Gacha Leveling

"Is that normal?" Vanessa asked looking at Matthew and the spirit standing perfectly still.

"Yes." Paula answered. "They are having a conversation. Their minds are connected and they can't see or perceive the world around them."

"And then they'll be pacted?" Michael asked.

"If both want it. Yes." Paula said.

Claudio looked at his clock. Still early to leave the dungeon, but time was passing fast.

"How long does it take?" He asked.

"As long as needed. It's a conversation between two creatures who are looking forward to bind their souls together. It might take hours." Paula said.

"Hours?!" Claudio exclaimed. "We have to go back in 1 and a half hour."

"I'll carry him if we need to turn back." Eric said sitting on the floor and taking a canteen of water from his jacket. "Just sit down and rest."

When Matthew started to sweat in pain, Vanessa wiped down his forehead with a handkerchief.

"What's happening now?" She asked looking at Paula.

"It's begun. They're sealing the pact." Paula asked.

"It's always like this?" Vanessa asked.

"It is. Pacts are a bounding of souls. It's not a pleasant pain." Paula explained.

Matthew opened a smile as soon as his pain disappeared. It was done. He and Ffyr were now pacted with each other. The fairy was now his familiar.

However, her appearance didn't change. As a lesser spirit, all she could manifest in the primal realm was a ball of green light. Even though Matthew had a pact with her, all he could see was the ball the light.

"Miss my striking figure?" Ffyr asked Matthew. Her voice resonating in his mind.

"A bit." He chuckled and could feel her blushing at those words.

"Is it done?" Claudio got up from the floor dusting his pants. "Has the pact been sealed?"

"It was." Matthew answered him.

"Good, good." Claudio smiled. "Ask it where it put the treasure."

"I didn't put anything anywhere." Ffyr said, but only Matthew could hear.

"She said she didn't put any treasure." Matthew answered for her.

"Then why was she here?" Claudio asked confused.

"She said she doesn't know. She followed some good tasting mana and ended up here." Matthew conveyed her words to Claudio.

"So… She was summoned by someone? Or was the dungeon itself?" Claudio continued his inquiry.

"She said she doesn't know. When she came to the primal realm there was no one around. And she could not find the mana that brought her here anymore."

"If she was not being fed mana, how did she maintain herself in the primal realm?" This time it was Paula who asked.

"She said that she doesn't know."

"Ask her which realm she came from." Claudio said rubbing his fingers between his eyes. "I think we're assuming too much."

"She says she comes from the Fae." Matthew said unsure what she meant.

"She's a Fae… Not a wind spirit." Claudio said moving his glasses and looking at Ffyr.

"What does that mean?" Matthew asked.

"It means I'm great!" Ffyr answered Matthew.

"It means she didn't come from the wind elemental realm. But the realm of chaos. The lands of Titania. The Fae." Claudio sighed exasperated. "She's a chaos spirit."

Matthew still hadn't studied about realms other than the elemental realms, so he needed to be given a little class by Claudio:

"Chaos spirits or just Fae, are spirits that come from the Fae realm, a realm of existence where natural laws basically don't exist. Gravity can fluctuate at one's will, you can swim in fire and breathe underwater. At one time it can be spring and the next second it can be winter.

The chaotic nature of the realm also applied to its denizens. Sometimes, Fae creatures can just ignore the laws of physics and the natural world, such as needing to be fed mana to maintain themselves in the primal realm. However it is not something the Fae itself can decide, it is pure chance.

Which is quite fitting that you, with your chaotic Unique Skill, have acquired a chaos spirit as a familiar." Claudio laughed finishing his explanation.

"It can also explain the dungeon." Eric said. "The random nature the corridors. The traps, the treasure. Even the myths that surround this place. It might all be a play by the Fae."

"Yes. I thought the same." Claudio said looking at Eric puzzled. Perhaps his oaf demeanor was just a ruse?

"The Fae kingdom is super fun! Matt should go with me there someday!" Ffyr said happily.

"Someday." Matthew answered Ffyr.

"So what does that mean?" Michael asked Claudio.

"It means that most likely this whole dungeon might be controlled by the Fae. A big joke on us humans." Claudio laughed. "Or the dungeon itself uses the Fae to maintain its purpose. But the second instance means that the dungeon would have some kind of agency." He muttered to himself.

