A low [Agility] attribute didn’t stop Ethan from throwing sticks at the fruit. What had dropped on the ground was mostly rotten, or picked clean by animals. A red, pear-like fruit dropped to the ground and the Caller hooted with excitement. It was such a minor accomplishment, but he felt it was worth celebrating. While he hadn’t seen predators, that didn’t mean there were none. A few more clumsy sticks into the tree and he had an armful of the fruit.
It was time to retreat to the temple.
After returning, Ethan had the idea to turn his apron into a satchel. It wouldn’t be perfect. Just good enough to get the job done until he found something better. When he sat on the stone floor, cradling the bounty in his arms, he jumped when a new screen popped up.
[Lucantele Pear]
[Food]
Rare
Description:
A pear that only grows near sites of power belonging to Lucantele.
“Wow, Squirrel even has a pear named after him,” Ethan said, chuckling to himself. “Good for him.”
Taking a bite of the fruit, Ethan felt the juices flow down his chin. The flavor was like the sweetest pear he’d ever tasted. It seemed like more juice than fruit, but after chewing his way through one, he realized how filling they were. He had eaten nothing since before his shift. Normally that warranted a stop to whatever fast-food chain was closest. Something greasy that made sleep come harder, and his breath drew with more labor by the day.
Ethan thought of this as more of a treat than a sudden migration to a new world. If he had no choice but to better himself, then he’d do it. The quest [Kill Something!] lingered in his mind, though. Like a specter stalking his steps, he’d have to turn around and face that. Pausing before tackling a problem was important, though. He’d already learned a great deal. His [Mana Regen] of 9 meant that for every 5 seconds, he’d gain 9 mana back. Easy enough to understand. When the Symbol of Luca was out, he was losing about 1 mana every second.
“So, he costs 14 mana every 5 seconds to maintain.” Ethan rolled the pear’s pit in his hand. Studying the lines that traced along the surface. It was almost as if they meant something. A hidden message in the pear.
The forest outside the temple was alive. Ethan stood near one entrance and listened for a long while. Things moved in the underbrush. Strange birds flew overhead, too distant to make out. And the smell of smoke was in the air. There was a fire near enough to carry on the wind. People, perhaps. Maybe something more sinister. The quest’s text to kill “something” was ominous. A recognition that there might be an “other” out there.
The Caller hoped that whatever power Lucantele had here was absolute.
Ethan’s mana had fully restored during the pear harvesting. He moved back to the inner-sanctum and practiced his new ability. He channeled the [Summon Lucantele] spell until the glowing silver creature appeared through the circle of light.
“Time for some baseline testing,” Ethan said.
Without a deep understanding of this ability, using it to kill something would be useless. Ethan experimented by saying orders to the Symbol of Luca. Then he moved to thought, which seemed to work. Finally, he moved on to understanding the [Claw] ability. That ability appeared in the status screen for his summons, so it was an ability that belonged to the Symbol.
“[Claw] that stone,” Ethan said, gesturing vaguely.
Luca coiled on the spot, glowing red for only a moment. Then the squirrel jumped through the air, slashed at a stone, and fell back. Three gouges were left in the block, deep enough to do some damage to a living being.
“Perfect,” Ethan said. “[Claw] it again.”
A message jumped into his sight, this time appearing in the bottom center of his vision.
[Claw] is on cooldown!
Unable to use this ability for 4 minutes 45 seconds.
“Fair enough,” Ethan said, noting that the ability also used some of his mana. 10 mana, to be exact, but it was still some mana.
Dismissing the Symbol, Ethan sat on the ground and dug through his interfaces. He found the section that described summon abilities, and read the entry for [Claw].
[Claw]
Summon Ability
Mana Cost
Extremely Low
Cooldown
5 minutes
Description:
Order Lucantele to attack the target with a vicious claw attack. Chance to inflict [Stunned].
