GamerFiction

The Mage's Path: Chapter 38

Added 2025-07-06 05:18:32 +0000 UTC

Hi all,

Here’s the next chapter. Another Mage’s Path chapter coming tomorrow.

Chapter 38

Harry sat on the tent floor, the underground spring's discovery still fresh in his mind. He had unlocked the Water attunement skill, and now he possessed the material needed for his golem's body. First, he needed some new skills to make his new golem even better.

He opened his Skill Board menu. He had thirteen path points at his disposal, and he was feeling like splurging a little. Without hesitation, Harry spent twelve path points to unlock three new skills.

Only one skill remained on the Golem Crafting Mastery path. It had no description and cost him ten path points. He wasn’t going to get that anytime soon, but knowing he was close to finishing a path was exciting. He dismissed his curiosity for now and focused on examining his new acquisitions.

Description: A passive ability that imbues golems with artificial souls during creation, granting them distinct personalities, pre-assigned names, and the ability to be resurrected with specific materials. Soul-manifested golems are smarter, understand more complex instructions, and can work independently. Upon destruction, their souls can be rebound to new bodies. Can be activated or deactivated at will. Warning: May have some unpredictable results.

*Golems gain individual personalities and names automatically assigned at creation.

*Allows resurrection using rare materials matching the golem's original core composition.

*Resurrected golems retain full memories and knowledge of previous iterations.

*Cannot store soul-manifested golems in standard inventory. It requires specialised housing.

*INT > 50: Reduces resurrection material requirements by 25%.

*WIL > 60: Golems can temporarily manifest as spirits for 10 minutes after destruction.

Upgrades to level 2 after successfully creating three named golems. ======

Description: Creates a dimensional storage space specifically for housing individualistic golems that cannot be stored in a standard inventory. The subspace manifests as a vast area with unique biomes that automatically generate based on the elemental affinities of the stored golems. Golems remain conscious within the space and can interact with each other and their environment.

*Opens a dimensional gate allowing golems to enter and exit at will.

*Golems can slowly recover their resources while inside the subspace.

*New biomes are created instantly when golems with previously unseen elemental affinities are stored.

*Golem souls are stored in the subspace after being destroyed.

*Can store up to five golems at the first level.

*SPI > 70: Reduces MP cost by 50%.

*PER > 70: Allows remote viewing of subspace activities.

*Upgrades to level 2 after housing 5 different golems ======

Description: Enables golems to evolve and grow stronger through the acquisition and integration of specific materials. Each golem has a unique evolutionary recipe based on its core composition, personality, and elemental affinities. Completing an evolution permanently enhances the golem's attributes and may unlock new abilities.

*Recipes are influenced by the golem's original materials, personality traits, and elemental nature.

*May unlock new abilities, resistances, or special attacks based on materials used.

*Evolved golems can undergo multiple evolution cycles with increasingly rare requirements.

*INT > 50: Reveals evolution recipes for the next stage in the golem’s evolutionary development.

*PER > 50: Provides hints about where to find required evolution materials.

*Upgrades to level 2 after evolving one or more golems three times. ======

At first, it seemed only the third skill would help make his golems stronger. But as he delved deeper, he realised his mistake.

Soul Manifestation offered some significant advantages. His golems would gain individual personalities and names automatically assigned at creation. In addition, they would be smarter, behaving more like a human instead of soulless constructs. That was interesting, but the real prize was the ability to bring golems back to life with all their memories intact. That meant keeping all their combat experience and the teamwork they had developed.

Unlike Grove, where he had to start from scratch every time, a resurrected golem would slot straight into his party without needing to adjust.

There were drawbacks, however. Soul-manifested golems couldn't be stored in his standard inventory. They needed special housing to be kept in.

Golem Subspace solved the storage problem. The skill created a dimensional storage space specifically for housing individualistic golems. Golems could slowly recover their resources whilst inside the subspace, eliminating a weakness he encountered with Grove. Destroyed golem souls would also be housed in the subspace. At the first level, it could store up to five golems.

Evolution Catalyst promised the most intriguing possibilities. The passive skill enabled golems to evolve and grow stronger through acquiring and integrating specific materials. Completing an evolution would permanently enhance the golem's attributes and potentially unlock new abilities.

Harry closed the skill menu and opened his inventory. The Water Core and Drowner's Heart were golem cores that dropped from the Evolved Drowner. Despite coming from the same monster, they had very different properties. He pulled them out and examined them with Appraisal.

