Summoner 18, p.1
Summoner 18, page 1
Chapter One
The Shadowscape, a place I simultaneously knew all too well, and yet not enough. The decision to plunge into the shadow realm with a green-skinned, horned goddess who’d just attempted to level the Enclave I called home with an army of rare, enormous monsters may not have been my best one, but I’d had to think on my feet in order to save not only Varle, but the people I loved.
Carth had made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: spend a week as her guest in the Shadowscape, in exchange for information about my parents and a full retreat from the Enclave in return. While the risk of betrayal or entrapment was great, I needed to have faith that I’d made the right choice to come with her.
As we stepped through the rift, hand-in-hand, an acrid, sulfuric odor invaded my nostrils and nearly singed off my nose hairs in the process, and my face scrunched up as I tried to expel the various scents of decay, rot, and excrement. It was proven the smell of the Shadowscape could drive a person mad if they were exposed for too long, and I wondered how I would fare for an entire week without a gas mask.
Carth paused and took a long, deep breath. The Archon was gorgeous in an otherworldly kind of way: tall and lightly muscled, with green-tinted skin, chestnut-colored hair, and brilliant red-brown eyes, but her most notable physical features were the deadly ivory horns that protruded from the top of her head, and the matching tusks that peeked out of her full dark red lips.
“So nice to be home,” the goddess remarked with a grin, and then she cocked her head to the side and locked her eyes onto me. “And even better to be bringing home such an attractive companion. We’re going to have so much fun this week, Beastmaker.”
“I told you, it’s Gryff, not Beastmaker,” I corrected her firmly. “And as for fun… I think you might be overestimating my enthusiasm a bit. This isn’t play time.”
“Are you always this serious?” Carth teased me. “We’ll have to work on that, or it will be a long week indeed.”
“I just want to be perfectly clear here,” I said as I squared my shoulders. “I’m not here on vacation. You told me you had answers for me, answers about my parents--”
“And we’ll get to that conversation,” Carth interrupted, and she placed a hand on her hip. “But in the meantime, why not enjoy yourself?”
“Enjoy myself,” I repeated back dryly. “In the Shadowscape? That’s a good one.”
Reminded of my surroundings, I placed my hand over my nose and pinched my nostrils shut.
“I know it may seem dull, but with the right company, anywhere can be lovely,” Carth replied. “Even somewhere such as this.”
She gestured around at the dark gray sky and blackened ground, and a chill ran through my body. The Shadowscape was a cold and soulless place, and its stillness was unnerving in every sense. No matter how many times I entered the dark dimension, I was never prepared for the horror of such a place.
“I’ll take your word for it.” I grimaced and tried to pull my hand away from the goddess, but her clutch was ironclad.
Suddenly, a hissing sound echoed through the air and was accompanied by a few squawks, screeches, and roars, and I stiffened. Carth’s herd of mega-sized monsters had entered through the rift and into the Shadowscape before us, and by the symphony of stomps and cries, it sounded like they’d gathered up ahead in the distance.
Mistral’s army had lessened the herd significantly, but in the end, there were still too many of the monsters, and our side opted to retreat and return to the Enclave. It took all of my being to keep from racing over to the herd and exacting revenge on the creatures on behalf of my team, and as I swallowed back my anger, the goddess let out a low, raspy laugh.
“Do not blame my pets for following the orders of their mistress,” she said. “I can feel your anger, but they were carrying out the instructions they were given. Besides, your army stood no chance against them in the first place.”
“It’s not as if you fought fair,” I growled.
“Don’t be a sore loser.” Carth frowned. “Now, come, my palace awaits.”
Her expression shifted, and then she squeezed my hand tightly. Then the green-skinned goddess led me forward, and I sensed a stir in my consciousness as my Archons awoke.
I hate the way she touches you as if you’re already hers, Veopa hissed. She has not earned her place yet.
Who does she think she is? Miralea agreed, and the jaguar goddess’ words were thick with venom.
