Heir Apparent - a Summoner FanFic

Dorien Hovat

His name was Dorien Hovat, a dark haired, brown eyed boy from the southern plains, close to the border with the Orc Jungle. When he was six years old his mother and her Felid were killed on the front lines during an attack by orcs on Wyverns. His father died some few months later from grief, his Anubid fading into the Ether after him.

Old King Alfric, out of the goodness of his heart, adopted the boy, thereby annexing his fertile lands and looking after his not-so-modest inheritance until he would come of age. Even at six there were indications of Dorien's strong affinity with demons and it was clear that he would one day be a summoner, possibly of great power. This excited the Old King and so at eleven General Vin of the king's army gifted the boy with a Lycan pup at Alfric's request. Dorien named the pup Toralu. Lycans are notoriously difficult to control, and so Dorien's summoning career began with a baptism of fire, just as the Old King planned. His training into infusion, the capturing of new demons and etching and spellcraft under Inquisitor Samil began at a similar time.

When he was fourteen Dorien attended the end of year tournament at Vocans at the request of Alfric and watched as the bastard boy Fletcher won his seat on the council only to be dragged away in chains moments later. The older boy's ingenious idea of tattooing a summoning circle and etching symbols onto his hand had caught on in some circles since and Alfric insisted that Dorien do the same. It began to become clear to all that Alfric was preparing the boy for a specific role and many believed that it was to succeed the Old King as High Inquisitor.

Members of every noble house in Hominum attended the celebration of Dorien's fifteenth birthday, publicly toasting his continued good health, developing skill and power whilst sniggering into their cups and behind their hands at his obvious lack of autonomy under the watchful eye of the Old King. Such had always been the way.

With everyone except King Harold. As Alfric had adopted the boy, Harold decided as a young man that this made the six year old his brother and had taken great pains to ensure that Dorien had a friend, someone who would sneak him out, listen as the young boy ranted, and always take his side. It was Harold that had pushed for Dorien to go to Vocans, despite the fact that the year had already started, convincing his father that it would allow the young man to develop his own political allies among the nobles at the academy, whilst really offering him the opportunity for some freedom out from under Alfric's nose. As a final step towards his autonomy and independence, Harold assisted Dorien in the locating and capture of  a Felid kit in honour of his mother. Dorien named the Leopine Lial and kept her a secret from all but Harold.

And so it was that Dorien journeyed from the palace in Corcillum to Vocan's Academy to begin his official education.

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