The mana cost was indeed extremely low. Why the system saw fit to obfuscate the exact number was beyond him. Five minutes, and he could spend another 10 mana to have his little squirrel do a [Claw] attack. More than just the single attack, Luca could follow basic commands. Attacking, retreating, covering Ethan were all within his abilities. While the creature he summoned was just a fragment of the real Lucantele’s power, it was easier to think of them as the same thing. The Caller even talked to the summon like it had a will.
It was nearing dusk by the time Ethan had any confidence to go outside and fight monsters. When he stuck his head out of the exit, spotting the streaks of orange in the sky, he went back inside. If there was danger in that forest, it would be made more perilous by darkness. He instead remained within the temple, exploring the interior.
In the main hall, on the first floor, there was a stairway blocked by a fallen column. Ethan began with no desire to explore, but boredom got the better of him. As he squeezed through the gap, narrowly making it through, the temple was flooded with sudden light. Silver light poured from braziers on the wall, something the Caller had thought to be inactive. Waiting for something to happen, he watched as the flickering lights stabilized before moving forward.
“Hey now, did you turn those on for me? Or is it just getting dark?”
Luca didn’t materialize to answer the question. The second floor of the complex was notable for its confusing hallways. What sections weren’t blocked by collapsed pillars held rooms. Bedrooms, if the rotten debris on the ground could be trusted. Threadbare sheets and the wooden splinters of beds were strewn about the floor. Whoever had worshiped Lucantele in the past hadn’t done so in years. Despite the lack of beds, the rooms would still do for the night. Ethan marked the one in his mind that seemed the most stable before returning to the bottom floor.
Ethan was happy to have binge-watched survival shows. He followed what he remembered, making a bed of foliage to pad his body against the hard stone floor. He found several species of plants and rubbed their leaves on himself. Four of the most common plants in the area, one on each arm and both his legs. It paid to be careful about these things. He recalled a camping incident involving poison oak. The sun was done by the time he had any reaction. Only one plant drew small, angry welts on his skin. The Caller moved between the first and second floor with armfuls of leaves, stuffing his makeshift bag with his new bedding.
Under the light of the temple’s magical sconces, Ethan found himself alone in that room. For the first time, the weight of his situation settled in. Even Lucantele’s comforting power couldn’t banish that fear away. Someone found his body, reported it to the police… There might be a funeral, if his parents were informed. Of course they’d be informed, he didn’t have anyone else. He imagined his funeral. How many people would come, and what they’d say.
Ethan couldn’t shake the thought away. He rested on a pile of leaves in his chosen room. His chosen room. The Caller reminded himself what the squirrel spirit had said. He might not understand it, but he chose this world. Whatever it contained was better than what he had. Whatever survival meant in this place was worth it. If only to keep that dream alive. To do his best.
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Sleep didn’t come easily. The occasional sounds of the shifting temple woke him each time. Each shift of the stone robbed him of rest, spiking his adrenaline and pulling him back to wakefulness. Instead of despairing, Ethan practiced. When he failed to find sleep, he returned to the first floor to work with the [Summon Lucantele] spell. He drained his mana, feeling the bond between himself and the Great Spirit growing. Once his mana hit 0, he retreated upstairs and tried to sleep again.
On the tenth attempt, he finally felt exhausted enough. Soaking with sweat and out of mana again, Ethan settled down on his mat of leaves. This time, they felt more comfortable than before. The lights seemed to dim around him as weariness overtook him. When the darkness of sleep took him, he didn’t notice it. The warm embrace of the humid air surrounded him like a blanket, that stifling heat not enough to draw him back to waking. The temple shifted, and he slept through it.
Morning came with a stiff back and groggy groans. Exhaustion was the only thing that brought sleep. But now Ethan wondered if sleeping in the dirt would have been better. The stone made a horrible bed. His leaf pile barely created padding, acting as a weak buffer against the firmness of rock. The pears provided both sustenance and hydration, although the Caller’s mouth still felt dry. A crude attempt to squeeze the juice from the fruit left the floor sticky. Feeling no more hydrated, he crept from his room to check the temple.
While the smell of fire still lingered in the air, there were no signs of a late-night intrusion. Luca winked into existence without warning, bounding over from the far side of the temple. The Great Spirit seemed excited about something, bouncing on the spot before speaking.
