The Apprentice of Ouroboros [Monster Evo LitRPG Adventure]

Everyone peered at the egg in curiosity. Strangely, it was Gurigea who was the first to break the silence. “We had a Roc matriarch nesting on the cliff? Well, that sounds downright dangerous; they literally could kill a student.”

“It did,” Brent snapped. “It grabbed and killed a girl, probably from one of the local farms. We found her bones down below in the tunnel. Judging by the state of the bones and clothing scraps, it happened a while ago. Cassia and I want to go back to lay her to rest.”

Gurigea looked stunned. “Goodness, you’d go back down there?”

“We would,” Neska added, raising her body higher. There were certain perks to how high she could arch her body, compared to those around here. “She’s someone's daughter. They deserve closure.”

Her declaration brought a stunned silence from the professors. Including Resalio, who had quietly entered the room and latched it closed.

The silence was uncomfortable. Had she done something wrong? It didn't feel like it. Brent cautiously spoke up. “So, does that make up for, you know, the incident with the Seekers? Actually, I think we did a favor there, too.”

Gurigea gave him a discerning look. “No. It does not. Your effort is appreciated for getting rid of a dangerous monster on the premises, however. Two, actually. The dracolisk was no pushover. Where did they even come from?”

This time, it was Neska's turn to explain. “There are multiple connecting passageways underneath the entire Academy. The entire plateau is just riddled with caverns. I don't know how far back they go, but that access way was definitely not an easy-to-reach one, either.

"I think the monsters may have expanded into it, or the existing caverns. We should send an exploration team to take a look later. If wild monsters can get in, so can the Varadur, and we should either seal it up or see what else is back there. Same with Juni’s egress path.”

The frog stroked her chin gently. “Stop trying to take credit for doing something either incredibly dangerous or incredibly stupid, and getting a good outcome out of it. Recklessness will get you killed. All of you. And especially you, Frederick,” she spat accusingly at Professor Kalloway.

“I sanctioned this trip for an opportunity, and the boldness of the Rocs perched on campus suggested a matriarch might be nearby. It was a problem that needed dealing with, and while dangerous, all four of them handled themselves quite well.”

He shifted uncomfortably. "Not to sound ghoulish, but rare and valuable alchemical materials are going to degrade if we don't move fast. Both the roc and the dracolisk. And two eggs which I may take a risk on and incubate. I was willing to let them go, but since we need to make a return trip..."

"I will message Thistle. She'll be delighted by such rare components," Gurigea mused. "Go heavily armed with a guard squad from the garrison, okay?"

Neska winced, rubbing at several bruised scales on her cheeks and arms. "Yes, we were a touch under-equipped for that battle. That was...intense.”

Kalloway grumbled audibly. “I would say the error was mine. We were fine until the matriarch showed up. I did not confirm if the dead Roc we found was part of a mated pair; the males are known to accompany them in nesting. Though not always.”

Resalio tapped the egg sitting in the metal stand. “All this for an egg? I daresay I hope it was worth the risk. Is this an alchemical agent?”

“It's a Familiar tribute,” Neska answered. “Mine. We need to act fast, as the egg must still be viable. Brent has been serving as an…incubator.”

“Who knew hotheads ran hot?” Syra quipped, drawing a grumble from the wolfling. “Seriously, though, all that floof is a huge benefit.”

“I am not floofy,” he grumbled. “Just long-furred. Anyway, this whole effort was to empower our not-witchy-at-all lamia with a familiar, which happens to also be a monster. I also voice opposition to scoldings. Pursuing advantages against the Varadur should always be our prerogative.”

“Oh no, the scolding hasn’t quite started yet.” Resalio splayed out her fingers on the desk, looking sternly at the professors. “I would never have sanctioned this. We should have sent in a team of professional hunters or even, dare I say it, even the Seekers would have been more qualified.”

“Headmistress, I hope you’re joking. Those red-armored zealots are the last thing we need on campus. Students are already tense,” Harvine said, looking nonplussed. “Can we at least acknowledge that these four, including the professor, took out two significant threats, lurking right under our feet?”

