Summoner school, p.8
Summoner School, page 8
“I absolutely do not have a ‘thing’ for—”
“That’s the elven way,” Atlesia laughed. “Pretend that they are in control of their emotions when they are just like the rest of us: horny and looking for love.”
“I will not tolerate crosstalk,” Mr. Edinbock said. “The only talking during my lecture will be from me. If you have any questions, please lift your hand.”
“Yes, sir,” Atlesia said with a bright smile.
The nymph was as bright as sunshine on a summer day, and I wasn’t the only person in the room that noticed. A few of the students around us seemed to lean closer like plants looking for light on a rainy day, and the look on Sarya’s face reminded me of someone who’d just eaten a lemon. The elf was clearly not used to being second to anyone, and I couldn’t wait to see how my perky new friend would outshine the haughty woman.
“As I was explaining,” our professor said. “The ranking system is used to help potential employers and guilds know who to hire. The higher your place on the list, the higher your pay and potential is. Zenlar and the headmaster have already given you a potential ranking, but over the next few months it will be solidified, and at the end of the semester your first full rank will be posted into the guilds. You should expect to have some offers for summer internships. I would suggest thinking about which direction you wish to go now. You may be freshmen, but the future waits for no one. There will be many opportunities in each of your classes to change your current rank, and if you join a club and do well, then you may be able to boost your place in line. Now, let’s get started. Mr. Micis, will you please come down and give us a demonstration of your particular magic.”
“Good luck,” I whispered as my roommate stood.
“Great, the tree gets to go first,” the blonde elf whispered. “He and the minotaur are probably going to be the lowest. I don’t know why they even let them into this school.”
“I can hear you,” the minotaur growled from the back row.
“I know,” she sneered. “That was why I said it.”
I ignored the conversations below and watched Mike take his place in the front of the class. The tall tree-man lifted one long arm, closed his eyes, and then summoned a large blue mushroom with big white spots. The fungus stretched, shook itself out, and then sneezed a silvery spore all around the room.
“That’s disgusting,” Sarya said and swiped at her arms.
“What does that thing even do?” her friend snapped. “Make a decent salad?”
“Very good, Mr. Micis,” Professor Edinbock said with his too-wide smile. “You may go back to your seat. Mr. Hall, you’re next.”
“Alright,” I said and then headed down to the floor.
“Mr. Hall, as a summoner you will need a few ingredients,” the ghost said as he gestured to the desk. “The quartz crystal there will be enough for your demonstration today. There is a spell for a rat on the desk. Please solve the puzzle and use the vial of powdered tail. I assume that you know how to summon a basic mouse?”
“Of course,” I said with a shrug, but I was totally clueless since I’d never summoned anything before.
My heart thudded in my chest as I reached for the ingredients. The white quartz began to glow the second that I touched it, and something stirred inside of me like it was waking up from a long sleep. The puzzle was one that I’d solved in elementary school, and my nerves began to unwind as I completed the spell.
There were a few ways to do it, like most of the puzzles that grandma had given me, but there was always one way that just made the pattern cooler than the others. Grandma had always said that those were the better choices, but I’d thought it was just because they were more intricate. I drew the swirls and dots that this particular spell looked best with, dumped the rat tail on it, held the quartz over it, and waited for something vaguely magical to happen.
My hand warmed as the stone began to glow brighter, and a bright white light raced through the pattern as it consumed the powdered rat’s tail. The piece of paper with the spell warped and shifted, and the quartz began to shift in my palm until it became a pure-white rat with bright red eyes. The creature yawned, shook out its fur, and then wrapped its long tail around my wrist.
“Very nice,” Professor Edinbock said with a nod. “You may return to your seat.”
“What do I do with the rat?” I asked and looked at the calm creature.
“I’ll take it,” Onet said and licked her lips. “I could use a snack.”
“It wouldn’t be very nutritious, Ms. Onet,” the ghost man said. “A summoner’s creatures may have parts from an animal, but they are at their base a gemstone. Mr. Hall, simply think of dismissing it, and it will disappear.”
“Okay,” I said. “It was nice meeting you, little dude.”
The rat’s body swirled around and then collapsed into a heap of dust in my hand. I walked over, dumped it into the trash, and then headed back to my seat as Mr. Edinbock called Atlesia to the floor. She winked at me as she passed and whispered congratulations, and I told her to knock them dead.
“That was impressive,” Mike said as I sat down.
“It was a rat,” I said with a shrug.
“But it was pure white,” the tree-man said. “It’s extremely hard to have such a perfect creature. Are you sure that was your first summons?”
“Yeah,” I said. “It wasn’t that hard. I’ve been solving puzzles like that since I learned how to walk.”
“Beginner’s luck,” the blonde elf said while Sarya studied me closely.
The rest of the class went by pretty fast as everyone showed their particular skills. Sarya used her fire magic to create a perfect ring that spun around the room like a wheel of death, and her obnoxious friend used wind to lift everyone’s hair. Some were more impressive than others, but it was clear that my little white rat had been more interesting than I’d thought because everyone kept stealing glances in my direction.
