“Ok, class, with that bell, we can start the next step,” Alex said with a grin.

“And that would be? I can’t imagine it is anything good if it can be affected by our blessings,” Maxwell said.

“Simple, you kids are going to contract your first familiars.”

The class all stared at Alex wondering what he was going on about. Contracting a familiar was only part of a specialist course offered to postgraduates. Not something you’d teach first years of the upper education school.

“Sir… May I ask why?” Daisy asked, searching for a reason.

“Well, they are crazy useful in so many ways. You can materialise them to scout ahead. Even just having a magical companion when you are out and alone can do a world of good.”

“Do you have one, sir?” Tasha asked.

“Yes, I have a few.”

“Bet they are all absurd or terrifying.” Alex shot a smirk at Bea for her remark. Before shaking his head.

“No. My familiars are very mundane. If anything, many people I’ve met refuse to believe they are my familiars.”

“What are they, if I may ask, sir?” Maxwell asked, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of a familiar.

“Sure, but it’d be easier to show you. I booked out an artificing test lab, so we must make our way there. Yuu will likely barge her way to observe. So don’t be surprised if she is already there.”

With these words, the class went about the usual routine of packing their stuff away. While they did this, Alex sat on the floor playing around with Freki, who was scamping and hopping between his legs in some kind of game.

“It looks like you really love Freki, sir,” Daisy observed.

“Hmm? Oh yeah. I am a dog person to the very core of my soul. My family, back when I was a kid, had a big shepherd dog we got from one of the farmers when he had a litter. I’ve been around dogs since before I learnt to walk.”

“So this must be a great gift, then?” Bea asked as she went up to give Freki attention herself.

“The best. I still haven’t seen my sister to thank her, though.”

“Sir?? You should do that. It is only polite to say thank you for gifts given,” Maxwell admonished, sounding more of an adult than the actual teacher.

“I’ll have you know I plan to do just that,” Alex protested. “It’s just she is in jail at the moment and is waiting for her fellow officers to actually let her out.”

“What did she do?” Tasha asked.

“Well, remember that night you went to the sewers, and you saw that crazy woman wearing a dragon skull?” The class collectively nodded only to slow down their nod as realisation dawned on them.

“That was your sister?”

“Yeah, she’s crazy.”

“Kettle calling the pot black, eh sir?” Bea said, jabbing him in the ribs with her elbow.

“Oh no. Kids look at it this way. I am well aware I am bonkers. So Imagine someone who I consider crazy and how insane they must really be.” The class collectively shuddered at the very prospect.

“Chief, I think I understand why you were reluctant to see her.”

“Exactly. I love my big sis. But it is best if we keep it at arm's length.”

“Well, doubt she is any better than Lady Elissa!” Tasha said, puffing out her chest.

“Oh no Elissa lost to her. Lost really bad.”

“WHAT?!” Tasha’s face dropped from a smug expression to barely contained fury. “She dared to hurt my mistress!!”

“Tasha, Elissa doesn’t hold any ill will. She wouldn’t have joined her on a girls' night out if she did. If anything, she sees my sister as a goal to overcome.”

“Very well. Your sister can be nothing but an obstacle for Lady Elissa to crush beneath her heel.”

“I’m more than certain you’d get along with Mimi the more you speak.”

“Sorry for the hold-up, guys. Everything is packed away now,” Kline said as he walked up and gave Freki a little pat of his own.

“So we are off to Artificer Workshop E. Ok, kids, off we go!” Alex led the way, though rather than the unusual walks he did outside the school, he maintained a strange decorum. If you didn’t know any better, you’d expect him to be a well-respected professor.

“Greetings, Sir Alex. I see you are a dedicated educator as usual,” Hinter, the Professor of Alchemy, said as he approached Alex.

“You as well. How goes the research into your ‘special’ potion?”

“Very well. The only problem is the effects last more than four hours.”

“Well, keep at it. I’m sure you’ll get it mastered,” Alex nodded goodbye before continuing on his way with his students in tow.

“What is he working on, sir?” Kline asked, jogging to catch up to Alex, so he walked side by side with him.

“I’unno,” Alex replied with a shrug.

“But you spoke as if you knew what he was working on?” Daisy asked, confused.

“Kids, a lot of the professors are working on some kind of research here. I just asked how his special potion was going. I never mentioned any knowledge of the details. He assumed I knew it and gave me information for free.”

“So you got some details on another professor's research by lying?” Maxwell asked.

“I didn’t lie at any moment there. I asked a vague, open-ended question, and he gave me details unprompted. A good researcher would remain as vague as the question.”

“So what are you working on then, sir?” Bea asked as she clipped her heels into Gunter’s chest to urge him closer to Alex.

“Stuff and things, oh and definitely not a way to burn down an entire continent.”

“SIR?!!! Why are you researching something like that?!!” Daisy shouted in shocked outrage.

“Stuff and Things? I ask myself that very question sometimes.”

“No, not that. The burning of a whole continent?”

“But I said I wasn’t. Seriously, Daisy, your attention to detail is worrying for someone so clever. It doesn’t matter anyways; we are here now.”

Rising above them was the block dedicated to the artificing department. It was a building filled with multiple workshops, all filled with forges, anvils and every kind of equipment a young budding magical engineer could dream of. As they stood before the door, they could hear a rhythmic humming sound escape the door as they stood before it.

Opening it, they were greeted by a sight that shocked all but Gunter and Alex. There on a throne at the far end of the workshop was Yuu in her golem armour. Every so often, she would thump the base of a massive warhammer on the ground. At the same time, an entire line of students at each anvil would strike the metal.

“What’s this?” Maxwell asked as he gaped around the workshop. The students, however, continued their work almost as if they didn’t even recognise half a dozen new students and a wolf pup had entered.

“Choir of the forge,” Gunter answered. “It is an old tradition of Titans and Dwarves. We craft to work songs and infuse our voices into the metals and our works.”

“Does it help?” Bea asked as she had one of the best views of the synchronised movements than anyone else.

“It does actually make stuff stronger,” Alex answered.

“Chief is right. Professor Yuu said… err what was it again?… It infuses our mana and will into the materials.”

“Fascinating. I might consider taking an extra course on Magical Engineering myself then,” Maxwell muttered as he watched the students swing at the metal.

A more resounding thud echoed out around the workshop. Looking to its source, the class could see Yuu had risen from her throne-like seat and was approaching them. As she made her way towards them, she never broke the beat she maintained with her hammer. Eventually, she stood in front of them.

“You want to join my lessons?!” Yuu asked, leaning down to bring her helmet’s glowing eyes level with Maxwell’s.

“Y-you know, maybe next year. Take it as an elective,” Maxwell hastily answered, retreating half a step. Before he could retreat a whole step, a gauntlet landed on his shoulder, restraining him.

“I think you are better off starting sooner.”

