Bonded Summoner

Book 1. Chapter 23: Giant Ant Queen's Lair

Jakes party fought through the giant ant queens lair with ease. Ophelia convinced Jake to allow her to use her [Spear of Hestia] attack frequently, so that they could get a feel for or understand the sacrificial nature of the spell, and also to train her [Valkyrie Magic] to higher levels. If they always held onto it and only used it for emergencies, it would never grow in strength. The same for her healing spell, so they mixed getting a feel for Jake using his [Cure Wounds] spell, and her using [Renewal] to restore the health lost.

Her mana regeneration was now quite good with her core and mana siphon of her own, but it still could not compare to Jakes thanks to his Summoner class. He would keep her topped off on all her resources as they slaughtered the ants through to the queen. They did not run into a large assault from the creatures again, but they did encounter some groups around half the size. Ophelias [Spear of Hestia] made short work of them, with the demoness helping spread her flames. Jakes summoned giant goliath beetle stayed by his side, to help protect him if they got ambushed.

Jakes stamina regeneration came through once again, allowing even her stamina to regenerate between fights to where she felt like she was topped up after using one just a few minutes later. They worked through the caverns until they arrived at a final massive chamber, where the ant queen resided. They were a little surprised at the number of ants killed to arrive at the destination; they had only killed at most a hundred new ants, when previously they had killed nearly forty in one wave. Jake noticed this, and wondered if they were going to be running into a trap. Still, Jake was not worried about the ants any longer.

The valkyrie was now beaming at her effectiveness. She had just hit level five and learned a new spell, and then she had already picked her specialization, similar to Jake. The spell was learned prior to her picking her specialization.

Valkyrie Spell Learned

Sacrificial Fire: Consecration

Light the hearth, burn those who act against your family. Consumes mana, stamina, and health to create an area of flames around themselves.

When she hit level five, she was given the specialization choices for her valkyrie spells and abilities: Offensive, Defensive, and Chosen. Jake is not sure exactly what would have happened if she had picked offense or defense in her case, but the demoness and valkyrie both outvoted Jake for her to choose the chosen specialization for her magic.

Jake thought that defense was a better specialization for their party, as Jake thought that focusing on Chosen specialization, such might be more fitting for if Jake was a warrior, and she could better protect the party with defense specialization.

Ophelia shook her head, My father was devoted to my mother, and while she loved him, she wasnt devoted to him in the same way. I dont wanta repeat of that. You are really focused on improving us and the group, soI really think someone should be devoted to you. By me being better able to keep you safe or fight alongside you, Fhesiah and future party members can focus on offense.

Im in agreement there, Jake. I think the Chosen specialization is more a focus on protecting or supporting you: just look at what she gained when she chose you. I think thats the right way to go. You can resurrect her at a shrine when you get to one, but we arent so sure well be able to do the same for you. Well both feel better knowing youre protected.

But the girls saw it as more a level of devotion or a focus on protecting Jake. Not only that, but Ophelias gut feeling immediately went towards the Chosen option, like she was being guided by the goddess.

This turned out to be what appeared to be an exciting choice, as two of her now three spells had special effects. Her heal would now also heal Jake somewhat, no matter whom she was healing; herself or the demoness. When she healed Jake, it would also refund some of the health cost back to her, like it was healing herself too; nearly half of the health cost. In regards to [Spear of Hestia], it didnt seem to have any effect, though perhaps there was some interaction if Jake was under attack that they had not yet seen. Her new spell, however, created the same field of flames that it created around her, around Jake as well.

When Ophelia used consecration, it cost a somewhat significant portion of her overall health, around 20%. The effect was quite amazing and was worth it, though. It cast around a ten-meter across circle around her of flames that raised from the ground, and hurt only enemies; Jake or Fhesiah were completely unaffected, like the flames welcomed only them, or even Jakes summoned beetle. That same effect would be mirrored around Jake, and it lasted twenty seconds. This effect did do quite a bit of damage, to the point where all fights up to now would have felt trivial using this ability. A creature that could fly above the flames would be unaffected, and creatures could quickly just move out of the radius, but with the resonance where both Jake and Ophelia produced this field, they could make a simply massive field of fire.

Jake too reached level six and got a new spell, his less exciting but not unwelcome.

Spell Learned

Summon Arcane Eye

Summon a creature of the void, see the unseen.

