Elora

John’s circle was nine feet in diameter, perfectly centered on where the walls met. The runes that filled each concentric circle were compact and spiky, abstractly resembling flames. His hand was drawing with a mind of its own, much like craft. While John was drawing, Karen had completed her circle and summoned a flock of birds, the sobbing girl had calmed down enough to start a shaky circle, and the boy had summoned a lizard. The last girl was staring at John’s circle in wonder, watching as Ignis gave John a boost to reach the uppermost areas. Professor Aarav also looked on intently, more than mildly interested in his newest student’s unfathomable abilities.

John put the final touch on the center of the circle: his handprints. He had crumbled the remaining chalk into powder in his hands and slapped them onto the center of the circle, one on each wall. The walls began to rumble. The girl who had been crying looked at John with fearful wide eyes, beginning to tear up again. The boy cursed under his breath, and Karen looked towards John with an expectant smile.

The chalk lines and runes began to glow a deep red, from the outside in. When the red reached his handprints, the light intensified, and his handprints began to move. They circled the rune circle counterclockwise, wiping away all the runes and leaving behind a deep red portal. When they finished clearing the way for John’s summoned creature, they disappeared into the portal. A few seconds of agonizing silence.

Then, a figure began to emerge from the portal. It was tiny, barely five inches tall, and shrouded in shadows. John cast observe.

Elora

Level 15 Pebble Pixie General

A charismatic commander of earthen platoons. Her troops look up to her with admiration that borders on adoration and carry out her orders swiftly and without undue question. Submits only to her master, commander in chief of her armies.

She walked into the light, the shadows no longer hiding her features. She wore a militaristic outfit, complete with shining medals and a hat tucked under her arm. The uniform was made of what looked like polished green granite, and her skin was clay. Her hair was made of obsidian spikes, tousled over her mousy face features. Her eyes were made of rubies and they shone with the disdain of someone who expected her orders to be followed. John wasn’t sure how cup sizes worked on such a tiny body, but she didn’t really have much in that department. She made up for that with wide, sensuous hips that swayed with her every step.

“What the fuck? That shouldn’t be possible!”

John was snapped out of his geology lesson by the other boy’s high pitched screaming. He glanced at him in annoyance, then looked back to Elora.

“Mister Johnson, please calm yourself. Miss Kim, please escort Miss Ford out. Mister Newman, I am impressed yet again by your knowledge of your discipline. Where did you learn such an intricate circle?”

John shrugged as the sobbing girl was half-carried out of the room by the girl who had been starting at him.

“I didn’t learn it anywhere… I just let it happen.”

Elora cleared her throat. John looked back at her, taking in details he had missed earlier. She had a sword sheathed on her left hip, a pistol holstered on her right hip, and a deep green aura.

“May I ask where I am?” Her voice was high pitched, yet authoritative, and it fit her well.

“You are in a school for mages. Specifically, a Conjuration class.”

Aarav answered her.

“Did you summon me, as an example for your class?”

“I did not. A student summoned you.”

“A student? A mere novice learned to replicate my favorite runes?”

Aarav nodded and pointed at John. She looked at him and saluted.

“I’m at your service, Chief.”

John was stunned for a few seconds, before responding with “I am honored to have you command my forces.”

She may or may not have blushed at his words. She was too far away for John to be sure. Ignis sniffed in her direction and bowed her head. Elora nodded back. John wasn’t too sure what that was about.

“That’s fucking bullshit! There’s no way a fire mage can summon an earth creature! I don-”

“That is enough, Mister Johnson. You are dismissed as well.”

Aarav cut him off and the boy stormed out of the room. Karen was looking at John with a weird expression.

“There are only a few minutes left in class, students. Please dismiss your summons,” Aarav said after the boy left.

The birds that were flying around disappeared in little flashes of light as they were dismissed. John pet Ignis one last time, receiving yet another burn, and cast dismiss summon. Then he looked at Elora.

“Are you officially mine? If so, I invite you to stay in my temple.”

She saluted again, “Yes, chief. I will await your orders.”

John nodded and cast dismiss summon. Then he looked to Karen, who was smiling at him again.

“How long have you been a part of the Abyss? I would hope I would have heard of you if you had been a member for long with those powers.”

John grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’m not really sure what the Abyss is, let alone a part of it.”

She laughed, a melodic and twinkling sound.

“You must be really new, then. The Abyss is what we collectively call all the networks of magic users and their domains. It includes barriers of all kinds, parallel realms, and some businesses. If you can use or understand magic, know someone who can use or understand magic, or just find yourself somehow dealing with what you once thought were just myths and legends: you’re a part of the Abyss.”

John nodded.

Ding!

Tutorial Complete! Welcome to the Abyss!

Quest Completed: Complete the Tutorial.

+2000 Exp.

+5 to all stats

Stamina Bar Unlocked!

Stamina Critically Low!

Stamina Critically Low!

Stamina Coma Induced!

John smiled at the first info box, but then his vision started to blur. He felt like he had just gotten punched in the stomach. His mouth was exceptionally dry. His eyelids were heavy. He felt extremely dizzy. He collapsed.