Summoner's Call (The Summoner Trilogy Book 1)

by Sarah Anne Piddock

  ‘Thank you,’ Seiya noted that Bifull didn’t waste any time in retreating back towards the school once his task was complete. She wrapped her arms round tighter and suppressed a shiver as the biting wind cut through her shirt and tunic, not that the Master seemed to care his new student was on the verge of freezing.

  ‘Come on.’ Paudry didn’t even look at Seiya as he beckoned for her to follow.

  ‘This is Seiya,’ he shouted to the group of waiting students and the faces turned towards him, breaking off from their individual conversations.

  ‘I’ve been forced to let her join this class,’ Seiya didn’t even notice the Master’s bitterness, or his meaningful emphasis as he carried on talking. Her eyes were locked on the centre student of the group, the last one who had turned to face her. The part of her mind considering escape began screaming in earnest, hunger overwhelmed by queasiness.

  Amaran stared straight back at her expressionlessly; Seiya was amazed by the lack of surprise, almost as if he had known what to expect, his face a stark contrast to the puzzlement worn by the rest of the class. His comments the night before the exam made a horrible kind of sense; he knew of her request summoning and had thought the wild demons would be utterly beyond her grasp.

  ‘Is this some kind of joke?’

  The universe really hated her. Seiya felt only weary resignation as Jamen marched over and stood only a few strides away, talking to the Master as if she wasn’t even there. Of course it would have to be his class.

  ‘It’s the Council’s decision,’ Paudry snapped in response, broadcasting his own annoyance at the situation. Jamen looked even angrier than normal as he turned and glared at her, as if this was her choice and she’d somehow tricked the Council into complying. Seiya ignored him, she was far more concerned by the knowing look on Amaran’s face.

  Paudry cleared his throat. ‘Well done on passing the level five exam,’ he stated pointedly, looking meaningfully at Seiya. ‘Level six is about honing your summoning skills until you feel capable of taking the test to become a master summoner.’ He smiled slightly, ‘not that everyone is capable but you are now all full summoners,’ again Seiya could sense his gaze singling her out, ‘and have nothing to be ashamed of if you can go no further.’ Scanning the determined faces in the group Seiya didn’t think any of them looked likely to quit. She recognised Tooks, standing near where Jamen had been before his verbal attack. Two others stood near Amaran, complete opposites in physical types. One was small and wiry, fidgeting as if he was unable to stand still for a minute. The other matched Amaran in height, but seemed far larger with broad shoulders, deep chest and thick arms and legs. He made Amaran look skinny in comparison though Seiya knew that he too was well muscled, strong enough to pin her down at least. Consciously smoothing the frown away prompted by the memory she hoped the others hadn’t noticed her change in expression.

  ‘We will start with a quick refresher, pair up and summon a rank eleven for general melee utilising both magical and physical offence and defence.’ Seiya didn’t like his expression as his eyes rested on her then flicked to Jamen still staring at her with disgust.

  ‘Jamen you can pair with Seiya.’ Initially it looked as if the boy would blurt out an instant refusal but his mouth closed again with no sound coming out. As he smiled Seiya suddenly knew how mice felt when cornered by one of ranch’s feral cats. She schooled her expression to calm indifference and tried to ignore her rapidly increasing heartbeat. There was no doubt in her mind Jamen intended to use his full power to prove a point. She had never deliberately combined magical and physical fighting, and she had been dreading the thought of having to make the demons fight during the level five lessons. She had promised herself that the wild demon badly wounded during the exam would be the last demon to suffer because of her.

  ‘This is ridiculous,’ Seiya shouted after Paudry, the Master was already walking off, ‘the highest I’ve summoned is a rank eight, I can’t just suddenly call a rank eleven.’ She closed herself off to the stares from the other students. Jamen was enjoying himself, Tooks and the two she didn’t know looked concerned, Amaran was just watching her with mild curiousity. She had noticed him lift his eyebrows slightly when she claimed her highest summoning was rank eight. He hadn’t told anyone about her request summoning yet, she could only hope he would stay quiet.