She forgets herself, Veopa growled. Our sister may have power now, but she is still just Carth after all. Under that confident facade, she’s a spineless weakling.
Enough! Phi insisted sharply. I don’t care for her behavior, either, but we need to stay focused here.
The tension in my head lessened, and I was grateful for the white-winged Archon’s interruption. Usually, Sera was the one who kept the goddesses in check, but the Archon was back in the human world delivering the news of my departure to my lovers. I hadn’t had a chance to tell them where I was going before Carth arrived on the battlefield, and I didn’t want to disappear on them without an explanation. Time worked differently in the Shadowscape, and while I was devoting a week to Carth, it was likely it would be far longer than that back in Mistral. There was a chance I would be gone for a significant amount of time, and I couldn’t leave my women to presume I was dead. Again.
Fine, Miralea sniffed after a moment of pause. Sorry, Master. This plan has me on edge.
We must keep watch, Utuni murmured. Our sisters are slippery and deceitful, and we can’t allow them to best us. Or Gryff.
They will not best Gryff, Miralea declared. I’ll make sure of it.
“Thank you,” I replied to them.
Once things grew silent, I turned my attention away from the goddesses in my head to the Archon in front of me, and as Carth led me down a black-stoned path, I found myself admiring the brunette. The goddess’ hips swayed sensually as she continued on forward, and with the way her leather bodysuit clung to her like a second skin, I couldn’t help but stare at her perfect ass as she moved.
She walked with a confidence that bordered on arrogance, but it was sexy rather than cocky, and I had to force myself to look away before I became too distracted. Carth was gorgeous, but I couldn’t forget myself. I had a mission to stick to, and I owed it to my Mistral friends and lovers to succeed.
So, instead, I focused on my surroundings. The Shadowscape was a dark and gloomy version of the human world, a twisted reflection devoid of light and hope. Structures that existed in the human world were mirrored here, but they were ruined, broken replicas of their Mistral counterparts. I was certain wherever we were going would be no different than the other collapsed structures I’d encountered on other missions with the Monster Response Squad.
However, as we followed the paved stone path, I noticed the trail was lined by deep violet and blue-black blooms with many petals and even darker leaves that were somehow full of life despite the toxic environment. I was tempted to pluck one and examine it, but if a plant were able to thrive in this type of climate, there was a strong possibility it was poisonous itself, and I couldn’t risk an infection here. I made note of the strange flowers and vowed to describe them to Arwyn once I returned to Mistral. The professor would be thrilled to hear about such a discovery.
For a moment, I felt a twinge of sadness as I thought about my crimson-haired lover. I hadn’t seen Arwyn in so long, and I was unsure of when I would see her again. The healer and Ashla had been sent by Headmaster Sleet on yet another mission with their research team after we’d gone to Adorna to investigate Carth’s army, and it seemed like it’d been ages since I’d seen the pair of mages.
My sadness was short-lived, though. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped open as an enormous castle came into view at the end of the path, and I paused to take in the amazing sight.
The elaborate structure rivaled even the most beautiful sights in Varle. The palace was carved from jet-black marble, and it was shiny and smooth, with veins of glittering gray throughout the surface that sparkled even without light. I wondered how that was possible, but then again, this corner of the Shadowscape was different than anything I’d ever seen before. A pair of towers ascended high above us, and each ended in a deadly point. The battlements consisted of similar spikes, and their wicked construction made me wonder just what they were trying to keep out. Carth had an entire army of enormous monsters under her control, and it didn’t seem likely that anything would attack her here.
So, why was the castle so heavily fortified?
“This castle existed far before the separation of the worlds,” Carth explained simply, as if she’d read my mind, and I waited for the horned Archon to elaborate further, but she left it at that.
“It’s certainly… impressive,” I said in an attempt to downplay my awe. I couldn’t let Carth think I was too enamoured or intimidated by her home. This was all a game, and I had to play it even better than her.
