How to Survive a Summoning 101 012

Alright, some jabber before the chapter today.

Announcement: there were some issues of bad grammar and awkward sentencing in earlier chapters, but I couldn't address them as it is tough to edit your own stuff. So, Luciferia has very kindly agreed to help me out in that regard. So, the chapters Prologue to 10 will be slowly fixed. Right now, the Prologue, Chapters 11,12 and 01 are edited and prrofread. Btw, check out Luciferia's story Of Astral and Umbral, pretty neat and awesome in my opinion.

Next, I would like to thank every person who has commented, reviewed and rated my work, I am not taking individual names because it will take too much space, but really...thanks for appreciating my work. As an authour, I am indebted to you guys.

Chapter 12 : Surviving Overprotective Dwarf Dads

“…Some say that there are other worlds…universes to be precise, stacked on top of each other, superimposed. Sometimes, the boundaries grow thin and we can see a glimpse of it. Tall spires of glass and metal, shining in a world of single moon. Men and strange beasts carrying sticks of fire, iron birds flying in the sky. We have had such dreams, often. The theory of stacked worlds might not be so far-fetched after all.

But…glass is two-way. Doesn’t that mean that the people of that world too…can see us? They can see our magics, our people and our worlds. Is it too strange to think that in those worlds, there are stories of dragons flying in skies, Elves running through forests and of beast-men? I wonder…”

                       — Scholar Arridan Sovieri, ‘Why our Stories are Similar’, 1456 A.C

A completely black world.

No… A huge flower bloomed in the pitch darkness. Petals the colour of blood spread from it, illuminated from inside. Eerily, even though total darkness bloomed, there was strange illumination that lighted up the flower and its snaking vines. And the person sitting on it.

“Hello, Astria”, I greeted her. For some reason, I couldn’t move. Couldn’t even tilt my head.

“I don’t have much time”, Astria said, stroking the flower. The flower purred, its body trembling.

What the...purring flowers?

“I see some strange things are happening in my dreamscape”, I asked, “also, what’s with the flower?”

“This isn’t your dreamscape. This is my domain”, Astria stared at me straight; her eyes sharpened. She shivered a little, “your dreamscape these days…is troublesome to get in”.

I know why.

“So then, what is it?” I asked.

“You know that the Curseblade works only on…a specific god”, Astria seemed to hesitate. Her red gown shifted—like some living being. “Did you know that even we gods don’t know how the Universe was created?”

“Did you have it custom made?”

She arched an eyebrow at me in her signature fashion, “The Creator made the universe. We didn’t”.

“So even you guys have a boss, huh?”

“We are but the Jaelvagers, the fourth generation. Even the Second generation gods have not come across the Original Creator. When we came to be, the Universe already was”.

“Where are the other generations then? Also, why do gods have generations?”

“The others are…scattered. Some left, some were killed, some forgotten. Others reincarnated into Jaelvagers themselves. Did you think all gods came at the same time?”

“Weren’t you people here from the beginning?”

“No. The gods came one by one. As for the Fourth…” she trailed off while she stood on the flower, eyes somewhere distant. “We were made”.

“Made? What do you mean?” my back hurt from not moving. I just realized, that the vines held me up in air.

“Created. Fabricated. Conjured. Forced. Wished”, she whirled around, her eyes gained a strange fire.

What in the…before I could ask her, she guessed my question, “By mortals. Who else?”

Her dress was now shifting violently, churning underneath, “The only ones who can birth and kill gods are mortals themselves”. Anger dripped from her voice.

She stared up at me, her eyes like obsidian, “The important thing is, each species was given a weapon by the Creator. To slay gods”.

“Why did he give weapons that kill one of his?”

“When the other gods came, the Creator had already left the universe he created. We do not know”.

“So, you are telling me…”

“Vaegar is one such weapon. Remember this dream well”.

