Bonded Summoner

When Ophelia knelt down and started to get her thoughts in order, Jake had felt her intense regret and grief. He had done his best to send his emotions to calm her, and eventually they were replaced with determination. When Jake had read about these oaths of a paladin or valkyrie, he learned that most of the time nothing happened outwardly; they would just receive some prompts from [The Framework], and that was it.

It was to his surprise when he saw a flame ignite within Ophelia’s chest, and the statue of Hestia was replaced with the goddess herself. There were no motes of light, no portal, or other magical effect. It was like one moment there was Hestia’s statue, and then another it was Hestia standing there, like she had been there the whole time. Her flaming red hair felt like it was truly on fire, Jake being able to see a blurring haze of heat being given off from her presence.

“My, how rare to receive a valkyrie’s oath from the fringe, and such an earnest one. It was nice of you to invite me to your [Refuge], with such a rare invite I just had to accept.”

Both Ophelia and Fhesiah gasped, and the goddess just smiled.

“Valkyrie Ophelia, your oath is accepted. May you wield your blade in defense of hearth and home, and protect families forevermore. To think, you’ve already found your Chosen. It has not fully taken hold, so you could still change your mind…”

Ophelia shook her head no, and just bowed in acceptance, perhaps not trusting herself to speak. Jake had noticed that she said that she was invited, perhaps the sacrifice of wine, that was still sitting there on the altar? If that meant that she was now a guest in Jake’s home, he would have to welcome her.

“Welcome to our humble home, Hestia. If you like, there’s food…”

They had just eaten dinner, and the food was likely even still warm. Jake was not sure what compelled him to offer what he did, but felt it was right; it was only normal to offer a guest food when they were in your house and when it was present, to him, anyway.

The goddess showed a beaming smile as she looked at Jake, and she picked up the glass of wine that was prepared for her and took a sip. She spoke, while looking over to the demoness, “Such an interesting wine, it’s very rare for me to be offered the wine of cultivators. Most absolutely refuse to join the Framework and instead fight against the outsiders in a different way. To think I would meet one that did, and that she would resonate so well with me.”

The sconces that held the everlasting torches ignited powerfully, and Jake could feel the divine presence of Hestia being given off. The demoness was enchanted with peering into the flames, entering some sort of trance, forgetting to even respond to the goddess.

Jake didn’t get long to think about what might be happening, when the goddess now addressed him, “And that leaves me with Jake. Thank you for welcoming me into your home, and offering your hospitality. To think that the one here that resonates with me most is both a warrior and a man. I accept your hospitality to partake in your meal, Jake. We should just wait for a moment.”

Jake wasn’t sure what she was talking about for about a minute, when Jake felt what he had come to understand was the demoness’ heavenly truths being made manifest coming from the demoness, only even stronger than he had felt before. He saw no flames when he looked to Fhesiah, but he could feel their weight on reality. The feeling felt both weaker and different than the goddess’s flame, perhaps less complete. He could also feel her emotions over the bond: joy, pride, and triumph.

If Jake had to guess, she had somehow advanced her understanding of the heavenly truth of fire, and made that understanding a part of her very being. Jake was surprised, as with how he understood how her heavenly truths, or Daos, worked, it meant that she had taken a part of the goddess’ flames as her own. The demoness suddenly gasped, almost like she had forgotten to breathe the whole time, so focused on the flames. She gave Jake a beaming smile, and spoke, “I did it, Jake! I had not advanced my Dao for over a decade, and with my soul recovering, I thought it would be decades more before I advanced it again. To think the goddess would gift us with something so special. Thank you, goddess Hestia.”

Hestia just smiled at the demoness, but replied, “Whatever do you mean, a gift? You simply witnessed a normal manifestation of my divinity as part of a religious ceremony, and it was you that advanced on your own. No gift was given, and thus the law of balance has been maintained. Now, I was offered to partake in your meal. Please, show me your area of dining as a family.”

Jake tried to understand what the goddess was perhaps trying to tell them, with her wording about the law of balance, while he stood with the demoness and opened the door and led the three ladies out of the room and into their living room. They headed for the table, where Jake did have four seats, with food already on the table.