======Water Core | Rare | Golem Material | Quality: High

Description: A concentrated sphere of elemental water essence, harvested from an Evolved Drowner. When used in golem construction, it grants standard water manipulation abilities and excellent magical conductivity. The core provides a neutral foundation for water-based constructs. ======

====== Drowner's Heart | Epic | Golem Material | Quality: Pristine

Description: The heart of an Evolved Drowner, infused with necrotic water magic and the memories of drowning victims. When used in golem construction, it grants enhanced water manipulation abilities and death magic. Warning: May create a golem with strange personality traits and a proclivity for violence. ======

The Water Core offered a straightforward water golem with predictable abilities and temperament. The Drowner's Heart would create something far more complex: a combination of undead and water elemental. Harry couldn't predict how his golem would turn out if he used the heart, but it would certainly be interesting. The combination might prove horrifying, but as long as the golem followed his orders, he could live with it.

More importantly, the Drowner's Heart was already Pristine quality, whilst the Water Core was only High. He wouldn't need to attempt Material Enhancement on the former, which was fortunate since he only had one copy and couldn't obtain another if it were destroyed.

His Material Enhancement skill had improved to level two, allowing him to enhance materials to the Perfect grade, though the chances remained low. If his Intelligence stat were higher, he could potentially improve materials by two grades in one attempt, but he lacked the attribute points to spend. Another benefit was that the skill's cost had halved, making the prospect of the elemental spring water reaching Pristine quality less painful on his mana reserves.

Harry chose to use the Drowner's Heart and placed the Water Core back in his inventory. He retrieved the vials of elemental spring water. All were of medium quality. With an abundant source of water available, he didn't hesitate to use Material Enhancement on them. He wanted enough pristine quality water to create a powerful golem.

The process proved tedious and expensive. Harry kept drinking mana potions one after another, pushing his Consumption gauge to a dangerous level. When he exhausted that avenue, he used Meditation to restore his MP. He continued through the afternoon and into the evening.

By the time he finished, Harry had managed to improve enough elemental spring water to the pristine quality for his golem creation.

Harry stood up and stretched, grimacing as his body complained about staying still for so long. Before getting started, he would take a break and have some dinner. After that, he could finally find out what kind of golem would come from the Drowner's Heart.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Harry prepared the materials for the water spirit outside his tent. Cecil and several Brownies had gathered to watch, their curious eyes following his every movement. He didn't mind their attention—they had worked tirelessly over the past week, clearing the settlement and salvaging whatever resources they could from the ruins. Now that the supply shipment had arrived, they would begin rebuilding in earnest.

He would be using one of the blueprints from his Basic Construction skill as a template, though it wouldn't have much influence on the final result with Soul Manifestation active. The skill had reached level two after creating several Grove iterations, which improved the golems' parameters and allowed him to maintain up to three constructs simultaneously.

Once he finished this water golem, Harry planned to create more Groves to push the skill further. Each level would increase the capacity further.

Harry arranged the elemental water around the Drowner’s Heart. He activated Basic Construction, watching as the materials dissolved into streams of magical energy.

They reformed into a small pool of dark water. The Brownies squeaked in terror as the water began churning violently, bubbles erupting from its depths. A pale human arm emerged first, its skin bearing a distinct greenish tinge.

He watched in horrified fascination as the water golem pulled herself from the pool. Could this even be called a golem? The sight made him question whether he'd performed necromancy instead as if he'd summoned some poor soul from her watery grave.

The woman’s skin held the mottled green pallor of pond water, with darker patches that resembled algae stains. Long, scraggly hair hung in wet tendrils around her face, dripping constantly despite the lack of any apparent water source. Her limbs appeared unnaturally elongated, with bony fingers that ended in sharp, blackened nails.

But it was her face that truly unsettled him. Gaunt cheeks framed a mouth that seemed too wide, and when she spoke, her lips pulled back to reveal rows of needle-sharp teeth stained green.

"Where am I?" she asked.

The Brownies had seen enough. They fled in terror, their panicked squeaks fading as they took shelter in the woods. Harry couldn't blame them—after witnessing his creation, they likely believed he was a Dark Wizard.

"Hello," he said. "I'm Harry Potter, your creator. Do you have a name?"

He could already see her name above her head, but he needed to start the conversation somewhere.

The woman's eyes narrowed as she studied him. "Created me? What nonsense is this? You must have summoned me from the depths of hell. Is this England?"

