Trent wasn't your average seventeen year old. He was a bold and clever
youth who was training in the arts of magic. He was sitting in his room
now, studying, but history often made him ponder the current state of
things.
As a race, the humans' magic wasn't what it used to be. The summoned monsters were no longer their allies. So the small magic they could do took lots of practice, and a good amount of energy. Some people had naturally stronger magic than others. The leaders of the villages were often from a line of the more magically strong families. Unfortunately, Trent was not from one of these families and that had made it difficult for him to get into the summoners school of magic.
The summoners' magic school was located by the capitol of Bishen, where the King of Bishen resided. There was a lot of uneasiness between the King and the summoner instructors as of late. This of course had to do with the fact that the summoners were the cousins of the summoned monsters. They were not to distant half-breeds that had some of the magical powers that the mighty summoned monsters were known for. The hostility of the summoned monsters rubbed off onto the summoners, who also felt that the normal people demanded too much of their time and magic.
However, due to their incredible magic gifts, there was also fear towards the summoned monsters, so the nonmagical folk were often spiteful towards the summoned monsters when they came to trade, in their human form. These small disagreements between the Bishens and the summoned monsters were growing as the king of the summoned monsters inched closer and closer to death. The king was bent on peace the entirety of his rule, but since his mysterious illness last year, his nephew, valadoor, has been ruling in his place, but unfortunately without his peaceful views. His friend, who would be there soon, Kyra thought he was going to be trouble. "Hey Trent." Said Kyra as she popped in, lively as ever. "Come on, its time to go gather some sira seeds for class."
"You're way too dedicated, take a load off, you know.relax a little. You don't have to finish every assignment a week before it's due. Besides, some of the guys are going to the Restel shrine tonight. There's some restricted magical research going on there." Trent told Kyra, while he cleverly sat on his bed playing with his unicorn pendant.
"You know better than to ask me to do things that are against the school rules. I know you don't think that there's anything wrong with breaking a few school rules every other day, but I would rather not risk losing my place in the summoners school just because I want to go see some experimental spells."
"Exactly, it's a spell experiment, Kyra, and we are here to learn after all. See it's not my fault that the teachers refuse to give us access to study their interesting spell engineering." Trent told Kyra with a clever smile on his lips. Kyra knew he was wrong, but could never beat Trent in a moral argument. This totally frustrated Kyra.
"Well I know you won't change your mind, no matter what I say, so be careful. I've got some night cretors to study at my field trip tonight, so Ill hopefully see you tomorrow if you don't get expelled before then."
"Oh you know I am to good to get caught." Trent told Kyra as she slipped out the door.
Later that day.
Trent just finished his history essay about the ancestry of the summoners and the different kinds of spells they were particularly good at. When his door cracked open and his friend Naden came in.
"Trent are you coming with us to the shrine tonight? We were really hoping you could capture the essence of the spell for us."
"I wouldn't miss it, and of course I'm going to capture the essence if I can. I mean I've just been studying my essence technique for a couple of weeks now, so I don't know what kind of spells I can and can't capture with the current construction of my spell."
"I'm totally surprised summoner syltha is allowing you to study it, I mean, instructor Delth was so insistent that you were too irresponsible to be allowed to use it." Naden recalled to Trent, as he looked at the small section in their magic book about the rare essence technique that was usually only inherited by full fledged summoned monsters.
"I'm telling you that instructor is out to get me. Ever since I discovered this weird essence ability, he has been giving me a hard time. I mean for goodness sakes, all I know how to do with it, is make it look like the spell is permanently being activated in a pendant. So far, It's great for impressing chicks, but that's it." Trent vented to his friend and stood up. The clock chimed seven in the background. They both looked over at it and silently agreed.
"It's getting late, lets go." They walk out the door and Naden explains to Trent how they are going to get there.
"We are going through the Uka forest. There is a path there that leads to the Shrines gardens. From the gardens we should be able to get a good view behind one of the walls. There could be monsters along the way too, of course, but nothing we haven't been trained to deal with. Also, Anor and Hunter will be waiting for us with the rest of the guys when we get there."
