19.6

ACT 963161069-26889.23.(M5.D17-M12.D24)-Eve-Smith-Silver Prime

In the current Eve and Iantha were in, a cavern formed from the twilight of an era long forgotten on the Aiqen continent both women were hard at work. The place was a world that had once flourished where sorcery and enchantment pervaded every aspect of existence. Eldritch energies played among the air, rock, and pooled water.

The entire cavern that was to be used for Demon Summoning was deep beneath the Zeinfer Duchy. It was only reachable through a secret passage made for escape for the elites. The air within was thick with ancient spells, and the earth brimmed with relics of the arcane. In this mystical realm, Eve sought to unravel the secrets of summoning.

She had devoted a portion of her Crystal Core to the study of conjuration, collecting and penning spells in a tome of unprecedented magnitude that had recently been created. The culmination of her tireless efforts was the Summoner’s Codex, a book destined to become a cornerstone of her plan to spread throughout the Multiverse.

Countless worlds mean countless paths to power. My brother found one, I’m certain there are others. Eve thought as she scribbled more spells within the Summoner’s Codex

Eve knew that her Codex had the potential to empower others in a way previously thought unimaginable. Her desire was to use her work to enter the countless realms that lay beyond Tal Mor bridging the gap between dimensions to enrich her own power. To accomplish this, she needed the help of a Seer, a powerful oracle capable of reaching into the infinite expanse of the Multiverse through the Timeplains. Time is unfortunately, an aspect that I find as hard to grasp, as space is easy to understand.

In the whispers of the wind and the murmurs of the soil, she heard the name Iantha echoing about. Charlotte’s world was extremely fond of the Seer and her eye’s ability of seeing beyond the veil of reality itself. Even now Iantha was chatting with the sole tree growing in the cavern. The trees leaves shimmered with an otherworldly glow, and the air hummed with the thrum of arcane power. The Seer's visage was shrouded in a nebulous haze, her eyes an abyss of swirling galaxies. Rolling her eyes at the tree-hugging Seer she said, “Are you done getting permission to use the place?”

“I have bargained for the use of this place, yes.” Iantha said poking fun at Eve’s clear irritation at wasting time even though it was a resource she had in abundance.

Witch’s Dust smoothed the floor to a glass-silver finish. Moments later a massive ritual circle began carving itself in multiple points at the same time.

“The Summoner’s Codex needs to reach maximum dispersion.” Eve said repeating a rather eccentric mantra.

Iantha shrugged and said, “You know that’s going to require a big fish.”

To accomplish such a momentous feat, they would need to summon a demon of unparalleled cunning and influence. The demon Xeraphiel was an enigmatic figure, a being of primordial chaos who could traverse the cosmic ocean with ease. Only with Xeraphiel's assistance could they disseminate the Summoning Codex among the myriad realms. The name had been stolen from the College’s forbidden section.

While most would have gone for someone well known, Eve had decided to use an imp instead. A big imp, well known, but still an imp. It wouldn’t due to summon something from the deep Abyss after all.

Together, Eve and Iantha prepared for the ritual. They gathered rare ingredients from the far corners of the world: the ashes of a phoenix sparrow, the petals of a midnight rose, and the essence of a shooting star. In the temple's sacred chamber, they traced intricate patterns with a luminescent ink that seemed to hum with latent energy. The air crackled with anticipation as they completed the elaborate sigil, their hearts pounding in unison.

In order to gain these precious items, Eve and Iantha had embarked on a quest that would require them to traverse the farthest reaches of the Aiqen continent’s Shattered Godhand terrains. They sought out rare ingredients that were said to be imbued with mystical properties. They journeyed across the deserts of the east, through the dense jungles of the south, and over the icy tundras of the north. They battled fierce beasts and braved treacherous terrain to reach their destinations.

Their first stop had been the Phoenix Sparrow's nesting grounds. These elusive birds were known to be fiercely territorial, and only the most skilled hunters could even hope to approach them. But Eve and Iantha were not ordinary hunters. They possessed a deep understanding of the natural world and had honed their senses to a razor's edge. There was also the fact that Iantha literally could see when the bird was away using timesighting. They tracked the phoenix sparrow to its roost and waited patiently for it to leave. Once it did, they collected the ashes from its nest, being careful not to disturb the bird's delicate ecosystem.

Just because I can escape, doesn’t mean it’s a bright idea to lead this creature back to Zienfer Duchy.Eve thought.

The second ingredient on their list was the petals of a midnight rose. This flower was said to bloom only once every hundred years, and only in the darkest of nights. It was said that the petals of this flower possessed the power to unlock the secrets of the universe. Eve and Iantha traveled to the furthest reaches of the world to find it. Granted there was a small sect of monks that dedicated their lives to farming the flower, so it wasn’t the hardest thing to find.

They arrived at the location where the flower was said to bloom, after paying the monks the appropriate toll. They waited for several nights, braving the biting cold and the howling winds. Finally, on the third night, they saw a faint glow in the distance. They approached cautiously, not wanting to startle the flower. As they got closer, they saw that the petals were indeed as black as the night, and they shone like diamonds in the moonlight. They carefully plucked the petals, being careful not to damage them, and collected them in a special container made of silver jade.

