"We are gathered here today in the year of twenty-nineteen, to witness the annual Summoning of the students of Sobremesa Boarding School. I am proud to announce that this year has been our most rewarding one, with students breaking records in all areas of our campus. Not to mention we have also won many national awards thanks to our students capabilities, and our crisis levels are the lowest they have ever been! Without further ado, I announce this year's Annual Sobremesa Summoning!"
As the crowd cheered in the bleachers, my heart sunk to the pit of my stomach. My parents were clapping along with everybody else, but their faces held no enthusiasm. My Grandparents and two older sisters hadn't even shown up, and I couldn't blame them - we all knew this was going to be a disaster on my part.
"Hey, Will, you okay?"
I turned to Olivia, smiling gratefully at her concern. "I'm okay. I'd rather this just be over."
Laughter trickled towards us from the other side of the room. I didn't even glance. I'd recognise Gabrielle Evangalista's laugh anywhere. No doubt she was awaiting my quote-unquote 'amazing performance'.
"Don't sweat it, Will, you're gonna be great out there!"
"Olivia-Rose Carter?"
"That's me!"
"Bye Oli, good luck!"
I could barely manage an enthusiastic smile as she followed the Student Council President to her place in the short queue of students waiting eagerly to summon their Familiar. I wished with all my little thirteen-year-old heart that I could feel the same way, but it was impossible to do since my fate was already sealed.
For as long as the family documents went back (which was a good four-hundred years or so), any Witch or Wizard or Sorcerer who had any blood relation to the Salvador family was incapable of Summoning a Familiar Spirit above F Rank, which was literally the lowest of the low.
I wasn't praying for an SS Rank Spirit, or even and S one, but at least a D or a C and I knew my family would be ecstatic.
That was never going to happen though.
I forced myself to react enthusiastically as Oli managed to summon a B- Rank Wood Nymph. I stared longingly at them both as they went to sit with their family, who were beaming with pride.
My mum waved gently at me from the stands, and I waved back, glad that they were putting off calling my name for as long as they could.
"Willow Salvador?"
Nevermind.
I moved quickly, the nerves setting in as all eyes in the room turned to me. The buzzing of whispers immediately began to rise, and I rubbed my sweaty palms against my official Witching robes as I joined the queue.
"Willow, don't be nervous. You know what's going to happen, so get on with it and go."
Very inspiring words to anyone's ears I'm sure, Coach Gallahan.
My nerves skyrocketed as the guy in front of me stepped forward into the open area. I watched, with receding confidence, his amazing show. By the end he had managed to snag a Level A+ Lycan, who stood, intimidating, by his side.
I was going to be a great follow-up of that.
"You're up, Salvador."
Practically a walking earthquake, I moved my way into the centre of the field, avoiding the eyes of every person that stared a hole into my body.
Were people laughing? Probably.
"This is too much for a barely-turned teenager." I muttered to myself.
Taking a deep breath, I pulled out my wand of Avodire and Hematite, and drew in the ground my Summoning Circle. As I placed each on the five Pentagram candles, I spoke with what I thought was a relatively powerful voice:
"I, Willow-Rose Salvador of the Salvador bloodline, ask that the Force that connects everything heed my words. Upon summoning Air, drawing to me a servant that be kind. Upon summoning Fire, burning any threads that may bring me a servant that be dangerous to me. Upon summoning Water, that may cleanse the heart of my servant so they be free of negativity. Upon summoning Earth, so they may keep me grounded for my servant. And upon summoning Spirit, forming the servant that is to be mine. I summon thee!"
I barely managed to keep my cool as a few snickers from the crowd reached my ears. I raised my wand a little confidently towards the sun, continuing my incantation.
"My servant that exists somewhere in the vast universe, my divine, beautiful, wise, powerful servant, heed my call! I wish from the very bottom of my heard that you shall appear! Pentagram of the five elemental powers, grant your blessings upon this creature upon arrival, so it may be bound as my Familiar!"
I picked up my athame and sliced my hand quickly, barely wincing as a few drops of blood hit the centre of the Circle in front of me.
"Blood of my blood, you spirits of love, come from below and from above; entities loving who wish me well, come to this circle when I sound the bell!"
With a pure, deep sound, I rang my bell once, twice, three times in a triangle around me, then placed it on top of the stains of blood. I then pressed my hands together with my pagan beads and wand, praying to any God or Goddess that would grant me my wish.
I waited.
I waited.
Then the laughter began.
My resolve slowly began to fade as the laughter grew, the snide remarks passing over my head.
I pressed my hands together tightly and squeezed my eyes shut.
"Please. I need you." I whispered.
Nothing.
Tears filled my eyes as one of the Professors made their way over to me, noticing how loud the laughter levels were rising.
"Miss Salvador, I would advise you to close your-"
A bolt of lightning struck the ground at my feet, sending me flying to the back end of my circle. My spine hit the invisible wall and I ended up in a heap on the floor.
Laughter replaced by shocked shrieking, the crowd began to grow wild. I turned to see new Contractors attempting to order their Familiars to protect them, but all they could do was cower in fear.
"Willow! Close the Circle!"
I barely heard Professor Mancer's voice over the commotion before I noticed my circle was beginning to smoke.
That was never good.
I rushed to my wand in attempt to stop the ritual, but before I could reach for it another bolt of lightning struck and I yanked my hand back with a yelp before realising I could no longer use my dominant hand.
Which was a bad thing.
I watched in horror as the Circle I had so lovingly drawn caught fire, which was flaming with a freezing blue tone.
I hurriedly rushed to the centre of the circle, digging my fingernails across the ground as I went, with the intent to break the Circle.
Of course, that didn't work.
