[7]: Summon

  [Fragment Of Rebirth]

  [Athirat; Tree Of Mutative Rebirth]

  (Memento, Summon, Rebirth, Life, Tree, Construct, Enhancement, Self)

  Effect (Mortal): Athirat; Tree Of Mutative Rebirth is a Memento Source Item formed from the combination of the Mortal Title Magician Of Tearful Mutation, Fragment Of Rebirth, Summon Mana Core and Mortal Ranked Life-Tree.

  Athirat possesses the ability to activate abilities with the Summon Trait without the use of a catalyst or ritual. Summoned natured spiritual energy is expended to grant summoned companions a temporary construct, granting them form although devoid of their inherent effects or abilities.

  Abilities with the Summon Trait and Mutation Trait all possess increased effectiveness while Athirat is summoned.

  Increases the ease of comprehending concepts and notions relating to “summon,” “life,” “mutation,” “rebirth,” “evolution,” and “trees” while Athirat is summoned.

  Athirat possesses the ability to produce Mutative Fruits and Rebirth Fruits which can be fed to summoned companions or willing targets. Mutative Fruits grant an instance of [Random Mutation] while Rebirth Fruits grant an instance of [Random Rebirth].

  [Random Mutation]: Grants one ability of the target the Mutation Trait. Additional stacks do not have an additive effect.

  [Random Rebirth]: Grants one ability of the target the Rebirth Trait. Additional stacks do not have an additive effect.

  The Tree Of Mutative Rebirth sprouting in the space around Avahni, elevating her position so that she sat several metres up in the air. Her figure enveloped in the transcendent light of ascension as she began the process to ascend from Mortality to Knighthood.

  Beside Jon, the Spirit-Abundance Bamboo, Slithering-Armour Orochi and Stone-Mountain Bulwark appeared in a burst of summon natured spiritual energy. Acalan was incapable of talking, although Grendel and Acalan turned their reptilian visages towards him, alongside both the Liver Of The Ginseng King and the Wind-Void Sword Scripture.

  Not a single one of them spoke, just gazing at Jon expectantly, as if awaiting his orders.

  The sound of Ler Setanta and Itsumade clawing at the towering wood barrier that Jon had formed echoed throughout the innermost chamber of the Hive-Womb Capital. The indomitus shastasaurus and blood-night acerodon tearing through the growing thicket with a reckless abandon, hoping to eliminate Avahni before her ascension was completed.

  “My Fragment Of Barrier will not hold off Setanta or Itsumade forever. I estimate we have about three-to-five minutes before the two of them breach this location. Perhaps longer if I can stall them with my shadow-mutation and fear-mutation.”

  “Ru Luan Di and Acalan are incapable of being moved, especially while the former is healing Shamael. Xuanyuan is the strongest amongst you and possesses the greatest offensive strength thanks to Imaginary Severance.”

  “As such, Grendel and Lenatus will provide distractions in order to allow Xuanyuan to land decisive blows on Setanta and Itsumade. I’ll provide backup, even if I have to sacrifice the Worms Of Envy I have stored up in order to place curses on the two of them.”

  “I won’t be able to fight in close quarters until the effects of [Helel] have worn off.”

  Taking a deep breath, Xuanyuan and the others watched as Jon deactivated his Fragment Of Superbia.

  All of his physical enhancement abilities turning inert as his physicality was reduced to match that of an uninitiated Mortal. Spear Mana Core hovering around one or two percent of its maximum spiritual energy reserves.

  Knees buckling under the sudden lack of strength throughout his arms and legs; quivering from overuse, Jon would have found himself being toppled over if it was not for the quick reactions of the Wind-Void Sword Scripture.

  “Thank you Xuanyuan,” said Jon, standing back up on his own two feet with the assistance of the homo adonis. The Fragment Of Sword merely shaking his head, half gesturing towards Avahni sitting within her Tree Of Mutative Rebirth.

  “Our master informed us to protect you and listen to your commands until she had completed her ascension to Knighthood. The effects of her Memento Source Item will allow her to temporarily resummon any of her fallen summoned companions and boost the effectiveness of her abilities with the Summon Trait and Mutation Trait.”