“There could be more.” Brent laid out a large sheet of paper, showing a crude sketch of the cavern layout. “I counted at least six different tunnels down there. Dracolisks are also social monsters, which means there are likely a few more down there. And yes, they are deadly. But why are there two apex predators down there? Haven’t the academy sealed off all the tunnels to keep pests and other unpleasant things from coming up, in the past?"

“We try,” Kalloway said in a subdued tone. “But your earlier comment was correct, Brent. The Verdant Plateau is checkered with passages, both natural and artificial. The monastery, the precursor to the academy, was responsible for having mapped out some of it. A few believe the monastery was placed here specifically to serve as a base of operations for further exploring the ruins and caverns. We're not sure how old they are, and I doubt we've reached the deepest levels."

Kalloway frowned, moving his lips silently as if remembering something. “We found graffiti indicating other students had been using the tunnels, but it appeared dated. Were these tunnels always this big? I think something excavated them. I saw some irregularities, as if they’d been chewed or clawed out.”

“Focus on it later. I’ll have the garrison exhume the remains,” Resalio said firmly. She cast a faint smile at Neska and the others. “Please go get checked out at medical before you retire for the evening?”

“We just came from there. We need to get a punch card for the number of times we’ve paid a visit,” Juni said with a scoff. “Rack up nine injuries, and the tenth one is free healing.”

Neska coughed softly. “I’d like to point out that we should conduct my ritual as soon as possible. Preferably tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“Because it needs to be a fertilized, intact egg. I need to keep this egg warm in the meantime,” she explained.

Resalio pointed a finger at Kalloway. “First thing in the morning, I want you to help her with this. I want you on hand in case something unusual happens.”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Also, we must truly get back on track with normal classes?” he asked, casting a questioning glance her way. “Bring the items you’ve gathered to my office. I can layer up additional protections."

“Any word from Jurik or Hadley?” Juni interjected. “I thought they went out today, early morning.”

“I received word they were delayed on their arcane relays. I sent them with a higher-power set to transmit further and relay their findings,” Resalio explained. “Gorovich agreed. I believe they stayed overnight at an inn halfway across the valley. They should be here by then.”

At least they had reported back. Neska felt like they’d taken too long to make a routine trip. She grasped the egg and placed it back in the bag. “Well, I’ll tend to this tonight. I’m not letting this leave my sight, it’s not negotiable.”

No one argued, and Resalio nodded. “First thing in the morning. Rest well tonight; I presume you’ve prepared?”

“I’ve rehearsed it,” she explained. “We can dry run it tomorrow morning before we begin.”

---

The next day, everyone gathered in Kalloway’s office in the cathedral tower, with Neska slowly transcribing the ritual runes in preparation. The professor was otherwise occupied with sipping a nutty, slightly bitter liquid of dark coloration from a tankard by his desk. He still looked bruised and cut, and tired.

“You know how long I’ve been a witch? Since I was sixteen. I’m pushing near fifty, Cassia. I have never, and I do mean, never, have I witnessed a witch with such relentless energy as yourself, except for Risha Aksen. Hell, she was younger than me, and I still learned more from her than I ever could from books and experimenting with my abilities using the Interface.”

“Coffee, please. This mouse had to help her trace out practice rituals and triple check every rune,” Juni called out wearily, grasping out with an outstretched hand. He handed her a smaller cup he’d prepared. She took a sip, and her ears immediately stood on end, and her tail stiffened. “Whoa, that is strong.”

“Good, or bad?” Syra called out, helping lay out tracelines for Neska’s circle.

“Good, I guess? Professor Kalloway, I have to admit, I…”

“Don’t trust me much?” he rubbed at his eyes, blinking rapidly before taking another sip of his drink. “You know, I don’t blame you. I will say that the reason you’re here is that Risha thought she knew more than the rest of us combined. True to a certain point, at any rate.”

He rounded his desk, examining the ritual circle neska was slowly close to completing. “Good linework. I’m glad someone has the confidence to use tools. Soon enough, you can do this freehand, with your eyes closed."

“One slither at a time, professor,” Neska responded calmly. Brent snickered while preparing the sample for binding the runes. “Brent, how did you learn alchemy?”

