Chapter 38: A Companion Born from Disaster Pt.1

Not wasting any moment, placed the red spirit shard on the ground in front of me, as I followed by putting [Verdant Staff] out in front of me, not too close to the red spirit shard, but neither was it too far from the red spirit shard. With my other hand still holding the little girl close to my chest, as she continued to cry, I continued to do what I had intended. 

Time was of the essence, with time being the most important thing right now and the need to be at multiple places at once, I started the ritual I remembered in the book [The Witches' Primer] for spirit summoning, and with the skill [Spirit Summoning], it made setting up the ritual a lot easier. 

Using [Mana Manipulation], I physically manifested the mana, and used it to set up the ritual. First, I used [Mana Manipulation] to draw multiple circles overlapping one another, with numerous runic letters in the boundaries of the circles, next I drew symbols in the middle of the circle, as well as the symbol of Goddess Sylvara in one of the circles in the middle of all the circles. 

In the circle with Goddess Sylvara's symbol, I placed the spirit shard in the center. The girl who had been crying earlier was now a little calmer, noticing the things I was doing, she asked with tears still in her eyes. "Big sister, what are you doing?" 

I guess curiosity can never escape a child. I thought to myself as I responded to the little girl. "It's my special magic, I hope you'll keep it a secret for me." I said to the little girl, as the girl looked towards to circles, runic letters and symbols in front of us, and turned to looked at me and simply nodded, as she buried herself into my arms again, without even asking what it was for. 

I slowly started meditating and thinking of the chant for the type of [Spirit] I wanted to summon in helping me with my current predicament. As I needed to be at multiple places at once, and with how much time was currently short, I needed a [Spirit] who could either "Hold" the place still or allow me to immediately arrive at the location. 

I needed the [Spirit] to be able to do all these miraculous things, but all that I could offer is most of my mana as payment for the summoning, as well as a small vessel to house its spirit body, and a limited freedom to roam this world. This contract was a permanent contract, where the contracted was more in a loss, than I was. Which, according to [The Witches' Primer] it was something most spirit wanted, to be able to roam this world, or have a physical body, even if it meant having to sacrifice its being for it, 

With not much time to look through all the summoned spirit or the chant. I needed to include a filter into the chant itself and make ridiculous demands to avoid getting taken advantage off, but there still needed someone who would be willing to take up the summoning with the benefits provided. 

Knowing this, the image of the spirit was becoming clearer, and the chant already completed, all I needed was the body which will house the spirit beside the spirit shard. I immediately used most of my mana on [Creation Magic] to create a core for a golem, and swiftly started chanting for [Golem Magic] to create a golem body, with previous experience, I conjured mud with [Earth Magic]. 

All this happened without much time passing by, and right in front of me stood a mud golem in the shape of a cat. With the extra knowledge I had gained from studying Mirelle in the forest for a whole year and from studying in the library, I created a Skill Orb [Sneak], a lower tier skill in the {path of advancement} in Stealth, and had the cat mud golem eat it. 

As the cat mud golem ate the [Sneak] Skill Orb, its muddy body started to turned black, its presence becoming weaker. Following this, I immediately ordered the cat mud golem to sit beside the red spirit shard in the middle of the runic circles, and I then started to speak out the chant I had made, as I made a cut on my finger, letting it fall unto the red spirit shard. 

"<<< "O fleeting shadow in the hush of night, 

Dancing through echoes unseen, unheard. 

Turn the tides of time with paws so light, 

Slip through veils where none may tread. 

By pact and vessel, by will and by thy granted name— 

Unravel the threads and weave my path, 

Lend me your swiftness, your hidden grace! 

Come forth, Tsukihana, and stand by my side!>>>" 

As I finished chanting, energy different from mana was bursting out from the runic circles as something slowly came out of the runic circles into the air in front of the little girl and I. In front of us, was a small, sleek creature with shifting, iridescent fur that changed colors. It floated mid-air staring at me, as I held the little girl closer, afraid that all the precautions I had taken had failed. 