He said, “Please, have a seat, Hestia. I will go grab you a plate.” Jake held the seat out for and pushed in the seat for Hestia as she sat down, and he saw that she sat down her wine cup. Jake felt that this was really surreal. This was almost like having your favorite celebrity, or a president that you actually liked visiting your home and eating your regular dinner, but even bigger than that. This Goddess could erase the Earth with a thought if they wanted to, after all.

Jake was just thankful that this night he had not cooked anything strange; he had taken to start cooking various meals from meat purchased on the [Multiverse Market] including things like monster boar flanks, and he had even thought about trying to cook some of the ant legs to see if they might turn out like giant crab legs. Luckily, he had not tried that today, the goddess would actually have a steak from a cow not dissimilar from a cow from Earth to go with her cultivator wine.

There were some sides of green bean casserole that Jake had made, along with some mashed potatoes, and beef gravy with caramelized onions and mushrooms that could go on the mashed potatoes or the steak, if you so choose. For dessert, Jake had made some chocolate shakes that were a mixture of a protein shake and some other things to make it taste much more interesting and hide the almost medicine-like taste of the powdered mixture. Jake had found that he needed to add many extra calories and nutrients for the girls and himself as they worked out and progressed in their respective magics, to keep them full of energy and to fuel growth.

Overall, a pretty good meal for a Wednesday night, but probably not a meal worthy of a super-wife goddess. Jake had only just started using his magic oven, and it would be a while before he would be able to confidently make fantasy-style meals. He quickly used the stove to warm the food to a more welcoming temperature, and returned to the table with an extra set of cutleries. He also brought a bowl of fruit for himself and the girls, so that they would have something to eat, to make it a little less awkward as the goddess ate her meal alone.

The goddess tucked in and ate, while they tried to engage in small talk. They had little to talk about when so much of their life was consumed by the dungeon, so they talked about some of the movies they had been watching together, and talked about some of the places they were wanting to go, when they reached the greater multiverse.

Eventually, the goddess had finished the small plate of food where she was able to try everything that Jake had made, including the chocolate shake. She had a smile on her face, and she looked at Jake and spoke, “Thank you for the meal. I’m sure whoever cooked it is going to be an excellent wife, and that is coming from a super-wife goddess, the supreme authority on that matter. I could feel all the love and care put into it, and I think that this family is lucky to be able to enjoy such a harvest.”

Jake’s feelings were conflicted by both of these statements. Proud that his meal was enjoyed, embarrassed slightly that he was compared to being a wife and also that she had obviously heard his thoughts and got his mental comment in regards to her being a super-wife goddess. Also, he knew that the demoness was going to pounce on that statement and beat him over the head with it for weeks, perhaps years to come with her teasing. He could feel the mirth from both of the girls over the bond.

The goddess spoke once again, “With that, it is nearly time for me to leave. Thanks to that gift given, I can return it with one of my own: a house-warming gift. I see you had recently placed a hearth, perhaps to make your home better embody my domain, but no matter. I will give you a new one, that you will find its effects are very close, but better than the tool you hoped to purchase soon. This is the best I could do while maintaining the law of balance, but it is [Upgradeable].”

Jake’s mind worked furiously to try to understand this law of balance. He had thought the gnoll dungeon was far too challenging for a small group of humans his level, so could it be that it was related to this? Is there some kind of ledger that kept track of what he may have received from the gods, Odin in that case, and that somehow made things more challenging than they otherwise would have been? Thinking on it further, just why wouldn’t the Gods stack the deck with newly initiated and gear them to the teeth with plate mail armor, a large assortment of skills and even enchanted equipment? The dungeons which scaled on level would be trivial. Jake guessed that this would be the reason.

Hestia smiled and said, “I can confirm since you reached the conclusion on your own. Gifts from patrons such as the gods, even knowledge or information affect this so-called ledger, allowing [Tartarus] to increase the difficulty of the dungeon beyond your level or number of party members. The [Alliance Store] and [Multiverse Market] maintain the law of balance as well: something cannot be sold for much less or much more than what it is functionally worth, determined by consensus of [The Framework] and [Tartarus] itself. You have no fear of breaking this balance by purchasing or selling anything there. If something feels too expensive there, it is likely due to this.

