The group of four made their way back to the dormitories. While Tabitha and Kirche could have flown back with a levitation spell, Kirche's salamander was too heavy to carry. A levitation spell on him could have worked, but Tabitha assumed her friend would rather walk with her familiar.

Tabitha, on the other hand…

It had been nearly 10 minutes since the end of the familiar summoning ritual. In that time, her familiar hadn't spoken another word. It simply looked around as they walked. Tabitha almost wished it would speak, despite how nerve-wracking it was hearing it speak before.

Tabitha didn't let her familiar out of her sight the whole time. It walked next to her and slightly behind, but she always kept it in her peripheral vision. Every so often, it would look at her, then continue its observations. It was like it knew it was being watched. She wanted to figure it out more, the fact that it wasn't human being the only thing she could discern for now.

"Right, Tabitha?" Kirche's voice cut her from her worries, and caused her to realize they were on their floor.

"W-What?" Tabitha stammered. She couldn't recall anything Kirche had said on their walk.

Kirche gave her a concerned look. "I was saying how you wouldn't be concerned with such a dashing gentleman in your room, but…are you alright, Tabby?"

Tabitha had to calm herself. While largely unintentional, she was aware the other students viewed her as someone uncaring about almost everything, outside of the book she usually carried. Kirche had known her for over a year now, and could see the slight differences in her expressions.

"Fine." Tabitha nodded, giving her one-word response. If Kirche still didn't feel anything from this creature, that was for the best.

Her red-haired friend studied her face for a few moments more, then shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you seem okay. Just let me know if tall, dark, and handsome gives you any trouble~." Her tone and wink at the thing next to her told Tabitha she wasn't all that concerned.

"Oh, that shouldn't be a problem." The familiar said.

"He speaks!" Kirche laughed. Was she trying to talk to it before? Tabitha couldn't let her panic overwhelm her senses like that. It could put Kirche in danger.

The two friends separated, Tabitha leading her familiar to her room. She pushed open the door and stood just inside, waiting for it to enter. It did so, taking in the room like everything else it saw.

Tabitha closed the door and moved more to the side. If it was necessary, she could break through her room's window to escape.

"Wha…" She tried to speak, but the words didn't come easily. Her uncle had sent her on dangerous, near-suicidal missions in the past. She's had to fight monsters and fallen nobles, both of which have tried to kill her. Nothing compared to the fear she felt from the thing in front of her.

"Hm?" The familiar, seemingly finished with its search of Tabitha's book-filled room, turned to look at her. She never paid it much mind, but the stacks of books would make it more difficult for her to flee.

Tabitha took in a deep breath, her staff clutched against her in a vain attempt to ignore her fear. "What are you?"

The creature's smile only grew. "So, even you don't know. I can't say I've ever had a summoner that didn't know exactly what I was before. Those around them, sure, but never the summoner."

Tabitha watched as her familiar slowly walked about her room. While it didn't keep its eyes on her, she made sure it was directly in her field of view.

"What do you think I am, Summoner?" It asked, picking up the top book from one of the stacks around her bed.

"Demon." Tabitha's response was swift. That was the only thing she could think of. An evil spirit in physical form.

"Hrrm." It continued to look at the book. "I suppose you wouldn't know any better, would you?" It placed the book down. "Demons are purely spiritual beings. They can be called, controlled, and even implanted within a mortal body. However, for them to assume a physical form themselves would require far too much magic to be feasible for a mortal to wield."

Tabitha knew of some scriptures that painted demons as more spiritual than flesh and blood beings. That was different from the spirits that existed throughout the world, and likely different from what her familiar just described.

"What are you?" Tabitha repeated her question.

Her familiar's smile never left its face. "A dresili." It said. "In some cultures, they are considered the same as demons to the average person. A second-rate mage would know the difference, though exceptions can be made, as in this case."

It wasn't trying to insult Tabitha. In fact, it made it a point to express otherwise.

Tabitha waited for it to continue. As it did, it slowly began to approach her.

"We are outsiders in the truest sense of the word. Animals, mortals, immortals, demons, gods, none of them are as we are. We exist on a completely separate plane of existence, only allowed on this material plane when called forth. We answer, we serve, we take what we're owed, and we return."

It stopped right in front of Tabitha, his approach having forced her to back up until she was nearly against the wall.

"And you, Summoner, have not yet set the terms of my service." It loomed over her, straight, long hair moving past its shoulders as it leaned over, smiling down at something that was clearly far beneath it. "So…what use do you have for a dresili?"

Tabitha swallowed. What would be the right thing to say? She could feel it in her soul that her familiar would see through any lie she attempted to make. In that case, there was really only one option.

"A familiar…serves their master for the rest of their life." She explained as calmly as she could.

"Hm." The familiar straightened out. "My time is infinite, so I can only assume you mean your own life."

Tabitha's blood ran cold at the thought of what this being could do to her.

"But!" It spoke almost jovially. "I suppose I can give you…let's say 20 years of service. Perhaps less, should your demands be above expectations."

Hearing that filled Tabitha with a sort of relief…and confusion.

"Why?" She asked, needing to know.

The familiar just kept smiling. "Your summoning of me happened at a very opportune time, for you. I was imprisoned and unable to break the seal that kept me so. If I continued to work on unraveling it, I'm sure I could have escaped in…oh, 40 years or so? Giving you half as a reward seems more than fair."

Their positions were clear to Tabitha. She had no real control over her familiar, outside of its word to her. That would have to be enough for now. There were many other things she wanted to know, with one thing being important for them to move forward properly.

"What is your name?" Tabitha asked.

Her familiar, the dresili, chuckled softly. "To ask a dresili their name…" It shook its head, then looked at her again. "My name is Aselith."

Author's Notes:

Second chapter the day after posting the first. I am speed.

I also posted my Shield Hero x Overlord (game) crossover fic, so I'm already posting more than I said I would. Might do that on the weekends sometimes, but it'll generally be one or the other.

Tabitha is getting to know her new familiar, the fact that it can kill her not leaving her mind.