Harry frowned. This golem sounded far too knowledgeable. Wasn't Soul Manifestation supposed to create an artificial soul?

"Are you saying that you were someone who died at some point?" Harry asked.

The woman grinned, revealing those disturbing green teeth. Harry suppressed a shudder at the sight. "I go by many names, but you can call me Jeanie Greenteeth."

"Is that your real name?"

"Haven't you heard of me? I'm almost disappointed. That's what the locals called me. I gained quite the reputation as a water spirit who lures victims into ponds and drowns them."

Harry's blood ran cold. "You kill people? Are you some kind of vengeful spirit? Merlin, what have I created?"

"How did you create me?" Jeanie asked, ignoring his question. "Do you practice witchcraft?"

"You could say that.”

He should have anticipated this when he chose the Drowner's Heart as his core material. But surely she would still follow his commands? That was how golem creation worked, wasn't it?

Harry opened his interface to examine her parameters:

======Jeanie Greenteeth | Type: Water/Undead Golem | HP: 400/400 | MP: 900/900

Primary Attributes: Spirit: 45 | Intelligence: 45 | Willpower: 40 | Agility: 40

Defence: 32

Grade: Advanced

Primary Skills:

Drowning Grasp: Can pull targets underwater with supernatural strength, ignoring normal physical limitations.

Water Walking: Moves freely through any body of water without impediment.

Camouflage: Becomes nearly invisible when submerged or in water environments.

Pond Summoning: Creates small pools of water that provide synergies with her other skills.

Golem Traits

Dark Charms Immunity: Immune to Jinxes, Hexes, and Curses.

Vengeful Nature: Seeks to harm those who have wronged her.

Undead Scholar: Able to learn water and death-type grimoire spells from the player.

Aquatic Regeneration: Passively regenerates HP and MP within the water.

Avoid the Light/ning: Takes 75% additional damage from light and lightning-based attacks.

Description: Unlike typical golems, Jeanie Greenteeth possesses the memories and personality of a once-living water spirit. Her consciousness drives her to seek revenge against the monster that harmed her, leading her to kill innocents in her rage. Though bound to obey her creator's commands, her cunning intelligence allows her to interpret orders creatively. Her predatory instincts remain intact, requiring careful management to prevent unwanted casualties. ======

Harry stared at her parameters in disbelief. Jeanie was far stronger than his most powerful Grove, with nearly double the health and significantly higher attributes across the board. Her statistics surpassed his own in several areas, which was both impressive and unsettling.

Her mana reserves were substantial, and her abilities complemented each other perfectly. Pond Summoning alone could turn any battlefield to her advantage, creating terrain where she would be nearly impossible to defeat. Even if she sustained serious injuries or depleted her mana, she could simply retreat into any body of water and regenerate her resources whilst remaining hidden from enemies.

The most significant advantage was her ability to cast spells from his grimoires. While he lacked any death-related magic, he possessed the Water Elemental Grimoire with its collection of aquatic attacks. This made expanding that particular spell collection a clear priority for future development.

All of this didn't account for her growth potential. Just as he received blueprints for constructing golems, he had also gained access to recipes that could upgrade her capabilities further. With Soul Manifestation, she would never become obsolete.

Her vengeful personality remained a concern, but proper vigilance and clear commands should prevent any serious problems.

Celeste appeared, her small form darting through the air as she emerged from the tree line.

"What are you doing? You have the Brownies in—" She stopped abruptly, staring at Jeanie with wide eyes. "Whoa! What the hell is that?"

Jeanie's gaze fixed on the tiny fairy. "This is definitely witchcraft. Did you create that purple fairy as well?"

"Excuse me," Celeste said. "The name is Celeste, and I'm an Umbra Fairy."

Jeanie blinked in confusion, clearly unfamiliar with the term.

"I think your introduction is lost on her, Celeste," Harry said, then turned back to his creation. "Jeanie, while I didn't expect to create a golem based on someone who once lived, the fact remains that I am your creator. You follow my commands. Are we going to have any problems?"

"Depends," Jeanie replied.

"On what?"

"On whether you help me get revenge. I'm looking for the monster who murdered me."

“What monster?"

"His name is Adam. He was the one who drowned me in a pond."

Harry frowned. Surely the name was a coincidence. Jeanie couldn't be related to Frankenstein's monster.

"What does this Adam look like?" Harry asked.

Jeanie's expression darkened. "He was a huge beast of a man. His face looked strange and he spoke funny."

