The second stages Kleigh found himself lying on soft, golden sand. The scent of spices and the sound of distant music filled the air. He bolted upright, looking around in a daze. Gone were the familiar sounds of the city. Instead, he was surrounded by towering palm trees and a brilliant sun that blazed in a vibrant blue sky. The landscape bore an uncanny resemblance to the ancient Egypt he had read about: vast deserts, shimmering oases, and intricate stone structures that seemed to whisper stories of the past.
Kleigh stood up, brushing the sand off his clothes, and realized he was now clad in a simple tunic, a far cry from his previous attire. Glancing around, he spotted a massive stone pyramid in the distance, its presence both daunting and alluring. Compelled by a strange force, he began to walk toward it.
As he approached the grand structure, he felt a humming sensation throughout his body—a connection, perhaps an invitation. The pyramid loomed larger, its limestone blocks radiating warmth. At its base, there was an entrance partially hidden by vines. Without hesitation, Kleigh stepped inside.
The interior was dark, save for flickering torches mounted on the walls. The air was cool and musty, filled with echoes of long-forgotten chants. As he moved deeper into the pyramid, he stumbled upon a room decorated with bas-reliefs of gods and goddesses, their faces a mix of beauty and wrath. At the center of the chamber stood a stone pedestal, upon which lay a dusty, ornate tome, its cover embossed with elaborate designs.
Kleigh felt a pull toward the tome, and as he reached out to touch it, strange symbols began to glow on the pages. As he opened the book, the text sparkled with light, revealing incantations that promised power and divinity.
Kleigh; .. "Summoning… training… magic…" I was full murmured, excitement bubbling.
This could be it—the moment he had wished for, a chance to step into a world of adventure.
Reading through the stages,I learn I was possessed a divine ability to summon beings from other realms. My heart will raced with the realization—i thought I can't summon but I accept my fate could summon anything or anyone.
But as he flipped through the book, he stumbled upon a warning inscribed in an elegant script: *"Beware, for summoning is not without peril; tread carefully, or you may unearth what should remain buried."*
Kleigh dismissed the caution, driven by dreams of a grand adventure. With newfound determination, he decided to attempt his first summon. Closing his eyes, he focused on the words of power, imagining a creature—perhaps a powerful beast or an elegant fairy.
Kleigh; "I call upon the energies of the cosmos!" he intoned dramatically, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "I summon a being of light—give me strength!"
A shimmering light enveloped him, growing brighter as he concentrated harder. Suddenly, in a flurry of energy, a flash of golden light erupted in the room. Startled, Kleigh opened his eyes, and what he saw made his heart skip a beat.
Before him stood a girl, but not just any girl. She wore a flowing garment reminiscent of ancient Egyptian fashion, with intricate patterns that shimmered like the sands of the desert. Her striking features hinted at a divine heritage, with almond-shaped eyes that sparkled like emeralds and skin that glowed with a soft luminescence. She appeared to be in her early teens, perhaps about fifteen.
Zara: "Who dares summon me?" she asked in an ethereal voice, sounding both curious and slightly annoyed. "You are not a mage... you are just a child!"
Kleigh: (stumbled backward, his mind racing) "I… I'm Kleigh! I didn't mean to summon you! I just thought… I wanted to—"
"Silence!" the girl interrupted, raising her hand as an ornate golden bracelet on her wrist sparkled with energy. "You have interrupted my existence! What do you seek, mortal?"
Kleigh's heart pounded as he tried to regain his composure. "I wanted adventure! I wanted to explore magic and travel to new worlds!"
The girl narrowed her eyes, assessing him as if thinking something. They are unprepared for what awaits.
Zara: Summoning is something one learns over time. Simply wishing for it won't make it so."
Despondent, Kleigh looked around the room, his head churning with wild thoughts. "But I can learn!" he protested. "You're here now… I can train with you, can't I?
For a moment, the girl seemed to reflect on that sentence. "Alright then. I am Zara, servant to the gods of the desert. You have called me and I come to serve you-now. But listen to this: the soul is fragile and weak, and the trials of a summoner are unforgiving. You must deserve the right.
Kleigh's heart took off. This was the beginning of his journey! Alongside Zara, he could study magic, conjure fiery beings, and journey to realms beyond his wildest imagination.
"Thanks, Zara! I'll never disappoint you, I swear!" he yelled, flashing a broad grin on his face.
Zara let out a sigh, with another jolt of irritation crossing her face. "We'll see. First, you have to understand your powers, as well as the weight they hold. A summoner's magic can warp destiny, but it isn't free of its darkness."
