Summoner

by Eric Vall

Tremendously bad, as it turned out.

  I almost gagged as soon as the liquid touched my tongue. It tasted like hot sludge, like burning lava pouring down my throat. The smell was such a wildly different sensation, so much so that it almost made the taste worse by the clash of senses. My eyes watered, and my nose flared, but before I could toss away the vial, Arwyn was there, forcing me to drink. I gagged and wanted to spit it out, but she cupped her hand over my mouth.

  “Gryff, you have to drink,” she said, her voice stern, but then it became a tad more soothing. “I know it’s awful but there isn’t another choice.”

  I fixed her with a glare, but I did my best to hold it down. My stomach and throat protested as soon as I swallowed. The mixture felt like hot cement tearing up my insides as it went through me torturously slow. When it hit my stomach, it grumbled and made my chest burn. Hell, pure hell.

  Mere moments later, the pain began to lessen, the unease gone. I felt my eyelids droop and my vision blur. The world began to swirl and blur. Arwyn looked relieved.

  “This makes you go to sleep,” she told me. “Helps with the healing process, but don’t worry, you’re safe now.” She placed a hand on my own and stroked it with her thumb as she offered me a smile.

  That gorgeous smile of hers was that last thing I saw before I fell into the unconscious void of dreams.

  ***

  I awoke to someone shaking my foot. I yawned and cracked open my eyes. The infirmary ceiling stared back at me, all plaster and dust. Moonlight streamed through the large window above my head. I craned my neck and saw Arwyn at the foot of my bed, a hand on my foot, a stern look clear in her features. Beside her was the Headmaster, and his frown told me that I was in for some trouble, but at least he was alive. That meant the portal was closed, right?

  “Did you—” I began as I tried to sit up but then stopped as my head spun. My body felt unreasonably heavy.

  “Easy, Gryff,” Arwyn said, her tone low and soothing. “Take it slow.”

  I nodded and inched myself onto my elbows before I shimmied my back up against the cool bars of the bed frame, nice and slow. As I did, I noticed Nia stirring next to me. She was groggy and confused as her eyes blinked at me and then at the Headmaster. She had some questions, and so did I.

  Once I was reasonably comfortable, I fixed mister Sleet with a pleading gaze. “Is the portal closed? What happened? Is everyone alright? Is—”

  He waved his hand dismissively. “The portal is closed, and everyone is fine, but I am not here to discuss those matters. They will be discussed with the proper personnel, you not being one of them. What I am here to discuss is what you and Miss Kenefick did here today.”

  I gulped. Yeah, we were in trouble. Nia, more focused now than I had thought, sat up straight. “Sir, I went in to—”

  “It was me, Headmaster,” I said to interrupt her. “I carelessly went through the portal. I thought I needed to make sure no monsters got through before help could arrive. I chose that. Nia came after me to make sure I was okay.” I sat up a little straighter and cleared my throat. “If anyone should be punished, it should be me.”

  The Headmaster stared me down for a long moment, our gazes locked. Then he started to chuckle. “I appreciate your honesty, but I came here to commend you two, not punish you.” He paused before adding, “Well, maybe punish a tad, for you shouldn’t do reckless things like that, but we’ll get to that.”

  Nia and I looked at each other. I could tell that she was just as surprised as I was. “Sir?” she asked.

  He smiled and sat at the foot of my bed. “Why don’t you tell me what happened? Don’t leave out any of the details.”

  So we did. We took turns explaining how I jumped in the portal with reckless abandon, how Nia followed, then how hordes of monsters came at us, wave after wave, and how we fended them off together, our magic combined and amplified. The more we went on, the more unreal it felt. We’d gone to hell and not only survived, but taken down more monsters than I could count. It was unbelievable.

  The Headmaster was all ears as we neared the climax, which was when the mysterious and powerful stone monster arrived. We recalled how it just wouldn’t die, how our attacks did seem to hurt and frustrate it, but that it just kept up its advance. He nodded, clearly impressed that we’d managed to hold our own for so long. The story ended there, for the Headmaster knew the rest since he’d come to the rescue right then.

