Harold was the only zerg-style summoner in the final. Deirdra was a hybrid of both builds—her spiders had an overwhelming effect but I believe they were bound spirits who then spawned more of each other. Raylene had a giant turtle who she used defensively to allow her to target her opponent with her sharpshooter attacks. And Ashren—well, actually I still had no idea what kind of summoner he was. In the chaos of the last trial, I hadn’t seen any of the moves he’d used. All I knew about him was he was the favorite to win.

  My head hurt thinking through all the variables. I needed to counter zerg-style enemies like Harold’s doppelganger summons and Deirdra’s spiders; and diminish the defensive power of Raylene’s turtle. I needed offense and defense. Good thing I still had two free slots in my arsenal. Training tomorrow would definitely include mob-hunting. I grinned. A strategy was forming in my head.

  Let the proper training begin.

  22

  Salaphem’s market bustled with activity the following morning. People pointed and whispered as I walked past. The qualifying round of the summoner tournament was what everyone was talking about. The two biggest stories from the events were 1) my rise from last place to first and then back to last and then the judge’s unprecedented ruling to accept me as the fifth contestant in the following round and 2) the unplanned attack by the fallen creatures of the Bottom World. Was Solmini being targeted by a terrorist attack? Some blamed Arethkar, others suggested Raylene’s Desert Faction, even Laergard got tossed around as an enemy.

  “They want to bully us into an alliance with them,” two shopkeepers discussed.

  I shook my head. I wouldn’t call going through the ritual of this insane tournament “bullying” but whatever.

  Eyes lingered on me as we walked through the market. I was a minor celebrity in Salaphem now, but I still got an uneasy feeling like someone was watching us. Following. Stalking us like prey.

  We walked through a narrow alley of two tall clay buildings. The bright blue sky shined above, but the alley was still dark from the building’s shadows. Vendors cloaked in white robes sat on carpets surrounded by barrels of seeds, spices, and other wares. Shade pointed them out and informed us of what everything was. There were bushels of cloak-leaf: a leaf when you ate it granted you invisibility for 30 seconds. The petals of each stem, came in and out of view, disappearing and reappearing. Then there were burn-berries: glowing red berries offering defense buffs against burning damage. “Very spicy,” Shade added. There were also barrels of water.

  “Water is a pretty strange commodity compared to the rest?” observed Serena.

  “I wouldn’t underestimate the value of water in a desert civilization,” said Jackson. “But this isn’t actually water. This is a barrel of mirage puddle.”

  “What is it?”

  “If you drink it, it shows you whatever you’d like to see. It’s quite addictive,” said Jackson, gesturing to two scraggly beggars at the far end of the alley, fighting over the last drop of mirage-puddle liquid.

  “Yikes,” I said.

  “I’d avoid the stuff, if I were you,” said Jackson.

  “Stick to ale like me,” said Shade. “Don’t get me wrong—I like a good time, but mirage-puddles really messes you up. I’ve lost friends to the stuff.”

  We moved on from the eclectic spice dealer and passed an old wrinkled woman selling trinkets on a carpet.

  Shade crouched down. He winced his eyes and investigated each item. There were necklaces, silver teapots, antiquarian knives, and jewels to accessorize and buff your weapons.

  We continued to traverse the market. Kari picked up spices and healing supplies. Serena purchased new gauntlets with stat increases to her swing speed and attack power. Jackson picked up new bracers and then new purple breeches which added wind-elements and speed to his kicks and attacks. Shade purchased desert rogue boots granting increased stats to his natural stealth. Everyone else had purchased items, while I’d still yet to pick up anything.

  “C’mon Clay,” whined Serena. “It’s no fun if you don’t take part in our shopping spree. Aren’t you going to get anything? Don’t you need to get new supplies and gear? You are the one representing all of us in this tournament.”

  “Sheesh,” I said. “Way to pile on the pressure. I’ve been keeping an eye out for one shop. Mooney’s. The duke recommended I check it out. Can’t see it anywhere though.”

