A Summoner Awakens, Chapter 7 [Nathaniel Syward]

"Hmm..?" The ground trembled beneath me. I opened my eyes, wincing at the onslaught of bright light that intruded upon my vision. Another tremor followed, more pronounced than the last, and I blinked my eyes rapidly, forcing myself to acclimate to the brightness.

My eyes fluttered open... just in time to see a crimson boulder flying toward me. I leapt to the side, my back aching and my lungs exploding from the effort. The boulder crashed to the ground, rolling harmlessly along the... cobblestone street?

I looked for my attacker, finding only rubble and smoke in the distance. My mind cleared as I observed the destruction around me. I wasn't in the cave anymore. I was back on the Origin Floor, and...

"No..." I looked down... and found that I was looking at the body of a decrepit old man. "No... No! Not again!"

Wrinkled hands scraped against my chest, trying to dig out the Card that had given me a second chance. Nothing. I fumbled for the Deck Box that never left my side... also gone.

My heart ached. Never had I been without Rosie, who had accompanied me throughout my long life. A feeling of vulnerability overtook me, and I suddenly noticed an endless sea of corpses stretching far into the distance.

That feeling of helplessness only increased when the sound of a guttural roar reached my ears. I turned and found a massive creature standing in front of one of the many ornate churches that saturated the Origin Floor.

The Beast had five legs and tens of tentacles squirming from its sides. A few pious worshipers of the Church of Liberation threw their hands up before the monster, weeping and prostrating themselves before it. Insensitive to the humans' false worship, the tentacles snaked out, tearing into the crying faces of the believers.

Another heavy growl pulled my attention to the north, toward the location of the stairs leading to the First Floor. My knees began to tremble as I looked upon the carnage. The towering buildings that once reached for the sky had been razed to the ground, and standing in their place was the largest Beast that I had ever seen.

It was humanoid... but only barely. It was pitch black. Purple veins wriggled visibly beneath its skin, and two massive purple horns nearly pierced the bottom of the First Floor above. The monstrosity held an enormous scythe, bathed in a dark aura that seemed to spread hundreds of feet around it.

My body wouldn't stop shaking as I looked upon this living calamity. It was attacking the stairs. Why would it be... I forcibly tore my gaze away from the creature and noticed that the high walls that once connected the Origin Floor to the First were gone.

"The Tower hasn't... fallen?"

Did I just speak? The voice was raspy, much like the voice of a decrepit old man, but my lips never moved. Still, the statement had been made, and it seemed that it didn't go unnoticed.

The hellish creature turned its gaze upon me... and I felt a fear that I'd never felt before. Its eyes bore into me... through me. My body quivered, my legs gave out under me, and the warmth spilling out of my trousers reminded me of my vulnerability.

"You... Shouldn't... Be... Here..."

The words echoed in a language I didn't know yet somehow understood. It seemed the sound came from right beside me, even though I was miles away. Waves of raw force resonated with the voice, tearing my skin, rending flesh from bone, and ultimately obliterating my old body that had once been quivering in the street.

....

"Haahh!"

I woke up panting, covered in a cold sweat, and my body shaking. Looking around, I found myself in a dark space, though the signs of morning showed near the entrance. Probing my side, I found my Deck Box fastened to my belt.

A dim, glowing Ball appeared in my hand. It was a youthful hand with no wrinkles or scars marring the smooth surface. The panting turned into laughter as the sleep faded from my mind.

It was just a nightmare...

My body shivered, recalling the fear. With no choice but to brush it off, I stood and collected my packs. I was reminded that the end was coming, and I needed to get stronger.

Tap... Tap... Tap...

The butt of my cane echoed softly throughout the quiet cave, the familiar sound further calming my nerves. I stepped out into the morning sun, the stone ceiling of the First Floor swathed in purple morning light. The fresh, untainted air of the forest filled my lungs, bringing a smile to my worried face.

Today was a new day, and with it came new opportunities. There were only two of these hunting tasks to go and two new Cards for me to earn. I turned and jogged into the hills with life in my step that hadn't been there a moment prior.

The sounds of grunts and fighting flowed into the hills from the Old Boar Forest. Today, the students of the Academy were given free rein since the final exam would be held the following morning. I smiled, thinking of my pitiful results the first time around.

My schedule had been packed in my previous life, as the need to earn Essence kept me from my studies. I'd splurged on the Memory Enhancement to help overcome my lack of time, but at Level 1, it could only do so much.