  He pondered our story in silence as his old eyes flitted between us.

  “Sir, did you defeat that monster?” Nia asked, her voice low.

  He shook his head. “No. We were able to fend it off until the Catalyst could be found and closed, but I was unable to kill it.”

  That was disturbing. If Marangur Sleet couldn’t kill it, then who could? “Do you know what it was?” I asked, the worry clear in my voice.

  The Headmaster let out a grumbling sigh, almost like he felt defeated. “I do not,” he said solemnly, “but that is a discussion for another time and with different company. I assume that what you just told me is the truth? No hyperbole?”

  “No, sir,” I said, “It’s the truth.”

  He nodded. “Very troubling, this turn of events.” He stood and folded his hands behind his back. “But there is some room for optimism.” He smiled.

  Nia didn’t get it, but I suspected I already knew what he meant. “Sir?”

  “Miss Kenefick, what you and Gryff did with your magic, how he amplified yours and then even combined your attacks, is… well frankly, it's unprecedented. I brought Gryff here precisely for this reason, for I saw that he could change how we use magic. Now, you have seen it too, and I now have more evidence that this was the right choice.”

  She gave me a long look that was equal parts curiosity, respect, and annoyance, with a dash of pent-up anger, but she kept her emotions in check. I could tell that she was trying to formulate a response, maybe say something condescending about me, but she failed to find the right words. So she settled for a nod.

  “So,” I began, “we’re to be commended and maybe get some time off or …?”

  Mister Sleet chuckled. “I’m afraid not. Though I applaud your bravery, we can’t have first years doing foolish things like this. You two were capable, but others might not be. You two will clean the stables every evening for the next two weeks as punishment. I can’t really enact anything worse since you didn’t technically break any rules. There is no protocol for a portal opening in the middle of the grounds.”

  I crossed my arms. “How can you punish us if we didn’t break any rules?”

  “Because my word is law here, Mister Gryff, and I need to make sure others know not to do reckless things like what you did. Yes, situations so dire are rare here, but it’s better to lean on the safe side of things, don’t you think?”

  I couldn’t fault his logic, but I didn’t have to like it. Nia didn’t look thrilled either, but we knew better than to complain further. We were lucky to be alive in the first place, so we really had nothing to stand on.

  Headmaster Sleet clapped his hands together. “Good. Now, head on back to your dorms. I’m sure you’ll want a good night’s rest in your comfortable beds as opposed to these.”

  Well, he wasn’t wrong there. He bid us good night and then departed in a flourish of robes. Arwyn, Nia, and I watched him go, still trying to process the meeting. Arwyn looked back at us and shrugged before she stood and ushered us to the door.

  “You two should be fine now,” Arwyn explained. “Mana elixir is fast-acting and very invigorating for fatigue as well as mana.”

  She was right, I felt amazing. My aches and soreness were gone completely. I was tired, but that was more from lack of sleep than physical exertion. We thanked her and departed into the cool early morning. The half moon hung high in the sky and cast her silvery glow on us as our footsteps echoed through the silent night.

  We crossed the campus to the practice fields where the portal opened. The empty air was still and quiet, and the
portal obviously was gone, but there was a large scorch mark in the center of the sparring ring where it had been. I wondered if that would be a scar there, a permanent reminder of what had happened, or could it be cleaned?

  It was several minutes of silence before I found I couldn’t take it. “What a day, huh?” I asked.

  Nia shrugged. “Yeah, I’d say so, summoner.”

  I grabbed her arm and stopped her. “Really? You’re gonna still use that term like it’s an insult?”

  She glared at me. “Yes.”

  I threw my hands up and rolled my eyes. “Are you incapable of being wrong? Is it so hard for you to admit that maybe you made a mistake?”

  “No, of course not, and if you wish to hear it aloud, then here it is. I was wrong!” Her voice rang out over the still night. “I was wrong about you, Gryff.” She pointed her finger into my chest and held it there for a breath before she dropped her arm to her side. “I am not so proud that I think myself infallible. I misjudged you and your ability.” She scowled. “I did not, however, change my mind about summoners. It’ll take a lot more than an outlier to do that.”

