The fire burned low, illuminating the new Master's eyes, he pulled his black cloak around his body. The night was cold and dry, it stung his throat with every breath. Minor discomforts were no problem though, the training he received from his now dead master saw to that.
"Focus! You will be dealing with tricksters, fiends and monsters that want nothing more than to drain your life and consume your entrails."
He smiled at the thought, beginners focus on the future, old men on the past, Summoners focus on the present. "I must be getting old."
"Compared to me you are" The demon sitting in the middle of his camp fire spoke with unmoving lips. The flames flickered with each syllable.
"Aye but you are only a few minutes old and will live only as long as I keep feeding you." The Master handed handed a stick to the small Pyre and watched as it ate.
He studied its shape, its small round teeth burrowing into the wood and its fragile triple clawed paws scraping at the bark, trying to expose the dry wood beneath. It looked like a chipmunk about as large as his hand but scaly and constantly changing between shades of red and orange. It grew fat as more wood was added to the fire and looked content as long as there were flames.
"How does this shape suit your purpose?" The summoner had been working on the shape of his Pyre. In order to summon a demon one must design it in their mind first and then will it into life. Each demon has a different shape depending on the tastes of their summoner.
"I cant burn quickly with so few limbs and I feel small!" 'That voice is annoying too high pitched, I need to loosen its vocal chords'
"Good I don't need you burning out on me while I sleep"
"What should I call you? Your name?" This demon was weak and stupid, its face gave away the obvious 'trick'. The second you reveal your true name to a demon they can become free, there has never been a free demon that did not kill their summoner. Most demon summoners take fake names to protect themselves, others just abandon names completely.
He had forgotten his name long ago, before it was apprentice now it was "Master" The disappointment was obvious on the Pyre's face. "I'm going to sleep now, eat slowly or you will die I expect you to be alive in the morning." 'I should change the shape a bit, this form has an annoying personality.'
Master looked to either side of his camp and deciding he was safe set up a tent. He grabbed a handful of branches and threw them to the Pyre who ate ravenously. "If anyone come into this area pop as loud as possible to wake me. I expect you to attack any hostiles." With that order he retreated into his tent for the night.