I had to remind myself that things tomorrow's results would be different. Since my practical scores were on the higher side, doing well on the exam would help me rank amongst the top students. The Sacred was beyond my reach, but I could still obtain one of the Holy rewards.

There was no chance of my placing above Aurora. Having another Card with the same Rank as my Pixie so early in this life... The anticipation was killing me. I took a breath. I had to take things one step at a time.

Pushing my slightly enhanced Perception to its limits, I listened for the distant howls of the wolves that were common in this area. Though the trees weren't as densely packed as those of the Old Boar Forest, they were still spaced near enough to keep one from climbing to the top of a hill to examine the surroundings.

After a few minutes of jogging, tiny grey and blue shimmers emerged here and there along the foot of the hills. My new Tracking Ability seemed to be doing its job, and I recalled the description without pulling out the Card.

[Card Name: Tracking]

[Class: Ability]

[Rank: Blessed]

[Level: 1]

[Essence: 381/1,000]

[Description: For ten minutes, the Wielder is able to follow the tracks of any entity without the skill to hide them]

[Effect 1: Within 5 yards times the Level of Perception of the Wielder, all tracks or markings left by entities will be revealed as a shimmer. This Effect is dependent upon the entity's stealth. The luminance is affected by the age and transparency of the tracks]

[Effect 2: The obscurity of older or hidden tracks is lessened by 10% times the Level of Perception]

[Effect 3: While active, the Wielder can use detection skills on a track as if they were looking directly at the entity]

[Cooldown: 30 minutes]

The older the tracks were, the harder they were to make out, and the shimmering was barely detectable. Even with the 5-yard limit, they were impossible to make out unless I was almost on top of them. If the tracks were fresh, however, they would glow brightly, and casting Inspection would yield results.

I smiled and took off briskly in the direction the grey tracks of the Beasts were facing. The blue tracks belonged to humans, and I had no interest in pursuing them. More and more tracks materialised, dully glowing, while the more recent trails started to shine brightly. There were about a dozen, all heading in the same direction.

This was a good sign. The wolves in the Howling Hills would emerge from their dens at night and stalk around the hills looking for wandering travellers or Wild Boars that crossed into their territory. During the day, they travelled back to their caves.

It was rather dangerous to hunt wolves during the day since a dozen or more of the cunning beasts would be packed together in one area, but there was no other way if I wanted to finish this task. Generally, only the top students would venture beyond the Old Boar Forest without a Party. Of course, I wouldn't be adhering to any such whimsy. It wasn't like the professors were here to watch on.

A few minutes later, I could hear the sound of whimpers and growls coming from beneath me. The ridge I was standing upon was illuminated by hundreds of glowing paw prints, and I had to will the Ability to dim the glow so I could see clearly.

This would take much less effort if I had all of my Foundations.

The Howling Hills consisted of four quadrants, each separated by a long ravine that connected the Old Boar Forest to the foot of Bear Peak. Many Parties looking to farm Essence would enter from the Old Boar Forest and work their way through the many caves. I didn't have the luxury of starting from the front.

To complete my task in 6 hours, I would need to be as swift as possible, and competing with others was time-consuming. Thus, I found it prudent to enter from further down and make my way toward the third goal while I completed the second.

"One... Two... Three..."

Using my cane, I pointed out four thin ledges between myself and the bottom of the gorge. With gravity's assistance, my Dash could cover more ground before tuckering out. I shook my head, looking down at the rocky surface below. Bending my knees, I crouched forward and cast my eyes about the walls.

Tucking my cane beneath my arm, I adjusted the straps on my packs, walked back from the cliff's edge... and ran full tilt toward it. Pushing my muscles to their limits, I vaulted toward the wall on the opposite side. I cleared the eight yards to the other side, gravity pulling me down onto the thin ledge.

Just before landing, I felt my body lighten. The soles hit the ledge, but rather than slowing, I bounded from the wall like I'd hit an elastic surface and soared across. Twice more, I changed direction, spinning in the air so the balls of my feet would hit the canyon walls.

My Dash dried up just as I hit the final ledge. Rather than changing direction, my boots hit the slope softly, and I slid comfortably to the bottom. That ledge was only a few yards up, not much higher than the lowest branch of most trees, and was sloped inward.

I stretched my limbs to ensure that I'd remained uninjured. There were no wounds to speak of. Satisfied, I picked up my cane and merrily walked down the path, following the glowing footprints to a nearby cave.

The quiet tapping of my cane stopped when I entered the closest cave. A dozen sets of yellow eyes stared at me from the darkness. I drew my blade... and they charged.

