You are a Beast Tamer?” Sam inquired, Pip in her hand.

“Technically, I am a Beast Master, but I think it’s all po-ta-to, po-tah-to,” Rick nod his head yes, “I told you about Pip, remember?”

“And your tamed beast is a chick?” Jay followed up unimpressed.

“I wasn’t really trying to tame her. It was sort of a coincidence when-”

“Why did you not tell me about when we talked at the Blessed Exchange?” Sam interrupted, not amused by her brother’s antics.

“We were discussing more pressing matters remember?” Rick replied.

“More importantly, if you can tame beasts,” Jay said with a slight smile, “it could help out a friend.”

“Rick, you can’t keep getting into trouble like this” Sam stood up, slamming her palm on the counter. She knew Rick had to become stronger to survive, and it would be a mistake to try to keep him sheltered. But he had developed more abilities than he needed to survive, and it worried her.

“Hey sis, sis,” Rick replied, arms raised and alarmed. “I don’t really know much about being a Beast Master. Pip was a mistake of sorts.”

“Peep!” Pip purred, shocked.

“I mean, I only have her,” Rick quickly explained, patting Pip on her head. “I become a Beast Master by mistake. I- I don’t really know how to do it.”

“What? Then how?” Jay asked confused.

“Huh! Okay,” Sam sat back down.

Both said simultaneously, hearing the reply.

“I mean, I could learn it.” Rick quickly replied seeing the duo’s let-down looks.

“Yes,” Jay replied

“No,” Sam said.

Sam and Jay stared at each other before Jay backed off.

“I won’t lie, it would be convenient if I could stop having to cycle everywhere,” Jay relented, “But if you have other things going, I understand.”

“Exactly. Rick you need to work on-” Sam took a second to think of an excuse, “-on your golem making.”

The room turned silent as the conversation came to a stand-still.

“I do have some work. But as soon as I get the time, I will look into beast taming, Jay”. Rick promised. He wanted to help Jay out but did not want to burden himself with things that he could avoid.

The previous owner of Lemegeton, Sol, had told him that he had twelve months to learn and summon at least a single Demon King to survive. And one-month passed, he had only learnt to teleport a wrench!

“Oh wait, I have an idea,” Rick stood up excited, fishing out two cores. “Why not golems?”

“Rick, I told you, your golems are quite weak as they are now. The only use for them is how you used it against Hands, order them to self-destruct”. Sam explained.

“Not that. From what I understand, you want something to use as transportation,” Rick clarified, before tossing the two golem cores in his hand, “So why not use golems.”

Two golems took shape right in from of his eyes. They were both Golem cores of the lowest rank. Within seconds, two terracotta looking creatures stood before them. Although their faces looked like that of Labradors, they were the size of tigers.

“Wow dude! What dod you just do?” Jay exclaimed. A mix of apprehension and excitement in his eyes, he carefully approached the golems.

"They are statues right now. And as Sam just said it, you guys can take the golems out easy,” Rick said with a plastered grin, “Meet the Mutated Dog golems, Sher and Lock.”

Jay nodded and approached the Golems to inspect, once he received Rick's assurance.

“And you want to use them for travelling?” Sam enquired.

“Yea why not. I mean we have to test how much weight they can carry, and Mana consumption could be an issue, but yea, sure they can be used,” Rick nodded.

“Okay,” Sam replied, inching closer to check the golems for herself, “It could work, but the only issue might be with the drain on Mana.”

“Oh no, Mana consumption won’t be a problem,” Rick explained, “Or it at least it will be minimal, for you guys”

Of course, if Sam and Jay had to use the golems, he had to provide them with the Ghostvine Leaves. (chapter 39) The only issue was harvesting the leaves in large amounts now that his direct link with the Library was destroyed. The only option was to part with a portion of the stash he was carrying with him

“So how do they work? Like a horse?” Jay asked, curious.

“Well, there are a few things to using golems. Why don’t you guys sit down, I will explain,” Rick motioned them towards the kitchen counter.

He explained the duo about the Ghostvine Leaves but lied to them that they were Golem-Control Artifacts.

After his discussion with Samira at the Blessed Exchange, he realised not to share everything with Jay, even though they were on the same team- he left the judgement about it with Samira.

“I don’t know how far you can travel with just one of the Golem-Control Artifacts, and we will need to test it out,” Rick shrugged. “But less than you guys acquiring the Golemancy skill, that’s the only way.”

“Well, what are we waiting for? I call dibs on Lock here,” Jay stood up, and with a Golem-Control Artifact in hand, immediately jumped up on golem's back.

“Jay, why don’t you go ahead. I want some family time with my brother,” Samira said with a polite smile.

“Ya sure,” Jay replied absent-mindedly and left the house without a glance back.

