Bonded Summoner

Jake flew in his advanced glider with Ophelia in the seat in front of him. He pushed his flames through the single implement that allowed them to more easily control his thrust. He held onto his staff, which was pushed through what looked like a fighter jet’s engine, but really was just a tube with a controlled exit.

Ophelia and Jake would take turns, and because she wasn’t expending mana on [Ride of the Valkyries], this was highly efficient. The glider was much more aerodynamic than a Valkyrie using her wings, and the ride was much more comfortable in his seat.

They were traveling on average over 300 miles per hour, their magically light aircraft gliding efficiently while they waited for their mana to be restored. They could push their speed much higher for a time, but eventually they would run out and slow down.

His mana would restore rapidly, and he would pull it from the girls using [Energy Sharing], repeating his running of the jet flames. The canopy allowed them to see where they were going, plus Ira was on the lookout as always.

Despite their rapid travel, Ira was able to anchor to Jake and monitor the void, even as the regular space traveled by them so quickly.

Ophelia pointed ahead of them at the canopy. “There it is, Harmony Peaks.”

The twin peaks were revealed ahead of them, though Jake knew they were probably well over fifty miles away still. They worked on landing and stowing the plane, opting for Jake to ride on Bloodberri the last several miles.

He called Bloodberri, Fhesiah and Tanda, and they traveled the rest of the way together.

Tanda was able to let Aisling know they were on their way, bringing the HQ node. No doubt, a welcoming party awaited them.

Tanda giggled. “If that’s what you wanna call it…well, let’s hope for the best! Father would really get protective, hopefully he’s not too mad…”

Jake frowned. He was really going to have to deal with an angry father-in-law?

Fhesiah smiled over at Jake. “It’s a good thing you don’t have mine to worry about. He’d have told you to wait until you reached Nascent Soul. Since you couldn’t cultivate, you’d have had to become a god first.”

Jake shook his head at that. Even if Jake could wait that long to be with her, he knew she couldn’t.

She chuckled. “Well, I was a bit different then? I was so focused on seeking knowledge and power, when I got my new life–I decided to enjoy it to the fullest. Perhaps my mother would have helped me elope, thinking about it. But then you’d have to worry about a God-like angry dragon coming after you.”

Ophelia said, “If my dad was still around, I think he’d be happy for me. He would like you, Jake.”

Berri tapped her lips in thought. “They never told me about my dad, but they probably used him up and ate him. There’s not much emphasis on the father for the Dark Lamia, they are just sperm donors.”

Blood nodded. “If he really was a human hero like what that spider bitch claimed, they probably hate-fucked him to death.”

Despite the dark turn this conversation had taken, Jake could tell the two girls were indifferent about this. Still, the idea he would have five wives, but only one father-in-law was a little strange.

“I guess, I’ll have to do my best to make the one I got like me then, huh?”

Tanda smiled. “I know he’ll like you! Um, after he tries to thrash you.”

“Don’t you have his weapon, anyway? How does he fight?”

Tanda was about to answer, but they were interrupted by a loud hawk’s screech. They had been nearing the peak, and were in a large clearing near the river that went between the two peaks. They were less than a mile away at this point, with five figures flying towards them.

Four were flying with their own wings, but one was being carried on a sort of harness by three of them. His party stopped, and Jake got off Bloodberri’s battlements.

As they got closer, Jake got a good look at the five. Of course, he saw Aisling, the crow beastkin woman. One was a raven woman, and it was the one being carried in the harness, a white wolf beastkin woman, that he knew was Tanda’s mother. Another woman was some kind of owl beastkin, and the last he guessed a hawk of some kind, judging by her feathers.

Finally, Jake was sure this man was her father, a ravenwolf man. He was carrying a spear and wearing auril leather armor, and Jake thought it was all stuff he or Tanda had taken part in crafting.

Jake had taken to mass enchanting leathers and weapons, trying to get the beastkin all over Highlands armed with effective equipment. After his auril heroes were well-equipped, even the better items were put up for sale, and some reserved for Hearthtribe as rewards.

