Glass ground against itself as the monster worked its jaw, staring expectantly at him. One of its claws hung low enough that it actually touched the ground. It was sharp enough that it cut straight into the stone, passing through it like nothing.
The mirror in Alex's hand warmed. It took a force of will just to tear his eyes away from the monster and look down. The writing upon its surface had changed.
Spatial Mirror
Stored Energy: None
Bonded Creature: Shardwalker (Novice 1)
That's interesting. So this ugly little creature is my improved summon? It certainly looks scary. But… does that mean this creepy little guy is stronger than average? He's just a Novice, same as me. Maybe he's just rare. Rare is good.
Alex cleared his throat and looked back to the Shardwalker watching him expectantly. "Hello?"
The monster didn't respond. Its claws twitched slightly, carving through the ground again.
"I'm Alex."
The monster continued to stare.
Not much of a conversationalist, huh? For that matter, does this thing even have any thoughts?
"Can you do something if you understand me?"
As he was starting to get used to, the monster remained in place. Alex chewed his lower lip, then changed his strategy.
"Raise your hand."
The monster lifted a hand into the air in a blur. Alex jumped back before he realized that the Shardwalker was just following his orders, not attacking him. He suddenly found himself glad that nobody else was there to see him stumble around.
It follows my orders, then. Doesn't seem like it's intelligent. Not yet, at least. That's honestly a relief. I'm not sure how I'd feel about forcing an intelligent creature to do my bidding.
Alex held the card-sized mirror up and sent it a pointed look. "Can… you get back in this? Or are you just stuck walking around outside?"
No sooner than he had finished speaking did the Shardwalker vanish in a shimmer of light. The surface of the mirror in his hand changed, his reflection disappearing as the monster appeared in its place.
The Shardwalker stared out of the mirror at Alex, then sat down on the nothingness surrounding it. Alex carefully slid the card back into the box and snapped it shut. A loud crack echoed through the still room and Alex spun around, raising his hands defensively.
A gap ran along one of the walls, revealing an endless expanse of darkness outside his room – one that didn't seem all that dissimilar from the one that the Shardwalker currently sat in. The room was falling apart.
Shit. I'm going to get pulled back to the Mirrorlands really soon. I need to get a hold of the rest of my Class. I've got my monster, so I just have to figure out how to summon it.
Alex snapped the box open and pulled the mirror back out of it. He held it before him, flipping the card so that the Shardwalker faced away from him. If the summoning just had the Shardwalker jump out of the card, he didn't want it cutting him to ribbons on the way out.
"I'm going to call you Glint," Alex proclaimed. "And I'd like a little help. Can you get out here?"
Not like it'll actually work that way. I'll probably have to do something special to summon Glint —
With the sound of shattering glass, a claw carved through the air in front of Alex. Glint pulled itself out from a tear in space, dropping to the ground. Light shimmered across the pieces of glass covering its body.
Despite his situation, a slight grin flickered across Alex's face. He held the card up.
"I think you're going to be a dude. Do you mind, Glint?"
Glint turned toward Alex and watched him mutely. He seemed to enjoy doing that, and that was just fine with Alex. Silence was the same as approval, after all.
"Looking forward to working with you then. I think we're going to have quite a bit of fun together. Can you get back into the card?"
Glint vanished in a flash, reappearing within the Spatial Mirror. Alex studied it for a second, then tightened his grip. Maybe – just maybe – he actually had a chance of surviving this nightmare and making it back to the surface.
Another crack tore through the room, this time above him. Alex looked up at the crack. He stretched his arms above his head, then rolled his neck.
"Okay. Let's do this, Glint."
The thing that was watching me might have moved. I need to be ready the moment I get out of here.
Golden letters flashed through the air before Alex.
You have requested to leave the Class Guide. Are you prepared to return to the location you were at before it initiated? [Yes/No]
Alex reached out with his free hand and selected yes, keeping the other tightly wrapped around Glint's card.
For the second time that day, the world shattered around him.
But, this time, Alex was ready for it.
Alex's feet hit solid ground as the warped version of his dorm materialized, painted in the unsettlingly long shadows. Even though Alex was expecting it, his heart lurched into his throat as he saw a pair of eyes waiting for him.
Instead of watching him from the darkness, they were now just a few feet away from him in the doorway leading over to the next room. A ghostly black form floated in the air, its body twisted like a rope. Parts of it were solid while others were completely translucent, and a long, jagged sword hung loosely in one of its hands.
Purple letters shimmered above the monster's head.
Shaded Hauntling (Novice 2)
The Hauntling's red eyes smoldered and its mouth split apart as it let out a low, keening wail. Alex thrust his card forward. Before he could even say Glint's name, the monster seemed to sense his desires.
Glass tinkled across the ground as Glint's claws ripped a portal through the air and the monster stepped out and stood between Alex and the apparition. The Hauntling's wail turned to a scream and it lurched toward him.
"Defend me!" Alex yelled.
///Author's Note///
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