Wait…what is she—

The dream dissolved. I could swear that I saw Astria tearing leaves off her beloved flower-plant before it vanished.

~~~~

My eyelids felt like lead and myy whole body felt like jelly, unresponsive to commands. Then there was the horrible sound of someone dying. Very painfully.

I managed to open my eyes. The elf prostrated before the broken bell, liquid flowing underneath her. She shivered a little…and threw up. So she isn’t dying. I had never seen anyone throw up that much.

She stared at me with blood shot eyes and a very ashen face. Then she retched again. The bell was stinking badly by now. She held her head in her hands while she heaved up, again and again.

“Tolf yuu nut thu drinhk tho muth”, my words came out horribly mangled—I had no control over my tongue.

A sharp metallic sound rang next to my ear. I turned painfully—her dagger had lodged itself in the wall behind me. The dagger had even cut some of my hair.

The woman is too quick!

She shot a wild look at me, her hair all over her face, “Who do you think blearrrgh— she couldn’t complete what she was saying before she curled up and vomited.

The woman crawled towards me on all fours, “You mangy cur—this time she managed to reach the window cut into the belfry and throw up down the side of the tower. How much does that woman have inside her?

She seemed to have calmed down as she sat in front of me, legs crossed. She fanned herself with her hands. The dead assassin still lay at the doorway, put askew by the pitchfork protruding through his chest.

“This all happened because I need you alive”, she said while wiping her mouth, “Somaru curse the day I met you”.

“Why are you doing a Jackson Pollock with your intestines?”, I asked. Damn, isn’t it chilly up here?

“The what?” she was gradually regaining colour on her face. “The bolt poisoned you. I had to suck it out to stop you dying”. My body—so frigid.

“Oh thanks…wait what? You did what?” I glanced down where the bolt had hit me.

A gaping wound stared back at me. The skin around the wound was blue black. I touched the skin—the texture was cracked like dry earth.

I touched my leg.

Oh Shit! I was naked. I had not a stitch of clothing on me from waist down. The wound was on my upper thigh so…yeah.

“You sucked off the poison?” I asked her again to be sure.

“Are you dimwitted? Yes, I sucked it off with my mouth”.

“Where are my pants? Quick!” I said urgently. Without pants! alone with an eerily beautiful girl who keeps talking about sucking me.

“Had to tear them off in haste”, She pointed towards a pile of torn clothes beside me.

She almost killed me for cutting off her hair and if I get a hard-on…I glanced at the daggers beside her—cold shivers ran down my spine.

I groaned. I couldn’t move yet, so I couldn’t peel off any gear to cover myself up. The woman…won’t give any of hers. It’d be instant death if she reached out and tried to cover me up with my shirt. I mean, she had to come close to me to cover me up right?

Shit. When it sucks, it blows. I sighed; ugh…I really need to work on my phrasings.

~~~~

“I am a Sun Elf. My name is Faeve Siharis Oscentetalir Jorgaehen Olyenara Ur’van”, she rolled off her name when I asked her about the hair-cut incident. “I was born in—

“Is this going to be a life story?”, I cut her off. My ass was freezing off due to the cold stone floor. Besides, my senses were still a bit dull from the Shivang and Apopris, so her words were like a haze. Actually, I almost died due to my slower reaction speed.

She whirled her dagger in her hand, playing with it. “Women of the Sun Elves do not cut their hair. It is a sign of their pride, their spirit and their honour”.

I do not like where this is going. Better pay attention.

“They cut their hair only when they intend to take a mate. The mate cuts a part of the hair, a little part to show she is…what is it in humantongue?” she pondered, the knife freezing in her hands, “Engaged, yes. That is the word”.

“It was a mistake. I did that to save your life out there”, I argued. Fuck this shit.

She didn’t seem to have heard me. “No one cuts the hair of a Sun Elf without her permission. Do that, and you are…taking away her very pride”. She shivered and touched her nape length hair, “Yet you cut it off like a savage. You know who gets their hair cut like this?”

The dagger had stopped spinning in her hands, her eyes hardened, “Whores. Powerful Elves would do that to women to show that they were their pleasure slaves. High class Whorehouses in the Human Capital often let customers cut off fake hair from their Elf workers as a play”.

Sweat beaded on my temples. Suddenly, the dagger on her hands looked very sharp. I can’t even move properly yet.

“Sorry about that…I really didn’t know. I just tried to save you from dying”. I really should leave people to themselves.

“I know. I would have went on my way after cutting off your jurun, but…” she trailed off.

I didn’t want to know what a jurun was.