“No, thank you, ma’am. I am, after all, a child of a Sinful Lord. I suppose it isn’t right for me to consider such a profession,” Maxwell hastily replied, trying to wiggle free of Yuu’s vice-like grip.

“Perfect, we are the same then. I am Wrath’s daughter. We can bond, while crafting, over our parents and the burdens of their positions.”

“Yuu, please don’t bully him into joining. I can tell you just want to screw with Celes’ brother. But Maxwell is a far better person than he is.” Yuu’s grip loosened on Maxwell, allowing him to retreat from her.

“Very well,” Yuu said with a nod before one final and heavier strike with her hammer to the ground.

“THAT IS ENOUGH. YOU MAY GO BACK TO THE DORMS!!” Yuu’s roar woke the students from their trance-like work. Some of them even began to stagger clear they were exhausted and barely able to stand.

“What’s wrong with them?” Tasha asked as she watched the students support each other on their way out.

“Oh, I used a ritual method. Their hammers are linked to my big one here. As long as I thud it, they have to swing. Makes practising technique easier.”

“That’s barbaric!!” Daisy cried out, shocked a teacher would puppet students like that.

“Daisy… it is common in the crafting lessons. I learnt that way and many others do. Don’t judge a method that is a tradition held dearly,” Gunter said, his tone of voice clear he was very unhappy with Daisy’s assertion.

“Daisy, the control is only to help you get the hang of the swing technique. The more you can do it naturally, the less the control will have over you. Yuu here never even had the control test because she broke free by mastering it in a few swings,” Alex explained, gesturing to his friend in her armour.

“So you kids all ready to summon all kinds of monsters?!” Yuu asked as her armour opened up, allowing her to hop out.

“They sure are. It’s the side lab, right?” Alex asked to which Yuu nodded.

“Ok, this way, kids,” Yuu said, leading the way, followed closely behind by Alex.

“Why are we doing this test in the artificers' building, sir?” Bea asked.

“Your mount can answer that one. Gunter, what are the main features of this building?”

“The walls are reinforced to withstand extreme damage. If legends are to be believed, they even used it as a shelter during one crusades invasion.”

“There you are, miss Bea. The walls are strong enough to withstand anything you kiddos could summon.”

“Why not the high-danger research building?” Daisy asked, curious that they weren’t going to where Alex and Yuu worked as students.

“Way too dangerous. Only ones allowed there are by approval of Sloth himself.”

“Anyways, here it is,” Yuu said as she opened a large double door to a large room that had a similar feel to the tavern they went to, with an arena in the centre.

“This a fight ring?” Tasha asked, her eyes gleaming.

“Yes and no. This is where students can test their stuff. Walls here are double reinforced,” Yuu answered.

“I have already drawn the Familiar contract circle in the ring. I shall guide you on how to work it, and you can each summon your own.”

“Ok, decide amongst yourselves who will go first, and we can begin,” Alex said as he went to stand near the circle.

“Lots again?” Gunter suggested, taking out his usual set.

“NO!!!” Kline protested. “It’s always me. I don’t want to go first every single time!!”

“Well, then we can draw lots, and you won’t need to as you can go last,” Daisy said as she took the bundle of lots from Gunter and mixed them up.

“No… then I’d feel guilty… fine guys, I will draw lots. Just know I will not be happy if I draw and have to go up first.”

“I got an idea. Why don’t we all draw and not look at what we got? Then we can choose to switch with someone if we feel like it?” Gunter suggested.

“Seems fair. Gives you a chance to swap out a first lot possibility,” Maxwell said with a nod.

“Ok, guys, let’s try that one,” Kline said, finally nodding.

Daisy held out the lots for her classmates to take. They each took one and quickly concealed it. Everyone looked at Kline to see if he wanted to swap it. Kline kept looking at his clenched hand, then at each of his classmates, then back to his hand.

“I just know I’ve gotten first again, so Tasha, swap with me.”

They each held out a free hand and quickly swapped their lots, making sure not to peek at them.

“Ok, let’s see who is going first, shall we?” Bea asked to which they all nodded.

“GODS DAMMIT!!!” Kline screamed as he threw the lot on the floor. Looking at it, the class all could see the number one written on it.

“WELL, SCREW ME, ESPECIALLY THEN, I GUESS!! FUCK YOU, NORNS!!” Kline roared as he stormed up to Alex.

“You ok, bud?” Alex asked, looking concerned.

“NO, BUT LET'S GET THIS OVER WITH!!” Kline spat at Alex, who retreated back a step from Kline's unrestrained onslaught.

“Ok… maybe a moment to calm down?” Alex said as Freki shook with fear behind his legs.

“I AM CALM!! NOW SHOW ME HOW TO DO IT!!”

“Ok…” Alex began before trailing off, his eyes darting around the room for backup.

“Well, Kline, you need to calm down properly before you can do the ritual. Your anger will warp what is summoned,” Alex warned,

“I DON’T WANT TO REPEAT MYSELF. I SAID I AM-” Alex’s hand began to glow with what the class recognised as a light magic circle. Wondering what he would do, the entire class froze as Alex slapped Kline across the face.

“You hit me?” Kline muttered as he rubbed the struck cheek.

“You calmed down?”

“Why did you hit me?” Kline asked, his voice shaking as if coming down from an adrenaline high.

“I used the calm spell. Kline, it is perilous to summon a familiar when you have heightened emotions. What comes through the ritual depends on several factors.” Kline just nodded.

“The core factor can be affected by the god you are blessed under. Next is the emotional state. With how pissed you were, Kline, you could’ve summoned Jormungand.” The entire class watching this paled at the mention of the world serpent of legend.

“So I would summon a big worm, big whoop,” Kline muttered, still seething.

“Kline… Jormungand is a divine beast. Divine beasts can only be the familiars of gods.”

“So I would become a god?” Kline asked.

“No, you would die because the contract wouldn’t be accepted, and you would just have a pissed summoned monster to kill everyone here.”

“Well, you could just kill it.”

“Kline, I have limits. I can’t beat a divine beast just yet.”

“Isn’t Fenrir a Divine Beast?” Tasha asked, trying to lighten the mood.

“The Fenrir is a divine beast. His children are just normal magical monsters. It’s how we get cuties like Freki,” Alex explained, scratching Freki behind her ear.

“Class, I’m just going to have a private word with Kline here,” Alex said as he wrapped an arm around Kline and guided him into what was marked as a storage room. In his absence, Yuu went over and leashed Freki to guide her back to where the class was sitting.

“So he seems very angry,” Yuu observed.

“Normally, he’s so skittish,” Maxwell said, looking at the door Alex and Kline had walked through with worry. “I’ve never seen him so angry.”

“You known each other long?” Yuu asked.

“Yes, actually. His family have traditionally aided mine. We’ve known each other since we were kids. Since these lessons started, though, he has been changing.”

“I wouldn’t worry. Alex has… he has experience with those kinds of angry outbursts.” A few more minutes of awkward silence passed, after which Alex and Kline stepped out of the storage room. Kline walked up to the class and lowered his head.

