Soulcatcher

by Sergey Zaytsev

  Instead of responding, the ''Treexie'' stared at me, cornflower-blue eyes full of hope. She wrinkled her button nose in a quite funny manner and hastily nodded several times, clearly afraid that I'd change my mind. She looked disheveled; the hairspring belt which had been keeping her mane secured around the waist this morning, was now gone. The slightest movement made her golden, ankle long hair dance around her perfectly proportioned figure, revealing her naked body to the immodest stares; a man's dream in miniature. Time flowed quickly for small creatures like her, so what had, to me, been a day and a half from our last meeting, was probably an eternity to her. And yet she remembered me. Maybe that's why she was dancing so vigorously and striking various seductive poses?

  I barely stopped myself from laughing, in case that could insult her. Did she understand how small she was for me, or was the concept of proportions not inserted into her little head? However, according to legend, the little forest fairy folk have always been famous for their ability to attract the attention of travelers. That's what she was trying to do with her dancing. An additional incentive to attract the client, and prevent them from getting away again. The occupied clearing was, probably, very important to the local dwellers.

  ''Come on, don't waste time. I accept.''

  Quest available: "A Moment of Peace"

  The ''Treexies'' ask you to clear their ritual clearing from a wandering beast.

  Quest conditions: the beast mustn't die.

  Reward: 5,000 XP

  Accept quest: yes / no?

  I mentally clicked "yes" and the fairy joyfully squeaked something, flew closer, kissed me gratefully on the cheek and slipped away somewhere between the twigs, instantly disappearing from sight. She probably went to get the sleep inducing potion needed, but unmentioned in the conditions, for the quest, which Grant had told me about.

  Comfortably sitting on the branch, I waited for her return, and observed my companions down below.

  The entire "Fortune Hunters" clan was there.

  Owl and Foxy were showing off their pets, the cave ''Fangore'' cub and ''The Royal Batwing'' pup, to the ''Treexies''. The fairies, an excitedly squeaking flock of two dozen beauties, buzzed around the young animals, not knowing what to feed them with. Glutton was easier, as it was a herbivore. However, both the ''Batwing'' and the ''Fangore'' turned their noses away from grass. Not knowing how else to please them, the fairies teased and squeezed them, and kissed their noses.

  Oddly enough, both creatures, known for their quite aggressive behavior, natural for combat pets, never missed the occasion to bite their owners; out of love, of course. Owl had put the ''Tincture'' over two fingers already and Red onto the other cheek, hiding deep scratches. But they melted from the attention that the fairies were giving them, falling onto their backs and exposing their bellies to the ''winged menaces''.

  Both the animals and the fairies were natural empaths and understood genuine feelings without any words. Cavalier assured us that the pets would behave more decently once they grow up. During the conversation with him I found out that he had lost his pet, a ''Dire Ratling'', in the dungeon. He was in no hurry to revive it, however, stating that he had enough concerns already.

  Cavalier and Pops made themselves comfortable under the next pine, away from the whole pet mess, where the vice-cm explained to the cleric the nuances of filling the pipe with tobacco. The local hostesses didn't allow smoking, so they had to entertain themselves with the theory of it.

  A cleric and a cleric always find a common language. Beside them, in the grass, lay Glutton, resembling a back boulder with yellow streaks. For a change, the ''Turtangle'' slept, heads and feet hidden within the bone armor. A pet, too, needed some time to rest. From eating, in Glutton's case. No wonder it gained weight, it was prepping itself for the next level. Leaned against the shell of his genetically linked friend, Grant slept. Nearby, the fursters grazed with phlegmatic looks on their faces, not missing the opportunity to get their little pleasure from this life.

  Generally, a pastoral idyll.

  A lot had happened between us coming back from the mountains and going to the fairies. We spent about an hour on the ''Temple's'' island, where Cavalier gave us the latest news, and then explained the nuances of passing the dungeon. It was all very important info, as we decided to go as a party of five, which meant that the difficulty level would be increased to 160%. Sarge's group had failed; the three "Children" totally blew it somewhere halfway through.