  Jackson shook his head. “You’re looking in the wrong place. There’s a tournament happening. Contestants need everything they can to get a leg up on their opponents. Including better gear, better weapons, but also—better surprises.”

  Ah. I see where he was going.

  “So you’re saying none of the summoner vendors are going to be selling stuff out in the open?”

  “Exactly. They know you will value a leg up on your competitors. They can’t offer you secrecy if they’re selling you their special gear in plain sight.”

  “So where are they—particularly, Mooney’s—hiding then?”

  “Well, finding hidden passages and secret doors isn’t really my forte,” said Jackson, turning to Shade. “But I think I know a furry fella who actually excels at such things.”

  Shade’s ears perked up. His whiskers twitched. “What’s this I hear? Is that a humble admission from the gruff Jackson that I, mere performer of pickpocketry and other thieving arts, is a master at finding hidden doors. Did I hear you correctly, Jackson?”

  “You added in a heap of bullshit, but yeah, you heard me.”

  Shade rubbed his hands together mischievously and investigated the market. Eventually he found a blank wall and declared: “There’s a shop behind here.”

  “Um, great,” said Serena, clearly underwhelmed “Any idea how we get inside?”

  Shade scratched his chin, thinking deeply about how to get the door to appear. “If this is indeed a special summoner shop, maybe try a summoning spell?”

  “Not a bad idea,” I said. “Okay.”

  I stretched my arms and cracked my fingers getting ready to cast a summoner spell. The perfect one. I weaved my hands through the air and Chip burst into existence.

  “Hello everybody!”

  “Good to see you, Chip,” I smiled. “I need your help.”

  “Sure thing, Master Clay, whatever you need: be it to fight crazy monsters, unlock traps, or even if you want to have a pleasant conversation between two pals, I’m your man. Or spirit. Or whatever you want to call me. You know, this makes me think—“

  “Great news,” I said. I nodded to the wall in front of me. “Shade here thinks—“

  “Hi Shade!” cheered Chip, spinning around the Lirana, going in and out of him.

  “It’s like your in my stomach,” giggled Shade.

  “ ‘Hello Shade. This is your stomach, I am hungry’ “ the spirit impersonated.

  “These two are bad for each other,” said Serena.

  “Agreed,” said Kari and Jackson in unison.

  “You guys are no fun, can’t a guy pretend to talk to the personification of his stomach with a ghost-spirit every once in a while?”

  Chip flew out of Shade and back to me.

  “Sorry, Clay, I got distracted! What is it you need me to do? As I said before, I’ll do anything you need, be it—“

  “All you need to do is unleash a spirit blast on this wall here,” I said. “I think it will trigger a magic defense and reveal a door.”

  “Sure thing, Clay,” the spirit said. “Here goes nothing.”

  The ghost spirit flew near the wall and shot out spirit blast on the orange stone building. At first nothing happened, but then the sand on the wall curled and a lone door emerged with a stairwell leading beneath the building.

  “Whoah,” I said. “Is it me or is this door super ominous?”

  “Shade,” said Serena. “Do you think this is a trap within a trap?”

  “Oh no,” Chip frowned. “Are you unhappy with what I did, Clay?”

  “No, you did good Chip,” I said. “We’re not sure how to proceed next, though.”

  The Lirana thief moved to inspect the door, but Jackson held his arm out to stop him. “Listen.”

  Footsteps echoed from below. Emerging from the shadows of the magic doorway was a short Muumuu dressed in a waistcoat with a bowtie. Mooney.

  “Good morning, Clay Hopewell,” said the Muumuu, shaking its tail. “We’ve been expecting you. Please, enter.”

  I took a step forward as did the rest of my party.

  “Ahem,” said the bow-tied Muumuu. “Only the summoner can enter.”

  Chip frowned.

  The well-dressed gentlemen smiled at the spirit. “As one of his bound spirits—a very peculiar spirit to have bound I may add—you can come as well. The rest of you must wait here.”