Harry and Celeste glanced at each other. It sounded like Frankenstein's monster. What were the chances that he would create a golem with a connection to it?

"Why did he kill you?"

"I don't know." Jeanie's voice carried a mix of confusion and anger."We were practically strangers. Adam had been living in town for a while, but he kept mostly to himself. He suddenly went on a rampage one night. He grabbed me and held my head under the water until..."

Her words trailed off, but the implication hung heavy in the air.

"We may be looking for the same person," Harry said. "Where were you killed?"

"Thornfield. A small village near the Scottish border."

Harry's pulse quickened. He had encountered clues leading to that area of England from the books found in the Forbidden Cellar dungeon. It was the location of one of the remaining dungeons in England. It had to be the place Adam headed after escaping the dungeon.

He didn't receive a notification confirming the completion of the Tracing the Monster's Path quest. Harry frowned. The town might not have been his first stop, or he needed to confirm it by visiting the location itself.

"Jeanie, when were you killed?" Harry asked.

She tilted her head. "I don't remember. Spirits don't have a sense of time."

"Do you know if Adam is still living in your hometown?"

"No idea."

Harry nodded, "I want to check out the location to see if we can find Adam. Interested?"

Jeanie grinned, revealing her needle-sharp teeth. “Of course.”

"Alright. I have a place you can stay until we arrive at our destination."

He activated his Golem Subspace skill. The dimensional gate materialised as a shimmering portal, similar to a dungeon gate but much larger. Jeanie stepped through without hesitation, and the gate closed behind her.

"Surely you aren't going to confront the monster," Celeste said. "We won’t stand a chance against it."

"I doubt Adam is still there," Harry replied. "But I want to complete the quest."

After he had failed to complete the Troll Investigation quest, he had been annoyed. Although Adam's quest wasn't worth much, being able to complete the side quest was reward enough, especially with how many he still had outstanding.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Harry and Celeste emerged in a copse of gnarled oaks outside Thornfield.

The gate stood within the ruins of an ancient tower, its stone walls crumbling after centuries of neglect. Ivy crawled up the remaining structure like grasping fingers, and through gaps in the masonry, Harry glimpsed the telltale shimmer of a dimensional barrier.

He approached the gate and examined its inscription. He had examined it once before, but it had changed a little.

======Dungeon: Arcanum Sanctum

Level Range: 10

Difficulty: High

Restrictions: Minimum Level 20

Dungeon Break Status: 6 months

Environmental Corruption Status: 30%

Specifications:

Acolyte's Path: Find the remaining skill that leads to ascension.
The Magister's Legacy: Discover the demented wizard’s secret.
Dimensional Instability: Environmental hazards include temporal distortions.
Floor Progression: Complete the preceding floor to progress to the next.
Dungeon Diversity: The biome, monsters, and unique aspects on each floor may vary greatly. ======

Harry whistled low. The first specification was new and exactly what he needed to finally upgrade to an Acolyte Mage. He guessed the change happened because he had received the quest. Now he had even more motivation for completing the dungeon.

Beyond that, the concept of a Mage's Tower was brilliant. He imagined the treasures would be special as well.

Celeste hid in his jacket pocket as they entered Thornfield proper. The village consisted of perhaps thirty stone cottages clustered around a small market square. Smoke drifted from chimneys, and the smell of baking bread mingled with the earthy scent of recent rain.

Harry started asking locals about Adam, but suspicious glances followed his enquiries. His first attempt came with a woman carrying a basket of vegetables from the market. She stopped mid-stride when he mentioned the name.

"I don't know anyone by that name," she said quickly, hurrying away before Harry could respond.

A middle-aged woman clutched her shawl tightly when he approached her near the baker's shop. She shook her head vigorously before he'd even finished his question, muttering something about "stirring up old troubles" as she scurried away.

Harry remained patient. His Charismatic Gamer title made convincing them that he had no bad intentions manageable, though explaining why he wasn't in school proved more challenging.

The breakthrough came when he approached an elderly man sitting outside the village's only pub. The man had been watching Harry's attempts with obvious amusement, nursing a pint of ale despite the early hour.

"Adam?" The elderly man scratched his grey beard, considering the question carefully. "Aye, there used to be an Adam living here. Big fellow, strange-looking. Kept to himself mostly. This was decades ago, mind you."

"What happened to him?"

The man's expression darkened. "Disappeared after several people were killed. Nasty business, that was. Naturally, the constables assumed he was the culprit.”

"Were the constables certain he was responsible?"