“Shall I give you a tour?” Carth asked with an arch of her full dark eyebrows. The Archon’s russet eyes glinted with amusement, and it took all of my restraint to stay aloof.
“It’s not like I have much of a choice anyways.” I shrugged.
“No, not really.” Carth grinned, and her ivory tusks gleamed in the darkness. “But I promise, it will be worthwhile. I think you’ll appreciate the beauty of my palace, Gryff. It’s even lovelier on the inside.”
Then the Archon winked at me, and with a toss of her wavy dark hair, she sauntered forward down the path. An enticing perfume of pomegranate and roses trailed behind her, and the pleasant aroma momentarily masked the stench of decay. I gratefully took a long whiff of it and tried to hold on to the smell as long as I could, and then I sped up after Carth.
The green-skinned goddess slowed her pace until I caught up, and once I was at her side, we crossed through a steeply arched black gate and entered the courtyard.
The courtyard was lined with the same polished black stones and strange flowers as the path leading to the castle, and at the center of it was an enormous fountain made of gray marble. The three-tiered structure pumped out bubbling black water that flowed down each layer, yet it was soundless as it trickled, as if it were liquid shadow. I approached it slowly to get a closer look, and my hypothesis was correct. It wasn’t water at all. I ran my hand through it, and the shadows trailed right off me.
“Interesting,” I muttered as I retracted my fingers and wiped them on my battle-ripped trousers.
The outside brim of the fountain was etched with gorgeous carvings of thorns and roses, and it was inlaid with blood red garnets and brown smoky quartz. The craftsmanship was impressive, even by Mistral standards, and I wondered who could have created such a piece.
Carth’s face was amused as she studied me.
“It is pretty, isn’t it?” she asked as she watched the shadow water stream down the sides. “It’s my sister Xanrith’s favorite feature, as well. She often sits here to pass the time, for whatever reason that may be. I can’t say I understand. She has a whole palace at her disposal, and yet she chooses to linger out here.”
Xanrith. One of the remaining three Archons I had yet to meet. Her name was pleasing to the ears, but if she was anything like Carth, I had my work cut out for me.
“Perhaps she agrees with your sentiment about finding beauty amongst the ruins.” I shrugged as I gave the shadow water one last glance.
“Xan can be rather sentimental,” Carth agreed, and the Archon looked as if she were about to say something else, but suddenly a screech rang out, and the tall wrought-iron door beyond the courtyard creaked open.
I instinctively placed my hand on my bandolier and wrapped my hands around the first essence crystal I could find, which earned me another laugh from Carth.
“Goodness, you’re jumpy,” the horned Archon giggled girlishly, and the sound of it was unnerving. “No harm is going to come to you, Beastmaker. You are my honored guest, and I do not allow my guests to be trifled with.
“Forgive me if I’m not entirely at ease,” I replied as I relaxed my hands at my side. “This is the Shadowscape, after all, and it’s not like this is a visit between friends.”
“My servants simply sensed our presence and anticipated our entrance,” Carth explained, and she inclined her head toward the door. “Nothing nefarious at all. Shall we?”
I reluctantly crossed back over to her, and together, we entered through the door and into the palace
The inside of the castle was just as darkly beautiful as the outside. Black marbled floors reflected the candlelight that flickered from rose-shaped sconces, and a wide staircase twisted and turned in the center of the space, much like our mansion’s spiral staircase in Mistral, only grander.
I looked up at the high ceiling and was fascinated by the mural that decorated it. The painting was done in muted tones, and it depicted deadly monsters in a violent battle, with warrior women backlit in soft colors leading the horde. At the center of it was a throne atop a pile of the graphically-painted corpses, and I forced myself to look away before I could see the person presiding over the seat. I didn’t want to think too highly of myself, but I had a feeling the person in the painting was the Beastmaker, and I didn’t have the mental capacity to face that possibility.
Suddenly, a shadow darted by us.
