Summoning Woes

Ch 6 - Plan

Michele could safely call Shida’s lab a mess. Rats ran rampant all over the floor, bits of charred metal and broken glass were also scattered. Even her prison-like cell wasn’t spared from the mess. A black blade chipped off from its handle sat beside her. She picked it up, ignoring the strange sensation that zipped through her arm upwards. The blade oozed with a strong desire to taste blood, threatening to sink into her skin the moment she touched it. She wrapped it in a thick cloth, shoving it into her bloody dress when a soft thud broke the silence.

“Yes, sir,” a husky voice said, echoing in the small tunnel of the dungeon.

A silhouette of a man wearing a breastplate and a cape formed before her. As the shadow receded, a man with unruly brown hair approached her. A wicked smile surfaced on his face as they locked in their stares at one another.

“Good morning, Miss Michele,” he greeted, unlocking the door for her.

“What do you want, Ryuuga?”

“Lively as always, eh, Michele? That’s good. Because I am your facilitator and I will assist you to become someone way more powerful than what you are now.”

“I didn’t ask for it, twerp. But thanks for the gift,” a smirk dashed across her face.

“Well said. I kind of like you already. Not like some pseudo knight that claims he does not need power. Follow me. You know what will happen if you don’t.”

The phrase “pseudo knight” rings a bell. She glanced at the cloth holding onto the black blade, an image of Klavier pulling out his broken sword rampaged in her mind. He couldn’t have referred to Klavier in that sense, or did he?

Ryuuga led her into the main facility of Shida’s lab. It was by no means a comfortable trip - it stunk of rotting flesh and the air was full of agonizing noises. As they made their way down a spiral stairway, she caught sight Will, Aem and Amy chained at one corner, their heads bobbing about slightly that made them look a little zombie-like. Michele heaved a sigh so loud that it provoked Ryuuga’s attention.

“You know,” Michele said. “You could tell me what’s going on already.”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

“I don’t like to wait.”

“Shut!” he bellowed right at her face. “Up...okay. Don’t ask, just follow.”

“Ooo, I’m so scared. So, is that all a death threat can do?”

“I swear, if not for Shida’s orders, I’ll tear you into ribbons right here, right now.”

“Man, you’re boring. Come on, lead me to your playhouse already.”

“Ah, so good to see you alive and kicking, miss Michele,” Shida said as they moved towards an encased area of the lab where he sat down pushing buttons at seemingly random points on a huge board in front of him.

“It’s my pleasure to be at your service,” a wicked smile emerged on her face.

“Now if you’ll excuse us,” Shida glanced at Ryuuga. Ryuuga gestured a gentle bow, leaving promptly without question. “Miss Michele, I believe you know why you’re important for this project.”

“I kind of forgot. Mind telling me you grandfather story?”

“As you wish. I do apologize for the stench outside, I’ve been working with a couple of magicians to attempt recreating life. Or in more simple terms, to summon the dead.”

“You perked my interest already. Go on, I’m listening.”

“It takes a great deal of magic to do this sort of thing. Some even died trying to achieve it for the power they forcibly wield is far too great to handle. So, in these little experimentations of mine, I want to make us stronger to be able to handle the strains of this unknown feat.”