Summoner: The Book of Dimension

73 Zack’s Wrong Choice

Ray was flustered as he looked at the cut on his arm. He tried to tend it with his hand as he put it over the cut, but he removed his hand when he thought it wasn’t much of a help. He tore a part of his shirt and wrapped his cut with it.

The sword was still in the place where it had appeared, levitating. Everyone was on guard because they thought it would attack them. But the sword only interacts with whoever that summoned it and whoever was in the circle. Besides, it wouldn’t attack on its own. It will attack if it detects a threat.

In Ray’s case, he wasn’t a threat but having the sword is a challenge. “Don’t worry, everyone. The sword won’t harm you unless you are Ray,” he simply said which made everyone calm down even just for a little.

Ray tried again. He slowly approached the sword which stood still. At first, the sword didn’t budge and it gave him the sense that the sword was allowing him to. But that was just what he thought.

The sword swung again. Peter thought Ray would get his hand cut this time, but he was surprised that he dodged in almost inhuman speed and got behind the sword. Although it was an object, the way it jumped a little showed that it was shocking. Ray then tried to grab the handle again but the sword was quick to move away before it swung to attack him.

Ray didn’t have a choice but to dodge and walk away from the sword. The sword then stood still a few feet from him. He winced from the pain he felt on his cut. He looked at the two. “Any idea how to tame this sword?” he asked them.

Peter tried to think. He had never tried to tame any conscious object but maybe his idea would work. He looked at Zack to see if he had come to generate any idea but he only shook his head. So Peter sighed and gave his idea instead. “Do the things you’re doing earlier. Try to grab the handle and if it will try to attack you, dodge and predict where the handle will turn and then try and grab it again,” he suggested.

Ray discussed the idea in his head and nodded at Peter. Well, his idea wasn’t bad at all.

Everybody was watching the three and they wondered what kind of ending awaits Ray and the sword. Ray thought that with the help of Peter’s idea, everything would be easy. But it wasn’t the case.

Ray started surrounding the sword by walking around the sword, but the sword followed his movements and made sure the sword was facing him. It wasn’t ironic since the sword had its own consciousness. Whether it was possessed by a spirit or was just originally like that, it acted like an actual person.

“Careful,” Peter reminded. The last thing he’d ever wanted was to see his friend get killed by his own eyes or see how his limbs get cut.

Ray nodded quickly and continued with the nerve-wracking duel. He continued going around the sword and then stop only to go the other way around. He couldn’t just try and grab it; he could get hurt again.

When he turned to the other way for the third time, he quickly tried to grab the metallic handle wrapped in leather and when he thought he’d finally got the chance to get the sword, the sword moved a bit backward and pointed at him without hesitation. Ray quickly dodged by moving his hip backward but the sword was too fast to match his reflex.

No matter how careful he was, he still got hurt.

He walked backward quickly, away from the sword, and checked his abdomen. The side of his shirt had a small cut and blood quickly stained there. He checked underneath and realized his skin was grazed by the sword. It wasn’t that but, but it was a little deeper than the one on his arm. Peter and Zack tried to come to his aid but Ray only raised his hand to stop them.

“Are you okay?” Peter asked.

“I think you should stop now,” Zack added.

Ray shook his head and tore the part where there was a cut on his shirt, revealing his abdomen. Everyone gasped when they saw the cut on his side. Fortunately, his muscle seemed to be safe and intact under his skin. He tied the torn fabric from his shirt to his wound with a grunt.

But he was typed to not give up easily, so for the last time, he tried grasping the handle. He was uncomfortable with the cuts on his arm and side but he was too eager enough to even think about the pain.

He quickly tried to grab it but the sword swung again which made him retort. He expected that and at a split second when the sword was standing again, he grabbed the chance to hold the handle at an impressive speed that made everyone gasp. The sword tried to break free but Ray held the grip so tight that the sword was discouraged.

A light surrounded the sword that traveled from its edges toward his hand. He felt a great amount of energy come through his body that made him grin widely as he turned to his two friends. He still remained the skills he acquired from the skeleton warrior, but it was different when the sword was quite powerful, too.

Peter gave him a thumbs up and saw how Ray was in control of the sword unless the sword would feel like protecting its new owner. “Should we test how good that sword is?” Zack asked and threw a mop he randomly saw on a corner to Peter which the latter caught successfully.

“I’m actually afraid of that sword,” Peter said.

Ray chuckled. Peter entered the circle and he then accepted the sword duel test Zack created. “If your sword cut me even for a millimeter, I’ll make sure you’re held accounted,”

“Sure, sure,” Ray said.

Peter didn’t waste time and held the mop by its head, its long stick pointed at Ray. He was being careful. He took the move first and Ray felt the sword react on its own, guiding him.

The sword quickly swung and cut the mop handles into pieces for a short period of seconds. Peter’s eyes widened when the last cut was just a few inches from his fingers. He quickly moved away. “I acknowledge that sword. My goodness! I thought my hand was going to be cut out!” he exclaimed.

Ray made the circle disappear as he held the sword with ease. “This will surely kill shadow monsters,” he said.

“Are you sure?” Peter asked. Well, he was the one who made the mantra for the sword. It should help them with killing the shadow monsters.

Ray nodded. “There was something written on the blade in Orrinatta language. It says ‘shadow killer’ which is quite promising,” he said.

Peter nodded. “So, who’s next?” he asked Zack. “Do you want me to go first?”

Zack shook his head. “No, I’ll do it.”

“I have two more mantras. Do you want to use it?” Peter asked as he flipped through the pages of the book to find a mantra he just made. He remembered he had about two more of them and it could be useful for them to kill the shadow monsters.

Zack thought for a second but he shook his head. “Nah, I would like to use my own mantra,” he said and thought hard about the mantra.

“What do you want to summon?” Ray asked.

“A magic mirror that will answer all our questions,” Zack simply said, warming up his hands and arms as if he was going on a battle.

Peter’s eyebrow raised. “Are you sure?” he asked out of concern. His mantra hadn’t been tested yet since he abruptly made it before he came here but it might be more successful than Zack’s.

Zack didn’t answer and started to form a basic circle, the white light illuminating the floor of the lobby. Peter guessed that was his answer. He just hoped that it wouldn’t be a fail.

He didn’t wait and said his mantra:

An object from the Atlanchi World;

Majestic and splendid mirror,

You can answer all of my questions.

In my name, Zack Deppe, I summon you into this world.

A familiar whirl of wind appeared inside the circle and sent his hair and clothes around through the wind before it disappeared and there appeared to be a black cloud of the portal.

Somethings started to appear there.

Suddenly, a bright light almost blinded everyone that made them close their eyes. When they opened their eyes, they were confused with horror, especially Peter.

Two Zack stood in front of one another, both of them looking confused and surprised. A glass stood in the middle of them, which didn’t help to tell who was the reflection and who was not.

Peter looked between the two and had his lips parted, still in shock. “What the...?” he exclaimed in frustration. The two Zack looked at him at the same time.

“What the heck is this?”