A new summoner

A single stroke of red on the ground is finally painted. The circle has, thus, been completed. Brushing the outside with a thin finger, the summoner can feel the sheer power of the symbol she has drawn. She gets up, double checking the drawing over the manual in her hands, before backing a few steps from the circle. All she needs to do, now, is chant and pray for a compatible spirit.

“May the world beyond listen. I, a mere human, willingly submit to the murder game, Wandering Wishes. May a spirit possess my mind and body, as long as they bring me victory. May a sorrowful spirit earn a second chance in this life I will now share. Superior powers, tie together connected minds!”

The circle shines a bright golden. Then, it dims. A gentle blue. It intensifies, azure, reaching each corner of the room. The summoner attempts to keep her eyes open, until it becomes far too blinding, and she covers her vision with one arm. 

When she opens her eyes again, an icy-blue figure is floating in the middle of the circle, a cold aura — both physically and metaphorically — around her body. Flowing white sleeves, swaying on the icy breeze the spirit has brought forth. A sapphire dress covers the spirit from her neck down, her entire figure seeming to dissipate into snowflakes from the calves down.

“Summoner,” a powerful voice shakes the very foundations of the room, “you have joined a senseless game and understand as much. Despite everything, you have chosen to go along with this ordeal. I recognise the struggle of those who will submit themselves to any humiliation to obtain their wish. I am Bornev. I have been bestowed the power of the snow. I have a single wish. You may keep the remaining for yourself. From now on, we shall work together, until we either perish or attain our goals.”

Baby blue eyes finally find her summoner’s. And the spirit freezes. She looks around. There is no one else in this tiny house. She floats upwards— but her head just thumps against the roof. 

“A young’un! Now I feel bad, how could I drag a sheila to this mess? Hurry, dear, this ain’t something a sweetheart like you should worry’bout. I’ll summon someone else.” 

“E-excuse? Are you my summoner?!”

“Ain’t I the only one here?”

Bornev looks around once more. No one. There is only this old woman on a wooden wheelchair in front of her. Her grey hair is held up in a bun by a rusted away clip. She wears a floral shirt, tucked in her beige pants, which are also tucked in tall, working boots.

“Please, hurry along, dear!” the old woman insists.

“I… Don’t look down on me! I’m a very powerful spirit! I could destroy your whole city in a single night with a snowstorm that would cover your frozen bodies for eons!”

“Oh!” the elderly woman claps her hands together, a smile on her face. “Such a powerful sheila! Good, good! So impressive!”

“Hmph!” she looks away, a blush on her cheeks. “You finally understand, granny. Not enough words of praise would even begin to describe my might!”

“But, I ain’t needing destruction. I wanna give life ‘n prosperity.”

“You, I, what?”

“Can ya heal instead of destroying?”

“I…?” Bornev knits her eyebrows together. She closes her eyes. The temperature of the house drops… and then it stops. There is a resigned look on her face as she stares at the old woman. “That does not matter. We are killing the other summoners and their spirits. Destruction is all that matters.”

“Ah, I’m so sorry! I forgot ta mention something very important! I ain’t gonna take part of that, no.”

“What?! What do you mean?! You summoned me, you have no choice! Killing all others, or at least extinguishing the spirit, is the prerequisite for someone to attain the three wishes! Even if you do not hunt, you will be hunted!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! This is a tiny, tiny country. So far away from everyone else. They’ll prolly leave us for last. It’s gotta be enough time ta do what I gotta.”

“W-what?” Bornev is taken aback. And then, fury settles in her eyes, which seem to have snowflakes violently swirling inside her iris. The temperature of the room drops, and the elderly woman starts shaking from the cold. “But then I don’t even have a chance of acquiring my wish. And I even wanted just a single one.” Her closed fists shake with rage, and they start to be covered in a deadly ice.

“I’m s-sorry, d-dear!” her teeth clatter as she shivers. “T-there ain't m-m-much I can do. D-do ya really think w-we can win with a b-body like mine?”

Bornev’s fists stop. The ice starts melting away, a puddle starting to form under her. The elderly woman looks at the water dripping down her hands and a smile spreads across her face. 

“Doesn’t matter. Better than losing by default,” Bornev states. 

The old woman claps her hands once more, beaming at Bornev. “Good! Then come with me.” She spins her wheelchair around, opens the door and carts down the ramp from her house to the ground. 

“Wait! You better explain yourself first!”

“Not gonna work! Come on, I’m gonna show ya around. Then, I’ll explain.”

“I’m not going! Explain yourself! Did you chan— urgh!” The spirit feels herself being pushed by an invisible wall, towards the woman that does not stop wheeling away. Right, she has to stay within 10 metres of her… But she will not do it willingly! She crosses her arms, letting herself be pushed around by the invisible wall squishing against her cheek. 

