I laid down on the bed and made myself comfortable. From what I managed to briefly learn during my time talking to Brelten, absorbing a skill stone was an easy process. I held the red stone in my right hand and closed my eyes. Channeling mana into my right palm, I tried to picture the stone mixing with my mana and entering back into my body. The sound of the crystal cracking was not unexpected. The brief, cool feeling on my mana turned warm, like holding your hands up to a flame. Instead of feeling a cool river flow through my arm, it was the opposite. A warm, tingling feeling made its way through my body, back into my chest. After a few minutes passed and the warm feeling slowly ebbed away and settled, I opened my eyes.

My hand no longer held the red crystal, and there were no shards or dust to be seen despite me hearing it crack. I brought up my status and focused on my active skills.

STATUS:

Active Skills:

* Summon Familiar: Verdant Healer: (Áine)

* Summon Familiar: Resplendent Inferno: (N/A)

* Racial Skill: Dimensional Storage: Star Whelp

The skill name did indeed change. It looked like the skill upgraded from a basic flame to an inferno. There was no context for the name change, but I could only assume an inferno was a higher-tier flame. This only made me more excited to obtain a new familiar.

I closed my eyes and started to clear my mind. Once my breathing settled, I activated the new skill. Like last time, I vaguely got the feeling of falling slowly. When I next opened my eyes, I sucked in my breath. There was no forest around me this time. The sky glowed a dull red with clouds of orange and gold. I stood on top of a round platform centered in a lake of fire. The ground was obsidian black. Unlike the stone islands around me, the it was smooth. There was a circle reminiscent of the one in the forest, but the circle looked like it was made of ash.

The surrounding heat was not overbearing. I felt warm and cozy. I knew that I should be sweating bullets and choking on the heat. The lava around the circle bubbled and boiled even if I felt none of the volcanic flames. Chalking it up to magic and perhaps the magic of the circle keeping me safe, I closed my eyes to begin.

Before I could start, the ground rumbled and forced my eyes open. The surrounding lava started to shift and churn. When I was about to call out, my voice died and wouldn’t leave my throat.

Out from the lava rose a long serpent. Its scales were darker than the platform I stood on. They absorbed the light around them. On and on it rose till I was left staring at a large snake head higher than any building in Edolus three times over. Every instinct inside my body screamed at how I was nothing more than small and tiny little thing, not even fit enough to be a snack for this great monster. The lava serpent opened its mouth and out hissed a tongue made of flames. Its fangs were sharp shards of black glass bigger than I was tall.

I nearly lost my shit as a feminine voice echoed in my head.

“Be not afraid, little Lord. I am the guardian of this place. I know why you are here,” said the voice in a much higher pitch than I would have thought.

The great serpent lowered its head slowly till her fangs were only a couple of feet above me. Her, and I’m assuming it was a her, eyes were like two molten suns.

Shaking my head to break my gaze, I gave a bow to the mighty spirit. Even with the excitement of new magic on the horizon, I forced my hands into my side to prevent them from shaking.

“Greetings, great protector. This one’s name is Cyrus. I’m here to make a contract for a Resplendent Inferno,” I greeted the spirit, the words coming almost unbidden. “May I have your name, great one?”

A loud hiss physically rang through my body, vibrating my bones. However, despite the scariness of the sound, I felt only approval.

“Ahhhh, it is so refreshing to meet one who knows the proper protocols. I approve of the young Lord. I go by many titles, many of which do not need to be named. At least not yet, for thou art too young. You may call me... Zhuyin."

I idly noticed that there was no exaggerated hissing on any of her s-sounds. I nearly jumped when I heard chuckling and faint exasperation.

“Focus, little one. Funnel your mana to the ring, and do not stop until you near emptiness. The results of the fire born will decide who and what I bring for you to contract. Do not disappoint!” she commanded.

Not wanting to anger the towering spirit, I quickly did as she instructed. The familiar feeling of channeling mana spread throughout my body. This time, I noticed that the mana was being absorbed by the surrounding circle. Another approving hiss resounded in my mind.

The chill of the mana began seeping the warmth from my body. Gone was the feeling of heat. It felt like standing in a blizzard naked; left to freeze and wither in the blistering cold. I kept channeling until pins and needles stuck my limbs. Even then, I poured out every ounce of the source until my chest felt like a void absorbing all heat from existence.