“I’m sorry, guys.”

“You don’t have anything to apologise for,” Maxwell assured him.

“Yeah, Maxy is right. Anyone would get pissed as you did,” Bea added.

“Now you’ve had your breather Kline shall we?” Alex said, gesturing to the ritual circle in the ring. Kline gave an assured nod and joined him.

Properly looking at the familiar summoning circle now, he felt calmer; Kline was wowed by the complexity of the design. There were three concentric circles, all covered in various imagery depicting scenes from the multiple pantheons. Like Ra sailing his barge across the sky. Heimdal guarding the Bifrost. Charon on his ferry of the dead.

“First, take out your knife,” Alex said, demonstrating with his own knife. Kline mimicked him, drawing a thin dagger from behind his belt.

“Since when have you had that?” Alex asked, arching a brow in surprise.

“Always, sir. My family have jobs that require quick action when it comes to the Greyback family,” Kline replied.

“Ok, next, make a small cut and offer blood to the circle.” Kline held the knife to his palm; before he could cut it, Alex seized his hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Offering blood like you said?” Kline answered, confused.

“A drop will do. Kline, you are a mage. Your hands are your lifeline. Even with healing magic, your hand would be stiff for weeks if you sliced your palm open like that. Just prick your fingertip; I personally slice my pinky finger as I use it the least.”

Kline looked down at his hand and realised he was about to do something stupid. Quietly thanking the gods that Alex stopped him, he made a small cut on his thumb.

“Ok, put pressure on the finger you nicked and make a bubble of blood to form. Enough you can confidently let a drop of blood fall.” Kline followed Alex’s instructions and let the bubble grow.

“Now hold your hand over the circle and let it fall. It can be anywhere within one of the circles.”

“What happens if I flick my hand and get it in all three?”

“Well, Kline,” Alex said with a pleased grin. “Now you are thinking like a researcher. Why don’t you try and find out?”

“I-I think I will stick with the one circle this time.”

“Awhh, you’re no fun. Oh well, go on.” At Alex’s prompting, Kline let the drop fall onto the circle. With a bit of a plop sound, Kline winced and closed his eyes in anticipation. Only for nothing to happen. Opening his eyes, he could see Alex looking at him, perplexed.

“Still got to chant, bud.” Kline very quickly felt his cheeks heat up as he felt embarrassment wash over him.

“Repeat after me.” Alex paused for Kline to nod; he was ready.

“Oh, great beasts of the beyond!”

“Oh, great beasts of the beyond!” Kline repeated.

“I beg of you, send me a gift!”

“I beg of you, send me a gift!” Again Kline repeated, mimicking Alex in holding his arms aloft dramatically.

“Grant me a boon so I may best lead the way!”

“Grant me a boon so I may best lead the way!” Glancing at the ritual circle, Kline could see the central circle began to glow faintly.

“I give you my Blood!”

“I give you my Blood!” The middle circle now began to glow faintly.

“I give you my heart!”

“I give you my heart!” The outer circle now began to glow.

“And I shall share my soul!” Kline looked at Alex, worried about this part of the chant, only for him to nod urging him to follow.

“And I shall share my soul!” A bright flash spread out from the circle washing the entire room in a radiance that left all who looked at it blind. Shielding his eyes, Kline could only barely see a silhouette appear within the ring of light. As quick as it began, the light faded.

“Ahhh!!!” Daisy’s scream brought the rest of the class out of their trance as standing in the arena was Kline’s summoned familiar.

There stood in the arena was a giant beast. At first, it looked like a giant lion monster. Only its mane looked like it was made of spines. Swaying calmly at its rear was a scorpion’s tail. Quick as he could, Alex yanked Kline backwards and raised a flash shield that blocked a giant stinger tails thrust.

“YOU SUMMONED A MANTICORE?!!!” Yuu shouted, excitement already overtaking her.

“This is bad!” Alex muttered as he continued to drag Kline back, blocking the Manticore's strikes with flash shields.

“Kline, it is impressive you can still be so mad even after a calming spell and that talk we had!” Alex jumped back, dragging Kline further.

“But I was calm, sir!!!” Kline protested, terror tinging his voice.

“Yuu can you-” Alex’s words were cut off by a voice that boomed around the entire cavernous test room.

“DOTH THOU CONTINUE TO SEEK TO HARM THY SUMMONER?!” Alex’s eyes widened as he looked at the Manticore that was glaring at him.

“You can talk?”

“INDEED, MORTAL HUMAN. I SPEAKETH THE COMMON TONGUE. WHY DOTH THOU SEEK TO HARM MY SUMMONER?”

“I…I-I don’t?” Alex answered.

“YET MY SUMMONER FELT FEAR OF YOU WHEN HE SUMMONED ME. MY SUSPICIONS WERE CONFIRMED WHEN YOU ATTEMPTED TO ABDUCT HIM BEFORE MINE VERY EYES!!”

“Ok, we have a big misunderstanding. You appeared, looked pissed and thrust your tail. I thought it was in his direction...Wait, Kline, you were afraid of me?” Alex said, ignoring the seething Manticore to look at his student.

“N-no, sir… I-I mean, yes. A little.”

“Why? I’ve, at worst, been mischievous.”

“DOTH THOU SEEK TO ANGER ME MORE BY IGNO-”

“SHUT IT. I AM ASKING MY STUDENT A QUESTION!!!” Alex’s voice held a danger to it all felt. It was beyond anything any of them had experienced. It was even enough to shut the Manticore up.

“Kline… If I’ve done something to scare you, I’m sorry,” Alex said, softening his tone to look Kline in the eyes.

“You are one of my students. One of my kids. I would do anything to keep you guys safe.”

“Sir…” Kline’s lower lip began to tremble as he struggled to hold back his tears. “I’m sorry…”

“No, Kline, I’m sorry. Clearly, I’ve been oblivious to how stressed you’ve been.”

“CAN WE CONTINUE OUR BOUT LOWER ONE!!”

“Is there any need? I am not a threat to Kline. Allow me to teach him how to finalise the contract.” The Manticore paused to ponder this request and nodded.

“VERY WELL, I SHALL ALLOW THIS, IF ONLY TO HEIGHTEN MINE POWER.”

“S-so sir… W-w-what do I do n-next?”

“Normally, people don’t summon a disaster-class monster on their first turn. But you offer you blood for them to drink, then give them a name.”

“THE STRANGE THREAT SPEAKS TRUE!!” The Manticore added as it lowered its head to Kline’s level.

Kline shakily approached the Manticore and held out his hand. The Manticore, to aid Kline, extended its tongue and gently licked Kline’s cut thumb.

“GIVE MINESELF A NAME, MASTER!!”

“Uh, gods, I’m terrible with names… Got any preferences?”

“THIS ONE IS FINE WITH WHATEVER MASTER DECIDES!”

“Dang… I uh. A derivative of your species is Martichoras. So how about Marty?”