  I stretched my arms above my head and let my smile shine. “Fair enough, and thank you, Lady Kenefick, for the compliment.”

  She snorted. “Don’t let it go to your head, yokel. I still don’t like you.”

  “Maybe, but I bet you dislike me a whole lot less than when we first met.”

  Nia tried to hide her smile, and she nearly did, but I saw it. Just a tiny hint of a grin, but it was there. “Perhaps,” was all she said.

  I would take that.

  We walked the rest of the way in silence, which wasn’t too much longer, only a few minutes. When Cornelius Hall rose up in the night to greet me, I knew it was time to depart. I turned to Nia and put out my hand. Maybe we weren’t friends, but I was content enough to know that we were at least allies.

  “We did some good work today,” I said with a smirk.

  She hesitated before finally shaking my hand. “Yeah, let’s try not to do that ever again if we can help it.”

  I nodded. “I agree.” I began to walk to the door, but then I paused and turned back to her. “You don’t wanna come up, say hey to Braden? I’m sure you could jump out the window again?”

  Her lips set in a grim line. She was not amused. “Don’t push your luck, summoner.”

  I gave her a cheeky smile which she didn’t appreciate at all. Nia turned and walked away to the girls’ dorm right next to my own. I watched her all the way to the steps and door of her building, where she paused and looked back at me. While I couldn’t know what went through her mind just then, I hoped it was good thoughts. After that long look, she vanished inside, so I did the same. Maker knew I needed the rest.

  Chapter 12

  All anyone could talk about was the events of the previous day. I just wanted to eat the grits and eggs in front of me, but the feverish whispering of my fellow students kept me distracted. Nearly a hundred pairs of eyes drifted my way as I tried to eat. I usually didn’t mind attention, but this was a bit much.

  It would have been easier to bear if Nia had been present to receive the brunt of it, but she was conspicuously absent. I hoped she was alright, but there wasn’t anything I could rightly do about her.

  Braden took a seat across from me after he’d finally selected his breakfast. He was a picky eater and apparently took a lot of time to consider his meal options. This morning he had decided on lamb chops, a huge ham thigh, a bowl of oatmeal, and a large biscuit. Picky as he was, he was a big eater, given his size and stature.

  Layla joined right after him. She only had a couple slices of buttered toast and a ridiculously large mug of coffee. Then again, since her hair was tasseled and she had deep bags under her eyes, she probably needed the caffeine.

  They were both blessed distractions from the hundreds of eyes staring us down. Braden hesitated to eat his food as he nervously avoided all the curious stares. Layla took one look around, then drank nearly half of the huge mug, never mind how hot it was. After one last gulp, she put the mug down, licked her lips, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

  “Is this what it’s like to be noticed for once?” she asked, her aggravation clear.

  Braden nodded slowly before he took a bite out of his biscuit. “It seems so,” he said as he chewed. That made me smirk. He was of noble birth, but sometimes he threw proper decorum right out the window.

  “I hate it,” Layla grunted.

  I poked at my food with my fork but didn’t take a bite. “Agreed.”

  Layla clapped her hands together and perked up. “I do understand their curiosity. So, are you gonna spill it?”

  My eyes narrowed. “What?”

  “Are you going to tell us what went down in the rift?” she asked, her excitement and curiosity making her jittery.

  I considered that briefly. I knew she meant well, she was only curious, as anyone would rightfully be. “I’d rather not talk about it.” I pointedly ignored the pout that followed and scarfed down my eggs.

  Her lips stuck out. “Oh, come on, Gryff,” her voice was trying to be seductive and low. “Don’t be so stingy. Give us the details.”

  “Bethel…” Braden chimed in, his tone concerned.

  She glared back at him. “Hush, Flint.” She turned back to me, all smiles. “Please? My curiosity is killing me.”

  “Fine!” My words rang out over the chattering, which brought the volume down low as all eyes turned to me in earnest now. Not helping. I cleared my throat and lowered my voice. “Fine,” I said again, “but no more questions after, and no more bothering me about it. You got it?”