  Serena stepped beside me. “Do you trust this guy, Clay?”

  “I mean, someone who appears behind magic doors and says he’s, ‘expecting you’, is not someone I’d instantly label as trustworthy and safe—but I don’t see any other option.”

  “And don’t forget, I’m coming too,” said Chip. “I’ll protect you, Clay. Don’t worry for a second!”

  The spirit shadow boxed in the air.

  Jackson kept his muscly arms crossed and assessed the fancy Muumuu shopkeeper. “Go,” he said. “I trust him.”

  The shopkeeper smiled and bowed his head graciously. “Come with me, Clay.”

  He held his hand out and I stepped forward. He then turned and headed down the stairs, me and Chip following behind.

  The bottom of the stairs revealed a large rectangular shaped room full of magic staffs hanging from the walls, a variety of different colored potion bottles, shelves of old books and scrolls, racks of robes. In short, it was a typical mage’s shop.

  “Um,” I said. “I was expecting more from the shop with all the secrecies behind the entrance.”

  “Well, discretion is one of our selling points,” said the shopkeeper. “Especially since, as you know, there is a tournament going on, but I wouldn’t be so quick to judge when you haven’t even inspected any of our wares.”

  He had a point. Good thing Chip made up for my lack of enthusiasm.

  “Wow look at all the stuff Clay,” the spirit said. “Will you buy me stuff?”

  “Um,” I said. “I’m not sure I can buy anything for spirits.”

  But then I remembered while Gryph and I were training that bound spirits did indeed have equipment slots.

  “We do have spirit equipment,” said the shopkeeper. “I actually arranged a selection prior to your visit. I think they may interest you. Items to enhance your legendary spirit’s performance.”

  “Wait,” said Chip, his big eyes blinking in surprise. “Am I legendary?”

  “I think he was referring to Gryph.”

  “I was,” said the shopkeeper. “Items for a level 1 elemental spirit turned into a bound summon. It’s very peculiar, I’ve never seen any summoner do such a thing. I’ll have to think. You caught me unprepared. Let me go check the back of house.”

  The shopkeeper waddled into another room. He kept the door open so we heard his murmurs. “Elemental spirit, huh? What type of creature are they? Ghost type?”

  I turned to Chip. I’d spent so much time focusing on my combos with Gryph, I’d accidentally ignored Chip’s. I’d taken him for granted as a happy-go-lucky sidekick who helped out with traps and locked doors—but never as a summon with abilities who might aid me in battle. I hadn’t taken the creature seriously and it was time I rectified the mistake.

  I called up Chip’s ability list in my HUD.

  Chip

  Level 3

  Abilities: Spirit Blast, Energy Blast, Hypnosis, Astonish

  Available Abilities: Confuse Ray, Destiny Bond, Hex, Phantom Force*, Shadow* Ball*, Shadow Claw*, Shadow Punch* (*Not unlocked)

  Interesting. Chip’s move set was much more intriguing than I—or conventional summoning wisdom—had ever given credit to. The elemental spirit had been taken for granted. He had loads of abilities with conditional effects like hypnosis, astonish, and confuse ray. His higher level moves looked quite interesting as well. Shadow Ball, Shadow Clay, and Shadow Punch all took advantage of Chip’s ability to oscillate between immaterial and material natures. In short, the friendly likeable ghost spirit Chip had the potential to be supremely badass.

  “So, what would be a good item to equip Chip with?”

  The Muumuu shopkeeper carried a red cloth in his hand. He held the concealed items with an intense delicacy. He walked with a firm patience towards a glass case. Once there, he rolled out the red cloth and revealed three small accessories.

  “These suit a spirit like Chip,” said the shopkeeper. “Keep in mind: Chip will only be able to equip one of these.” He looked up at me from behind his small spectacles, watching to see which item I’d be drawn to. I started from the left and worked my way to the right.

  The first was a metal badge and I highlighted the item.

  Badge of Condition Damage: Increase duration time of condition moves inflicted by summoned spirit by 5 seconds.

