Chapter 5: First Summon
The reinforced summoning chamber glowed softly under the flickering magical stabilizers lining its walls. Blue and gold runes layered like a woven net across the floor, humming quietly with contained power. The whole room felt alive—breathing, waiting.
Mash stood near the entrance, her fingers drumming nervously on the strap of her shield. I noticed a subtle tightening in her posture, a mix of anticipation and unspoken worry. Her amethyst eyes met mine briefly, glowing with a fierce determination that steadied my nerves.
"The air feels… thick," I murmured to myself, sensing something beyond the chamber's boundaries—a ripple, barely perceptible, yet undeniable. Something had noticed.
Roman stood to the side, brows furrowed as he monitored several glowing tablets. Olga Marie watched me from the console with the subtle intensity of a battlefield general waiting for the first volley.
"This is it, Aion," Olga said crisply. "Your first summoning. The system's been reinforced but beware—your unique power might rewrite the rules."
I nodded, heart pounding. Stepping into the center of the circle, I felt the sigils beneath me react instantly. The runes shimmered with an otherworldly light, their geometric patterns shifting and reweaving like living code.
Closing my eyes, I summoned every shred of will and mana control I possessed. The pulse inside me—our omnific creation force—resonated with the chamber, sending a wave of pure light spiraling outward.
The familiar blue light of a summon coalesced, but it was overlaid with swirling white-gold filaments, the glow bending and twisting oddly. The air trembled with tension as the circle's lines began to warp, alive with my power.
Mash gasped softly, stepping closer. "Senpai, your power—it's merging with the summoning framework."
Suddenly, a figure began to materialize in the center of the circle.
She was tall, clad in armor gleaming with refined elegance—a subtle blend of traditional saber regalia and arcane symbols that shimmered with mystic energy. Her hair was a cascading waterfall of silver-blue, framing a face both serene and fierce. Her eyes, sharp but welcoming, met mine with a quiet challenge.
"I am Artoria Pendragon," she declared, voice steady and commanding. "Your summoned Servant. I am honored to stand by your side, Master."
The room seemed to pulse with the weight of her presence. But this Artoria was different—her armor bore faint, arcane glyphs glowing faintly with that white-gold light, evidence of the omnific force twisting her very summoning.
Roman's eyes widened. "The system isn't built for this. She might not respond to normal commands."
Olga's lips pressed into a thin line. "She's linked to you on a level beyond any we've seen. Your power rewrote the bonding ritual."
Mash stepped forward, shield raised slightly but her gaze softening. "Senpai, she's ours. Our first ally."
Artoria regarded me with measured seriousness. "Master, summon me again, and we shall carve new legends."
A spark of excitement and awe coursed through me—you could feel the birth of a bond that defied expectations.
Outside, far beyond the chamber walls, a distant murmur echoed faintly through the fractured timelines, like a predator sensing a new challenge.
Olga glanced away sharply, murmuring, "We may not be alone in watching this."
The first summon was complete, but the war for fate had only just begun.