“I ACCEPT THE NAME GIVEN. I SHALL HENCEFORTH BE KNOWN AS MARTY THE MANTICORE!!” With a mighty roar that shook the building, Marty’s entire being shone with bright light.

“With that, the contract is sealed,” Alex explained.

“I SHALL NOW ELIMINATE-”

“Wait, please don’t hurt my teachers or my friends.”

“VERY WELL, I SHALL OBEY!!”

“Can I ask you something?” Alex said towards the now relaxing beast.

“WHAT IS IT, STRANGE THREAT!!”

“Why do you speak that way?”

“I KNOWETH NOT WHICH YOU SPEAK?!!”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“That. The fancy inane speech. No one speaks like that anymore, and why so loud? Do you not have an inside voice.”

“YOU MOCK ME?!!! IF MINE MASTER HAD NOT FORBID IT, YOU WOULD BE DEAD!!!”

“Dodging the question with excuses. I gotcha…” Marty just let out an exhausted sigh.

“I speak this way to establish my majesty. I am a greater being. To lower myself to mortal speaking habits…”

“Got you to do it.”

“Now I am connected to mine, master. I can share his surface memories. I see now you are a foe best capitulated to in a battle of words and sense. I very much wish to retain mine sanity.”

“Ok, so Kline, there are two last steps you need to try. The first is to dismiss Marty here. You simply say. My will hath been done, and I have seen the way.” Kline looked to Marty, who nodded this was right.

“My will hath been done, and I have seen the way.” a fresh flash of light shone from Marty’s fur, and he vanished.

“To bring it back, you chant. ‘Come forth for I seek the greater beyond!’” As Alex said these words, a flash appeared over his shoulder, and a Raven appeared, landing on his shoulder.

“Who is that?” the bird asked, looking at Kline.

“One of my students. His name is Kline,” Alex paused to look at the rest of the class. “Class, this is one of my familiars; his name is Munin. Ok, go on, Kline, summon Marty back.”

“RAH. Hey, boss, bet this twit ain’t got anything special for his familiar.”

“Come forth, for I seek the greater beyond!” with Kline’s chant, a fresh flash appeared, revealing Marty but at a far smaller size. This time Marty was the size of a large dog rather than a horse and wagon.

“I HATH RETURNED MASTER AND IN MORE CONVENIENT SIZE!!”

“What on earth!!! MASTER, YOU COULD ONLY GET A COUPLE OF BIRDS, BUT THIS DORK GETS A MANTICORE?!!! SURELY YOU HAVE FAMILIAR ENVY!!” Munin screeched directly into Alex’s ear.

“That’s enough of that. My will hath been done, and I have seen the way.” Munin vanished in a flash of light.

“Ok, class, that is the ritual. I’m sure you can see why we picked this venue for the summoning. Kline admittedly exceeded any predictions me and Yuu had.”

“INDEED, MINE MASTER IS EXCEPTIONAL!!”

“But we must proceed. Who got number two?”

“Oooh, me-me-me!!” Tasha said, bouncing up and down in her seat.

“Gods above, please make hers mundane,” Alex muttered in prayer to the heavens as Tasha approached the arena.

“A round of applause for young Kline and his magnificent new familiar,” Alex announced, to which the class and Yuu all clapped.

Under this barrage of praise from his classmates, an embarrassed Kline returned to the seated observation area with Marty close to his side as Tasha skipped past him. Arriving next to the circle, Tasha paused and looked at Alex expectantly.

“So, sir, what can I expect?” Tasha asked, practically vibrating into another reality.

“Well, this circle generally should only give out average monsters. It is especially odd Kline got a creature from another pantheon's roster,” Alex explained.

“Tasha, are you ready?” Tasha nodded eagerly as she took out her knife. With a swift and smooth slice, she nicked her pinky finger. Pressing her thumb along the digit, she got a small bubble of blood to form.

“Ok, drop the blood and chant when you are ready.”

With an eager nod, Tasha stepped up to the ritual circle and flicked her wrist, splatting the drop into the centre circle. She then pressed her thumb to get a fresh drop.

“Uh, Tasha. What are you doing?”

“You said I could get a divine being if I got all three, right?”

“What, no?! I said if Kline did it with his heightened emotions. Why would you?...” Alex narrowed his eyes as he stared at Tasha with growing suspicion.

“Tasha. As lovely as Elissa is, she isn’t a Divine being. You can’t summon her.” Tasha’s joy vanished as she looked devastated.

“Well then, I don’t want to do it anymore.” She said as she stepped back and crossed her arms in a pout.

“Fair enough, you can be the only one in my lesson without a cool animal companion. Bet Elissa would find you boring for being the odd one out.” Tasha’s eyes widened in fear as she quickly returned to her spot next to the ritual circle.

“No need. I was just… uh… testing you… that’s right; I was testing you, sir. Good to know you passed.”

“Thank the gods I passed your test,” Alex replied in a bemused tone.

Standing over the circle, Tasha looked to be deep in thought as she stared at the circle. After a few minutes, Alex exhaled a sigh and stepped next to her.

“You forget the chant?”

“No sir… I bet you’ve forgotten it!! Why don’t you prove to me you know it, and I can confirm!” Alex just rolled his eyes and exhaled an even more profound sigh.

“Sure thing ‘Professor’ Tasha,” Alex said with a big smirk.

“It should begin with ‘Oh, great beasts of the beyond!’”

“Oh, great beasts of the beyond!” Tasha repeated, nodding approvingly at Alex.

“Then ‘I give you my Blood!’.”

“I give you my Blood!” Tasha repeated as the central circle began to glow.

“Next…and do correct me if I am wrong; oh so great Professor Tasha,” Alex said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I give you my heart!”

“I give you my heart!” Tasha parrotted, clapping her hands to show her approval as the middle circle began to shine far brighter than it had for Kline.

“And ‘I shall share my soul!’ should be the final line of the chant.”

“And I shall share my soul!” Tasha repeated the last line, which caused the final circle to light up. A flash like lightning shot out of the circle. This time the class were prepared and had shielded their eyes. There stood in the circle was an eight-legged horse.

“A Sleipnir, not bad.”

“Ok, so I can ride this thing now?” Tasha asked, her eyes gleaming at the magnificent mount.

“Not so fast. You need to finish the ritual. Offer some blood for it to drink,” Alex said, restraining Tasha, who was about to jump onto the creature's back.

“Oh yes, and name it as well,” Tasha said, thumping her fist into her palm as if she had just remembered something she had seen only a short while ago.

“Come here, Mr Clippity-Clop,” Tasha said as she held out her finger. The Sleipnir licked her finger once and gave a contented snort as its mane momentarily shone.

“Ok, Tasha last steps are just unsummon and resummon, Mr Clippity-Clop.”

“Ok, but just to be sure you haven’t forgo-”

“My will hath been done, and I have seen the way,” Alex said, cutting off her thinly veiled attempts at asking for help.

