Summoned A Hundred Years Too Late

There was something about the carpets that covered the floor of Zeynep’s family home that was calling for Alexandra, calling for her to lie down, to never stand up again. She wasn’t sure what it was. Perhaps an enchantment she couldn’t detect? Perhaps one of those formations Jenna seemed so proficient in?

Whatever it was, she didn’t want to stand up. She was looking at the shelves, at Zeynep family portraits lined up next to strangely shaped decorative wooden masks.

“Stop sulking,” Willow said as she stepped beside her. “What did you expect? Of course, people aren’t going to accept your contracts before they understand what contribution points can buy them.”

Alexandra pouted. “Still, I hoped for one or two people to bite. How are they going to understand if they never give it a chance?”

“I would vouch for you,” Zeynep said. The woman was sitting not far from them. “But I must admit that your claims about a skill shop sound improbable at most.”

Alexandra exhaled. “I get it. It’s not like I can prove it to you. You’re two levels too high to accept my Adventuring Contracts.”

“You need better quests,” Kam said. He was standing straight, his back to the wall.

“Better quests?” Alexandra asked. “I don’t exactly choose them.”

“I mean…” Kam said.

“Wait.” Alexandra stood up. “I do!” She picked up her journal and wrote another contract. “What if I put my event quest in there...”

It worked, but as she looked at the finalized contract, she realized her mistake. Nobody in the basin would ever graduate from the Iron Library. Even if someone did, they still had no reason to accept her contract other than blind faith.

She could also purchase more common skills or even complete the skill quests she still had available. That would create more training quests to start making contracts, but it wouldn’t solve the underlying issue that people didn’t want her contribution points in the first place.

“It’s a reputation issue,” Zeynep said. “Nobody knows you. Unless you offer something tangible in exchange, they won’t take your quests.”

Alexandra frowned. “I don’t have much to offer. But I don’t want to give up on the idea. Creating an adventurer guild and getting people to do my quests has the potential to net me so many contribution points that I have to try.” She paused. “I must find a way to get my foot in the door. Once people realize the value of contribution points, word will get around, and they’ll come flocking.”

“Is there something the people of Balrum are missing?” Willow asked.

“Let me think.” Zeynep scratched her chin. “Not really? People will always accept money.”

“Do we have enough to get things started?” Alexandra asked.

“No way,” Willow answered. “We have enough to survive for a few months. Nothing more.”

Alexandra tapped her fingers together. “Then I guess we need to make money.”

“Elemental sources?” Kam asked.

“Hunting elementals for their sources is the most profitable trade in the basin,” Zeynep explained. “But it’s not easy. Especially if you’re not Gold.”

Willow and Kam looked at Alexandra.

She shrugged. “If that stone elemental was anything to go by, I can’t deal with them yet. Not until I find a way to attack their source.”

“You’re that confident?” Zeynep asked.

“I just told you I wasn’t.”

“No. You told me you only needed a way to strike at the source.” Zeynep shook her head. “Need I remind you that you’re Bronze rank? That’s a statement.”

Alexandra shrugged. “You can’t act like striking at the source is a small detail. It’s the whole thing, and it’s hidden deep underground.”

“Stone elementals aren’t the only type of elemental in the basin.”

Alexandra thought it over. This was an option. She didn’t need to rush. Establishing an adventurer guild wasn’t something she could do on a whim. It would take effort, preparation, and a lot of work.

Getting to know their new environment first was a better idea.

“Alright,” she said. “I’m going to consider the possibility. But first, we should figure out what our plan is.” She turned to her friends. “First, are we good with staying in Balrum, or do we want to try our luck somewhere else?”

Kam shrugged. “It’s fine.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“I agree. Balrum seems like a fine place,” Willow said.

“Very well. Then we need to find a place to stay.” She looked at Zeynep. “We don’t want to impose.”

“No worries.” Zeynep raised her hands. “Take all the time you need.”

“Thank you, Zeynep,” Alexandra said. “Willow, Kam, I don’t want to drag you into this adventurer guild business if you’re not comfortable with it. It will benefit me the most unless I find a way to share contribution points with you.”

“Why couldn’t you?” Kam asked, blinking. “Write it in the contract.”

Alexandra looked at him and opened her journal on a new page. She laid down the terms of a new contract, trying to increase the reward by taking it from her own points.

Basic Hygiene Training Quest:

Grade: Common 5

Clear Condition: Wash every day for two weeks

Contractee: Kam Pangalan

Reward: 1,100 Contribution Points

Contractee Reward Share: 100%

“It worked!” she said, smiling as she handed the contract to Kam. “That changes everything. I can transfer the points we earn from the guild to you. You need to complete a quest, but that’s manageable.”

