A Summoner Awakens [A Card-Based GameLit Progression Fantasy]

Chapter 5 [End of the Path]

"Ow! Could you watch where you're going?"

For the umpteenth time, I listened to Aurora gripe as the carriage collided with a fallen branch. The path was abounding with potholes and roots, none of which the coachman bothered to avoid. Though his cart wasn't crafted with comfort in mind, it was durable, as were the tethers linking it to his two well-fed horses. I glanced forward, admiring the beasts.

[Name: Horse]

[Class: Equus]

[Rank: Origin]

[Level: 2]

[Description: A simple Beast native to the Origin Floor. Typically roam in small herds across the grassy plains. Clever creatures that can be captured and ridden even by non-Wielders.]

Getting horses or other animal companions to the upper Floors was a massive hassle. Just like their owners, they had to climb the stairs one Floor at a time. This being the case, it cost an extravagant amount to drag an animal from one Floor to another, and they had to be completely free of Plague to pass through the barriers, which could easily be passed through scratches or bites from Plagued Beasts.

I couldn't imagine the trouble it would have taken back in David's time. Some of the historical texts preserved over the years showed that only the wealthy could afford the services of those willing to transport Origin creatures. Now, there were breeders spanning most of the Floors, and a steed born on a higher Floor would be more formidable and live longer than any brought from below.

The horses trotted along, dragging us behind them with ease. I glanced at my wrist, where I'd clipped the directional Relic onto the band where my timepiece used to sit. Its face was a simple black plate with a pane of glass mounted above. A thick, foggy liquid filled the space between the two.

There were currently four colored specks floating within this liquid. One was red and would always glide against the outer edge in the northern direction. The others were all silver, each indicating himself and one of his companions. Of course, a more skilled artisan could have personalized the colors, but I was already impressed enough that Nathaniel could find a Relic modifier at all on the Second Floor, let alone in the tiny town of Foolshope.

"Plan on riding straight through, or do ya want to stop by the hot sites? Could get a kill or two in an' replace the Essence you're payin' me, eh? It's strange we've only run into one pack, it is," the young coachman called without looking back.

"No need. Just take us to the end," I responded loudly and watched his reaction closely. He seemed an honest enough lad, but I still had David scouting above in case of an ambush. Foolshope wasn't well-known for its hospitality, after all.

His eyes constantly scanned either side of the Forest Path, a long section of wood carved out by previous Wielders for quick passage to the Third Floor. It would take us a fair distance into the forest, where we'd have to hike the final stretch on foot.

Much like the First Floor, the Second through Fifth had four deep ravines where wolves were abundant. On the Second Floor, the stairs were tucked in the ravine to the southeast. Over time, many generations had attempted to build and hold the area around the stairs leading up from each Floor, but they were always met with some unavoidable natural disaster.

Clearing the areas of natural growth was also useless, as it would swiftly regrow, and the harvested material would turn to dust. The reason for this phenomenon that began on the Second Floor was yet undiscovered, despite the many attempts at understanding. Even t the end, the Network hadn't made any advances in the matter, and the theories of the Churches were seen as fact. Either Tara or the Tower didn't want humanity establishing a hold near those locations.

"Boss. You have a horde coming up of around a dozen wolves. Only one Corrupted," David's voice sounded from nowhere. "I've flown ahead. The path's clear after that."

"Thank you, David."

"You lot look sharp," I spoke loud enough for the coachman to hear. Nathaniel was the first to snap his head up and peer toward the road ahead. "Wolves incoming. Small horde."

"How do you know?" Aurora asked, squinting ahead. "I can't see anything, and my Precognition isn't acting out."

"You should watch where you mention that," I cut my eyes toward the coachmen pointedly. He likely hadn't heard and probably wouldn't understand if he had, but it was best to get in the habit of being cautious early on. At least for someone just starting out. "As for your question, I'll answer that once we reach the Fifth Floor."

Nathaniel presumably knows already... or at least has a hunch. I eyed the young man, who was calmly watching the path as the coachman slowed down, thanks to my warning. As for Aurora... I'd like to tell her, but she needs to get used to the feeling of uncertainty. Her Precognition likely isn't directing her due to my and Nathaniel's presence. That's worrying. We'll need to find a better way to train her control over that Enhancement so that she can use it adequately in the future.

The horses slowed to a stop, whinnying and drumming their hooves nervously on the dirt. However, they stayed hushed and didn't try to break away, revealing that they were trained well and this wasn't their first time being in this situation.