“Knew you were clever, sir. I, of course, knew that ‘My will hath been done, and I have seen the way.’ was the unsummon chant.” Tasha said as Mr Clippity-Clop vanished.

“Tasha, no need to resummon Mr Clippity-Clop. He isn’t sapient, so he won’t know to be smaller. After the lesson is over, I will give you a bit of paper with the summon and unsummon chant to prove I do know it.” Tasha nodded approvingly

“Ok, how about a hand for Miss Tasha and…” Alex paused to exhale another sigh. “Mr Clippity-Clop.” The class all clapped as Tasha made her way back to the seating area. As she returned, she went to try and pet Freki, only to have her snap at her.

“Seems Freki is a good judge of character, already protecting her daddy's heart from people who wish to harm it,” Yuu said, giving an approving pat to Freki.

“So, who’s up next?” Alex asked as Bea hopped down from Gunter’s shoulders and made her way to the ritual circle. Looking down at the circle, Bea paused, then looked up at Alex.

“Sir?”

“Yes, Bea?”

“This looks really close to a demon summoning circle.”

“That’s because it’s from the same general rituals. You use the same circles in all summoning rituals. You just alter the iconography to change where you summon from. I wasn’t sure which gods you guys were blessed under, so I had Yuu draw it covering the four pantheons.” Alex explained.

“See, here we have Heimdal from the Nordic pantheon. Then Charon from the Southern Pantheon. Ra from the Dune Sea Pantheon. Finally, Nika for the Eastern forest Pantheon.” Alex said as he gestured to each pantheon.

“That’s, in part, why Kline there summoned a beastie from the southern pantheon.”

“Ok, so can I summon a demon with this?”

“No, you need to use underworld imagery.”

“What about Charon then? Isn’t he the ferryman of the underworld?”

“He is?” Alex asked as he turned his gaze to Yuu.

“Yuu, I thought I said no underworld stuff?”

“You did, but I checked into Bea here and found she was a fellow Southern Pantheon follower. I’d be a fool not to let her choose how she wants.”

“Yuu,” Alex’s voice tinged with annoyance as he glared at his friend.

“Ok, Bea, if it is a demon, do your best to make the Blackgates proud and don’t succumb to their temptations.” Bea just nodded with a determined look in her eyes.

“Ok, here I go,” Bea said as she drew out a push dagger from her shoe.

“Wait!!” Alex said as she was about to nick her finger.

“I call upon all that is good and holy. May the Valkyries guard the innocent, and all those who would commit harm suffer divine punishment,” Alex finished his prayer, and a glowing light covered the class and Yuu in the seating area.

“You can cast holy magic?” Yuu asked, surprised.

“Only basic chants I learned from a priest when I helped clean his temple back in my adventurer days. For some reason, Holy Magic resists me like a bucking bull, so I don’t use it much,” Alex explained.

“Sorry for interrupting Bea, go ahead. I’ll yank you to safety should something nasty come through.” Bea just nodded, understanding that covering her classmates in a holy field, albeit a simple one, would be worthwhile if she summoned an unrestrained demon.

Nicking her finger, Bea stepped onto the circle to allow a drop to fall on each of the three circles and on each image of a pantheon.

“Want to cover my bases,” Bea explained, answering Alex’s unsaid question.

“Oh, great beasts of the beyond!” Bea paused as she focused her attention on the circle

“I give you my Blood!” Bea chanted, and the circle, like before, began to glow. Only this time, each pantheon lit up with a different colour. The Nordic was Blue, the Southern was Red, the Dune sea was Golden, and the Eastern was Green. Pausing before saying the following line, she glanced at Alex, who was stroking his beard in thought.

“Fascinating. Yuu, I think we got a new line of research to try when Sloth lifts his ever-extending ban on us researching.” Yuu eagerly nodded as she looked on at the glowing circle. “Don’t worry, keep going; I’ll keep you safe,” Alex said to Bea with a reassuring smile.

“I give you my heart!” The middle circles lit up like the previous two times no variety of colour this time. Bea looked visibly relieved at this outcome.

“I shall share my soul!” Bea finished the chant, only this time, the circle remained glowing. There was no blinding flash.

“A dud?” Yuu suggested.

“I dunno. She had the chant right, and the circles all lit up?” Alex seemed as mystified as Yuu was. Glancing at Bea to see if she had anything, Alex’s face dropped.

“Crap!!” Looking at Bea, Alex could see her eyes had rolled into the back of her head. She was stock-still.

“What's going on?” Daisy asked, concerned.

“A possession summons,” Alex answered.

“Isn’t that very bad?” Yuu asked.

“Normally. But she’s a Blackgate. Their family have pacts galore to stop this being a detriment.”

“What can we do, chief? I don’t want to lose Bea,” Gunter asked as he rose and approached Bea.

“Nothing. She is currently negotiating with a demon. That last line of the chant is a nasty beacon for some demons.”

“Will she be ok?” Gunter asked as he reached out for Bea, only to have Alex’s hand stop him. Looking at his teacher, he saw Alex shaking his head.

“Don’t touch her. She will be fine. Think of it like a tricky business deal.”

“Sir, I must protest!! If there was a danger of demonic possession, we should not be doing this,” Maxwell said as he began radiating mana pressure into his surroundings.

“First, well done. You skipped a slew of lessons I had planned and can release your mana, creating soul pressure,” Alex said with a smile oozing pride. “Though you’ll want to stop that, or you’ll mana-” before Alex could finish his sentence, Maxwell collapsed unconscious. “Out.”

“Gunter, could you help me get him in a comfortable position,” Alex asked to which the young Titan nodded as he walked over and moved Maxwell to a bench against the wall.

“Ok, class. Yuu was not meant to draw an underworld icon.”

“Yeah, sorry, my bad.”

“Bea is from a family of demonologists. They are like catnip for demons. Why do you think I didn’t put the blessing on her?”

“Because…” Daisy’s voice trailed off as she pondered his question.

“Bea wanted to summon a demon of her very own, so she probably attracted one to her summons. She likely wanted to expand her family’s contracted demons list.”

“Still, sir, the risk is-”

“Woo, I got a demon earl!!” Bea roared in triumph.

“Well done. What did it cost you?” Alex asked, ignoring Daisy, who was frozen mid-protest.

“I gave up this,” Bea said, holding her left hand that no longer had a ring finger.

“I swore I would not wear a wedding ring, and he took my finger to be sure,” Bea said, beaming.

“At least he healed it,” Alex muttered as he stared at the missing digit with skin over where a wound should be.

“Yuu,” Alex said, turning to his friend with an unspoken request.

“Don’t worry. I got a few new fingers I was preparing for you. She can have one of those. We can get her fitted after the lesson.”

“Ok, who’s next?” Alex said, turning to face the stunned class.

“Oh, I think Maxy was meant to be after… why is he asleep? Was I negotiating for that long?”