“Maker!” I cursed, and I whipped my head around to try and locate the threat, but it was too fast for me to catch. My hand flew to my rhin dagger, and as I unsheathed it, Carth cleared her throat.
“Do not fear the shadows, Gryff,” the goddess said in a soothing tone, and she absently tugged at a lock of her hair. “They are merely my servants.”
Shadow servants? That was certainly a new concept.
Carth snapped her fingers, and immediately, a swirling dark figure appeared at her side. It was humanoid in shape, but just like the black water that poured out from the fountain, it was slightly translucent and as dark as the sky above us. It loomed above her, at least six inches taller than the long-legged Archon, and its arms hung straight at its sides as it awaited Carth’s orders.
The goddess tilted her chin upward, and the figure nodded and floated wordlessly up the staircase.
“Is it a ghost?” I wondered as my eyes followed the creature.
“Almost,” Carth answered. “But not quite. They exist somewhere between living and dead, monster and man. They’re called Shadal, and they’re incredibly obedient and fiercely loyal. I have sent that one to prepare your room.”
“A whole room of my own?” I scoffed. “I’m surprised, I figured it was straight to the dungeons for me.”
“The dungeons are for traitors and prisoners,” Carth remarked. “As of now, you are neither.”
“I find that hard to believe,” I muttered as I put my dagger away.
The Archon smiled, and then she slunk across the room. As she waited for me on the first step of the staircase, she rested one hip against the rail, and her ivory-horned head tilted in that maddening way of hers.
Once I got the hint, I stepped up and joined her, and she gave me a fanged smile.
“We’ll begin our tour with the upstairs,” the goddess purred.
We ascended the stairs, and Carth led me down each marbled, dimly-lit corridor and absently remarked about the elaborately furnished rooms that occupied them. There was an entire wing dedicated to bathing rooms and dressing rooms with enormous closets, and I spied a library with wall-length shelves and a pair of cluttered offices. There was another area for guest quarters, though I wasn’t sure how many guests found their way to the Shadowscape. Another wing, the goddess noted, was devoted to the rooms of her fellow Archons.
“My sisters reside here, but often come and go as they please,” Carth explained to me as she peered into one of the bedrooms.
From the doorway, I could spy a few weapons resting in various locations: a jeweled knife on the bedside table, a shiny broadsword leaned against a wardrobe, and a wicked-looking weapon I didn’t even have a name for but that sort of resembled a bear trap was perched on a writing desk littered with papers and maps.
“Interesting decor,” I noted with a raised eyebrow. “Does she sleep with a mace under her pillow?”
Whoever occupied this room would’ve been fast friends with Ashla. The dark-skinned ice mage was all about weapons and strategy, and she’d once been the leader of a group of mercenaries. Another wave of sadness surged through me, and I had to take a breath and remember myself. I was here for my women, to find a way for us to win this war and finally enjoy the life we’d been building for ourselves. I couldn’t let myself get sad.
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Carth chuckled to herself. “Hunnah is a master with a blade, but she has a one-track mind. She’s brilliant in battle and strategic planning, however she lacks any other type of personality traits or social skills. It comes in handy, but can be quite maddening.”
Then Carth’s green skin took on a warmer hue, as if she were blushing, and I wondered if the Archon had revealed more than she’d meant to.
“But enough about her,” she said as she straightened herself up and regained her calculated composure. “There’s still much more to show you.”
The goddess’ words perplexed me, and I wondered if there were other bits of information I could coax out of her once we were alone.
She closed the door to the room and then led me down another corridor. This one was different than the others, and a garnet-colored rug ran down the length of the pitch-black floors. I stepped on it and was surprised by the softness beneath my worn boots.
I couldn’t get past the luxuriousness of Carth’s dwelling. I’d been prepared for a prison cell, or a week-long stay in a damp cave with my wrists bound, not an exquisite shadow palace outfitted with grand furnishings and plumbing. When we’d infiltrated Phi’s castle to rescue Nia some time ago, her home had been a ruined mess.
