by J. T. Wright
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 1
Kirstin stared at her newly acquired Summons in disbelief and disappointment. The day had been going so well until now. When she connected with the summoning stone to form the contract, she was sure it would lead to a powerful companion beast. Forming the contract had been harder than she thought it would be, but finally, the stone crumbled away, proof that she had succeeded! She had held her breath and clenched her fists as she waited for the magic released from the stone to do its thing.
A blue circle filled with intricate runes appeared on the floor in front of her. Magic gathered in the air and flooded the summoning circle. Magic so powerful it was visible to the naked eye as a brightly glowing mist. Kirstin’s skin tingled from the force of it, as well as with anticipation. The mist filled and empowered the circle’s runes.
Kirstin and the members of her party were forced to close their eyes and turn their heads as a blindingly bright light flashed from the circle. As the light disappeared, and the summoning circle faded, the six companions blinked away tears hurriedly and strained their eyes to see the fruits of their labors.
This was their first time on the fifth floor of the local labyrinth. They’d fought hard to clear it. It had taken hours, but they’d done it, and as the body of the floor guardian had faded away to reveal a summoning crystal, their excitement grew stronger than their sense of accomplishment. There was no doubt that the Summons would be Kirstin’s. As party leader and youngest daughter of Duke Lewis Al’dross, it was her right.
Because the crystal was the only reward for defeating the floor Guardian, it’s Summons must be strong, a beast like a dire wolf or night panther, maybe even a lesser dragon! Well, maybe not a dragon; it was only the fifth floor after all. But surely a powerful beast who would bolster their party and amaze their peers. Surely that surge of magic and flash of light wouldn’t result in the appearance of a rather small and ordinary-looking young boy. Surely! But as they blinked away tears, the party of Adventurers discovered that was exactly what was standing where the summoning circle had been.
Kirstin was the first to find her voice, but the only thing she could say was completely contrary to her breeding and noble heritage. “What the fuck is going on?!”
As for the boy himself, he stared curiously at the armed and armored group in front of him. His attention settled on the blond-haired young woman who was standing closest to him. She was rather beautiful, with refined features and sharp blue eyes. Taller than him by over a foot, she cut quite the dashing figure in her intricate and expensive looking clothing, made from brightly colored cloth and polished leather. A long thin sword belted at her waist completed the picture. It was a picture she’d clearly gone to great lengths to create.
The boy felt a strong connection to this swordswoman, a connection he couldn’t explain. He didn’t know much, not where he was or where he had come from, not even who he was, but he knew that he would serve her and serve her well.
It came as a shock to him that the first words he had ever heard were so harsh. Her displeasure at his appearance was a physical weight on his shoulders. The fact that he had no response to her question weighed him down further. He desperately wanted to please her, but as he didn’t know how to do so. He merely stood mute with a quizzical look on his face.
Loyalty decreased due to poor management. Loyalty now 74.
A message appeared in the boy’s mind, and the connection he felt to his new master weakened ever so slightly. It was barely noticeable, but as it was nearly the entirety of his being, he did notice it. He wondered if she noticed or received the same message. Should he tell her? He started to but found that he couldn’t. He really couldn’t do anything except stand there and wait for his master’s command. A small hint of dissatisfaction rose in him but was quickly dismissed. His master would feel the bond between them soon enough and give him purpose. He could wait.
For her part, Kirstin did feel the contract form between them. She knew that this young boy with his ordinary brown hair and eyes was her Summons, her property. That was all. She felt no affection towards him. She received no message about Loyalty. All she felt was outrage. This small child had an intelligent look about him, but she didn’t want an intelligent child. She wanted a powerful ally. This boy was certainly not that.
Kirstin turned away from the boy and his searching gaze. She turned towards her companions and found similar looks of disappointment on most of their faces. Only Allen, the party’s Scout, seemed mildly interested.
“Well, does anyone know what this is?” She questioned the team while waving an irritated hand in the boy’s direction.
Silence and stumped looks were her only answer, at first, but then a petite, brunette woman stepped out from the back. Her name was Lyra, she was Kirstin’s maid and the party’s healer. Holding a staff in her right hand, she hurried forward. Her quick movements caused the material of her blue robe to swirl around her ankles.
“Let’s not get too excited. Maybe it’s a demon mage or trickster imp, both can take human form.” she said calmly. “Actually, let’s hope for the imp. They make for excellent Rogues and we’re lacking a good scout.”
