needed to be ready, and I needed to take back what's rightfully mine, leaving such powerful artifacts in the hands of such cult was not the wisest option, and each moment I spend contemplating it is a moment they spend trying to learn how to use my artifacts.
With that thought, I turned my attention to the system interface. The grove’s new management system had revealed itself, and it was time to put it to use. I wasn’t going to fight alone anymore. Despite having Kaelen, Liora and Aldric, the four of us were depleted after the escapade, and none of us had their artifacts with them so we were at a great disadvantage, what we needed right now was not greater strength, because we are already quite strong, we needed numbers, large numbers, an army.
The interface materialized before me, displaying various options for summoning creatures. Each summon had a description, along with the amount of Karma required. I scrolled through the options, carefully considering my choices.
Tier Description Karma Cost Tier 1 Basic spirits and creatures, useful for reconnaissance and minor tasks. 5,000 Karma Tier 2 Intermediate summons with a mix of offensive and defensive abilities, ideal for patrolling the grove. 15,000 Karma Tier 3 Advanced creatures, capable of both significant offense and powerful defense. 35,000 Karma Tier 4 Elite summons, rare and potent beings with specialized abilities, perfect for high-stakes combat. 75,000 Karma Tier 5 Legendary entities, the most powerful beings with unique, game-changing abilities. 150,000 Karma
I knew I had to be strategic about this. Each tier had its own potential, but the higher the tier, the more unpredictable—and powerful—the summon. I decided to start with a mix of tiers, balancing between quantity and strength, after all a swarm of flies is just flies, and a powerful hippo could be swarmed by a bunch of seagulls, so I can't have tons of low quality summons or just one powerful summon.
I selected Tier 2 first, spending 15,000 Karma. The system whirred for a moment before presenting a single glowing orb, which began to take shape.
A pack of spectral wolves materialized before me, their forms flickering in and out of sight as they padded silently around. They would be excellent for patrolling the grove, their keen senses would most certainly be able to detect any intruders long before they could pose a threat.
I gave them the order to start patrolling and getting familiar with the grove. They were also spirits after all not just normal wolves, so they shouldn't need any babysitting for the time being, I assume spirits summoned by the system come with pre-written instructions, so I don't think they need much of a training like you'd train a wolf pup for example.
Next, I moved on to Tier 3, spending 35,000 Karma. This was where things started to get serious. The system again processed the request, and this time, a larger orb of light appeared. The ground shook as the towering treant emerged, its bark-like skin creaking with blue and green pulsating veins that ran across its entire body. This was the muscle I needed—with this treant and my treant we would have a very formidable frontline, if we manage to let them tank the initial clash for us, not only can they forcefully create gaps within enemy lines, but divert attention from the agile and rather flexible wolves to maneuver around the battlefield picking enemies here and there.
I was starting to remember the good old days where I used to sit on my computer for hours playing various tactical games before I got into painting. And they say gaming was never useful.
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Feeling confident, I decided to take a risk and selected Tier 4. This would be expensive, but the payoff could be immense, I only had around 300,000 Karma left, and I needed to preserve some for upgrading the grove itself, but a small band of summons from each tier - except tier 1 of course - could be very useful in the mission to take back my Artifacts. I committed 75,000 Karma and watched as the system generated another orb, this one pulsing with a fierce energy that almost threw me off my feet.
A serpentine dragon, shimmering with elemental energy, uncoiled itself before me. Its presence was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The Mystic Wyrm was a formidable summon, capable of unleashing devastating elemental attacks. With this creature, I knew I could turn the tide in any battle, It's skin was tough enough to resist most arrows, and it had great elemental resistance.
Satisfied with my current lineup but eager to see what else I could muster, I decided to take one final leap and selected Tier 5. The cost was steep—150,000 Karma—but the potential reward was worth it. The system took its time, the anticipation building as the largest orb yet appeared before me.
The grove shook slightly as I poured a large amount of Karma into the summon. The energy was overwhelming, almost blinding. When it cleared, a massive figure stood before me—an eight-foot-tall creature made of stone and moss, with glowing runes etched into its body. It looked like a walking statue, ancient and powerful, with eyes that burned like embers.
I was about to move closer to inspect it when I noticed something in the interface—an option to view details of each summon. Curious, I selected the massive figure before me.
Grove Guardian
Role: Defender of the Heart
Abilities: Earthquake Stomp, Regeneration, Grove Shield
Description: The Grove Guardian is a rare and ancient protector bound to the heart of the grove. It is said to be the embodiment of the grove's resilience, possessing immense strength and the ability to regenerate from almost any injury. Its primary duty is to shield the heart of the grove from any threat, using both physical might and protective magic.
I blinked at the description. I hadn’t expected this. The Grove Guardian wasn’t just any summon; it was a being with a specific role, tied directly to the grove's core. The system didn’t just randomly generate this one—it had a purpose, and it made me feel relieved taking every single other summon on my mission now, knowing that this massive thing was guarding the heart.
The ground was still trembling slightly from the summoning, and the air buzzed with energy as the newly summoned creatures stood before me. I felt a mixture of awe and responsibility as I looked at them—the towering Treant, the sleek and powerful Wyvern, the pack of wolves with their glowing eyes, and the massive Grove Guardian, a figure of pure, ancient strength.
Before I could fully process what I had just done, I heard the rustling of leaves and hurried footsteps. I turned to see Liora, Kaelen, and Aldric rushing through the trees. Their eyes widened as they took in the scene, and they came to a sudden halt, clearly shocked by the sight before them.
Liora’s voice broke the silence, her tone a mix of awe and concern. “Ethan… what have you done?”
I looked from the summons to her, trying to gather my thoughts. “I… I used the system to summon them. It lets me spend Karma to bring forth different spirits or creatures. I figured if we’re going to protect the grove and take revenge, we needed an army”
Kaelen’s eyes were fixed on the Grove Guardian. “That… that’s not just any summon, Ethan. That’s a Grove Guardian. I haven’t seen one since… well, since long before your time.”
Aldric stepped closer, his gaze lingering on the Treant and Wyvern. “These are powerful beings. The Grove Guardian especially—it’s ancient, a protector of the deepest parts of the grove. It’s like you’ve awakened a piece of the grove’s very soul.”
I nodded slowly, still absorbing the weight of what I had done. “The system called it a ‘Defender of the Heart.’ I’m guessing it’s here to protect the grove’s core not really listen to us, but that still means it's an ally.”
Liora took a step forward, her eyes scanning the summoned creatures with a mix of caution and curiosity. “These summons are more than just soldiers. They’re connected to the grove in ways that go beyond the physical. The Grove Guardian, the Treant… even the Wyvern and the wolves. They’re a part of this place now, just like we are.”
Kaelen let out a low whistle, clearly impressed. “Wooh boy! looks like things will be way better than well, my last life I guess”
I glanced back at the Grove Guardian, feeling a strange connection to the massive figure. “I’m just doing what I can. But this is only the beginning. We still have a lot of work to do if we’re going to protect the grove and reclaim what was taken from us.”
"Alright then" I said with a determined look, "It looks like it's time for revenge"