Summoners: The Awakening

Chapter 1 

Demon Xenopus

      Brek arrived at the massive doors to the summoning hall, cradling his sack of filched goods and taking great pains not to make any sound that would wake his master. Crouching on his left shoulder was the gray, leather-skinned imp that had appeared at his window but three nights ago, promising him the very thing that he most desired. "It all begins this night." The imp's squeaky voice whispered into his ear. "No longer will you be just an apprentice!" 

       "Yes! You will make me the Grand Summoner!" Hesitating for only a moment, Brek applied his weight to the right side of the heavy double doors; the one he knew would make less complaint. He slipped inside and pressed his back against the door, wincing as it gave a short groan when it closed. Brek hurried forward into the massive room with its domed ceiling looming high over his head, the only sound was the echo of his leather boots across the midnight blue tiles. He passed between a set of pillars that lined the circular hall, each one displaying elaborate dragons, fairies, unicorns, and other such magical beasts carved into its surface. It was as if they were all staring down at him and he felt a pang of guilt.  

      Since the day he turned sixteen, Brek had felt strongly that he should perform a summoning himself. That day had come and gone and his master, the Grand Summoner Estat, had shown no indication that he would allow him to do so. Then the imp had come, calling himself Ecnair and explaining to him that he could help Brek achieve all he desired. He had not wanted to trust the imp at first, but the strange creature convinced him of the truth. That his master had not felt he was ready, and only wished him to remain as he was, a simple apprentice forced to clean the many rooms of this great tower and labor over other dull tasks. His only reward was hours of difficult studies. He often felt alone and overworked. He deserved more than that, Ecnair had declared.  

      Nearing the middle of the room Brek came upon the first of five braziers. He paused to rummage in the sack, fishing out a flask of lamp oil, a torch, and some flint and steel, using the latter to ignite the oil-soaked torch. After a moment it flared to life and he snatched it up, dipping it into the prepared basin. The oil and coal set fire allowing Brek to see the other four braziers, all five marking the tips of a giant star within a circle carved into the floor. He proceeded to set flame to each one, then returned to the sack, extracting the rest of the stolen tools that he would need to perform the delicate process. 

      "Tonight you become the King of Demons!" the imp piped. "No more waiting, no more pointless lessons. You have learned all you need know from him. You will be the most powerful summoner in all Asatiria!"  

      Fueled by the imp's words, Brek worked faster, pulling a red candle and a roll of parchment from the sack and placing the candle in the center of the star. He unrolled the delicate parchment, examining his own rough sketches of the intricate symbols used to summon the demons his master called the Amarill. "I copied these symbols from my master's book as you instructed." He said, recalling the plans that Ecnair and himself had made. They would call up a strong Amarill and with it; run Estat from the tower, making it his own. Then he could do as he pleased, perhaps making himself rich as a king and able to have servants. He would never have to clean another cobweb again. Maybe he could even marry any princess of his choice from any kingdom he pleased? The imp had assured him that by having such powerful beings under his own control, these things could be easily accomplished. Ecnair's only stipulation was that he would be allowed riches of his own and that was more than fair. 

      "Good, good," the imp cooed. "And did you find a proper and powerful subject to summon?" 

      Brek's eyes fell on one of the symbols on the page that resembled a large serpent with bullhorns. "Yes, it's called Malstraun." He spoke the name slowly and the imp cocked its head. "He is the one who speaks often with my master." Brek had never seen Malstraun in its true monstrous form. It had most often come to his master in a human form. The thought of using Malstraun against his master was much too compelling.