Summoning Woes

One Shot 1 - Summoning Woes

Note: This is a stand alone story is meant for pure comedic purposes without any true plot behind it. For the actual story, please proceed to the chapter "Loom".

Summoning. That was the one word that kept escaping the countless mouths of many around him. Surely it was a big deal, being the talk in everyone’s topics. It revolved around something about reclaiming the land that the Fallen Gods have taken from them and the notion that it was high time to strike back at their enemies. Summoning had kept these people alive, most notably because the Fallen Gods were not just fighting the Summoners themselves, but together with revived great heroes of the past.

But for him, this could only be achieved in his dreams. He flunked test after test in spite of his diligence and persistence. In the latest blow to his ego, even the most lenient teacher gave him a giant “F” on the written examination paper for all to see. He dragged his feet across the hallway, enduring the sneers and jeers of his fellow classmates as the exam paper dangled loosely on his right hand. Perhaps he wasn’t up for the task. Perhaps his talent was somewhere else.

“Hoi!” a medium-low pitched voice called from behind. “Wait up!”

He turned around at once, dumping the dreadful emotion whirling in his heart for a split second. “Karl?”

“Yo, Klavier,” he smiled, panting as though he just ran through a marathon. “How did it go?”

“Not good,” Klavier looked at his paper again. “At this rate, I’ll really need to drop out.”

“Life’s got to be so hard on you now, huh?” Karl rested his arm over Klavier’s shoulders. “Hey, I’ve got something to tell you. Come closer.”

“What is it?”

“I just got five gems.”

“Really? Those are crazy expensive stuff!”

“Shh! Not over here,” they looked up, returning their glares to the public. “It’s for you.”

“What? Hey, don’t talk nonsense here. I don’t deserve this.”

“Well, we did make a promise didn’t we? You said you’d do your best, and that’s what you did, right?”

“Um,” he glanced at the paper. “I guess so.”

“Come on, there’ll always be time to catch up. But first, to the Summon Gate!”

The Summon Gate. Famous for either eating into Summoner’s pocket money or providing the best fighters known in the whole land. He wasn’t particularly interested in it, partly because he lacked the cash to hire these mercenaries. At times when he did get it, the gate would almost always return him units of lower caliber. He envied the elders for having almost everything they wanted - money, power, fame and so much more. Now was the time to attempt at an impossible task of getting a revolutionary unit. His heart pounded with anxiety but at the same time, with excitement. Karl’s humble gift would go a long way this time around. This summon better not disappoint him.

“Well,” Klavier clapped his hands together as he tossed the jewels into an automated box that mixed the contents within to provide him with a worn-out yellow movie ticket. “Here goes nothing!”

The container seized the ticket the moment it went close to its mouth. Darkness shrouded his surroundings, leaving absolutely nothing left for him to see. He heard no noise, not even his beating heart or his increasingly erratic breath. A bright red light shone right before him, unleashing a powerful gust of wind that threatened to throw him off. He fought against the force, walking ever so slowly towards the massive, majestic red gate. With a gentle touch to the door, it burst open, practically blinding him with its unforgiving beam.