Disclaimer: I do not own Summon Night: Swordcraft Story. This is a "fanfiction" and as such, readers are expected to possess the intelligence to realize this. Enjoy!
I first started this story back in 2008, but it was just terrible at the time. Still, the ideas were solid and now I have the talent to back it up, not to mention a thorough recent play through of Summon Night. This is a potential 20+ chapter series, but I need to see some support if I'm going to be motivated to update any time in the near future! Review, favorite, and follow!
I
Iron & Birthright
The legendary City of Swords was enveloped by a peaceful aura as midnight touched down on the manmade floors of Wystern. There was not a single disturbance to be found so late, save a lonely kitten pawing at a decorative pair of gloves hanging outside of a local's house, fresh off the furnace. The excitement of the recent Craftlord tournament had ended several months ago, and for the moment, all was calm.
On the other hand, a turbulent storm of emotions was threatening to consume the younger sister of the Craftlord of Ruby. Sanary, the fiery redhead whose proficiency with the sword had garnered nationwide attention, was wide awake in her bed, contemplating far more important issues than the appropriate combo to use when countering an axe-wielder. Cleru, the new Craftlord of Iron, had defeated the Holy Spirit Parista and saved her from certain death, but in place of such danger, she was now subject to many strange and new sensations that she had never experienced before, and neither the comforts of a bed nor the fatigue of a day of sparring could quell the embers of passion that were growing inside her. Rolling around restlessly, Sanary could not help but smile as she thought about him. His cluelessness, his strength, his compassion, there was not one quality that she did not like about him, though she would never admit as much to him. Post-tournament was the closest she came as she briefly confessed her feelings, but of course, the poor fool hadn't paid enough attention to be sure of what he had heard…
Finally drifting off into an uneasy sleep, Sanary was certain that she would be subjected to a great many fantasies involving her silver-haired knight, but she was severely disappointed. Nightmares stalked her dreams as she was once again in Parista's control, attacking Cleru with the very real intention of slaughter. No…no! Sanary screamed as the eternal flames of hatred licked around her naked body. Parista's eyes were as black as coals with tiny yellow pupils. The beast's neck extended as he drew his face close to Sanary, saliva boiling down his thickly hided cheek as his sharp teeth grinned wickedly at her. The smell of burning flesh was fresh on his breath as he leaned in.
"A 'mere victory' in battle can ne'er destroyeth me," Parista hissed a familiar phrase. Sanary's squeezed her eyes shut as she clapped her hands over her ears, but it was futile. "The origins of my power are the flames of hatred…it is the agony of Sanary that empowers me. This damsel…Sanary was envious of thee…She yielded to my power and domination in order to defeat thee…"
"No...I love Cleru…don't hurt him…NO!" Sanary screamed, eyes fluttering wide open as she awoke in a cold sweat. It was surprisingly early considering the lateness in which she had fallen asleep, but she had no desire to go back to bed. The memory of Parista had been haunting her every night since the events after the semi-finals of the Craftlord tournament and all Sanary wanted to do was vent on some Stray Summons. Pinning her hair into a ponytail, Sanary equipped her favorite battle gear: a light purple long-sleeved shirt made out of leather with white shoulder pads, a pair of white gloves, a short skirt, and a pair of tall white boots. Placing her favorite sword gently in her sheath, she fastened it around her waist and straightened out.
"Guess I'm ready to go," Sanary said satisfied as she inspected herself in her mirror. She found a lightening element dagger that she strapped around her waist as well before she quietly opened the door. The Silver Guild was still extremely silent, seeing as how early it was, and Sanary was not really in the mood to explain why she was awake so early. The synchronized voices of Ariel and Muriel were singing poorly from the girls' bathroom, accompanied by the sound of running water, and Sanary was even less enthusiastic about the prospect of any early run-ins as she snuck out stealthily.
Reaching the Central Tower, Sanary fingered her weapon eagerly as she headed straight for the Labyrinth. The green teleporter was lit up as always, and she jumped on it, the ninety-sixth floor glued in her mind. The teleporter responded to her desires, teleporting her to the appropriate floor. As she appeared at the bottom of the Labyrinth, she sprang into action, destroying crates and barrels indiscriminately with her trusty hammer. Her actions attracted the attention of the Labyrinth's inhabitants, including an exceptionally large dark dragon and an electrically overcharged charger. She cut through all opponents with ease as she made her way further down into the bottommost depths of the Labyrinth. At this point, Sanary was nearly invincible as far as normal Strays were concerned, but she wanted to take on the juggernaut of the Labyrinth, simply known as Inferno Kirin. As she made it the final floor with haste, she realized with a mixture of excitement and irritation that Cleru and his Guardian Beast Rasho had already beaten her to the punch.
