Nectar
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🕑 Added 2024-06-14 17:03:07 +0000 UTCChapter 24
Excitement warred with apprehension within Ethan.
He’d narrowly escaped the horrifying potential consequences of Connecting with a Constellation’s “embrace”—which was very unlike an embrace—and now, the prospect of summoning his [Familiar] was lucrative. Not only was it lucrative, he was looking forward to it. Really.
But how? How to summon the [Familiar]? Will it be dangerous, again? I should’ve asked Derrick. Ethan swallowed. He didn’t tell me that Connecting would be that terrifying and could lead to death, however unlikely it may seem to him or whatever Connecting may entail in their culture. He didn’t tell me. I don’t want something similar to happen again... nope.
Regardless, how to summon his [Familiar]?
Unlike the ritual for establishing the Constellation Connection, Ethan had received no instructions on this seemingly simple task.
He cast his gaze upon the [Familiar’s] information.
Viper (Unnamed) — Lvl 0
Species: Viper
Length: 2 ft (0.6 meters)
Appearance: Base scales are a deep obsidian black with an iridescent sheen. Running down the length of its body are shimmering cracks, glowing faintly with a chaotic energy that mirrors the Sunder constellation.
Abilities:
[Severing Bite] : Can deliver a magical bite that severs magic and magical protections and weakens enchanted materials.
[Chaotic Aura] : Passively disrupts nearby magic, causing minor fluctuations and malfunctions.
Frustrated at the lack of options to simply summon, Ethan rubbed his chin.
Surely, there had to be some ritual, some incantation, some way?
He scoured his memories of Derrick’s words. Of what he’d seen. Experienced. It was fairly painful to do that, psychologically speaking, but Ethan knew he had to. He remembered the azure tendrils that had snaked around him during the Connection ritual—It was a physical manifestation of the Constellation’s power. Perhaps the key lay in replicating that experience somehow? After all, the [Familiar] was given to Ethan due to the Connection? So, “tapping” into said Connection with the Sunder Constellation seemed to be the most logical thing to Ethan.
Ethan closed his eyes, looking within himself using [Arcane Awareness].
There were a multitude of... energies inside of him. One appeared to be a distinct color of gold, one was green, and one was amethyst. Squinting, Ethan found another one.
An azure tendril that practically radiated a sense of power.
He focused on it and raised his hand. It felt like a warm current coursing through him, tingling at his fingertips. He tried to recreate that feeling, picturing the azure tendrils emanating from his own body. It was a clumsy attempt, like trying to remember a half-forgotten dream. Yet, slowly, a faint warmth blossomed in his chest, spreading outwards, illuminating him from the inside.
It was weird to look at. His veins, his heart, his organs. He could see them all. He could see their shadows created by the light.
He tried to do something with it. That light. He tried to do something.
But nothing happened.
Aside from becoming a damn firefly, nothing had happened at all. Dejected, Ethan slumped back in his chair. Am I missing something? Given that Derrick used a ritual and even gave me potions, is it possible that I need a specific chant, a rare herb to burn, a potion, or even a ritual? Wouldn’t it be hella impractical that way... He sighed.
Suddenly, a memory surfaced. He remembered Derrick mentioning “putting his Connection through its paces.” Perhaps the answer wasn’t some external trigger, but an internal one. With renewed determination, Ethan focused on the Constellation emblazoned on what he could only describe as his soul. It felt like a dormant volcano, a wellspring of untapped power. He willed it to activate, to connect.
The sensation was similar to the warmth he’d felt before, but stronger, more focused. He thought of summoning. It pulsed outwards. “Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa!” A jolt of energy shot through him, then materialized into an azure egg outside. A glowing egg. A solid egg. Something that came out of him, somehow, in the form of light then transformed into something solid—
Crack. Once, twice, thrice. Then another crack. Ethan blinked. The cracks on the egg flared brightly, momentarily twinkling like a star from the thousands he recalled looking at in the Constellation—the one he Connected to. Sunder. Are [Familiars], perhaps, those stars? It’s a possibility. Might be a bit far-fetched, but a possibility nonetheless.
The egg twitched, then stilled.
Had it worked?