  The second was also a badge, but this one was a sharp and black and had an arrow sticking through it.

  Badge of Shadow: Increase all stats of shadow attacks by +5 of summoned spirit.

  The third was a golden badge shaped as a circle.

  Ghost Badge of Ability: Add one extra ability to any ghost spirit’s ability arsenal.

  My eyes glowed at all three. The shopkeeper watched me, recognizing my pleased beaming face. I was setting myself up for a high price tag. Bad negotiating on my part.

  Chip flew in and out of the glass case, peeking at the items. He wasn’t as interested as I was.

  All three badges looked awesome. It was a shame they negated each other, so Chip was only able to equip one of these. They were all amazing. The Badge of Conditions would improve a lot of Chip’s early level abilities I already had unlocked, whereas the Badge of Shadow would improve his later abilities. Then there was the Badge of Ability which added another move to Chip’s arsenal. They were all pretty handy.

  “How much are they?”

  I wouldn’t say I was poor. Since acquiring the airship, I would generally say I was pretty flush, but I was undecided on what I wanted and knowing the prices would help make the decision. Also, knowing the items’ monetary value would tip me off to which ones were rarer and more worthwhile.

  The shopkeeper’s hazel eyes locked onto mine through his tiny spectacles. “There is no price until the end,” he said, cryptically. “Once we’ve decided everything you wish to purchase, we’ll come to an arrangement.”

  I paused. I’d heard of restaurants so expensive the menu’s never listed the price, but they had never been places I’d ever gone to. I guess this was the fantasy video game equivalent.

  “Sure,” I said. I glanced down to the three badges again. “I guess if I had to choose right now, my top choice would be the Badge of Ability.”

  The shopkeeper nodded his head. “Wise choice.”

  “Oooh new toy for me,” said Chip, who was doing a manic circle around the shop.

  “Yep,” I said. “You’ll get an extra ability slot.”

  “Awesome! More moves to help you with Clay!”

  I grinned. He definitely took a lot less cajoling than Gryph.

  “Alright,” I sighed. “Chip’s accessory is settled. You said you were preparing things for my gryphon spirit?”

  The shopkeeper smiled and nodded. “Yes. I had different ideas for the gryphon. For instance,” he waddled behind his glass case and pulled out a drawer from the wooden cupboard the display case sat on. He lifted a box and placed it on top of the display case and opened it, revealing a collection of finely handled feathers. I glanced over the feathers, their stats appearing in my HUD.

  Alariana’s Feather – Grants a special boost to winged spirit’s speed.

  Persephone’s Feather – Grants increased magic attack power to winged spirits.

  Whisperia’s Feather – Grants increased aerial dexterity of winged spirit.

  Dreadron’s Feather – Grants a boost to a winged spirit’s attack.

  This was the problem with gear shopping. Everything was awesome and you wanted to buy it all.

  “Unlike the badges for Chip though none of these discount the spirit from using another item,” I said. “They normally are allowed two accessories, right? So Gryph would be able to equip at least two of these feathers, no?”

  “Yes,” said the shopkeeper. “But I’d recommend taking one feather and one…” He pulled out another drawer and placed it above the display case. “…Claw.”

  The box was filled with sharp metal knife-like talons meant to fit over Gryph’s claws. They were like brass knuckles for birds. They were badass. Never mind two feathers, I definitely had to get Gryph these. The claws were made of different combination of materials: gold, emerald, black obsidian, oricalchum, and hard steel.

  I observed their stats in my HUD.

  Gold Claw – All physical attacks deal an extra gold damage.

  Emerald Claw – All physical attacks deal an extra emerald damage.

  Obsidian Claw – All physical attacks deal an extra shadow damage.

  Orichaclcum Claw – All physical attacks from winged spirits have 25% chance of inflicting stun.

  Steel Claw – Adds attack power to all physical winged spirit attacks.

  They all sounded fairly useful, but I was unsure about a few things.

  “What does it mean here when it says, gold power? Same with shadow and emerald power?”

 

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