Heroine Creation: All My Summons Are Custom Made

Espel held on to Lancet’s wrist until the doors of the reception hall closed behind the last of the others.

The corridor outside had already begun to empty. Guards escorted Vernon, Valeria, Nereus and Renan toward different exits while servants moved past carrying documents from the meeting. Farther down, Lancet saw Ordenance speaking with one of King Romsgard’s men.

Espel waited until none of them were looking. ”Come with me.”

Lancet glanced down at her hand. ”Of course, Lady Fyrebloom.”

She released him and walked toward one of the side corridors. Lancet followed and they stopped beneath a narrow arched window where sunlight fell across the stone floor in a long strip.

It was not completely private, but anyone approaching from either side would be visible long before they could hear anything.

Espel folded her arms and Lancet stood opposite her, leaning against the wall. ”So,” he said. ”This is the conversation you wanted to have.”

”Some of it,” she replied, her eyes shifting in a way that was usual for her.

Was she nervous?

”With what happened in there,” Espel began, ”it’s obvious now that our connection cannot remain hidden much longer.”

Lancet agreed with that.

Because of her introvert and cold personality, no one really knew Espel in Awakener Supreme. Some had ideas about her and her ability. But at the Academy, Espel was simply Oden Fyrebloom’s sister.

She had access to Serpent Society meetings because of him and because no one there considered her loyalty worth questioning. Lancet, meanwhile, was one of the Society’s known enemies after refusing recruitment and humiliating several of their people.

If Noctis learned how often Espel spoke privately with Lancet or that she and him were involved in the mission that exposed the Demonic invasion, the questions would begin immediately.

And Espel could not afford questions.

Lancet lowered his voice. ”Since no one is allowed to talk about anything that happened in there, I think we’re good for at least two months. But when we return...”

Espel’s eyes narrowed. ”They’ll know everything.”

Silence. The air tensed a little. Lancet looked toward the empty end of the corridor. Two months to be spent in the Golden Barracks, then the world would see them differently when they returned.

Operation Citadel. The Warning Gates. The Glitching Dungeons. Holy shit, he thought. The timeline suddenly felt much tighter.

”It’s probably time we stop playing around,” Lancet said.

”Yes.” Espel moved closer to the window. ”My brother will not leave them on his own. He’s hell-bent on his revenge.”

Lancet already knew that. In the story, Oden had pictures of Extractors in a corner of his room, which used to train his knife-throwing skills.

Espel looked outside. ”I do not want him dying for their ideals.”

Lancet watched the side of her face. ”Alright then. Tell me what you know.”

Espel heaved a breath, shoulders rising and dropping before she started. ”They are preparing several operations before the Warning Gates appear...”

She continued, giving every piece of information with the same expression whether it involved murder, treason or transportation schedules.

There was an active experimental base in State X that belonged to the Serpent Society. They were trying to create the first Awakener to use Gloom.

Dr. Mundy, the man in charge, had failed repeatedly to force stable Gloom compatibility into human Awakeners, but the experiments had not stopped. Their government backers wanted results, and Noctis wanted them even more.

”Have they gotten anywhere?”

”No, but this will matter to you, I think.” She had a plain face. ”They have killed many people.”

Lancet’s expression dulled. He knew it wasn’t his fault, but if he had taken a stronger stance in getting rid of the Serpent Society earlier, those people might be alive now.

Nevertheless, the Serpent Society had backers in the government and even in Awakener Supreme itself. Surviving a retaliation would not have been easy.

”The current subjects are not strong enough. Their channels collapse before adaptation,” Espel continued. ”So they are getting stronger subjects.”

She looked at him. ”They want this group of school rejects that you know. The Terrible Three.”

Lancet went still.

Caelem, Muskard and Linzley.

He had not heard those names in a while.

The last time they had mattered to him, they had tried to drag him underground and force him into the Serpent Society after already spending weeks helping make his life miserable.

Lancet folded his arms. ”You’re joking.”

”No.”

”I thought they were in the Penitentiary?”

”They are being transferred from to another base,” Espel replied. ”Noctis knows the route. The Society’s Extractors will attack the transport before it reaches the next facility.”

Lancet’s eyes narrowed..”And then?”

”They will take them to State X for the Gloom experiments.”

Lancet rubbed one hand over his face.

Of all the people he could spend his evening saving. The Terrible Three. He wondered if he should just let the Serpents have their go at them and let them suffer for what they did to him.