  On one hand, that meant that we wouldn't see Sarge anytime soon. On the other hand, however, ''The Destroyer's" power grew with each passing day. That could mean only one thing, the next group would get a much tougher enemy; one too tough for a duo, even with an elite pet.

  As the person who had experienced the dungeon personally, Cavalier assured us that there was, indeed, a chance to get the ''Soulcatcher''. According to the cleric, beating the boss was much easier than getting to him, and his group, with which he had fought in the dungeon two days ago, defeated "The Destroyer". But to his great annoyance, the trophy went to another player, who had already gone to the "Reed World". In conclusion, everything so far stated that the dungeon was quite the challenge, that the fights would be tough, and that everyone would have to pull their weight.

  Grant…

  Without his straw hat, which got carried away into the unknown, and with disheveled, shaggy hair, the mage didn't look as mysterious and imposing as before. I was glad that he had come to his senses, but his behavior was unsettling. He agreed to everything. Just shrugged. Join a new clan? Yes, please. Go to the dungeon as a party of five? Not a problem.

  Being in a coma for so long had its consequences, and he now had a couple of screws loose. Maybe it would have been more merciful if we had sent him to the ''Replicator'', but it was too late for that now. He was alive and healthy, in appearance, at least, just not smiling anymore. Now we had two Cavaliers on our hands. However, Cavalier would occasionally joke with a completely straight face, while Grant remained melancholic and inert. I really hoped that he would get better before the dungeon. Cavalier fulfilled my request and asked Catch, the ''Stables''' "Caretaker", a couple of questions and found out something useful. According to the rules, to fully activate a pet, I would have to end Grant's mentoring and take a mentee myself, which was, given the circumstances, impossible. However, it was possible for the student to enter the trance, and for the mentor to take the role of the protector and charge the ''Altar'' with the life force of slain elemental creatures. This method, called ''The Trick Mirror'', had several issues. First one being that the level of mobs that would rush into battle would either correspond to the level of the defender, or be higher. Therefore, the creatures that Grant would have to fight would be level seven or eight. And he was a healer, albeit a combat one…

  However, Grant agreed with the same suspicious fatalism. The second issue was that I had to kiss an adult pet goodbye, as I would get a cub, and only if the circumstances were right. But I was fine with it. A pet in any form was still a pet, and all I had to do was to raise it. And if it doesn't work out with the pet, maybe it will with the ''Treexies''' quest. In any case, we'd get the experience, and that's what I needed. If anything went wrong, and our lives were in danger, we had a whole team with only one task at the ready: to attack anything that moves. Failing the quest wouldn't be the end of the world either, as it was possible to reach level six by killing regular mobs, or doing dailies at the'' Outpost''. It would just take longer.

  Just in case, we decided to stay together until our journey to the dungeon.

  Earlier on the island, I saw a couple of people from the "Children", who seemed, by both level and class, to have no business being there. However, they were hanging around the place, pretending to have no interest in us. Alice must have sent them to spy on us. Messing with the entire party, especially without her loyal Sarge, was beyond her power. "Torpedoes" were only good for one on one attacks. It was getting harder to find those who would want to fight d
irty, as everyone cherished their saves. I had no doubt that we could fend them off, but losing a clanmate right now would negatively affect the entire party. Generally speaking, it was important to keep our skins intact for the dungeon. We broke away from the annoying observers when crossing the ''Affluent'', but it was just a matter of time before they find us again. We had to hurry.

  ''Tiny, playtime's over!''

  Silently appearing next to me, the fairy pulled my ear quite sensibly. Her fingers, though tiny, were unexpectedly strong. She put a dried cornflower, the color of her eyes, onto my palm. The system informed me that I got a "Magic Intoxicant" the effects of which lasted one hour.

  The time had come to do whatever we had been planning to do. All of the nuances have been discussed several times, and we had enough time on the road. We were ready for anything. Before jumping down, however, I had one last look into the distance. A beautiful world. It would be a pity if I had to die here, without getting to see what was beyond it.

