Saintess Summons Skeletons

“Merad? As in ‘Steelwhip Merad’ the vine mage? It’s a nice surprise to meet one of Kuli’s old friends here, nice to meet you,” Sofia answered, extending her hand for a handshake.

Ulfric visibly relaxed even more seeing Sofia’s casual attitude, responding with a vigorous handshake.

“Likewise, it was impressive watching your exploits from afar, and it is a pleasant surprise to meet you in person. The firebird is astonishing, too.”

“Right? It’s a genuine Phoenix, actually, a bit taxing on my mana but I really like a bit of sunlight. I’ve come to see one of your students here. We have some… personal history together.”

“A true Phoenix you say?” the headmaster commented, watching the skeleton fly around, clearing more and more of the sky, “It certainly looks as majestic as pictured in the legends. Am I right to assume that there is no ill will toward that one student?”

“Of course not! Quite the contrary, in fact. We used to live in the same orphanage, if you really need the details.”

“The same orphanage? You must really be as young as you look, then. Who would the lucky student be?”

“Chino Blacklumber.”

The headmaster visibly reacted at the name. “Young Miss Blacklumber? Exceptional talents attract each other, it would seem. You were from Skyreach? Quite unfortunate, really, not much left of it, now…”

“Sovuln, actually.”

“Oh. My condolences. I better shut my big mouth. Let us go to my office, I ought to treat you as a proper guest, lest a certain rabbit soon murder me in my sleep.”

In a sumptuous classroom, teenagers in red robes pressed themselves together against the windows, fervently staring at the sky.

“It’s a Phoenix, I tell you!’

“A real Phoenix!”

“It’s flying around the academy!”

“Is it going to attack us?!”

“Move, let me seeeeee!”

Even the teacher had jumped outside through the window, watching the headmaster flying out of the barrier’s protection, a baffled expression on her face.

A single student remained at her seat, sweating bullets, looking like she was on the verge of tears.

No… No… Not again!

Just like the orphanage!

It will all burn!

Because of me!

It’s come for me!!!

Everyone…

She tried to speak, to warn the others, but in complete turmoil, she failed to get a single word out.

Everyone continued to watch the sky in awe, unaware of the imminent danger.

But despite her fears, no attack seemed to come, not even a ripple on the academy’s shields.

“Look! Look! It’s the headmaster!”

“He’s talking to someone! There’s someone else! Right there!”

“What? I don’t see anything?”

“Wait, you’re right, they have glowing wings! Is that an angel?!”

“Are you dumb? Angels don’t have wings.”

“They don’t?!”

The lively chatter continued, but another girl noticed something was off. “Chino? Chino, are you feeling sick?! Nevi! Nevi, come here!” she called out, pulling on a boy’s robes, “Your healing magic!”

“Wha-? Oh shit! What happened?”

The small exchange drew more attention, and soon nobody looked outside anymore except to call for the teacher, too preoccupied by their classmate suffering from some kind of panic attack.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Two minutes later, someone noticed that the Phoenix had disappeared, and Chino finally managed to calm down for a brief instant.

Someone knocked on the classroom’s door before entering right away, a tall bald man with glowing runic tattoos.

“Deputy Headmaster?” the teacher reacted, surprised, “Are we evacuating?”

“No, no,” he reassured her, “The situation outside has been handled, you can resume the day as normal. The reason I am here is entirely unrelated, I need Miss Blacklumber to follow me to my office, an administrative error on my part may have negatively impacted her grades.”

Chino stared dazed at the deputy headmaster like someone looking at their own gravestone. He knew that she could tell the truth from lies but he had still lied anyway.

It’s better… If it’s only me…

Trembling, Chino slowly got up.

The deputy headmaster frowned at the sight, walking farther into the classroom, he put a hand on her shoulder, “Miss Blacklumber, are you unwell?”

“N- No… I-... It’s nothing,” Chino weakly protested, gathering her things in her tiny storage ring.

“Are you sure? I can take you to the infirmary instead.”