“Nah, he went mana out when he released mana pressure because he was pissed, for your sake,” Alex explained.

“Awh, how cute.”

“As Maxwell obviously can’t perform the summoning next, we will skip him and return later. So who was after Maxwell?”

“Me, chief,” Gunter said as he paused to kneel down and squeeze Bea in a tight bear hug.

“Don’t scare me like that, Bea. I was worried.”

“Sorry I worried you, you big lug. But I’m a pro at that sorta thing. Guess I need to get better at the talking things out stuff,” Bea said as she patted Gunter's head.

“Now go show up, Tasha and Kline and summon a dragon!” With an encouraging slap to his back, Gunter approached the ritual circles.

Gunter approached the summoning circle as his classmates had before him. Taking out his knife, he prepared himself for whatever may come. Pressing the knife to his pointer finger, he flicked the blade down.

There was no pain, no nothing, as the blade had failed to cut his finger. Trying again, he pressed the blade against his finger harder this time. But it still was unable to cut.

“Everything ok?”

“Yeah, chief, I got this,” Gunter said as he switched to his middle finger. But the knife still was unable to cut through his skin. Deciding to try every finger, he had similar results.

“One-sec chief,” Gunter said as he swapped the knife to his non-dominant hand and started trying to cut each finger to similar results.

“Something wrong?” Alex asked as he stepped up.

“Knife won’t cut my finger?” Gunter answered, confused. Taking the knife from Gunter, Alex pressed it into his own pinky finger, and it cut fine.

“Ok, the knife isn’t dull,” Alex said as he sucked on the cut digit.

“Yuu, this guy has armour hands.”

“Armour hands?” Gunter repeated, confused.

“It happens with crafters who work so hard their callouses fall off. Your skin is probably on par with metal. Well, your hands’ skin, that is.” Yuu explained.

“So what can we do?” Gunter asked, his eyes darting between Alex and Yuu.

“Just need a better knife, is all. I think I got one in the workshop. One moment,” Yuu said as she handed Freki’s leash to Daisy and headed off back to the workshop.

“Well, good luck Gunter,” Alex said as he slapped Gunter’s back.

“Oh, don’t worry, chief. I’m sure I’ll summon something mundane.”

“Oh no, not the familiar thing. Yuu now knows you are a hard worker. So hard that you got armour skin at such a young age. She will likely try to trap you in extra work from here on out.”

“Oh?... Hah, you almost got me, chief. Professor Yuu wouldn’t do that.”

“Gunter, I was being serious. You saw how she was with Maxwell when he expressed a mild interest. Now imagine she knew a student who worked so hard that by his first year in the higher education, he had armour skin.”

“So…”

“Yes, she is going to dig her claws deep into you. Good luck.” Yuu walked in just as Alex delivered a final encouraging slap to Gunter’s back.

“A lot of the students' stuff is crap. But this one is exceptional enough to nick armour skin,” Yuu said, holding up a dagger with glowing cracks along the blade's flat side.

“Ok, come here,” Yuu said as she stopped in front of Gunter. Obeying, Gunter crouched down and offered his finger. With a swift slash, Yuu cut a small nick into Gunter’s finger.

“Whenever you are ready,” Alex said, gesturing to the circle. Taking a big gulp as he could feel Yuu’s eyes drilling into the back of his head, he took a step forward and let a drop of his blood fall onto the circle.

“Oh, great beasts of the beyond!” Gunter paused as the other had before him. He wasn't sure whether it was needed for the ritual, but he found it best to follow the path already trodden.

“I beg of you, send me a gift!” The central circle began to glow a crimson shade of light.

“I give you my Blood!” the middle circle also began to glow crimson.

“I give you my heart!” Finally, the outer circle began to glow also in a crimson red.

“And I shall share my soul!” A red flash shot out of the circle. When it cleared, there in the circle was a pile of rocks.

“Hah, you only got some rocks?!” Tasha shouted, bursting out laughing.

“Chief?”

“Not a clue Gunter… I’m as puzzled as you are. This class has been weird already with familiars.

“Oh, cool, a troll,” Yuu said as she approached the rocks and examined them.

“A troll?” Alex repeated. “Yuu, I’ve fought trolls; they don’t look like a pile of rocks.”

“It's a rock troll, yah dork. They don’t like fleshies, as they call us and pretend to be stone until we go away. Isn’t that right?”

“....” the Rocks answered.

“Well, I guess Gunter did summon a bunch of rocks. As he has done that, I’ll get a sledgehammer so we can use it for gravel. The path to this department building needs refresh-”

“WAIT!!” The rocks cried out as they began to tumble into a pile that rose up and took a roughly humanoid shape.

“Nice of you to join us,” Yuu said with a smirk as she looked up to where the rock troll’s face might be.

“You were summoned to be a familiar,” Alex said, stepping up to the troll. “Gunter, go up to the troll and offer your blood to finalise the contract.”

“I MUST REFUSE!! I CANNOT SUBMIT TO FLESHIES!!”

“Oh?” Gunter said, surprised.

“Ok then, sorry to have bothered you. I MUST ASK FORGIVENESS FOR MY WRONGS, FOR I HAVE BEEN GIFTED A PRIZE MEANT FOR ANOTHER!” The circle flashed as Alex finished his chant, and the rock troll was gone.

“What happens now, chief? Do I not get a familiar?”

“Huh? Oh no, you just do the ritual again till it sticks. It is random what comes through. So you might’ve just been unlucky.” Gunter exhaled a relieved sigh. He didn’t want to be the only class member not to have a familiar.

Gunter began the chant by stepping up to the circle again and balling up a fresh droplet of blood to retry the ritual.

“Oh, great beasts of the beyond!”

“I beg of you, send me a gift!” the light this time shone with a silvery glow.

“I give you my Blood!” the middle circle glowed with a bronze-like light as he finished the third line of the chant.

“I give you my heart!” The outer circle shone with a golden hue but was slightly duller than the previous two circles.

“And I shall share my soul!” There was a bright flash, and a small metallic egg appeared in the circle.

“What is it?” Bea eagerly asked.

“Looks like a bird egg?” Gunter replied as he approached the egg.

As he did so, the egg began to twitch as cracks appeared along its shell. Slowly but surely, a little head poked its way through the surface, looked up at Gunter, and then squawked.

Free of its shell, Gunter could see the bird had a metallic sheen to its feathers. Picking it up, it wobbled across his palm before nestling into it.

“Kinda cute,” Alex muttered as he looked at it.

“BIRDIZER!!!” A raven-like caw shouted from nowhere.

“Was that Munin, sir?” Daisy asked.

“Yeah, no idea how he does it. But sometimes, he can project his voice from the beast's realm if I look at another bird fondly.”

“Ok, Gunter, you know the drill. Give it a drop of blood and name it.”

“I will name you Nicklas, as your claws have a nickel-like shine to them,” Gunter said as he offered his cut finger for the bird to lick. Nicklas gladly drank the drop and shone, showing the completion of the contract.