"Hooooowwoooooo!"

My voice tore through the pack of wolves, the small space amplifying the effects of my Howl. Many of the wolves were stunned, while those that continued to trot forward were slowed. I Dashed forward, slashing the heads of the wolves with my blade.

They fell one by one, the effects of the strengthened Howl keeping the beasts from retaliating. In less than half a minute, the cave was still, the sounds of blood dripping from the corpses being all that broke the silence.

I scratched my chin, feeling the childlike stubble that had seemingly grown overnight. The Howl had been highly effective, but Pierce was only effective against one or two enemies at a time. If it weren't for the high-quality materials in my blade, killing these wolves wouldn't be so simple.

I'll need to acquire some more offensive abilities... My old mate Crook may be able to help me out.

I chuckled as I pictured the little man's beet-red face and jogged toward the next cave. If every encounter went as well as the last, I could finish this task in just a few hours and reach Bear Peak before lunch.

My hunt continued for another two hours before I decided to take a break. My kill count had already broken three hundred, and I was well on my way to completing the task. I loosened my drawstring and whizzed in a back corner of the cave, then pulled out a piece of dried meat, using a drop of Infernal Wash on it and my hands. I still hadn't forgotten the glob of snot that boy had wiped before wrapping my lunch.

Voices from out in the gorge reached me while I chewed the last bits of jerky. Seeing that others were encroaching upon my hunting ground, I pulled on my packs, grabbed my cane, and was prepared to leave when I found a few familiar faces standing by the entrance.

"Oh? What have we here?"

I raised a brow and met the eyes of a tall, athletic young man with black hair and an annoying smirk. His tanned skin didn't have a drop of sweat on it, while his companions were drenched.

"Galen," I nodded in greeting and made to leave, not caring to waste my time with the class clown who'd made my life miserable all those years ago. Before I could reach the exit, two of the goons that were with him stepped up to block my path.

"You can't even spare a minute for your mates?" Galen chuckled and stooped to examine the corpse of one of the wolves. "Or are you running with a new crowd now? Guess you fell behind and are in a hurry to catch up."

He stood up and turned to look at me, eyeing the two packs I carried, "Whoever you're travelling with will be disappointed that you haven't been plucking the Essence for them. What good is a dud who can't pull his own weight? I can't even tell you how much Essence we've already nabbed."

The group of students laughed, and aside from the two blocking me, the others pulled out knives and started looting the corpses. Galen walked over and pointed at the larger of my two packs.

"How about you leave your stuff with us? Maybe if you lighten your burden, you'll be able to catch up with the Party that's been dragging you along," he and his friends laughed again.

I sighed and turned to face him, "You're welcome to loot the bodies, lad, but I'll be holding on to my effects. You ought not concern yourself with matters that don't involve you."

Galen scoffed, "Acting tough because you've got a few new friends?"

He pulled a wooden shortsword from the secondary scabbard on his waist, and the four hoodlums that travelled with him did the same. It seemed this group had held on to their Academy-issued training weapons. Likely for this very reason.

Shaking my head, I tightened my grip on the handle of my cane. I didn't care to hurt a youngster, but I saw it as my duty to train them up right. These brats were just being boys, but if they offended the wrong person in the future...

I held my thumb a comfortable distance away from the hidden switch on the handle. I didn't want to kill the lot... just give them a few knocks on the head to shape them up a bit.

Before I moved, my ears twitched slightly. Another set of footsteps approached gradually from the ravine. The pace of the newcomer was slow and steady, almost like the trained guards on the Origin Floor.

Galen heard the steps a second later and lowered his weapon slightly, scowling at the cave's entrance. His scowl turned into a look of panic when a giant of a man turned the corner, hands holding tightly to the grip of a long, polished glaive.

The newcomer's long, silver hair whipped in the wind that constantly rushed through the canyon. I eased the butt of my cane to the floor as Galen and his entourage hurriedly sheathed their weapons. I knew this young man. Nathaniel Syward.

"L-Lord Nathaniel," Galen bowed his head in respect, the others following suit.

***

Nathaniel cast his grey eyes about the cave, quickly taking in the corpses, the group of hooligans, and the strange young man leaning casually on a well-crafted cane. He glanced at the wounds on the two-dozen wolves and swiftly noted that none of the swords these young men carried could have caused them.

He'd been searching for the culprit for the last hour and happened upon this scene. These five students might have lost their lives today if he hadn't shown up. There was something off in the strange man's gaze. Nathaniel felt he was being watched by an experienced veteran rather than another student at the Academy.