The five landed a ways away, with Timone, Tanda’s father, ahead. Tanda started to rush forward to meet him, but she stopped, her ears flat on her head as she took in her father’s demeanor, listening to his heart’s voice over the song of the world.

She had wanted to hug her father and mother that had returned from the grave, but it appeared they were taking care of this family matter first.

Her ears stood back up again, her tail starting to wag. Jake, sensing her thoughts, it seemed she could tell her dad was putting on an act.

Timone spoke, his voice deep and booming, “Champion Jake! You have started courting my daughter, but you have not shown your strength, your potential! You must face me, if you want the Ravenwolf Chief’s daughter as your mate. Tanda is the strongest woman of her generation, perhaps the strongest in a hundred years. Her mate cannot be weak! As her father and the Chieftain of the Ravenwolf, I will not allow it.”

Jake nearly laughed out loud when he heard Timone’s voice. The over the top heroic voice that Tanda had done during the play of the first tyrants, was actually very similar to his. However, the situation was serious, even if it was an act.

A play that Tanda would treasure forever, the two important men in her life fighting to protect her. Jake would earn the right to protect and love her forever, and her father would ensure he was good enough for it.

Jake filled the runes on his armor with [Runebound: Unbound], and said his prepared lines.

“My claws are sharp and my heart’s song is true. Tanda will be my mate and join my Clan, her song joining our choir. I will protect her song for all time.”

Timone grinned before his expression became stoic, as Tanda’s mother tossed something to land off to the side that Jake recognized: the dueling fixture. Tanda was filled with both worry and excitement, having seen this scene played out dozens of times.

Jake sent calming reassurance and confidence over their bond, and Tanda’s heart swelled. Timone’s eyes narrowed, and Jake got the feeling that the powerful auril hero could sense this interaction.

With Jake’s [Arcane Eye], he could see that Timone was a powerful combatant. His body was brimming with vitality, his muscles filled with strength. His auril spread out around him, a distance far greater than the other auril heroes Jake had met.

He was surprised to see that Tanda’s mother was at similar levels, and that two of the other clan-mothers were auril heroes as well.

Aisling looked close herself, and he wondered if they too were consuming some of Fhesiah’s pills and training, or experiencing Rifts besides. They had Jake’s enchanted weaponry, so it didn’t seem outside the realm of possibilities. Questions for later.

Jake received and accepted the duel challenge, the advanced fixture capable of protecting them from a killing blow. It would also limit him from using his interactions with Ophelia; her chosen specialization to take blows for him, or his covenants from affecting her.

Timone’s body was filled with auril as he charged with a leap and flap of his wings, a speed that would surprise Jake if he hadn’t spent so much time practicing with someone even faster: Ophelia.

Jake met his spear thrust with his shield at an angle, as he stabbed out with his own. Timone’s wing swept to meet it, filled with auril. The man’s tail and lower legs were that of a raven’s, only the ears and fur on his upper body sharing that of the wolf.

Timone flapped his wings and dashed, spun around with powerful attacks at angles attempting to bypass Jake’s defenses, but they were met with his shield with ease. His shield’s inertia dampening enchantment removed much of the attack’s momentum, causing Timone to narrow his eyes at the effect of it.

The ravenwolf’s attacks were filled with strength and power that would compete well with Jake, if not for his [Divine Reinforcement]. Auril appeared to enhance strength even further than Jake could with his own enchantments and Technique, but it wasn’t enough to counter Jake’s other advantages.

Jake continued to counter and attempt to punish Timone for his overextensions and thwarted attacks, but the man’s auril was thick and Timone would manifest claws of will to block attacks, even without his physical hand.

So Jake focused on creating a [Mana Blade], and began storing spells in his Runic Bubbles. He could tell they were both feeling each other out, ready to go on the true attack. Jake’s reach increased, and he was now pushing the man back.

However, Timone was fast, and Jake had difficulty dealing a decisive blow.

So Jake pushed hard on his enchantments and Unbound to increase his speed, his runes lighting up to a near-blinding. Despite the ravenwolf man being quite fast, Jake was hot on his heels and with powerful positioning of his shield and now-longer reach. Jake started piercing through Timone’s blocks of the claw manifestations he was creating, scoring some small cuts on the chieftain.

