by Eric Vall
I didn’t like the sound of any of what he’d just said, and it didn’t help that he just breathed out the words as if it was a chore to even be there. Which, I guess it was for him. We walked over to the fake little forest. The teacher then tossed one of his crystals and an axe goblin appeared a moment later.
“This is your typical axe goblin,” he started, “Used by lumber teams everywhere, they can chop down a tree twice as fast as any human and don’t fatigue as we would.” I raised my hand. Rori looked at me funny like he couldn’t understand what I didn’t understand. “What?”
“Couldn’t you use a speed slug to make them go much faster? Because that’s what I do with my own.”
“Oh, you’re a lumberjack?”
I shrugged. “Among other things.”
“Well, you are correct, I suppose. That would help things go along faster if you can manage to catch a speed slug. They are fast after all.”
It wasn’t hard for me, but I didn’t point that out. He returned the axe goblin to its crystal, and then lead us to a large plot of bare earth in the middle of the room. He pulled out another crystal and chucked it. A flash and a puff of smoke later, and a large, bulking troll stood before us, though it wasn’t a normal one. Grey mush dripped from its pores and onto the ground. It was smaller than a regular troll and not as wide, but still towered over all of us. It was common amongst builders.
“This is a cementroll. Unlike its bigger, more powerful kin, these leak a sticky adhesive from their skin that hardens into a substance nearly identical to mortar or cement.” He looked at the monster and gave it a silent command. The troll bent down and scooped up a pile of its sticky excretion. It worked it in its hands before it solidified into the shape of a large brick.
“See, very helpful.” We started walking. “Now, the next one—”
“Uh, sir,” I interrupted. “Not that this isn’t important, because it is, I’ve worked in construction for the last five years. But shouldn’t we be learning to fight? I mean, we can make a difference. We don’t have to just build things.”
He scoffed. “That’s not what we learn here. Summoners don’t usually fight. Even when we do, we can’t contribute that much. If our one attack doesn’t land or doesn’t kill the monster, we become a liability.”
“But maybe that’s not the only way. You can’t tell me that this is all you want us to do.”
He glared and started to seethe. “I do. This is what we learn. We do not fight, Gryff.”
I started to lose my temper as well. “Why? Why can’t we fight? Why can’t we change things? The other mages get to be heroes, but we have to sit back and cheer them from the audience and take their ridicule? That’s a pile of troll shit and you know it … unless you’re a coward.”
Braden and Layla gasped at that final insulting insinuation.
“Okay, smartass,” he spat, his rancid breath a torrid assault on my nostrils. “You want to fight monsters, then let’s fight monsters.”
He dug into his back of essence crystals for a moment, his tongue out as he tried to find whatever he was looking for. After a moment, he found it. He grinned and pulled a large crystal free. It was a deep gray and seemed to swirl like a thundercloud ready to burst with rain. He gripped it tight then chucked it over our heads. With a flash and a heavy thump, the monster formed.
It had a serpent’s body, large and hulking like a basilisk, but that’s where the similarities ended. The head was vaguely humanoid, but massively fat, with rounded cheeks and chin, like a frog, the flesh sickly green with grey scales. Small spikes ran along its jaw. Two muscular arms as wide as Braden’s torso protruded right below the head. It shifted and jerked about unnaturally, and everything about it was terrifying.
It was a grey prowler, a rare and dangerous monster.
Its jaw unhinged and revealed several rows of tiny but incredibly sharp teeth. A long, leathery tongue sat coiled and ready to pounce. It reared back and roared, a sound like a horrifying mix between a strangled baby and a dying sheep. That unnatural sound made my skin crawl and the hairs on the back of my neck stand stock straight. Corrosive acid dripped from the prowler’s mouth and sizzled on the floor. Unlike the walls, it was not made of xanyarstone, and the acid melted a hole into it.
It was a monster that I couldn’t dream of summoning. I didn’t have the mana or the ability, but I knew I could still beat it.
It could move as any snake could, but it used its muscled arms to propel itself forward at an alarmingly fast speed instead. As it roared and barreled toward us, I grabbed an essence crystal from my belt and threw it.
With a flash, one of my wallerdons appeared in front of me. The grey prowler wasn’t deterred. It came to a halt, reared back, and gathered acid in its throat to strike, but I was faster. I threw out a bullet bass and made my wallerdon metal. The prowler spat and the acid splattered across my monster, but it didn’t go through. The metal held.
My wallerdon wouldn’t stop it forever. It was slow, and the prowler was fast and nimble.
The prowler bellowed with rage and wrapped its body around my monster. With what seemed like minimal effort, the prowler lifted the wallerdon with its tail and tossed it aside as if it weighed nothing. Wallerdons were the opposite of light, so the prowler was scary strong to be able to do that.
I didn’t know how far Rori would take this, but I wasn’t beat, and I wouldn’t let him win.
As the prowler clawed forward, I tossed out a sequence of essence crystals. First, I summoned a daggerdillo and then paired it with a bullet bass and a speed slug, one of my favorite combinations. The daggerdillo’s now metal body glinted in the light. The prowler didn’t care as it charged with that heart-wrenching wail of its, but I intended to make it stop.