As the snarling beast unleashed a fireball, Cleru and Rasho sprinted to it and hacked at its neck. The fireball exploded into a sea of flames, but the duo was well out of the scorching flames' reach. Continuing their assault, Inferno Kirin shuddered as they continued chopping, and for a moment, it appeared as if they had won. But the shuddering merely served to loosen the scales on its neck and as it whipped its head, the scales were launched towards its enemies like a meteor shower.
"Cleru, I'm getting sick of this crap!" Rasho complained irritably as he blocked the bombardment with his sword. "You ready to finish it off?"
"Let's do it, partner!" Cleru exclaimed.
In spite of itself, Inferno Kirin stopped its assault as Rasho levitated high into the air, immersed in the ancient magic of his people. He began to chant, and Sanary was surprised to realize that she was able to understand him, though it appeared to be a spell spoken in multiple languages. It was as though every language that had ever been spoken in Lyndbaum was being utilized in Rasho's spell, tearing down all boundaries between the worlds.
"O Yokai of Silturn,
Bestow upon this Oni prince
The power of the warriors of the realm.
Egress this world in the flames of thy kinship
So that any enemies who defy the prince of Mt. Gokei
Shall realize the futility of such folly
And burn to ashes!"
Sanary couldn't help but notice that what she comprehended was spoken with the same jargon that Parista and Kuhyra used, though Rasho never spoke. Perhaps something about the language was seeped in power, and though she had never seen this spell before, she felt the ground beneath her shudder and she dove behind a corner as Rasho rose higher and higher into the air, his hand ablaze, before diving down and rupturing the earth.
An explosive eruption followed this action as pillars of flames jetted from the cracks Rasho had created. Inferno Kirin screeched in agony as it was incinerated by the raw power in Rasho's spell. Swaying on its unstable legs, the beast came crashing down. Cleru gently tapped it with his foot before turning back to Rasho.
"Looks like we beat it again," he said as the duo high-fived triumphantly. Rasho's face fell as he noted the pained look on Inferno Kirin's face.
"Immortality is a bitch," he commented, which Cleru agreed with a shrug.
"Means more experience for us. Not many Strays as powerful as Inferno Kirin, but we've gotta get as much as we can out of our fights."
"Yeah, plus we aren't exactly saints," Rasho chuckled. "You ever feel guilty when you're carrying out your Craftknight duties?"
Cleru contemplated the question for a long moment before he shook his head with a smile. "No, I think I would if Strays were Guardian Beasts, but they lose any trace of conscious thought and become something different altogether. We are freeing them from their suffering. That's how I look at it anyway."
"Well said," Rasho laughed. "If I became a Stray, I would want you to off me right then and there."
"That was really impressive," Sanary commented as she stepped out from her protective corner. "When did you learn that technique?"
Rasho and Cleru spun around surprised. "I didn't think anyone else would be up this early," Cleru exclaimed.
"Well, I was hoping to get some training in, but looks like you guys got to Inferno Kirin first. That was a pretty terrifying attack."
"Thanks," Rasho said with a toothy grin. "We call it Flare Volcano."
"It's different somehow from the other spells I've seen," Sanary said with her brow furrowed. "Most of the time, Guardian Beasts just need to specify their intentions out loud while making use of their mana…but Flare Volcano was something else entirely different."
"Good eye," Rasho complimented her. "That is a birthright of the prince of Mt. Gokei: access to spells that most Guardian Beasts never even come close to touching. I've heard that there are even more spells that I haven't unlocked yet, but that's what makes training fun."
"No doubt," Cleru agreed. "Well, I'm sorry we took your prey, but it'll be a few hours before Inferno Kirin is in any condition to fight again. Why don't you come relax with Rasho and me?"
"That's right!" Sanary's eyes lit up in realization. "I haven't gotten the chance to see your new house yet!"
