Awakening: Book 1 of the Vanquisher Series [GxG]

48

"How will you summon Izenros?" Hellstorm asked.

They were now sitting around a table in a dimly lit room Hellstorm suspected to be the ritual room. Even in hiding, a Vessel was still a Vessel, and they would need a ritual room where they could do all their sinister demonic shit. Black symbols of various designs populated the walls of the room. Hellstorm recognized some of the symbols as protective and fortification runes. Some of these protective runes were also visible on Ziegler's neck and arms.

"I can't risk a physical or astral summon," said Ziegler. "Prince Izenros is too strong, and I don't have any ancient relic to boost my power. Bezvaros's Crystal is gone. You people made sure of it."

"So what do you have in mind?" asked Hellstorm, ignoring Ziegler's accusatory tone.

"That leaves us with the third and easiest option," said Ziegler. "A medium summon. I can only summon Prince Izenros to possess me. It's all I can do. If you want him here physically, then I can't help you."

"That's more than enough. Go ahead."

"Why do you want him so badly? People ran from the Septos... what could be so important that you would risk everything just to meet the last prince of the Septos?"

Hellstorm balled his fist and then in a hardened tone, he said, "Get to work, Ziegler."

Why he wanted Izenros was no one's business. Now that the Order was looking for him, he had to do whatever he could to keep them from finding out. It was the only way to protect his family.

"A medium summon may be easier to do, but this is no ordinary demon we are summoning," said Ziegler. Did Hellstorm have to slap the Vessel in the face to keep him from wasting his time. "I need you as an anchor." Ziegler looked at him sternly.

"What does that mean?"

Ziegler grabbed both of Hellstorm's hands in a tight grip. "It means don't let go of my hands no matter what. As soon as you do, I will sever the connection with Prince Izenros. Without the power I draw from you, I won't be able to hold the possession even if I succeed in summoning the prince. So don't break the contact, do you understand?"

"How long will this take?"

"About an hour. Royal demons require complex spells."

An hour. That should be enough time. Those fuckers had put an energy tracer on him. He had managed to replicate his location to confuse them for a while. Hopefully, Ziegler would be done before the vanquishers arrived. If the vanquishers found him in a Vessel's home while attempting a summoning, it would make his case even worse. Whatever. He had no other choice.

"You only need the contact. Which means as long as I keep touching you, you can keep doing the spell, right?" asked Hellstorm.

"Well, yes."

Hellstorm freed his hands from Ziegler's grip and instead, rested one hand on the Vessel's palm. "Now that's better."

"You don't trust me."

"Says the man who tried to kill me."

"Fair enough."

"Get on with it. And don't try to be slick. I won't hesitate to end you."

"No need for that." 

Ziegler began to chant in a strange language. As he did so, his hazel eyes grew lighter, until only the whites of his eyes remained. He seemed lost in his trance, and even when Hellstorm waved his free hand in Ziegler's face, the Vessel did not blink. Ziegler's voice got louder and more frenzied. A whooshing sound filled the room, and a gale came out of nowhere. Hellstorm tightened his grip around Ziegler's hand. Was this going to go on for half an hour?