  Everyone agreed that the most suitable place for taming was around sixty feet away from the fairies' ritual glade, no closer than that because the animal could still wake up from the noise. This risk remained, but increasing the distance anymore was irrational. No person ever did such a trick, so we had to follow simple logic. Following the taming rules, only the two of us were in the party, while everyone else covered our backs. To my surprise I couldn't share the ''Direcat'' related quest with my partner; the system simply wouldn't allow it. I wanted to explore it on my own anyway. My idea, my risk, it was only fair.

  Additional guidance was not needed as I remembered Grant's preparations well. I cleared a small area of the grass, and placed the ''Altar" into the wet soil. For some reason, it was of utmost importance to do everything with your own two hands. After that, I placed the "socs" into the recesses on the edge of the ''Altar'' and the ''Pet Seed'' into its center. As there was no rain, we'd have to do without "Heaven's Grace". Glutton stood nearby and watched my actions with interest. The beast seemed to have changed somehow after its slumber. It was no longer chewing the grass, but observing the players with a keen interest. It seemed that the pet's mind evolved along with its stats. However, the way it had saved its master said enough about its cleverness.

  ''Just be careful,'' quietly said Grant. The mage was standing nearby, leaning on his staff. A deep scar on his throat and the lasting unnatural calm were the only things that reminded of his terrible wound. ''If anything goes wrong, run.''

  ''I know. You be careful, too.''

  I looked back at the rest of the group, huddled together a distance from us, waiting to see what was going to happen, and ready to come to our rescue if needed. At the same time, they were far enough not to interfere. With them was a flock of fairies; sitting on the lower branches, feet dangling, they were ready to watch the performance. There was not much entertainment in their life, one of the few having been taken away by the ''Direcat'' already. Red waved to me encouragingly, Owl shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, Gramps nodded stiffly, and Cavalier raised his fist, saluting me. Having moral support was nice and comforting and made me feel like I really had a new family.

  No longer hesitating, I buffed myself with "Tempest Blade" and "Wind's Breath" and crept cautiously through the undergrowth surrounding the ritual clearing. Halting, I held my breath and peered through the foliage at the sleeping beast.

  Up close, the ''Direcat'' looked far more impressive than it did from the pine. It was the size of a lion, and, as it turned out upon closer inspection, its ash gray furs lightly sparkled in the sunlight. It slept shamelessly, not responding to my arrival. It didn't die waiting for the quest, did it? No, it sides were rising and falling rhythmically, and the white tip of its fluffy tail twitched occasionally. I couldn't see the muzzle, curled in the belly, but I could see the long, razor sharp claws. One hit could probably crack the enemy's skull open. Damn, I wanted that pet.

  I silently stepped closer; the soft grass completely muffled my steps.

  Asleep.

  One more step.

  I extended my hand and put the flower near the beast's head. The plant immediately got enveloped in a wobbly haze that enveloped the beast.

  "Magic intoxicant activated"

  I kept my eyes on the beast, glad that everything went smoothly. We decided not to touch it until the final stage. The haze guaranteed that the sounds of the battle would not wake the beast. At least, so we hoped.

  Returning to the ''Altar'', I nodded to Grant and sat down, legs crossed, facing the ritual clearing. The ''Turtangle'' stood next to me, both heads looking with unease first at me, then at its master, and then at the bushes. It could smell our anxiety, but didn't know exactly what was going to happen. Glutton was our secret weapon, and for the most part we counted on it. It had done a great job intercepting the boars before.

  ''I only have one request, Wise,'' Grant said thoughtfully, looking in the direction of the beast. ''Don't intervene until I ask for your help. Even if it looks like I can't handle it. OK?''

  ''Got it. But don't take too many chances. And if the guys think that-…''

  ''I warned them while you were having your fun on the pine tree.''

  I took out the "Bone Slayer" and swiftly cut my palm with it. It stung like a bitch. Blood fell onto the ''Seed''. "Nature's Touch" crept over my shoulder, closing the wound in a blink of an eye, leaving behind a slightly numb and tickling sensation.

  I inhaled and exhaled deeply several times.

  Calm down. Focus on the 'Seed'. Empty your mind.

  After a long moment, my heartbeat slowed, and breathing leveled.…

  The ''Fire Essence Crystal'' lit up, the rest of the crystals reflected its yellow-orange light. It felt like it shone not onto the ''Altar'', but into my very soul, filling it with warmth, and merging it with the surrounding world. The extraordinary union with nature seized me and plunged me into deafening silence; other sounds receded, faded and crumbled like dust.