Timone then quickly took to the air, and Jake’s cape connected to form his wing suit, and he followed with a powerful leap, flap, and thrust of his spear, surprising the aerial combatant.

The chieftain did manage to block with his spear, but Jake bashed him with his shield after quickly summoning footing using his boots, surprising Timone.

They continued their dance in the sky, Jake mixing leaps from platforms and flaps of his wing suit, a big grin on Timone’s face as he fought the strange battle.

Timone was never able to gain much momentum, only able to flap his wings and counter Jake’s blows, so eventually Jake managed to divert Timone’s spear with his shield, and give a powerful spear thrust at the man’s shoulder.

But Timone roared, his black auril forming a pillar around him as it shoved Jake’s attack away. A dozen ravens formed, and they appeared to be filled with deathly energies.

Timone laughed. “Not bad at all, Champion Jake. Not even our greatest auril heroes could force me to fight this hard. But our world has changed, the threat of the Tartarus significant. Tanda’s potential is limitless with the Framework, so you will have to do even better than that. As a Templar of Cernunnos, I call upon his strength. The wicked must be punished, the balance protected.”

A powerful aura was emitted off of Timone a black veil quickly surrounding the area in a wave. Jake’s heavenly aura pushed this back away from himself, but Jake could feel it would inhibit magic attacks significantly as they traveled towards Timone. Perhaps, almost as much as fifty percent.

Jake groaned, as it was the perfect counter for his capabilities as a runic caster. However, he had many other tools to work with, and he would simply have to use those instead.

He activated [Runebound: Sage], his runes enhancing his fiery spellcasting capabilities. The crows swarmed toward him, so he sent out a wave of his hearth flames like Ophelia’s [Consecration], his flames powered by the goddess.

His flames engulfed several of the crows that went on the attack, and forced Timone to block with his auril, forming a shield with the remaining crows.

The faith magic inhibiting Jake’s magic couldn’t have as much impact on the flames of his Hearth. However, Jake found himself falling in an awkward glide as his footholds in the air near Timone were no longer strong enough to hold his weight to leap powerfully at Timone.

Timone harried Jake as he neared the ground, him stabbing out as Jake was unable to mount a significant defense.

Jake threw up a sacrificial barrier as various crows attacked in tandem, the flaming barrier lighting the odd creatures aflame. Timone drew up more auril summoning more of the crows, his auril heart beating and pulling in auril from the surrounding area.

Jake’s eyes narrowed at this, understanding that auril heroes had significant endurance, especially on Highlands. He would have to go for broke, if he wanted to end this with the upper hand.

Timone charged once more, his dozen of ravens swooping in like arrows from different directions. Jake released his runic bubble of a powerful [Runic Magic: Cone of Cold], and added on two waves of frost, using his function in his staff to slam into him at nearly the same time.

Despite the magic inhibiting aura, Timone and many of his ravens were covered in a thin layer of frost, their movements slowed and brought to a halt. His auril quickly counteracted this effect, but his now-frozen ravens fell to the ground.

Jake quickly pushed his hearth flames into his staff, compressing them. He used his advanced control in this state to push as much of his flames as he could, as he released a [Scorching Ray] at Timone.

Timone created a barrier of auril, and Jake thought it was some sort of Templar ability that enhanced it. But Jake’s ray scorched right through, slamming into Timone who tried to block with his spear as well, and lighting his chest aflame. Timone growled as he pushed his auril to fight against the powerful goddess-powered flames, and Jake thought he saw yet another ability being activated.

Some vitality of Timone’s was expended, his body weakened to dispel what remained of the effect. Jake was not idle while he did this, as he was focusing on his bond with Tanda to change his state. He moved to the state of the Avenger, pushing Hearthblade into his Champion’s spear.

Ira roared as it shifted Jake through the void at Timone’s flank, him swinging his blade down like an axe as he arrived. Timone didn’t seem overly surprised, and shifted his spear haft and body to guard, but Jake’s attack was powerful.