She said this last with a wink at Allen. He was the party’s actual Rogue. Allen glared at the healer for a moment before returning the wink, while sticking out his tongue. He was quite competent and knew it; he took the gentle teasing in stride.
Lyra’s words had done the trick, though. The thought of a Demon joining their group raised their spirits quite a bit. Demon, Imp or even a Sprite would have definite uses for a group of young Adventurers.
&
nbsp; Lyra stepped forward until she was near the boy, and looked down at him. She was only five foot three herself, but the boy barely came up to her chin. “So,” she questioned, “what are you? Do you have a name?”
The boy met her gaze for an instant before looking back to Kirstin. He did not answer.
“Great!” Kirstin snapped. “Mute and probably stupid as well. We’ll probably have to pay for an Appraisal besides getting next to no reward for clearing the floor.”
This worry wasn’t all together unfair. While Kirstin had access to wealth, and her father had retainers who knew the Appraisal Skill, the whole point of forming her own party was to stand on her own. Little expenses like appraisals and equipment repairs were what kept low-level Adventurers from striking it rich.
“Why don’t you try asking him first, Kris?” Dirk, a tall, broad-shouldered man in full plate armor, offered this suggestion in a deep booming voice. He slid his war hammer into a loop at his waist and removed his helmet, revealing an honest face with a strong jaw and short cut black hair. As everyone’s attention turned to him, he continued, “He is your Summons after all.”
Kirstin nodded at her friend and retainer and took his advice. “Well, answer up if you can. Who and what are you!?” She snapped at the boy.
The boy smiled broadly and replied in a clear voice, happy to be of service. “I don’t know.”
Kirstin rubbed her eyes with two fingers in frustration and muttered, “Stupid, so stupid.”
The boy frowned for a moment. He had answered honestly and swiftly. What else was he supposed to do?
Loyalty decreased due to poor management. Loyalty now 73.
Another message sounded in the boy’s mind. He pursed his lips. Was this something that should be mentioned? It seemed important. Then again, he had about five minutes-worth of experience with life; he should probably let his master tell him what was important. His face relaxed again, from frown to concern to smile, but no one paid attention to the boy’s reactions.
“Do...do you have a status?” Lyra questioned. She thought briefly of crouching to the boy’s eye level but dismissed that thought. This was a Summons, not an actual child. There was no need to put it at ease. At her question, the boy knew the answer immediately, but still he stood silent. His eyes flickered to Lyra and back to Kirstin.
A wealth of information had come to him. All peoples of the Infinite World had a Status. All people, beasts, animals, and Spirits. All intelligent creatures received access to this Status, and could use it to level up, increase their Attributes, learn Skills and Abilities, and various other functions. As he was now an inhabitant of the World, of course he had a Status.
“Answer all questions put to you by the group.” Kirstin recognized the problem this time and addressed it.
“Yes,” the boy answered with a nod, “I have a Status.”
“Can you pull It up?” Lyra asked eagerly.
“Yes!” the boy said, and certain it was the right action, he did so.
Name: None
Age: 12
Race: Human
Level: 0
Class: None (7 slots available)
Profession: None (7 slots available)
Health: 50
Stamina: 50
Mana: 50
Strength: 3
Agility: 5
Dexterity: 5
Constitution: 5
Intelligence: 5
Wisdom: 3
Free Skill Points: 0
Loyalty: 73
Skills: none
Abilities: none
Spells: none
He found his Status fascinating. Apparently, he was human. That was good to know. It also wasn’t quite right. Instinctively, he knew, under certain conditions, that part of his Status might change. What those conditions might be, though, was still a little fuzzy.
Everything else was straightforward. He had no Skills, or Abilities, no Class or Profession. He was a blank slate. His Attributes told him how strong, fast, intelligent, and tough he was, but he couldn’t say if any of them were high or low, since he had nothing to compare them to. Still, the knowledge made him vaguely happy.
He smiled as he looked at his master, only to find her looking at him. blankly. That blank look was slowly turning to angry and that made him nervous. He had pulled up his Status without being told. He thought that was what she wanted, but now he wasn’t so sure.
“Well?” Kirstin demanded.
“M-master?” The boy stuttered uncertainty.
“Your Status, pull up your Status!”
The boy’s eyebrows knitted. “I did Master, I’m human. I know that now.”
Kirstin exhaled heavily though clenched teeth. “Display...your...Status!”
The boy’s face lit up in understanding. He had pulled up his Status but only he could see it. Apparently, his master also wanted to see it. “Display Status,” he said quickly.