“Some of it’s just science. No magical class required,” he shrugged. “I followed your directions. It looks consistent. Viscosity like honey, right? Wait, what’s viscosity?”

“The fluidity of a liquid. How well it flows,” she answered. “You’ll note that molasses flows more slowly in winter?”

“Uh…yeah.” he handled the glassware delicately, on account of his claws, and presented the solution to Syra, who nodded. “Well, how long is this thing going to take anyway?”

“Not long. The prep work takes longer.”

One thing she appreciated about being a lamia: steady hands. Her tail also served well in tracing out the lines, then the mana salts and mithril shavings mixed in. Within minutes, they were nearly ready.

She rubbed her hands together and again pulled out items for the ritual. “Juni, Brent, Syra, you guys know the drill, right? I sit in the middle. I use the focal point. I just need you guys to channel a little bit of energy.”

Syra rubbed her temples and winced. “How much energy is this going to take, specifically? Like dangerous amounts?”

“Not that much. It’s mostly a jumpstart to catalyze the raw ingredients, probably the equivalent of casting several abilities in rapid succession,” she recounted. She looked at the instructions from the Interface many times over, and transcribed it for the others to view. “It sounds scarier than it actually is.”

“It is.” Kalloway examined her instructions and then the runes that were hardening. “This is a three-point ritual, not a five-point, which is what I usually associate with gaining a familiar. We’re in a bit of uncharted territory. All the preparation work does look correct, for the mana flow and activation.”

“I’m so lost. How do rituals work?” Brent asked. “The runes mean things, but I don’t know what they do, precisely.”

“Each rune represents a component of the ritual as a whole, like instructions or a mechanical print of a building. It defines the inputs, outputs, and controls the result of any ritual. Each word or totem you know and can produce expands your ritual effects geometrically.”

Brent scratched his head. “This is why I’m the born-again scout, and you’re the witch with the fancy hat. I’ll just take your word for it."

What Kalloway didn’t say, and she suspected was odd, was the fact that the rough translation for each of these runes was soul, aspect, and transfer.

She supposed transfer made the most sense, considering she was channeling energy and a tiny portion of her soul to this creature to fully transform it into a familiar. What the result would be, she had no idea, except that it would take certain aspects of herself. This also dovetailed into the soul rune, meant as a cost or sacrifice on her part to initiate the ritual.

She didn't know what aspect meant, though, maybe it's because the familiar would take an aspect of herself? She wondered what it would look like and what traits would stand out most dominantly.

She shoved the errant thoughts aside; she had a job to do. Before long, everything was complete, and Kalloway murmured as he read from the schematic.

“Looks correct. It will generate a familiar, but I have no idea what some of this is. Cassia, do be careful, will you?” he asked quietly.

Neska used her [Ember Hex] to heat the runic material and watched it slowly crystallize and solidify. After a moment, the runes were cool to the touch and flashed faintly with yellow light.

After consulting her notes, she nodded. “Next step. Brent, Syra, and Juni, I need you guys to light these candles and channel energy. I'll be providing most of it, so it shouldn't be more than a trickle.”

Brent peered at the tallow candle. “Candles should not come in shades of black. This is some spooky stuff.”

Neska chuckled. “The coloration has more to do with the source of the material and the rendering of the fat. I guess witches are naturally dramatic,” she added with a laughing hiss.

Everyone took position, hands cupping around the black tallow candles. They all lit their candles at the same time, and Neska saw the ritual lines slowly light up with a faint yellow glow. The ritual was primed and ready for her initiation. She took a resting coil closest to the egg and gently placed her hands on it.

Warm to the touch. That should be a good sign. Moreover, she could feel a faint trace of mana running through the egg, like threads on a loom. And if she ran her finger across the surface, ever so slowly, she could feel each of those tangled threads. Each thread was distinct, its own sensation of tingling and energy dancing across her scale. Some were sharper than others, others coming at a low rhythmic thump, or a high pitched vibration.

She read through her notes one more time and set them aside. “Okay, I’m going to say a few words that don't actually mean much. It’s a mnemonic focus. It should be very short and will signify the end of the ritual. I don't know how long this is going to take, though, so I'll have to play it out by feeling.”

