NOVEL NEXT Demon?
In one hand Jien held a piece of paper with standardized summoning incantation, his other hand was held up over the summoning formation. He would simply have to speak the incantation as a way to give his mana the correct purpose before feeding some of it into the formation. he didn't even need to use much as the formation would use the energy from the realm the demons lived in to form the actual door. This was to Jien's benefit since he had only been able to gather up a small amount of mana during the time of their lunch and discussions.
Jien took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. If asked Jien definitely wouldn't deny his nervousness. Not only was there risk in such a summoning but he was also doing so in front of a number of people that he had only just met today. Still, despite his nerves he wished to continue if for no other reason than to gain the experience and have some data to go with the information he now had on demon summoning.
He looked at the piece of paper in his hand and solemnly started to chant the lines of incantation one after another. The incantation itself was not short, taking up several paragraphs lining the entire length of the page. This was definitely not a spell that could be used in battle given its length, but the length also allowed the small amount of mana gathered in his palm to have a very specific purpose as the key to the door that would be formed. This would allow him to end the summoning if needed, though doing so would waste his supposed only chance to summon a demon.
As the last words were spoken his mana left his palm and descended to the summoning circle before as a bright red mist. The formation lit with a dense purple light, the smoke from the incense seeming to multiply into a fog that covered the floor. The earthy scent of the herbs growing so dense that those present could taste it on their tongues.
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The frosty blue moon shone in the deep of the night reflected across the clouds, forming what looked to be the waves of the ocean, the crimson stars twinkling through the cascade of gentle light as if the eyes of many nocturnal creatures peering down from the depths of the cosmos. Beneath the skies sat many a vast plane covered in orange grass that appeared a sea of endless fire. On several large floating isles that hovered miles above the planes were vast cities made of dark stone which shone with the light of many torches and candles in the houses.
On the largest of these floating islands stood a vast and towering castle with nine spires that reached as if wishing to reach the moon itself. In one of these nine spires sat a woman of over seven feet in height. Her build was well proportioned, her skin a deep grey in color, her hair a deep crimson as if made of strands of the purest blood cascading down her sharp features. Her hair was left to lie flat all but for a few small braids tied off with intricate golden rings. Her eyes were a mix of golds, oranges and reds as if they were made of living flames. To the side of her head rested a set of large rams' horns that were black as obsidian but smooth as silk and on the bridge of her nose sat a pair of small, circular, gold rimmed glasses connected by a gold chain.
She sat in a vast chamber at the top of one of the nine spires, vast piles of books stacked around her as she reclined in her seat, using the light of a single lantern hanging at her side to read the complicated symbols scrawled across the page. Her demeanor was lax, almost as if about to drift off to sleep, eyelids drooping and feet resting on the table before her. Around her were what appeared to be a vast labyrinth of bookcases, each packed to the point that one would not be able to fit a single piece of paper into it.
It was just as she was drifting off to sleep that Aqa'krghrift heard chiming similar to that of a crystal bell being rung from the cosmos themselves raining down from the sky. It was a beautiful cascade of sounds but what started as a faint noise soon grew to a cacophony in a matter of seconds waking her from her almost sleep. This was a known phenomenon, but she was startled awake by it. Why was it targeting her of all people, this was not usual in the least, and she really didn't want to listen to it. Who would take care of her books if she were to be summoned? What would happen to her precious collection? She hated the idea of leaving it behind.
As the chiming grew louder by the moment however, she was about to be driven mad by the noise. She eventually let out a scream that sounded more like the roar of a wounded beast before she raised her hand and an illusory purple door formed, spewing forth an earthy scented fog as it creaked open slowly. She hated the person who had chosen to summon her, how was she supposed to keep her collection safe, how would she attend the parties she had been invited to, but she had to answer at least shortly to force the summoner to give up or this racket would never end.
She stepped forward through the opening illusory door, her black dress cascading down her form like a waterfall of shadows as her legs stretched through the threshold of the portal that was calling her.
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A few long moments after the formation lit up a purple door that looked as if it were made of the ripples on the surface of a calm pond was formed. From the opening door stretched a graceful grey leg shrouded in cloth as dark as the moonless night, followed by a tall humanoid figure shrouded in the fog of incense. Nobody knew what to make of this, all demons they had seen had been far from human in shape. Had Jien messed up the ritual? Was this even a demon?