“Yes. We have to participate now. This is too big an opportunity to pass up,” Willow said.

Kam agreed with a nod.

“But, Alex, we’ll have to define our shares of the profits before we start,” Willow added, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“I know. We don’t want frustrations to arise.” She turned to Zeynep. “Do you want in? We could use your contribution.”

“You want me to make an investment.” Zeynep paused for a moment. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t accept it in good faith. I may be mildly richer than you now, but if your adventurer guild is such a golden opportunity, you shouldn’t hurt your prospects like that. Take the time to gather the resources you need. You’ll need money to run such a project, even after the initial investment, so you must also find a way to make it sustainable.”

“She’s right,” Willow said, squeezing Alexandra’s shoulder. “Even having Kam and me on board isn’t necessarily good for you.”

“Bullshit,” Alexandra said. “I can understand Zeynep having misgivings. We’ve just met. But you two are my friends. You’ve left everything you know because of me.” She took a deep breath. “I can’t do it alone. Help me.”

Willow was going to answer when Zeynep clasped her hands together.

“How about we take a break?” she asked. “It’s your first day in Balrum. I want to show you around. Difficult conversations can come later.”

Alexandra looked at her. This wasn’t a bad idea. She’d just evolved her perk and still had a lot of thinking to do about her new project. Stretching her legs could only help.

Going down Balrum’s cliffside felt a lot more intimidating in daylight. The stairs were steep, and the distance to the lower town was high. Still, the view was great. Beyond the walls circling the lower town, smaller mountains covered in pine filled the landscape until it flattened out and gave way to the mud wastes.

The town had grown in activity since morning. While going down, they crossed paths with many locals carrying goods from the market to their homes high on the cliffs.

After touring the market and the various shops clustered near the gates, Zeynep pulled them deeper into Balrum. They stayed close to the cliff, Zeynep making a point that the periphery was mostly residential, and that everything worth noting in Balrum happened by the cliff.

“There.” Zeynep put her hands on her hips as she stood in front of the entrance to a building carved entirely into the rock. Unlike the inn, there was no outside section. “That’s the place I wanted to show you.”

“What is it?” Willow asked.

“The element source exchange,” Zeynep answered. “You’ll see.”

The door was open, so Zeynep simply walked in. Alexandra and the others followed her.

Inside, the air went cold.

They came into a small room where a clerk stood behind a counter writing notes under the artificial light. Behind him, a closed door.

He looked up when they entered. “Morning, Zeynep. Back from the other side?”

“Medh,” she greeted back. “I have some sources for you. And I’d like to introduce you to a few people. They may have good business for you in the future.”

Medh smiled. “Always happy to do business.” He looked at Alexandra, Willow, and Kam. “Though those few are a few years removed from hunting elementals.”

“Don’t underestimate them,” Zeynep said. “Anyway, can you show us around?”

Medh shrugged and opened the door behind the counter, revealing a dimly lit tunnel. “Follow me.”

Zeynep pushed Alexandra on the back, then the others so she could go last. They had to duck to walk into the tunnel. Every few paces, closed doors lined up the walls.

“Elemental sources don’t mix very well,” Medh explained. “We keep each type separated to avoid issues. What do you have today, Zeynep?”

“Stone.”

“The usual, then.” Medh stopped in front of the fifth door and unlocked it with a key.

Inside, they found the walls covered in shelves carrying many small clay pots. Medh grabbed an empty container and looked at Zeynep. “You know the drill.”

Zeynep nodded. “Give me some space.”

Alexandra and the others stepped aside as Zeynep opened her bag. She took out a small gourd.

“The source is inside?” Alexandra asked. “It’s smaller than I thought.”

“Killing elementals reduces their sources to this,” Medh said. “Capturing them alive would be better.”

“But keeping them captive is almost impossible,” Zeynep said.

Medh grabbed the gourd. “True. A stone elemental would have no issue escaping from this room.” With a practiced gesture, he wedged the pot tight between his legs and opened the gourd. A viscous gray liquid slowly fell from one into the other.

“And what are sources used for?” Alexandra asked.

“I can answer that,” Willow said. “Most crafts can make use of sources. They’re pure representations of their elements, so they’re very useful in alchemy, forging, construction, and so on. It depends on the element.”

“I see,” Alexandra muttered. “And they’re expensive?”

“If you want to sell, I’ll pay you a lot,” Medh said with a sly smile. “If you want to buy, my prices are great.”

Alexandra met his gaze. “I’ll take you up on that.”

“Gladly.”

“Do you have a list of elementals and where to find them in the basin?” she asked.

“I would caution you against hunting them before Gold,” Medh answered. “But Zeynep vouched for you. I will get you a list.”