371 days until the Arkon Shield falls

Minister Lacum,

I have much to report. My team successfully completed our assignment, yet we did not do so alone. We had outside help and made some remarkable discoveries in the process. We’ve run across a most fascinating player, one named Jamie Sinclair.

Yes, he is the very same one Orgtul hunts. Let me tell you about him...

—Jain.

Shortly thereafter, the first of the two hostile elementals died.

The second was not long for living either. Its flaming form, reduced to cinders, swayed unsteadily within the circle the party had formed around it. Stepping forward, Lance and Tara raised their weapons to finish the creature.

Tired thoughts pulsed feebly through my spirit bond with Ash.

Hunger.

Desire.

Need.

The familiar was entreating me to stop the others. “Wait!” I yelled.

Mid-motion, Lance and Tara halted their blows and retreated from the fire elemental.

“What’s going on?” Tara asked, her brows furrowed.

“Ash requires it,” I replied. I wasn’t sure why this was the case, but nothing I sensed about my familiar’s desire felt unnatural. Her craving for the dying creature seemed like a deep-rooted instinct, one so primal it had overcome her entirely. Denying her would irreparably damage our bond and her trust in me. Worse yet, it felt wrong.

“Let her go,” I said to Giselle, who was holding the elemental seed clenched in her fist.

“You’re sure?” she asked.

I nodded.

Giselle released the familiar, and she floated weakly towards her prey. Reaching the creature, Ash flared, engulfing herself and the other elemental in flames.

Ash is attempting to assimilate a level 58 fire elemental.

I exhaled in relief as I received only a single Trials alert. The other elemental, it seemed, was too far gone to reciprocate Ash’s attempt.

“What’s she doing?” Lance asked in a low voice as the others gathered beside me.

“Eating it, I think.”

He stared at me. “Eating—?”

When I didn’t say anything further, Lance turned a fascinated gaze on Ash and her prey. Watching in silence, the party waited for the familiar to finish what she was about.

A few minutes later, the last remnants of the dying creature vanished, and more Trials messages scrolled through my mind.

Ash has successfully assimilated the essence of a level 58 fire elemental. Your familiar has grown!

Ash has gained in experience and is now a level 9 elemental seed. Ash’s constitution and spellpower have increased to level 5.

Warning: Your familiar cannot progress to rank 2. She has reached her growth cap and is limited by the size of her crystal housing. Current housing size: sliver.

You have gained in experience and are now a level 69 Trainee.

Ignoring the Trials messages, I kept my eyes trained on my familiar. Ash, reinvigorated and shining as brightly as a miniature sun, descended on the consumed elemental’s crystal. Landing on it, the smaller sliver merged with the larger fragment.

My mouth dropped open in astonishment as I watched Ash’s crystal housing grow. More Trials alerts opened in my mind, and this time I gave them my full attention.

Ash has consumed an empty fire crystal, fusing it to her own physical shell. The housing sheltering your familiar has evolved to a fragment.

Congratulations, Jamie Sinclair, your familiar has met all prerequisites to advance in rank. To progress to rank 2, your pet must visit a dragon temple to undergo further metamorphosis. During the process, she will be transformed, gaining additional Techniques and Traits.

Warning: Until your familiar completes her rank 2 metamorphosis, she cannot advance further in level.

Your familiar is the first human pet to have achieved the requirements of rank 2. For this achievement, you have been awarded: lore.

Lore note: elementals are amongst the strangest of all lifeforms. Unlike most other creatures, elementals grow by absorbing the raw essence of their own kind, gaining sentience with each spirit consumed.

The spirit of an elemental differs radically from that of other creatures too. They are malleable to an astonishing degree, even unto allowing spells to be written in their spirit weaves. It was the discovery of this unique characteristic of elementals that gave birth to the art of enchanting.

I blinked several times as I absorbed the Trials’ information. I was relieved that I’d done the right thing by letting Ash have her way, but I was also disappointed that the little fire spirit couldn’t evolve further just yet. I will have to get her to a temple soon.

Sensing Ash hovering before me, I held out my hand for her to alight on. She was sated and beamed with happiness.

“Well, don’t keep us in the dark,” John said, nudging me. “What happened?”

I explained, causing relieved grins to break out all around. After accepting the group’s congratulations on Ash’s behalf, I turned to the warren captain. “Thank you, Giselle,” I said gravely. “That was quick thinking there. You and Bunny saved Ash.”

“It was nothing,” she said, ducking her head.

I smiled. “Regardless, I promise I will never make fun of Bunny’s name again.”

“Wait! What?” Giselle glared at me. “You mocked Bunny?”

“Uh…” I said, momentarily at a loss for words.

Giselle kept her face straight for an admirably long time. Then, unable to maintain her expression any longer, she doubled over, clutching her sides. “Your face,” she gasped. “You should see it!”

The captain’s amusement was infectious, and we all broke down in laughter. It felt good to laugh and, with each passing second, I felt the tension in me dissipate.