"They searched for him, but he'd vanished without a trace. The house was empty, no belongings left behind. Made everyone more suspicious. Innocent folk don't flee in the night."

Harry nodded. This had to be connected to Frankenstein's monster. "Where did Adam live?"

"Had a cottage near the old tower in the woods." The man took a long draught of his ale. "No one's been to the place in a long time. Folks reckon it's cursed now."

"The old tower?"

"Aye, been there longer than anyone can remember. Some say it belonged to a wizard, but that's just stories." The man's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're not thinking of going there, are you, lad? Nothing good ever came from that place."

Harry thanked the man and made his way towards the woods. Celeste emerged once they left the village behind.

"Several decades?" she said. "No chance he's still there."

"I know." Harry pushed through a tangle of brambles. "Do you think he settled here because of the nearby gate?"

"It's likely. What are the odds he lived within a stone's throw of one?"

They found the cottage after twenty minutes of searching. The structure had suffered badly from years of abandonment. The thatched roof had partially collapsed, leaving gaping holes where rain had rotted the timbers.

The front door hung askew. Harry pushed it open and stepped inside.

The interior told a story of hasty departure. Furniture lay overturned, and personal belongings scattered the floor as though someone had searched the place thoroughly. A thick layer of dust covered everything, disturbed only by the tracks of small animals.

"Look at this," Celeste called from near the fireplace.

Harry approached to find her hovering over what remained of a journal, its pages partially burned. Only fragments of the text remained legible, but one passage caught his attention:

...the villagers grow suspicious. They whisper when I pass, crossing themselves as though I carry some curse. Perhaps they sense what I truly am Victor's creation, abandoned and alone. But I have found something here, something that calls to me from the old tower...

The text ended abruptly where the fire had consumed the rest.

"This confirms it," Harry said. "Adam was definitely here."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a notification appeared in his HUD.

======Quest Complete! Tracing the Monster's Path Description: You have successfully traced Frankenstein's monster to Thornfield. Rewards: 5000 XP; 1 PP

Harry smiled at the confirmation. Finally, the quest was completed.

Almost immediately, another notification followed.

======New Side Quest: The Monster's Fate

Description: Adam's trail leads to the Arcanum Sanctum dungeon. What drew Frankenstein's monster to this place, and what happened to him inside? The answers may lie within Magister Thornwood's twisted tower.

Objectives:

Enter the Arcanum Sanctum dungeon
Find evidence of Adam's presence within the tower
Discover what fate befell the monster

Rewards: 10000 XP; Unique magical item

Time Limit: None

Quest Difficulty: High ======

"Two quests related to Adam," Celeste observed, reading over his shoulder. "The System really wants you to follow this trail."

"Or it likes to overwhelm me with quests," Harry groused, dismissing the notifications.

He shouldn’t be complaining, but it would be nice to only have a few quests active at a time. He had the option to turn off side quests, but the idea pained him.

Harry continued searching the cottage, finding little else of value. In what had once been a bedroom, scorch marks on the wooden floor suggested someone had burned additional papers. Whatever secrets Adam had kept, he had been thorough in their destruction.

A glint of metal caught Harry's eye. Beneath a fallen beam, he spotted the edge of something metallic. Harry lifted the timber carefully, revealing a small brass key, tarnished but intact.

"Think it opens something in the tower?" Celeste asked.

"Only one way to find out."

They made their way back to the ruined tower.

"Ready for another dungeon dive?" Harry asked.

Celeste grinned. "Always. But first, shouldn't we let Jeanie know what we found?"

Harry checked his watch. It may not be the best idea to run the dungeon when he had classes tomorrow, but he was determined to get the remaining skill needed to upgrade his occupation to Acolyte Mage.

Plus, he had been itching to test out his dual-casting ability further. The skill allowed him to cast two spells simultaneously, potentially doubling his combat effectiveness. He had practised the technique, but actual combat would provide the real test of its capabilities.

With the three of them working together, the dungeon shouldn't take too long. Although the level range was a slight concern. The level range meant they would encounter monsters up to level thirty-three since his level sat at twenty-three.

"Right then," Harry said. "Let's have a look at your abilities before we step into the dungeon."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Harry and Celeste entered the dungeon. They appeared in a mess hall that looked to be in a castle. Stone walls rose high overhead, decorated with faded tapestries depicting arcane symbols and mystical creatures. Long wooden tables stretched across the chamber.

But it was the occupants that caught his attention.

