Being a Summoner on our Evolved Earth

(51)

"This is far enough..." Neal stopped at a run down alleyway. 

"Do you have what you need to warm yourself up?" Lucia asked while watching Neal.

"... Yes..." He looked away as he answered and walked down the alley. 

"I don't like liars. I already took care of you to this point. As a healer, if I let you get sick and die, then all this would have been a waste." Lucia spoke coldly which caused Neal to freeze in place.

"You didn't bring anything that would help anyways." Neal retorted while sounding vexed.

{Vicki, are you awake yet?}

{Yes, where are you?}

{I'm over by the arena and the slums. I'll be summoning you in a moment.}

"Who said that I brought nothing? Let's go to your house and I'll show you how I'll help you warm up." Lucia grinned. 

"You're not going to  hug me are you?" Neal asked with disbelief.

Lucia laughed, "Of course not." 

Neal sighed, "Fine, my house is the third one from the end. Just a bit further." 

"Alright." Lucia nodded and as she was about to take a step, fog rushed over the surroundings. She felt chills run down her body as she ran forward to grab Neal's arm before she lost sight of him.

"Wha- what's going on? Why can't I see anything!?" Neal asked in a slightly panicked voice.

"It is fog..." Lucia said with feigned calm, while thinking 'It doesn't feel natural, but at least I can see through the fog for about ten feet.'

Lucia silently dragged a quiet and obedient Neal to his hut and helped him inside to sit down. There was no sign of anyone else in the surrounding area. 

As Lucia started to head back outside, Neal grabbed her hand. "Wh-where are you going?" 

"I'm going to get you something to warm up. I'll just be outside, not far away." Lucia comforted him by patting the back of his hand. As he let go, Lucia remembered all the weak willed people on Earth from before, "However, to survive in the world, it is important for you to become self reliant and self confident. If you always rely on society or others, then who knows when you'll be killed." 

Lucia speedily left the hut while Neal was digesting her words. Staring at the ground, she cast [Summon Vicki]. The light of the spell seemed to disperse the fog around it. Neal peaked out his open door to see Lucia being illuminated in golden light as she cast a spell. He watched stunned as the spell ended and a strange creature appeared. It had orange feathers and red scales. The parts that looked like a bird were the head, wings on its shoulders, feathers at the end of a lizards tail, and it's rear claws. The chest, fore legs, back, and most of the tail were covered in the scales. It looked like a mix between a bird and a lizard.

"Wow Vicki, you got your scales back faster than I thought." Lucia looked over Vicki who was now half the height of a horse. She had reached tier 5 from the amount of mana Lucia poured into her.

"For sure, I have my elegant scales back and paired with my smooth feathers for the best appearance." Vicki puffed up with pride.

All Neal could hear was Vicki's hiss in response. He collapsed to the ground while shivering in fear, as Vicki and Lucia turned toward him. 

"Neal, I told  you to wait inside... Geez. Vicki, could you please help him warm up. Be gentle, like when you were helping us with drying the water off. Start low and work the heat up."