Summoned
On his way to the nearest tavern for a mug of delicious coffee, Zelgadis pondered where he should travel next. Zelgadis was in the outerworld investigating possible cure leads, but as expected he was met with failure. Since learning the truth from Rezo, Zelgadis wasn't as adamant in his quest to regain a human form, but he didn't have anything better to do.
Taking a seat in a corner table where he could remain discrete, Zelgadis checked that his hood was low and pulled some money from his cape. Seemed he was running a little low on funds. After ordering his coffee, Zelgadis let the warm taste fill him. There were a few things he could find comfort in and coffee was definitely one of those things. Perhaps he could get a job from Seyruun, rather than steal the coin he needed.
While Zelgadis enjoyed his second cup, he stopped mid sip when a tendon of magic snapped along his astral presence. Not one to be caught off guard by anything, Zelgadis tensed and readied himself for the worst, but as he searched the room he could not figure out where the magical disturbance was coming from. As far as he could tell all of the patrons were normal humans, not a mage or priest among them.
Without warning, something blistering hot clutched his ankle. Zelgadis automatically attempted to jump away, but was dragged forward, sending the table flying and the chimera awkwardly flat on his back. Once on the floor, more of the burning chains of magic grabbed hold of him. Around him the tavern spun as the power clutching him fogged his vision. The people cried out in alarm as Zelgadis struggled fruitlessly to escape.
As if sinking into thick mud, Zelgadis disappeared into the floor, a red magic circle now clearly visible. Everything burned, searing him from the outside in. Zelgadis could see nothing but red as he was yanked through the astral plane to another location. When he stopped, Zelgadis limbs were pushed and pulled until he was in a hunched sitting position on his knees. The red was cut off when an iron mask of some kind clamped round the top portion of the face, covering his ears as well.
When Zelgadis assumed he was dying, the inferno that was ignited around him briskly became cool as he was lifted from the astral plane into the physical one. Feeling such intense temperature as quickly as he did against his normally unaffected skin made Zelgadis tremble as gravity once more bore down on his shoulders.
Zelgadis's arms, legs, and neck were shackled beneath him with the same magic flame as before. Struggling hard, Zelgadis tried to speak but even with his ears muffled knew that no sound escaped his mouth. A hand touched his bare chest, making him realize most of his clothes were missing, most likely burned off from the intense magic that entrapped him. Zelgadis tried to summon a shield, a mono bolt, anything that could help him fight back, but the burning nails of the person's hand bit into him, somehow stopping his desperate measure.
In his mind, rather than his ears, Zelgadis heard a familiar voice strike at his core. "I grant you my power in exchange for you obedience and strength," she seemed to falter as she completed the last portion of the incantation.
A slice of cold shot up Zelgadis's spine as he realized what these words meant. It was a pact when summoning a familiar. "With this kiss you will be mine until your duty is fulfilled and your flame dies."
She thought she was summoning a fire spirit! No! Lina stop, you don't know what you're doing! I don't have a flame, it won't . . . the burning fire reached its peak when Lina's lips lightly brushed against his. The kiss was quick and as soon as Lina broke away the mask blinding him shattered to pieces along with the chains.
Around him Zelgadis could see that he was engulfed in a blue flame, his astral presences' physical manifestation.
He also saw Lina's heart shaped face turn from arrogant pride to horror when she realized just what she'd actually summoned.
As the flames twirled like mist around him, Zelgadis felt the brand of his servitude etch itself on the back of his right hand. The fire quickly escaped into the mark Lina and he shared, hers appearing nearly identical to his own.
When the whistling fire of Zelgadis's soul vanished from sight, silence reined the empty ruins he now found himself in.
"What," Zelgadis's eyes were wide with disbelief before narrowing into bristling ferocity. "What have you done?" His voice was soft and seethed with fury as cold and sharp as ice.
". . . Oops," Lina said sheepishly scratching the back of her head.
"That's all you have to say!" Zelgadis screamed. Lifting his hand, Zelgadis fired a fireball at Lina in frustration only to have it deflect off her and rebound on him instead. Thrown back, Zelgadis skid back against the stone floor and looked up angrily at Lina, as if she was the one who cast the fireball spell.
"Hey no biggy," Lina waved her hands in front of her face, trying to salvage the situation. "Let's just pretend this never happened kay?"
"Never happened? NEVER HAPPENED?" Zelgadis couldn't believe what was coming out of the red heads mouth. Didn't she realize that he was now her slave! Picking himself up off the floor, Zelgadis stalked up to Lina and loomed over her. "Lina, do you realize what you've done!?"
"I think you're over reacting, or do you trust me so little?" Lina asked.
"Well considering you accidently summoned me instead of a fire spirit, yes!"
"Look I promise not to take advantage of you any more than I already do," Lina assured him easily. "You can go on your merry way and I'll do the same. There's no obligation in the contract that says you have to stay with me and there is no reason for you to keep living as you normally have."
True . . . but.
"What about my clothes," Zelgadis said dryly, pointing at himself as if he were a side show freak. He was wearing low riding black pants, with spiked armor fitting his shoulders, hips and back.
"What's wrong with it, I think it makes you look like a gladiator," Lina pumped one arm, pretending to be a muscle man. "Makes you look hot."
Blushing, Zelgadis sighed and unclasped Lina's cloak before she could react. "The least you can do for the trouble you've caused me," he explained. Zelgadis draped the cloak over his shoulders and felt marginally better.
"Fine, fine," Lina waved a hand dismissively.
Together they strode away from the elegant shrine Lina used to summon him and went on their merry way.
"You owe me some coffee," Zelgadis griped.
"Oh quit being such a baby."
The End
Author's Note: I originally wrote this as an RP prompt, but the idea was eventually scraped and I turned it into a swift one shot. That's the reason it's written in past tense too. Well enjoy the strangeness.