The Shadow of Destiny

"We're bored as hell here."

These words echoed across the apocalyptic landscape, cutting through the oppressive silence like a blade. The blood-red sky seemed to weep tears of fire. Menacing clouds rumbled, their occasional howls chilling the blood.

In this macabre tableau, three elements stood out particularly.

First, the source of these words: an elf sitting nonchalantly on the steps of a ruined temple. His long silver hair cascaded over his shoulders, and his beauty was breathtaking, almost out of place in this hell. His red eyes, gleaming with a mischievous light, scanned the surroundings with morbid interest.

The second striking element was the countless corpses littering the ground as far as the eye could see. Broken bodies, twisted in impossible positions, testified to a titanic and merciless battle.

Finally, rising behind the temple, a colossal silhouette connected sky and earth. It's surface black seemingly sapping the very colour around it.

"Huh?" The elf turned his piercing gaze towards a particular pile of corpses, an amused smile forming on his perfect lips.

Suddenly, a body emerged from the macabre mound. A man of imposing stature, a golden crown askew on his bloodied hair. His bloodshot eyes burned with absolute hatred towards the nonchalant elf.

"Bastard!" he spat, his voice hoarse with pain and rage. "How is this possible? We were hundreds! You won't get away with this! You dared to commit the original sin!"

The elf rested his chin on his palm, a light laugh escaping his lips. "A beautiful source of energy is still alive, Blacky!" he called out, his tone betraying an unhealthy excitement.

At these words, the black column began to vibrate. A head larger than the temple itself descended from the threatening clouds, lightning occasionally striking its shining scales.

Its immense red eyes, filled with vice, fixed upon the crowned man. The titanic serpent flicked out its forked tongue, tasting the air.

The man, seeing this nightmarish creature, felt panic overwhelm him.

"So this was what had decimated the royal guard!"

But before he could flee, he felt his vital energy leaving him. His mind clouded, and he peacefully faded away, like a candle blown out by the wind.

The elf, suddenly sensing something, raised his hand. A plaque hidden in the fresh corpse flew to him. He examined it briefly before murmuring. "Well, just one more and I can finish the mission."

He stood up, dusting off his black tunic with an elegant gesture. "So, were you able to observe where we were?" he asked the serpent, his tone suddenly lighter. "If I don't get back soon, my wife will kill me!"

The serpent stared at the elf for a few seconds, then a guttural voice resonated for miles around: "Only in the middle of the 57th floor."

The elf sighed, suddenly appearing on the serpent's head. "We need to hurry," he said in a nonchalant voice. "I promised I'd be back within a year. If I come back later, it might be tense for both of us, you won't escape it..."

He paused, observing the serpent's imperturbable calm as it moved at normal speed. "Oh, and also, it's almost time for my offspring's first summoning," he added mischievously.

At the mention of the young master, the serpent exuded black energy. Its eyes focused, and it shot off at full speed, leaving a trail of shadow in this devastated world. Blacky was happy that the young master had to summon his first beast, but found it unacceptable not to be present. Its eyes turned cruel, promising that anyone who dared to slow down the time of reunion would suffer its wrath.

The elf smiled, satisfied. His mission accomplished, he wondered what summoning his offspring would manage with his genes...

***

In the bustling market of the city of Astral, there was an atmosphere of life and colors. Magnificent stalls lined both sides of the road, offering a fascinating spectacle.

Gorillas sold flowers that grew directly on their bodies, their intoxicating perfumes attracting passersby. Ice foxes kept the fish fresh in the stalls, their icy breath creating a light mist above the displays. Storks carried groceries for the elderly, their long legs gracefully parting the crowd.

But in the midst of this picturesque tableau, one figure stood out.

a young half-elf with ashen hair, pointed ears, and eyes of a deep violet. He moved forward, absorbed in reading a book titled "The Basics of First Summoning".

"Who leaves their son at the most important moment of his life and goes to climb a legendary tower in another country?" he muttered, his tone betraying his frustration.

He shook his head, chasing away these bitter thoughts. "For the summoning, you need to focus your attention on a mental image of what you want... The stronger the image, the stronger the summoning can be," he recited, his eyes eagerly scanning the pages.

His gaze was drawn to the majestic tower at the center of the city. Of a deep midnight blue, it occasionally pulsed, like a gigantic heart beating to the rhythm of magic.

"The towers..." he murmured, his eyes shining with excitement. "They promise infinite wealth or absolute power to those who can climb them. But only the Tower of the Gods, the highest and most dangerous, can grant an ultimate wish."

A smile formed on his lips. "Perhaps climbing this tower will finally give me answers about my reincarnation."

He quickened his pace, eager to proceed with his first summoning. His mind raced, imagining the mythical creatures he could call: a majestic dragon, an invincible stone giant...

A light laugh escaped him, attracting a few curious glances from passersby. But he didn't care. His destiny awaited him, and he was ready to seize it with both hands.

In his head, memories were blurry. He remembered nothing of his previous life, except for the impression of having lived in a much more technologically advanced world. For an unknown reason, he had reincarnated into this young body, whose host had died of exhaustion due to the stress imposed by his father for his first summoning.

"What a stupid death..." he muttered. "Well, let's go eat what mom prepared. I need energy for tonight."

Arriving home, Qiris went straight to his room. He opened the window to air out, put on his pajamas, then went downstairs to clean the house.

"Ralls, come help me clean!" he called from the stairs.

A jet-black dog came out of the parents' room and rubbed against his leg. Ralls, his father's rank 2 summon, was now his tutor.

While sweeping, Qiris thought out loud:

"There are 12 ranks and 12 qualities for each summon. Each rank is divided into four stages: weak, medium, high, and maximum. The quality determines the potential for evolution... Like Ralls, stuck at rank 2 because of his two-star quality."

He sighed, thoughtful. "As a summoner, you gain a new option with each rank up. But it all depends on the initial potential... If my first companion is weak, it could limit all my future summons..."

After cleaning and a good meal, Qiris mentally prepared for the big moment.

"Ralls, it would be a shame if I got distracted during the summoning... Stay downstairs until I'm done!" he said, affectionately patting the dog's head. "Soon, you'll have a new friend."

In his room, Qiris sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"I, Qiris Valsan... I'm ready to become a summoner!" he whispered with determination.

A strange energy appeared in his mind. On the floor, a complex circle formed, filled with mysterious symbols. The energy grew, making concentration difficult.

Suddenly, a child's voice rang out from the window.

"Mom! I want frog legs!"

"Stop it, Sofie! We're going to your aunt's for dinner!"

Qiris tried to stay focused, but his tired mind wandered "Frog legs? That sounds good, I'd like to try that someday..."

Despite his wavering concentration, Qiris persevered. After endless minutes, the energy amplified surprisingly. So intensely that the most powerful summoners in the city felt it.

"Do you feel that?" exclaimed a master summoner. "It's... incredible!"

"This isn't a simple rank up," replied another, eyes wide. "It's much more powerful!"

The energy continued to grow, extending to neighboring towns. In the imperial capital, the alarm was raised.

"Your Majesty!" cried a counselor, bursting into the throne room. "A colossal summoning power has been detected!"

The emperor stood up, his face grave. "Send our best men immediately. I want this expert here, before me, as soon as possible!"

Meanwhile, in his modest room, Qiris remained connected to the summoning circle by a multicolored light. A shape began to take form in the circle.

Heart pounding, Qiris slowly opened his eyes. He already imagined himself as a dragon master or phoenix rider. But the silhouette stopped growing at only 30 cm.

A sound resonated in the room, and even louder in his soul, chilling his blood.

"Ribbit."