  ‘That’s not my problem,’ Paudry waved towards Jamen, ‘what are you waiting for? Call your demon.’ Jamen answered with a vicious grin and Seiya felt the gateway forming beside him. Panic washed over her as she sensed it was incredibly strong.

  ‘I won’t make them fight!’ Paudry seemed deaf to her shouts, the other students lingered as well; their heads shifting to focus first on her and then Jamen.

  ‘Is it really safe for her to call a high rank demon?’ the small boy asked nervously, his question carried to Seiya on the wind.

  ‘If it breaks free I’m sure Master Paudry can restrain it before it reaches the school,’ Amaran replied loudly, clearly intending his voice to carry. ‘And we can all protect ourselves,’ he finished pointedly. Thanks, Seiya thought bitterly, make it perfectly obvious you intend to let the demon attack me unobstructed. Not that it would of course, but it was aggravating it sounded as if he was looking forward to it. Or maybe not, she corrected herself. He had seen her request summoning, there was no reason for him to believe the demon would harm her. Was he simply laying the foundations so he could accuse her when the demon didn’t attack?

  Jamen’s demon had appeared; although smaller than the wild one she had called in the exam she could tell it was far more powerful. The bindings were wrapped tightly around it, instinct told her it was a fire elemental but it was difficult to be certain. At the lower ranks the elemental demons had all been tiny, delicate things. This was the first time she’d encountered an intimidating physical fighter that exuded waves of magical energy. Well except the one Amaran had used in the library, but she’d been in such a state of shock that it didn’t really count.

  ‘I refuse-’ Seiya felt her mouth go dry as she spotted Youally walking towards them, flanked by Bifull and another one of the students who stood guard. She closed her eyes and wondered if the day could get any worse; Bifull must have told him about her attempt to get Paudry to refuse to teach her. -’

  ‘Refusing to take part are we?’ Youally’s anticipation was disgusting. Seiya glared back at him, certainly he would’ve wanted the Council to hand down a more severe punishment, from his high spirits she assumed that would be the consequences of refusing to work willingly in the level six class.

  She couldn’t summon. Jamen could hardly wait to prove his superiority, his anger and frustration would make him push the demon far past its limits; even if Seiya called one of equal rank it would be outmatched. Summoning a higher rank wasn’t an option; regardless of whether or not she was capable doing so with both Youally and Amaran as witnesses would be disastrous. She doubted the Council would be treat her as reasonably if she was labeled rebellious and powerful. Her refusal on the basis of rank would make sense to the others; no normal summoner would expect to be able to handle a three rank jump, especially at this level where the gaps between ranks would be substantial.

  ‘I’m worried I won’t be able to control it.’ Seiya tried pleading with Paudry but it had no effect, except to please Youally even more.

  ‘Don’t let us stop you,’ he addressed Jamen as if Seiya hadn’t spoken, ‘start attacking.’

  ‘But she hasn’t summoned,’ Jamen was frowning towards Youally, clearly even his dislike didn’t stretch to setting demons upon her.

  ‘Do you want to be expelled?’ Youally replied harshly. ‘A Master has given you an order, she has no-one to blame but herself if she refuses to summon.’

  Seiya knew she shouldn’t have been shocked at Youally’s callous approach, only the other day he’d been happily condemning her classmates to be ripped apart by wild demons. Yet she still found herself staring at him in disbelief; even Paudry seemed
taken aback, his earlier eagerness to force her into battle fading.

  ‘You can’t do this!’ Turning angrily towards Youally, Seiya barely dodged the talons sweeping towards her. Survival instinct made her leap aside, the clawed hand catching her a glancing blow rather than slicing her open. She still ended up on the floor badly winded, yelping as she landed on still tender bruises.

  ‘MOVE!’

  Seiya felt her lips spring into an involuntary smile, only one person would bellow at her like that. She winced as Gorbacov dragged her roughly to her feet, Jamen showing the good sense to hold his attack so the Master wasn’t involved. At least it seemed the Master’s punishment hadn’t included being locked in the cells, a thought that had been worrying her ever since learning of their existence.