“I am also a Ur’van-ere, daughter of the tree”, she declared. Green dust motes swirled about her, covering her body. Her eyes became greener, and for some reason—alluring .

I could feel sensation slowly creep back into my body. No not now! I need my lower half numb! I don’t want a hard-on!

She came near me with her dagger firmly in her hands.

I immediately regretted the wish.

“Which means that when you cut my hair, you entered into a magical contract of the highest order. You have become one of the Aivern, the chosen of the tree”.

Contracts again? Why can’t I just have cute devils offering me contracts on street corners? (1)

“Err…Sin-Faeve”, I was extra polite because of the dagger, “what the actual fuck is that?” Well…I tried.

“Olyelnore Hàrjaegar, the Tree of Life is the most sacred thing for the Elves. There are many stories about the creation but that isn’t important. What is important is that, the tree is the centre of Elf life, and it’s sentient”, she said while staring up at the sky.

Sentient trees now? Sure…its fantasy after all.

Faeve continued with her explanation, “The tree extends its bloodline every few generations to some Elf women, the daughter of the tree. The chosen women have a duty”.

“Extends its bloodline? The tree fucks women?”

She gave a small smile, “No, more like blesses pregnant women. Anyway, the chosen younglings…are raised to be warriors. Warriors who will find the Aiverns”.

By now, the sun had climbed into midday. Sweltering heat beat down on Salrest, below us. The two moons were out in the sky. The city clamoured in its unrest.

And…I was sitting butt-naked on a broken tower. Such a wonderful day to be alive.

Thinking of being alive, “Hey. Thanks for saving me”, I earnestly thanked her. “You even mouthed poison for me”.

Faeve shook her hand, “I did half. Thank the Khaginar wine you drink everyday. Your body was so poisoned with the brew that it slowed down and counteracted the deadly poison the assassins use”. She looked a bit impressed, “Besides, I won’t die. We assassins ingest poison from childhood to bring up our tolerance. Weak poison like this can’t even make me wince”.

“But you were throwing up”, I blurted out. Shit. Me and my big mouth.

Her face took on an ugly expression as her mouth curled up, “That’s the Khaginar wine, you scum. It might have saved your life. But, it has poisoned your body worse than a gulliner. You must have been drinking it for ages to have this much in your blood”. She then suddenly softened up a bit, seemingly having something cross her mind.

“Okay, okay. The story please”.

“The daughters of the tree find worthy individuals and fight them. Can you guess how the winner takes victory?” she asked, her voice taking on a harsh tone.

Don’t tell me…

“The Aivern is proven worthy when they cut off the hair of one of the daughters. And by doing that, you have bound yourself to the tree and…me”, acid dripped from her words.

I leaned back, my head looking up at the broken ceiling. “Say, Faeve, how about you grow your hair out again? I won’t tell this to anyone. No has to know what happened”, I said in my best don’t-tell-anyone-we-had-drunk-sex impersonation.

She looked startled, her hands clenched, “Doesn’t work that way, Eridan. When you cut the hair of an Uru’van-ere, you severed the bond between the tree and me. The tree knows. It calls”. She hugged herself, shivering in spite of the sweltering heat.

“What happens if you don’t answer its call? And what does it want anyway?”

“We, the daughters, die. When you cut off a branch from a tree, it withers. So do we”, she touched her hair again, like petting an animal, “It wants the Aivern, the Champion of the Elves”.

“Is that so? What is that thing?” Just a little more—the numbness is almost gone. Can’t let her kill me before that.

“They are warriors who protect the Elves and are under the protection of the Tree of Life. Many great elf generals were Aiverns”.

“Wait…you said elves. I am a human”

“Yes. That is highly unusual. But not unheard of”, she stood up and stretched herself, like a cat. “So, I need to take you to the tree and become a proper Aivern”.

Yeah right. As if I was gonna get mixed up with more murderous people.

“Thanks for the offer, but you see I already like the job I do”, I offered.

“It’s a magical contract. Your magic power will dry out in a year if you don’t go to the tree. It’s a mechanism the tree uses to make sure that every Aivern is within their grasp”.

“Fuck you”

“I never understood how intercourse can be a filthy word for humans. Its something that is essential for the species”

I have no answer for that, but I know something else.

