The Summoning Ch. 01

“Equestis Dominus”

As Selene finished the incantation, she stepped back to observe her work. The pentacle glowed a brilliant purple and seemed to rise up in a dome. The inscriptions drawn in a circle around the pentacle exuded a strange light blue that complemented the dome.

"I hope that's how it’s supposed to look..." She murmured to herself.

Glancing around the chamber, she was surprised to find her personal guard lying dead.

Selene jumped as a silky voice from behind her spoke. "Greetings, my dear princess."

Selene whirled to find her stepmother, Queen Nativa, standing there. "Hello, Mother." She spat.

The queen gave her a slight grin as she looked over the circle.

"It seems that you have indeed summoned something. Why do you resist me, girl? As my heir you will inherit the Kingdom when I die.."

"That," spoke Selene, "would never happen and you know it. If you didn't try to switch bodies with me, lay a gaes on me, or just outright have me killed, one of your retainers would. You killed my father and he would have given you anything."

"I'm sorry, honey, but that's just not true and you know it. Your father died the way a King should... driving invaders from our lands. It was just fate that he took an arrow in the eye and died. As for the rest, you know the rule of karma just the same as I. If I did something that mean it would come back to visit me times three."

Selene gave her stepmother a very dirty look. "You only say that in front of your hired help. I know how you really are."

The queen tossed up her hands in irritation. "I've had it! I can't even talk to you. Guards, seize her! We'll continue this back at the castle."

As the guards reached out Selene sank back almost against the wall. One guard, bigger than the rest, shouldered his way through the others and reached out to grab her. Just as he made contact, a hand reached out of the purple light and seized his wrist. He jumped in surprise as a long rapier blade extruded from the light and came to rest under his chin. None present were sure why the tip was so big and red but it stopped the guard cold. His eyes got real big as a man stepped from the light. He was dressed in a purple tunic and black breeches. The part of him that really stood out was his eyes. Selene took a long look into them and she shivered at the outright anger glowing there.

He was a little over six feet tall, not nearly as tall as the guard but it was obvious he wasn't intimidated. As he backed the guard up, she got to appreciate his true size. He was big around and looked fairly muscled. His shoulders dwarfed her and were as big as the guard's.

"Slick, you should be a little more respectful of women." The man said in a quiet voice.

"That's a practice tip on his blade." Came a voice. "It can't hurt you."

The guard looked over at a small, compact man. "Thanks, Captain."

He looked back at the man summoned from the light, and smiled. As quick as a cat, the man punched with his right hand, smashing the hilt into the guard's temple and dropping him like a rock. The purple man looked over at the Captain of the guard and smiled.

"A weapon is only as good as the man using it." The purple man again spoke in the same quiet voice. But it seemed to carry to everyone in the cavern.

"Okay, men, there is now an obstacle in our way. Kindly remove it." The Captain stated in an equally quiet voice that carried just as well.

As the guards started forward the man in purple held up a hand. "Halt!"

The command had the intended effect...every one of the guards stopped still in their tracks. They all looked at the Captain uncertainly.

The summoned man turned to the Captain. "I'm a little new to this world. Might I have a minute to get a few things straightened out?"

The Captain looked the man in purple over and nodded. "You seem to be a man of honor and you have no weapon. Ask the princess what she will have of you."

The man in purple bowed to the captain and turned to Selene with his eyebrows raised. "Princess, eh?"

She colored at this. "Yes, I am, good knight. And I beseech you to aid me in my time of need."