I was fortunate, indeed, to have such good friends.

✽✽✽

After we recovered from our mirth, I picked up the remaining fire elemental fragment. Ash showed no interest in it—probably because the spirit within was dormant.

“Time to move on,” I called to the others.

At their nods, I stepped up to the gilded door leading from the kitchen into the throne room. “All right, we’ve only the guardian prime to face now.” I swept the party with my gaze. “Don’t underestimate it. The creature is quick and well-armored. If it gets its tentacles into you, I’m not sure there’ll be much of your mind left to heal after that. Understood, everyone?”

Giselle shuddered. As affable as ever, John simply smiled, while Lance gave me an eager grin, some of his old gamer’s excitement shining through. Only Tara remained expressionless.

I turned back to the door. Setting the ward key into the lock, I twisted it all the way. Reacting to the key’s presence, the spell about the door vanished too.

Door ward deactivated.

Readying myself, I cast sanctum of fire, weaving my magic into a shimmering amber dome that was invisible to the naked eye.

“Now that’s one helluva spell,” Lance whispered in awe as he studied the luminous construct in his magesight.

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I smiled in acknowledgment. “You ready?”

The blond mage gestured to the staff he held lowered to the floor. “Whenever you give the signal,” he confirmed.

I nodded and checked on the others. Bunny was right behind me, poised to block the entrance with her bulk. Giselle and John flanked the door on the right, while Tara had joined Lance on the left.

“Here goes,” I whispered. Moving stealthily, I slipped through the door and into the alcove beyond. Like the first time I entered this way, no detection ward triggered, leaving me to suspect it was only the main doors that were so warded. I hadn’t cast guarding flames because my goal was to remain unseen. The added protection would’ve been welcome, but it was more critical for me to catch our foe unaware.

I crept up the end of the alcove and peeked around the edge. Keeping my movements slow and deliberate, I scanned the throne room. The chamber was little changed from when I’d last been here.

Except, this time, the broodworm was closer.

Your skill in sneaking has advanced to level 10 and reached rank 2, Trainee.

Ignoring the Trials message, I focused on the creature. It was less than twenty yards away on the polished marble floor. This guardian prime had not bothered to conceal itself and lay in a serpentine coil, its four tentacles moving lazily through the air. Reaching out with my will, I cast analyze.

The target is a level 124 armored broodworm and the designated guardian prime of the Primal Keep. It is gifted in Magic, has mediocre Might, exceptional Resilience, and no Craft. Additional information revealed by anatomy: this is a creature champion.

The guardian prime was marginally stronger than its predecessor but less capable in magic. This should go easier.

I hope.

Lowering the unshod tip of my staff to the floor, I cast wilting waze in the immediate area before me. Then I summoned more magic into my mind and readied seeking flame. I didn’t manifest the spell, though. Before I did that, I needed a distraction. Willing Ash out of my pocket, I sent her aloft.

The broodworm didn’t react even though my familiar’s glowing shape was visible in the darkness. Was the creature sleeping?

All the better.

I didn’t intend on using Ash in direct combat. The risk against such a high-leveled foe was too great. In this encounter, I planned on using her as a decoy only. Commanding my familiar to soar as high as she could—nearly touching the arched ceiling—I had her fly to the hall’s far end.

When she was in position, I willed her to flare.

Flames boiled out of the crystal, bathing the hall in light, and the broodworm uncoiled with startling quickness, its tentacles jerking taut to point in the familiar’s direction.

I waited.

Keeping my breathing slow and shallow, I watched through narrowed eyes as the broodworm flowed across the ground towards Ash. When the creature was midway to her—and what I judged to be far enough away from me—I cast seeking flame. An orb of roiling dragonfire formed in my hand.

Picturing one of the broodworm’s four tentacles in my mind, I sent the seeking flame surging towards it. The orb raced gleefully to do my bidding and, not waiting on the outcome, I began recasting.

The fiery orb screamed through the air, homing in on its target. The broodworm sensed the attack and spun about. Fluttering its tentacles about, the creature tried to evade the attack.

It failed.

The ball of dragonfire unerringly tracked its prey’s wriggling motions and struck dead center. Flames splashed into tender and unprotected flesh and, in an instant, the tentacle burned to nothingness. The broodworm shrieked and propelled itself towards me.

I flung my next seeking flame.

Ignoring the second projectile, the guardian prime hissed in fury and set the tips of its tentacles glowing as it gathered coercive energy for a spelled assault.

The worm was ten yards away when my attack landed and turned a second tentacle into ash. The broodworm screeched at the loss but didn’t relent in its advance or retract the purple tendrils reaching towards me. Backstepping myself, I threw a third seeking flame.

Violet strands and miniature fireball landed simultaneously.

The broodworm’s casting darted towards me and was rebuffed, unable to penetrate sanctum’s golden shield. My own attack, though, found its target unopposed.

