The Ultimate Summoner

Chapter 6: Visit to the Ancient Gryphon Clan

Chapter 6: Visit to the ancient gryphon clan

The carriage soon arrived in front of a pair of majestic gates of the Gryphon Clan. Two imposing stone pillars, adorned with intricate carvings of gryphons in various poses - soaring, battling, and guarding treasure - support a grand arch topped with a proud gryphon with its wings spread wide. The warm, golden stone, weathered by centuries, exudes the aura of great strength and deep heritage. Gryphon-shaped door knockers gaze out from either side, several glyphs adorn the pillars, and torch holders shaped like gryphon talons hold unlit torches. Flanking the gates, two imposing stone gryphon statues stand guard, complemented by armed, armored clan guards bearing the Gryphon Clan's insignia, standing before them Aldrin couldn’t help but feel as though the Gryphons would come alive the very moment there was a slight sign of danger which made the guards seem more like a decoration instead.

As soon as the carriage reached the gates the formerly lax guards soon stood at attention “State your business.” A gruff voice came from atop one of the pillars which held the gates.

“I am Aldrin Draca son of Oliver, clan head of the Ancient Dragon Clan.” Aldrin replied from within his carriage with a slight frown on his face, his carriage had the crest of his clan so it is pretty obvious that he was from the ancient dragon clan and yet he was being questioned like a random person, it irked him a little.

“It’s pretty obvious where you’re from, I’m asking for your business.” The gruff voice replied arrogantly and this made Aldrin’s brows crease even further

“I want to meet with your clan head.” Aldrin replied as he parted the curtains of his carriage and peeked out to show his face but what came back was a bouts of laughter.

“Meet with the clan head, with just you? Go back home and suck some more milk kid.” The arrogant gruff voice said and this prompted Aldrin to step out of his carriage.

“You dare send me away without even passing my message across, aren’t you afraid of the backlash that might occur due to this?” Aldrin said with a smile as he looked up at the pair of soldiers who stood leisurely.

“What backlash, if it were anyone else I’d probably take them serious and at least deliver their message but you don’t have what it takes to make me do anything.” The addressing warrior replied with a sneer, Aldrin got mad at the bare ridicule but he still wore a calm smile.

“I knew this was going to happen, I wonder what father was thinking to have sent me, as for you I hope you’re ready to bear the responsibility of what’s about to happen next, it was evident that I came as instructed but wasn’t allowed entry. I hope you clan head lets you die peacefully at least.” Aldrin said before turning around and stepping into his carriage without waiting for a reply.

Just as the carriage man was about the spur the horses and about to turn around a panicked voice called out.

“Wait, what message do you have for our clan head, I’ll deliver it personally.”

Aldrin smiled to himself and ordered his driver to wait before stretching his neck out of the window.

“You’re not qualified to pass on this message.” Aldrin replied with a sneer and the carriage began to move.

“Wait! You may come in.” The guard quickly exclaimed and the gates opened revealing futuristic scenery beyond them, mechanoids and puppets moved around in orderly fashion dealing with most of the mundane tasks.

Mechanical carriages that gave off the full steampunk vibes moved around making his horse driven carriage look like some old school garbage.

“No matter how many times I visit this place, it never ceases to amaze me.” Aldrin said to himself and his driver just chuckled maintaining the standard etiquette of not engaging in conversations unless he was actively spoken to.

Being familiar with the terrain he easily navigated through the maze like structures and reached the section meant to attend to guests.

Aldrin alighted while the driver parked the carriage properly, as soon as he dropped a female attendant approached him, clad in clothes that could be considered quite revealing for their era as it comprised of a skirt that reached just a little below her knees and a top that hugged on to her body frame tightly. While she couldn’t be considered a top tier beauty she was definitely a beauty in her own rights.

“Young master Aldrin, please come with me the clan head is currently unavailable, but one of the elders would be meeting you in his stead.” She said in a thin beautiful voice that was akin to someone singing, Aldrin nodded his head in agreement, from the beginning he never hoped to be able to meet the clan head, meeting one of the elders was just as fine.

He followed the attendant to an extravagant reception where he was served with rare fruits and expensive wine which he sipped slowly as he waited but he didn’t have to wait long before a middle aged man appeared from one of the entrances that led into the reception, the moment he appeared Aldrin felt a strange pressure wash over him making his expression to change slightly but it vanished the next moment.

[Spiritual pressure detected, due to hosts’ higher spirituality all effects cancelled.]

Seeing the notification a realization washed over Aldrin and he couldn’t help but smile. It was common knowledge that after a practitioner reached the master grade they would begin to refine their souls and would also gain the ability to suppress anyone of a lower grade with their spiritual pressure and that was the reason the saying that ‘Only by becoming a master can you truly call yourself strong and everyone else would be akin to grass.’

But right now his system just made him understand the fact that he possessed a higher spirituality than a master grade practitioner, this also made him understand the concept of spirituality and basically it represented the weight or perhaps the purity of his soul.

The elder who saw Aldrin smiling couldn’t help but frown a bit, if he didn’t notice the initial change in his expression he would have considered that spiritual pressure had no effect on him but the smile on his face which didn’t seem faked combined with the fact that there was no trace of discomfort on him made him feel indignant, as though he was just slapped in the face.

[An increase in the surrounding spiritual pressure detected, due to hosts’ higher spirituality all effects cancelled]

Aldrin was momentarily stunned by the new notification but a little thought in hindsight made him realize what just happened and it took all he had in him to not laugh, he clasped his palms and bowed slightly as a form of respect.

“Greetings to Elder Zain.” Aldrin greeted but before he could reply the sound of metal hitting the marble ground.

Aldrin turned around to find the attendant who tended to him earlier lying sprawled on the floor as though being crushed by a mountain.

“I think it would be better if we had our discussion in somewhere a little more private, to avoid distractions as well as eavesdroppers.” He added with a smile and the elder nodded before turning around and Aldrin followed.

…

[Mission Accomplished

Rewards:

+1000 spirit points

+100 Elder Zain Favourability

+10 ancient gryphon clan favourability

+1 spirit technique]

Aldrin was full of smiles as he returned to his carriage, the negotiations with the ancient gryphon clan was successful, and aside the aids he received he also received some rewards from the system and the most important one of them was the technique he acquired.

He clicked on the spirit technique and the holographic image of a book appeared in his line of sight with words written in an unknown language scribbled on its cover but yet Aldrin could understand the said language. “Spirit Suppression”.

He tapped on the book and an option to learn the skill appeared to which he agreed.

[Spirit Suppression {Spirit; Level 1}: Suppresses target(s) via spiritual pressure, judgement based on difference in spirituality stats. Cost 20spirit per second. Pressure can be increased at an increase in spirit costs.]

Seeing this Aldrin smiled even further, if not for his inability to use zen techniques with this ability he could be considered a master grade practitioner. But even at that pretending to be one would be quite easy now.