Elem crawled to his feet and took a moment to absorb his surroundings. The cave had a wide, rectangular shape and although it consisted of only one chamber, it was far bigger than he had expected. Most of the chamber's natural features were still intact but other than the impressive collection of speleothems, crystals and dripping stalagmites, it also featured a fair share of man-made adornments.

Statues dressed in yellow robes lined along the cave’s walls, seated in solemn lotus positions as if meditating. However, the majority of the effigies looked like they had seen better days; their fabrics were stained and riddled with holes while the material composing their bodies was flaky and had eroded to the point that it resembled charcoal.

Elem stepped deeper into the cave and, like a moth drawn to a flame, followed the blue glow. The light led him to a brightly glowing pool on the far end of the chamber. He groaned when he took a better look, realizing that the sacred fountain had to be nestled somewhere inside the pool. The idea of having to dive again seemed beyond terrible.

“Welcome to this holy place,” blurted a sudden voice.

Elem shook up as he noticed a man sitting on the other side of the pool. He’d been so enamored by the Essence rippling through the water that he hadn’t even noticed the person.

“Hello,” Elem answered carefully. “Are you a priest at this temple?”

“In a way, yes. I suppose you could say that.”

That was a most peculiar answer, Elem thought as he examined the man. Judging by the priest’s motionless lotus pose, he could have easily been confused for one of the statues. Rather than robes, the man wore only a set of undergarments, revealing his malnourished physique. The priest’s face was fully obscured by a black mask shaped like a poised octopus.

“I am here because I want to attempt opening one of my Essence Nodes. I would be extremely grateful if you’d allow me to do that here.”

“There is a process for such things. Are you aware of the dangers of connecting with a Summon? Are you prepared to face such dangers?”

Elem cocked his head down as a sign of respect.

“I am aware of the risks. I have connected to a Summon before. To my Kappa.”

The priest remained motionless. Incensed smoke rose from the small altar behind him.

Elem took a step closer and noticed an image of the Cthulhu, a powerful Divine Class Water Summon, carved into the same wall. The Summon was flanked by two serpentine beings that Elem recognized as the Leviathan and the Jörmundgandr.

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“If your words are true, we can begin….” the voice announced.

The pool water began to bubble like a heating pot of tea, and from it rose a vaguely humanoid figure.

“I am a Qalupalik, a Water Summon,” the being explained. “You have been conversing with me as I serve as a vessel for my master’s thoughts and actions while he is in his current state.”

The Qalupalik’s appearance partially reminded Elem of the shark he’d encountered earlier, although rather than predatory bloodlust, it carried an air of profound intelligence and mystique. The Summon’s skin was smooth and gray, its eyes were deep and black, and the teeth revealed by its rounded smile resembled that of a lamprey fish.

“His current state?” Elem asked, staring at the gaunt priest.

“My master is in the process of ascending to an elevated state of being,” the Qalupalik explained, its tone was dry and matter of factly. “He is embalming himself with Essence and if successful will become fully intertwined with the forces that govern our universe.”

Elem’s confused gaze prompted the Summon to explain further.

“It’s an ancient practice that only the most devoted clergymen are willing to attempt. By abiding to an ascetic lifestyle and by cultivating nearly all hours of the day, one can crystallize their Essence nodes and internal organs, preserving the body for long after the Summoner has passed away,” the Qalupalik gestured to the other side of the cave. “Throughout the centuries, many of this temple’s devotees have undergone this process although not many have prevailed.”

Elem glanced at the figures lining the cave’s walls. A chill ran down his spine when he realized they were not statues at all but the mummified corpses of summoners like him. The whole notion of freezing oneself with Essence sounded terrifying, especially doing so while still alive. He turned back around, once again facing the motionless priest and his Summon.

“These souls have all awakened to the true nature of reality. They have reached the highest form of cultivation one can achieve,” the Qalupalik continued. “However, this is not a concern for you at this time. Are you ready to commence your connection ritual?”

Elem nodded.

“I am ready.”

The Qalupalik nodded back. It lowered its hands into the water, forming a cup with its webbed fingers. The Water Summon then brought the glowing liquid to its mouth and began chanting in a strange and guttural manner as if invoking a spell.

“Here,” it said before pushing its hands towards Elem’s face. “You have to drink this. All of it.”

Elem followed the directions without hesitation. He knew better than to question a sacred process. As he drank the enchanted water, his gaze was drawn to that of the Qalupalik. The Summon’s stare was unnaturally intense; its eyes were pools of pure darkness like vortexes to another, forgotten realm.

“Now we can begin,” the Qulapalik continued but now its words sounded distorted and strange. “I wish you the best of luck.”

Elem noticed how the ground below its feet became soft and jiggly. He swayed from side to side, trying his utmost to maintain his balance, but his efforts were completely fruitless.

His body dropped forward like a rag doll. Or was it backwards?

Was he even falling at all?

Elem wasn’t sure.

He wasn’t sure of anything anymore…