DarkRequiem cast spells from his staff—fireballs, flame walls, explosive meteors. His movements were enhanced with fire effects, flames wreathing his hands with each cast.
-1045 HP! (Fireball)
-1200 HP! (Flame Lance)
-1866 HP! (Meteor Strike – Critical!)
"See those numbers? That's the Phoenix contract boosting my fire damage by 60%. Plus I get +45 Intelligence, +30% casting speed, and fire immunity. It's insane."
DarkRequiem dodged an enemy attack with enhanced movement speed. "The contract also gives me these mobility buffs—basically partial phoenix flight. I can't actually fly, but I can double-jump and glide."
The demons fell under the sustained magical assault. No summoned creature, no visible companion—just DarkRequiem with significantly enhanced stats and abilities.
"This is why Soulbinder is actually better than Summoner for high-end content," DarkRequiem continued. "Summoners have to protect their pets, worry about pet AI, deal with pathing issues. Soulbinders get all the power directly. Your contract is permanent—it never dies, never gets stuck, never pulls extra mobs by accident."
The chat was active:
"so its just passive buffs?"
"seems kinda boring compared to summoner"
"yeah but those BUFFS tho. 60% fire damage is nuts"
"what contract did you choose at start?"
"I started with Ember Wisp," DarkRequiem answered. "Got it to Rank C through questing, then at level 30 I completed a hidden quest chain that let me upgrade it to the Legendary Ember Phoenix. Took like 40 hours of grinding but totally worth it."
Max leaned closer to the screen. DarkRequiem's contract didn't level up with him—it had gone up to Rank C (now Legendary tier after the upgrade), but it wasn't level 37 like the player. It had a static rank that could be upgraded through quests, but it didn't gain experience or levels.
"The one downside of Soulbinder," the streamer continued, "is that your contract is fixed. Once you bond with a spirit, that's it—you can't change or replace it without starting over. So choose carefully. I got lucky with Ember Wisp having a legendary evolution path."
A viewer question appeared on screen: "can you have multiple contracts?"
"Yeah, at level 10 you unlock the ability to have two contracts, level 20 you can have three. Each one gives different buffs that stack. I'm still working on my second contract—trying to find something that complements fire damage."
Another question: "do contracts level with you?"
"Nah, they don't level. They have ranks—F, E, D, C, B, A, S, and apparently Legendary/Mythic tiers. You upgrade the rank through special quests or items. My Phoenix is stuck at Legendary Rank C until I find the next evolution quest."
Max sat back, processing this.
DarkRequiem's Soulbinder experience was completely different from his. The streamer had a static contract that provided massive passive buffs but couldn't be summoned as a combat entity. It didn't level, didn't gain experience, didn't grow alongside the player.
Night was the opposite—an active combat companion that leveled with Max, gained new abilities, equipped weapons, and fought as a separate entity.
Max opened a new tab and searched the Soulbinder forums specifically for contract leveling mechanics.
Thread after thread confirmed what DarkRequiem had said:
"Soulbinder Guide: Understanding Contract Ranks"
"Your contract doesn't level. It has a fixed rank that determines its buff strength. Focus on finding rank upgrade quests."
"PSA: Contracts are PERMANENT"
"Choose wisely! You're stuck with your first contract choice. It won't level or change."
"Best starting contracts for Soulbinder?"
"Ember Wisp if you're going magic DPS, Lunar Wolf if you're going physical/tank, Corrupted Sprite if you're going debuff support."
Nobody mentioned contracts leveling. Nobody mentioned contracts being summonable as active combat entities. Nobody mentioned equipment slots for contracted spirits.
Max checked his own character information in his mind.
His Soulbinder was fundamentally different.
The "Chains of Eternity" questline had unlocked mechanics that didn't exist for normal Soulbinders. While other players got static contracts that provided passive bonuses, Max had a living, evolving companion that grew with him.
And based on the forums, nobody else even knew this was possible.
Max switched tabs and checked the Real Money Trading section of the forums. It had exploded since launch.
AETHERIA ONLINE - OFFICIAL RMT MARKETPLACE
Sanctioned by Kronos Interactive
Featured Listings:
[LEGENDARY SWORD: Void Reaver] – Level 30 Required
Stats: Attack +180, Strength +30, Void Damage +50%
Current Bid: $45,000 USD
Buyout: $75,000 USD
[MYTHIC ARMOR SET: Dragon Knight's Plate] – Level 35 Required
Full set bonus: +500 Defense, +50 All Stats, Dragon Transformation Ability
Current Bid: $120,000 USD
Buyout: $200,000 USD
[Gold Exchange Rate (Official)]
1 Gold = $12.50 USD
Minimum purchase: 10 Gold ($125)
Maximum daily purchase: 1,000 Gold ($12,500)
[Account Sales - PROHIBITED]
Character boosting services - PROHIBITED
Item duplication - PROHIBITED & Bannable
Max did the math. He had made about 30 gold today from farming. At the official exchange rate, that was $375. Not bad for eight hours of gaming.
But the high-end items were absurd. $200,000 for a mythic armor set? Who had that kind of money?
The answer was in the forums: corporate sponsors, trust-fund kids, and players who were taking gaming very seriously as a career investment.
Max found a thread discussing the economy:
"How Aetheria is Creating Real-World Millionaires"
Posted by: EconomistGamer – 2 hours ago – 23,456 replies
"The Aetheria economy is already producing significant real-world wealth. Conservative estimates suggest the top 100 players will each be earning $50,000+ per month through a combination of:
1. Item sales (rare drops sold on official marketplace)
2. Gold farming and exchange
3. Streaming revenue (top streamers getting 6-figure sponsorships)
4. Guild sponsorships (corporate teams paying salaries)
5. Coaching and guide sales
This is unprecedented. We're watching the birth of a new economy in real-time."