“I had a nice time, killing people with you and stuff. But you see, we are like two ships passing at night. We met up, killed people but now its time to say farewell”. Best breakup speech. Ever.

“You can’t. The contract is unbreakable until it meets its terms. Till then you are bound to me”.

“I’ll be damned if I get involved. I am leaving”. I got up. It is weird without pants.

“Look here, humankin. I do not want to get involved in this either. The idea of being bound to someone is…deplorable, hideous”. She clenched her fists, her eyes hardened in silent anger. “Least of all an… Aivern. But I can’t let you go”.

“Why don’t you kill me then?”, I asked, readying my sword. I’ll have to kill her now that it has come to this.

“Because I want to live”, she looked straight at me. No…through me, somewhere far.

I met her green eyes. They were trembling, like ripples on a lone lake. I remembered someone else’s eyes. She had wanted to live too. Faeve’s jaws took on a hard line. Her high cheekbones moved with a gnash.

“I am sorry, Faeve. I really can’t get involved”. The human gods were trouble enough. Don’t need Elf tree gods on my ass. Besides, I need to take care of the room.

I walked out to leave,stepping over the body of the dead assassin. The rank smell of blood and singed hair wafted out of the corpse. What did she even mean by wanting to live? Can’t she just kill me and have the contract annulled?

“Being an Aivern will make you powerful. You can save the people you value. No one has to die like Arin”, Faeve said in a trembling voice behind me.

The world went dark. Moments seemed to have slipped away as I suddenly had my sword pressed onto Faeve’s slender throat. My heart thumped like a rabid dog. The low growl from my throat reverberated strangely in the belfry.

Black raven like birds swirled around the entire belfry, throwing shadows inside it. The birds circled and cried. Their caws were shrill like the death throes of some strange animal. Faeve stared at the birds; startled. Her eyes widened while she took a few steps back from my blade.

All of the black birds turned at her in unison. Their red eyes bore into her. I didn’t know how, But I knew what the birds wanted.

Tear her apart.

“What do you know of Arin?” I was shocked at how strange my voice was.

Feed us her flesh.

My sword dug deeper. Red beads welled up from the white throat .

Strip her skin.

“You were crying out that name. You were…tortured in your sleep”.

Oh.

“You begged for forgiveness again and again”.

I don’t want to hear it.

“Because you couldn’t save her”.

Yes. I failed.

I gazed into Faeve’s eyes. It reflected a madman, his visage terrible. He pointed a blade, distorted by her eyes, towards her. The words of the Spire-Master flashed through my mind.

‘You become like the ones you kill’

My blade dropped. The black birds cawed harshly, once, twice, three times and left, spreading their wings towards the city.

Faeve was shaking, her voice distorted, “The tree gives power. Even though you won’t win the Vaeger, You will gain power as a Arivern”.

“What do I have—wait...huh? Vaegar? I heard that name somew…Shit!

“Tell me about the Vaegar”, I closed in on her.

“The Tree of Life bestows upon the worthiest of Aivern the symbol of Fae power, the Vaeger”, she seemed startled at my sudden interest, “However, you won’t get it. You are not even a Sithern”.

I know what the Vaeger was. It was the god-slayer weapon. With that one, I can finally…

“Sin-Faeve, why don’t you tell me more on the way? I will come with you”, I said slinging my sword.

