Summoner 7

by Eric Vall

“Don’t try to lie to me,” I accused with a grin. “You’re thinking about Meridan.”

  “Bah,” Maelor grunted, “shut up, brat. My love life is none of your business.”

  “Oh, it’s not?” I asked innocently with a tilt of my head. “Then maybe next time, you two should lock the clinic door.”

  Maelor sputtered and turned beet red as he glared at me, but I maintained my blank, pleasant expression.

  “You’ve got some nerve, shithead,” Maelor warned.

  “Do I?” I asked neutrally, but I busted up laughing before I could maintain the joke any longer.

  When my chuckles wore off, Maelor rolled his eyes and obediently began to tell me about what he’d been doing around Varle Enclave.

  It sounded like there was plenty of menial work around town, especially after the Animandu had destroyed parts of the Academy building. Maelor couldn’t do much work at once, but the odd jobs suited him, and he’d been doing lots of relaxing in his semi-retirement.

  I was happy for him, and it made me feel at peace to hear things were going well, so I asked as many questions as I could.

  Eventually, Maelor put down his fork and gave me a discerning glare.

  “Hey, kid,” he rumbled out, “what the fuck are you doing spending this much time with some grouchy old man? Go hang out with your girlfriends.”

  “What?” I asked petulantly. “I’m enjoying myself.”

  “Like hell you are,” he grunted. “Now, get out of here and have some fun. Or at least practice.”

  I made a big deal about how much I didn’t want to leave, but to some extent he was right. I’d spent enough time relaxing and hanging out with friends, but I had some important preparations to do.

  I went back to my room and laid out my bandolier as well as my pouches and other containers. Then I spent the rest of the day reorganizing my crystals and memorizing their new positions.

  I didn’t want to be caught in a fight without a good idea of where my monsters were being kept. So, I practiced by naming a monster and touching the relevant crystal, and eventually I’d gone through the motions so much I could do it blindfolded and at rapid speed.

  Another day of uneasy rest went by, and even though I tried to put my heart into hanging out at dinner with my friends, I couldn’t shake my impatience to get moving.

  I went to bed without Layla that night since she, Nia, Erin, and Cyra asked me if they could go out for drinks as a girl’s night out occasion. It was nice to see them all getting along so well, especially since Cyra was newer to the school, so I told them I didn’t mind.

  After a night wracked by Sera’s tantalizing whispers of power and pleasure, I lay in bed listlessly as dawn tried to creep into the sky like a timid mouse. It was terribly slow, and it seemed like I waited sleeplessly in bed for ages. I realized I should have told my friends about my dreams, and how their presence in my bed pushed them away, but I also didn’t want them to worry too much. Still, I was starting to get grouchy from lack of sleep, so I realized I should say something today once I saw them.

  Then a knock sounded at my door.

  I rose and rubbed my weary eyes before I opened the door, but instead of seeing Layla, I was greeted by the sight of an enormous man built like a box ogre.

  “Braden!” I greeted with an uncontrollable grin. “I’m so glad you’re home, man.”

  “Me too,” Braden rumbled at me with bright eyes and a sweet, wholesome smile. “Ashla, Orenn, and Almasy are also back. ‘Course, the Wild Reds came with us as well.”

  “I’ve gotta go greet them,” I said with barely-contained excitement.

  Braden chuckled and ran a tired hand over his blocky face. “Go ahead and try, but they’re probably dead asleep by now. We had a long trip back, so I’d wait until later.”

  “Fine,” I said reluctantly as I wiped some of the sweat from my forehead.

  Braden peered at me closely. “You look dead on your feet, what’s up with you?”

  “Is it really that noticeable?” I asked with a frown.

  Braden’s face grew alarmed. “What’s gone wrong?”

  I shook my head and stopped him with an upraised hand. “Don’t ask and don’t worry about it. I’ll tell everybody tomorrow all at once. It’s a long story, and we’ve done a lot of repeating.”

  The big mage shrugged. “If you say so. I’m so tired, even my curiosity can’t keep me up.”