You may also notice that party members not introduced properly to [The Framework] may have inconsistent levels of balance, since they are not measured at a matching level. One could say that one of [The Framework]’s jobs is negotiating the balance of difficulty with the outsiders for this endless game, and it cannot do that nearly as precisely for those not under it.”

Jake let that sink in. So, he was right, in that perhaps the demoness had somehow impacted his dungeon difficulties. When the goblin dungeon was allocated, he had not yet bound her, perhaps her presence near zero on this so-called ledger. When they were allocated the zombie dungeon, she was still very weak, and perhaps the moniker of beginner dungeon influences this as well.

Fhesiah then regained a little bit of her power between that and the skeletons dungeon allocation which is where the dungeon built a trap to slay her; the level range of that dungeon was way above his own. After that, the gnoll dungeon was allocated, but before she was introduced into [The Framework] with their bond completed. Perhaps, when Ophelia joined it took some time to scale the difficulty upward. This was why the beast dungeon was trivial like Jake would normally expect, after she was introduced, but it could also be that not every dungeon was of the maximum difficulty.

Hestia then said, “There’s a little left in the balance so I will provide you with one piece of information. Runic Magic is very powerful, and it may serve you well. However, its power is determined by not only the rules and restrictions of Runic Magic, but also the language itself that is used in making the runes. If the language that is used is powered by faith or conviction, those powers can be controlled or lost.”

Jake thought about what it was that Hestia was trying to tell them; what she was leaving unsaid. Thinking about the Nordic Language that he was currently using, he guessed that it was powered by the faith, or power, of those that worship Odin and his pantheon, perhaps. That meant that if he were to ever fight someone like “evil” Odin, or perhaps Loki it would be useless as the very faith in him could not be used against him, most likely, just as an example.

Then, if something bad happened to the Norse Pantheon or those that provided the faith which powered the runes, the power could be lost as well. He would have to consider options for this, later. Definitely a problem for future Jake; he was only barely getting used to Nordic Runes as it was.

Hestia spoke once again, standing up, to which the rest of the group matched. “Now, one more piece of business before I go. I wanted to make sure the other business with my visit was taken care of before I made my offer. Jake, it is very rare that a newly initiated warrior such as yourself resonates so highly with me. My domains are of the hearth and home, family, and the state.

The war against the outsiders is never-ending. Whether the battle is won or lost, everyone needs a home to return to, as the war still continues. Family is the cornerstone of society, and the state should only exist to protect this cornerstone. I know that you have suffered, and you have seen the value of family, and the failings of the state. I know that you are willing to fight, to risk your life for your family and even others. I want to formally offer you: Would you become one of my champions?”

Jake and the two girls both were in a state of shock at the offer. Jake had read about Champions, and hadn’t found overly much. However, he had learned that there were very few of these for each god or goddess, and they were only exceeded by their chosen [Hero], for which there was only one.

Jake wondered just why a level five could even be considered for such a role, but voicing it out loud would be like an insult; of course, she’s aware of his capabilities, and probably all of his limitations as well, so there could be some advantage to catching Jake early. Still, she desired him to be her champion. This decision was not quite permanent; some champions have left their gods or goddesses, or given up their role as a form of semi-retirement.

The goddess once again spoke, “Of course, I understand that this seems excessive. Making a level five their champion seems foolish, knowing what you know. However, there are benefits to choosing a Champion before they reach their first tier. My cost is lower, and the end result of a Champion whose class evolved at each Tier as one will simply be better than waiting until an initiated reaches above level fifty and then choosing among them or something like this.

What I’ve said to you is also true, that strong-willed warriors, specifically leaders resonating with me more than another god or goddess is somewhat rare. I have many slots available for champions that go unfilled, as many of the paladins and priestesses that worship me: their desire to do battle, or risk their souls against the outsiders are lower. They often have their own families or communities they wish to protect, and with you currently unattached, this is an opportunity for us both.”

Fhesiah’s thoughts were all over the place, and Jake could feel that Ophelia was both excited and worried. Perhaps worried about how much harder it would be to protect a champion? He’d have to ask her later. Hestia probably saw the confusion and decided to add, “Being my champion is not going to be easy, but it is not without benefits. Your [Summoner] class once it reaches the first major threshold, level ten, will be able to be increased in rarity, its effectiveness, beyond what it would have otherwise. You will be granted a spell and a passive skill that matches my domains immediately when you accept as well.