They head through the forest as the sun is starting to set. There are a variety of trees they pass as they walk through the forest, some magical, others not. Trent noticed some of the seeds Kyra wanted growing on a sira plant on the side of the Path. He grabbed some, and they continued on their way.
It wasn't long until it was fairly dark and they had reached the gardens. They could see in the distance were the summoners were gathered, but they were looking for their friends, and their hiding spot. They found them shortly, a little west of the shrine.
"Come on guys, over here, they're about to start." Said one of the boys and they all sat behind the water fountain that was nearest to the shrine.
"What do you think it is going to be guys?" Said another one of the guys, and just then they noticed the summoner Trista was standing in the center in front of the shrine. She held up her hands and light started forming from her hands.
Trent got out his pendant and started the essence capture spell. He was hoping that the effect of his spell wouldn't have any noticeable side effects on the spell the summoners were creating, because they would, after all, be in big trouble if the teachers noticed they were there.
Some of the other teachers started chanting too. Trent made sure to note that their spell requires multiple spell casters. The spell continued to grow into a bright white light; some of the summoners were starting to stop chanting so the spell must be almost over. This is when his spell had to be used. Quickly, he held out his hand with his pendant in it glowed a little and when the summoners finished it glowed again. The spell had been successfully drawn into the pendant.
The unicorn inside the pendant shimmered and then disappeared. Trent was puzzled, but no one seemed to notice much because there was a loud alarm going off at the school. Suddenly there was a bright array of lights coming from the direction of the school.
"What's going on?" Said one of the summoners.
"Is the school being attacked?"
"Everyone back to the school, quickly, we must see to it that the students are all right. Keep a low profile; we don't know what's going on. Tenor and Valki come with me, we will provide some offence if need be." They all started running towards the school, while the guys started whispering.
"I wonder what's happening at the school?"
"It sounded like the summoners were really worried."
"What could shake up the teachers so much?"
"They are the summoners after all, who has more magic at their disposal than them?"
They thought about this for a moment, when they saw the sky light up again by the school, this time they realized what was making the light.
"The summoned monsters?" Said Trent afraid, as a shockwave flowed from the school and knocked them off their feet.
After the initial shock, they started to panic. "We better hide somewhere until morning, the school doesn't look like it will be standing tomorrow. " Said Hunter. Trent, however, did not agree.
"Some of the other students had a field trip today in some of the Sheto caves through the forest. I am going to see if they need help. It shouldn't be so close to the school that they are in danger of attack, but who knows what the shockwave did to the cave they are in." Trent told Hunter firmly.
"Suit yourself. We will be heading towards the town of Galten for tonight. Meet us there if you can." Said Hunter and they went on their way. Except for Naden, who volunteered to help Trent.
They traveled back through the forest and took the trail to the Sheto caves. There were a few scorch marks in places, but the caves seemed intact. They ventured inside until the found the other students they were looking for.
It was pretty dark inside, but they could hear some voices. There was a smaller summoned monster that was threatening the students. Kyra was huddled by some of the other students and she looked pretty afraid. Their teacher was there as well, but he was unconscious.
Trent knew that Naden and him could not take on a summoned monster by themselves. So they sat by the side and watched for a moment, trying to think of something they could do.
A shadow appeared behind them, and they were face to face with another summoned monster, much like the one by the other students.
"So, more students from the school." The summoned monster said to them, while eyeing the both of them intently, as if looking for something. He herded them to the place where the other students were and then continued.
"I'm sure you are wondering why we are here." Started the first summoned monster, "we are here to avenge the treacherous death of our King. unfortunately, you students will be the among the first casualties in our war against the humans." He finished and posed for attack. "Also, unfortunately for you, our master has sealed this area from any use of human magic, so there wont be much in a way for you to defend yourselves."
Even with their magic, they all knew they would not be able to win in a fight against a summoned monster; few people could because of the decrease in their magic power ever since the summoned monsters refused to help them any more. Still, Trent and Naden had their weapons from their venture to the shrine. They stood in front of the others with their blades and slashed at the summoned monsters. They were not in any way effective against them though, and the summoned monsters chuckled.