Whatever creature was being summoned to this Circle, I would have to deal with without my wand, without my Magic.
Oh God, I was gonna die.
I was going to die!
Before I completely accepted the fact that I was not going to win this fight, I noticed my athame, lying innocently on the grass. I allowed myself to feel stupid for a second before thrusting my body forward to grab it, settling for using my left hand to fight.
The smoke was so thick that I could only assume it hadn't leaked out of the Circle. I could hear people shouting, but I was too focused on the intimidatingly large silhouette that hand suddenly appeared in my Circle.
Without a second's hesitation, I lunged forward, aiming my witch's blade at the place I assumed the neck of the invader was.
In a second my athame was gone, and I was shoved to the ground by an indescribable Magic that immediately forced all air out of my lungs.I rolled on my side, burying my face into the grass as I prepared myself for death.
It never came.
Instead, I noticed it had become easier to breathe, and I cautiously, yet curiously, peaked out from under my arm.
The smoke was gone.
Huh?
What?
What the hell had just happened?!
"Greetings, my Young Miss. I apologise for any inconvenience I may have caused upon my arrival. It is due to my lack of knowledge of how this Upperworld functions that things did not go quite as smoothly as I had hoped."
My eyes practically bulging out of my head, I slowly took in the warm, soothing voice of the elegant, seven and a half-foot creature that stood, bowing politely, over my crippled body.
His feathery wings, which covered the length and width of my entire Circle, were an inky black that shimmered with a slight reddish hue. Long, swirling black horns protruded from the top of his skull, where moonlight white waves of hair cascaded down to his waist. His amber, almost ruby eyes gazed at me with assurance, but held a little curiousity, and his full lips curved kindly over a set of half-inch fangs. He was dressed in Victoria-style clothing; a ruffly blouse and a pair of black trousers which were fastened shut with what looked like a black lace underbust corset. Out of the bottom of the frills of the hem of the trousers extended two, animalistic feet, which were very long with menacingly large black claws. It was then that I noticed the large black claws on his hands, and his pointed ears, complete with a single black feather earring.
"You're... A Devil?" I could barely breathe.
The Devil stood proud, adjusting his wings so we could keep our privacy. "Indeed I am, my Young Miss. I am here entirely to serve you."
I pushed down the bats in my stomach and I struggled to sit up.
"My Young Miss, allow me."
Within a second, the Devil hand set me upright and veiled my body in a warm, tingly light that made me feel more functional than I had ever been.
Healing Magic? Nifty.
In a few seconds I stood solidly on my feet, staring the Devil down with a frown. "You mean to tell me I summoned you?"
"Affirmative."
"You came here because of me?"
"Yes, my Young Miss."
I kept quiet for a few moments, the reality of what he'd said settling in. "What about the tradition of the Salvador bloodline only being allowed to summon E Ranks?"
The Devil, dare I say, looked a little ashamed? "That was a... Miscommunication at the hands of the group. We decided that rather than warp the frames of time, one of us would instead become your Familiar; you can imagine that I was the only one eligible for the role, as I am the most knowledgeable about the Upperworld."
By 'group' I assumed he meant the High Council of the Underworld.
"Why else did you step up?"
The Devil chuckled. "I was intrigued by how such a tiny being could survive with such a rare Magical wavelength. I became your Familiar with no idea that we would have corresponding wavelengths, and since I became excited about the thought of working with you, I rushed here as quickly as I could, though I am afraid I may have caused quite the commotion."
I ignored the curious shouts of fear around us.
Rather than your Magical energy or strength, it's your Magical wavelength that matters. You could be capable of summoning the most powerful Magic in the world, but if your wavelength doesn't match it, you risk your life. There are also people such as my family and ancestors who have a rare kind of wavelength that only connects with certain types of Magic, rather than it's Rank.
Though I suppose I had broken that tradition, summoning an SS+ Rank Devil.
"Are you really my Familiar?"
"Yes, my Young Miss."
"You're not pranking me?"
"May I ask what that term means?"
Excitement began to build in my body and a huge grin spread across my face. "This changes everything!"
The Devil's gaze followed my every move.
"What do I call you?" I asked after I'd managed to calm down.
"By all means, my Young Miss, please gift me with a name."
I bit my lip, thinking. Eventually I came up with one that I thought was pretty cool.
"What about... Rae?"
"Rae?"
"I think it means 'wise protector', or something like that."
A smile slowly spread across his face. "I like it."
A prideful smile lit up my face and I stuck out my hand. "Well then, Rae, welcome to the Salvador family!"
"It will be a pleasure to serve you."
My eyes moved to his wings. "You might want to put those away for now, since you've succeeded in terrifying every human and Familiar in the vicinity."
Rae laughed, a genuine laugh, and folded his wings away. I was glad to see my Circle had been closed - a sure sign that a Familiar Contract had been made.
Is this a dream?
"Willow?"
I looked at Oli, who had been my best friend for as long as I could remember, ignoring and even fighting the stories that had be said about me and my family. I looked at my stunned parents, who had struggled for so long, yet been so strong as to endure it. I looked at the horribly pale Gabrielle Evangelista, who, just because her family was famous for summoning A+ to S+ Rank Familiars consistantly, had mad my years at school complete hell.
Then I looked at Rae.
I had never felt more satisfied and ecstatic about anything in my life, and it was all thanks to this man.
"Thank you, Rae."
Rae smiled, a little confused. He then bowed, probably upon figuring it out. "You're very welcome, my Young Miss."
Then I turned and proudly walked away from my deactivated Circle, towards the onslaught of curious and fearful eyes of those who had ridiculed me for so long.
"Everybody, please come and meet Rae, my SS+ Rank Devil Familiar!"
I honestly couldn't say it enough.
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