“Ah. Good Summoner, bad imp,” Bob said. “I see you want to play the angles, eh?”
Alburet felt his face go blank again as he turned to the imp, “Bob. I like you as a minion and I think we work well together, but if you ever do that again I will be forced to be very, very unpleasant. Do you understand this simple warning?” His grey eyes sparked with untold wrath as he matched the gaze of the imp.
Bob took a step back, holding up his claws, “I understand, master.”
“Good. Now let's see about your bigger brother joining us.” Alburet said, dismissing the imp from his mind while he felt the anger boiling inside him still. He tried his best to get his emotions back under control, internally sighing over the fact he still had issues.
He opened the spell tab and looked over the spell. Summon Lesser Destroyer: Mana cost: 15% of total mana pool while minion is active. Duration: Until dismissed. The Lesser Destroyer will taunt enemies to it to help keep you safe. Alburet chuckled seeing the same phrase and motions to deal with the IRS to pick his minion and tapped the spell requirements for the actual summon, modifying them.
That done Alburet mimed opening a book and spoke the words to summon the IRS, “I summon the Infernal Retinue Society to aid me in my choosing of a minion.”
A glowing red pentagram appeared on the floor and began to blaze with hellish light. Appearing inside was the bipedal frog Bettzle who promptly put his glasses on. “Greetings, Summoner Alburet. I see it is time to bolster your ranks. You are looking for a Lesser Destroyer, correct?”
“Greetings, Bettzle. I am indeed trying to find the Lesser Destroyer that will be my helper.”
“Well, lucky for you we have a few to pick from. Your choice can never be changed, so pick wisely.” The toad gestured and four ID pictures with stats appeared before Alburet.
Alburet ignored all but the one with the highest loyalty and checked its stats. 40 Strength, 50 Constitution, 5 Dexterity, 3 Intelligence and Wisdom, and to finish it off 1 Charisma. The picture of the beast showed a very typical large, muscular red skinned demon with horns and tail. In other words, a very large imp minus wings. It held a shield and axe in its hands and wore leather pants only.
Alburet selected that Infernal, causing Bettzle to purse his lips, “Again taking the weakest but most loyal. You are most strange for a Summoner.”
“What can I say? Loyalty is where the action is really at,” Alburet replied.
“Well, good luck with that weakling as your shield,” Bettzle said with a smile before vanishing in a flash.
“Okay Bob, you ready to say hello to your big brother?”
Bob rolled his eyes, “The large and stupid Infernal.”
Alburet pointed his right index finger at the ground a few feet away, “Come to me, Tiny.”
With a flash and puff of smoke and the Lesser Destroyer appeared. It threw back its head in a roar and stretched. “My master calls me. I come to wreck vengeance in your name.” Its voice was deep and powerful, with a growling resonance to it.
“Welcome to the party. I am your master, Alburet, and this imp is called Bob. He is my loyal minion, as you will be.”
The destroyer bowed to Alburet, “Point me at your enemies so I might kill them in your name, master.”
“First I must bestow upon you a name. A name so fearsome and terrible it causes the foe to quake in fear.” Alburet said, keeping his voice even as he held back his laughter.
“Yes, master. What shall be the name our enemies learn to fear?”
“I shall call you Tiny the Fearsome,” Alburet said as he held back his laughter. Bob exploded in laughter, bending over to slap his knee.
“Tiny, you called him Tiny. Hahaha,” Bob gasped as he kept laughing.
“I call you Bob the Mighty, so why not him being Tiny the Fearsome?” Alburet replied, his own grin coming out.
Tiny seemed to ponder it for a moment before standing to his full seven foot height. “Tiny the Fearsome I shall be. Let me wreak havoc in your name, master Alburet.”
Alburet blinked, looking at the Lesser Destroyer who didn't seem to understand the joke. “Err, okay, yes. We are holding this ground and killing the goblins that come to us.”
Bob kept laughing while slipping to the ground, “Told you they’re as smart as a bunch of rocks. He doesn't understand and never will hahahahahahahahaha.”
Alburet shook his head, looking down at the imp rolling on the ground, “Okay Bob, that's enough. Settle down. The next goblin should be coming any second.” Turning to Tiny Alburet asked him an important question, “Tiny, how do you gain happiness?”
“Protecting my master and killing his foes. I become unhappy when I am not allowed to fulfill those roles.” Tiny said, his eyes beginning to glow red as he spotted the Goblin Scavenger coming at them.
“Okay. Tiny, he is the target,” Alburet began, pointing at the goblin, only to see Tiny rush forward the few feet and hack at the goblin with hate.
“How dare you threaten the master?! Die, you weak goblin!” Tiny roared as he engaged the goblin in combat.
“See? Only good for being a block,” Bob said, still chuckling as he got to his feet, before starting to cast his spell.
“At least it means I won't be the punching bag anymore,” Alburet said with a smile, knowing he wouldn't end up in as much pain any more.
For the next hour Alburet marveled in how well Tiny did his job before calling it time and heading back to the Stormguard fort. He needed to grab some food and drink, his Hungry and Thirsty debuffs were almost at the end of their duration, which would leave him with the Starving and Parched debuffs.
The guards on the gate nodded to him but eyed Tiny carefully. Tiny snorted at them as if he found them contemptible. “Silly humans are no match for Tiny the Fearsome,” Tiny said as he walked by.
“Tiny, they are friends. Do not insult those who aid us,” Alburet admonished his minion as he headed to the merchant. Tiny bowed his head and remained silent, accepting the order.
“Greetings again, sir,” Alburet said to the merchant. “My friend had to go but I’ve brought back more items for you to purchase.” He placed all the non-weapon drops onto the table.
“Very good. Hmm, not nearly as much as last time. I will give you twenty silver for the lot,” the merchant said.
“Good enough for me. I wonder, though, if you have anything to eat or drink that I might acquire from you?”
“I have the best jerky this side of Stormguard and a wine pouch filled with a decent wine. Twenty five copper for both.”
“Done. Take it from the coin you offered me. In fact, if you have another set of jerky and wine I’ll take them as well.”
“I have four such sets of food. Would you like them all?” the merchant asked with a grin.
“Deal,” Alburet shook hands with the merchant and put three sets of food and drink away along with the coin. “Pleasure doing business with you again.”
“Pleasure was all mine,” the merchant replied as Alburet went off to sell stuff to the blacksmith.
After selling the few weapon drops he had gotten, Alburet ducked into the keep to hand off the three extra supplies he had picked up. The Quartermaster thanked him, with assurances that his deeds would be known by others.
Alburet found a spot and sat down to eat with a sigh, glad to just relax for a bit. As he finished his food the Sergeant came over to him. “Private, did you need a place to sleep for the night?”
Alburet got to his feet and saluted the Sergeant, “It would be much appreciated, sir. I was told by Captain Roberto to stay away from the capital for a couple of days.”
You are now Disliked by Gilden House.
Alburet blinked at the sudden reputation pop-up, but pushed it away since the Sergeant was still talking.
“Hmm, so the Captain of Training knows you. Very well, then. If you take the stairs behind my desk you will find the barracks. Take any bed that doesn't have gear in the foot locker. Consider this payment for the extra goblins you are killing.”