  “Mutation Trait?” Jon queried.

  Xuanyuan and Ru Luan Di both nodded their heads, the former continuing while occasionally sending a quick glance in the directions of Itsumade and Ler Setanta.

  “… Avahni knew how strong you had become through a focus on abilities with the Mutation Trait. In order to strengthen herself without risking her ability to maintain each one of her summoned companions she sought out mutations that would potentially increase the maximum reserves of her respective Maan Cores.”

  “In doing so, both increasing the maximum amount of spiritual energy at her disposal and increasing her physical capabilities.”

  “As you are aware… abilities with the Technique Trait and Ability Trait are… rare for Avahni.”

  Jon nodded his head, noticing Grendel and Lenatus shift their massive bodies in the opposite direction of Itsumade and Ler Setanta. The stone-mountain dragon and slithering-armour hydra hearing the voice of a certain lightning fey echo throughout the massive chamber.

  “Rhidian you drunken old fart! Aim Hathor in the direction of your enemies not me you imbecile!”

  “Haha! Apologies young Ortlinde! I tend to get quite carried away when using the Haze Of Flowing Stupor! Spirits and souls are so similar sometimes I often get confused at which one I am actually drinking!”

  Jon raising an eyebrow remembering that the Father Of Spirits And Souls was fighting beside the Three Sisters Of Destruction against Regulus and Raflea. Given that Ortlinde was capable of flight and that Rhidian was a support-type summoned companion that excelled in defensive battles, it was no wonder that the two of them were capable of holding off the nadian and undyne.

  ‘There are so many different Memento Source Items present right this moment.’ Jon thought to himself.

  ‘Xuanyuan and his Imaginary Severance. Jibril and her Throne-Creation Fire. Ortlinde and her Reflection Of Destruction. And Rhidian and his Haze Of Flowing Stupor. If it was not for the fact that the four of them are still Mortal Ranked then this battle would have been won in moments, not drawn out and extended in such a-.’

  Jon conjoined Fragments Of Mind pausing for a brief moment, eyes glancing in the direction of the Voracious Swarm Mother.

  “Xuanyuan, despite the environment, can Xochitl still manifest himself?”

  The homo adonis blinked but nodding his head in response, somewhat unsure of where Jon was going with this.

  “At Mortality, Voracious Wood-Swallowing Mangrove can manifest themselves in environments that are hospitable for plant growth and maturation. Inside the Hive-Womb Capital might be possible, although would most certainly not allow Xochitl to grow to his fullest, potentially affecting the range of his roots and tendrils.”

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  “Why?”

  Jon smiled, patting the Wind-Void Sword Scripture on the arm.

  “Change of plan.”

  Break.

  Theodore activated his Fragment Of Slash again and again without concern for his knife spiritual vein, producing myriad knife-slashes which carved through leaves, bark, and roots without concern for his reserves of spiritual energy. Enormous redwood-shaped trees felled in a matter of seconds, only for another tree behind it to grow even larger, taking up the space that it once occupied.

  His Throne Of Dark-Knowledge informing him of the seconds which passed with no signs of him breaching through the physical barrier that Jon formed, causing him to grit his teeth, glancing in the direction of the Vessel Of The Metallic Mountain.

  The corpse of the floresiensis remaining inert, blood and innards scattered about after having its Memento Source Item burst out of its chest.

  ‘Did not expect that out of her… taking the Memento Source Item straight out of a corpse and integrating during the height of battle…’

  ‘How bold.’

  He was not able to gleam what type of fragment she had used as the basis for her Memento Source Item but could identify the Summon Mana Core Avahni used as one of its core ingredients. The Mortal Ranked Life-Tree was an interesting choice but one that seemed to fit her personality and compliment the rest of her abilities.

  His gaze glancing in the direction of both Regulus and Raflea, noticing the two continue to fight against Rhidian and Ortlinde. The wine spirit fey and lightning fey battling it out in the air above his two puppets, causing him to frown before communicating with Itsumade.

