Summoned 2: Servants to the Demon Prince

by Jayme Knight

  “Have I ever looked like that to you?” Jenny asked fearing the answer.

  “No, never you,” Callistra said softly as she felt the heat from the fire warming her from one way and Jenny's body warming her from the other. Callistra wanted to tell Jenny but feared Jenny may not believe her. Several times she started to open her mouth to talk and then stopped.

  “Tell me who Calli,” Jenny said smiling at Callistra warmly and reassuringly.

  Callistra pushed her fear aside and decided she would tell. “Tutor Calin, on the day we watched him and Megan from the cloak room. You and James had already left and I took one more look and I saw him leering down at Megan with a twisted smiling face and eyes as red as blood. Megan tonight just after James took me and made me cum. I was in a blissful state and I looked over at Megan and she looked back at me with those same blood red eyes.”

  “I don't know what is going on Calli,” Jenny said. “But I will help you through this. The Professor is going to be here tomorrow all day, we should ask him about this. Maybe he will be able to shed some light on things and then we can make some sense of it.”

  “Do you believe me Jenny?” Callistra said with pleading eyes.

  “Yes Calli, I believe you,” Jenny said reassuringly and cradled her head.

  For the better part of an hour Callistra and Jenny sat by the fire talking, they checked on the children, and then went to bed for the night. Callistra laid in the darkness for a long time after Jenny drifted off. She was just staring at the ceiling and remembering their grotesque twisted faces and blood red eyes, but soon sleep took her into its warm embrace.

  ***

  That night Callistra had dreams of the people with red eyes and twisted horrifying faces. They were everywhere and all wanting to kill her. No matter where she ran in the mansion she was not safe one of the people around her turned into the beasts and tried to kill her. At one point they caught her and were about to stab her through the heart when a voice from the real world shattered the scene around her. Someone was shaking her and calling out to her pulling her out of her slumber. Callistra felt herself shaken with sudden jarring movements, she opened her eyes to see Jenny kneeling beside her on the bed shaking her.

  “Calli, wake up!” Jenny cried out to her in fear as she shook her several more times. “Calli, WAKE UP!”

  “I'm awake Jenny,” Callistra said in confusion as she absently reached up and tried to stop Jenny from shaking her more. “What is going on Jenny?”

  “Look,” Jenny said as she pointed down to the end of the bed.

  Callistra looked down and at first was startled to see a creature standing there, but then she recognized this creature. She had seen him many times before, but not for many years, not since she was a child. He was a Gautur a creature that was half man and half goat, his head was mostly that of a man except covered in a thick layer of coarse fur and large horns protruded from his forehead and curled back over his shoulders. His skin and hair were jet black in color with opalescent white eyes. His strong muscular torso and arms were that of a man, and from the waist down he had the legs of a goat making him somewhat resemble a Minotaur or something of the infernal nature. He was sitting back on his haunches resting just watching Jenny panic.

  “It's OK Jenny,” Callistra said as she laid a calm hand on Jenny as reassurance. “I know him. He is called Chorrus.”

  “What do you mean, you know him?” Jenny asked as confusion set in.

  “I summoned him here,” Callistra said as a smile crept across her face at the fond memories she had of him. She sat up and then slipped off of the bed her feet touching the cold stone floor. “Like I have summoned him every other time I have been truly afraid.”

  “Hello Callistra,” Chorrus said in an extremely deep gravelly voice. “I am pleased to see you are well.”

  Callistra ran to him and threw her arms around him. “Thank you for not being mad. I know I promised I would not pull you from your tribe and family again, but I could not help it my friend.

  “You have kept your promise for many years,” Chorrus said with understanding. “No harm, no fowl. I am glad to see you, I have thought many times of how you may have grown. To be truthful, I had on occasion wished you would slip up. I have missed you child.”

  “I have missed you too. I will send you back, I promised only if I am in danger,” Callistra said letting him go and stepping back to take one good look at him. “I will try to better keep my promise.”

  “My offer still stands,” Chorrus said sternly as he stood to his full height towering over Callistra by two full heads. He picked up his scythe from where he had laid it on the floor. “If ever you are in trouble bring me, I will do anything to help you.”

  Callistra concentrated and felt the familiar tingle of letting her summoned creature go and watched as Chorrus evaporated into a cloud of smoke going back to his home.

  “How did you do that?” Jenny asked with a look of concern. “You were not awake.”

  “I have been able to do it since I was a child,” Callistra explained as she crawled back between the covers on the bed. “Especially when I am angry or afraid. I can pull creatures from other places on this plane. I used to have very bad nightmares and I would summon Chorrus, he would be gruff at first but would comfort me and make sure I was not afraid.”

  “Why the promise not to summon him unless you are in danger?” Jenny asked.

  “I...I caused something very bad to happen,” Callistra admitted as she hung her head in shame looking down at the covers and remembering. “Do not ask me of it Jenny I am not ready to share it yet.”

