Mark of the Fool

Chapter 257: Fingers and Departures

Chapter 257: Fingers and Departures

Good, very good, everyone! Professor Mangal congratulated her students.

All throughout the chamber, students stood beside summoning circles, and within each crouched a slavering BuBu; a demon like Baelin had summoned. The monkey-cat-goblin-like demons peered around while waiting for orders from their summoners.

Congratulations, you have successfully summoned your first demon, she said.

Sighs of relief went through the class. Alex glanced around to make sure no one was paying too much attention to him and leaned toward his small summoned demon and whispered: Hannar-cim?

The demon stared at him blankly.

Yusahero? Hirshon-Eos? he tried.

Still nothing.

Then the creature moved. Alexs heartbeat quickened in anticipation. It was raising a hand. Was it going to sign to him? From his study of languages, hed learned that there were languagesused by the deaf, certain secret societies, and spiesthat communicated using hand and finger signs.

Was this creature preparing to do that?

Alex leaned in, watching it closely, activating The Mark to help him learn what it-

Aaaaand, it was holding up its middle finger.

Waitdid that gesture have the same meaning to demons as it did to people from Thamelanddid it cross planes?

The Mark then helpfully flooded him with memories of all the times people had offered him the same gesture, and used those memories to help him determine the meaning.

I know what it means! he assured The Mark mentally, scowling as the monster burst into what sounded like hard laughter.

Confirmation! Alex continued scowling.

Oh I got a demon that thinks theyre funny, eh?

For a moment, he was tempted to use the subjugation summoning spells power to order the creature to pinch itself, but he didnt think Professor Mangal would approve.

No, no, Alex said. Such aggression requires an appropriate and measured response

Frowning, Alex Roth gave the demon two fingers.

The creatures laughter faded and its fly-like eyes glared at him.

Yeah, thats right, thats right, Alex said, aloud.

The creature then gave him the finger with both hands andgrinning like a mischievous childused thefingerson its tail to give him the finger a third time.

Oh you think, youve beaten me, eh? he whispered.

Well too bad for you, he thought. A Hero of Thameland never fights alone. Claygon?

Behind him, Claygon uncrossed both sets of arms and gave the little creature the finger four times. The demons smile quickly faded.

Yeah thats right, six to your three, he whispered. You can even use your feet if you want to, it doesnt mat-

He paused.

Why was the room so quiet?

Alex slowly looked up to see the entire class staring at him, including the Professor. The brave Hero of Thameland bravely hid his hands behind his back like a guilty child.

and as I was saying, class, Professor Mangal said. The summoner should not go out of their way to antagonise creatures they summonespecially demons, even if they are bound by subjugation type summoning. She looked at Alex pointedly. After all, you never know if you might need to summon the creature again, or if they know another demon that could make your life very difficult in the future.

To be fair, Alex said to the class. He literally started it.

Alex, this is a demon that specialises in scaring children, she said. It is not one known for its maturity.

Yeah, but likeI dont want it to think it can do whatever it wants, right? He looked around at the class. Some of the other students were snickering, but most were turning their backs on him.

Professor Mangal sighed. Alex, please do not anger demons, even if they are getting on your nervesGenerasi has suffered enough of their wrath.

She clapped.

In any case! she said. You have now successfully summoned your first demon. Can anyone tell me why demonic summoning is so commonly used among wizards?

Alex raised his hand: hed done todays reading more than a month ago and was eager to make up for that earlier outburst of childishness. Demons and devils more easily serve and interact with mortals. Demons will act on whims, soif the summoner can fulfil one of their whimsthats a good way to get loyalty from them. Devils are creatures of law, pact and contracts. Theyre eager to forge contracts, so you can get their services pretty easily toofor a price.

Exactly. Professor Mangal walked through the class, weaving between the different summoning circles with her hands clasped behind her back. That is precisely the reason why demons and devils were among the first and most commonly summoned creatures in the world. We have less to offer elementals, engeli, and other sorts of spirits.

She turned to the closest BuBu. But keep in mind what a demon is. Your subjugation magic will make it follow your orders, but when you move on to binding or relational contract summoning, then demons can slip out of your control if you are not cautious. Remember well the folly of Lord Velix.

Alex remembered the name from a story in the textbook, and he recalled the passage:

A man named Lord Velix had once coveted the neighbouring lords land and wife, and wished to take both. Yet, his domain was poor and he had little in the way of an army to put to field.

So he contacted a local witch and asked if she could arrange a meeting with a demon.

I can, my lord, the witch had said. But remember, demons are creatures of whim: if they are fond of you then they will do much for you. If they are not, then they will cause you tremendous misery and seek to find loopholes in a binding contract. Make the wording tight in any contract you create: Ive had experience with these sorts of things, and we can craft the contract together. My price will be high, but it will be worth it. Just remember: be careful with how you treat your demon throughout its service.