And as they spoke, the golden light surrounding Zara began to fade. She looked at Kleigh with more seriousness in her words. "Your world, Kleigh, is not one of peace. In you, there lies the potential for greatness, but also chaos. Do not take this lightly.".
With that, Zara stepped back and the golden light flickered, illuminating a mirror alongside the wall. Inside, Kleigh saw not just his reflection but images of swirling energy, fantastical creatures, and far-off lands. His heart raced at the possibilities.
"You have to learn the fundamentals of summoning," Zara said, her voice steadying as she started to take him through the intricacies of his newfound abilities. "First, we will start with the basics. You have to be able to connect with the energies around you."
And so, with Zara, Kleigh embarked on his arduous training within the mystical pyramid, passing what felt like weeks mastering the arts of his craft. They practiced incantations, learned how runes could be taken as well as applied, and pressed the outer boundaries of the elemental forces. Every day, Kleigh found himself more confident; though at Zara's lessons, he often felt stretched to the ultimate limits of endurance.
""Feel the connexion," she would say to Zara, her emerald eyes shining bright with a spark of challenge. "Summoning is not just speaking spells, it requires harmony with the universe!"
As the sun turned the sky orange and purple, they spent their breaks in the cool corridors of the pyramid. There they would regale each other with tales of the old world. Kleigh understood that Zara was not just any servant; she was a custodian of sacred knowledge, branded to serve those worthy enough to master the ancient art.
One night when the stars over the pyramid flared bright, Kleigh spoke aloud, as if to himself. "What if I just cannot learn to control it? What if I conjure up something terrible?"
Zara regarded him sternly. "If you manage to draw into our realm a being that was not born for this world, catastrophe beyond a farthest imagination could ensue. The worlds' tapestry is torn apart.".
Kleigh shivered at the words. "So how do I know when I am?" he asked. "Can I learn to control it?"
Her eyes softened and for an instant he felt her warmth encouragement. "You have potential, but remember: potential without discipline can lead to calamity. Trust your instincts, but respect the forces you seek to command.".
With each passing day, they grew closer. Kleigh wasn't just learning magic; he was learning about the qualities of courage, resilience, and all of the choices that truly define one's journey. He began to see Zara not as a mentor but as an in so many ways unlikely friend whose presence filled the lonely, daunting journey ahead.
That night, after one of the toughest lessons, Kleigh sat beside Zara, who was watching him with an intensity he didn't quite comprehend. "What's on your mind?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.
"I just… can't shake the feeling there's more to this than just an adventure," he said, allowing words to tumble over each other in a slow cadence. "I feel like my coming here means something bigger. But what, I really just can't grasp.
Zara's face had that unreadable look, but the shimmering veil that surrounded her seemed to stir like a midnight zephyr. "Destiny is a mess of threads, Kleigh. Look for it within and without, and perhaps you'll find what you are meant to do. But I caution you, child: the road to insight is traveled by trial and error. To cross it, one must hold a certain fearlessness; to flinch is to fail.".
In his heart, he had carved in determination; every challenge hurled against him, Kleigh promised himself to face. Not knowing that the fates were weaving a tapestry much more complex than what he could even imagine, little did he know.
As the hours lost track, their relationship was building. The knowledge was now flowing in, giving life to unexplored areas of magic. The playful banter added warmth to their endeavors, yet the warning of chaos lay heavy within his mind like the grim reaper, reminding him of the weight that rested upon his young shoulders.
One day, coming out of the pyramid, Kleigh looked at the barren horizon of the Egyptian landscape beside Zara. That was when Kleigh realized he was prepared to face whatever was ahead of him. Where should they go next? he asked excitedly.
Zara grinned, a fleeting spark of mirth in her eyes. "Countless worlds beyond this one await a brave soul like you. Though remember that summoning is an unpredictable art—the next summon may change everything."
Kleigh's spirit soared as he steeled himself to take that leap into the unknown vast expanse, his adventure chapter barely opened with the newfound powers and encouragement from Zara.
The far-off sun was glistening from the horizon, and he wondered what great surprises lay in store for him; unknown to the challenges that would await him, secrets of this realm, or the truth hidden in the shadows. And it was then when the journey of the summoner started, deep inside of whom something incredible was yet to be unleashed.
The world of summoning was vast, full of opportunities and risks that Kleigh had yet to even hint at understanding fully, each step revealing layers of magic set to define his fate. It was just the first chapter of an epic saga as yet unwritten.