  So that was how the one whose ''Seed'' was on the ''Altar'' really felt.

  I was sinking deeper and deeper, drowning in this otherworldly pool of refracted consciousness as the world around me came to life. Everything looked different now. Color, light, movement... The world began to spin like crazy, making it difficult to follow anything.

  Grant's blurred figure flickered before my eyes, sometimes appearing in my peripheral vision. The mage moved with incredible speed, fighting in tandem with Glutton, and was already winning... Did he go through this, too? It was hard not to miss anything... A ''Lava Golem'', level eight, pressed the mage. Flailing its flaming fists, it tried to stun and knock him down. Where its broad, elephant feet stepped, the grass instantly charred, leaving the smoking ground covered in white ash. Nature based spells barely touched him. Shoots of "Ravenous Ivy" tried to penetrate the fiery flesh, but got ignited and burned instead. Poisonous lashes of the "Life-giving Trap" coiled around the legs of the ''Golem'', but could not hold it more than two or three seconds before turning to ash. However, that's how it seemed from my perspective. In reality, it was all happening much faster and Grant was winning. Glutton did not fail its master; whizzing past the ''Golem'', it attracted its "aggro". And although its sticky saliva just burned upon hitting the hot body, its other two abilities, "Ultimate Shield" and "Ramming Charge" were enough to knock the enemy down and avoid fatal damage. The mage landed the final blow with the end of his staff, and the ''Golem'' melted into a smoldering pile of molten rock.

  The sky-blue light of the next crystal called upon the power of the ''Element of Air'', and a flock of ghostly crows, that seemed to be woven out of wind, came forth. Their beaks and claws shone like diamonds. Grant stood his ground, firm as a rock, and stuck his staff vertically into the ground; the solar disk on its top lit up brightly with a thick green glow. As soon as the ravens focused on him, he began to shoot down the winged beasts one by one with "Corrosive Spores". The creatures' bodies were torn asunder upon contact with greenish blobs. Glu
tton assisted, its heads shooting sticky saliva, like rapid-fire anti-aircraft guns.

  The ''Element of Earth'' sent a centipede; an ugly, dirty-brown creature about four feet long, with continuously moving mandibles planted on top of its matte-shiny chitinous head. It lasted less than the crow flock. First, Glutton crushed the shell like an egg, and then Grant turned it into fertilizer using the "Life-giving Trap". As soon as the creature died, the ''Turtangle'' was already fighting a thick, ten feet long water snake. The serpent wrapped itself around the pet's shell and aimed to sink its poisonous fangs into the turtle's flesh. That was the snake's undoing. Timely and accurately managing the pet's abilities, Grant used the restored "Ramming Charge". The snake missed and the ''Turtangle'' managed to pull both of its heads back into the shell. Then it charged and hit the trunk of the nearest tree with the edge of its razor-sharp shell. Splinters flew through the air and the snake, pinned to the trunk, was cut in two; watery blood flooded the grass.

  The awakening of ''Life'' and ''Death'' elements occurred at the same time once more, but didn't surprise me, as life and death always went hand in hand.

  Death sent a skeleton knight; an ugly mug seven feet tall in a rusted armor, which crumbling to dust with each movement, with an equally rusty piece of a two-handed sword in its hands. Yellowed bones could be seen through the holes in the armor and rotted clothes; smoldering embers glowed through the slits of its helmet. Life's representative was ''Carnivorous Sundew'', a powerful, purple-green, and ten feet tall plant. The creature walked on its leg-roots and fought with long, spiked, whip like vines. The head of the creature was replaced with a huge shellflower, which looked like an oyster mouth with spikes.

  First of all, the ''Sundew'' crushed the skeleton knight.

  He managed to slash it a few times, before the carnivorous plant approached him, instantly covering his armor with flexible plant-whips and immobilizing him. A stream of bright green acid poured from the skeleton's open jaws. Rusty armor hissed and smoked, dissolving in a blink of an eye; bones disintegrated and the skeleton crumbled into a pile of dust.