He was rather amazed when a transparent screen that was clearly visible to everyone formed in front of him. Even knowing what would happen, it was still exciting to see for the first time, though he was a bit confused as he examined the display. The notes about Loyalty and his Class and Profession slots were missing. That information must not be important enough to share.
His confused look once again went unnoticed, while the team gathered to view the information displayed. Silence reigned for what seemed an eternity as they took it all in. The boy felt himself becoming excited. Maybe they were realizing he was special. Maybe his master would finally look at him with approval...
“What is this shit!?” Kirstin exclaimed in a high-pitched voice.
....then again, maybe not.
“Milady, language!” Lyra reprimand sharply. “You may be working as an Adventurer, but that will end immediately if your father...”
“Yes, Yes.” Kirstin waved the healer to silence. “But will you look at this sss...Status. No Class, no Skills, and Attributes that would shame a pre-awakened child. This isn’t a Summons we can use!”
Lyra had a disapproving wrinkle to her nose, but the rest of the team wore deflated looks of shock. They defeated a Level 25 minotaur and received a summoning crystal as a reward, but that reward seemed like a joke now.
Labyrinths and Dungeons were the common terms to what were more properly known as Trials. Trials of the Gods were placed on the Infinite World to test, train, and support the People of the World. They took many different forms, but the most popular were the permanent ones. All major cities were built around and depended on them both economically and militarily. But the most common entrants of the Trials, the Adventurers who tested themselves in the Trials, had certain expectations about rewards. This under-powered Summons did not meet those expectations.
Kirstin glared at the massive disappointment disguised as a useless child, and the child shrunk back. He had no idea what was wrong. So, he lowered his head and stood silently. Kirsten snorted, another un-lady like habit she had picked up hanging around Adventurers.
Loyalty decreased due to poor management. Loyalty now 70.
“Hold on, maybe he can be trained! All Summons can be strengthened, right? Otherwise they’d lose value quickly.” Mathias, a Fire Elementalist, spoke up. Tall and lanky, wearing mages robes that seemed at least a size too big, he held a staff much like Lyra’s though his was more intricately carved and bore a mid-grade focusing stone on top.
He was the middle child of a minor noble sworn to Kirsten’s father. Like Kirsten and many other nobles with no chance of inheriting, he and his brother took to adventuring. It was either that, the church or the military. At least adventuring came with some freedom.
His older brother, Joel, was the party’s Archer. Joel stepped forward to support Mathias. “That’s true. With a little training, maybe he could shore up one of our weak points.”
Optimism was one of the things the two brothers brought to the group, but this time Kirstin would have none of it. “What weak point exactly? Our biggest weak point
right now is our levels, he’s at 0. Even catching him up to us is nearly impossible without crippling our own training.”
It was true. Parties made of nobles, responsible nobles at least, tended to focus more on increasing their Skills and powerful abilities. They would often lag behind common Adventurers level-wise. At least at first. Soon their dedication to training and superior resources showed their value, and when commoners stalled at Level 25 the nobles would sail past them. Currently Joel held the party’s highest Level at 22 with 15 Level in the Squire Class and 7 as an Archer. By the time this Summons was brought up to Level 20, his master would already be pushing Level 30, at a minimum.
Kirstin’s words hit the summoned boy like a knife. A part of him scoffed at them as well. A part of him felt that he could catch up very easily, but still his shoulders fell even further in shame. He wanted to crawl away but couldn’t, unless his master commanded him. He wanted to prove his worth but didn’t even know where to start.
“We’ve wasted enough time,” Kirstin sighed. “I should go back and report our progress. Maybe we’ll get permission to explore the sixth floor. That at least will make this worthwhile.” She glared at the boy. “Dismiss your Status, looking at it makes me sick. Mathias! The return scroll.”
With that, the party, ready to return to the surface, gathered around the Mage to be transported back to the entrance of the Trial. The summoned boy shuffled closer, but not too close, to his master.
Loyalty decreased due to poor management. Loyalty now 65.
Chapter 2
The Infinite World was called such because it was ever-changing and growing. New nations and races rose and fell almost daily. New Classes were discovered, as old ways were lost. Monsters and beasts roamed the earth and were slain by soldiers and Adventurers who were, in turn, killed by stronger threats. Heroes and villains created new epics and were forgotten when their successors appeared. This was the way of the Infinite World.
Strangely, it was the Trials that provided some stability to this chaotic world. Cities built around Trials or Dungeons always had access to food, equipment, and resources, not to mention a training ground that strengthened both their military and civilian populations.