JUST A NOTE!! I've reposted this chapter and made it longer and deleted ch2 and combined it here!!! so no freaking out cause it's gone!! its right here (: think of this as a prelude to the excitment
-------------------------------------- "....and they came through the door unbound and unbridled; ripping and tearing and shredding as they went. Fierce beastlike creatures and beautifully horrifying humanoid monsters running rampage through our homeland and the rest of the World alike. This went on for 60 days and nights, The Dark Days they were called, until it happened. The first bound was a young cadet in the Cyrinthian army, Richan Ortheos. Twas right in the middle of a firefight. Swords flying and claws slashing till the bright light overtook all sides and when the smoke had cleared and the eye able to see again the First High Summoner was and the door in Cyrinthian was closed.”
Chapter One
Banners waved high in the sky their colors as numerous as possible, their meaning known to all. The end of a session had come about the newest batch of Summoners would test their fate in the circle of their making. Two years in the Academy they had toiled praying to get to this point. Five males and two females were all that had survived to the final round of Summoner Makings, but death was still very much a possibility.
Cayne Risco’s six foot frame shivered slightly as the wind whipped across the bridge they all stood on. He was use to the cold mountain air of Carvahalle but the bitter cold he felt now was far from just the wind. He was frightened. True he and the others had made it this far but it was a known fact the final circle was the hardest. Up till now they had only summoned from the outer rings of the Plains; now they had to summon from no less than the fifth level. A challenge when you weren’t given a chance until it mattered; but, it was too dangerous to perform in a lesson.
He had drawn the second to last card which meant he would enter the Citadel sixth. It meant he was next. He had become a Summoner out of desperation; unfortunately he had a knack for circle making. It was a last ditch attempt to run away. Run away from the fact that he looked like no one in Carvahalle. Run away from the fact he was a bastard and everyone knew it. Run away from the fact that the whole of the population had blue eyes, fair complexions, and even fairer hair; and he wasn’t. Run away from the fact that if his rust colored hair and green eyes weren’t enough his slightly tan skin tone certainly was.
A loud boom shook the bridge startling Cayne out of his thoughts. Smoke wafted out from under the Citadel’s door and a gut wrenching scream followed soon after. Well there went number Five, so far no one had survived. The Third contender had made out the door but her body had been so mangled and burnt she had only lived a couple minutes at the most. So the count was still zero and he very much still had to hope to die like his original plan.
“No. No. No. No. No….” the only other Summoner candidate seemed to be having a meltdown. How pleasant. Sobs wracked the man’s body and Cayne vaguely recalled that the previous contender might have been from the same village as the one beside him. A second scream, this one extremely close to his ear, snapped him out of his thoughts. Really was all the screaming necessary? He turned to his right just in time to see the sobbing man dive over the edge of the bridge. Shaking his head he chuckled lowly to himself. Well looks like it was only him left. Setting his jaw he started to walk towards the large golden doors intent to be unsuccessful as well.
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Calypso wiped the sweat from her brow setting her hammer down. Working in the forge was time consuming and drained all of her energy. At first glance the forge of Isodale was the last place anyone would suspect her to be. Scarcely five and a half feet tall her expressive green eyes, full pouty lips, and long black hair made her look like she belonged on the arm of a rich lord.
Taking off the leather apron and setting it to the side she stretched her tired muscles. Removing the gloves she cracked he knuckles staring in to the coals of the forge. A soft hum behind her drew her attention behind her. “Hello Neeo.”
A large metal figure looked down at her ducking to fit under the covering. It looked like a giant suit of armor, save for its eerie silence and lack of seams. Tilting its giant head to the side the creature spoke its voice smooth and cool. “Mistress Taranoke I’m sorry for the interruptions but Lord Bask sent me to tell you Dinner was ready.” It shifted it’s weight from one foot to the other as if it anticipated the offer to be rejected.
“Of course Neeo,” you could almost feel the sigh of relief from the Animatron, “I was just finishing up. You’re new body should be completed in a couple more days. Hopefully this one will hold up a little better since I managed to get ahold of some Ochinoa ore. It’s wonderfully strong but it is so painstaking to forge.”
“Of course Mistress Taranoke it is much appreciated. You did not have to go to all the trouble.” Calypso laughed lightly wiping her hands with a towel removing some of the soot and dirt.
“Silly Neeo,” she leaned up and rapped the armor a hollow echo answering her, “you’re my main summon.” Wiping the hair from her eyes Calypso smiled fondly at the creature. “If I don’t take care of you who will?”