"You think you can hurt us? It has been a long time since humans knew how to hurt us with a sword, and you will not live long enough to find out." The summoned monster called his magic and brought down a windy, fiery attack. However, a shield came up around them and a unicorn appeared between them and the other summoned monsters.
"Why.But you are one of us.?" The summoned monsters gasped, as they turned into their human form.
Trent was the only one who didn't fall unconscious and so the unicorn turned to him. "You can use your magic now, and they are weak against your sword while in this state." The unicorn told Trent and he lashed out at them, but one of them ran off. After some effort, Trent beat the summoned monster.
Now that the summoned monster was defeated, Trent turned toward the unicorn, wondering what was going on. "Who are you?"
"Usalator, I am was a guardian of the royal summoned monsters, but the King has been killed and a traitor lies on the throne."
"But why did you help us? What about everyone else?" Trent was a little untrusting, with all the confusion going on, he wasn't sure what he should believe.
"I'm sorry, I can't answer your questions now, the other summoned monsters will be coming after you shortly, your friends will be captured, not killed, but I can take you somewhere safe." Usalator told him, and he turned to look at Kyra. His friend would be captured. He wanted to take her with him to safety, but with that thought, he and the unicorn disappeared.
"Trent.Wake up, Trent. Its time to eat." Said a middle-aged woman holding up a tray of food. "You've been sleeping long enough."
Trent looked up at the brown haired woman and noticed that he was indeed hungry. "Sure Ill take some food."
"Well come sit over here then dear." She told him and started walking towards the table. She set down the food and motioned for him to eat. "There you go." She told him softly.
Trent sat down and ate. It was delicious mashed potatoes and gravy with some steamy roast beef. He really enjoyed it. He felt like he hadn't eaten in a long time. When he finished he started to notice his surroundings. A beautiful wood and straw hut surrounded him. The dark oak bed was located on the west side of the room, with the table in the middle and the kitchen to the left. The room was still filled with the aroma of the tasty dinner he had just devoured.
"Did you enjoy your meal son?" Asked an ageless man with silvery hair as he strode through the door.
"Yes, I did Sir. But. may I ask who you are, and where is this place?" Trent said as politely as possible. He had to be careful since he knew nothing about his present company. Especially since the last thing he remembered was being on the verge of entrapment by a small army of summoned monsters, and summoned monsters had the ability to take the form of a human. For all he knew, this could be one of those summoned monsters from the cave that attacked the school.
"Alright then, we will start with where you are. This is, what we call, the Sestique. It is a place where I am training people to defend against the summoned monsters. Ever since the Queen was killed, my friend Jestock has been training with others to defeat the summoned monster that was responsible for her murder. The queen was powerful indeed, so whoever killed her will be very difficult to defeat. We are afraid that whoever killed the queen is also responsible for the war that has broken out between the humans and the summoned monsters." He told Trent calmly, and paused for a moment, so things could soak in. He noticed that Trent was still wondering who he was.
"Oh yes, as for me. I am the summoned monster you know as Usalator. I am the unicorn who was responsible for protecting the Queen Questalis and her son Bahamut. I was trapped before her death and have been trapped since that time in the pendant you wear around your neck. I was freed when you captured the essence of that spell the summoners were creating." Trent leaned forward and was very interested now.
"Do you have any questions?"
"Wait, you said a few minuets ago that Bishen is at war with the summoned monsters?" Trent asked as he recalled the events that took place after he captured the spell. The school blowing up and the events in the cave troubled him immensely.
"Yes, the war has started, and I don't think that Valadoor will stop with Bishen, he will go after the other empires as well." Usalator continued to explain.
"What is going to happen to the other students that were captured?" Trent asked, thinking particularly about his friend Kyra.
"The summoned monsters have a particular way that they take care of their prisoners. They capture them into pendants, like I was, and then they put them on the top of Exile Mountain." When Usalator said this, Trent was extremely upset.
"Kyra's going there?"
"Yes."