He could still remember Caelem’s arrogance. Muskard’s spirits. Linzley screaming over her dolls after Astensia destroyed them.

But then again, after being Untethered and spending months in the Penitentiary, the punishment was enough, no?

He looked up at Espel. ”I really do not like those three. They tried to beat me into joining the Serpent Society.”

Espel looked bland. ”Then allow the Society to experiment on them.” It wasn’t like she gave a fuck.

Lancet tightened his lips. ”Ugh. I can’t do that.”

A brow raised on Espel’s face. ”That appears inconsistent with everything you just said.”

”I know.” Lancet pushed away from the wall and began pacing. ”They’re still humans. Idiots, but humans.”

Espel said nothing.

”And they’re powerful Summoners.”

That part mattered too.

Caelem, Muskard and Linzley had possessed rare variations of already useful Summoner Classes. Their problem had never been potential. Their problem had been that they were arrogant, undisciplined and desperate enough to let the Serpent Society use them.

If months in prison had knocked some of that stupidity out of them, they might actually become useful.

”The Penitentiary untethered their Summons,” Lancet thought out loud, ”but if I can find a way to tether them back...”

Espel watched him think.

Lancet smiled slowly. ”They could make useful pets.”

Espel reached into her coat and removed a small crystal map. She activated it and a stretch of forest road appeared between them. ”The transport leaves tomorrow afternoon.”

A glowing path formed across the projection. ”It will pass through this section before turning toward the western base.”

Three red marks appeared along the route. ”The Extractors will attack here.”

Lancet studied the terrain and when he was done, he closed the projection. ”We need somewhere quieter.”

Espel followed him farther down the corridor, through an unused stairwell and into one of the small training courtyards between faculty wings. The surrounding walls blocked most of the Academy noise, and no students occupied the practice floor this late.

Lancet checked the entrances, then he raised one hand and activated his [ Summon ] Skill. A thick bolt of lightning struck the earth.

Thor Stormchild stepped through the white light.

The Valkyrie looked first at Lancet, then Espel. ”Master Lancet. I was getting bored inside there. Kestrel is making me learn swords so she can challenge me to a duel.”

Lancet pursed his lips. ”Never seen you back down from a challenge so I’m sure you’ll accept it soon.”

Thor agreed silently to that then rested the Hammer of Force across one shoulder. ”So what is the issue? Battle?”

”Probably.”

Her smile appeared immediately.

Lancet pointed at her. ”That reaction is exactly why I’m explaining the rules first.”

Thor’s smile faded. ”What rules?”

”You remember the Terrible Three?”

Thor’s brows pulled together. ”The three Summoners who attacked you with their strange ugly beasts.”

”Yes. Those very people.”

Thor’s expression hardened as she recalled fighting the annoying Lycan Lord. ”I remember them.”

”Good. They’re being transported out of the Penitentiary tomorrow. The Serpent Society is going to intercept them and kidnap them for experiments.”

Thor’s face barely changed. ”So? I say let them have it. Do you wish for me to stop them?”

Lancet looked at Espel then at Thor. ”Yeah,” he shrugged. ”Pretty much. We’re trying to stop the Serpents from successfully doing something bad with these experiments.”

Thor adjusted the hammer on her shoulder. ”I see. Very well then.”

Lancet’s eyes narrowed at how fast she had agreed. ”Hold on. You’re supposed to rescue the Terrible Three.”

Thor pretended not to be listening.

Lancet sighed. ”I know killing them also stops the Serpents from using them as experiments. But just rescue them.”

Thor stepped closer. ”Why should I risk myself for people who would gladly have harmed you?”

Lancet held her gaze. ”Because I’m your leader, right? And I’m asking you to.”

Thor gazed into his eyes, her slit pupils quivering a little before her expression softened.

”I’m not asking you to forgive them,” Lancet added. ”I’m asking you to do something important for me. That requires you to look past your grudges.”

Thor huffed and looked away frustratingly. ”Do I have permission to strike them if they resist?”

”Okay yes but no killing them.”

Thor was silent.

Lancet pointed at her again. ”Promise me.”

She frowned.

”Thor?”

”Alright then!” Thor turned back to him, meeting his blue gaze. ”I will not kill any of them.”

Lancet lowered his hand. ”Good.”

Now the next problem to discuss was the experimental base itself. Stopping the kidnapping of the Terribles would only delay the results the Serpents and their donors were looking for.

To end it all, that experimental base alongside possible others had to be destroyed.