Livia and the rest of the [Guild] stood on the beach in the crisp early morning, and saw Kalle’s ritual circle gathering energy–with the [Warlock] himself stood just outside, looking like he was directing the particulars of the Spell like a conductor–and with his two closest companions close by his side.

Once every sigil was brimming with energy, it shot up from the ritual circle’s locus and formed a Spell matrix in an instant. Once that had charged, all the magic had been suddenly unleashed; acting like it had a big, personal problem with one spot in particular, hovering just above the lake, which it aimed to destroy with full force… Of course, they knew the goal of the ritual, and that something entirely different was actually going on… Hopefully. Unless something's gone terribly wrong.

Despite the beam's density, none of it felt destructive to Redd–but boy did it look the part, what with the way it gathered in a circular girih pattern and shot forward, only to vanish abruptly without first petering off in the slightest, like it was assaulting some invisible fortress that swallowed it all down whole. While they hadn’t exactly been expecting Kalle to create a Rift like back in the valley, just to pull his one Daemon through, they had still expected something more than seeing a giant torrent of energy seemingly drain away into nothing. Yet it kept going for long, long minutes–at an intensity none of them would have believed Kalle to be capable of. Not even through the use of long-prepared rituals fuelled by batteries. Even Redd was transfixed, having never seen the like up close.

After more than fifteen minutes the magicore suddenly fizzled out like a spent match, and the ritual circle followed soon after, but Kalle was still looking just as focused, and showed no signs of having noticed yet, and the beam of energy kept going despite getting essentially chewed up from behind.

But then the beam ended too, mere seconds later. It fell into the water of the lake like a cut thread and started to slowly dissipate into bubbles and glowing sparks. Livia noticed in her periphery how the fish were already jumping up, trying to eat the little lights, but her focus switched back over to Kalle when he suddenly exhaled an unnaturally large breath that he must have been holding for the duration of the ritual, since it just kept going and going. Finally he bent over at the hip, and wheezed the very last bit of air in his body out. He stood like that for a good few seconds.

Then his eyes widened and suddenly looked back up towards the distant sky, and next he tried to ward his face–from nothing, until Livia saw a blue finger suddenly appear from out of nowhere to touch his hand, yet it was attached to nothing. That changed swiftly once the finger had made actual contact and grabbed on to Kalle's hand in a forceful grip. That seemed to hurry the process along. Magic swirled and revealed an equally blue, second finger, then hand, then a thin forearm, and finally a whole body.

Kalle shot backwards like he’d been shoved full force by someone twice his size, right when the creature fully manifested. Luckily he landed sort of softly on the beach, yet he was out like a light. Bouncing around above him, with its arms raised like a champion of the ring–was a strangely familiar, but very blue creature. “Yiiiiip! I made it, I made it–it really was, it’s really you. I made it! You did it!”

What Livia actually heard was more like a grating and strangely electronic noise. Crass and unnatural, yet beautiful to her ears that had not heard the like in so many months now; it reminded her of a sound her mom heard on Jeopardy once and exclaimed was the sound of the internet. Apparently the internet router used to play a little tune when it ‘called’ and connected? Hah. Silly 90s.

When Meelis spoke, the sound was very similar to that. It was a bit grating, and annoying, but it reminded Livia so much of home she almost ran up and hugged him then and there.

But the situation remained strangely unresolved, with Kalle out like a light and the creature making noises while standing over him triumphantly, clearly celebrating. Is this really how it works? Did he make a mess of things, somehow?

Hands sought and tightened around weapons–Harold and Oscar, who were the closest–almost went ahead and started yelling at the thing for answers, prepared to swing unless the response was satisfactory. But then the two finally noted its familiar face: It looked exactly like Kalle, or his identical, very blue, twin brother rather.

Both Harold and Kalle turned their heads sideways in unison with Algernon up in the tree, then they started laughing.

It was not that funny. Not really. But back when they were all in the valley, only Kalle had been able to see the creature he was Summoning up close, and only due to his Skill. But he had described it to them. He’d said it had a long thin nose, almost spiky but with huge nostrils. Blind-looking, pupil-less eyes. Ears that looked stretched and like they should be pierced with heavy golden hoops, and the countenance of an imp.

Right now they were thinking Kalle was way too hard on himself.