But to my surprise nothing happened, and the spirit went into the mud golem. As it went into the cat mud golem, the mud golem began to squirm violently, before the body started to change at a fast pace. Its hollow eyes were now filled with life, and deep blue slits just like any other cats. Its body appearing deeper and warmer than it used to. 

As the changes ended, so did the squirming. The summoned spirit had fully assimilated into the mud golem, making it seem more alive, it seemed that it was a success. However, I wasn't all too sure, as the mud golem was not moving at all, just as I was thinking that I had failed. I used [Appraisal] on the mud golem, to see the race of the mud golem had change into something else, I had succeeded. 

Name: Tsukihana 

Age: 128 

Race: Kurōshī (Spirit Familiar) 

HP: 1,053/1,053 

MP: 5,000/5,000 

Having seen Tsukihana's status, knowledge about her skills flooded my mind at once. It was as if I had been standing beneath a waterfall, as the water came down on me. I groaned as the abilities she had before her evolution, and her upgraded abilities as well as knowledge about her new skills she had gained from being assimilated into the mud golem. 

All the knowledge about her abilities continued to flood my mind, it continued to flow inside my mind for a while before it had started slowly disappearing, eventually stopping completely. When it had stop, I was able to fully understand its very being. It was an intelligent spirit, and while it can't speak despite its intelligence, it was capable of understanding speech, any form of speech. 

Knowing that I could use its abilities, I stood up from the ground, carrying the little girl in my arms. "Tsukihana, will you help me?" I ask Tsukihana, as I held the little girl tighter, making sure that my presence is ever present for the little girl. "Nya~" Tsukihana tilted her head a bit, meowing in a light tone, as if saying 'I am your familiar, I will your orders.' 

Thanks to the contract, and the knowledge forced into me, I could understand what Tsukihana was implying with her noise and movement. Seeing her answer, I nodded. Turning to look at the little girl, I asked her caressing her head ever so gently, afraid of scaring her. "Little girl, do you know where your house is?" the little girl didn't answer immediately, however in the end she mumbled beneath her breath, her answer. "No", while adding a request. "Please don't leave daddy here, he'll get cold." 

I turned to look towards the lifeless body besides us, and I simply nodded. I understood where the little girl was coming from, with her request in mind, I used [Item Box] to store the body, I didn't want to use the dimensional pouch which housed the bodies of monsters. 

"Thank you" the little girl mumbled beneath her breathe, as she cried soft into my arms once again. I simply nodded in turn, while I understood where the child was coming from, I didn't understand her feelings, I didn't want to say anything that could hurt her, I simply continued to caress her head ever so gently. Turning to look at Tsukihana, I spoke. 

"Tsukihana, use [Time Bubble], on the areas where you can feel my mana." I said to Tsukihana, as I shared my senses with her, allowing her to instinctively tell where, I wanted the [Time Bubble] to be placed. Tsukihana hearing my order, simply meowed, as a stranger energy flowed out of her. As the energy flowed out her, she approached me, and sat in front of us. "Nya~" she meowed. 

I understood immediately she wanted to climb up on me, and stay by my shoulder. I kneeled on one of my knees and reached out with one of my arms towards Tsukihana, as I spoke to her again. "Hana, lets go." just as I said this, Tsukihana spoke again, "Nya~" As I felt the locations where my mana was currently being used was being affected by something, it must've been Tsukihana's skill. 

Tsukihana immediately climbed up my arm towards my shoulder and resting there, before speaking to me. "Nya~" Tsukihana wanted to know what we needed to do next. "Is this little kitty your friend, big sister?" the girl interjected, raising her head to look at me, and I responded to her question, with as much kindness and gentleness I could muster, making my voice comforting for her. 

"She is, she is my friend." I said, before adding. "She's Tsukihana, but you can call her Hana or Tsuki" patting the little girl in the forehead. "Hana, would you please?" as I requested Tsukihana to teleport as to the nearest location, as near as possible. "Nya~" Tsukihana replied, as the ground below glowed blue as it enclosed on us.