AA. 80 (Patreon)

The Nexus Market was everything Nil imagined and more. It resembled a gigantic, multi-storeyed mall with a strong medieval theme. Summoned of all shapes and sizes walked the balconies and halls. Colorful and carefully designed shopfronts with beautiful men and women beckoned them in.

“Artisans from the Control Worlds dominate most of Nexus Market,” Layla had told him. “Their products might be outside of your budget, though. You’ll find several stores run by Summoned, too.”

“You mean there are Artisans from earth working and selling their wares in Nexus Market?” Nil had asked.

“Indeed. The especially skilled get the option to settle in Nexus Market and work for others like themselves and eventually start businesses. Almost all production and research-and-development-focused Artisans get the offer to move once they get to Silver Realm. It's stiff competition, but there is a lot of growth to be had and money to make. There have also been some instances of some getting invited to move to Control Worlds.”

Nil frowned. “Summoned get to move to Control Worlds?”

“I’ve said too much.” Layla grinned. It was clear from her expression that the accidental reveal wasn’t quite accidental. “Anyway, it's not of any concern until you get to the Platinum Gauntlet. Focus on your quests and climbing the ranks for now.”

A Schema interface directory helped Nil find his way. He wandered through the armor, weapon, and arcane artifacts sections just to enjoy the sights. The displays featured everything he could imagine and more. Nil paused in front of stores specializing in fist weapons. The inventory ranged from simple knuckle-dusters to katars and gauntlets. Deeper in the floor, he saw sections dedicated to soul-weapon refinement and design. Unfortunately, an invisible barrier kept him from progressing.

Only individuals with working soul weapons or an invitation may proceed.

The more Nil explored, the more areas he found that denied him access. It fascinated him how the architecture changed in different parts of the market. One minute he was walking through French and Germanic styled buildings, next he found Arab, then Indian flairs. It wasn’t long before he found Buddhist and Shinto motifs. 

A city-sized section of Mortal, Iron, and Bronze Realm magic kept him enamored for well over an hour. Even though Nil would probably never get to experience magic, he couldn’t help but watch the demonstrations and window shop. 

“Is there anything I can help you with, young man?” An older man in an outfit resembling Merlin asked, hobbling out of a shop. The window was full of eggs and tiny caged beasts. “Are you in the market for a new summon or familiar, perhaps?”

“I’d love one,” Nil said sheepishly. “Unfortunately, I do not have the right attributes for it.”

“Ah, the curse of the unfortunate, attributes. How are your Mind and Spark potentials?”

“Iron and Platinum, respectively.”

“That’s not the worst.” The man studied Nil closely for a moment. “Looking at you, I’m guessing you’re some kind of knight. Summoned with a high Spark potential often end up with an eventual animal companion or summon of some sort. With a poor Mind attribute, you might not get to share in their magic or pick up the standard Summoner spells, but it's still something.

“Summoners visit our store to expand their retinue. Bronze Realm and higher mages come to us for guardians and familiars. Knights traditionally don’t have the capacity for a lot of companions, but a scout, squire, or mount often goes a long way. It’s a good call if you have high Spark since it influences your companion's growth and control. However, given your Mind potential, I wouldn’t recommend more than one unless you luck upon a commander or leadership secondary ability later that gives you the authority or power to control multiple.”

“Thank you,” Nil said. “I wasn’t aware this was even a possibility. Thank you. Once I have more in my savings, I’ll be sure to invest some of it on summon.”

“Tell you what, young man. My scan tells me you have a good record with the Nexus and are rapidly rising through Apocalypse Arena. It means you’re reliable and a high earner. Why don’t you come in? We can discuss a loan or payment plan. I’m sure we can keep the payments low. There will be a little bit of interest, of course. But—”

“I’m fine for now, thanks. You’ve given me a lot to think about, and I’ll be back after a couple more quests.”

“I’ll give you thirty off the label price if you buy today,” the old man pressed.

“I just earned a new ability, and I think it's best if I get used to it before making any purchases. Thank you. I’ll be back.”

The man returned to his store, grumbling about time wasters, leaving Nil to gloss over the few Bronze and Silver Realm arena silently matches he had watched. Now that he thought about it, he recalled several instances when he thought a fighter was of the Knight discipline, and then they pulled out an animal companion. He also recalled a mage specializing in fire spells, summoning a flaming bat and using it to disorient his opponent. The window gave him the opportunity to finish casting the spell that won him the match. Nil hoped to do the same.

Much like with the soul weapon, Nil didn’t know what he wanted from such a companion. He didn’t know what to expect or the available options. He was unlikely to get something as potent as Skoll, Hati, or Gwyneth’s frosty feline. An assistant for scouting, distracting, or disorienting foes would be enough.