As it neared, I gave my order. The daggerdillo launched its spiky quills, but with the enhanced speed of the speed slug, they were more bullets than spikes. They shot out of the monster with a speed and rate of fire that guns could only dream of achieving. The bullet spikes tore into the prowler, which wailed in pain before it unceremoniously evaporated in a flash of light.
Silence hung thick in the air while I recalled my monsters. I didn’t need to look at Braden or Layla to feel their shock and disbelief. But I did look at Rori’s face, and I drank in that look of stunned stupidity. He couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. There was no anger in his eyes, just bewilderment. My anger, however, had not left me. I pointed to the spot where the prowler had “died.”
“That,” I spat with as much venom as I could muster, “is what a summoner can do, what a summoner can be. But either you’re too drunk to see it, or you’re just afraid.”
Mister Rori stuttered and tried to gather the words for a response, his flabby cheeks and jowls wiggling as he did. His face became flustered. I doubted that he’d been challenged by a student in years, but I wouldn’t put up with it. The headmaster was right, summoning needed a change on a fundamental level, and I was the one who had to do it.
His search for a response failed. I put up a hand to stop him. “Don’t bother. There’s nothing you can say. Have fun with your class.” I turned and strode out of the training arena. I knew we still had time left in class, but I wouldn’t be able to handle him if I stayed, and I was afraid of how I would react if I did. I didn’t have a temper, but any man can lash out if pushed too far.
So, I stormed away and put as much distance between me and the pretend summoners as I could.
Chapter 8
I cooled off the rest of the day in my dorm and read that chapter in the textbook that Arwyn assigned. I read it, but my mind was not in it, since my thoughts were still on Rori and the others and what I had to do. Convincing everyone that summoners could be better was going to be harder than I thought.
If there was a rule that I needed to attend dinner, then I broke it, for I didn’t want to deal with anyone. As much as I wanted to eat, the thought of people made me gag.
Dinner came and went, and I knew that I needed to
at least get out and do something. I caught a whiff of myself from the cool night breeze that wafted through my open window. I wished I could have spared myself from my own stench. It seemed like I had a reason to leave my room then.
Minutes later, I had my things in arm and on the way to the bathhouse. As it turned out, the baths were right by my dorm, so it didn’t take me long at all to arrive. That was convenient, to say the least.
I swallowed hard as I came to the Academy bathhouse. It was tall and monolithic, with large polished brick walls surrounded by columns and an ornate stone awning that was more aesthetic than structural. Large granite steps led up to a wide set of iron doors that hung open. I’d never used a public bathhouse before, as I preferred the solitary wash behind an inn or a cold dunk in a nearby stream or river. If the baths were co-ed, maybe I’d be more excited, but that was simply asking for too much.
The foyer was more of a parlor, with cushioned seats and a small dining area. I couldn’t imagine who was eating in here, but I guessed rich Enclavers liked to have options. The walls were all wood paneling and red leather, with lush curtains draped over each panel. Again, no functional purpose, but I guess it looked good. The whole scene reminded me of a painting of a luxurious brothel I’d seen hanging in a tavern once, so maybe brothels and rich bathhouses had the same atmosphere.
Two hallways angled off in opposite directions. There were a couple of my fellow female students that milled about the hall on the right. They wore long satin bathrobes and gave me a long, disdainful glance before they disappeared down that hall. So I knew not to go down that one unless I wanted to die a slow and painful death.
I started down the other hall.
It curved for a few paces before it opened with a twirl of more satin curtains. I moved them aside and came into the baths.
It was incredibly bright, with the near white pale green glow of the gaslights reflected off the white tile. That and it was accented by the layer of steam that covered the air like a suffocating cloud. I stood there for only moments and was already sweaty.
The room was tall, two or three floors high, with an open air ceiling, but smaller walls segmented off the room. Each one had a different bath within. Benches and cubbies lined the walls and pools for students to put their things. I saw a few more doorways that led off to who knew where. Private baths perhaps? The prospect was tempting, but I also didn’t want to intrude on someone if I were right.
The first pool was occupied by eight other men, fragmented into several groups. They gave me long glances as I walked by but otherwise didn’t say a word. The next bath was even more crowded, with at least two dozen other men lounging, bathing, and in various stages of dressing and undressing. No one spared me a glance, so I went on to the next one.
This one was blessedly only occupied by four others. Two sat together and chuckled at each other. The other two sat separately on their own, one with eyes closed and head back as he enjoyed the hot water, while the other was in the middle of bathing. I averted my eyes and quickly found a cubby to store my clothes. I wasn’t shy, but that didn’t mean I had to sit and watch. That would be odd. Now, if they were ladies …
I stripped off my shirt and trousers, covered myself with a towel, then walked over to the closest bench and placed my soap and washcloth there before I finally dropped my towel and stepped into the pool.
The heat made me flinch, but I acclimated quickly. I slipped slowly into the water, which made me sigh with comfort. The heat caressed my sore muscles. I needed this since I hadn’t taken a warm bath in … well, years. Warm water was a luxury that few outside the Enclaves could claim to have, so my opportunities were very few and far between. This was going to be here for me every day. This Academy sure was something.
