Chapter 24
“YOU’VE DONE ME a great service. If ever you should need anything, I will rush to your aid.” Fenrir expressed his gratitude once more, announced that he would leave in search of his brother and sister, and skillfully turned the doorknob.
However, Martel called out to him to stop.
“Wait, little wolf! I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t leave my domain for a while.”
Fenrir gave her a dubious look. “And why is that?”
It was then that Martel announced something surprising: this situation was not yet resolved.
“Don’t you feel it? That awful power that took control of you is floating all around us.”
Martel explained the situation in more detail. The mysterious power that had consumed Fenrir was encroaching once again, attracted to his own power. The domain protected by Martel prevented its entry, but it remained outside, wafting about, waiting for Fenrir to emerge.
The white fruit had managed to remove the darkness, but that was all it had done. If Fenrir was possessed by these powers again, things would end the exact same way.
“I had no idea…” Fenrir had felt the mysterious power’s presence before it drove him mad. He’d perceived it as something similar to his brother and sister’s powers, but once it began to eat away at him, he’d realized that it was entirely different in nature.
I can’t believe the mess this has turned into…
Similar yet different powers. That meant that something with powers similar to Jormungand and Hel’s was in this Ancient Underground City. Mira considered the grandiosity of the situation as she listened.
“So, little wolf, we need to do something about the cause if we don’t want you to fall victim to it again.” Martel lifted the pup and cradled him in her arms. She then sighed regretfully and added, “I just wish I could neutralize the power completely.”
So, even Martel’s power was not enough to defend against the corruption forever. This place was protected by the Trinity, as well as her power, making it safe, but the mysterious power would follow wherever Fenrir went.
Martel had been nearby this time, so the damage had been kept to a minimum. But if Fenrir lost himself somewhere else, there was no telling what tragedy might occur. Who would stop the next rampage when a progenitor spirit had struggled so greatly to quell the first?
“In that case, there’s little we can do.” Fenrir understood. He reluctantly chose to stay, his face clearly full of resentment.
“Hrmm… From what I’ve heard, it sounds like the cause is beneath this underground city, no?” Mira chimed in. “I don’t know if this will comfort you, but what if I were to go and check on things down there?”
At this rate, he would never be able to search for his siblings. It must have hurt to finally regain control of himself just to be told that he’d have to stay locked up here forever. When Mira offered to investigate in his stead, her objective was a source of power that endangered Fenrir himself; so she sadly added that they’d best not expect too much of her.
“Thank you, Mira. Your concern is much appreciated. Do not push yourself too hard.” Fenrir bowed his head deeply. He had great gratitude for—and faith in—the courage and fortitude of she who’d stopped his rampage.
***
The conversation had settled somewhat when the Spirit King suddenly had a suggestion. “Say,” he said. “I have a proposition. What if you were to form a contract with Mira here? She already has links to spirits all over the world, thanks to my power. This vast information network may yield clues on the whereabouts of your family.”
It seemed he’d already seen through Mira’s scheming.
“Oh, what a wonderful idea. I agree.” Martel threw in her support. She and the Spirit King added that, once they’d resolved the problem of the dark powers and Fenrir could move freely, he’d be able to meet Mira right away and easily receive the information their network had yielded.
“Mira has contracts with many of my kin, and I’m sure she’ll form many more. It’s much more efficient than searching on your own. Besides,” the Spirit King said, “You can’t sense them anymore, can you?”
Mira cocked her head curiously. What did he mean by that?
Fenrir nodded gravely. “So, you’ve noticed,” he confessed.
As it turned out, he couldn’t sense the mysterious power anymore. This place was protected from it, yes, but Martel could still sense it drifting outside just fine. Fenrir hadn’t noticed it at all. According to the Spirit King, this must have been because of his loss of strength.
Though ultimately different, the powers of Fenrir’s brother and sister were similar to the power outside. If he couldn’t sense the lurking evil, it was questionable whether he’d be able to sense his siblings, even if they were nearby.
No one knew how long it would take Fenrir to regain his former power. In that case, the information network going through Mira was sure to be a valuable source of information for him.