And so, Lord Velix had thought hed understood her words to him.

He paid the witch handsomely and together, they crafted a contract that would have made a Rhinean solicitor proud. With it in hand, he summoned a powerful demon with a large army. Lord Velix plied the demon with meat, slaves, treasure and items to expand its power. He spoke with the creature long into the evenings, using his skill with the social circles of nobility to encourage the demon to favour his company.

And it did.

Greatly.

The Lord thought he had done well, for he imagined the worst he could have done was to treat the demon poorly. But demons are creatures of whim, and whim is the twin of impulse. The demon worked within the bounds of its contract and destroyed the neighbour: the demons horde shattered the enemys army, conquered the land and slew the enemy lord.

Throwing the dead mans screaming wife over his shoulder, the demon returned to his master.

Lord Velix was happy, and released it from its contract so that he might enjoy his newfound spoils. However, the demons affection for Lord Velix was deep, so deep that it did not wish to be parted from him.

And demons are creatures of whim, above all.

So the demon dropped the woman and picked the lord up instead, throwing the screaming man over his shoulder. As a portal opened back to the hells, the demon took his new friend with him. His neighbours wife escaped and Lord Velix was never heard from again.

And that is why it is also important to know what a demon is saying, as you never know what its own plan might be, Professor Mangal said. So, with that in mind, your second to last assignment will be to learn to speak five phrases to your summoned demon, ask it for its name, then pronounce that name perfectly. Remember the power of names. Now, let us go into the ways that demonic tongues can be spoken by human mouths.

As the lesson went on, Alex absorbed everything he could about demonic languages. Hed already been going through books from the list shed given him, but actually hearing the languages spoken was quite an experience; Professor Mangals translations were giving him a foundation of memories to fuel The Mark.

After what turned out to be a very heavy class, they were actually able to end earlya rare occurrence.

Remember, review chapter thirty! Professor Mangal said as the students filed out of the classroom. The material there will most definitely be on the final exam.

Cant believe were almost on top of finals already, he heard another student mutter.

Alex could hardly believe it either.

The summer semester was coming to an end and hed soon have to choose his courses for the fall. Two would be covered by the expedition; he had second year Magic Lore to dowhich was compulsoryand he was thinking of taking blood magic and another summoning course for the last two.

His progress with Life-to-Mana was going well, and with practice, hed managed to completearound 45% of the magic circuit. He was also looking into more second tier summoning spells to go along with Summon Elemental Beetle Swarm. There was a tempting spell that summoned a hellhounda vicious, canine devilbut he didnt really want to go all in on fire in terms of means of attack. Still, hellhounds had other uses such as tracking, sharp senses for keeping watch, and scouting. They were very clever too. It was something to think about.

The semester was moving along, exams were coming, and some of last years students were returning to school and settling back into their dorms and apartments. The new crop of first years would soon start to arrive and that was leaving Alex feeling a little nostalgic.

It felt like yesterday that he, Theresa, Selina and Brutus had arrived on campus on Lucias sky-gondola.

I wonder how shes doing, he thought, though he wasnt sure if hed ever know the answer to that. He hadnt seen her at any of the sky-piers in months, and hoped that was a good sign.

What was definitely good was that theyd started preparations for the expedition. The team had finally met a couple of times: the first meeting mostly dealt with the fallout from Amirs betrayal, and new rules regarding the sharing of information with anyone outside the expedition team.

The second detailed logistics.

We will be assigning each of your exploration teams a medical blood mage, Professor Jules said. They will be tasked with caring for your health if Baelin cannot be present to use spell-marks to ensure your safety.

Aside from that, Baelin said. We will be providing you with enchanted camping provisions for those days you must overnight in Thameland. You will naturally be expected to make reports on each outing: identify flora and fauna or at least document those that you do not know. Note weather, any ruins, or construction of any kind that you find, and of course, any dangerous monsters that you cannot subjugate. Collect samples from any monster you slay if it is from a dungeon: you will be provided with field guideswhich are not exhaustiveof what sort of monsters are created by The Ravener. Oh, and if there are creatures there that prove to be natural to the location but are still dangerous, do not engage. Report the information and we shall see if such local creatures can be studied, then relocated.

Magical equipment for the construction of the campsite was being organised, and the hiring of extra combatants was almost complete. Local guides were also being sourced, though there were apparently issues with finding those who knew the area, and were free to serve as guides.

Your departure is quickly approaching, so prepare accordingly, Baelin said.

And the expedition teams were not the only folk getting ready for departure.

Theres a lot more to pack now than there was when we got here, Mr. Lu said as he surveyed his and his wifes luggage. He squinted in the evening light. You really spoiled us with all of these souvenirs and gifts.

Atop one of the packages lay a piece of parchment showing proof of passage for two booked on a merchant ship; Mr. and Mrs. Lu would be departing for the Rhinean Empire in the morning.