The cost for you will be that you must be an agent for my interests. If I call upon you, you must do your best to accomplish the Tasks I set out for you. I only choose champions that would have nothing against doing the Tasks that I set out for them, and I always reward them accordingly for their completion.

Fhesiah will enjoy that the position comes with both fame and power, and Ophelia will enjoy that the position comes with glory, and of course matches her oath besides.” She looked meaningfully at Jake, and gave him a motherly smile, “Jake, you are needed, and you are wanted: I need your help. You have worked hard in your life to become better, and your personal efforts and your Fate,” she glanced meaningfully at Fhesiah and Ophelia, “Have made you special. I know you will do a lot of good, and this is the way for you to accomplish the most. I would like to tell you more, perhaps everything, but I’m limited until you accept.”

Jake’s emotions from that proclamation were all over the place. If they hadn’t done a lot of research on Hestia before Ophelia’s oath taking, he would probably be enraged by how manipulative that statement was. If it was someone like Loki, a god known for deception saying this, he would think they were just looking at his deepest desires in life and promising it to him, even if he was not going to get it. Instead, it felt like it was just a statement of truth; Jake was needed, and he could make a difference: just like he always wanted.

Jake wanted to say yes, but he was not about to make such an important decision alone, perhaps this was precisely why Hestia addressed the girls first. He looked over to the demoness, and she sensed what he was wanting and nodded her head. From her thoughts, she was very much interested in both the fame and power it would bring Jake, bring their family. Jake also knew that she had done the most research on the gods and would know even more than what Jake knew about champions. If she was on board, that was definitely a good thing.

Jake looked over to Ophelia and she also nodded. He could still feel her worry, but she was proud, as well. It looked like there were no problems, everyone was on the same page. He looked over to the goddess, who was waiting for his answer with a smile; even if she already knew the outcome of his thoughts, he would still need to voice them.

“I accept,” Jake said. Hestia’s smile grew wider, and she raised her hand where a flame grew in it. He could feel her divinity in this flame, even greater than the previous ceremony. She pointed towards Jake’s chest, and that flame sped towards him; too quick for him to react. Hestia’s flame entered his core, where it began to change in ways that were quite similar to Ophelia’s. Jake was trying to observe the changes being made to him, but the goddess once again spoke.

“Once again, you will be saddled up with some studying; As much as I would like to go over all the responsibilities and advantages of being one of my champions, I am still limited in how much time I can spend with you. The good news is that you should be able to consult with me using your shrine if you need, but try to keep it to the important bits.” When she was done speaking, a book similar to the ones he purchased in the [Alliance Shop] appeared in her hands, and she set it on his table and spoke again.

“This should contain all the information that you need, along with the information contained within your [Menu]. Dungeons, including your [Trial] to join the multiverse will become more challenging when they are allocated thanks to being my champion, but that should be offset by what you gained here today. I think you will find it to be quite worth it, even if you are a min-maxer, Jake. You will not receive any tasks until you reach the greater multiverse, though I will try to keep you busy not long after then.”

Once again, Jake would have to read to learn more, but it sounded like until they completed their [Trial], his decision would not change much. Just one more reason in the long list of them to reach and complete their [Trial].

Hestia spoke again, “Once again, thank you for your hospitality, Jake, Ophelia, Fhesiah. It was so nice to finally meet you all. Jake, Odin had good things to say, and let me know that I should meet you for myself. He was right, like usual. I will leave you with one more piece of information. There are various races that many consider evil, but even among those there is the possibility of good. If you meet a worshiper of mine, I doubt that you will object to them, even if you might object to the rest of their race. Goodbye, everyone. It was a pleasure.”

With that, she was gone, just like she had arrived. No motes of light, she was just there one moment and then gone the next. They all stood there, and let the impact of the goddess’s visit sink in. It was the demoness who then spoke, “Well, that happened. I suppose that’s what wifey gets for thinking that the oath would be anticlimactic, huh?”

Jake groaned. He just knew he was never going to hear the end of that.