  I grinned jokingly. “We’re so far past your early bedtime, you might as well have missed two days of sleep.”

  “Ha ha, very funny,” Braden commented as he yawned.

  We said our goodnights, and Braden was out like a light. I pretended to sleep for a few hours before I finally knocked out for real. By the time I woke up, it was nearly noon, and the newly arrived members of our team had gotten their rest.

  I met them all in a remote part of the training yard far away from prying ears and watchful eyes. Layla, Cyra, Erin, Nia, and Varleth showed up along with me. Ashla and the Wild Reds looked happy and healthy, and Almasy seemed as cool and unaffected as usual. Orenn seemed a little on the quiet side, but I suspected rebuilding Balvaan had been just as rewarding for him as it was sobering.

  All of our team was finally here. Now, it was time to tell them.

  Our growing story took ages to recount, but at least it wasn’t boring to listen to. Various parts of our tale inspired a number of shocked reactions and intense questions. Most of the asking was from Doc and the other Wild Reds, since they hadn’t heard most of the story.

  When we were done, I instructed Nia to tell them what needed fixing. She explained about the construction work in the Headmaster’s office and the massive amounts of research that had to be done. Then she listed off dozens of minor duties and tasks that needed to be undertaken even though they weren’t urgent. I didn’t even know how she remembered them all, let alone how she could delegate each job so precisely to each member of the Reds.

  Ashla got put on scholar duty, so she would work alongside Arwyn, Headmaster Sleet, Lle’shenne, Poppy, and the others I only vaguely knew about. The Academic team was making quick progress, but it came at the cost of being barely seen or heard as they toiled away in obscurity.

  I volunteered for construction duty and worked alongside Braden and Layla to provide the summoning power necessary for the job. Cementrolls, axe goblins, and box trolls were once again my bread and butter monsters as I removed debris and cleared the area so human workers could eventually come in and do the finer craftsmanship.

  Two more days passed before I heard any important news, but when it came, it was big enough to earn another meeting in the secret room. Arwyn came to get me, and I accompanied her to pick up the rest of my team. Doc and the other Reds weren’t invited, but Ashla joined us as we made our way down the stairs and into the meeting room.

  Kenefick, Goredrin, and Sleet awaited us at the large table already. The Headmaster indicated for us to sit with a gentle wave of his staff, and we all took seats around the long table with some trepidation at the formality of it.

  “You leave for your next mission tomorrow,” Sleet began solemnly. “I’m sorry to give you such short notice, but we’ve had a breakthrough in our translation efforts.”

  Ashla and Arwyn nodded in tandem as they watched the Headmaster. Both of them had an eager, shifty look in their eyes, as if they could barely restrain themselves from announcing the big news themselves.

  “What did you discover?” Cyra asked curiously to prompt the Headmaster to continue.

  Sleet opened up the book sitting in front of him, and I recognized it as Arwyn’s journal. Notes from a half a dozen different hands were scribbled into it, and I realized the entire team had adopted her notebook to compile their findings into a single account. It had the rushed, haphazard look of a discovery too important to write down slowly.

  “The ciphers detail the presence of nine Archons, which are intelligent monsters with almost godlike power,” Sleet replied as he frowned and stared into
the book. “Gryff’s experiences with Sera can back up this account, which leads me to believe the rest of what the ciphers say is also true. Our translation indicates that in addition to the nine Archons, there are nine places where an opened rift would have the potential to become permanent.”

  A shocked silence fell over the table, though Arwyn and Ashla showed no surprise.

  “A permanent rift?” Erin asked in horror.

  Sleet nodded with gravity. “If one were opened, it would mean disastrous consequences for all of Mistral. Not only would the rift remain open throughout the night, but not even a banisher would be able to close it.”

  “How would one be opened?” I asked in concern.

  Sleet patted the journal in front of him. “Luckily, it is not an easy feat. Though I imagine some of the Archons would like to open one, it sounds like there are special conditions. However, the translation ends there. Without the final two ciphers, we don’t know what Phi needs to open one.”

