1985: Dawn of a New World (A Summoner Fanfic)

Chapter 3 - A Long Night

A mixture of relief, excitement, and perplexity covered Mark as he watched the dreamy sight of a creature unknown to him, showing its affection. He tried to recall all the demons on the book's list but none of them looked like or more accurately, described as the one caressing his leg.

"Now what shall I do with you?" Since he found the book a year ago, he had always dreamt of such a day to come. In spite of the book being believed as merely a myth, no words could describe how much he longed for the stories in it to become reality. However, now that the materialization of his fantasy has appeared before him, he stood confused as to how he would now deal with it.

The creature, as if reading his mind, stopped caressing Mark and looked up to him with pleading eyes. "Well...I don't know if I can take you with me". He remarked, his hand scratching his head in confusion. "Perhaps let's begin with giving you a name!" With that, he finally smiled and stared at the beauty of his summoned creature.

As if drawn by the creature's charm, he tried to stroke it under its chin with his fingers, forgetting that he should be pondering its name. The creature responded by closing its eyes and purring.

To his surprise, however, it suddenly opened its eyes with a fierce look and began hissing. He quickly took back his hand and backed off from the creature. As he observed the creature though, its sight seemed to be fixed elsewhere.

Was it sensing danger somewhere near their place? Instinctively, Mark crouched and looked around him. It was not that long when he heard footsteps and rustling sound to where the creature hissed.

Quickly yet prudently, he retreated to a place behind him with thicker and higher bushes. He wanted to ask the creature to follow but he didn't know how. 'Come here come here come here...' He rapidly repeated in his mind as the sound of footsteps got louder and louder.

Did these people hear the explosions during his summoning ritual? What if he and the creature got caught? His sweat started to pour out from every pore of his skin as he tried every means possible to make the creature come to him.

After several minutes, the creature ran towards him, and just a second later, three men appeared on the exact spot where he summoned the furry demon.

The creature climbed to his chest with just its hind legs, acrobatically balancing itself till Mark finally hugged it, trembling in fear. To his surprise, his fear suddenly left him with some feeling of assurance, unknown to him. He looked at the creature and his guts seemed to tell him that it was the creature that was driving out his fear.

"Alright this place is perfect." The largest one among the newcomers spoke as Mark carefully observed while hiding behind some thick bushes. He could describe the man as a grown Alvin, his classmate, only with a thick beard and a darker skin complexion.

"Alvin, go take a look around. Make sure nobody else is here." He commanded Alvin while getting something in his black leather jacket's side pocket.

"But Pop! Who would be in this kind of place at this hour!" To Mark's surprise, Alvin, the one who bullied him at school the day before, was right there partially hidden from his sight due to the huge man covering him.

"Quit whining and do as you're told!" Another man who was similarly tall and yet slender hit Alvin in his head then pushed him away.

"Aw! Alright, I will!" Pissed off by being bossed around, Alvin started to search the place, exactly in the opposite direction where Mark hid.

The creature started hissing again so Mark decided to hide it under his shirt. Surprisingly, the creature didn't show any kind of resistance but Mark could feel its body trembling in anger.