The small, ugly creatures were frozen in shock, staring at the new arrivals. They were in the middle of eating and drinking. Their skin was mottled brown and green, like diseased leather, and their pointed ears twitched as they processed this unexpected intrusion. Yellowed fangs protruded from their lower jaws, and their beady red eyes darted between Harry and Celeste.

Harry scanned the nearest one, keeping his movements slow and non-threatening.

Primary Attributes: Agility: 30 | Perception: 25 | Strength: 25

Defence: 22

Primary Skills

Razor Claws: Fast slashing attacks that can cause bleeding

Demonic Fire: Throws small fireballs that bypass defence.

Minor Hexes: Casts weak curses that reduce the target's attributes.

Shriek Call: Summons nearby imps to its location

Monster Traits

Swarm Tactics: Becomes stronger when fighting alongside other imps.

Fire Resistance: Takes 25% less damage from fire-based attacks

Cowardly: Flees when isolated or outnumbered

======

Exp: 85 [Base 60 + 1 per level]

Loot: 35 pounds; Imp Claw; ????

Bestiary Entry: 0/20 defeated

Description: Small demonic creatures that infest abandoned magical locations. While individually weak, they compensate through superior numbers and coordinated attacks. Their pack mentality makes them dangerous opponents when encountered in groups, but they become cowardly when separated from their fellows. ======

The description didn't bode well. Dozens of imps packed the mess hall, all staring at them with growing hostility.

"Hi guys," Celeste said, waving at the monsters. "Don't mind us. We're just tourists exploring the place."

Harry's eyes swept the hall for an exit. "I don't think they believe you."

Two arched doorways led out of the mess hall—one directly ahead, and another to their right where torchlight flickered beyond the threshold. Both seemed equally viable as escape routes.

Finally, the imps reacted to their presence and released ear-splitting screeches. The sound echoed off the stone walls, a cacophony of rage and alarm that made Harry wince. Several imps overturned their tables, sending plates and food crashing to the floor as they scrambled to their feet. Others leaped onto the tables themselves, brandishing crude weapons and flexing their razor-sharp claws.

"Time to go," Harry said.

He rushed towards the door he had noticed straight ahead, with Celeste flying beside him.

They emerged into a corridor lined with torch sconces. The sounds of the imps pursuing them echoed from the mess hall, as they fought each other to get through the doorway first.

They raced down the corridor, searching for another exit. The passage stretched ahead, punctuated by heavy wooden doors that might lead to safety or more dangers. Harry tried the first door they passed, but it was locked tight.

Celeste glanced back at their pursuers and raised her hands. "Void Prison!"

Dark energy coalesced on the corridor floor behind them, creating obstacles that would slow the imps down. She cast the spell three more times in quick succession.

They reached an intersection where three corridors branched off from their current path. The left corridor continued with the same torch-lit appearance as the one they'd been following. The right corridor looked similar. But the centre corridor was completely different—no torches lined its walls, making it extremely dark beyond the first few metres.

"Perfect," Harry said.

He activated Sneak. The skill made him harder to detect, though it wouldn't render him completely invisible. He entered the darkened corridor, moving as quietly as possible while Celeste followed close behind.

The imps appeared at the intersection behind them. For some reason, they ignored the corridor where Harry and Celeste had taken refuge. Some followed the left passage while others took the right, but the rest lingered at the intersection, sniffing the air and looking confused. Their beady eyes seemed to slide past the dark corridor entrance as though it didn't exist.

Harry and Celeste were forced to follow the darkened corridor deeper into the tower. He had a feeling the imps didn't check this corridor for a reason, but it was the only option they had.

"Should we summon Jeanie now?" Celeste whispered. "While we still have the chance to?"

Harry nodded. He activated the Golem Subspace skill, wincing slightly at the three hundred mana point cost. While it was expensive, it was a one-off cost, and he would have a powerful golem helping him for the rest of the dungeon.

The dimensional gate shimmered into existence, and Jeanie stepped through. She looked around at the dark corridor with interest.

They continued down the corridor. The passage seemed to stretch on forever, with no side passages or doorways to break the monotony. But after several minutes of walking, they froze when they emerged at the same intersection they had just left.

Fortunately, they hadn't been noticed—the imps were still focused on the other corridors.

"Did we get turned around?" Celeste asked.

Harry shook his head. “I doubt it. The corridor is strange. Looks like the better option is to deal with the imps."

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, they continue exploring the dungeon, and Jeanie's full capabilities are revealed.

Thanks for reading.