“Wonder what species of bird it is? May I take a look, Gunter?” Alex asked as he reached out to touch the bird. Gunter nodded his approval. The moment Alex touched the bird, his hand recoiled.

“Yep, I know what species it is now,” Alex said as he looked at his artificer hand that was now missing its pinky.

“Gunter, it's a good thing you have armour hands. Be sure not to let anyone else handle Nicklas.”

“Why, chief?”

“It's a Stymphalian Bird. That little baby you got there has feathers made of a durable high-grade metal that is sharp as a blade. Adults even develop poison.”

“A Stymphalian Bird!” Yuu parrotted as she charged up to Gunter and stroked the bird's back.

“Wait, chief?!!”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m more durable than the walls here. A little thing like this cutie won’t hurt me,” Yuu said as she stroked the baby bird with a finger.

“Their feathers are very valuable, you know. Any that naturally fall off bring them to me, and I’ll buy them. They make the best arrows.”

“Like the fletching?” Gunter asked.

“Yes, but also the arrowheads. Make a whole arrow out of this little lady's feathers, and you got a Stymp Arrow that can even penetrate a dragon's hide with a good enough bow.”

“Best familiar for a future craftsman like you, Gunter,” Alex said as he patted Gunter’s back.

“Ok, I guess I will unsummon-”

“Errr.. don’t do that, Gunter. It hatched and imprinted on you. You will need to care for it. It'll be neglected and starve if you send it back now.”

“Our familiars can starve and die?!” Kline asked, shocked.

“INDEED, MY MASTER!!! THE REALMS OF BEASTS BE A PLACE WHERE LIFE CONTINUES. IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE FOR A FAMILIAR TO DIE WHILE AWAY FROM THEIR MASTER!!” Kline paled even more at Marty’s explanation.

“Don’t worry, guys; familiars get a big boost when they return. It’s why a lot of them accept the contract. It makes things easier for them.”

“THE STRANGE, DANGEROUS ONE IS RIGHT, MASTER!! WITH YOUR PATRONAGE, I COULD RISE UP AMONGST THE MANTICORES!!”

“Just don’t do anything that might hurt yourself!” Kline commanded, his tone becoming direct.

“I SHALL OBEY, MASTER!!”

“Ok, looks like we got a busy weekend ahead of us. Me and Yuu will help you sort out a cage for Nicklas so she doesn’t flutter around and cause mayhem.”

“Thank you?” Gunter nodded as he returned to his seat, letting Bea clamber back to her perch on his shoulders.

“Ok, who is next?” Alex asked as he looked at the class.

“Well, Maxwell is still down for the count, and I got the last lot, so I’m next,” Daisy answered, rising from her seat and handing Freki’s leash back to Yuu. Daisy approached the ritual circle and paused before looking up at Alex.

“Sir, I have a request?”

“Sure shoot.”

“Well, as we didn’t get to practice that technique that we aren’t allowed to mention, and I succeeded last week. I was hoping I could try it for the summoning ritual.” Daisy said, shooting a quick look at Yuu.

“She mean the light circle method?” Yuu asked. Daisy just stared at Yuu with a shocked look.

“Daisy, I was the first person he showed it to. I’m on the seal,” Yuu explained.

“I’ve got a question, sir,” Kline said, holding up his hand.

“What if our familiars talk and reveal the method?” Alex paused in thought for a moment before answering.

“Can’t happen.” He finally said with a shake of his head.

“You sound certain, sir?”

“Yeah, familiars can’t cause harm to their masters as they are linked to your blood and soul. Them revealing it will be the same as you revealing it. It would trigger the seal. So they are effectively under the seal by proxy, through their link to you. So don’t treat them as a loophole.”

“I would never, sir!” Kline protested.

“You wouldn’t, but certain more mischievous or empty-headed members might,” Alex said, turning his gaze to Bea and Tasha, respectively.

“Anyways, Daisy, if you think you can, feel free to try the light circle method. Use the ritual circle as a template to copy. If it’s not quite right, you will use the actual circle. If it is acceptable, we will use your light one.”

“Yuu, do you think research by proxy counts as us defying Sloth’s ruling?” Alex said, turning to Yuu.

“Nah, they are doing it of their own free will. We can’t help learning something new anymore than he can watching us.”

“Perfect whenever you are ready, Daisy.” Daisy nodded and held out her hands over the ritual circle.

“Lumus Rex!” She chanted, summoning an empty light circle over the ritual circle.

With small gestures, lines began spreading out of the circle covering the lines oif the ritual circle below. Slowly but surely, she had the outline of the outer ring and now went for the middle one.

“Lumus Rex!” she repeated her chant nestling a second light circle within the first one she drew, linking it up to the lines from the first. With gestures very reminiscent of a conductor with an orchestra, lines began forming from the second circle snaking in towards the area where the central circle would appear.

“Lumus Rex!” with this third chat, a third circle appeared in the centre of the design. So far, it looked like three concentric circles connected with lines with spaces between each spot.

“Is this Ok so far?” Daisy asked, looking at Alex.

“So far. A few minor errors but well within acceptability,” he replied with a nod. “Just need to fill in the iconography, and you will all be set.”

“Ok. Lumus Rex!” Daisy focused her attention on drawing the images as best as she could, focusing first on the image of Heimdal. Drawing as best as she could using the ritual circle below as a guide, she made a rough outline. Glancing at Alex for approval, he just nodded.

“Lumus Rex!” Daisy repeated her chant once more, drawing the image of Ra on his barge. This one, she felt, was even better than the one Yuu had drawn.

“Nice drawing of Ra Daisy. Sloth would be very proud of that one,” Alex said as he watched over the display.

“Why’s that, sir?” Yuu asked as she stroked a nervous-looking Freki.

“Huh? Oh, he is from the Dune sea, so he follows their pantheon.”

“Interesting, I didn’t know that.” Alex turned his gaze at Yuu.

“Yuu, you’ve been his apprentice since you were five. How did you not know that?”

“I dunno. I was mainly thrown into a room with materials and left to do what I wanted.”

“Wait, so leaving your students to their own devices isn’t a Professor Alex speciality?” Bea asked.

“Gods no. Sloth very much embodies his sin. He has to be literally dragged to council meetings as he won’t walk if he’s away from his lectures or lab. Why do you think me and Alex got away with so much stuff?”

“Guys, can I have quiet, please? I’m trying to concentrate, and your talking is distracting me!” Daisy cried out as her arms began to shake from being held straight out without movement for too long.

“Sorry… Guys, shut up! Continue when you’re ready, Daisy.”

“Lumus Rex!” The light traced the image of Charon without issue. “Last one.”

“Lumus Rex!” With Daisy’s last chant of the light spell, she traced the image of Nika and had finished the summoning ritual circle with the light method.

“So how is it, sir?” Daisy asked, finally relaxing her arms.