So anyone with high Spark might whip out a summon at any moment. 

Finally, Nil sought out the Moon Rabbit Emporium. The Schema guided him toward a section of Nexus Market that looked like Hollywood’s version of medieval China or a less modern version of London’s China Town. The section had its own weapons area, alchemist’s neighborhood, clothing stores, and entire multi-storeyed operations dedicated to technique. Signs or emblems said what realms they served or specialized in. Nil was surprised to learn that cultivators had more stages to overcome before they made it to Gold—Mortal, Foundation, Copper, Iron, Silver, and Jade. Then, there was the Black Gold Realm between Gold and Platinum.

The Moon Rabbit Emporium looked like a mall of its own. Guards at the door stopped Nil and ensured he had an invitation to the business before letting him through. 

“Welcome, Mr. Roy,” a woman in a Cheongsam dress said when he entered the store. “Welcome to the Moon Rabbit Emporium. Please come with me.”

“I just wanted to have a look around and see your wares,” Nil said. “I don’t know what membership in this kind of store entails or what I could use—”

“This is why we prepare a welcome pack of samples.” The woman smiled. “It will introduce you to our products and how we can help you in your career as a Summoned and arena fighter. It will help you decide how you want to use your membership. Training aids, manuals, medicinal supplies.” The woman led him into the building, past display cases and shelves with a vast assortment of neatly arranged wares. Meanwhile, the shop assistant continued on with her spiel. “You might be wondering why we give out welcome packages. Isn’t it a loss for us? The answer is no. Not in the long run.”

“The stronger you get because of our exclusive products, the more you’ll buy, and it also pushes the Moon Rabbit Emporium higher in the Nexus Market rankings. Which means more people bid for membership. All that matters is you, honored customer, get your needs met, survive, and grow strong enough for others to want to emulate your success.”

A display case of glowing marbles caught Nil’s attention. He slowed, watching the swirling colors and lights within. “What are these?” He asked. “They’re beautiful.”

“That’s our pill range,” she answered. The woman pointed at a shelf labeled Iron. A set of three pills—one red, one blue, and one gold—sat in a black lacquer case. “They’re designed for cultivators but work for Summoned like you, too. The red is our Body Pill, which enhances your Might and Finesse. Training the attributes will grant you greater results for a brief period. Next, we have the Mind Pill. I believe the name speaks for itself. Finally, we have the Spirit Pill.”

“I guess that affects Spark?”

The woman nodded. When Nil spotted the labeled price of five hundred Schema Credits, he moved on without asking more questions. They passed scrolls and manuals with grand names like Stellar Dragon Refinement, Canyon Carving Slash, Worldbreaker’s Fist, and Sunforger’s Heart. Nil couldn’t begin to imagine what their users would eventually achieve.

The pair eventually came upon a flight of stairs, and they headed down to the basement. The musty smell reminiscent of livestock filled the space. They passed through several guarded doors before ending up in a cavernous full of eggs.

The eggs varied in size, ranging from thumbnail-sized to specimens taller than Nil, color, and texture. Some looked like polished gemstones, while scale, vegetation, or crystalline growths covered others. The patterns were just as diverse, and some emitted colorful lights.

“Before you pick your samples, we need to pick your spirit companion egg.”

“Is that a part of the welcome package?” Nil’s eyebrows shot up. 

The shop assistant shook her head. “No. They’re far too valuable. However, Immortal Song Yi and her newly allied Control World believe you deserve a special gift for your performance. The first is glad her sister didn’t fall during her ascension. The latter are pleased you succeeded. We don’t see new Immortals very often. Very few get close to the stage, and even fewer survive the ascension. We won’t just give you from the top of the line, of course. And it's up to you whether you accept the gift or not.”

“I’d be stupid to give it up, though,” Nil said. “What are my options.”

The woman led Nil to an alcove. Unlike the rest of the eggs, there were no labels or pictograms. “These were found by our explorers and hunters. They failed to identify its source, and so have our appraisers. That means we don’t know their potential either, so there is no telling how strong they’ll get. The lucky few will start with incredible strength. Others might never get past Iron or Bronze. A handful will bond with you and grow as you do, going only as far as you do. Do you want to take the chance? It might end up more of a detriment and drain on your funds than a benefit.”

Nil looked over the eggs before him. None were bigger than a watermelon, and they didn’t have distinct patterns like the ones in the main cavern. “Do I get to pick anyone I like?” Nil asked.

“I’ll provide you with guidance and tell you the probable inhabitant, but yes. The final decision is yours.”