“What are the details?” I asked, wanting to make sure I wasn’t somehow walking into another Zerallia type of situation.
“I personally don’t have all the details, but I’m sure the system will provide what you need to accomplish your task. Let me initiate the contract,” Headmaster Glorine said. A system prompt appeared, giving me a bit more detail on what would be required of me.
The Starveil Tower Academy wishes to engage your services to rescue a missing student.
Requirements:
- You are to locate and safely secure the student.
- A blocking device is preventing portals from forming in the area, so you are required to destroy the blocking device before the contract can be completed.
Bonus objectives. Before destroying the blocking device, eliminate all the hostage takers, and secure information regarding whoever has orchestrated the abduction.
Summoning Conditions:
- You will be operating on your home world, but in a location that is known for an extremely cold environment. Prepare accordingly.
Rewards:
- Upon successful completion of the contract, you will receive 15 gold.
- Improved final ranking for your long-term quest with the Starveil Tower Academy.
- Access to additional school resources granted by Headmaster Glorine.
- Should you complete the bonus objective, you will receive a favor from the Nazbrook family.
Do you wish to accept this quest? Y/N.
“I’ll accept the quest, but it looks like it will be cold where I’m going, so I’ll need to buy some potions or scrolls of frost protection before I head out,” I said.
“No need for delay, here, let me secure something from school resources for you. After all, this quest could be considered a school event given that you’re rescuing one of our students,” Headmaster Glorine said. He called his assistant and gave her the details of what they needed.
“It said there was a bonus objective, and it would earn me the favor of the Nazbrook family, do you have any idea what a favor from them might look like?” I asked while we waited for the assistant to return.
“They are a powerful family that has a tradition of sending those with summoning classes in their clan to attend classes here. In this case, the heir to a large portion of their family business is the one that was taken, and I suspect that you would be offered either a large cash reward, or the choice of a magic item that would fit your class. While risks with this type of operation are expected, I implore you to place the safety of our student first. Having something happen to her while under your care will earn you the ire of the family, and permanently damage the school’s reputation,” Headmaster Glorine explained.
“I understand, I won’t risk her life needlessly. Of course, hostage rescue is a messy business, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve. By the way, what is the student’s name, and do you have a description of her?” I asked.
“She is called Sharog, and I can share of image of her with you,” the headmaster said. He cast a spell, and the image of the young lady hovered in front of me.
Sharog was an orc, but not quite full-blooded and looked like one of her parents had been an elf of some sort. Despite her orcish heritage, Sharog was thin and didn’t have the hulking muscles that most orcs sported. She was wearing her student robes, and when the image was created, she was smiling brightly.
“Thanks, I’ll get her back,” I said. Seeing the young woman in happier circumstances solidified my resolve to help. A few moments later, Glorine’s assistant returned, carrying a scroll and a trio of potions.
“I’ve added a few potions in case you need to give one to Sharog. The scroll will help your minions, and the potions should keep you both from worrying about any environmental concerns,” the headmaster said as I examined the items.
Rare Scroll of Extended Troll’s Regeneration, Teir 3, Rank 3. This spell grants up to five party members the same health regeneration as a swamp troll. Severed limbs, and any injuries that are not immediately fatal will be quickly repaired. Fire damage, acid, or anything to cleanse spell effects will affect the target’s regeneration. The duration for this spell has been extended and is now functions for a total of 1 hour.
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Potion of greater resist elements (3). Imbibing this potion grants resistance to all negative environmental effects for up to 1 hour. While it prevents any status effect from occurring due to the environment, prolonged exposure to damaging temperatures will still have an effect, albeit a greatly reduced one.
“Thanks, these should help our chances. I’ll accept the contract now and be on my way,” I said.
“Thank you, Rico, I know you’ll do your best,” Headmaster Glorine said as I accepted the quest and stepped into the portal that opened in his office. A slew of system prompts appeared, and I had a chance to make my selections before I was sent to Earth.
Please select the two minions from your barracks that you wish to accompany you on this summoning contract.
- Mana Slayer Drone.
- Elida Silverbarrow.