"I'll take this one," I turned ahead, seeing a single wolf blocking the path. It was as large as the horses strung to the cart, its pelt a dark gray, and its bottomless eyes were streaked with purple. "Aurora, support Nathaniel with the rest. Nathaniel... let her get some work in, alright?"

Nathaniel nodded, and I leaped from the cart before Aurora could protest. My feet hit the earth, and I cast Tame Creature while Dashing forward, quickly closing the distance between myself and the Beast. Its head jerked in surprise, and it managed to release a partial howl before the tip of my blade met its throat.

The brush bordering either side of the path rustled violently, and just over a dozen wolves the size of large boars burst out. I didn't have time to assist, as my strike didn't kill the Corrupted. It snarled and swung a paw the size of my head at my chest. I dodged back and heard a tearing sound as one of its claws tore into my jacket.

How did you not die? I squinted my eyes and read the Beast's information while it tore at its throat, attempting to remove my sword.

[Name: Hokkaido Deceiver]

[Class: Canine]

[Rank: Corrupted]

[Level: 2]

[Description: An intelligent Beast that only spawns when every fleet in an area has been wiped clean. It is usually one of the most formidable of its Rank and uses its wits and Skills to hoodwink its opponents into leaving an opening.]

[Skills: Bite, Slash, Alert, Commune, Rend, Mirage, Fade]

I see.

The Beast was still slinging its head around in an attempt to dislodge the blade. I noticed that, though I'd aimed directly for its spine, my weapon had pierced the muscle a few inches to the right.

What a clever Beast. It never actually jerked away from my sword. What I'd seen was a Mirage before it howled... I want it.

The chances were slim, but I'd used Tame Creature before the Beast was injured, so it wasn't impossible. I lifted my hand and cast Pull on my blade. It squirmed in the wolf's neck, causing the creature to wail in pain before it finally dislodged and flew into my open hand.

Not wasting this opportunity, I sprinted at the gasping wolf, dodging its flailing limbs, and Pierced my sword into its eye, using Rend to ensure it would bleed to death in the event my strike didn't kill it. There was no need. Its body shuddered and went limp before I could withdraw my weapon.

I turned to assist my companions, but it turned out it was unneeded. Aurora was standing in the cart, holding her hands out toward three wolves that had been trapped by her Prismatic Prison. The coachman stood had a dagger driven into the side of one, with another corpse lying nearby.

On Nathaniel's side, eight corpses lay strewn about. Some hadn't even managed to reach the packed earth of the path. He looked up at Aurora before turning to me with a questioning gaze, pointing the tip of his glaive toward the three captured wolves. I nodded, and he sprinted in that direction. His movements were so instantaneous that I almost mistook his lunge for a Dash.

Satisfied that my assistance was unwarranted, I turned back to the oversized wolf and clenched my fists in eagerness. This Beast was intelligent, and though it wasn't an unknown entity, they were a nuisance to drag out of the Tower. As the Description stated, Beasts of this caliber within their Rank typically only spawned when there had been a mass slaughter of their kind.

David said it was clear to the end of the path. Either there's a Party farming the ravine, or someone powerful wiped them out on their way to the Third Floor. Neither circumstance is unlikely with the Academy year having just ended, but I'll keep my eyes open just in case.

"David, is everything still clear toward the end of the path?" I asked, glancing inwardly at his remaining time. He still had a little over an hour before he'd dematerialize.

"Not a single growl, boss," he confirmed.

After waiting a few more seconds for the Cooldown on Pull to end, I raised my hand over the corpse and focused on the Essence I hoped wasn't there. My stomach flipped in anticipation when nothing happened... and then there was a vulgar squelching noise as a crystal flew from its chest.

[Name: Essence]

[Rank: 20]

I sighed in defeat. Even with my greatly enhanced chances of receiving a Summon, getting drops in the first place was just too uncommon on these early Floors. We needed to reach the Fifth Floor as soon as possible if we wanted to start building our wealth and power. Though we might sacrifice some early rewards in doing so, we would make up for it quickly once we began selling Summons.

And with Nathaniel's Origin Card...

I intended to ask him if he'd like me to procure him a Luck Enhancement from the Church of Liberation. If so, his Origin Card would allow us to capitalize on mine by increasing our chances of receiving a Card in the first place.