“No, really. I’m fine… Thank you…” Chino answered with a small smile. There was honest worry there, which made her feel a bit better about whatever was about to come.

“We’ll walk slowly, then. Everyone else, have a good evening, and good vacations ahead. But don’t you dare slack all summer! I’ll make you regret it if you neglect your training, understood?!”

“Yes, sir!” the students answered in unison.

The deputy headmaster nodded with satisfaction, and accompanied Chino to the door.

They walked at a calm pace through the corridors past noisy classrooms; the events outside had created a lot of excitement.

“Why… Why did you lie?” Chino managed to ask, once they were past the classrooms.

“To make your life easier,” the deputy headmaster answered, gazing down at her, not explaining in more detail.

He knew Chino could tell it was true, which only made her more confused.

“Did the Phoenix really leave?” she asked next, sounding a bit scared.

“No. It was a summon. It got recalled.”

“Someone summoned that?!”

“Hmmhmm… I don’t have more details but it was definitely a summoned creature.”

“... why me?” she asked next after a short silence.

“The summoner claims to be your friend, I think? The Headmaster was quite brief in his words.”

Chino stopped dead in her tracks, completely stunned. Friend?

That her skills were telling her the deputy headmaster was telling the truth beyond the shadow of a doubt was confusing her to no end. Since when did she have friends like that? Just moments earlier she was convinced the entire academy was going to burn down so she really could not compute the current situation.

“I might have reacted the same way in your place. Life is full of unexpected events. It is still time to turn back, if this is too much for you.”

Chino shook her head, finally finding some determination.

“No. Let’s go,” she firmly answered, starting to walk again. They both stepped on the central platform elevator in the academy’s main hall.

“Now this is more like the Chino Blacklumber I know,” the deputy headmaster commented with a smile, “To the top floor.”

The ‘friend’ who burned down… I’ll tell you what I really think!!!

Instead of his office, the deputy headmaster took Chino to the farthest room of the top floor. The headmaster stepped out right as they arrived at his office, closing the door behind him.

“There you are, Miss Blacklumber. Sorry to call you so abruptly. Someone very important is here to see you. They requested to see you alone if possible, are you fine with this, or do you want me to stay with you? You can also decline to see them, if you wish.”

Chino clenched her fists, “I’ll go.”

“Alone? Very well, I will be right here if anything goes wrong, you can leave anytime.”

Chino nodded, finding the entire exchange quite strange, but then again, nothing had ever been normal in her life.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.

It was only her third time in the headmaster’s office, someone was there, in flowing white robes, looking out of a window.

Chino closed the door and stopped, staring at the unknown person’s back. They had strange skeletal wings, glowing horns and glittering golden hair like a waterfall of sunlight. Whoever it was, they were clearly not human, and not someone she knew either, but at the very least, she felt no hostility.

“Huh… Hello?” she said, still standing at the entrance, a hand on the door handle, “You wanted to see me?”

Sofia stared outside at the black clouds slowly gathering back in from the horizon, anything to distract herself. She was about to cry her eyes out if she wasn’t careful, and it wasn’t at all the image she had wanted to give. She wanted to be a pillar of support, not a crying mess, but reality was hitting her hard.

Chino’s voice almost pushed her over the edge. At the same time, she felt a sense of relief that pierced her to her core. She had only known that once before, when she had reunited with Saria.

Biting her lips strong enough to draw blood, had her body allowed for that to happen, Sofia slowly turned around.

“It’s been… A long time… I’m sorry…” Sofia managed to squeeze out as she turned, holding back tears.

She saw the realization slowly dawn on the young girl standing at the door, her hand falling off of the doorknob, mouth agape.

How was she going to react? Sofia experienced terror beyond her worst fight scares in just an instant.

A stream of tears fell down Chino’s face as she stood there, immobile like a statue.

Using strength largely beyond what one would expect of a fourteen year old, Chino threw herself straight at her visitor.

“SOFIA!”

Tears flowed uncontrollably on both sides as they exchanged a long, warm hug.