  Callistra looked over to Jenny and she saw understanding in her face. She knew that this was not something she was ready to share, and may never be ready to share. Callistra held the blanket up inviting Jenny in to share the warmth. She smiled as Jenny crawled in and they held each other until they drifted off.

  ***

  The next day things started well even though Callistra had not slept well she had confidence the professor would be able to help her. They went through their morning routines, feeding the babies, bathing them and letting the nurse take them down to the day nursery. They had a bath of their own, and headed down for their morning meal. Like always the professor was the first one there, sitting and reading his journal, but today she and Jenny were right behind him and they sat patiently waiting for James and Megan. Callistra felt Jenny poke her and when she looked at Jenny she could see Jenny prompting her to ask the professor before James and Megan came down.

  “Later Jenny,” Callistra said under her breath.

  “Just do it Calli,” Jenny whispered and motioned toward the professor.

  “Whatever you need to ask me Miss Chancellor,” Professor Modain said in a low droning tone. “Please do it so Miss Pridehome will allow us to eat our morning meal in peace when the others arrive.”

  Callistra shot an icy glance at Jenny and slowly turned to the professor. She sat thinking of how best to ask what she wanted to ask and could see the impatience mounting in the Professor’s face with every passing moment. She could not put it off not so she just asked. “Is it possible that I was not fully healed of the demon prince's corruption?”

  “Anything is possible child,” the Professor said as he put down his book. His interest was brought to a peak with her most unexpected question. “Why do you ask?”

  Callistra just sat not speaking not knowing how to tell him what she had seen.

  “Speak up child,” the Professor prompted with concern in his voice. “Tell me what you know or I will have Miss Pridehome tell me.”

  “OK, I will tell you,” Callistra said as she felt fear mounting and tears welling in her eyes. “I have been seeing things that are not there, and not possibly real.”

  “Elaborate,” the professor said leaning forward with his full attention trained on the girl.

  “I have seen people's faces twist into gruesome versions of their true face and their eyes....,” Callistra took
a moment to wipe the tears from her eyes and steady herself before continuing. “Their eyes were blood red and unfeeling. It was like their real eyes fell out and orbs of blood replaced them. I only seen this for a moment and when I blinked they had returned to normal.”

  Callistra looked at the professor as he seemed to be thinking and mulling over her words. He did not say anything for the longest time and his silence was scaring her to the core.

  “Let me think through our morning meal,” the Professor suddenly responded as he picked up his book and opened to the page he left off at. “I will give you specific instructions to follow and I want you to perform them to the letter. Do you understand?”

  “Yes Professor,” Callistra answered with much confusion in her voice.

  “Do not fret Miss Chancellor,” the Professor said as he flipped to the next page of his book. “I do not believe this is the corruption returning. However, I do not have an answer for you better than that, so I will need to think on the matter over our meal and then consult some of my tomes.”

  It was then that Callistra heard the approach of James and Megan down the hall that led into the dining area. Callistra looked at the Professor with concern and before she could open her mouth to say anything the professor interrupted her.

  “No worries child, I will handle this matter with discretion,” He said with a slight grin but never looking away from his book. “I have been around for some time, and have had some experience in these matters.”

  “Thank you,” Callistra said under her breath knowing his keen elven hearing caught her words.

  The rest of their meal went well with light conversation to fill the voids between bites of delicious food. There was no disharmony like many mornings in the past and Callistra noticed the Professor looking up from his book every time laughter came from them. Callistra caught on early, he was monitoring them very closely, he knows something has changed in their dynamic and is bound to surmise they were having relations. It was not long before James and Megan excused themselves from the table, instead of icy stares they were left with flirtatious farewells and it filled Callistra with a good feeling. She hated not getting along with the others, this was much better, and as an added bonus they were all special friends that shared intimate moments.

  When the others were out of earshot the Professor placed his book on the table and looked at Callistra square in the eyes not blinking or letting up for some time.

  “Have you all recently engaged in sexual activities?” the Professor asked bluntly in a unfeeling cold tone.

  His stare penetrated her to the soul, and she knew it was no use lying to him so she answered truthfully. “Yes Professor.”

  “Is this when you see the aberrations?” the professor asked thinking for a second and then continuing. “Perhaps when you were in the thralls of lust or in the moments just after?”

  “Yes,” Callistra answered absently and then fear set in that maybe he knew exactly what was going on, but it is better to know your enemy and face it than to hide from it. Tears welled in her eyes as she asked in an emotion cracked voice. “What is wrong with me?”

  “If it is what I think,” the professor said pausing to gather his thoughts and calming his tone. “Then there is nothing wrong with you. Your heightened emotional state may have opened your mind to see a portent. It may be a vision of something hidden within them or it may be a glimpse into the future, it is difficult to tell. You have shared blood and body with a half-demon child for months while it gestated. There is no telling how that has effected you or will affect you in the time to come.”

  “What should I do?” Callistra asked not feeling like she was any closer to an answer than she was before.

  “First tell me who you seen this in.” the Professor said solemnly.

  Callistra paused not wanting to tell him about Megan. She just got things on track with Megan and she was afraid this would set them apart again.