Luckily, as long as Tame Creature is used before a Beast is injured, it doesn't matter who deals the final blow. Our Cards are almost perfect for farming Summons together. And if Aurora's Origin Card works on Spells such as Pull, we can even collect our rewards from afar once she's Leveled it further. I'll just need to invest in-

"Rowan! Any luck?" Aurora's voice sounded behind me, and I heard footsteps casually approaching.

I turned, showed them the Essence, and shook my head, "None of that here. Everyone holding up alright?"

"We're fine," Nathaniel answered while the coachman crouched by the body of the ferocious wolf. He lifted its paws and looked over its teeth.

"What ya plannin' on doin' with it?" he asked after his examination.

I shrugged, "We have no use for it at the moment."

"Well, if you're alright with it taggin' along, we can throw this in the back, an' you don't have to worry about payin' me. How's about it?"

"Sure thing," I patted the man on the shoulder and reached for one of its hind legs. "Let's get it loaded. I'd rather not sleep under the stars tonight."

The rest of the journey proceeded without incident. Aurora sat up front with the coachman, chatting away while staying as far from the corpse as possible. Nathaniel sat back comfortably with his legs propped on the Beast's back and his eyes closed. Before long, we reached the end of the path, a bit later than intended, but there was still enough daylight to get to the stairwell.

"Here we are, lads," the coachman hopped off his seat and offered Aurora a hand. "And the young miss, o' course. Now, if you're plannin' to reach the stairs before night falls, I'd go on at a bit of a jog. You ought to reach your destination within a few hours."

"Much obliged," I nodded my head in thanks. "You're alright for a coachy."

"And ye be alright for a group of posh youngsters from the Academy," the man gave them a wink before hopping onto his seat and taking the reigns. "Stay safe, ya hear? I'd best be gettin' while this corpse is still good to gut."

He whipped the reigns, and we watched as the cart sped back the way we came. The horses moved much slower with the corpse weighing them down, and it would likely take the man an extra two hours at the least to get back to Foolshope.

"Alright, let's get moving," I adjusted my pack to fit more comfortably on my shoulders before taking off at a light jog toward the ravine. My two comrades swiftly caught up and ran next to me, their eyes constantly scanning the trees.

"Should we really be rushing through the Floor like this?" Aurora asked, glancing at her directional Relic before looking at me.

I nodded, "These lower Floors aren't worth our time. We may get a few thousand extra Essence or a weak Relic here, but nothing so unique that we can't buy it in Origin City."

"If you think that's best," Aurora looked thoughtfully at the sky as we ran, and I frowned, unsatisfied. I didn't want either of my companions to feel like they couldn't ask questions, particularly when they were affected.

"If you have any questions about my decision, please ask," I told her, then glanced at Nathaniel. "Either of you. I'll be more than glad to answer the why so long as you don't question the how of the matter."

Aurora shook her head, "I'm not as interested in the rewards as I am in completing the tasks. But, even then, that's not as important to me as reaching the Thirtieth Floor. That's where my father was in the last letter I received."

"It's the tasks from every fifth Floor we ought to be concerned with," I smiled. "We've already completed the tasks here on the Second Floor. Slay one of each type of Beast. It's the same on most Floors, with every Fifth being different. And we'll reach the Thirtieth soon enough."

"Then I have no qualms in following your judgment," she reached toward her neck and clenched her fist around a pendant I hadn't noticed her wearing before.

"Have faith," I ducked a branch and began Tracking to see if there were any threats nearby. I didn't want to call on David until we were closer to the stairs. "We'll do our best to find him, alright?"

She gave me a sad smile and tucked the chain beneath her blouse.

***

"Something isn't right," Aurora looked around, then glanced at me doubtfully. "Every passage I've read said that the closer to the stairs one travels, the more Beasts they'll encounter. We haven't seen a thing since the path. Are we, perhaps... heading in the wrong direction?"

A few hours had passed, and they were closing in on the stairs' location. The ground was cast in shadow, and we could see the orange of the sky peaking through openings in the canopy of leaves. We'd long entered the tree and brush-filled ravine and were nearing its center.

My fingers clenched around the head of my cane, and I eyed Nathaniel, who'd taken his glaive out nearly an hour ago. It seemed we all felt it. Something was wrong.

Where in Tara's name are all the Beasts..? I gestured to my Relic to show that we were indeed heading in the right direction. It spun wildly in circles, indicating that we were within the stairs' range of influence, yet Aurora didn't seem convinced. I didn't blame her. There hadn't even been a howl since we'd entered the gorge, and this was where the wolves should be gathered.