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The usual hustle and bustle of the Capitol had intensified as it always did every two years. Banners and bright ribbons blew in the breeze while street performers in scantily clad outfits vied for the attention of the crowd. Every citizen knew the chances of even one Summoner coming out alive was slim at best; but when the Citadel wanted to make a fuss about it, who were the people to say no? After all the inns were all full and the shops were all busy. Who would really complain about extra income?
Lyka Swift-Paws loved the Final Festivals. He received quite a bit of enjoyment during the weeklong event, mainly at the cost of the unsuspecting passersby but he didn’t care. Lyka was a thief; he had the perfect appearance for it after all. Blonde hair like the majority of the city; kept shoulder length so no one knew at first glance if he was male or female, captivating chocolate eyes; perfect for batting to keep the attention on his face and not his hands, and with just a few inches shy of six foot paired with a certain feminine look to him he was practically unstoppable. Yes Lyka knew what he had and he sure as hell knew how to use.
Right now he was sitting on a barrel outside one of the many city inns munching on an apple. He eyed a particularly finely dressed man and then shook his head against it. He had gotten more than enough today best to save him for tomorrow, never was good to be greedy. A quiet rumble, much like a cats purr, above his head made him smile. “Sangu, sweet thing, what did you bring me?” Lyka held his hand out as a golden necklace inlaid with sapphires and emeralds was deposited there. His eyes lit up brightly. A soft flutter and the creature known as Sangu landed in his lap purring.
See as well as being an accomplished thief Lyka was also a Unchained Summoner, completely without a binding mark, that meant while he had the ability to summon he had never attended the Academy or obtained his first rites. Sangu, his creature summon and every faithful companion, resembled a small ferret about a foot and a half in length, with crimson and charcoal colored fur, and a matching set of misty grey and red wings. Curling up in his master’s lap the creature let out a yawn, its tiny mouth stretching wide to show off its razor sharp teeth. “Good?” It asked seeking aproval. Unlike most creature summons from the beyond the plains Sangu could speak, only a few words, but it was still speaking.
“Yes Sangu you did good; very good indeed.” The necklace was slid into one of his many pockets as his stray hand went down to caress the soft fur of the creature. Yes Lyka did love this time of year.
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The winds in the Gale howled and screamed, whipping around Arrows Keep as if they intended to tear it down. Inside the Library the candles flickered and the young woman trying to read huffed in a very unladylike manner. Standing up abruptly ran her hands over her dove grey knee length tunic before tossing her sable colored curls over her shoulder. Placing the large tome she had been reading back on the shelf her blue-green eyes scanned the spines until she searching for a title that suited her. Arteya Caprina had an unfortunate weakness for the written word, which brought her to the current dilemma, having nothing to read. The creak of the oak doors opening made her shift her attention.
“Lady Caprina?” One of the many serving maids entered the quite room curtsying to its only occupant. “Your father requests your presence in the drawing room.”
Sighing loudly she nodded her acknowledgement to the maid stepping away from the bookshelf. Chances are her father wanted to speak of marriage, again, this made five times just this week alone. Turning to face the fireplace Arte looked into the flames fondly face lost in thought. She was a highborn young lady, sole heir to Arrows Keep, and a Summoner as well; so, why did the thought of marriage scare her so.
She turned and walked out the doorway making her way down the stone hallway. Maybe she could persuade her father to put it off once more; tell him her Summoner Duties were a priority. Sighing softly she knew it wouldn’t work as soon as she had thought it. She was twenty already, her next name day a scarcely a week away; Father would never hear it.
Perhaps she could just skip the meeting. Repercussions would be severe, but right now she just wanted to fly. Her feet kept walking, past the drawing room doors and up to the tower where Nabu rested. As soon as she entered the chamber where her creature rested she felt an instant relief. Nabu never asked her to do anything she didn’t want to.
The grey lion-like creature stood stretching its muscles as it flared the dual sets of wings on its back. A rumbling purr vibrated throughout the room filling Arte’s very being with its power. Nabu was her escape, her life, the other half to her very soul. She was so grateful he had chosen to be paired with her she was beyond words. Running shaky fingers through his silky mane she smiled. “How does a good soar sound Na-Na?” The answering roar was all she needed before she slid onto his back.
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soooooo.... i know its bad to have multiple stories going on at the same time but..... this would leave me be!!! I love Lyka <3 luv luv luv!!! he's going to become so adorable as time goes on :) Cayne turned out a little darker than intended. oh well! and Calypso is exactly how I envisoned her! Somehow Arte went from being an orphan to royalty... I'm still trying to figuer that one out myself. lol Anyway PLEASE review and rate! Hugs will be given as rewards :) <3 S.Chexk