  “Deal with those two for the time being. We’ve been playing a numbers game from the moment Avahni stepped into he room. Taking more of her summoned companions off the board will only help us further down the line.”

  The Quiet Death Of Light And Virtue not bothering to response with any verbal or physical cues. Merely halting his destruction of the tree barriers placed before him and flying towards the opponents that his master had commanded him to fight.

  Thedore knew that Itsumade was suffering from a slow and painful death. One of the follies that he had yet to remedy at Knighthood was his inability to cleanse debilitating effects from his person. Despite having integrated a Fragment Of Twin into his Fragment Of Avatar, something that was done at Itsumade’s recommendation, Theodore himself lacked methods of cleansing his summoned companion.

  Although such a thing might have been the more thoughtful option, Theodore knew that he could not risk integrating another support-type fragment when his build was already filled with non-offensive abilities. Despite his grasp of the situation at hand, Theodore knew that if he was placed in a one-on-one fight with Jon, Shamael, Wilheim, Amadeus, or even Regulus-.

  He would lose.

  His physical enhancements subpar and his mental manipulation abilities requiring both time and subterfuge in order to take proper effect.

  ‘If I can just kill Avahni before she becomes a Knight then I should be able to kill Jon in the long run. He activated his Fragment Of Eradication and Fragment Of Annihilation just how many times? And this tree barrier, what an insufficient expenditure of wood mana.’

  But still, regardless of how many times he activated his vein-severing slash, more and more trees continued to pop up to occupy the space where the destroyed tree barrier once stood. Ler Setanta continuing to claw at the manifested trees, destroying one every two-to-three of his claws.

  Despite the situation that he was now facing, Theodore did not appear perturbed or anxious. His Fragment Of Mindless-Erasure observing the information that was placed before it, sorting it out with an utmost efficiency.

  ‘So many Memento Source wielding summoned companions. Even if they are Mortal Ranked, the number of abilities and their control over them are still a cause for concern. The Wind-Void Sword Scripture possesses the highest offensive power other than Ler Setanta. The Three Daughters Of Destruction are similar capable of extraordinary, ranged damage.’

  ‘Jibril is out of the question, not if Avahni wants to keep Shamael alive. Rhidian on the other hand… Shamael once mentioned the effects of the Father Of Spirits And Souls… How did the effect description go again?’

  [Fragment Of Alcohol]

  [Rhidian; Father Of Spirits And Souls]

  (Summon, Earth, Alcohol, Spell, Memento, Wine, River, Buff)

  Effect (Mortal): Perform a ritual to summon Rhidian; Father Of Spirits And Souls. Rhidian was born from the linage of a transcendent soul fey and transcendent wine spirit. Rhidian dwells within the tongue after being summoned.

  Rhidian is capable of flight. Rhidian is capable of manifesting wine jars, beer barrels, and spirit caskets constructs formed from earth natured spiritual energy. Objects placed inside each of these constructs are then sealed and fermented, broken down into myriad wines, beers and spirits. Drinking wine grants instances of [Joyous Grin]. Drinking beer grants instances of [Prideful Might]. Drinking spirits grants instances of [Lonesome Light].

  Rhidian possesses the Memento Source Fragment; [Hathor; Haze Of Flowing Stupor].

  [Joyous Sight]: Increases the effectiveness of all abilities with the Emotion Trait or Desire Trait. Reduces the effectiveness of all abilities with the Eye Trait or Perception Trait. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

  [Prideful Might]: Increases physical capabilities. Decreases mana regeneration. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

  [Lonesome Light]: Inflicts an earth natured damage over time effect. Inflicts an earth natured mana regeneration over time effect. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

  [Hathor; Haze Of Flowing Stupor]: Manifested through the combination of a Wine Mana Core, Fragment Of River, Memento Source Fragment, complete Mortal Title [Father Of Spirits And Souls] and a Mortal Ranked regretful wine.

  Hathor manifests in the form of a spherical liquid construct. The size, shape, rotation and taste of Hathor can be controlled and manipulated. Those that come into contact with Hathor become inflicted with instances of [Joyous Sight], [Prideful Might] or [Lonesome Light].

