Chapter 3: Goose Trials and Barkside Loyalty

Chapter 3: Goose Trials and Barkside LoyaltyKael stood before the mayor's house, where smoke rose gently from the chimney—and the roof.

"This may require… tact," Nyla muttered, adjusting the strap on her satchel. "Which you seem to lack."

Kael puffed his chest. "Nonsense. I am the embodiment of grace and nuance."

He stepped forward and knocked. The door fell off its hinges with a soft thunk.

Inside, Mayor Higgledrop—a portly man with eyebrows like nesting ferrets—stood in his nightgown, pointing a broom at a still-smoking fireplace.

"Another goose?" he growled.

Nyla held up both hands. "Technically, the goose was summoned. I just… didn't expect it to explode."

"Exploding poultry in my village? This is why I banned wizard karaoke night!"

Kael stepped in, dramatically flipping his cloak. "Good sir, allow me to soothe your soul with the aid of my noble companions."

Fanglet ran past him and began gnawing a table leg again. Flap flapped aimlessly around the rafters.

Higgledrop narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

"Kael Varraz, vampire summoner of moderate infamy."

"You don't sparkle."

"I burn in sunlight."

"Ah. Classic."

Kael examined the charred fireplace. "This ritual was unstable. Goose-based summoning needs precision. You overloaded the avian matrix."

Nyla blinked. "You actually know summoning theory?"

"I may have… skimmed some ancient scrolls while locked in a coffin for two centuries."

Flap dropped a small glowing feather onto Kael's shoulder.

> Item Acquired: Ember Goose Feather. Magical Residue Detected. Element: Fire/Chaos.

Kael sniffed it. "This goose was spliced with a fire elemental."

"Wait, I didn't do that!" Nyla said.

"Someone else tampered with your ritual."

> New Side Quest Unlocked: Find the Goose Tamperer.

Mayor Higgledrop crossed his arms. "If you two fix this mess, I'll forget about the exploding poultry."

Kael bowed. "You have my word, good mayor."

"And your bat."

"Flap is strictly ornamental."

They left the house and sat by the fountain in the town square. Kael poked the feather with a stick.

"You sure you didn't mess up the ritual?"

"I mostly followed the diagram," Nyla said.

"That explains nothing."

Suddenly, Fanglet stood, ears twitching. He barked once—then growled.

> Threat Detected. Beast Senses Triggered.

From the alley emerged a tall, lanky man in tattered robes, eyes glowing faintly red. His fingers sparked with flickering green energy.

"Well, well," he drawled. "Didn't expect you to survive the fire-chicken."

Kael stepped in front of Nyla, cape flaring dramatically. "And who might you be, o shady dumpster necromancer?"

The man bowed mockingly. "You can call me Varn. I enhance summoning rituals for a price. She didn't pay it."

Nyla glared. "You tricked me with a fake scroll!"

"You should read the small print." Varn raised his hands, summoning a skeletal ferret and a three-eyed crow.

Kael smirked. "You call that a threat? Allow me to demonstrate true summoning finesse."

He cut his palm. Magic surged.

> Beast Summoning Activated: Forest Alpha Variant – Bond Chance: 12%... 26%...

The ground cracked. Roots twisted up, forming a large, moss-covered wolf with antlers of bark and glowing green eyes.

> Beast Summoned: Mossfang – Element: Nature. Bond: In Progress.

Kael staggered. "Okay. Bit more mana than I expected."

Mossfang growled and lunged—not at Kael, but at Varn's crow. Feathers flew.

Varn cursed and vanished in a swirl of green mist.

Kael dropped to one knee, breathing hard. "Did… did we win?"

Fanglet licked his face. Flap landed on Mossfang's head.

> New Beast Joined: Mossfang. Loyalty: Wary but Protective. Army Size: 3. Threat Level: Rising.

Nyla offered a hand. "Okay, Kael. You might actually be useful."

He grinned. "High praise from the goose girl."

They laughed. Behind them, Mossfang sneezed and knocked over a cart.

Kael looked up at the stars. "One day, this army will shake the heavens. But for now... we'll settle for not blowing up a village."