It wasn't hard for him to piece together what had happened after following the trail. This young man had been slaughtering wolves, and these thieves were following behind, claiming the bounty. They caught up to him and thought they could pinch his gear since he was alone. But...

"What's your name?" Nathaniel asked, his deep, monotone voice sending chills through Galen and his posse. Not the strange youth. He nodded his head casually and spread his arms much like the members of the esteemed Families when they were greeting an equal. Out of habit, Nathaniel returned the gesture.

"Rowan Wilder," he smiled and stepped out of the cave, speaking lightly as he passed. "You'll have to excuse me, young man. I'm in a bit of a rush, you see."

Wilder..? It wasn't a name he recognised. Nathaniel watched the back of the young man as he walked toward the next cave, the quiet tapping of his cane being carried back by the wind. Since when did someone not from the Descendant Families know about these tasks?

After some time, he shrugged. His curiosity had been satisfied. Nathaniel turned back to the cave, looking at the five youths standing with their heads tilted. He really didn't care to deal with this bunch today.

"Thievery is against Academy policy," he said coldly.

Sweat formed on Galen's brow as he spoke, "We were just messin' about. I swear, we would never harm a fellow student, especially one so much weaker than ourselves."

"Weaker?" Nathaniel raised an eyebrow but didn't ask any further questions. More than anything, he despised dealing with the wealthy who polluted their speech with honey-coated words. He would find out about this Rowan Wilder from a more reliable source.

"You'd do well to leave this place," Nathaniel said, departing the cave. "You'd do well to spend the rest of your day in your dorm, studying for tomorrow's exam."

"Y-Yes, Sir!"

***

After encountering Nathaniel, I rushed through the canyon, tearing through every wolf den I could find. As far as the Descendant children went, he was a very noble young man. He would still likely have questions, so the sooner I finished my tasks, the better.

My time was limited. Sometime in the coming days before the graduation ceremony, the Families would discover the remaining tasks. That meant I needed to be done with as many as possible before they flooded the Floor. Not that they would ask any questions.

There were a hundred Descendant Families, each with several young scions. I wasn't concerned with any query about my being there.

My hurry lay in the fact that each of the remaining tasks could only be completed a set number of times. All of them were relatively high, reaching the hundreds... except for the last. Only ten Wielders could receive that reward.

If I wanted to take advantage of my knowledge, I would need to successfully perform every task. Four of them wouldn't be a problem. The last one, however...

I shook my head, not wanting to think of what I'd have to do before ascending to the Second Floor. The final task held a few stringent requirements... and blood had to be shed.

Dash came off Cooldown, and I tore into another cave, using Howl to stun the wolves before ending their lives. One of them broke free early, and I jumped onto the wall to dodge its fangs, pushing off and Piercing my blade into its skull.

A light shone from the corpse, signalling my 500th kill, but I continued slashing until the last few wolves were dead. Breathing heavily, I walked back to the glowing corpse and waited patiently for my reward. I heard a chime, and it fell from the ceiling with the same theatrics as before.

This was another Card I hadn't seen before. The back was red with an ornate shield and sword, indicating that it was an Ability. On the front, one wolf swiped down on another, leaving a bloody gash on its side. The border was a deep red and looked eerily like the blood pouring from the injured wolf. I tapped my Demon Glass to the Card and waited for the results.

[Card Name: Rend]

[Class: Ability]

[Rank: Blessed]

[Level: 1]

[Essence: 0/1,000]

[Description: The Wielder's weapon gains the aura of a beast. While active, the Wielder's strikes will tear flesh rather than cut it clean. Can only be used with bladed weapons]

[Effect 1: Strikes tear more than cut, increasing the difficulty to heal by 6% times the Level of Dexterity]

[Effect 2: Increases the rate of bleeding from wounds made by 6% times the Level of Strength]

[Duration: 1 minute]

[Cooldown: 30 minutes]

This was an outstanding addition to my current Deck and would give me another means to attack. Pierce would only go so far on its own before I met a creature it couldn't kill. My blade was only so long, and it would take more than a simple stab to reach the organs of some Beasts.

I slipped the Card into my Deck Box, collected the Essence, and left the cave. There was only one more of these tedious tasks, and the restless night in the burrow had only done so much for my recovery.

Just two hundred bears remaining... Almost done, Rowan.

I stretched my arms toward the sky, yawning.

"Aaahhlmost done."