It's a Long Way Down

Chapter One: The Summoning

It was quite the shock when you find out from Satan himself that you had been conjured up. The looks you get from the other ghouls burning into you. It wasn't like it was your choice. It wasn't your fault. Yet, you still remember giving that same look to ghouls before you when they got to go up to Earth. The look of betrayal. The look of jealousy. The feeling of pain when the gate closed up after they were gone. You were now getting those same looks directed at you. Only difference now was you won't feel pain once the gate closed up again.

It wasn't long until you were looking at the gate face to face. The top of the stairs. You glanced down at the envious ghouls below you before taking a breath of courage, watching the gate open up. The cool air of Earth blew through, making my dark, shoulder length hair flow behind me. I shut my eyes as I walked though the gate, feeling the beginning of the change of being a ghoul in hell and being a ghoul on Earth. My horns shrinking down to small numbs while a mask appeared in my hands. I watched as the goggles formed on it in awe. Soon, the gates of hell disappeared behind me as the room around me appeared, leaving me standing in a pentagram. I quickly placed the mask on my head, making sure to tuck my hair inside securely as I met my summoner.

His face was white with black lines on it, his eyes surrounded by black, making it look like a rat skull. His two different colored eyes looking at me as he smirked in pleasure. I politely bowed at him as I said, "Thank you for summoning me. How may I be of service?"

"What do they call you, my dear?" Asked my summoner. I looked at him, straightening out from my bow as I told him, "My name is Ember."

"Ember," he repeated, "A fire ghoul, I'm assuming."

"That's correct," I responded. He held his hand out for me, which I graciously took as he led me out of the pentagram telling me, "My name is Papa Emeritus IV. You may just call me Papa. Or Copia, as others have called me."

He started to lead me out of the room, beginning to explain why he summoned me, "Call me selfish, but you see, I believe that you may be what my group is missing. Of course, getting used to life up here may be difficult, but I have a few that will be willing to help you adjust. After all, you will be up here a while."

"What exactly is it you want me doing here?" I ask. He pauses outside of a door as he tells me, "I'd like to formally welcome you to Ghost."

He lets the door swing open, revealing eight other ghouls all standing on a small stage holding instruments. Papa put his hand on my back, leading me inside as he introduced me, "This is Ember everyone. She will be joining Sodo and Aether on guitar. I've noticed Swiss has been getting stressed from all the new songs that he has to learn in the shirt time we have, so I got one more of the ghouls from hell to help out."

"You conjured me to be in a band?" I asked, my face in a deadpan. Of course, no one could see my eyes, but my mouth staying in a straight line probably said a lot. Papa looked back at me and told me, "I told you it was a pretty selfish reason. Nevertheless, I would like you to join up with Sodo and he can teach you the parts you need to know."

"What?!" A short ghoul holding a white guitar exclaimed. Papa raised his hand towards him as he told him, "I'd like you to start working with her immediately. We do not have much time before the rituals start up."

The ghoul let out a scoff before getting up. He grabbed a red guitar with a black accent to it as Papa started speaking to me, "There will be time at dinner to get to know the other ghouls, I'm just wanting to start your practice now."

"Understood," I told him as the ghoul walked towards me, muttering a 'c'mon' before skimming past me out of the room. I gave a small wave to the other ghouls, following the angry one out. He was just a bit taller than me, but barely. It may have been the boots he was wearing, but he was taller. He led me into a smaller room, sitting on a stool as I closed the door behind me. I walked over as I held my hand out to him, "I'll just properly introduce myself. I'm-"