  ‘How dare you interfere!’ Seiya flinched at Youally’s fury, though for once she wasn’t his target. ‘You have no right-’

  ‘What are you doing?’ Gorbacov demanded angrily, his temper matching Youally’s. ‘Since when do we send demons against people?’ Seiya bit her tongue and resisted mentioning the exam. Dismissing Youally with a contemptuous look Gorbacov turned his attention to Paudry, the Master was shifting uncomfortably and looked as if he wished he could disassociate himself from the whole debacle.

  ‘What’s going on Paudry?’ Seiya recognised the studied reasonable tone that always spelled trouble. ‘This is very unlike you,’ Gorbacov continued, his voice dangerously controlled.

  ‘They are meant to fighting with rank elevens,’ from the way Gorbacov’s eyebrows shot skyward in exaggerated surprise Seiya guessed this was not a normal level six first lesson.

  ‘They’re a strong class,’ Paudry added defensively, ‘I’ve always given them slightly harder lessons.’ Gorbacov still didn’t look convinced.

  ‘The girl is refusing to summon,’ finally mastering his anger well enough to speak there was no hiding the triumph in Youally’s tone. ‘The Council will have to take-’

  ‘Why are you wasting time?’ Seiya was caught completely off-balance as Gorbacov rounded on her, leaving Youally open mouthed in astonishment at being so rudely ignored. ‘Get on with it, we don’t have all day,’ he added impatiently, gesturing towards Jamen’s waiting demon. Seiya could feel her mouth working but no sound was coming out, staring at her former teacher in shock.

  ‘But it’s a rank eleven,’ she finally managed to stumble out in some coherent form. ‘I-’

  ‘-am perfectly capable of summoning a rank thirteen should I feel like it.’ Gorbacov finished, giving her a quick smile that none of the others could see. ‘Since when are you scared of summoning?’ he murmured softly, giving her a small push towards the demon. ‘Show them what you can do.’

  Gorbacov’s faith in her was astounding; he didn’t know about request summoning so he must believe she could bring a rank thirteen across through raw power alone and hold it bound. Seiya felt intensely grateful for the Master coming to help her, though from Youally’s poisonous gaze he would probably be made to suffer for it. Treating Gorbacov to a brief nod and reassuring smile Seiya could feel her confidence returning. She had nothing to worry about, even if every binding snapped the demons would still protect her. Should anything else go wrong, Youally included, she would trust Gorbacov to pick up the pieces.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The look on Jamen’s face as he sensed her gateway was priceless. Seiya held it far longer than necessary, speaking the incantation slowly to let him fully appreciate what she was doing. He thought he was so much better than her, it was about time he found out the truth.

  ‘Attack her!’ Youally’s bellow broke the spell holding Jamen, the boy jumping and instantly throwing his arms above his head. The gesture looked ridiculous but fire swiftly appeared above Jamen’s hands, coalescing into brightly burning spheres. As he flung his arms the balls shot towards her, each one nearly the size of a cart-wheel. The sight wasn’t as terrifying as it might have been without the demons late night training sessions, she knew the technique though had never mastered the art of juggling her apple-sized fireballs. Though this was on a completely different scale and she had no idea how to deal with other peoples…

  He was aiming for her not the gateway! For a second her mind blanked as Seiya stared at the oncoming destruction, if they hit-

  ‘What are you doing?’ the demon shouted angrily in her mind. There was a surge of elemental power and the projectiles smashed into a glowing wall, a thin weaving of fiery threads spreading out to form a solid surface. Seiya could feel the heat from both fires, the shattered spheres tumbling along the shield to the ground, setting the grass alight. The flames were instantly snuffed out as Seiya sensed the demon’s elemental manipulation at work again.

  ‘Thank you,’ she resisted the urge to collapse in relief. She had relaxed the demon’s bindings out of habit, a sub-conscious part of her summoning ritual. Without that and the demon’s instant reaction to protect her the moment it had emerged through the gateway she could have been badly hurt. The observers had fallen into stunned silence, though a quick look at Gorbacov’s smug expression made her wonder how he thought she’d known what to do. Certainly it would never occur to him the demon had done it for her.

  The demons do the hard work for you. Amaran’s accusation flashed into her mind. Would he guess what had happened? Sense she had relaxed all the bindings? The Master’s never had but they wouldn’t have been looking for it.