  “Miss Chancellor, this is no time for nonsense like this. I do not need the lured details of your coitus, I just need the individuals’ names,” he urged with a hint of irritation entering his voice. “Who have you seen this in?”

  “I...,” Callistra started not wanting to finish, but came to the realization it must be said. “I saw it in tutor Calin, and.......Megan.”

  “Go to the summoning room and summon a Manar, and have him check you for any signs of the corruption,” the Professor said as he stood and walked toward the hallway out of the dining hall. “I wish to be sure it is not hiding and lurking in some deep recesses of your being. I need to eliminate it as a possibility.”

  “What do we do then?” Callistra asked as she reached down to hold Jenny's hand for strength.

  “Then you will attend your classes as per normal,” he said bluntly in a cold tone. “I will come and find you when I have had time to research this.”

  Callistra followed the Professor's directions exactly and summoned the Manar like she was directed. It was a magnificent being from the celestial planes that stood tall, with a body like a sculpted gold statue, sparkling silver eyes, and it was wearing a toga made from the finest silk she had ever come across. They are the most adept healers of the celestial planes, if anyone could tell if the corruption had returned he could. She spent the better part of the morning naked and splayed out on an oaken table in the summoning room. The celestial creature examined her in meticulous detail from head to toe, using its divination magic to see if she truly was cured. Jenny seemed to be taking some measure of delight in watching the event, and Callistra while embarrassed could not help but remembered her last encounter with the Manar. It was making her hot being laid out before him but that would end quickly as somewhere in the third hour of her exam the Professor arrived adding a new level of embarrassment to her already bad situation.

  Callistra tried to cover what she could so that the Professor would not see but she was failing miserably.

  “Miss Chancellor,” the Professor said in a calm, even tone. “Do you think you have something to hide that I have not already seen on other women in the past five hundred years. I have walked this land a long time and seen what you have to offer and more.”

  Callistra felt a bit dumb and just laid there still with her hands by her sides. “No, Professor.”

  She watched the Professor as he talked with the Manar in the tongue of all celestials. She felt her stomach turning with trepidation not knowing what was going on, and that was she the professor dismissed the Manar in a puff of white smoke. He walked slowly over to her, picked up a blanket off of the chair beside the table and covered her with it.

  “Is it bad news?” Callistra asked softly just knowing it was not going to be good.

  “In a manner of speaking,” the Professor replied with a look of concern. “The Manar could not find any corruption in you and that is good, but in my research the only thing I found is that mothers of half demons sometimes become precognitive. They begin to see glimpses of things to come.”

  “Is that not a good thing?” Callistra asked in confusion.

  “It is if you know how to read the glimpses.” the Professor said with a look of concern. “But in all of the journals I have read the mothers that gain the sight have gone mad. It is a heavy burden to carry, seeing these things and not knowing how to decipher what you see.”

  “What am I to do,” Callistra asked feeling like he had just slapped her hard in the face.

  “I will help you though it as best as I can,” the Professor said calmly.

  “I will too Calli,” Jenny chimed in trying to keep her voice from cracking as she felt emotion welling deep inside of her.

  “There is a break coming up when you all were to be going for three weeks visit to your families,” the Professor stated clearly. “I know you have been looking forward to the respite, but I would like you to stay here. I have some colleagues coming here and together we may be able to come up with a solution for the visions.”

  “I will do anything,”
Callistra said with desperation creeping into her voice.

  “Very well then, it is settled,” the Professor said as he turned and started to walk away, “And the answer is yes, Miss Prideholme. If you wish to stay you may as well.”

  Callistra looked at Jenny and saw Jenny smiling at the statement knowing she would want to stay. Callistra dressed quickly and they headed out to catch up with the others and continue on with their day.

  ***

  The days passed quickly and soon Megan and James left the manor to spend some time with their families. The tutors were given two weeks off and would return on the third to prepare for the student return the following week. The extra staff from town were given all three weeks off, leaving only the ten or so servants that lived in the manor to attend to their needs.

  Callistra's instances of seeing things had increased, she had seen the vision in almost everyone left in the manor except Jenny and Professor Modain. Her dreams also continued to worsen, images of the things that used to be her friends and the servants of the house were all turning against her and wanting to kill her. She spent most days held up in her room, the only thing that gave her solace was spending time with her daughter and that ended every night when she closed her eyes.

  Every day got worse and she had the feeling something was drawing nearer to her, and then she began to realize that whatever event she was seeing portent to was coming upon them. By the time that the tutors came back she could no longer push the twisted faces and red eyes out of her mind, and the dreams had become unbearable to the point where she had not slept in three days. The Professor and his colleagues had run out of ideas and decided to seek out an elder member of the college of sorcery in this matter. She was left alone with Jenny in the manor. She did not trust the servants or the tutors they all had demonic twisted faces and blood red eyes. She could only trust Jenny now.

  Callistra sat by the fire in one of the large overstuffed chairs holding Miranda letting her suckle the milk from her engorged breast when she heard someone at the door. It opened shooting a pang of fear through her until she could see it was Jenny coming in.