“Hmm, a few minor errors here and there. It will work, but there will be little room for anymore errors.” Alex said as he looked over the ritual circle once more.

“Why don’t you move it away from the one Yuu drew that way, we can observe the results without it being affected by the ritual circle beneath it.”

Nodding in agreement, Daisy moved her fingers in a manner like tapping her fingers against a table rapidly. Slowly the light circles all began to float higher and glide across the floor to a free spot away from the arena the drawn one was on.

“Ok, get started whenever you are ready; I will yank you to safety should something go wrong.” Daisy nodded, feeling comforted that Alex was there to keep her safe.

“Just remember, Daisy, this ritual has never been done with my light circle method. So even I don’t know what will come through.”

Taking out her knife, Daisy nicked a finger and let it drop towards the light circle. The moment it came in contact with the circle, it began to buzz and vibrate. Pausing to look at Alex, he nodded, urging her to continue.

“Oh, great beasts of the beyond!” As Daisy said the first line of the summoning chant, the circle stopped buzzing and became only blurry.

“Fascinating, so the blood begins a resonance, and the chant stabilises it.” Daisy looked to Alex, whose eyes gleamed as he made frantic hand waves at Yuu, who was already writing down the results.

“Go on, Daisy, you got this.” Yuu encouraged from her seat.

“I beg of you, send me a gift!” the central circle after the line was chanted solidified into straight light lines as it had been before the blood drop.

“I give you my Blood!” the middle circle now fully solidified and appeared as it had before the blood drop.

“I give you my heart!” the final circle solidified and no longer buzzed. The light ritual circle now looked no different than it had before she had begun.

“And I shall share-” as Daisy began the final chant Maxwell startled awake. His sudden shocked cry threw daisy off mid-chant. “My doll!”

The circle began to shine brightly for a longer period of time before vanishing. With a splat, a silvery jelly-like mass plopped on the ground beneath where the circle once was.

“Sir?” Daisy said, worried as she looked to him for answers.

“You fumbled the spell and got a… well, a summon that went through the grinder that is dimensional travel,” Alex explained, gesturing to the mass.

“So I got this because I fumbled my spell?”

“That and the circle was already a tightrope walk. The one Yuu drew has wiggle room for fumbles. Yours didn’t.”

“Do I try it again with the drawn one?”

“Why? You got your familiar right there,” Alex said, gesturing to the jiggling mass.

“That, sir?” Daisy asked, gesturing to the thing in front of her.

“It’s a metallic slime. This is actually how slimes got into the world. A few failed summons bred and made lots more slimes.” Alex explained.

“So go on finish the contract.”

Reluctantly Daisy approached the metallic slime and let a drop of blood fall on it. It jiggled approvingly at this offering.

“I shall name you Bally,” Daisy said to which Bally jiggled approvingly again.

“Ok, so I just need to unsummon it, and I-”

“You can’t,” Alex said, cutting her off.

“Why not, sir? Is it like Gunter and his bird?”

“Failed summons are here to stay. The tunnel connecting to the beast realm is severed. It’s why we got monsters nowadays. Messed up summons stuck around and went wild.”

“So I have to look after Bally?”

“You summoned him. Only fair you actually take responsibility.”

“Ok, Bally, come here,” Daisy said, crouching down next to the silvery slime. The Slime wiggled its way towards her. Reaching out to pet it, Daisy recoiled in fear as it latched onto her hand.

“HELP, SIR!!!” Looking to Alex for help, she found him unmoving. Bally began to slither around her arm, finally shrinking and locking itself around her wrist in the design of a plain bracelet.

“Slimes can alter their size. Bally likely did that to help make caring for him easier.” Alex explained.

“Hey, Daisy chant. Gladius and channel your mana through Bally there,” Yuu said.

“Gladius!” as Daisy chanted the spell Bally went rigid, and a blade shot out over the top of her wrist. It now looked like Daisy had a short sword stuck to her arm.

“Metalic slimes, if you get one, are used in variable weapons. Ever wonder why some magic swords resize themselves to match their wielder? Metallic slime in the alloy.”

“Ok, you did well, Daisy. Keep practising, and you’ll master the light circle method in no time and may even summon your elemental.” Daisy returned to her seat, blushing at Alex’s praise.

“Maxwell, you feel up for trying the ritual? We can always call it a day here and let you do it tomorrow if you feel off. Or are you still pissed at me?” Maxwell just shook his head.

“No sir, Bea explained everything to me,” Maxwell blushed as he glanced at Bea. “I also feel fine enough to try it today. I’ve always wanted a familiar since I first read about them.” Maxwell explained as he walked up to the ritual circle.

“Whenever you are ready.”

With a nod to Alex, Maxwell took out his knife and nicked his thumb. Letting a drop fall on the circle, he took a deep breath and began his chant.

“Oh, great beasts of the beyond! I beg of you, send me a gift! I give you my Blood! I give you my heart! And I shall share my soul!”

Rushing through the chant, not pausing like the others did, the circle lit up all at once and released a blinding flash that filled the room with white light.

“What’s going on? Why is the light still here?!! Isn’t it meant to be a flash??!!” Maxwell shouted, unable to see what was happening. Like receding waves, the light began to clear and return to the circle.

The entire class eagerly looked at the circle to see what wonder Maxwell had summoned, only for there to be a lone squirrel sitting there scratching its head every so often.

“What happened, sir?” Maxwell asked, looking at Alex.

“You summoned a familiar.”

“But the light lasted so long compared to the others!!”

“Maxwell, the others all had exceptional familiars. Like any one of them would be an outlier. You actually are the only one who got something I was expecting.”

“Why did the light last so long, then, chief?” Gunter asked.

“The flash of light is energy that the summons absorb. The better the summon, the less the light flash lasts as they gobble it all up. Maxwell just summoned a normal squirrel.” At this revelation, Maxwell looked downtrodden.

“Don’t worry, Maxwell. My familiars are all similar level. It’s not the beast but the summoner that determines their usefulness. While great on a battlefield, a manticore is limited in its uses. Similar situation with Sleipnir and the Stymphalian Bird.”

“I find that doubtful. What are your familiars then?” Maxwell asked, his voice tinged with frustration.

“You met my raven Munin. My second was a Salamander who only picked me because he likes to regrow lost limbs in front of me. The final one was less a summon, more a contract I formed with a rat I caught here.”

“Where is the rat now, sir?” Bea asked.

“Fluffy? Probably somewhere in the ocean, hugging rowboats.”

The class all shared a look that silently agreed not to open that can of worms.

“Ok, class, you all have your familiars. Kline, if you can unsummon yours before you return to the dorm. The rest of you can head back when you feel ready. Gunter and Bea stay back. We’ll get your finger and cage sorted while we got you.”

The class began to pack up their things to leave but paused when Alex clapped his hands together.

“One more thing, guys. Sloth finally permitted you to help out with my kindergarten classes. We’ll only need one of you at a time, so let me know which days you have a half day, and you can come to join the fun.”