A third tentacle vanished.

The seething hate in my foe’s eyes was palpable. I’d hurt it. And it wanted my blood. Widening its purple eyes, the creature tried to pin me with its gaze. I ducked my head, avoiding locking eyes with it, and released my last seeking flame.

The broodworm had nearly reached me, and I could almost taste its anticipation. But the creature hadn’t reckoned with my final ploy and crashed blithely through the spell trap I’d woven.

Wilting waze triggered, and weakening tendrils of energy coursed upwards. The guardian prime slowed to a crawl and was left nearly motionless as my last flaming orb ate at it.

The fourth tentacle withered away.

I smiled in satisfaction. My task completed, I slipped back into the kitchen.

✽✽✽

“Now,” I ordered Lance as I crossed through the doorway. A heartbeat later, sinking mud expanded from the tip of the blond mage’s staff and into the throne room.

Bunny moved forward, crowding me out of the way. Stepping to the side, I cast my own instance of sinking mud, then flung up my head and met Tara’s gaze.

“Go,” she ordered, reading the question in my eyes. “We got this.”

Not arguing, I limped through the kitchen and back into the central passage. While I hurried into position, I cast taloned hands.

Panting from my short stint of exertion, I drew to a halt in front of the gilded double doors and readied myself for what was to come. Right about now, the others were probably holding the broodworm at bay at the throne room’s kitchen entrance. While they did that, I planned to attack from the rear. With the guardian distracted, it should not sense me until too late.

Taking a deep breath, I twisted the ward key into the lock and dashed back into the throne room, my gaze locking onto the wriggling form of the guardian prime stuck in the kitchen doorway.

Perfect, I thought and dropped my staff to the ground. I wouldn’t need it for what came next. Drawing closer, I channeled mana and lifeblood again and dragon leaped.

I sailed through the air, aiming for the back of my foe’s lowered head. The creature was entangled in Bunny’s spiderwebs and failed to spot me. I landed heavily and the broodworm stilled beneath me. But before it could think to throw me off, I slashed downwards, wedging my taloned hands deep into a gap between two of the guardian’s armored segments.

Then I cast freezing sphere.

Cold rippled outwards, slowing me and the creature beneath me. The others, though, were outside the spell’s sphere of influence and continued to attack at full speed.

I smiled. Beset from multiple sides, without its tentacles, and slowed twice over by mud and ice, the broodworm was effectively disabled. In slow motion, I began hacking downwards.

It was only a matter of time now before the creature perished.

✽✽✽

We slew the broodworm quicker than Regna and I had killed the first one. When the last breath escaped the creature, I dispelled taloned hands and slid off it.

You have gained in experience and are now a level 71 Trainee. Your skill in unarmed combat has advanced to level 8.

Your party has completed the Primal Keep and is the only the second to have vanquished this dungeon. Reattempt this dungeon to advance further as a player.

I grinned at the Trials messages. I’d not bargained on growing in level, much less advancing two.

“God, this thing is gross,” Giselle remarked as she squeezed through the doorway the dead creature still occupied to enter the throne room.

I gave her a wry look. “You do know your pet is a giant hairy spider?”

“Worms and spiders are nothing alike,” she said lightly.

Before I could respond to that, the others joined us. “How in hell did you manage to defeat this thing before?” John asked, frowning at the dead monster.

“I had help,” I said with a chuckle. “But yes, killing it the first time around was much tougher.” Rising to my feet, I shoved my hand into the creature.

“What are you doing?” Lance asked, his face paling.

I pulled out a white and shiny object. “Searching for this,” I said, holding it up for them to see while I cast analyze.

The target is a half champion core. The special properties of this item are unknown. Your lore skill is insufficient.

My lips turned down. It was not a full core, but then again, from what Regna had told me, I knew I should not have expected one.

“Ah,” Lance said, enlightened. “A core.”

I glanced at the others. “Does anyone want it?”

Tara shook her head. “You keep it. None of us would have managed this without you.” A small smile stole on her face. “Besides, we’ve been more than amply rewarded in levels.”

John bobbed his head. “That’s right. I’ve gained eight whole levels in this run.”

“Thank you,” I murmured as the others echoed Tara’s sentiments. With a smile, I pocketed the core.

“Now,” Tara said, “let’s do what we came here for.”

I nodded. Cleaning my hands, I pulled out a parchment from my pocket and began reading. It was one of Cedric’s reanimate dead scrolls.

Reviving the guardian prime as an undead pet was the entire reason I brought the others here in the first place. The creature would bolster our forces. Perhaps not considerably, but enough to make a difference, I hoped.

I finished reading the spell and false life seeped back into the beast. Rolling itself upright, the broodworm stared at me with cold, lifeless eyes.

You have reanimated a level 120 armored horror. Spell duration: one day. Maximum undead controllable: 1.

“Done,” I said with a grin.

“Good,” Tara said. “Now, let’s get out of here.”