Timone’s guard was shifted as Jake cleaved heavily into his shoulder, his hearth flames burning the man. The ravenwolf’s ravens struck Jake like arrows, but his [Purifying Flames] and Jake’s Hearth worked to break down the effect, pushing the harmful deathly auril out of his body.

The two continued their dance of attacks and counters, Jake pressing his advantage as Timone attempted to heal. But Jake added blasts of hearth flames to the mix, the man unable to heal or mount a decent defense with his ravens.

Timone had been able to block Jake’s spear with his claw before, but now he had to turn his body and dodge, taking minor wounds from Jake’s large Hearthblade. His raven’s deathly damage over time attacks were almost completely neutralized rapidly, either being destroyed by Jake’s waves of flames, or burned away by his powerful [Purifying Flames].

Jake stuck to him like glue, until he landed an attack against Timone’s chest uncontested. The attack was blocked by a Framework barrier, and Jake was victorious.

Ophelia quickly cast [Renewal] on Jake, while Berri cast a healing spell on Timone. To Jake’s surprise, the owl beastkin woman arrived quickly and covered Timone and Jake with healing auril. Her will manifested as a blanket of pure white snow, cooling and energizing his body’s ability to heal.

Jake was filled with vitality, and he could feel his body being strengthened. When flesh was replaced with healing spells, it wasn’t as if everything was restored. The healing spell by Tanda’s clan-mother helped restore more of whatever was missing, like Jake’s blood.

Timone let out a booming laugh. “Well done, Champion Jake! You are truly strong, and your heart sings true. I can tell you will protect our Tanda, and protect the balance on Highlands– the world itself knows it true! You may not do it as nature’s steward or guiding the beastkin as I have, but I will be around for a while yet. Once again, our people will have to change, and even the world itself will too. Hearthtribe and Clan Hart has already done an excellent job, empowering our people. You aren’t a beastkin, but you are good enough for my Tanda. I welcome you to our extended family.”

Jake turned to Tanda, and she was beaming; her tail wagging and her smile wide. Her mother and other clan-mothers as well as Jakes girls all looked on with a fond smile, as Jake withdrew the necklace he crafted for her.

He had crafted several of the same necklaces, the five, now six hearts as one, now that he had some skill with [Manaweave Reinforcement] and access to better materials.

Jake placed it around her neck, hers being a more tribal version. It matched what the many beastkin would wear, and would protect her as well as looking beautiful. Her heart was represented as a golden one, Jake’s red within in the center, and the other girl’s hearts on the outside.

The necklace was beaded and with claws and fangs inserted, matching the many necklaces of her people, even though a golden-mithril thread went through the center, covered by the other items.

As soon as he finished clasping it around her neck, he was nearly bowled over, her lips meeting his. He grabbed onto her waist, as she put all her weight on him. Her feelings of pride and happiness at becoming his mate filled Jake with the same joy.

The kiss was short-lived, as Tanda then bowled over the rest of her family members. She had thought them dead, and the relief and happiness of seeing them once again filled her with glee.

“How could you not tell me you joined the Framework? I thought you were dead for real! And why didn’t you just come down to visit us?”

Timone grimaced. “We…didn’t. But Lord Arawn paid a Price to hold onto our souls, to allow Cernunnos, Brigid, and Lugh to offer us a path. A few of us became members of their clergy, though Aisling refrained for now. As for visiting, Harmony Peaks is still in need of protection. If we left, calamity would strike.” contemporary romance

Tanda’s mother Dhalia’s voice was both sultry and soothing. “Look at you, daughter. It’s only been a few weeks since I last saw you, but you’ve grown so well! I’m so proud of you, for leading our people in their time of need.”

Similar sentiments were given by her other clan-mothers, the two families then introducing themselves to each other. Ophelia and Dahlia scheduled a duel for later, and Berri traded hugs with each of the mothers, while Fhesiah finally met Aisling.

Alarm bells went off in Jake’s mind, but Timone addressed Jake while hugging Tanda.

“Now, I think it’s about time we talk about the HQ node. We’re ready for it, it’s time for us to make our counterattack.”

done.co