"But you cannot get her out yet. The process they have for iprisionment can take a few days, so you will not know where she is until they have taken her to the mountain."
As a race, the humans' magic wasn't what it used to be. The summoned monsters were no longer their allies. So the small magic they could do took lots of practice, and a good amount of energy. Some people had naturally stronger magic than others. The leaders of the villages were often from a line of the more magically strong families. Unfortunately, Trent was not from one of these families and that had made it difficult for him to get into the summoners school of magic.
The summoners' magic school was located by the capitol of Bishen, where the King of Bishen resided. There was a lot of uneasiness between the King and the summoner instructors as of late. This of course had to do with the fact that the summoners were the cousins of the summoned monsters. They were not to distant half-breeds that had some of the magical powers that the mighty summoned monsters were known for. The hostility of the summoned monsters rubbed off onto the summoners, who also felt that the normal people demanded too much of their time and magic.
However, due to their incredible magic gifts, there was also fear towards the summoned monsters, so the nonmagical folk were often spiteful towards the summoned monsters when they came to trade, in their human form. These small disagreements between the Bishens and the summoned monsters were growing as the king of the summoned monsters inched closer and closer to death. The king was bent on peace the entirety of his rule, but since his mysterious illness last year, his nephew, valadoor, has been ruling in his place, but unfortunately without his peaceful views. His friend, who would be there soon, Kyra thought he was going to be trouble. "Hey Trent." Said Kyra as she popped in, lively as ever. "Come on, its time to go gather some sira seeds for class."
"You're way too dedicated, take a load off, you know.relax a little. You don't have to finish every assignment a week before it's due. Besides, some of the guys are going to the Restel shrine tonight. There's some restricted magical research going on there." Trent told Kyra, while he cleverly sat on his bed playing with his unicorn pendant.
"You know better than to ask me to do things that are against the school rules. I know you don't think that there's anything wrong with breaking a few school rules every other day, but I would rather not risk losing my place in the summoners school just because I want to go see some experimental spells."
"Exactly, it's a spell experiment, Kyra, and we are here to learn after all. See it's not my fault that the teachers refuse to give us access to study their interesting spell engineering." Trent told Kyra with a clever smile on his lips. Kyra knew he was wrong, but could never beat Trent in a moral argument. This totally frustrated Kyra.
"Well I know you won't change your mind, no matter what I say, so be careful. I've got some night cretors to study at my field trip tonight, so Ill hopefully see you tomorrow if you don't get expelled before then."
"Oh you know I am to good to get caught." Trent told Kyra as she slipped out the door.
Later that day.
Trent just finished his history essay about the ancestry of the summoners and the different kinds of spells they were particularly good at. When his door cracked open and his friend Naden came in.
"Trent are you coming with us to the shrine tonight? We were really hoping you could capture the essence of the spell for us."
"I wouldn't miss it, and of course I'm going to capture the essence if I can. I mean I've just been studying my essence technique for a couple of weeks now, so I don't know what kind of spells I can and can't capture with the current construction of my spell."
"I'm totally surprised summoner syltha is allowing you to study it, I mean, instructor Delth was so insistent that you were too irresponsible to be allowed to use it." Naden recalled to Trent, as he looked at the small section in their magic book about the rare essence technique that was usually only inherited by full fledged summoned monsters.
"I'm telling you that instructor is out to get me. Ever since I discovered this weird essence ability, he has been giving me a hard time. I mean for goodness sakes, all I know how to do with it, is make it look like the spell is permanently being activated in a pendant. So far, It's great for impressing chicks, but that's it." Trent vented to his friend and stood up. The clock chimed seven in the background. They both looked over at it and silently agreed.
"It's getting late, lets go." They walk out the door and Naden explains to Trent how they are going to get there.
"We are going through the Uka forest. There is a path there that leads to the Shrines gardens. From the gardens we should be able to get a good view behind one of the walls. There could be monsters along the way too, of course, but nothing we haven't been trained to deal with. Also, Anor and Hunter will be waiting for us with the rest of the guys when we get there."