Hesitantly, eagerly, tentatively, Ethan reached for the egg. As his hand neared the egg, a head snapped out. Startled, Ethan took a step back, then looked at the small snake’s head. He stared as its forked tongue flicked in his direction. Its eyes glowed with a faint, very faint, azure light. There was a spark of recognition, something he could only describe as a nascent Connection—he could describe that instinctively, as if that information had been in his brain since forever.
The snake tilted its head as it slithered out of the egg and onto Ethan’s hand. He stiffened with fear. It was a snake. It could be poisonous. But it took merely a moment for the Connection to flare and for Ethan to calm down as he felt his Connection with the snake. He could feel it. He could feel its feelings. Curiosity. Fear. And most prominently, fascination.
He’d done it. He’d summoned his [Familiar].
Carefully, Ethan pulled the viper out from the egg. It coiled loosely around his forearm; its obsidian scales cool against his skin as it curiously tilted its head once more. The egg dissipated into light, and just then, Ethan felt a surge of protectiveness toward the creature. Weird, I can feel that this creature feels the same toward me. Is this what a Connection is? I can’t really give a one-size-fits-all kind of answer given that I’ve seen different kinds of Connections so far, but it’s kind of fair to say that the Connection loosely means exactly what the word “Connection” entails: a relationship in which a person or thing is linked or associated with something else. Regardless, Ethan knew now—this wasn’t just a pet, a [Familiar], but a partner.
As he held the viper, a new question arose. “What should I name you?” He asked. “Hmm. What about Opie?” Ethan chuckled to himself. It was the name of a dog of one of his friends back on Earth. The viper—or now Opie—tilted its head, but it appeared that it understood what Ethan meant.
Congratulations! You have named your [Familiar]!
[Viper (Unnamed)] -> [Opie]!
Congratulations! [Opie] has been assigned a gender!
[Opie] — Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1!
Opie — Lvl 1
Species: Viper | Gender: Male
Length: 2 ft (0.6 meters)
Appearance: Base scales are a deep obsidian black with an iridescent sheen. Running down the length of its body are shimmering cracks, glowing faintly with a chaotic energy that mirrors the Sunder constellation.
Abilities:
[Severing Bite] : Can deliver a magical bite that severs magic and magical protections and weakens enchanted materials.
[Chaotic Aura] : Passively disrupts nearby magic, causing minor fluctuations and malfunctions.
Blinking, Ethan rubbed Opie on the top of his head. Closing his eyes, Opie snuggled closer into his finger. Ethan almost melted. How could a snake be adorable? Was his Connection affecting him somehow? It was a possibility he didn’t mind being true.
A giddy smile spread across Ethan’s face. Opie was surprisingly light in his hand, despite the coolness of his scales. He gently nudged his finger closer, and Opie weaved around it, his obsidian body flashing with a faint, mesmerizing shimmer. Ethan chuckled.
This wasn’t what he’d expected. He’d expected something formidable, ferocious—some kind of a creature that struck fear into the hearts of their enemies. But Opie was anything but that, and he was quickly stealing his heart. “Alright, little guy,” Ethan murmured, his voice soft. “Let’s see what you can do.”
He reached for his water sack. Opie remained perched on his wrist, watching with wide, curious eyes. Next, Ethan pulled water from the pouch and willed it to form a ball of water. Water blooming into a ball, Ethan nudged Opie toward it. Opie looked at the water curiously, then looked at Ethan. He looked back and forth between the two a few times, confused, before Ethan said, “Use [Chaotic Aura] first, and then [Severing Bite].”
Opie seemed to understand, or so Ethan felt from their Connection. An iridescent sheen appeared around Opie’s body as he used [Chaotic Aura]. Ethan waited, patiently, for it to work against his water ball. But it didn’t. Sighing, Ethan gave Opie a nod to use [Severing Bite]. His body tightening as Opie coiled more, he struck with lightning speed. A faint click echoed in the room as his tiny fangs met the water. Ethan held his breath, waiting for the spell to break apart and the water to fall.
However, nothing happened.
Why?
Disappointment washed over him. While interesting, both of Opie’s abilities were laughably weak. He needed to level Opie up, and fast. There had to be a way to train him.