Now all I need are pants.

~~~~

The torn pants couldn’t be used since according to Faeve, the cloth absorbed the poison and still had traces of it. The assassin had loaded a very lethal amount. The Church finally stooped low enough to use assassins, huh?

So…I wrapped my nightshirt around my waist like some weird, really weird sarong and walked the streets. We stripped an assassins’ corpse and took his clothes. Dead men clothes—didn’t feel too good to wear.

The city clamoured in an uproar. City guards wearing leather armour milled about everywhere, some shouting and running through the streets. Last night, the fights had torn the city up real good. People carried assassin corpses in carts.

“Find them! They must be near!” a Guard Captain shouted, his plated armour clinking with the exaggerated movements.

“Excuse me, Torr-Captain, but what happened?”, I asked trying to grasp the situation.

“Enemies! Spies! Syndicate! A group fought with the syndicate last night, taking out half their assassins; the city’s end is near I tell you!—wait, who are you? Don’t waste my time, fool!” he shouted while sitting atop his Serrad, distracted.

Then he noticed Faeve and whirled around; his eyes traveling up her hair, “Don’t play around with a whore right now. The City is in trouble, go home”.

Faeve took a sharp breath beside me. I quickly grasped her hand and nodded at the guard captain. With haste, we entered a side alley.

“Don’t touch me”, Faeve said quietly, flinging my hands apart. She shook like a leaf.

“Sorry. But we need to work together right now. The city is still in confusion, we gotta get to safety before they gather witnesses”, I told her while calculating the road to take to Kraus’ shop.

“Faeve, why did you get caught by those men out there that day? You weren’t…weak from what I saw”, I asked her while walking.

“I am an assassin who kills and hunts other assassins. I have trained whole my life for this. Which means…I can’t handle monsters very well”, she said in a quiet voice.

“Oh…so you partied up because of that. How did you let them drug you?”

“I had gone with them before”, she said while her eyes hardened, “I never imagined they would drug me by mixing it with the healing medicine”.

She went quiet after that, not willing to speak.

~~~~

The watchers of the alleys pointed crossbows at us from behind their windows. I shook my head at Faeve to restrain her from taking any action.

“This feels very dangerous”, She muttered under her breath.

“You don’t say?”, I noticed eyes boring into us.

We walked to Kraus’ shop with slow, deliberate steps. The watchers were terribly fidgety today. The place was still and silent as all days, but danger lurked in its corners. Palpable tension coiled through the streets and writhed around the corners in  thick waves.

Kraus noticed us and came out hurriedly. He ushered us in with wild waves of his hands. His face was very pale... paler than a dwarf’s face could be. Dark circles ringed his eyes.

He looked outside, peeking at the building from where the watchers carried on their vigil. He nodded at something unseen and closed the doors of his shop. Wait… the thing had doors?!

“What have ya done?!” he exclaimed loudly, immediately checking himself and lowering his voice. He glanced around nervously.

“Looks like you know something, Kraus”, I asked.

He fidgeted with his fingers.

What was he scared about?

“Last night, the Armatech family put out an order of assassination in ya name. The Syndicate approved it, givin’ it highest priority”, Kraus’ face fell as he whispered the words.

Fuck. Armatech?

“They say you raped their eldest daughter and her friends, Eridan”, he said while tinkering with the tools at his hip. His voice was one of quiet inquiry.

“I didn’t. I only cut their clothes off to stop them chasing me”, I spread my hands. A cold dread spread through me. The shop is so warm today…

“That’s not what they are sayin’ though. However, that hardly matters”, Kraus looked at me straight, his hands stopped their fidgeting. “Run fast, run far. Now that a member of the inner merchant circle is involved…the syndicate will be huntin’ you like a stray kivala”.

My hands clenched on the handle of my sword. A noble again… my facial muscles grew taut.

“Don’t even think of fightin’. Don’t forget ya already have a bounty in the name of Talaviel’s Order. Now the merchant guild is after ya. The guards and the council of the city are their pet kuris. Ya also took out half the Syndicate Assassins”, he shook his head guessing my intent.

I played with my blade, tracing the patterns on its pommel. Shit. Where do I go? I still need the room.

Kraus continued, “Ya can’t take on assassins who have been trainin’ and consumin’ all their lives. Ya have been consumin’ cores for just a year, Eridan. Ya don’t even know much magic”.

He is right. My magic was unusually weak because I can’t exactly go to a Church or High Level Mage to learn while on the run.

“Salizbergen Principality doesn’t follow Talaviel. Their relations with Ebraven are very rocky. Go there”, Kraus said while rummaging in his stuff.

“Where is it?” I asked.

“The other side of Mountain of Trees”, Faeve who stood silent till now spoke up.

Kraus turned his head and looked at her, “Aye. The Sun-elf is right—

He whirled around violently and looked at her again, “A Sun-elf? Ya already predicted this?”

Huh?

Kraus stared at my face and scrunched his bushy eyebrows, “The only one who can take ya there from this side is a Sun-Elf. Their home is between the Mountain of Trees”.