“You’re still alive,” he said. “Better than the others.”
“Alright,” Ethan said. “Didn’t need to hear that.”
“Smart enough to stay indoors the first night. Dedicated enough to practice during the night,” Luca said, still bouncing with excitement. “I expect great things from you. Check your bond with my Symbol.”
Ethan opened his interface, finding the section about all his summons. All his one summons. The “Bond Level” had gone up to 2, although he didn’t know what that meant. “Could you explain how the bond works?”
“As you develop your bond with me, the power of my Symbol will grow. You’ll gain access to more powerful abilities as you rank it up,” Luca said. “Now, the monsters around my temple are low-level. A function of my power. You should slay one to advance your quest line.”
“Right. The quest said I get a weapon,” Ethan said. “Am I going to need a weapon? Is that a good thing?”
“A great thing,” Luca said. “I looked into your mind, and you’re right. This is like a video game from your world. Advancement comes from things like killing monsters, supporting allies, and so on.”
“Don’t disappear,” Ethan said, holding his hands out. When he tried to grab the Great Spirit, his hands simply passed through. “Are there other people here? In the forest?”
Luca blinked a few times. His eyes flashed blue, then returned to their normal silver hue. “Yes. But there are also orcs. Down from the mountains.”
“Orcs. Gotcha,” Ethan said.
“Avoid the orcs if you can,” Luca said. “Don’t worry about getting my Symbol killed. If it dies, you can summon it again immediately. Never fear using it as fodder.”
But that thought struck Ethan as wrong. Even if it was just a weird copy of the Great Spirit, it seemed rude. But, the magic squirrel hadn’t steered him wrong yet. If watching his Symbol get torn apart didn’t bother Luca, it wouldn’t bother Ethan.
“Any tips?” Ethan asked.
“Yes. Avoid engaging more than one enemy before you get the hang of it,” Luca said. “Your biggest weakness is bringing my Symbol out as you’re traveling. Being attacked can interrupt your summoning spell.”
“Point me in a direction. Give me some innocent forest animal to murder,” Ethan said.
“Stay north until you’re confident,” Luca said. “Once you have at least a single level under your belt, head east. You’ll find others that way.”
Luca didn’t wait for Ethan to respond this time. The Great Spirit vanished before the Caller could get another word in. But the words reverberated in his mind. He’d played a few games back on earth, although he wasn’t crazy about them. Old RPGs on dusty consoles at his friend’s house. He remembered them going into some forest and killing monsters for hours on end. ‘Grinding Experience’, as the boy put it. Experience meant levels, and levels meant power. Easy enough to understand.
The grove of pear trees was devoid of monsters. When Ethan exited the temple, he was greeted with the same pleasant sight as before. Broad-leafed, stout trees that bore red fruit on their branches. Those that he’d failed to collect had fresh marks on them, as though something were eating last night. The forest north of the grove was a dense thicket of broad-leafed bushes and vines that snaked their way up broader trees. They looked much like oak trees back on Earth, distinguished only by the variation in their bark. Instead of random patterns, the bark layer had formed into diamond-shaped sections with wide gaps between.
While the flora was interesting, Ethan pressed on through the brush until he spotted something in the distance. He spotted a tawny creature, mottled with black spots, rooting around in the ground. The Caller narrowed his eyes, desperate to get a better look at the creature when a system message popped up.
[Dig Deer]
Monster
Rank 0
Level 1
Description:
While these creatures have many names, they’re commonly known as Dig Deer. Notable for their shovel-like protuberances, these deer etch out warrens in the earth for protection.
When confronted, they can be incredibly territorial.
Like the pear he’d inspected, Ethan had unwittingly inspected a monster. It looked much like a young whitetail doe, only with black spots instead of white ones. While it was roughly the size of a fawn, it seemed fully developed. The most notable difference between Earth deer and the [Dig Deer] was the set of antlers that grew from under its head. Running along the jawline was a set of antlers that seemed suitable for only one thing. Digging.
