Guardians of the Sword (on-hold)

Chapter 3: The Summoning

A/N: Okay, I found some time to get this chapter together. Hmmm... I think the names here do not need a pronunciation guide anymore. So, enjoy reading! Oh, and ignore typos unless they are major typos that distract you from understanding the content, then please let me know. ^_^

Don't forget to vote and comment! Thanks! *salute*

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Zedina was tracing a symbol she found in a book about spirit weapons. It was a symbol made of seven circles of different sizes linked together, forming a bigger circle. She tried to read the inscription at the bottom of the page when she heard the knock on the door.

“If you value your life, you better leave,” she responded without looking away from the book.

“We’re willing to trade Cloud’s life for a chance to speak with you,” Altaecia said.

“Why mine?” Zedina heard Cloud complained from behind the door.

“Because I would love to see you get blasted by her spells. An ultimate spell will do. I know how much you love them," Altaecia said with emphasis on the word love.

Zedina smiled briefly. Altaecia, younger than her by a year, always makes her smile. She closed the book and waved her hand to open the door.

“There. See? She accepts,” Altaecia teased, lightly tapping Cloud’s left cheek.

“A pleasant day, Altaecia,” Zedina said, “and to you, Garr.”

“A pleasant day to you too,” Garr greeted with a nod.

Cloud headed for an empty chair near the window while Altaecia perused some of the books on the table. Zedina waved her hand again to close the door. They were silent for awhile then Altaecia spoke.

“So the creepy old man kept you out of the dungeons?” she asked casually, still leafing through the pages of a book.

Zedina glanced at Cloud and saw him winced at the look she gave him.

“Does the king know?” Garr asked, leaning on a bookshelf.

“Yes,” Zedina replied. “Iris, get down from there or you’ll scratch something irreparable with your claws.” She called to her familiar who was climbing the shelf of century-old books. The cat landed on the floor with a soft thud and sauntered towards Cloud’s feet.

“Did he say why Everett did that?” Altaecia asked, looking at another book.

“Summoning ritual rules.”

Altaecia looked up. “Summoning ritual rules?”

“Everett explained that a second class spell caster like me should not be allowed to witness the summoning of Gaia. Any other spirit is okay. Not Gaia. Especially with the method he's using now.”

“Why?” Cloud asked.

“Summoning rules, he said.”

“That's ridiculous,” Altaecia said, waving her hand in dismissal. “So what if you witnessed something like that? I bet he just made that up.”

“He knows things that I do not know because of the differences in our status. There are certain privileges given to Class S spell casters. So what gave you the idea that he made that up?”

“Because you know everything and you didn’t know that this is a privilege given to Class S spell casters. If you knew, you would not bother going there this morning to help before he had to kick you out,” Altaecia replied.