“Jay! Get some food if you find any!” Rick called aloud after the running golem.

Once Jay left and with just the siblings alone, Rick sat back down reluctantly, across from Samira. He wasn’t looking forward to the coming conversation.

“So, you became a Beast Tamer too,” Samira said, without missing a beat.

“Remember, I told you I had a pet?” Rick tried.

“Yes, a pet! You said Pip was a pet Rick!” Samira said shaking her head.

“Samy, I am sorry. It must have slipped my mind or something. But I have something more important to show you,” Rick said, fishing out a Summoning Talisman from his pocket. He put in on the floor before Samira could interject and cast the incantation, “Ianuae Magicae”

“Aah!” Samira pushed her chair back, startled, her words of reprimand stuck in her throat. A wrench had appeared where the paper was before.

“How did you do that?” she asked.

“Well, remember when I told you I have to become a Summoner before the Prophesised War begins?” Rick explained picking up the wrench. At the least, he had distracted Sam from the initial confrontation. “Well, ta-daa! I am a Summoner now.”

“And it took you just a month! I thought you said it will take a whole year at least” Sam beamed a wide grin.

“Well not really,” Rick explained. “All I can do right now is teleport inanimate objects as of now”

He explained to her about his teleportation and its limitations.

"So basically, anything too big and it would dry my Mana pool, let alone a living thing. The backlash itself will kill me for that!”

“Okay, okay. Jus-just don’t do something that will kill you or something. Let’s try things one step at a time, okay?" Sam said wrapping her head around what she had just heard, "And at least taking the step in the right direction. From what I see, all you need to do now is increase your Mana.”

“Well that’s one part, yea” Rick agreed.

“Okay, just practice enough and it will all work out,” Sam encouraged Rick with a pat on his back.

“What’s new with you? You must have some exciting stuff to tell,” Rick didn’t want to brood on his uncertain future.

“Well that’s one way to put it,” she chuckled. “We cleared out all the Dungeons you suggested of course and then a few others. When we were travelling from Meadhog’s Ally Dungeon to the nearby City, there was an icy covered beast on the loose, an Icolot. It took fifty of us to bring that thing down,”

“Wow,” Rick exclaimed while making a mental note to check out what is an Icolot later.

“That reminds me. Rick, I want you to come with us this time,” Sam said in a stern voice.

“I- I don't think it's a good idea. Me there, I will only be a distraction. I am not as good a fighter as you guys,” Rick declined. The main reason was that he had to stay close to the Library. Although it was the source of his dread, the place also had immense resources.

“I don’t want you to come to fights. Listen, Rick, it is getting harder and harder to fight with just the two of us, even with your info. Jay and I are thinking of joining a City” Sam said.

“Wait, you mean there are places that survived with a functioning government?” Rick was happily surprised.

“Not as far as I know. It's a different kind. It's the new cities. They have their own systems and the rules can be strict,” Sam continued, “But life is easier. You can sleep peacefully without worrying that someone will come and kill you in your sleep. And it’s easier to find food and resources and people to raid dungeons too!”

Rick could understand what Sam was saying, after all in that sense, the Library Settlement was taking a similar route.

“Where is this City you want to go to?” Rick asked. If it was close by, it could work.

“Well, when we were fighting the Icolot we met a Commander from the Salamander City. It’s quite a big place and he offered both Jay and I membership to the city.”

“Salamander City, really creative!” Rick smiled mockingly.

“Ya,” Samira chuckled, “The City Lord is the Beast Tamer guy and he has a Salamander, so Salamander City. Please just come, I am sure they will take you in as a member as well if we ask.”

“Wait, you are taking permission to become a member of the city? Are you telling me the City Lord he is stronger than Jay and you?” Rick was shocked.

“He is strong, but more than that, he has this Council of a dozen people. They are all immensely powerful and are completely loyal to the City Lord. So, together they are quite a powerhouse.” Samira explained. “Cities are popping up everywhere, by far the strongest is the Salamander City, they have even consolidated three other cities that had cropped up nearby.”

“It sounds good sis. Knowing you are safer will make me feel better too. We can still communicate and besides, we can still have these visits.” Rick said.

“The Salamander City demands its members to carry out tasks for merit. If you don’t come, it might be a while before we see each other again, you know.,” Sam said, her eyes welling up.

“Come on sis, you know I would come if I could,” Rick said walking over and hugging Samira.

“I know. But I am always worried about you, you know.”

“I know,” Rick said, smiling, "But I did grow up, you know,"

After a moment, the two started reminiscing about their days before the Heaven’s Dictate, waiting for Jay to return.

Their muffled laughs only came to an end a couple of hours later when Jay returned walking instead of riding his golem Lock.

“Well, I should have taken two of the Golem-Control Artifacts,” Jay complained, slumping on the sofa.