“Besides, I think you two meeting here was fate. Isn’t that wonderful?” Martel had given plenty of reasons by now, but she just loved fated meetings. Mira was a summoner, and Fenrir was in need of help. Was that not reason enough?
Martel might have been getting carried away, but Mira was in full agreement. Riding the wave the Spirit King and Martel had made, she made her own appeal. “You’re right. Right, I say! Besides, I have information on more than just spiritual matters. I’ve plenty of allies, from Garuda, Pegasus, and Korpokkurs to Garm, Cat Sith, and Cu Sith! And, of course, I have the king himself here as a friend. His authority may be useful in your search. So? I think it’s a good deal.”
A contract with the Fenrir. Sure, she was happy to help him, given the various restrictions he’d found himself with, but her desire to contract with him as a summoner was just as strong. Mira gazed into the wolf’s eyes with a mixture of expectation and uncertainty.
“A summoning contract, hmm? It sounds favorable enough. I would be glad to accept a contract with you, Mira. But are you certain? One of your companions, the eldest Valkyrie, is wary of me…”
Had their appeal to logic worked, or had simple faith won out? Either way, Fenrir was willing to form a contract. However, he was wary about Alfina. The god who ruled over the Valkyries, Odin, had a past with Fenrir, and that made Alfina uncomfortable in return.
It was then that Mira remembered something that her lore-loving friend had once told her: myths and heroic tales from her world were reflected in this one, but they were all things that had actually happened in the distant past. In other words, the Fenrir before her eyes was a being that had reappeared after Ragnarök. Likewise with Odin. What a mysterious world this was. It was because of that past that Fenrir now hesitated.
“In that case, why don’t we ask the Valkyrie in question?” Mira couldn’t bear the thought of a failed contract at this point. After thinking of a way to persuade Alfina, she summoned the Valkyrie.
“I have come to answer your summons.” Alfina appeared gallantly from the Bound Arcana and kneeled in front of Mira with clear pride on her face.
“Sorry for keeping you so busy, Alfina. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you,” Mira said hesitantly to the enthusiastic Valkyrie. Depending on how things went, she might have to ask Alfina to put up with something she didn’t want. It was no wonder she had trouble getting the words out.
“Oh? What’s happened, Master?” Taking Mira’s reluctance to speak as concern, or perhaps even worry, Alfina continued, “If there’s anything I can do for you, please tell me!”
“Hrmm… Well, you see…” Mira faced the firm, reliable Alfina and asked her if she would have a problem with Mira forming a contract with Fenrir. “What say you, Alfina? I’m sure you have some concerns, but could you set them aside?”
Fenrir trotted over on his stubby legs and bowed to Alfina. His actions overflowed with sincerity, but given his puppy form, one could hardly see him as anything but adorable. Mira couldn’t help but smile, despite the seriousness of the situation.
Alfina just so happened to be glancing at Mira at that moment. While misunderstanding the reason for her smile, she finally gave her answer. “It would be a lie to say that I have no qualms,” Alfina admitted, “but if you will fight for my master, then we are allies. When the time comes, I swear that I will cooperate with you.” Alfina held a hand out to Fenrir, offering a handshake to symbolize reconciliation.
“You have my gratitude, Alfina.”
Fenrir took her hand and shook. In a way, this was a historic moment: a Valkyrie and Fenrir, shaking hands and putting the past behind them. To any onlooker, though, it just looked like Alfina was playing with a dog.
Mira, the Spirit King, and Martel watched, smiling.
***
The problems regarding Fenrir’s contract were solved. All that remained was to form it.
Mira thanked Alfina, then dismissed her, before facing Fenrir.
It’s time. Please, please, work! she prayed.
Summoning contracts couldn’t necessarily be formed between any two parties. There were various factors involved, such as the contracted and summoner’s respective levels of strength, as well as their level of trust in one another.
The contracted’s power was especially important this time. He was the famous Fenrir, after all. Mira was confident in her own strength, but she was unsure that it could stack up anywhere close to his. It was especially different from contracting with Martel; she’d had the Spirit King’s help with her.
“Now, let us begin.”
Despite her concerns, she’d done this ritual many times over by now. Mira used Contract Forging on Fenrir’s brow, perfectly. It abruptly burst and scattered as particles of light.