  “A rift that stays open forever,” Layla murmured as she wrinkled up her nose. “It sounds way beyond what we can handle.”

  “What about the Beastmaker?” Nia asked with a frown. “Do we need to worry about him helping the Archons? Who even is he?”

  The Headmaster closed his eyes and shook his head. “We don’t know. Many hints are given about him, and it seems clear to us he was born thousands of years ago. Perhaps it means he’s long dead by now, or perhaps not. He might be a powerful, immortal being, in which case the situation grows even more dangerous for us.”

  Arwyn tucked her red hair behind one ear as she leaned forward. “Let’s not assume the Beastmaker is our enemy without the proof of it. He could be on our side. He might not even be real. We just don’t have enough answers yet. The first four tablets have a lot of information, but they paint a fragmented, incomplete message. I’m confident Gryff and his team will return with the final ciphers, and then we can make real conclusions.”

  I smiled to hear Arwyn put so much faith in my team’s ability. Her optimism about the potential of the completed tablets was refreshing, and the entire room relaxed as they considered her words.

  “Given Arwyn’s research, I believe Phi’s actions up until now have all been calculated moves to attempt to open a permanent rift,” Sleet said. “She may be close to her goal.”

  “Alright, now we are getting to the good stuff,” Orenn said as he brought his fists together. “Let’s smash that bitch.”

  “Where exactly is the mission?” Ashla asked cautiously.

  Sleet’s wizened face wrinkled as he smiled. “I have a researcher tasked with discovering the location of Phi. She hasn’t figured it out yet, but when we do, I want you to wait at the location until a rift opens. Then you’ll enter and retrieve the ciphers from Phi. If it’s possible, I want Phi to be taken care of completely. You may have to bring her back alive in Gawain’s body, if you cannot find a way to separate them. However, if you find a way to destroy her, I urge for you to take that route.”

  “Headmaster,” I asked tentatively, “if your researchers don’t come up with a location, should we just chase rifts until we find a sign of Gawain and Phi?”

  Suddenly, the door burst open. It slammed loudly against the wall, and most of us flinched at the sound. An older, dark-skinned woman in air mage robes stood in the entryway as she panted.

  “Lle’shenne,” Sleet greeted calmly, “have you discovered the location?”

  “I have,” she answered breathily with a worried frown. “According to this translation, the Archon known as Phi has been known to make her home in a palace made of stone as black as a moonless night. Thousands of years ago, she erected the building using a massive army of monsters, and she’s been quite attached to it ever since. The text also mentioned a permanent rift that connects Phi’s palace to our world.”

  “That was what we thought,” Sleet mused as he stroked his chin.

  “We need to put a stop to her,” I said with determination. “We can’t let Phi open the rift.”

  Sleet smiled craftily, and the old mage’s face lit up with sly delight. “I’m glad you say that, Gryff. Your team shall retrieve the ciphers and keep the rift from opening. Luckily, we know where to go, as I believe you mentioned such a black palace to me before.”

  “Of course,” Arwyn breathed quietly.

  Sleet pulled his staff close to rest his hands atop it, and his pale gaze pierced my soul with unnerving intensity.

  “Your next mission is to Ortych Sands,” he announced.

  Chapter 17

  We spent the rest of the day in a state of excited anticipation as we prepared for our mission in the morning. After we spent so long relaxing and taking care of odd jobs around the Academy, it was a complete relief to finally have a real goal ahead of us.

  Varleth checked his armor and sword for what I hoped would be the last time before we set off on our mission, and Erin packed away her tools for the airship.

  Even though Cyra had enjoyed long days of good drinking, she itched to get back into the field. Layla was also more than happy to leave behind the delicious food for a chance to bring back Gawain and the ciphers.

  After the meeting, I hurried to catch Nia in the cafeteria. I grabbed a plate and stood behind her in line as we waited for our food.

  “Are you coming with us?” I asked as I brushed shoulders with Nia.

  She turned to look at me, and her braid of ashen hair slid from her shoulder. “I don’t think so, Gryff.”