“Are ya okay sweetie? Does it hurt? I can slow down my pace.”

“Slow down your pace…?!” Does she think I’m just too slow?! Bornev hurries to the woman’s side, matching her speed.

“Please, sightsee as much as ya want!”

What’s your point? Bornev thinks, but, instead, does as she says. If that woman is going to make any sense after this, maybe this is important.

The old woman’s house is on a small hill, and, as they descend it, Bornev realises she can observe a great picture of the city— no, a village may be more like it. The house they came out of is tiny, and, yet, bigger than the other houses. All of them are simple, their walls marked by dark streaks from the rain, well-spread out, and some seem to be falling apart, with no signs of life. Where there is a house, there are also other constructions Bornev has to search deep in her brain to remember the names. That is a silo, and that is a… a storage…? Then that must be a pen? Sprawling to the horizon are cultivations of a variety of plants that Bornev does not recognise, as well as herds of animals browsing and grazing. Hundreds of elderly people work on the fields, hats covering their faces from the sun, tending to the field in big machines. Dogs are either herding animals, running through the fields or resting in some shade. Somewhat in the middle of the village there is a bigger agglomeration of houses, probably the commercial area. Even further on the horizon, there is an evergreen forest. 

“Water Priestess!” another elderly person greets the summoner with a smile on their face as they both walk down the dirt road. “What brings ya here? Shouldn’t ya be resting up?”

“Boris! Nah, I’m healthy as always!”

“Then that’s still no good!” he gives out a hearty laugh.

“I’m just gonna take my friend Bornev here for a tour of Diverciud. Say hi to her!” she points towards Bornev.

Boris raises an eyebrow, then shrugs and waves weakly. “Hi Bornev! Take care of our Priestess, won’t ya?”

“Summoner, uh,” Bornev starts, “I feel I must warn you that only other summoners can see me.”

“What?” The elderly woman cups her own ears.

“Only other summoners can see me!”

“What?” 

“Only! Other! Summoners! Can! See! Me!! W-wait, our connection is telepathic, there is no way you can’t hear me!”

The woman laughs away and continues introducing everyone she meets along the way to Bornev. On their faces, there is an expression of ‘oh my, she has finally lost it’. And, yet, everyone just smiles and waves in the general direction the woman points towards, praying for Bornev’s safety and asking her to take care of their priestess. 

The sky was being bathed in orange by the time they reached the border of the last cultivation. Beyond wooden gates, there is only a deep, deep forest, almost no light penetrating from between the leaves of the tall trees. Yet, just standing on the border, Bornev could feel this was a magical place. The more she looked, the more she felt she could maybe, just maybe, make out some incredible shapes out of the dark of the forest.

She stops in her tracks. 

She was, quite literally, being attracted by the forest. She turns around, and sees that the elderly woman is approaching with a smile. 

“Thought ya would run straight into the invisible wall. Pretty, innit? And mysterious. When I was born my parents taught me to respect the Flimsy Forest. That’s the same for everyone else here.”

“There are great treasures hidden here,” Bornev notes.

Of course, Bornev meant in terms of living creatures. Being bestowed the power of the snow may seem like simply having control over it, however, that is not quite it. On that day, when Bornev was hanging by a thread… The snow reached out and gifted her. That is what being bestowed with the power of the snow means. One such gift was being able to detect life and their value, even in the frozen, almost dead world of the snowstorm, so that one could survive.

That she could see the value of the living things of that forest even from afar… A tiny, tiny country. The elderly people from the city. The houses falling apart. The priestess willing to give up her body. Could it be...

The priestess’ gaze turns downwards, her expression turning solemn. She sighs, then explains:

“I’m Ampara Velrent, the last water priestess of Horeen. All my children and grandchildren have left for more prosperous countries… and I can’t leave just yet. Other countries keep diverting rivers, strangling our commerce, pressuring our borders with troops, sneaking into our forest, disrespecting our soil, our people, who have been here for thousands of years.” Her gaze turns upwards, determined hazel eyes finding Bornev’s. “Last year, I had’ta use my whole power ta let us just barely make through the dry season. If ya can make my country never hafta bow their heads to others, then I don’t need any other miracle. Ya can keep all your wishes. Just gimme enough time and power to free my country until the next dry season. Then, ya’re free to do as ya please.”

Bornev grits her teeth. But a plan like that would… She shakes her head. As long as she makes it through the dry season, she would let Bornev act as she pleases. That is fine. Bornev is strong and smart. It is better if her summoner does not interfere. If she thinks like that, then this is the best possible outcome for her. “I’ll protect you until the dry season, and lend you my power until then. Then, we are going on the attack.”

“Good, good! Your first job will be cleaning the mess from the summoning ceremony.”

“Hey!!—”