Summoner (Ash and Magic 1) (7 page)

"What I'm talking about is what ancient cultures called sacrifice: if I started killing everyone at the University with magic, I could take their power and use it to punch a big enough hole between planes that I could cross."

"You..."  Ash took a step back until she felt the comforting bulk of the manse's stone at her back.  He could do that?

"Oh, it would probably take the entire population of Seattle to do it, but it could be done.  Only..."

"Only?"

"Your little Anti-magic spell is stopping me from doing it."

Ash sucked in a shaky breath.  She clearly had not thought this out far enough if that was one of the possible results of her summoning.

Would he do it if he could?

He seemed so... so... cultured.  Friendly.

"Right now, you're thinking that I'd never do something like that."

"I..."

"I'm a demon lord, Ash.  That was the thing I wanted you to say earlier: Demon.  Lord.  The best of the best, the most powerful of the powerful.

"The deadliest.

"I am a monster, Ash.  Never forget that."

"Okay..."  Ash nodded but it was hard to take him seriously when he looked like a handsome man in a suit.  Monster or not, her libido was telling her that she wanted him to demonstrate just how much 'power' he had.

"So.  Back to the earlier question: why did you summon me?  Have you thought about it?"

"I... the Duels!"  The answer came to Ashley in a flash.

Was that it?

Could it be so simple?

Yes.  Yes, that was the real reason.  The core of it all: she wanted to blow away her midterm assignment so completely that everyone forgot about her inability to win Duels.  And, it looked like she was going to be able to do it!  She'd summoned him!  She'd brought Melketh to this plane, and that had to be worth something, didn't it?

Enough to get her out of dueling?

"The Duels.  Ah, yes, I think Monty mentioned those.  Magical contests... something about crystals... how do you think I can help you with a Duel?  There's no way an opponent would give you a day to write down a complicated summoning like this, right?"

And that was the core of it.  All of the best summoning took a very long time to get right, and most of the time this was all you got with the thing you summoned: a conversation.  She'd learned alien philosophies and ethereal poetry and forbidden lore, but she'd never once seen one of her summonings punch someone.

"Not like that.  I'm hoping... I mean, I hope that if they know I summoned you then I can skip past all this Bachelor's bullshit and start Grad school."

"With Monty?

"Well..."  Ash blushed.  The way he said it, with a wink and a lascivious tone, made it sound like something completely other than what it was.  "Yes.  He's the best summoner here."

"Well, he's tied."

"Tied?"

"You summoned me, didn't you?"

"Right... right... so, that's the plan."  Ash was uncomfortable with that comparison.  For one, she didn't know if Melketh was the most powerful creature that Monty could summon.  For another, she hadn't tried a celestial yet.

"Hmm, it's a good one except that it won't work."

"What!?"

"Think about it.  When they find out that you summoned me, do you think they will be a) proud or b) scared shitless?"

"Ummm..."

"It's b).  The answer is b).  So, what do you think they'll do when they're scared of you?"

"Uhhh..."

"Lock you in the dungeon, certainly."

"Dungeon!?  This place has a dungeon?"

"What do you think?  Anyway, that's best case.  Killing you isn't out."

"Killing me?"

"How long do you think you'll last against 'ole Smith out there if he comes for you?"  Melketh's smile was cruel and a little bit hopeful, as if he wanted to watch Smith take her apart.

"What!?"

"I'm just saying.  These old men, they like their traditions and they're not going to like a second year like you summoning demon lords."

"No... you're... you're wrong."

Ash was afraid that he wasn't.  Everything he said made too much sense, seemed too logical.  Would that happen to her?  Would Monty turn on her when he knew what she was capable of at such a young age?  Maybe they would just worry that she was not mature or careful enough to wield this much energy.  Maybe they would think they were saving her from a worse fate.

Whatever they thought, they very well might kill her...

"So.  So... so I can't interview you for class?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Alright, but I can... you can... oh, dammit."  Ash felt herself deflating and sat down on the floor of the manse.  This had been her one chance, her only chance, at figuring this out.  Rodrick was probably the easiest duel she would have for the rest of the semester, and when she failed all the rest of her duels?  What would happen then?