Ethan sighed, scratching behind Opie’s head with his fingernail. The tiny viper responded not by nuzzling closer, but by attacking the water with [Severing Bite]. Again. And again. And again. Opie didn’t stop until the water shook and ripples appeared on its surface before the spell fell apart and the water splashed on the ground—
—Only then, Opie turned to face Ethan with those big azure eyes of his, expectant.
Ethan blinked, chuckled like an idiot, and scratched behind Opie’s head lightly, his smile widening as the viper closed his eyes and nuzzled closer.
Well, he’s got the spirit for it, at least. Thinking so, Ethan decided to take a nap. He stunk a bit, but he could take a bath later. He was just tired.
***
A knock on the door startled Ethan from his nap. He glanced down at Opie. The viper was blissfully curled beside him on the bed, seemingly unfazed by the sudden noise.
“Come in,” Ethan called.
The door creaked open, revealing Roland. He held a sealed envelope out to Ethan. Staring at Opie for a moment, Roland furrowed his brows but remained silent about it. Instead, he said, “A letter from Hector.”
Ethan took the envelope, recognizing Hector’s flamboyant seal. He thanked Roland with a nod, then dismissed him with a wave. He scurried out, leaving Ethan alone with the letter.
He tore it open, a sigh escaping his lips as he recognized Hector’s flamboyant handwriting. The first few paragraphs were Hector’s usual self-aggrandizement, detailing how he’d “masterfully” struck a conversation with Baron Montague and secured a meeting. Montague was the Baron of Argent, and Ethan had “instructed” Hector to get him a meeting. It seemed that’d worked pretty nicely.
The tone of the letter shifted abruptly, turning sour and laced with thinly veiled threats. Hector ranted about “certain incriminating evidence” Ethan possessed, specifically a “scandalous little affair” involving a succubus. Hector demanded Ethan keep his lips sealed, threatening dire consequences if the information was leaked. Ethan rolled his eyes, Hector’s theatrics doing little to faze him. He skimmed the rest of the letter, finding some good news amidst the bullshit.
Hector was ecstatic about the initial batch of soap that had reached Corinth. Apparently, the people there were going wild for it, with Hector raving about the potential profits. Ethan allowed himself a small smile.
The plan was working.
But Hector’s words also brought a new set of problems to light. While the soap was a success, it was a small-scale operation. Mass production had just begun. Ethan needed factories churning out vast quantities of soap and other necessities. With his [Basic Rune Creation] being at the level 7 and more importantly, Ethan being a Level 3 Human and [Mage] now, he could churn out more rune motes. Yet, building a factory in this medieval world presented a complex challenge. Brick kilns needed improvement, skilled workers were scarce, and the logistics of managing a large-scale production line were daunting.
Ethan leaned back in his chair, Opie slithering curiously up his arm.
He needed a plan.
He needed to figure out how to leverage modern knowledge in this fantastical world. He needed to build not just a factory, but the infrastructure to support it. It was a challenge, but with the success of the soap and a newfound partner in Opie, something he could definitely recognize as determination practically ignited within him.
That determination didn’t last long, however—
—because the tax collectors arrived that week, knocking at Holden’s doors.
***
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AN: It's nigh time tax collectors came >_<
Here is some rough AI Opie pics. It's not fully accurate, Ai is a bit wonky.
- Slimmer version:
Comments
Nectar
True
Foxner
It feels like a bit of a contradiction to have one sentence say that Opie isn't a pet but instead a partner, while the next sentence Opie is being named after a pet.
Fortunis
I see what you did there 😏 😉. Opie =OP 😆 🤣
IdolTrust
The fat one is better looking
V
Super cute snake pics, curious to see how Opie grows.
Robert Apgar
Lol between Ouroboros, Jormanganndir, any dragon name really, and a whole slew of stars/constellations names. We get Opie named after a friends dog. Its still a pretty good name just completely unexpected. I would however be careful assigning gender at birth or whatever it shouldn't be a problem but since people are weird it could be one.
Chase
The tax man cometh
Daniel Tabask
yesssss cute snek companion
Beeees!
Tftc!