When Livia and the rest got it, they all started laughing too. And that was the noise that finally woke Kalle back up.

When he’d had time to blink and look around for a bit he finally seemed to focus up again, but rather than hesitantly joining in the laughter, or even taking a moment to look at his newfound companion, he seemed to suddenly focus on a piece of empty air, and then he looked horrified.

[Power Dividends - level 10: Esperlock]

[Prize Familiar Acquired: Meelis - Level 3: Exemplar Specimen]

My levels. My fucking levels. What the fuck did I do wrong, what does that even mean? Kalle still had adrenaline coursing through his veins by the bucket-load, and other than his fainting just now, he’d been awake for more than 26 hours while performing the most gruelling Spell of his career.

If it wasn’t for that he might have had a more reasonable reaction to meeting his long sought-after friend. Instead Kalle lunged for his own face. I’m gonna fucking turn you purple.

After Meelis materialised he was looking around, proud as can be just to be there. He decided to try feeling the space with his eyes closed, while smelling the summer air and feeling the warmth of the breeze. The glaring sun caused the lake to shimmer, and the mating calls of birds returned swiftly now that the ritual working was finally over and the energies of the lake calmed back down.

The little daemon looked like he was taking everything but the people in, attempting to see and understand every part of his surroundings at once, like he knew full well his time here may be limited.

“It’s all so… So manifested with purpose, and yet still rich and somehow synergic, abundant even!”

It was nothing like the chaotic environment where he came from, where you had to constantly feed or die. Every second. Where Meelis was first spawned and had, in the end, so very nearly succumbed. Compared to both that, and the ritual-drained valley where Meelis had last appeared; this place was true paradise.

That was when Kalle went dashing past Harold and Oscar, lunging for the blue little man from behind.

In the Daemon Realm Meelis'd been the biggest fish in the pond, but he’d gotten there by being elusive and deadly, and he had remained that way despite his constant growth. By the end he was taking on entire gangs of lesser daemons at once, often neglecting to let them land a single blow while he steadily drained them of their life force. Now Meelis was the size of a seven-year old, but still the spitting image of Kalle’s lithe, athletic form.

Despite how Kalle was coming up from behind, Meelis somehow sensed the charge coming and so he threw himself out of the way–straight into the lake.

Meelis was already feeling greedy for a long life. That’s why he completely panicked in the unfamiliar water, that had somehow stopped his unfamiliar need for breathing—

The laughter had stopped, and even Kalle was looking abashed at the flailing, terrified creature.

Did Kalle really just summon himself a mini-me, is his ego the size of a comedy movie villain’s, like seriously?

The impression refused to stop intruding on Livia’s mind. When Kalle suddenly tried to attack the thing, only for it to end up nearly drowning… Livia figured something else was up. Her and Redd went to approach the 3 fellows that were just looking at the creature, waiting on Kalle to explain or at least take the lead… But before they could get there, Kalle went ahead and extended his hand to drag the little daemon out of the shallow waters that went barely past the knees, on its very short legs.

It lay there for a while, squirting water like a fountain, for far longer than was justified from its brief dip. The four of them looked to the summoner himself for explanation, and the whispered words shook them all. “It took my levels, I reached 12, just last night and when I woke up just now it suddenly said Power Dividends - level 10. I can’t believe it, none of the [Warlocks] in Dormata mentioned the like ever happening, the Daemon is meant to pay the cost of any backlash, even if the Spell partially fails…”

The rest of them were equally stunned, but Livia seemed to be listening to a different voice, and then relayed the info. “It’s old magic, apparently. Albernine era. You must have some Skill that implies your familiar is meant to be your equal?”

[Prize Familiar], damn it. I guess that’s why it’s my tier 8… It was certainly true that Kalle was expecting his Daemon to catch up eventually, and to always be able to fight by his side, and eventually for him to have to spend plenty of resources and time training together to get there, but not like this… Not like this.

He closed his eyes and mourned the lost time. He knew when he opened them there was only getting over it, and getting back to cultivating the intrinsic magic of his body.

He’d heard of [Warlocks] getting so drained they remained bedridden for weeks, or even ended up in comas… Losing levels was another matter entirely. If they’d known this could happen, back in Dormata, they would have surely warned him.