The system message said the thing was a monster, so Ethan would not approach the problem lightly. He stood in the bushes, channeling his spell until the Symbol of Luca burst from a silver circle. A rough plan formed in his head as he hoisted a nearby stick. He kept in mind what the Great Spirit said. The summon was simply a reflection of the spirit.
With a mental command, Ethan sent Luca in for the attack.
The [Dig Deer] let out a bellowing cry. Something between the grunt of a real whitetail deer and a bugle from an elk. It lowered its head, trying to scoop and throw the squirrel, but Luca was too agile. Dancing over the creature’s back, the Symbol dug in with its teeth.
Ethan burst from the underbrush, holding the stick above his head. Sending a mental command to Luca to use the [Claw] attack, he swung the heavy stick in a downward arc. It cracked over the [Dig Deer’s] head with a snap, falling to either side harmlessly. The deer let out a labored cry as the [Claw] dug into its side. The caller stumbled back, one half of his broken stick in hand.
Then he watched, issuing mental commands to his summoned creature. A health bar appeared just above his when Luca took a hit. The deer bucked on the spot, spinning and connecting into the squirrel’s side. While it sent him flying, Luca was still in fighting shape. Something Ethan noted, as the animals battled to the death, the lack of blood. The wound wept, but not as much as they should have. The battle ended when the Caller cracked the deer over the head again, sending it tumbling lifelessly to the ground.
A system message appeared.
[Ethan Stout] has defeated the [Dig Deer]!
[Ethan Stout’s] [Caller’s Core] gained 25% experience.
[Lucantele] gained 15% bond experience.
Ethan felt something swell within his chest. The Symbol of Luca made an excited chirping sound, but offered no insight. Then, the [Kill Something!] quest flashed, showing his reward. Something clattered nearby, falling to the ground with a chiming sound. The Caller dismissed the interface, only to get another one.
[Reach Oudsted]
Quest
Description:
Find your way to the town of Oudsted, situated at the source of the Oudsted river.
Objectives:
Reach the town of Oudsted.
Reward:
Rank 0 [Caller] specific equipment.
Ethan was conflicted about that one. His plan was to stay near the temple for a while and grind experience. He supposed it didn’t matter, as there was no time limit on the quest. He dismissed the screen and found his reward resting on the ground. Unsummoning Luca, he scooped it up and made his way back to the temple to inspect it.
The item was a staff, roughly the height of Ethan. The haft was made of finely-crafted wood, etched with the images of various creatures. He spotted Lucantele in the carvings, and studied the butt-end of the thing. It was capped with a flat piece of brass, matching the head of the staff. But the most interesting thing was at the top of the staff. The brass ornamental head created a circle, from the center of which hung a bell. When he held it, shaking the staff in his hands, the bell made no noise. Only reading the item description revealed the purpose.
[Caller’s Staff]
[Staff]
Rank 0
Rare
Description:
A caller’s staff is specific to their class. Topped with a summoning bell, these staves are used to encourage the Symbols of Great Spirits.
Effect:
Allows half mana regen within combat.
With intent, shake to invoke the [Spur] ability once per hour.
During the pitched fight against the weird deer, Ethan hadn’t even noticed the rate that his mana regenerated. That meant he could keep Luca out longer in combat, and the [Spur] ability was interesting. When he focused on that ability, he found that he could inspect it.
[Spur]
Equipment Ability
Rare
Cooldown:
1 hour
Description:
Spur your summon to fight harder.
For 10 seconds, your summon’s attributes are enhanced.
Effects:
Your summon fights harder for 10 seconds.
It was impossible not to test how the ability worked. Ethan’s mana was high enough to keep the little guy out for a bit, so he channeled his [Summon Lucantele] spell. The Symbol of the Great Spirit jumped from the silver circle, chittering happily. The Caller shook his staff without intent, nodding with approval as the bell refused to move. Then he shook it with intent, and the bell rang.
Luca grew to twice his normal size, snarling on the spot. Ethan just watched as the critter looked around for something to maim. But ten seconds passed, and the creature returned to his normal size.
“Well, now it’s time to grind some serious experience,” Ethan said with a chuckle.