  Allows for the creation of Wine Trait, Spirit Trait, Alcohol Trait and Earth Trait spiritual items.

  Stores excess mana regeneration up to a maximum threshold.

  Rhidian and his Haze Of Flowing Stupor was another annoyingly effective supportive-summoned companion. When used in tandem with other summoned companions such as Xuanyuan or Ortlinde, who did not have to worry about the debilitating effects of [Prideful Might], was his true strength revealed.

  ‘No doubt that Jon is also allowing himself to be affected by [Lonesome Light]. Those Worms Of Envy of his are quite annoying to deal with, especially since I don’t know the identities of everyone who willing accepted them…’

  ‘Although both Jon and Avahni have their own strengths…’

  ‘I too know where my abilities best lie.’

  His head glancing in the direction of the Voracious Swarm Mother, eyes flickering with knowledge natured spiritual energy. His figure flashing away through the use of his Fragment Of Teleportation, appearing once more atop the High Priestess Of The Swarm.

  Hands placed downwards over the enormous head of the Matriarch Of Gluttonous Insects, allowing Lacrimosa to extend its pale-colourless threads deeper and deeper into is Fragment Of Mindless-Hunger.

  He had left it half-dead for a reason.

  Eris-Thieving Grin curving upwards.

  Now was the time to ask that ‘it’ to wake up.

  Break.

  “I think we’re reaching the end of this Wilheim…” Maliq puffed, lowering his Piercing-Void Ship to land near the near the Creationist Guild Headquarters. Void Mana Core almost devoid of any spiritual energy, having been aloft for close to four hours at this point.

  Manoeuvring Xue Ying through swarms of locusts and bees was difficult enough as is. Even with Celadonis, Wilheim, and his manifested golems defending the Piercing-Void Ship was no small feat, simultaneously supporting the Eastern and Western Gates with the occasional barrage of Spells and damaging effects.

  The Wisdom Of The Myriad Lands and Right-Eye Of Life And Nightmares observing Mael and Amadeus continuing to fight in the place of the wounded and injured. Dozens of Healers and Supporters assisting those afflicted with poison or debilitating effects, Guardians and Bulwarks manifesting shields and physical constructs capable of repelling the swarming insects.

  There were no Imperial Spell-Towers placed within Springtown. Spellcasters were forced to stand atop buildings and behind their comrades, slinging spells and hurling damaging effects towards the groups of armoured-flesh beetles and hungry-maw locusts.

  Vanguards and Duellists ignoring the aches in their bones and pain of overexertion coursing through their flesh. Utilizing spears, swords, axes, knives, daggers, and even scythes and kusarigama in order to kill the approaching insects.

  Other than the destruction of Porta and the Western Gate, it seemed as though the battle would favour the defenders of Springtown, rather than the attacking swarm. Reports of Jon, Regulus, Shamael, Raflea and Nicolai entering the Hive-Womb Capital had gotten back to them.

  Courtesy of the Archon Of Reigning Dragons.

  Everything seemed to be going according to-.

  “Hmm? What is that?”

  Wilheim lifting his head towards the distant horizon. Brows furrowing in confusion as an incomprehensibly wide, green-coloured light exploded several hundred kilometres away from Springtown. Maliq beside him observing the phenomena with an equally confused expression.

  Their breath hitching as two more bursts of light blossomed in the night sky above their heads.

  Putrid silver radiating outwards in the form of mammals, insects, fish, birds and mythological creatures. The light transforming between each one as it seemed to contain all concepts of living beings within itself.

  Delightfully inviting scarlet and violet illuminating another section of the small realm. Twin-colours intertwined within one another, somehow both feasting and consummating with each other, propagating their own expansion through the inhalation of one another.

  A set of horrifyingly potent concepts brushing against the surface of the small realm, crashing into one another and eroding the System-controls that dictated the development of small realm designation “732-GFS.”

  Each one of these concepts frantically searching.

  Frantically searching for the one whose Source had attracted their eyes.