Jake could now summon an arcane eye, which allowed him to share his vision with a spectral creature that could pass through walls. The spell had no visible effect, and Jake guessed it was little more than a floating invisible eye, but he could not even see it himself. Only the demoness could even tell something was there.

It now made Jake the safest scout, as even if the eye was spotted, nothing would happen unless the creatures were intelligent and could attempt to sound the alarm and things of that nature; something they dont have to worry about for now at all. The eye could die and he could simply just summon it again.

One thing Jake noticed was that when he looked over his party, he could see the magical auras throughout; Jake guessed they were the buffs he had on them, combined with their own personal magic or heavenly energy auras. When Ophelia casted spells, he could also see the buildup of energies. The eye would be useful, so he would do his best to keep it active as much as he can to understand things better.

The [Arcane Eye] was not invulnerable and prepared enemies can build magical barriers that can keep the eye out, and things of that nature as well. Jake also would have to practice controlling and getting feedback from the eyes vision, and do things like walk around and maintain vigilance on his actual body. This was a challenge for him now, but he would work on getting used to the half out-of-body experience, having the senses of the arcane eye and his own. He would try to keep it active as often as possible.

Still, the party now had a safe, invisible scout once again. It just wasnt very fast. This was just one of the many utility summons that all Summoners eventually receive, and it could be seen as little more than a spell that had a physical or almost-physical component in the arcane eyes case, with a creature that accomplished the goal of the spell.

Jake used this [Arcane Eye] to explore some of the surrounding caverns, and eventually saw the trap: there were groups of ants in the surrounding chambers through a series of tunnels too small for Jakes party to fit through, that were ready to scurry inside once the fight with the Queen Ant had begun.

There were also four giant ants in front of the queen, Jake supposed they would be some kind of royal guards or protectors. The queen herself was quite large at being about the size of an elephant, but she actually appeared to be mixed with a mantis creature, with giant scythe arms attached to her upright torso. The royal guards looked more like regular ants and were about the size of a horse.

They entered the room, and immediately the valkyrie fired a spear at one of the guards, and charged inside at the queen, passing right by the four horse-sized giant ants. Jake joined her in casting spears, and the demoness started charging a giant fiery attack.

The giant queen tried to use her great mass and sharp scythes to cut right through Ophelia, but with a flap of her wings and a leap backwards as the Queens scythe met with her shield, she merely bounced easily backwards, stopping her momentum and changing it in the direction she chose with more flaps of her wings.

It was [Winged Combat] being shown, allowing her options for countering such a large creature that other melee combatants simply didnt have. She flew and leaped around, stabbing and weaving through each of the royal guards as they tried to land an attack on her, but she was too fast for them, and their size was used against them as they scrambled to get past each other and attack her.

Ophelia was mostly just keeping the targets busy while she waited for the so-called trap to be sprung, bashing the queen with her shield and stabbing with her spear to make sure the royal guards attention was on her. She attacked with her spear, but was only aiming to wound and not go for any kind of major damage, as she was surrounded by five enemies and had little more time than that. It was then that the Queen shimmered and activated some ability from behind Ophelia and one of the royal guards, to which Jake used their bond to let her know about the unseen threat. He received a confirmation that she knew it was happening, and he used his [Sacrificial Barrier] ability to protect her against the attack.

The Ant Queen with speed belying her size, swiped both claws in a scissoring motion: right through her own royal guard, and would have cleaved Ophelia as well if not stopped by the barrier. Ophelia sidestepped and punished the Ant Queen for her failure with a stab to her front legs. It was then that they heard the skittering of all the ants coming into the room, and they started to emerge from their tunnels with some going past where Ophelia was in melee combat with the queen, and some near the back where Jake and Fhesiah were casting spells.

The enemys trap sprung, they sprung their own. The valkyrie leaped into the air, and slammed down onto the ground spreading holy fire powered by their goddess around her, enveloping the queen and the royal guards, as well as any giant ants that were moving through her area to get at Jake and Fhesiah. That same circle of flames was mirrored around Jake, and all ants in the room were lit aflame.

Nearly the entire chamber they were fighting in was now covered with flames, from Jake and Fhesiahs location, and all the ants were screaming in pain. Jake cast [Cure Wounds] a few times on Ophelia to keep her topped up after using the series of sacrificial spells, and it wasnt long before Fhesiahs large ball of flame attack was ready; Jake could feel the weight and heat of her flame on reality, and this has been the strongest he has felt from her attacks.