  ‘What were you waiting for?’ the demon’s irritated query distracted her from her disturbing train of thought.

  ‘I’ve not been taught this,’ Seiya replied defensively, ‘and I don’t want to make you fight.’

  ‘We’ve put up with it this long,’ the demon snorted in disgust. ‘Sometimes a skilful summoner can be interesting, something you need to learn.’

  ‘Are you volunteering to teach me then?’ Seiya challenged, rising to the demon’s insulting tone. Rather than being sympathetic all her supposed supporters seemed to be baiting her today

  ‘Who would be better?’ the demon demanded, with no attempt at false modesty.

  ‘Something like this then?’ Seiya suggested. Concentrating on the ground just before Jamen’s feet she pushed her power through the demon’s elemental ties. Jamen roared with angry disbelief when fire erupted from the earth in front of him. Allowing her power to fuel the flames Seiya watched as the fiery tongues reached high above Jamen’s head. The boy tripped over his own feet in his rush to get away, scrabbling backwards on the floor. His demon’s attack halted as she felt the bindings waver, his concentration far more focused on saving his own skin.

  ‘You’re wasting energy,’ the demon told her critically, clearly unimpressed with her sheet of flame. Seiya resisted the urge to reinstate all the bindings as she felt the demon’s own magical power remove her fire. Jamen was on his feet again and she knew he’d be furious, he hated her enough already without this embarrassment. Hearing a commotion going on behind her Seiya saw Gorbacov walking back towards the school, blithely ignoring Youally’s continuing tirade. Seiya wished she had seen Youally’s face when the demon’s shield appeared; instead she contented herself with giving the Master a cheery wave. It had the desired effect, seemingly speechless with rage Youally spun on his heel and stormed back to the school, no doubt to plot his next attempt to make her life miserable, Bifull and the other student running to keep up.

  With Gorbacov and Youally gone the lesson started properly, the others stopped watching Seiya and drifted off to find their own areas to practice. Paudry hung around a little bit longer, watching Seiya’s performance appraisingly before he walked over to check on the rest of the class.

  Jamen, on the other hand, was becoming increasingly annoyed at Seiya’s range of abilities. Had he known she was also suffering a constant string of verbal abuse Seiya thought he probably wouldn’t have felt so put out. The demon was a harsh task-master and as a teacher had ludicrously high expectations. It was making her do all the work, using physical bind
ings to control the fighting movements whilst still using the elemental link to call fire as both weapon and shield. As the demon had nothing to do but sit and criticise Seiya was rapidly running out of patience.

  Still, thanks to the intense tutelage by the time Paudry let them stop for lunch Seiya felt confident she could match the other’s abilities. Before being dismissed the demon assured her she should have no qualms about summoning them to take part in the battles, suggesting the demons be left to choose who should answer her summons rather than ever specifying an element. The extra part of the incantation merely forced a fire demon to appear, leaving it out gave any demon a choice of responding, elemental or otherwise.

  In her periphery Seiya could see another Master was approaching, forgotten in the morning’s ordeal she suddenly recalled her “level five Master”. Awoken by the thought of food her stomach was already growling in anticipation, there was no way she was being denied another meal. As the other students started walking back to the main school buildings she ran to place herself at the tall student’s side, assuming his bulk would easily hide her from view.

  ‘I’m Havir,’ despite looking slightly perplexed at her strange behaviour the boy still gave her a warm smile. ‘What are you doing exactly?’ he watched in puzzlement as Seiya dropped back until she was nearly walking on his heels.

  ‘I’ve got to hide from that Master,’ she explained, peeking round hand moving forwards as the Master walked parallel to them until she was at Havir’s side again.

  ‘Whoa!’ Havir nearly tripped over as she moved to walk in front of him, the Master had stopped and was looking back towards the line of students.

  ‘What are you looking at?’ The smaller boy was walking next to her now, watching curiously as she tried to take a quick look round Havir without being exposed.

  ‘He’s going over to talk to Paudry,’ the smaller boy informed her, craning his neck round to see. Seiya let out a sigh of relief, she had managed to escape detection. She might at least get a chance for some food before he realised he had missed her.