"Are the Fae controlling the dungeon?" Matthew asked Ffyr.

"I don't know." The fairy mumbled while shrugging. "It's possible some of the uncles are playing with you all. It's not the kind of joke the Queen likes, though." She added referring to Titania, the queen of the Fae.

"She doesn't know if the Fae are controlling the dungeon." Matthew said.

"Well. This have been a productive day. A huge step forward was made. Thank you very much for your cooperation today." Claudio said. "But let's go back for now. There's much I need to record."

Outside the gate, Claudio thanked them again almost as if shooing them away. He didn't take a second look at them before turning his back and grabbing a phone to call someone while disappearing into the administrative building.

"And that was that!" Eric clapped his hands and laughed loudly. "What say we all go to my place and have some barbecue?"

"I'd love that!" Paula said.

"Hell yeah." Michael agreed.

"I've never been to one before." Ffyr said.

Vanessa just nodded.

"I'm in." Matthew said.

"Call your folks, Matt. Invite them and your sister. Tell them to bring Katia to my house and stay for the barbecue." Eric said mounting on his bike and driving back home.

In the car, the drive to Eric's house was silent. Eric himself went ahead speeding with his bike to get back home earlier than the others and start preparing the food.

"He lost interest in us pretty quickly." Michael commented breaking the silence.

"Who? Eric?" Matthew asked.

"No. That Claudio guy." Michael explained.

"He realized we have nothing to do with the abnormalities in the dungeon. It's the Fae." Paula said. "He has no reason to be interested in us anymore."

"I hope that creep really forgets about us." Vanessa hissed.

"The money was good though." Michael laughed.

"Can't complain." Vanessa laughed too.

They arrived at Eric's house at the same time Matthew's parents arrived with Katia. The little girl ran towards Vanessa as soon as she saw her.

"Aunt Ness!" She said hugging Vanessa. "Aunt Paula! Uncle Michael! Uncle Matt!" She hugged each one of them.

"Did you have fun at Matthew's home?" Vanessa asked Katia while Matthew picked her up from the floor.

"A lot!" Katia said. "Sarah is so fun! And Grandma Martha cooks so well!"

"Where's Sarah?" Matthew asked his parents while carrying Katia in his arms.

"Oh. She had a party to go to." Matthew's mother explained. "Sorry she couldn't make it." She said turning to Vanessa.

"That's not a problem." Vanessa said. "It was a spur of the moment thing. Let's get inside, Eric must be firing up the grill."

The barbecue was great. The meat was expertly cooked by Eric under the supervision of Matthew's Father. The latter was giving investment tips to Eric who was searching for what to reinvest his guild's profits. Matthew's Mother and Paula were cooking side dishes inside the house for all and talking like old friends. Michael was running around playing with Katia. And Vanessa and Matthew were laying on pool chairs talking about a random streaming series.

The night was going great when Matthew's phone rang. It was Sarah.

"Hey Sis! You're missing some great food." He joked.

"Matt…" Sarah's voice was low and scared. "I need help."

"Where are you?" Matthew asked almost jumping onto his feet.

"I sent you my localization." Sarah said. It seemed like she was hiding from something.

"I'll be right there, what happened?" He asked gesturing to Vanessa to go with him.

"I don't know." Sarah sobbed trying to hold in tears. "All was going well, but then… We got surrounded by monsters. I'm sacred Matt."

"I'll be right there. Hide yourself and don't turn off your phone."

"What's going on?" Matthew's mother asked.

"Sarah is in trouble I'm going there." Matthew said sending Sarah's localization to Vanessa's phone. "It appears that has been a stampede, there are monsters outside the gates."

Vanessa and Eric froze hearing that. It brought memories of their own tragedies.

"I'm going too." Eric said. "Robert, Martha, can I ask you to stay and watch Katia?"

"Of course. Please go save our little girl." Matthew's mother said scared out of herself.

"Matthew, you ride with me, guide me to your sister." Eric said throwing Matthew a biker helmet. "Vanessa you have the location too, right? Come fast."

Matthew mounted on Eric's bike who drove off at incredible speed.

Vanessa, Paula and Michael got in the car and Vanessa also made the tires screech on the floor driving like a fireman going to put out a fire.

"I'm on my way, Sarah." Matthew said while checking the map. "Sarah?" He called his sister when she didn't respond.

"Sarah?"