Ophelia disengaged using her flight, and Fhesiah flew herself high and launched her ball of flame towards the group of three remaining royal guards and the queen, the size of a giant beach ball that was moving quite slowly. Just as it was about to strike the queen, it sucked in the flames from Ophelias [Consecration] on the ground, before it exploded in front of the queen, sending body parts of the royal guards and the queen itself flying.

The flames spread and stuck to the creatures like glue, and the ones that remained moving scrambled furiously to try to remove the flames from themselves with their limbs scratching their own bodies, but it was futile. Jake and Ophelia continued the attack with their own flaming spears, and eventually the room became silent with all the creatures dead.

Jake was in awe of the destruction wrought by the demoness and Ophelias flames. What was about forty ants and the giant royal guards and queen lay dead, hardly having been able to land a single blow. Ophelia had received just a few glancing attacks. None of the ants could survive long enough within Ophelias consecration long enough to actually strike Jake or Fhesiah. Especially Fhesiahs attack, this spell was particularly destructive, the demoness really going all out.

She spoke in response to Jakes thoughts, I just wanted to make sure we finished today. There was just no way I was going to go trudging around in this dungeon again fighting these disgusting creatures. But Ill definitely need you to top me up, master, why, your servant is just famished now. You just work me too hard.

Jake just wryly smiled at the demoness, and the valkyrie mirrored his feelings on the matter. She always found a way to turn things around, Jake just thinking how amazing she was, then she would just remove the awe and respect in one fell-swoop, at least temporarily.

Why Jake, it seems to me that you are not bothered by me using the word master anymore, perhaps I overused it? Just what could I use to embarrass you once more. I will think about it, prepare yourself, Jake.

Jake thought that she definitely didnt need any help with embarrassing him to where she should go out of her way to think hard on it, but he knew that he certainly wouldnt be able to talk her out of it. With that, they set about their work in discovering and retrieving the salvageable materials in the chamber. They head back to their [Refuge] after the collection, and set about their usual post-dungeon rituals.

Jake reviewed the dungeon completion.

Dungeon Completed!

Rating:

C

Reward:

26,238 Credits, Weapon Box

Next Dungeon:

12 Hours

A Loot box appeared near their portal, and the three of them gathered around it. Jake thought it might be best for Ophelia to open this one, as her weapon was really starting to be underpowered for dealing with stronger creatures such as the Giant Ant Queen. The demoness also declined wanting to open a weapon box, and Jake had doubts that he would get such a niche weapon like a spear-staff in a lottery.

Ophelia opened the loot box, and she got to see the wondrous light show and sound effects that came along with it. The lottery landed on a spear, though it looked like most of the choices were. Jake would have to consider trying again, as it looked like the loot box was tailored for her better than he thought it would be. The armor box was very unclear to him.

Rare Item Obtained

Corrosive Spear

Corrosive Effect, Increases effective strength and dexterity slightly.

Ophelia took the new spear in her hands, and gave it a few test thrusts into the air at an imaginary opponent. Her eyes gleamed as she felt the balance, and felt the design along the length of the green-colored wood shaft, where there were snakes spiraling towards the bladed tip. Jake enjoyed watching her like this, the look on her face was full of focus, care, and appreciation of her new item. He thought that this might be the look a normal girl might get when she found a bag or clothing item she really liked, but instead it was for a weapon of death and dismemberment.

The demoness matched his feelings on the matter, as she looked content with watching the valkyrie enjoy her new tool of war. The valkyrie spoke about her findings, The weapon effect is not very fitting for a valkyrie of Hestia, but it will serve its purpose for now. The balance and weight are good, and the strength and sharpness of the metals used far surpasses my previous. This spear will be much more deadly.

Yes, well, its a nice spear, but I still much prefer Jakes.

Jake looked at his own spear with confusion. Why would she like

Not that spear, master.

Jake just sighed at the demoness, but joined Ophelia in celebrating obtaining the nice item.

They settled in making dinner and wrapping up their evening with a movie once again. The party felt like they had made some major strides in just a single day, their safety having improved significantly and the mood was light as their confidence soared.

Jake set his sights on getting the party ready for attempting to reach the [Trial] which was able to be attempted as early as level 8. The length and difficulty were so long and full of enemies that the final reward should normally push the dungeon delvers to the first tier of level ten upon completion.

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