Brent glanced at the small icebox filled with raw meat. “Is that snack for me, or for your newborn spawn, out of mild curiosity?”

“Spawn?! She’s not laying eggs, dipshit!” Syra scolded.

“Hey, hey, no moving. Precision and calm are key,” Neska said, gazing at them sternly. “Let’s get underway, starting now.”

Everyone took a calm breath and settled in, Brent sitting cross-legged, Syra kneeling, and Juni doing the same. Neska closed her eyes and ran her tail over the activation rune, then placed her hands on either side, feeling the warm, slightly pebbly texture of the egg.

The threads of energy came to life, and the runic circle illuminated with a silvery light that faded and transmuted into a faint green, indicating the ritual was underway. She’d written down a few words, hoping this didn't sound too dramatic. “Divines, I present you with a tribute, my labors, my blood, my soul source. I seek a companion to aid me in my efforts, one with my cleverness, with my speed, and with my ability to give snugs.”

She heard a muffled laugh from Juni, but kept going. “I offer this gift of mana to reshape and reform this new life. It is a tribute worthy of bonding with a witch to serve and protect the old magic of the world.”

All the while, the tingle of energy began to flow from her hand, like little sparks, and slowly built up. She felt the cooling along her spine as her mana drained. Slowly at first, then more.

The egg warmed underneath her palms, and she willed her hands to remain steady even as the energy flow made it feel like they were trembling. A miscalculation or one misstep here could ruin the whole ritual. The time for channeling the energy, flowing it, directing it, what her familiar might be. She closed her eyes and envisioned what she wanted from this familiar. And what she would provide it. Her thoughts went back to Risha.

Her witch. Her mentor and friend.

There, in the darkness behind her mind, she felt a flicker of light move ever so slightly. Down and deeper down, a pulse of life separate from her own, nestled within her chest cavity. It was near the same spot where her own mana core would be, but this one felt foreign, different than her own. It had its own pulse, its own feeling of vibrancy. It shifted ever so slightly when she turned her mental gaze toward it.

A message appeared within her mind; it looked like the Interface, and she thought it was Vivi at first. As the message appeared in a scramble of runes, letter by letter, she realized it was something else. It was a coalescence of a different entity altogether, like the condensing of nebula gases to form a protostar.

Then, ignition. The runic letters unscrambled, leaving a simple message.

It's so dark out there. Is there anything left of me that remains?

Neska was only partially aware of the world around her. The only thing that stood out was the pleasant warmth of the shell under her fingers. That sensation faded into the background as she dove into this soul space, within her mana core. Suddenly, pinpricks of light appeared, joining the first, like a nursery of infantile stars, slowly coming to life within her mind.

She mentally pushed towards the first, the brightest pulse of light.

Who are you?

I’m Neska. I'm here, little one, Neska called out to that vast expanse, focusing on the burning wisp of light. I’m…someone who is lost, too. Lost and trying her way forward. To keep a promise that I’d stop the monsters, once and for all.

Something was changing within this wisp of light, as threads of energy formed an impossibly complex weave, growing and knitting together around its core.

It was a nascent soul, it was both foreign, and yet, she knew a piece of her was within it, giving it the gravity it needed to coalesce. I'm going to take care of you.

But, who am I?

Neska considered this carefully for a moment, even as she distantly registered the egg beneath her hands thrummed with power. Tiny cracking sounds seeped into her consciousness. A low gale had formed and circulated the room, the tallow candles igniting in great gouts of flame.

But she held on, focusing her mind on a single thought. An identity. Something she would give her familiar, the first gift of knowledge.

You shall be Syrona. You will be strong, you will be clever, and if you’ll have me, I’ll be your friend and protector, so long as I live.

The wisp of light was surrounded by the threads of light: silver, gold, and green. They formed around the wisp like a coil.

No. A serpent. One with two other faint threads of green and white, forming the structure of wings like the constellation Draco.

Thank you, Neska…Syrona feels like a good name.The wisp reached out, and Neska stretched her form out in her soulspace, feeling her fingertips touch, just as the space erupted with blinding bright light.

Then, a final whisper.

I think I like it better than the name I had before…