He made me rummage through his dusty stocks at a corner for a full half hour. Then he pushed some things towards me, “Take these, I will take the payment from Urun”. Then he turned towards me conspiratorially, “Ya tappin’ that elf? Fine choice, Eridan. Just look at those—”

A dagger vibrated beside his ears, half buried in the wooden walls.

“No one is tapping anything, dwarf”, Faeve said in a frosty voice, her hand still frozen in a throwing position.

Kraus had sweat shining from his bald pate. His hands trembled as he passed me something while he whispered, “Violent one. But tell ya what? They are the most fun in the bed. My wife broke my head thrice before she married me. Bless ’er soul”. His voice grew a tad cheerful.

He passed me a small ornate blue crystal the size of my thumb inlaid in silver casing . The casing consisted of a silver snake with delicate etchings.

I looked up at Kraus. “My daughter studies at Cressinal in Salizbergen. Show this to her and she will shelter you. Probably. We don’t talk much”. Kraus has a daughter?!

“The family name is Braconier, remember that. Also…”, he dragged forward a tall stool and got up on it laboriously. Then he looked me in the eye and…stuck a dagger at my throat, “do not touch my daughter. She is a pure girl. Keep ya filthy hands off ’er”. He had murder in his eyes.

I blinked. I mean…have you seen a 4 foot angry dwarf eager to protect his daughter’s chastity standing on a stool and glaring at you?

Terrifying. And hilarious.

“Okay, okay”, I placated him. His scowling face softened a bit.

He whispered to me again, “Do you know who chopped that Elf’s hair like that?”

“I did”, I answered back, “by accident”.

Kraus jerked up violently. He almost fell from the stool. He stared at me strangely. “You are screwed, kamprucht!” he said in a resigned tone, shaking his head. “It was good to know you”.

Oh boy. I will never save anyone again.

“By the way, Kraus”, I pointed at something on a shelf, “give me one of those bags that cut off all traces of AP”.

“Oh? Why do ya need it?” he asked while getting me a small pouch, “and this small a size?”

“So that the Order can’t trace me” , I said while dropping Kraus’ ornate crystal in it.

Kraus looked at me scowling. He then sighed quite loudly, “You are too smart for your own good, kid…but don’t hope to hide from the Rolsberg Order forever”.

I grinned at him while I turned towards the door, “See you later, Kraus”.

Faeve and I walked through the narrow back alleys. The sun had hidden itself in banks of clouds. Oppressive heat rolled off in waves, the cobble stones underfoot stung the feet. Harrengaz hadn’t yet open for business. Few brothels opened up during day. The street was eerily quiet.

“Halt! Who goes there?” a fitful guard patrolling the street asked. Poor fellow was prancing up and down Harrengaz, alone.

“Korel and his…companion, to the whorehouse on Trulianr corner”, I answered him. Eridan should be a dangerous name right now.

“Pass”. He resumed his fitful march across the street. “Some people have it good. Such a pretty slave and fucks whores too”, I heard him mutter as he went.

Faeve beside me didn’t say anything. But her steps were not as light as I was used to hearing. Why is she so hung up about this…

The whorehouse was a mess, riddled with arrows at the third and second floor. Shady looking men prowled the streets, scowling at any passerby. One of them turned around and walked towards me, briskly.

“Don’t bother, Hafel”, drawled Urun from the doorsteps, “he is one of mine”.

The man went scowling away, muttering something about men whores. I walked up to the door— arrows jutted out from it.

“Happy to see you safe, Eri-larr”, Urun caught me and Faeve by the scruff and shoved us inside, “it isn’t safe outside”.

~~~~

We were at Urun’s private parlour, dutifully getting scolded. Her tirade had continued for quite some time while she paced around in the small room, smoking dried husui leaves.

“You can still stay here…I think the order will be happy to accommodate you, Eri-larr”, said Urun while she puffed up huge clouds of bluish smoke.

“I can’t, Mama Urun. Also, I don’t want to put you and the girls in danger”, I said. Faeve stood at a corner, drinking the tea like charin.

“That…is probably true. Word is out that you killed Lady Solveria while she was deliberating about improved living condition of stable keepers”, Urun said while she fixed her red-green gown.

I arched my eyebrows while I remembered about how we had found the said lady.

“Of course, we all know she liked a more…hands-on approa

Chapter end