Summoner

Chapter 7

After meeting Hellucio, Layla was eager to cram for the test while also staying on top of her other studies and practicing for the games. She had to admit, Ash was a big help in helping her study. Of course she would never admit that to him. It would just increase the size of his head. That was the last thing any of them needed. Today when Layla went to her room after her classes, she had a box waiting on her bed. It was a gift from Lady Garia and Lord Darrolow. 

We heard you would be competing in the games with our sons. We look forward to seeing the five of you work together.        

                                                                     -Love Lady Garia and Lord Darrolow  

Layla opened the box and found black pants, a tank top with a key in the center with a vine wrapped around the key, a air swirling around it, fire behind it, and a pool of water beneath it. Layla knew many in the games wore team shirts to show off their unity. It was clear the guys' parents were very excited to see their kids and Layla work together. In a way, Layla thought of them as a second set of parents to her. They helped her mom raise her after her dad passed away. They wanted to just bring her and her mother into their home, but her mother was determined to earn their keep. They were treated like family and Layla will forever love them for the things they did for her and her mother. 

Layla smiled at the shirt and sat it off the side as she looked at the other things in the box. There was a pair of black pants, a pair of flat sole leather boots, and a new belt for her to hang her keys on. She wrote them a quick letter, thanking them for the gift, then the letter magically disappeared once she sealed it. 

She then put it away before getting ready for training with the others. 

"We need to gauge your magic levels so we know when you've reached your limit," Terro said. "So we need to see how many summons you can do and for how long you can hold them for." "If we have to carry you back to your dorm we will," Maxis said. "Her fat ass might break us if we tried," Ash muttered. She rolled her eyes, "I'm clearly not fat." Their eyes ran over her very fit figure. "No you're not," Maxis said. She rolled her eyes and stepped back. 

"Five bucks says she taps out after three," Ash said with a smirk. "I give it five," Maxis said. "I have faith in her ability to do more than that," Cecil said. "Give a number," Terro said. "I say seven." "I say ten," Cecil decided. "You guys really underestimate me," she said. All of her charms and keys began to glow as her summonings appeared. The guys looked at her shocked as Terro started the timer to see how long she could hold them. "Seven God keys and thirteen charms," Layla told them. That was twenty summonings all before them at once. 

"You really shouldn't push yourself like this Mistress," Piper said to her. "It uses up too much of your magic." "That's what we're gauging," Layla explained. "They need to know how much magic I can use in the games so I know if I'm pushing myself too much." They seemed to understand the reasoning but they didn't like the idea of their Mistress being too weak. 

Terro watched the time as one by one, her stronger summonings soon went back to their charms. The last to remain was Whinny, needing the least amount of magic to be summoned. When she disappeared, Layla dropped to her knees, Terro hit the stop watch button. "You can hold twenty summons for ten minutes, fifteen summons for sixteen minutes and seven seconds, eleven summons for twenty one minutes and forty five seconds, eight summons for twenty five minutes, five summons for twenty nine minutes and twelve seconds, three summons for thirty four minutes and fifty two seconds, and your last one left at forty one minutes and two seconds." 

"Damn, that's a lot of magic," Maxis said as he looked over what Terro had written down. Layla was panting and Cecil gave her a hand up. He helped her sit down and gave her a water bottle. "Think later you can give me a list of your summons and what they can do so we can strategize accordingly once the teams get announced," Ash asked her. She held a thumbs up as she chugged the bottle and he nodded. 

Later Ash went to practice, Hellucio seemed to look disappointed that Ash came alone. "He seems to be in a more sour mood than usual," Beast Trainer Malikai noted once Ash got Hellucio in the field. "He's mad I did bring his little crush by," Ash said with a roll of his eyes. Malikai raised an eyebrow, "Crush?" Ash sighed, "Someone I grew up is thinking of taking the test and seeing if a hatchling claims her. I was hoping Hellucio would be his normal self and try to eat her or at least threaten her. Instead, the over grown lizard was actually fond of her! Even let her pet him." "You have to be kidding right," Malikai asked him. "I wish I was," Ash grumbled. "By your reaction I take it, you're not fond of her," Malikai asked next. "Hell no," Ash said. "She's a fucking cry baby." 

Hellucio smacked Ash in the back of his head with his tail over what he said about Layla. Malikai was then laughing his ass off. Ash rubbed the back of his head with a glare at Hellucio. "Over grown lizard," Ash muttered before getting in the saddle. Hellucio got over his mood to do what he needed too. On the ground their relationship may seem temperamental, but once in the air, it's nothing but instinct and perfect synchronization. Many riders have to voice their commands to lead their dragons, but not Ash and Hellucio.  It was impressive to watch them. 

Layla stood at her window watching the Dragon Riders practice. She was amazed at how they all moved and worked together. There were a few different races they participated in. Some were to see who could get from point A to point B the fastest. There were also relay races and obstacle courses. Seeing the dragons and their riders work as a team was amazing. It made her really want to become a Dragon Rider. Sure she would have to deal with Ash, but that would only be a year. It was worth it to be able to fly like them. She couldn't wait.