They head through the forest as the sun is starting to set. There are a variety of trees they pass as they walk through the forest, some magical, others not. Trent noticed some of the seeds Kyra wanted growing on a sira plant on the side of the Path. He grabbed some, and they continued on their way.
It wasn't long until it was fairly dark and they had reached the gardens. They could see in the distance were the summoners were gathered, but they were looking for their friends, and their hiding spot. They found them shortly, a little west of the shrine.
"Come on guys, over here, they're about to start." Said one of the boys and they all sat behind the water fountain that was nearest to the shrine.
"What do you think it is going to be guys?" Said another one of the guys, and just then they noticed the summoner Trista was standing in the center in front of the shrine. She held up her hands and light started forming from her hands.
Trent got out his pendant and started the essence capture spell. He was hoping that the effect of his spell wouldn't have any noticeable side effects on the spell the summoners were creating, because they would, after all, be in big trouble if the teachers noticed they were there.
Some of the other teachers started chanting too. Trent made sure to note that their spell requires multiple spell casters. The spell continued to grow into a bright white light; some of the summoners were starting to stop chanting so the spell must be almost over. This is when his spell had to be used. Quickly, he held out his hand with his pendant in it glowed a little and when the summoners finished it glowed again. The spell had been successfully drawn into the pendant.
The unicorn inside the pendant shimmered and then disappeared. Trent was puzzled, but no one seemed to notice much because there was a loud alarm going off at the school. Suddenly there was a bright array of lights coming from the direction of the school.
"What's going on?" Said one of the summoners.
"Is the school being attacked?"
"Everyone back to the school, quickly, we must see to it that the students are all right. Keep a low profile; we don't know what's going on. Tenor and Valki come with me, we will provide some offence if need be." They all started running towards the school, while the guys started whispering.
"I wonder what's happening at the school?"
"It sounded like the summoners were really worried."
"What could shake up the teachers so much?"
"They are the summoners after all, who has more magic at their disposal than them?"
They thought about this for a moment, when they saw the sky light up again by the school, this time they realized what was making the light.
"The summoned monsters?" Said Trent afraid, as a shockwave flowed from the school and knocked them off their feet.
After the initial shock, they started to panic. "We better hide somewhere until morning, the school doesn't look like it will be standing tomorrow. " Said Hunter. Trent, however, did not agree.
"Some of the other students had a field trip today in some of the Sheto caves through the forest. I am going to see if they need help. It shouldn't be so close to the school that they are in danger of attack, but who knows what the shockwave did to the cave they are in." Trent told Hunter firmly.
"Suit yourself. We will be heading towards the town of Galten for tonight. Meet us there if you can." Said Hunter and they went on their way. Except for Naden, who volunteered to help Trent.
They traveled back through the forest and took the trail to the Sheto caves. There were a few scorch marks in places, but the caves seemed intact. They ventured inside until the found the other students they were looking for.
It was pretty dark inside, but they could hear some voices. There was a smaller summoned monster that was threatening the students. Kyra was huddled by some of the other students and she looked pretty afraid. Their teacher was there as well, but he was unconscious.
Trent knew that Naden and him could not take on a summoned monster by themselves. So they sat by the side and watched for a moment, trying to think of something they could do.
A shadow appeared behind them, and they were face to face with another summoned monster, much like the one by the other students.
"So, more students from the school." The summoned monster said to them, while eyeing the both of them intently, as if looking for something. He herded them to the place where the other students were and then continued.
"I'm sure you are wondering why we are here." Started the first summoned monster, "we are here to avenge the treacherous death of our King. unfortunately, you students will be the among the first casualties in our war against the humans." He finished and posed for attack. "Also, unfortunately for you, our master has sealed this area from any use of human magic, so there wont be much in a way for you to defend yourselves."
Even with their magic, they all knew they would not be able to win in a fight against a summoned monster; few people could because of the decrease in their magic power ever since the summoned monsters refused to help them any more. Still, Trent and Naden had their weapons from their venture to the shrine. They stood in front of the others with their blades and slashed at the summoned monsters. They were not in any way effective against them though, and the summoned monsters chuckled.