As my body soaked, I untied my hair and let it breathe, and leaned my head back against the tiled edge and put my arms back against it too. Eyes closed, I took a deep breath. Yes, this was exactly what I needed. After such a long first day, and the immense disappointment of my summoner class … a break was already necessary
I didn’t want to be upset with Braden or Layla. They seemed like decent enough people, and they were taught how to summon and how to use their abilities like everyone else. I just had a hard time coming to grips with the truth of what the headmaster had told me. I’d always thought of summoners no differently than elementals or adepts. I’d always believed they were like me, that they could improvise and actually be effective at something more than labor. That was ignorance though. My eyes had been closed before, and now they were wide open.
I shouldn’t be mad at the others. I needed to show them the correct path, the better path. Like the headmaster wanted.
Rori, however … I couldn’t help but be frustrated with him. It was obvious to me that he’d once given a damn about summoning. He’d given up, let the system tear him down. Now he was a bitter, lazy drunk who didn’t care about summoning or his students. Perhaps I was only angry, not seeing the whole truth, but just the thought of his rancid alcohol breath, his slurs … I wanted to slap at the water, but I didn’t. I should be the damn teacher in that class.
Someone disturbed the water next to me. I cracked open an eye to see Braden’s massive form sliding into the pool beside me. I stifled a groan. No, it’s not him I’m angry at, I had to remind myself. Still, I wasn’t overly fond of bathing with other people, but I sincerely doubted I could get him to leave. It wasn’t like I could avoid him, we did room together after all.
“Mind if I join you?” he asked, a little late since he’d already joined me.
I closed my eyes again. “Sure, big guy, sure.”
He sighed as he settled in. He was a tad too close, so I scooted a fraction. I didn’t need us being too familiar.
We sat in silence for a while, which was fine by me. All I could hear was the gentle sloshing of the water, the whispers and chuckles of the other men near us, and the cackling splashing of one of the bigger groups at one of the other pools. Thank goodness I decided not to go in those. For a moment, I thought I heard some squeals and giggles come from the women’s baths, but I shook my head and chalked that up to my imagination.
After a blessed few minutes of silence, Braden broke it. “That was amazing what you did in class.”
I didn’t open my eyes when I shrugged. “It was nothing.”
“It was far from nothing, Gryff. You killed Professor Rori’s grey prowler! I mean, I’ve never seen a summoner do that.”
“Well, I hope you get to see a lot more of that, because I aim to make summoning a much more relevant and respected art.”
“I don’t know about that, but it would sure be something.”
I opened my eyes and narrowed them at him. “Why did you become a summoner, Braden?”
He pondered it a moment. “I learned young that I could use magic, but I was never one for fighting or confrontation. I just want to help people, so I became a summoner. My monsters can make people’s lives easier, take away some of the physical burdens our society demands of them.”
“That’s as noble a cause as any I suppose.” I meant it. I’d been doing what he just described for the last five years, and Maelor had done that his entire life. Helping people was what drove me, and I was glad to see that Braden thought and acted the same way. But I wasn’t one to shy from a fight, so if I could help others by fighting and by showing that summoners could be more, could help more, then I would do it.
I couldn’t blame him though, for how many people were like me? Not many, as I was swiftly finding out.
“If you had the opportunity,” I began, “would you fight against the monsters, help people in that sense if you had the capability?”
He froze. “I-I … I don’t k-know.” He was nervous. He’d been nervous or frightened in class too. “Truthfully Gryff, monsters terrify me. Even my own.”
My jaw practically fell off, that’s how far my mouth opened. “Then, why on earth are you a summoner?”
He smirked. “I t
old you, I want to help people, and I was never any good with the other forms of magic. And yes, monsters scare me. What they are, what they’ve done and continue to do … I think it’s crazy that more people aren’t as frightened as I am. But I want to get better. I want to overcome my fear so that I can be of better help to everyone.”
I gave him a long look. Here this guy was, laying his soul out to me, his hopes and fears. I’d only known him for a day and had already felt an array of conflicting emotions towards him, it was astounding. He was physically strong yet in some ways seemed like a coward. The reality was that he was strong in so many more ways. Not many people actively deal with the thing that terrifies them just so they can overcome their fears. And for the simple goal of helping others? No, that wasn’t common, and I realized then that neither was Braden Flint.
“Well, Braden, I aim to give you and all future summoners a chance to fight. A choice.”
“May we reach our goals.”
We both smiled, and if we’d had drinks, we would have clinked them together. But all we had was steam, soap, and dirty bath water, so a solid nod was all we could muster.
We properly bathed after that. I sloshed over to my own corner in a thinly veiled attempt at some privacy, though I came to realize that privacy wasn’t exactly a big thing at the Academy. It certainly wouldn’t exist between Braden and me, so it was best if I just stopped giving a damn. But I could do that another day.
We were about to leave when a gaggle of laughs and slapping feet came around the separation wall. Three more boys, with wicked sneers and gleaming teeth, and I recognized all of them, but the one in the middle of the little group was the one that I dreaded seeing the most.
Gawain.