- Glem, Glamb, and Glurk, Goblin Kill Team. This option is currently unavailable.
By default, you have Chosen Elida Silverbarrow and the Mana Slayer Drone as the minions to accompany you on this summoning. Please select a third minion from the following list of options based on your recent experiences.
- Ice Shelled Terror.
- Tribal Warband.
- Tribal Shaman.
This time, all three choices were based on the last contract. The warband and shaman were probably going to be higher tier versions of the Sentinelese I’d encountered. It would be interesting to see them in action, as it was probably going to be a preview of what their people might attain once our world was integrated.
Despite my desire to see the tribal minions in action, I couldn’t pass up something called the Ice Shelled Terror. The fact that it had ice in the name meant it was probably meant to operate in cold environments, and I suspected it was a variant of the giant crab I’d defeated on the island.
You have selected the Ice Shelled Terror. This minion possesses strong defensive capabilities and powerful melee attacks. It may also occasionally form and throw ice spears at distant foes. The minion has (3) charges of the ice spear ability.
That sounded close to what I’d expected, and I was curious to see if the monster I had for my extra minion would be as large as the crab that attacked the island. Thankfully, it seemed like this one wouldn’t be murmuring any madness-inducing words through human faces like the one I’d defeated.
Summoner’s Gift has activated. Please select an ability you wish to share with your minions.
- Advanced Life Tap.
- Revive.
Advanced Life Tap would be a good addition, given that the ability could now steal life from a foe, but with the troll regeneration scroll boosting healing, I felt that Revive was a better fit.
A single charge of Revive has been allocated for your minions. The first minion to fall will have this charge of Revive activate. This charge of Revive does not interfere with any additional charges granted through your class ability.
Now it was my turn to choose an ability from my minions.
Summoner’s Share has activated. Choose an ability/spell from one of your minions. This ability/spell will remain active for the duration of this summoning contract.
- Lesser Plasma Beam.
- Battle Mending.
- Ice Spear (2).
I was glad to see that the plasma beam was back on the menu. Battle mending wasn’t going to do much for me since, unless something had gone horribly wrong, I wouldn’t be involved in melee combat. Ice spear was also interesting, but the plasma beam won out given its proven usefulness.
Lesser Plasma Beam has been selected. You may activate this ability for a total of 5 seconds. The charge will slowly regenerate at the rate of 1 second of charge every 2 hours. To activate this ability, simply designate a target within 100 yards of your current location.
Select a minion for your Revive ability.
- Mana Slayer Drone.
- Elida Silverbarrow, halfling Battle Mender.
- Ice Shelled Terror.
I normally went for the drone, but with an extra revive floating around, I decided to choose Elida this time. There was no way to know the condition that Sharog might be in, so making sure our healer was up and in the fight was important.
You have selected the Elida Silverbarrow, halfling Battle Mender as your Revive target. You will be now sent to your destination. Please be advised, a teleportation blocker has been activated in the area, and as a result, you will be deposited approximately one mile from your objective.
After making my last selection, a portal opened in front of me. Before stepping through, I downed one of the Resist Elements potions. It proved to be a good choice as I exited the portal and found myself in the middle of a snow flurry. I began to summon my minions, starting with the drone.
My last summon was the Ice Shelled Terror, and it didn’t disappoint. While not as large as the monster I’d fought on the island, the crab minion had a huge shell that was about eight feet in diameter. Its shell was coated in ice and the monster was colored blue and white. A pair of oversized claws were mounted on long arms, giving the creature even more reach.
Its legs were like ice covered spikes and given the things overall weight, would impale anyone it stepped on. With the team assembled, I activated the scroll that Headmaster Glorine had given me. Its magic engulfed the group, granting us all the health regeneration of a troll for the next hour. The snow flurry started to abate, which I was thankful for, and I took in my surroundings. I needed to find a likely location where Sharog might be held.
I was standing atop a snow covered, paved road that led straight into the distance. Around us was flat, featureless, snow-covered ground. The only thing in the distance that I could make out was some kind of factory about a mile down the road. I could see taillights in the distance heading toward the factory, and given that the factory was the only structure in sight, I figured that was where I needed to go.