  “Oh,” I replied simply.

  I tried not to look too crestfallen, but it must have shown on my face anyways, because Nia lowered her voice and leaned in closer.

  “Don’t worry,” she said with a soft, beautiful smile. “I just have to stay behind and wrap a few things up on the political side of things while I can. It’s going well, actually.”

  “Really?” I asked as I stretched over the counter to take three bread rolls from the basket. “What’s the plan?”

  Nia plucked one of the bread rolls off my plate and moved it to her own. “Basically, we found a loophole in the laws.”

  “A fun loophole?” I asked teasingly.

  “Very fun,” Nia responded as she ladled soup into a bowl for herself. “If the people vote in favor of the uprising, it means the military coup will be counted as legit, and my father will be completely legally excused for killing Miriam.”

  “That is a fun loophole,” I said approvingly. “So, you just have to call a vote?”

  Nia nodded and handed me a napkin. “Exactly. It will be difficult to organize, but if we’re careful to keep the vote count out in the open and neutral, it should reassure the nobles we’re not trying anything shifty.”

  “And there’s no worry people will vote against General Kenefick anyway,” I added with a smile. “He’s obviously a better option than Miriam, plus he can fill the seat of Grand Mage with both magical and leadership expertise.”

  Nia arranged her plate carefully. “It does sound likely we’ll win the vote, but I’m not celebrating our victory yet. People who don’t know as much as we do might not like the idea of a military man in charge of things.”

  “I guess so,” I sighed, “but still, I’m glad you’ll be done with this political stuff soon. Maybe when we come back with Gawain, you can join us on our next mission.”

  “I’d like that,” she sighed. “I wished to go with you on this mission, but my father really nee--”

  “It’s fine,” I interrupted her. “You take care of things here, and I’ll save the world. It’s what I do best.”

  Nia laughed, and then shot me a sideways glance. “I can’t believe a country boy like you ever won me over. It’s a miracle we’re not still snapping at each other and fighting through all our classes.”

  “Those were practice fights,” I protested, “and they were in combat class. It’s not the same thing at all.”

  Nia giggled and shook her head, and together we sat down with the rest of our friends at
one of the cafeteria tables.

  It was one of our final meals together as one big group, so an unspoken tense feeling hung over our early lunch. Since Erin would take care of piloting and earth magic, Almasy had already left on another mission to a new rift in the Wilds. Mage pilots were in high demand these days, so we couldn’t afford to take more than one with us.

  Braden would be staying behind to work on construction in Varle Enclave, which was fine since we already had a full set of three summoners on the team with Layla, Cyra, and me.

  Arwyn and Ashla joined us for lunch, but they would soon go back to lab research and working with the Wild Reds on repairs. Sleet was keeping the ciphers secret from many of the teachers at the Academy, so he couldn’t spare any scholars for our mission.

  Altogether, the only new member to join our team this time would be Orenn. The metallogue was looking better every day, and his unflappable cheer had returned in full force. He was eager to prove himself on the battlefield once more, and Sleet had approved him for the mission. That would grow our team into six people: Varleth, Orenn, Erin, Cyra, Layla, and me.

  After lunch, we said a few watery-eyed goodbyes to each other and went back to our preparations.

  The hours passed by quickly as I readied myself for the mission in Ortych Sands. I hoped a rift would open on its own there, but I had a feeling I would end up having to use Sera’s power.

  As the day turned into evening, I found myself with nothing more to do. My bag was packed, my clothes were appropriately suited for the desert, and my essence crystals were still perfectly memorized. Just when I thought I was going to have to call it quits and go down to the library for some reading, there was a sudden knock at my door.

  “Coming,” I called as I went over to the door to pull it open.

  Ashla stood there with a stack of books in her hands and a careful smile on her face. Her thick, coarse hair was tied in elaborate braids over her shoulders, and the style framed the sharp angles of her face nicely. She wore a red blouse that laid loosely over her body as well as tight, form-fitting pants that highlighted the curves of her hips.