"David, are the stairs clear? How about the surrounding area?"

"I'm not sure, boss..." the response didn't come immediately, and he sounded hesitant. "As far as I can see, there's nothing in the vicinity. But... something doesn't feel right. Even now, I'm having to struggle to keep our link active. Something's interfering."

"Alright, we'll arrive in the next few minutes. Hold tight and inform me of any changes," I held out my hand and motioned for Aurora and Nathaniel to slow down and remain quiet. Whatever was happening certainly wasn't a product of the Floor. Someone was interfering with the natural state of the place.

"Is that what I think it is?" Aurora's whisper cut through the silence like a knife.

Following her gaze, I sighted an abnormal stone structure near a distant tree. Vines covered the object, and even from this distance, I could see the jagged edges of a broken wall.

"It is," I spoke softly. "Though no structure stands for long, you can still find the remains of societies that made an attempt. Such sights will be more common the further we go. Now, sharpen up. We've arrived."

The dense brush opened up, revealing an open clearing with a single, massive tree in its center. Much like the tree I'd seen in David's vision, this one's trunk was carved open, and sleek, black stairs vanished into its trunk. Dimly glowing Circuits ran down the stairs and spilled onto a metal path that extended for several yards before stopping at the clearing's edge.

Nathaniel let out a heavy breath and slightly lowered his glaive as he examined the splendor of it all. The orange sky blended perfectly into the background, giving the scene a calming and almost divine sensation. I glanced around the glade and saw nothing out of sorts... but that feeling didn't dissipate. Nathaniel likely felt the same, as he still hadn't fully relaxed his stance.

"Let's proceed," I stepped out of the woods, Tracking already active and ready to Dash at the first sign of trouble. "But... keep your wits about you."

We were only a few dozen yards from the next Floor, but something didn't feel right. I scanned the surroundings. The area was wide open, and there was nowhere for anyone to hide. Even the branches above were in plain view. But, there was something off about...

"Do you smell that?" Nathaniel asked, shifting his stance and looking around cautiously.

"Smell?" I breathed in deeply, and that's when I noticed. The stench of alcohol was mixed in with the raw smells of the surrounding fauna.

Click.

My sword left its sheath, and I looked around warily, "Liquor. And it's strong, not the cheap stuff that should be found on this Floor."

"Mmghhnn..." a deafening moan filled the clearing. I tensed and pointed my blade toward the noise, Nathaniel following suit. Aurora leaped back in surprise but quickly gathered herself and prepared to cast a Spell.

That's when I saw him. There, a poorly dressed and dirty-looking man was slumped against the base of the massive tree. He wore no shoes, and his clothes were ripped and torn. Long gray hair and an unkempt beard covered most of his face. A crude walking stick lay across his lap, and an upturned bottle was grasped in one hand. Scars marred both of his robust arms and one of his cheeks.

I'd seen this man before.

"Does... Does this man have a death wish?" Aurora asked quietly. "Who in their right mind would sleep out here like this?"

"We need to go," I whispered. "The stairs are right there. Let's move. Quick and quiet."

We proceeded forward cautiously. Twenty yards to go... Fifteen... Ten... Suddenly, the man was sitting cross-legged in front of the entrance. It was instant. One second, the path was clear, and then...

"Leaving so soo- hic!" the man's words were interrupted by a sudden gasp of breath. He ignored us and lifted the bottle to his mouth, shaking it to force out a drop. Then, after a few failed attempts, he held the bottle to his eyes and looked into it. "You- hic! Got to be shittin' me. Oi! Any o' you lot got somefin' to drink?"

"If I give you the Essence for another, will you move aside?" I asked, gripping my weapon tighter.

The man squinted his eyes at me for a moment and then jumped to his feet with a single movement. He pressed both hands to his eyes as if he were looking through a pair of spectacles and grinned widely.

"Well, I'll be a Rodent's uncle. It's you!"

"You recognize me from the First Floor?" I asked, eyeing the man suspiciously. This had been the same boozer that caught me unawares after my first visit to Crook's shop. It was a strange coincidence I'd run into him here... and I didn't believe in coincidence.

"That's a good memory you 'ave," the man tossed his bottle to the side, then pressed both hands to his waist and stretched backward. A loud cracking sound echoed through the quiet clearing as his spine bent. "You've surely got that old codger's blood runnin' in ya."