A loud hiss crashed through the fog and ground my actions to a halt. It was the hiss of a giant predator that scared its prey. Stalking, commanding in attention, it froze me solid. I almost collapsed, but the remnants of my faded thoughts told me that I shouldn’t.

Thankfully, the cold disappeared like quickly melting ice. Feeling returned swiftly, and my muddled mind cleared up. Some part of me could tell that I had done something stupid. If Zhuyin had not made me stop, I would have been in danger.

I opened my eyes and froze.

Zhuyin’s large, molten eyes encompassed my vision entirely.

“Foolish boy, NEVER BREAK THE CIRCLE!” she shouted, making the very lake of lava bubble and roil. “This circle is protection, safety from the spirit realm. It prevents spirits from coming in and consuming the young, arrogant little souls who enter this realm. Even if you are a young Spirit Lord, even if you belong to this realm, never, ever run your mana completely dry. You wonder why your lungs aren't on fire and your body dehydrated till there was nothing left? It’s because of this circle. Don’t do it again, foolish child!”

With each new statement, I found my head lowering more and more. It felt like I was an idiotic kid being scolded for doing something beyond stupid. A loud tsk sounded in my head, and I slowly raised my eyes. Zhuyin shook her great snout back and forth.

“As long as you learn to never do it again. Might as well look at the fire you have raised,” she said while flicking her tongue to the circle.

Gone was the ring of dry ash. On the black platform, a tall, unbroken dome of fire was blazing. Double my height, the fires burned without an ounce of smoke. It was surprising. When I channeled mana into the circle in the forest, there were some flowers and raised grass. Here, the mana created a grand fire. The flames were mesmerizing and showed no signs of abating.

I turned to Zhuyin and found her regarding me. I could tell that she was debating something in her head. Wasn’t sure how I could tell that a giant serpent was thinking, but like everything else, I chalked it up to magic bullshit. She flicked her tongue of fire out a few times before seeming to finally come to a decision.

“You have shown your flames to this lake of fire, and they are more than adequate. I can go now and bring forth spirits who would be eager to make a contract with one such as you. However, I offer you a different option. Despite your boneheaded actions, I have tasted the flames and felt them on my scales. You, Cyrus, would make a great master, I can tell,” she said slowly.

Her comment on my foolishness earlier stung a little.

Curious about what other option she was offering, I nodded my head. “What is this other option you speak of, Zhuyin?” I asked her.

Another pause--the vague sounds of the circle’s flames licking the air were the only noise.

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“In my care is a young spirit. She is the daughter of a friend that I agreed to protect. Her mother is currently in a long sleep and may not wake for some time. I wish for you to make a contract with her. She is young, and being tied to you would give her a greater chance of growth and power. Your skill, Resplendent Inferno, would be perfect,” she said, her voice normal once again.

Someone who would be taken care of by a great spirit like Zhuyin had to be better than what I might have normally contracted. It didn’t hurt to get on the serpent’s good side either, not to mention potential ties to the young spirit’s mother. There was no way I was passing up this opportunity.

“It would be my honor to make a contract with her. Thank you for thinking me good enough to make her my familiar,” I said seriously, bowing.

“Very well, wait here. I will be back momentarily.”

The wait was short, or at least it felt short. Time was apparently deceptive during this process.

Zhuyin rose out of the lava, along with a small orb of fire hovering near her head. The orb’s flames faded and revealed inside a small bird. She looked like a sparrow. Her main feathers were crimson, while the end of the wings and tail faded to orange, then gold, and finally to cobalt. At the tips, the feathers were alight with small flames. The little spirit was small enough to fit in my palm, much smaller than I thought, all things considered.

A tiny and higher-pitched voice chirped out. “Auntie! Why are we here?”

Zhuyin shook her head and seemed to give a mental sigh.

“Zharia, be respectful to the young Lord. I’ve decided that you shall make a contract with him,” came Zhuyin’s exasperated voice.

Upon hearing that she was about to make a contract, Zharia stilled in the air.

“But Auntie, why?! Mother said I stay here. Why would I make a contract with him?” the small bird chirped, the flames on her wings growing bigger.