"Want to check it out?" Cleru grinned as he beckoned her towards him. "Follow us." As he led the way back to the teleporter, Sanary marveled at the fact that a boy younger than her could own a house. This could be attributed to his victory in the Craftlord tournament. In addition to gaining the title of Craftlord of Iron, he won a considerable amount of prize money, enough to begin constructing a house on the third level. His logic was that he wanted a place that his mother Amariss could retreat to when the first floor sunk under the sea and it might as well be on the top level. He typically resided at the Silver Guild, which had become his second home during the Craftlord tournament, but he visited his house from time to time, just as occasionally, he went home to Amariss. Sanary frowned; her sister was always busy on official Craftlord business, so it had been a long time since Sanary had experienced any familial joy.
"Cleru, this is amazing," Sanary gasped as they finally reached his house on the third level. Perhaps amazing was an overstatement considering how cluttered and dirty it was, but nonetheless, it was somehow more appealing to her than most of the adults' houses on the lower levels. There were finely crafted goods made of metal and wood littering the floor. An anvil and furnace were in a nearby room, while several sets of gym equipment filled another. A bookcase was completely filled with tomes and novels, instructional guides to weapon crafting, and even the bestiary that only the most skilled apprentices had been awarded at the previous tourney. It was clearly the house of a Craftknight enthusiast.
"Thanks," Cleru said as he popped open a bottle of milk and gulped it down eagerly while Rasho headed straight for the shower. He offered her a bottle, which she accepted as her stomach offered a low growl. It was almost time for breakfast…
"So have you adjusted to your duties as the Craftlord of Iron?" Sanary asked, offering him a wry grin. Out of the darkness of the Labyrinth, she was finally able to get a good look at him. His outfit was exactly the same as it had been during the tournament. His dark blue long sleeved shirt was covered by a rolled up light blue jacket. What looked to be a leather apron provided additional protection from the heat of the furnace. His pants were dark blue as well, perfectly matching the undershirt he wore. A large weapons case was strapped from his shoulder to his waist, the handle of his newest sword protruding from the end. The only visible differences between the Cleru of the tournament and the current Cleru were an obvious difference in muscle mass, a significant increase in calluses, and a longer mane of unkempt silver hair. Despite this slightly more intimidating appearance, Sanary could only smile at how adorable Cleru looked with a milk mustache.
"I haven't had too many duties yet," Cleru said thoughtfully, "and since Parista returned to Sapureth, the main function of the Craftlords has been lost."
"That's right!" Sanary gasped in surprise. She had completely forgotten the ulterior purpose behind the existence of the Craftlords; not many people ever knew that they were meant to protect the shrine of Parista.
"So mostly I've been training and crafting," Cleru said with a shrug. "Master Rondeau has been teaching me how to improve my weapons, but that's about it so far."
"Well, that's still something," Sanary encouraged him.
Cleru shook his head. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to be the Craftlord of Iron, but how am I going to make everyone's dreams come true if all I am able to do is fight?"
"Strength is all a good king needs," Rasho's voice boomed as he emerged from the shower with a towel hanging around his neck.
"I see where Cleru is coming from though," Sanary said carefully, "but you can't rush things."
"Yeah, yeah," Cleru said as a series of brisk knocks echoed from his front door. Standing up, he approached it and peeked through the peephole before he enthusiastically swung the door. "I haven't seen you since the tournament!" He exclaimed. Sanary felt amused as the man who frequently delivered Craftknight notifications entered Cleru's humble abode.
"Hello, hello!" The messenger exclaimed. "Sorry to bother you, but Master Rondeau is requesting the presence of all Craftlords at once!"
Cleru glanced at Sanary apologetically. "Sorry, Sanary…looks like we'll have to get together later. This is the first time since becoming Craftlord that we have all been summoned, so I'm assuming it's important."
"You don't need to explain yourself to me," Sanary said. She finished off her milk and set her bottle on the counter as she headed out, the messenger, Cleru, and Rasho behind her. She headed back towards Central Tower, but as Cleru and Rasho entered Master Rondeau's house, curiosity beckoned her to eavesdrop. She waited behind a set of crates as Kouren arrived with Sakuro. Sanary knew that very few were present since Tyram and Ureksa's return to Vance and the death of Lubert. That just left Rondeau, Cleru, Sakuro, and Kouren left in Wystern, and as the door shut behind Sakuro, Sanary knew no one else would be coming. Pressing her ear against the door of Rondeau's house, she had no way of knowing that this meeting would set off a chain of events that would be the beginning of another Swordcraft Story.
-Crow-