  Layla pursed her lips, but she looked pleased. Her eyes batted at me apologetically as she nodded. I didn’t know how she could look so adorable and so mischievous, but no matter how much I tried, I just couldn’t stay mad at her.

  So I told them all the gory details, all the horrifying monsters, the smells and the pain of almost dying from mana depletion, with one minor exception. I didn’t give them specifics about my talk with the Headmaster and Nia. They thankfully didn’t interrupt, but by the end of my tale, their eyes practically bulged out of their heads. “Wow,” Braden said when I’d finished. “That’s just… wow.”

  I swirled my spoon around my grits. “Yeah, wow indeed,” I replied, tired already from telling the story.

  Layla sat back with a huff. “That’s one hell of a thing to go through.”

  Braden drummed his fingers against the table. “But you really did all of that?” he asked, his skepticism more obvious than he’d probably like. “You combined your attacks and made hers even stronger?”

  I folded my arms and nodded, my food forgotten. “You saw what I did in class, so why would you doubt my story?”

  “I do believe you, Gryff,” Braden said as he put up his hands. “It just sounds too incredible to be true. No one thinks of summoners as fighters, so it’s hard to grasp outright, you know?”

  I understood his point, of course, but my whole life, or at least since I’d discovered my talent for summoning, I knew I could fight. I rarely did, but I always felt that I could handle myself. It never even occurred to me that maybe not everyone thought that way. Not everyone wanted to fight. Sometimes, people don’t see the obvious answer, even if it’s right in front of them.

  Summoners could fight, and I had to show the world that, no matter how many battles it took.

  “I get it, Braden,” I told him, “but you can do what I did. All summoners can, I suppose, though it will be hard to learn.”

  “I don’t know…” Layla said reluctantly. They both looked rather skeptical, and I couldn’t blame them. Since they were summoners, they’d been raised to think and act a certain way. It would take more than words to change them. And though I’d showed that I could do more, that didn’t mean they could. That would have to be the next step. I’d have to teach them, since Rori wouldn’t help.

  That was me, student and teacher. T
hey should have given me a salary.

  Breakfast ended a few minutes later, so we made our way to Arwyn’s class with the rest of our classmates.

  The gossiping, of course, followed us to class. Everyone whispered and gossiped, and their eyes and words were almost exclusively directed at me. That was fine. I’d make them eat their words eventually.

  Nia was present at Arwyn’s class. She looked perfectly fine as she jotted something down in her notes. Maybe she just hadn’t felt like dealing with all of the gossip of breakfast. On that front, I didn’t blame her.

  As Miss Arwyn strode into the room, Gawain straight up glared at me. I acknowledged that with a smirk and a wave of my hand.

  “Good morning, everyone,” Miss Arwyn said with a tired sigh. “In light of recent developments,” her eyes lingered on Nia and me for a moment, “we shall be focusing on more practical magical lessons. So, suffice it to say, magical history will be put on hold for a while. Instead, we’ll be focusing on essence crystals and their uses.”

  There were a few grumbles and whispers, but no one protested. Not that they could, she was the teacher after all.

  We pulled out our books and opened to a later chapter that briefly went over essence crystals, but Arwyn went into more detail. “Now, as most of you know, when a monster is killed, it usually leaves behind its energy and life force in the form of an essence crystal. The larger and more powerful the monster, the more effective the crystal. Now, who besides Nia can tell me some of the things essence crystals are used for?” Nia grumbled, but we all knew she had the answer. Hands shot up.

  Arwyn pondered the different arms in the air before picking one. “Carenna? How about you?” Her eyes were trained on a blonde woman with white robes in the front.

  “Trains?” Carenna said with an upward inflection that made it seem like she didn’t know.

  Arwyn either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “Yes, very good.” Then she called on a large fellow with dark western skin.

  “Airships,” he said simply, his voice low and grating.

  “Correct. Trains and airships are two things that most people know. They do both require larger crystals taken from very powerful monsters. Trains can take smaller grade crystals depending on the weight and number of cars, but airships can only take crystals from grade A monsters.”