Honestly, I was kind of offended, I wasn’t that bad of an option!

Zhuyin lowered her head and let Zharia land on her snout. She stared at her with her burning eyes. A few moments passed, and the flames on Zharia slowly died. The two were obviously engaged in some form of mental communication. Zharia eventually hopped off Zhuyin’s head and flew her way closer to me, just beyond the flame’s barrier. This time, instead of audible chirping, I felt another mental connection sidle up to the one me and Zhuyin shared.

“I am Zharia. Auntie has told me that going with you will make me strong and beautiful. Is this true?” Zharia’s tiny voice echoed.

“It will. I don’t think I can promise you no harm, for we will be in dangerous situations aplenty. I am new to this world. I am really new to this realm. My knowledge is lacking severely, but I plan on changing that. I know not what the future holds for me, but I know I plan on having many adventures. I won’t waste the chance to get strong. I promise you this.” I answered back.

Zharia stared at me with her golden eyes, and I matched her stare. She nodded once before turning her head back and nodding to her aunt. Out of the lava, a hand made from molten rock raised itself and held an obsidian dagger. The blade was curvy and had white runes blazing on the blade. Knowing what to do, I reached my hands into the fires that didn’t burn and grasped the hilt of the dagger. I pricked myself on my middle finger and reached both hands past the barrier. Before I could completely cross the wall of flames, Zhuyin spoke out.

“Keep the dagger. Consider it a gift for agreeing to this. Someone like you needs a ritual dagger. Next time you come to bind a spirit, use this athame. It will help show you are serious about making the contract,” she said. I nodded my head and accepted gracefully. Gifts were not going to be denied here.

I pulled the dagger back towards myself and finished penetrating the flames with my other hand. Zharia landed on my hand and lowered her beak to my blood. The blood disappeared into her mouth, and I felt a weight settle in. I closed my eyes and looked inward. I could feel Zharia tether to my soul, settling next to my connection to Áine.

As the world was slowly fading from my sight, Zhuyin hissed out one last time. “Treat her well, Cyrus or you’ll find yourself facing my fangs and her mother’s flames. If you ever visit the spirit realm, do come visit."

I couldn't reply. I the familiar falling sensation tugged at my back and consciousness.

When I opened my eyes, the sun peeked out from behind the curtains. However long I spent during the spirit ritual, it took long enough for morning to come. I stretched my arms as I stood up. The bed wasn’t the best, but it sure beat sleeping on cold ground.

That was something...

My stomach rumbled and signaled that I was in need of food. I pulled out the primer I got from Brelten and headed on down. If Sam hadn’t woken up yet, I figured I could get a meal and read up on some info.

When I walked downstairs and entered the inn’s main floor, I saw only a few people. There were three guards relaxing in the corner again, and a male human and female elf duo sat at one table eating their breakfast. I sat myself down at the bar again and decided to start reading since Bera wasn’t there. Three minutes went by before a small knock made me look up into Bera’s smiling face.

“Well, morning there, sweetie. Can I get you any breakfast?” she asked kindly.

My stomach chose that moment to answer for me and grumbled audibly. I felt myself blush a little at the embarrassment, but Bera just laughed and said she’d take that as a yes. Breakfast turned out to be a hearty affair; sweet apple juice with a plate filled to the brim with food. It was a mixture of sausage, toast, ham, eggs, and hash browns.

After eating, I leaned back, patting my stomach. “Bera, that was amazing. I should eat like this every morning.”

She hit me with her rag and refilled my drink. “Well, thank you. You're not wrong, by the way. Everybody should start off their morning with a good hearty meal; keep you going through a day’s work,"

I spent the rest of the morning relaxing off the heavy feeling of being stuffed and read silently to myself. The morning crowd slowly trickled in, and the room grew louder the more people came to eat. Eventually, Sam made her way down and saddled up next to me while also getting a big plate from Bera.

Turning to look at her, she seemed slightly groggy but otherwise okay. I didn’t blame her for sleeping in and enjoying having a bed for the first time in a week.

“So, are you doing ok? Did you have any trouble absorbing the new skill?” I asked her while nudging her on the shoulders.

She turned to look at me before she had to quickly down her drink and swallow the egg that got caught in her throat. She coughed a few times before taking another chug and sat her cup down. Bera came by and refilled her drink while shaking her head.