Especially Sarya.
“The next class is summoning,” Atlesia said as we headed toward the door.
“I can’t wait to meet Professor Lovelace,” Onet said.
“I heard she’s like, super hard,” a pink-haired nymph said. “Atlesia, your flower was so cute. You’re like, really amazing, and your human is pretty cool, too.”
“He’s not my human,” the lavender-haired woman said with a blush.
“You can call me Andrew,” I said with a smile.
“Hey!” The minotaur summoner snarled at me. “Watch where you’re going.”
The bull-man had stepped in front of me and tried to squeeze into the hallway, but he was so close that I bumped into him. I stared up at the irritated creature and tried not to notice how sharp his horns looked. The guy clearly had a short temper like his brother, and those weapons on the top of his head were not something that I wanted to become acquainted with, but I wasn’t about to back down when it wasn’t my fault.
“You were the one in a hurry to get by,” I said. “You should expect to bump into people when you’re shoving through a crowd.”
“Is that a challenge?” he growled.
“Ramis,” the ghost teacher said in a patient tone. “There will be no fighting.”
“Of course, Professor,” the minotaur said and then turned back to me. “You just wait. You’ll get yours, human. And don’t think that summoning a perfect rat is going to save you. My brother, Rarus, will drown you and make it look like an accident.”
“Sure,” I said with a tight smile. “See you in the next class, Ramis. Maybe you’ll be able to summon something other than a fish there.”
“How dare--” Ramis started but then bit off the rest of his sentence and nodded to our watching professor. His breathing came in short huffs like a bull ready to charge, but he spun and stomped down the hall toward our next class.
“You really shouldn’t make him mad,” Mike said and shook his head. “Minotaurs are famous for holding a grudge, and you saw what his brother could do out on the battlefield.”
“I’ve heard that he’s, like, super mean to like, everyone,” the pink-haired nymph said. “Atlesia, you really do know how to pick the bad boys. We are soooo going to have to chat tonight.”
“Yeaaaaah,” the purple-haired woman said and then reached for my hand, tugged me along, and left the other girl behind.
“How do you know so many people already?” I asked as we looked for seats in Ms. Lovelace’s class.
“My parents are pretty well known,” Atlesia said. “And I’ve been traveling to other dimensions and gardens for as long as I can remember.”
“Right,” I said. “Can we sit in the back? I think it’ll be easier for Mike.”
“Of course,” the peppy woman said. “I hope you don’t mind me sitting with you.”
“Never,” I said with a smile.
There was something infectious about her energy, and she definitely wasn’t shy about holding my hand. Her skin was as soft as a rose petal against my rough warehouse worker’s calluses, but it didn’t seem to bother her, and I was more than happy to let the cute woman cling to me for as long as she wanted to. I was pretty sure that she’d already decided that we would date, or at the very least be good friends, and her bubbly personality made the glares from the other students a little less irritating.
“Welcome to your Introduction to Summoning class,” Professor Lovelace said as she swept into the room.
The tall woman wore the same black robes and formfitting dress that she’d worn the day before, and the ratio between her slim waist and the swell of her hips was hard to ignore. The entire class went silent as they watched the stern woman take her place in front of them, and more than a few of the guys shifted in their seats. Professor Lovelace didn’t seem to notice any of them, but her attention did linger on me for what seemed like an eternity with that same unreadable look in her purple eyes.
“I’ve already been given the report of how you did in your first class,” the dragon-woman said and lifted her chin in the air. “Your rankings are not quite terrible, but there is a long way to go before you’re ready for the real world. There are threats out there that only a summoner can truly help with. Do not think that because you have an affinity for it, that you will succeed and be able to join a guild. Fools and geniuses alike have died on the path to become a summoner, and most of you will not make it to your senior year before you opt for an easier life.”
“Dang,” Atlesia whispered.
“I heard that she never pulls any punches,” Mike said. “Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you, Andrew.”
“I’m up for the challenge,” I said.
“The magic required to summon a fish, or even a pure-white rat, is nothing compared to what it will cost you to call forth a dire wolf or a dragon,” Professor Lovelace continued with a glance at Ramis and me. “Not only will the mana used be more than you are capable of conjuring currently, you’ll need the parts for those animals as well. More summoners have died on the road to gather specimens than have from actually completing spells. However, there is hope. And if you pay attention in my class, then even those of you without an affinity for summoning may be able to have some form of proficiency.”
I was glued to every word that came out of my teacher’s petal-pink lips, and my excitement grew even as she talked about the dangers. My mind whirled with questions about how to use mana and whether it was possible to grow my stores of it. She made it sound like summoning was the best thing in the entire world, even if it was a deadly game, and I could hardly wait to find out more.
“I’m going to sunbathe and study,” Atlesia said as the class ended. “Did you want to come with me?”
“I have some questions for Professor Lovelace,” I said. “I’ll see you tonight?”
“Of course,” the lavender-haired woman said and shot a glare toward Sarya. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“We’ll see,” the haughty elf laughed as she waved goodbye.
“I’m going to the library,” Mike said. “I’ll see you tonight.”