“Master, it was my fault, I did not realise your protections were down,”

The rest only heard the grating, electronic sound but Kalle understood his new companion perfectly. My protections? What is he talking about, I wasn't really in there, was I?

Kalle had felt like he was part of the Spell, but that was surely an impression meant to help you control it, and not a sign of your soul entering the Daemonic realm?

The thought of the alternative was a terrifying proposition, and Kalle suddenly felt glad he didn’t lose anything more than a couple of levels.

And that was how they all got introduced to Meelis.

Unfortunately, they had a schedule to keep, so despite how Kalle badly needed to recuperate and figure things out between himself and his new buddy, they would need to do so whilst on the road.

They swiftly made up a dragging gurney out of some branches that Joel, their freshly recruited [Carpenter] cut down, and then let the oxen drag the two of them along.

It didn’t take long for the Daemon to instead clamber on to ride atop the horse that was pulling the [Cloche Illuminance Sensor].

Kalle badly needed to sleep, but it was not the bumpy road keeping him awake, but rather the bizarre sight that greeted Kalle as he looked up at the cheerful spitting image of himself, almost like a child version of himself, but also quite different.

Blue.

Losing levels, this strange appearance not matching who he’d seen at the valley, none of it boded well. But after thinking and considering the implications, at least it all pointed to the Daemon being strangely empowered, certainly for such a recent summoning. It still didn’t make him feel good about this, what should have been a moment of complete triumph. And the issue was not just how the creature in front of him had seemingly stolen his whole look, going so far as to be wearing one of his oversized shirts, after it was sneakily supplied by Algernon in cooperation with Oscar.

Kalle massaged his temples, and decided that first things first, even if he was bursting to ask question number two. “What is your affinity, and do you have any innate Spells already?”

That was traditionally the first question, and the creature certainly seemed prepared for it. “Water affinity master, I reached 93%, closer than anyone in my spawning to singularity,”

Water, what the hel. Shouldn’t he be Mind-based magic, like me, if we're so compatible that my Spell singled him out? Kalle did not speak his disappointment out loud, but Meelis could still sense it and was instantly dismayed.

Meelis tried to rally. “I’ve got [Water Sense] and [Water Intrusion], so the System says!”

Damn, that doesn’t sound ranged. I guess we will try and spar later and see how they work, but then I suppose this world is nothing like what this Daemon is used to. ”Alright, we will train later and see how you do, make sure you tell me before using your magic, at least until we’ve had time to establish some rules, and teach you of this world.”

Meelis again sensed his new master’s disappointment with his Skills, and he couldn’t help it, he lowered his head in shame.

Kalle was still upset about his levels. Still upset that his Daemon’s affinity was wrong, and so high that it was unlikely to ever be changed without a miracle-grade Natural Treasure for it to swallow. On top of that it seemed they were way too similar to really complement each other in the way he had hoped.

All things that could be fixed with time, but not if the creature could somehow steal levels from him in this world too… In that case it would have to be considered a failed experiment, Kalle couldn’t let it cripple him his whole career with the [Guild]. During his entire path of progression... That message from the System when he woke up, it had delivered news that defied a part of reality that Kalle had grown up taking for granted along with everyone else he knew.

It made no sense at all to Kalle, who had always been taught that levels were permanent, persisting through amnesia and grievous injuries of every kind; so long as you lived… Then again, these levels weren’t really lost either, just… Shared.

Sigh. I guess it wasn’t on purpose, but what did he mean my defences were down? And what kind of water affinity Daemon panics when it ends up in water anyway!?

In the end Kalle decided he’d question it more about that later, during sparring.

First things first.

He could see the Daemon was disappointed by his reception, but Kalle was still too tired to muster the urge to care. It bothered him more and more seeing the creature sat on the horse's mane and staring at him like some idol of worship. It was a disconcerting look coming from a caricature of your own face. It clearly needed time to get used to making expressions. It was way, way overly theatrical. “What’s wrong with you, and why the hell do you look like me, stop making that face. I don’t make that face,”

He looked sad again. I tried to look like the best Human.

But Meelis was not one to give up, so he rubbed his strange, overly rubbery face and started trying to figure it out. “Do you mean you want me to learn how to copy your expressions?”

“... No.”