Was it a failure? Could she not make a contract with such a being after all? Just as the thought crossed Mira’s mind, she noticed something. The particles of light symbolizing the pact still floated around them. It didn’t stop there either. Rays of light connected one particle to another until a giant seal of light had eventually been formed. The light continued to spread. It was like looking at a planetarium, the runic text glowing like constellations.
“Goodness, this is…” Mira gasped in admiration of the sight, and the Spirit King and Martel watched with great interest.
After a while, the light of the contract gathered and was sucked into both Mira’s palm and Fenrir’s forehead, creating a palpable bond. Furthermore, runic text lingered on Mira’s hand for just a moment before disappearing.
“So, this is what they call a summoning contract.” Fenrir gently closed his eyes. “It’s warm… As if you’ve gently cradled me in your arms.” His eyes then opened wide in surprise.
“A perfect success!” Mira’s scream was earsplitting. When the contract succeeded, and the information regarding his summoning flowed into her mind, her joy had finally burst forth.
Like with Eizenfald, summoning Fenrir took the maximum four rosaries. The mana consumption involved was likewise the same, which meant that he was around the same level as Eizenfald. In other words, Mira had gained a top-tier addition to her arsenal. If the situation called for it, it might not be too long until Eizenfald and Fenrir fought together.
There was one difference, though: summon frequency. In order to make a gate for Fenrir to travel through, she apparently needed to use the rune she’d acquired when they’d made the contract. Even with Mira’s strength, she could only make the rune once per day, at most. Given this limitation, he probably had more potential than Eizenfald. Mira had a new option for future battles, a new way of adapting. She couldn’t help but be excited.
“I look forward to working with you, Fenrir!” Mira pulled Fenrir into a hug and nuzzled him with sheer joy.
Fenrir seemed rather happy, too. “I’m glad. If you ever need my power, however small it may be, do not hesitate to call me,” he replied. It would be his first time being summoned, he added with a smile, so he was excited for the new experience.
***
“By the way, Martel, I have a question.”
After rejoicing over her new contract for some time, Mira asked Martel about the mysterious power they’d driven off earlier.
If things got back on track, she would be clearing the Ancient Underground City in order to find Soul Howl. That would probably mean fighting the raid boss on the bottom floor. Her enemy was extraordinarily powerful, and she would love to have Fenrir’s strength for the upcoming battle. But would the darkness consume him again if she summoned him for a fight? This worried her.
“Hmm… I think you’d better not, at least for the time being. Summoning him somewhere farther away should be all right, though.” If he was summoned in the Ancient Underground City, Martel believed that he could quickly be consumed by the mysterious power. However, she added to her answer after dwelling on it a moment. “But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a way. Tell us ahead of time, and I can feed him one of the white fruits. Summon him after that, and he’ll be able to withstand the power for as long as the fruit keeps working, around ten minutes.”
Indeed, she had her tricks. They didn’t know how long the mysterious power would last, but for the moment, Fenrir would live with Martel. Mira could communicate with Martel through the spirit network, making her proposed method possible.
“Ten minutes? Then this is the perfect test of skill!”
Due to the rune, Mira could only summon Fenrir once per day. Now there was an added ten-minute restriction. Despite the limitations, having another ally as strong as Eizenfald was a major boon that would lead her to certain victory. The only question now was how efficiently she could use those ten minutes.
In order to use Fenrir efficiently, she would have to get to know him. What could he do? What were his abilities?
“Fenrir, may I ask you to teach me a few things?!” Mira begged, hoping to prepare for the large, upcoming battle. Her interest spurred her to pry out every detail he could offer.
“Of course. I will answer anything I can.” Fenrir went on to answer every question she had about his abilities.
Sadly, he had lost most of his power to the corruption, leaving him with few practical abilities. Still, he was Fenrir; puppy or not, he was strong enough to trounce Mira’s holy knights with ease.
What will it be like when he’s regained his full power, I wonder?
Perhaps four summoning circles were enough only because he was a puppy. When he regained his former glory, he might be upgraded to a Transcendent Evocation. Even with that prediction in mind, Mira decided to have Fenrir show off his stuff so she could grasp his current strength.
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