The final ingredient on the list was the essence of a shooting star. This had honestly been the most difficult ingredient to obtain, as it required them to be in the right place at the right time. Granted, Iantha literally predicted the appropriate time, but for normal people it would have been a logistical nightmare. They traveled to a remote mountain range, where they knew that the stars were visible in all their glory. They waited patiently for several days, on the fourth night, they saw a streak of light in the sky. It was a shooting star, and it was headed straight for them.

“Seers are such cheaters.” Eve said grumbling at Iantha’s wide smile as the star literally dropped into their lap.

They had quickly set up their equipment and waited for the star to pass overhead. As it did, they captured the essence of the star in a special container, sealing it with a special incantation. Witch’s Dust made sure to siphon the appropriate amount of essence.

With all the ingredients in hand, Eve and Iantha had returned to the Zienfer Duchy, ready to perform the ritual that would pull a literal demon out of the well of reality. Charlotte had provided access to the cavern citing ancient runes that would help contain any accident that might occur. Eve wasn’t very worried. The structure of her circle was only able to support Xeraphiel’s weight. If anything, larger tried to hijack the process, the circle would collapse. Safety first when it serves best.

“All the defenses are in place. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone quite as paranoid as you.” Iantha said looking at the countless sea of runes carved into every surface except where they were both standing.

“It isn’t paranoia when a possible invisible demon is trying to escape and eat your face.” Eve said with a grin as here eyes began to glow brightly. “Let’s get this show on the road!” Eve's voice echoed through the chamber as she began to chant the incantation, her words weaving a tapestry of power and intent. The sigil in the Summoning Circle pulsed with an ethereal glow, and the atmosphere grew dense with unbridled energy. Iantha joined in the chant, her voice melding with Eve's in a harmonious, otherworldly melody. The walls of the cavern’s chamber began to vibrate, and the air shimmered with the colors of the cosmos.

A deafening boom resounded through the air like a door opened in the distance, and a gust of searing wind tore through the chamber. In the center of the sigil, a figure emerged from the swirling vortex of energy: Xeraphiel, the demon of chaos. His form was fluid and ever-changing, an amalgamation of darkness and light, a maelstrom of conflicting elements. His eyes held the secrets of eons past, the weight of innumerable dimensions resting within their depths.

With a voice that echoed through the ages, Xeraphiel addressed Eve and Iantha, his tone both intrigued and amused. "Mortal and Seer, you have called upon me, the harbinger of chaos. What is it that you seek?"

Eve stepped forward; her gaze unwavering as she met the demon's ancient eyes. "Xeraphiel, first get rid of that pretentious form. Second, we beseech your aid in spreading the Summoning Codex throughout the Multiverse. I’m looking for worlds that will be easy to acquire power from without a great deal of hassle."

The demon looked at the witch for a long moment before shifting into a small rat. Eve and Iantha shared a look as the demon considered their request, his fur shifting like a kaleidoscope of shadows and light. After a moment, he spoke, his voice a tempest of emotions. "Your endeavor intrigues me. What is it that you offer in exchange for my assistance? I have to make a living you know. The Chaos Sea isn’t a place where the poor do well."

Iantha, her eyes reflecting the cosmic abyss of a silver star, replied, "In exchange for your aid, we will bestow upon you a portion of the power contained within the Summoning Codex. With it, you shall gain greater influence over the forces of creation and destruction, expanding the scope of your dominion. One percent of infinity is a nice number, right?"

Xeraphiel's fur rippled with excitement, the allure of such power proving irresistible. He agreed to their terms and forged a Pact using one of Eve’s Contracts that would bring him straight up the demonic totem pole. After eight days of bargaining Eve handed the Summoning Codex to the demon, who absorbed it into his very essence. With a thunderous roar, he disappeared into the fabric of reality, embarking on his mission to spread the knowledge of summoning across the infinite realms of the Multiverse.

“Demonic imp rat lawyers should be illegal.” Eve muttered as here and Iantha left the cavern.

“The other choice was the tentacled one with the name longer than a book.” Iantha replied with a wave as their robes cleaned the scent of brimstone from the air.

“Ziggle is not an option. Haven’t you read what happens when Eldritch things are summoned? Something like that around will make it hard to sell this universe to Wilson.” Eve said with a straight face.

Days turned to weeks, and weeks to months as Eve and Iantha awaited news from Xeraphiel. The world around them seemed to hold its breath in anticipation, the very atmosphere imbued with a sense of destiny. At long last, the demon returned, his form a swirling vortex of cosmic energy. The Summoning Codex, now imbued with the essence of countless realms, had been successfully disseminated throughout the Multiverse.

Eve, thanked Xeraphiel for his excellent work. The demon, now more powerful than ever, nodded in acknowledgement, his eyes burning with newfound purpose. She noted his form had grown almost double in size. Where once was a normal rat, now a puppy-rat sized creature existed. With a final, chilling laugh, he vanished into the ether, leaving Eve to shrug her shoulders. It wasn’t like there was a better way currently. The Prison Plane has too many constraints at the moment.

In the aftermath of the Pact, the Summoning Codex flourished across the Multiverse. New worlds and civilizations took no notice of the leather embossed silver lettered book that appeared in libraries, thief’s dens, and countless other places.

Now is the hardest part. Eve thought. Waiting!