At the least, she wouldn't be able to take that TA position Monty offered her.

"Sorry, little one."  Melketh looked... genuinely sorry.  That was a strange emotion to see on his human-but-not face.  "I may have another solution, though!"

"What!?"  Ash dared to let herself hope.

"Well, I think I do... just, not... right now."  Melketh stood up and started pacing again.  Even at human proportions, he chewed up the ground when he moved.

"Okay..."

"Can you get me one of the crystals used in the duel?"

"What?"

"That's all I'll need.  I need to... I need to understand the magic that they use to limit your power draw, and then I think I can give you a solution that will make them all realize that you are a force to be reckoned with."

Ash felt a heady rush at those words.  While she professed to hate the duels and she always felt terrible afterward, she secretly harbored a desire to do just what Melketh had said: prove everyone wrong.  Prove that she was worthy of being here, that she could sling spells with the rest of them and that she could, in short, be a wizard.

Immediately after the flush of heat at Melketh's words, Ash realized something:

"Why would you help me?"

"What?"

"You're under no compulsion in that circle, and I find it hard to believe that you would do that out of the goodness of your heart."

"Hmmm, fair point."  Melketh stopped pacing just in front of Ash, reminding her of the uncomfortably small distance between them.  There was no longer any heat coming off the ground at his feet but she could swear she felt warmth boiling off of his skin.  He pressed his hand against the AM field and she shivered as if he were pressing it against her stomach.  Softly, gently... intimately.  If she closed her eyes, she could imagine his hand being there right now.  She could feel his nails, still ending in wicked points, pressing against her just hard enough to make her hyper-aware of the little pinpricks of pain.  "Why do you think I would help you with this... Ash?"  Her name sounded like... like a prayer, or a word of power, coming from his lips.  She felt a rush of heat when he said it.

"Ummm... curiosity."

"That simple?"

"Yes."  Ash opened her eyes and stared into his.  Those two motes of flame were still visible, taunting her.

Calling her.

"You want to know more about the crystals, and you want to know more about me."

"Ah.  Ah ha!  Very perceptive!"

"Only... this isn't an easy thing you're asking, Mel."

"Tell me."

"The crystals are a closely guarded secret.  Once you've finished a duel, they home in on Smith and he puts them into a vault.  Or, you know, so I've heard..."

"So you've heard?"

"I'm almost always unconscious when that happens."

"Oh."  Mel's lips pulled into a frown which Ash didn't believe for a minute.  "Well, all the more reason to want to solve this.  Am I right?"

"Actually yes."

"Great.  I need to be going now, and I won't force you to do anything, but this is my offer to you: get me a crystal and I will find a way to help you win your duels."

"Just one."

"Oh, I think I may be able to help with more than one win."

Ash felt a jolt of hope shoot through her when he said that.  More than one win!  That would be... that would be honestly the most incredible thing!  She would show them what she was worth, and more!

She might even pass without the special exception.

She'd have to win every match except one to make that happen, so she tried not to think about that possibility.

"I must be going now, however."  Melketh stood and stretched and suddenly the man with the suit was gone, replaced by the... naked demon with the amazing wings and incredible cock, less than a foot away from her face.

"Good bye, Mel."

"Good bye, Ash.  This has been... very strange.  Feel free to do it again if you think you can!"

Mel laughed and then he was gone.  Ash squeaked in surprise when she was thrown against the wall of her manse by the rush of wind, and then she was alone in an empty room.

Only a faint trace of ash remained to remind her of who had been in here just moments ago.

She felt bereft, lost.  She felt weak and elated at the same time, and the only thing she knew was that she wanted to talk to him again!

Instead, she set about erasing the Analyze records of what had just happened.  Although she wanted to pour over every minute detail and make sure that everything had been setup as correctly as it seemed like it had been, she knew that that was too much risk.

If someone else found out what she'd done...

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To Be Continued

Ash and Magic is a serial novel, so keep an eye out for the next installment coming in about a week!  I hope you’ve enjoyed Ashley’s adventures so far, and will continue to enjoy them!

While you’re waiting, check out some of my other books, all available exclusively on Amazon!  Or you can contact me at
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.  I love to chat!

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