The Iron Divide loomed in the distance, its jagged peaks slicing into the ash-colored sky. The group had stopped at an ancient stone ruin for the night—a crumbled relic of a forgotten civilization that offered shelter from the bitter wind.

As the others prepared for the assault on the Blackbrand camp, Emmet sat with Tabitha near a fractured pillar, her ever-glowing staff casting a soft luminescence over the cold stone. His serpent lay coiled nearby, its black scales shimmering faintly in the light.

“Emmet,” Tabitha began, her voice unusually quiet. “Have you ever wondered why you were able to summon me? Why some can and others cannot?”

Emmet looked up from the blade he was sharpening, meeting her piercing gaze. “I never really had time to think about it,” he admitted. “It just... happened. I was desperate, and you appeared.”

Tabitha tilted her head, her expression contemplative. “It wasn’t just desperation. Summoning isn’t random. It requires something intrinsic, a connection between your world and mine.”

Emmet frowned. “What do you mean?”

Tabitha’s fingers traced a glowing rune along the haft of her staff, the faint blue light dancing like fireflies. “There are countless worlds beyond this one,” she explained. “Places of endless light, shadow, and chaos. A summoner has the unique ability to reach into those realms, forging a bond with the beings that dwell there. But it comes at a price.”

“A price?” Emmet repeated, his voice tinged with unease.

Tabitha nodded. “When you called to me, you sacrificed a part of your soul. That fragment was the key to binding me here, to anchoring me in your world. It’s why only a few are capable of summoning—most souls aren’t strong enough to endure the strain.”

Emmet’s hand instinctively went to his chest, as if he could feel the missing piece of himself. “How much did I lose?”

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“It varies,” Tabitha said, her tone careful. “A single summon requires only a small piece. But as you summon more, the toll becomes greater. Summoners who push themselves too far can lose their humanity entirely, their souls consumed until they’re little more than hollow shells.”

Emmet’s grip on his blade tightened. “Then why help me? Why answer the call?”

Tabitha’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Because I saw something in you—a resolve stronger than most. And because the bond between a summoner and their summons is a two-way street. Your strength bolsters mine, and my power strengthens you in turn.”

He glanced at the serpent, its golden eyes glinting as it watched them silently. “Is it the same for him?”

Tabitha’s gaze followed his. “Yes. Each summon is unique, and the bond they share with their summoner reflects that. Your serpent is your first summon—its loyalty and instincts are tied to the foundation of your soul. I, on the other hand, bring knowledge and power. And any future summons will bring something else, depending on what you need.”

Emmet leaned back against the pillar, his mind racing. The weight of what Tabitha had said settled over him like a lead blanket. He had never asked to be a summoner, never sought this power. Yet here he was, bound to forces he barely understood, his very soul fragmented in the pursuit of survival.

“Can the bond be broken?” he asked after a long silence.

Tabitha’s expression darkened. “Only in death. Either yours or ours. Once the connection is made, it’s eternal.”

Eternal. The word hung heavy in the air, its implications impossible to ignore. Emmet stared into the flickering light of Tabitha’s staff, the enormity of his role as a summoner sinking in.

“You don’t regret it, do you?” Tabitha asked, her voice soft.

Emmet looked at her, his jaw set. “I don’t have the luxury of regret. Mila and Theo are all that matter. If this power helps me save them, then I’ll bear the cost.”

Tabitha studied him for a moment before nodding. “Then I’ll bear it with you, summoner. Until the end.”

The conversation ended as the wind howled through the ruins, carrying with it the echoes of a world that had long since crumbled. Emmet sat in silence, his resolve hardening as he prepared for the battle to come.

He was a summoner, and the weight of that truth was heavy. But it was a burden he would carry, no matter the cost.