I stayed behind as everyone filtered through the door and waited until we were alone to approach the stern woman. Professor Lovelace had circled around her desk and pulled a thick leather-bound book from the top drawer. I stood perfectly still and waited for her to acknowledge me, though my eyes did drift down to her rounded hips and the curve of her breasts under the tight dress.
“Can I help you, Mr. Hall?” Professor Lovelace asked, and my eyes snapped up to meet hers. “Or did you intend to stare at me all day?”
“Right,” I said and ran a hand through my hair. “I had some questions about summoning.”
“I’m sure you do,” she said and handed me the book she’d pulled out. “You humans know so very little about magic before you come here. However, I think this book will be able to help you. Take this as well. It’s an extra bag of quartz. Something tells me that you’ll need them.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Do I need one for each time I summon something?”
“Not always,” the dragon-woman said. “Most creatures can stay for a little while in the stones, but their time there varies on their strength and the gem. That book will explain more. I do suggest that you read it before beginning to summon. You only have so much mana, and I’d hate to lose such a promising student so early because of sheer ignorance or stupidity.”
“Okay,” I said with a nod. “Is there a way to give myself more mana?”
“There are spells and exercises,” she said and came around the desk. “But you’ll likely want to read the section on how to store mana for future use. It’s a skill unique to summoners. However, if you aren’t careful, it will kill you. You did a decent job with the white rat in Professor Edinbock’s class, but I assure you that you’ll need to study and prepare for mine.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said.
That same look of intrigue and something else passed across her face, and for a second I thought she would kiss me, but then the moment passed, and she straightened her robes. I waited for a few seconds to see if there was anything else that she wanted to say, but our conversation was apparently done, and I had a lot of studying to do.
“I expect great things from you, Mr. Hall,” Professor Lovelace said as I turned to leave. “Don’t disappoint me.”
“I won’t,” I said with a smile.
I headed back to my room for the lunch break and pored over the textbook she gave me. There was so much information for me to remember that I broke out my notebook, pens, and highlighters. I was still entrenched in the first chapter when Mike came back to grab the books for our next class.
The rest of the day was more of the same with professors telling us about the ranking system and how their class was the most important. I tried to pay attention, but my thoughts were still on the book about summoners and the potential cage fight that Sarya was supposed to bring us to. The textbook had mentioned that summoners used to be vital in battle because of their ability to use magical creatures, and I hoped to see one that night.
Mike and Atlesia both met me by the north wall right before sunset, but neither of them looked particularly excited about our secret rendezvous with the haughty elf. Sarya had been insufferable during all of our classes, but she seemed sure that she could bring us to a fight, and reminded us every chance she got that we could chicken out if we wanted to.
“Hey,” I said and waved at my two new friends. “How was the rest of your afternoon?”
“Fine,” Atlesia said. “Some friends and I went to the quad and sunbathed. I even grew some strawberries for us. It feels like that last class was forever ago.”
“My afternoon was interesting,” Mike said. “The library has an extensive collection of books about fungi. I think I’ll be spending most of my time there.”
“I’ll probably join you,” I laughed. “I have a lot to learn about summoning.”
“You have a lot to learn about everything, Andrew,” Saryra said as she strolled over to us. “I’m surprised that all of you showed up. I thought that your friends would get cold feet and run away.”
“We are assuming that you actually can bring us to one of these underground fights, and you’re not just all talk,” I said.
“You’ll see,” the haughty woman said. “Trust me.”
Chapter 6
“Trust you?” I laughed and shook my head. “You want me to trust a woman that I’ve just met? One that has gone out of her way to be rude to me since I came here?”
“You trust her,” Sarya said and motioned to Atlesia.
The lavender-haired beauty narrowed her eyes and jutted her chin in the air. It was kind of adorable to see the petite nymph glare up at the elven model, but something told me that Atlesia could play dirty, and I didn’t want to see either of them get hurt, even if Sarya was insufferable. I stepped between the women and put my hands up in surrender, smiled, and waited until my new friend looked at me.
“No need for violence,” I reminded her. “We’re going to see plenty of that in a moment. At least, if Sarya isn’t lying through her teeth.”
“Of course, I’m not lying.” The redhead flipped her ponytail. “It would be beneath me.”
“And here I thought hanging out with a human would be beneath you,” I smirked and shoved my hands in my pockets.
“That’s-- er-- it is, but it seems to be my duty to prove to you just how out of your league you are. That little display on the battle magic field earlier was nothing. And everyone else may have been impressed with that rat you summoned, but tonight you’ll see what fully-trained mages can do. Then you’ll go back home with your tail between your legs.”
“Sure,” I said. “So, are you going to lecture us all night, or are we going to actually go see this fight?”
Sarya glowered at me for so long that I thought she might light me on fire, but finally she took a deep breath and motioned to the woods behind the north wall. There was no way that I would be able to climb the ten-foot stone surface, and I doubted that the haughty rich girl could, but then she moved some vines to reveal an old wooden door. The sneer on her face was almost enough to make me scream, but at least she wasn’t able to open it on the first try, and I was able to see her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