"You think you can hurt us? It has been a long time since humans knew how to hurt us with a sword, and you will not live long enough to find out." The summoned monster called his magic and brought down a windy, fiery attack. However, a shield came up around them and a unicorn appeared between them and the other summoned monsters.
"Why.But you are one of us.?" The summoned monsters gasped, as they turned into their human form.
Trent was the only one who didn't fall unconscious and so the unicorn turned to him. "You can use your magic now, and they are weak against your sword while in this state." The unicorn told Trent and he lashed out at them, but one of them ran off. After some effort, Trent beat the summoned monster.
Now that the summoned monster was defeated, Trent turned toward the unicorn, wondering what was going on. "Who are you?"
"Usalator, I am was a guardian of the royal summoned monsters, but the King has been killed and a traitor lies on the throne."
"But why did you help us? What about everyone else?" Trent was a little untrusting, with all the confusion going on, he wasn't sure what he should believe.
"I'm sorry, I can't answer your questions now, the other summoned monsters will be coming after you shortly, your friends will be captured, not killed, but I can take you somewhere safe." Usalator told him, and he turned to look at Kyra. His friend would be captured. He wanted to take her with him to safety, but with that thought, he and the unicorn disappeared.
"Trent.Wake up, Trent. Its time to eat." Said a middle-aged woman holding up a tray of food. "You've been sleeping long enough."
Trent looked up at the brown haired woman and noticed that he was indeed hungry. "Sure Ill take some food."
"Well come sit over here then dear." She told him and started walking towards the table. She set down the food and motioned for him to eat. "There you go." She told him softly.
Trent sat down and ate. It was delicious mashed potatoes and gravy with some steamy roast beef. He really enjoyed it. He felt like he hadn't eaten in a long time. When he finished he started to notice his surroundings. A beautiful wood and straw hut surrounded him. The dark oak bed was located on the west side of the room, with the table in the middle and the kitchen to the left. The room was still filled with the aroma of the tasty dinner he had just devoured.
"Did you enjoy your meal son?" Asked an ageless man with silvery hair as he strode through the door.
"Yes, I did Sir. But. may I ask who you are, and where is this place?" Trent said as politely as possible. He had to be careful since he knew nothing about his present company. Especially since the last thing he remembered was being on the verge of entrapment by a small army of summoned monsters, and summoned monsters had the ability to take the form of a human. For all he knew, this could be one of those summoned monsters from the cave that attacked the school.
"Alright then, we will start with where you are. This is, what we call, the Sestique. It is a place where I am training people to defend against the summoned monsters. Ever since the Queen was killed, my friend Jestock has been training with others to defeat the summoned monster that was responsible for her murder. The queen was powerful indeed, so whoever killed her will be very difficult to defeat. We are afraid that whoever killed the queen is also responsible for the war that has broken out between the humans and the summoned monsters." He told Trent calmly, and paused for a moment, so things could soak in. He noticed that Trent was still wondering who he was.
"Oh yes, as for me. I am the summoned monster you know as Usalator. I am the unicorn who was responsible for protecting the Queen Questalis and her son Bahamut. I was trapped before her death and have been trapped since that time in the pendant you wear around your neck. I was freed when you captured the essence of that spell the summoners were creating." Trent leaned forward and was very interested now.
"Do you have any questions?"
"Wait, you said a few minuets ago that Bishen is at war with the summoned monsters?" Trent asked as he recalled the events that took place after he captured the spell. The school blowing up and the events in the cave troubled him immensely.
"Yes, the war has started, and I don't think that Valadoor will stop with Bishen, he will go after the other empires as well." Usalator continued to explain.
"What is going to happen to the other students that were captured?" Trent asked, thinking particularly about his friend Kyra.
"The summoned monsters have a particular way that they take care of their prisoners. They capture them into pendants, like I was, and then they put them on the top of Exile Mountain." When Usalator said this, Trent was extremely upset.
"Kyra's going there?"
"Yes."
"But you cannot get her out yet. The process they have for iprisionment can take a few days, so you will not know where she is until they have taken her to the mountain."