“Sorry about that. Yeah, I did. It changed its name to Steps of the Flowing River. Looks like it upgraded itself when it did. I’ll show you the description later when we test it out. But enough of that, what about you? Did you have another dip into the spirit world?” she asked while finishing her plate.

I noticed a few heads turn our way after I mentioned a new skill and even more ears perked up when she said it changed names and upgraded. Before, I would have worried about revealing any information, but we were adventurers now. Being a Reborn wasn’t a death sentence, so some of my caution relaxed.

“Yeah, changed its name as well. Went from Resplendent Flame to Resplendent Inferno. Went to the spirit realm like last time, but to a completely different place."

We spent several minutes recounting my time in the lake of lava. Sam oohed and aahed when I described Zhuyin and laughed when I told her about the lecture and scolding I received. She was very excited when I told her about Zharia.

“Wait, wait, where's the dagger?” she asked while holding out her hand.

Now that I thought about it, the dagger wasn’t with me when I woke up. Trying something new, I closed my eyes and tried to picture my inventory. Wasn’t sure it would work, considering it belonged inside the stomach of a weird space dragon baby, but I figured it couldn’t hurt.

A picture of the medium-sized room appeared in my head. The room wasn’t truly a room. The walls were just walls of black void. But I could feel the boundaries of the space, nonetheless. Inside floating were the two beast corpses and the white-runed athame. Opening my eyes again, Sam stared at me with her head cocked and her eyebrow raised. In response, I mentally pulled out the black dagger, and it landed in my hands. I turned the blade around and handed Sam the dagger to inspect it.

“Pretty cool. It’s unfair you get cool shit from giant lava serpents, and I get nothing,” she complained.

I could tell she was just kidding around. Sam would be happy for me, regardless. She handed it back, and I tucked it into my belt. With another quick drink of my juice, I noticed even more eyes looking in our direction. Maybe storage powers or devices were uncommon. It was something I was going to have to ask Brelten about later tonight.

“Alright, cool dagger whereabouts solved. Now show me Zharia. She sounded so pretty. Between her and Áine, you can at least dazzle our enemies into cuteness. I'm going to start questioning if all your spirits are going to be girls, though. Didn’t think you, of all people, would be one to start a harem of spirits. Did anime shows never teach you anything? There's no peace in harems, Cy. This better not turn into Monster Musume."

“HAA, HAA! What's wrong with you? Why do you even know that anime? Since when did you watch that kind of stuff? I thought your sexual awakening was Riza Hawkeye, not some centaur woman,” I scoffed, pelting her with questions.

Apparently, that was the wrong move.

“Ooohoho, so you do know the show. Am I learning something new about you, Cyrus?” she asked coyly.

I responded by banging my head lightly on the counter. Sam’s giggle only grew louder and more annoying in response. When she went silent, I thought it was finally over. I was wrong.

“Ah, no worries. I know you're just really sad over the fact your spirits aren’t muscular men. "

“Alright then, enough of that. I'll show you Zharia already. Just quit it,” I said dryly.

I paused at another thought and summoned Áine first. Figured it wouldn’t hurt for the both of them to meet. Though I suspected that they already had, I wasn’t sure where they went when they were inside me, but I knew they could interact. The little fairy flew out and sat herself down lightly on the rim of my cup and stuck her hand in the juice. Apparently, she could drink, which shouldn’t be surprising. She did absorb my blood with her hand when I contracted her.

Next, I summoned Zharia, and the little bird popped into existence, wings alit with flames. The first thing to notice was her feathers showed more vividly. And the flames on her feathers were now a solid gold in colour. She flew to position herself in front of me and stared at Sam.

“Master, do we burn this woman? She seems to be mocking you,” Zharia’s little voice chirped out loud.

It was only then that I noticed the entire room was silent. When I wasn’t paying attention, every table was filled with people, including some of the faces we saw last night. In my rush to silence Sam, I forgot that perhaps summoning spirits was not the most normal thing to do. Some people had their mouths open, and even Bera was staring wide-eyed.

“Well, shall I burn this evil, brute’s hair off? I’ll teach her not to mock us,” Zharia declared hotly.

I sighed. This was going to take some explaining on my part.