《Gemini Animae》 Prologue: A lifetime of regret In a dimlitted room sat an eldery man scribling notes and calculating formular he came up with. The notes and formular analised a very complex summoning circle. As he continued to try to correct what was long gone, he absentmindly knocks off some ink on the desk. Reflexively streching his arm to catch, reavealed scars under his robe. Scars of chaotic energie he unleashed upon himself and those near him. Everytime he look down on his body disgust painted his face and memories resurfaced. Memories of his biggest failure in life. "Don''t worry I have it under my control" he ensured them as he made adjustment on the complex circles and symbols on the ground. His family and love tried to stop his demonstration of new magic formular was still worried. "Son I know you have an aptitude and talent for summoning magic, but I don''t think you have thought it through. At the very least consult your teacher about it before you do something this reckless." " You don''t understand father these geezers at the academy would outright deny my accomplishment and thinking. They are blinded by tradition and can''t see the future even master Lohek can''t leave the old ways. I''m sick of these cains to hold us down, sick of all the other magic arts followers looking down us (and sick of your looks of dissapointment)." " But what you are doing now can''t be called save. The energie in the circle is highly unstable" "That'' only because it''s only the beginning watch me forge a new way" Then he preceed to added another layer of circle and diagramm inscribted on hide of magical beasts. With it''s inate magic ressistence the material was popular for blocking of unstable energies. As he proceeded his work his mother spoke out: " Dear I think you should let Altair do this. He seem to be well prepared and apt to see some success." " But.." " I know, I know but if something goes wrong we just have to step in." Still bitter and unwilling he decided to keep quite for now. This conversation between his parent frustrated Altair even more. He knows both of them were Magisters, his mother an enchantress and his father a wizard of flames. But in these moments he felt their underlining superiority in their arts. As the only summoner in his family his treatment was vastly different from his two brother and sister. The second son born into a prestigues, rich family never know a world without magic. Talentless in the arts of the parents and aptitude for the weakest magic art. In his mind however summoning wasn''t all that weak in fact with enough recourcess and manpower one can achive greater result than any other forms of magic, the biggest drawback is that it needs constant magic suply and the summoner is very weak for he needs to constantly channel the summoning. If the summoner breaks the channeling or are simply knocked out the summon would return to his realm. Other magic arts were much more cost efficient and combat ready. His younger sister for example was a wizard, who can cast multiple spells of her element in combat and even lower tier spells of other affinity, which make her very versatile. His older brother on the other hand was an abjurer, bann of all mages a perfect supporter in the army. Growing up in this enviroment led to a desperate life for recognition by his parents. Which was only meet with disapointment. Only when he meet Wega his love did he change. Her attitude and treatment of him as an equal even though she was an enchantress soften his frustration and led him to develop new ways and improve his art. For this he was very greatful of her, so as to not dissapoint her he invited her for his showcast. But what he didn''t expect was that she too was worried that the summoning would fail. "Alti are you certain of this. Can''t we discuss this once more." "Don''t worry it will be fine" somewhat sad Altair replied. "It''s not don''t you feel the power in the air? I''m getting uneasy about this" "It''s alright I expected some complications" he said as adding another layer of resistant material to stabilize. The Summoning circles vibrates under the new addition of layer of the now 20 layers of summoning circle and control circles. The power in the air becomes static and magic light seem to appear cause little shocks on contact. The spectator all takes a step backwards and set up their own preparetion for the failure of the summoning. Clearly noticing this Altair curses in his mind. '' Damn them to expect me to fail this easily. I will prove them with this new method of summoning that we summoners are not inferior too any other forms of magic. With this I will lead the way to shatter the image of inpractical und unreliable summon. I will show them the new way of constant summon'' As he proceed his work the air in the room becomes electrifying which brought more protest but he just keep saying that "it will be fine". "It will be fine" such mocking word of folly like a broken record he kept telling himself and proceed to his final stage of summon. Now that the room was filled with power he began his incantation to summon the chaotic being of other realms and bind them to his will. " Mein Name ist Altair de Aquilae. Ich rufe die Gewalten des Unvisersums...." "So he really wants to see this through" commented his brother Ciriero. "Let him be, I just hope that he won''t be hurt when this fails" her sister Miria replied. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings."...durch Anbeginn der Zeit sollst du kommen..."sweat began to form on Altairs forhead. "Foolish and stubborn I wonder where he got these traits." "Maybe we should have cared better for him, Dear." "I can''t think of anything, we can''t change his fate." "Please be save Alti." "...Nun breche die Fesseln des Raum und schreite ¨¹ber die Ebenen. Labt euch an die von mir pr?sentierte Macht. Materialisiere und werdet eins mit den Gewalten der Welt!" with an unsteady voice he cried out. Constant power was pouring into the summoning. A whirlpool of blue and red engulfs the circle and Altair. With outstreched hand to readidly welcome the being, he continuously watched the chaotic energy with expectation. The whirlpool turned into a whirlwind then storm to finaly settle on a sphere. Full of anticipation all watches with instense eyes to wait for the next spectacle. Maybe it will not fail they thought. The Sphere levitate above the ground and strats emiting light for the preparation of something big and dangerous. Everyone in the room braced for and impact and readied the prepare spell only to be greeted with a sudden sog and then silence. "..." "..." "..." "... I guess it was a failure after all." with disapointment in his brothers voice. "Yeah, well at least nobody got hurt. At least thats something." Stunned Altair kept staring into the space where the sphere was. "Alti are you alright? I''m glad your are safe." He ignores her completly and just kept staring. His parents took a pity on their son who seemed to be devastated. "Look son there''s always another chance. With enough persavation maybe you can.." He couldn''t finish his words as he seensed something strange from his son no from the place in front of him. All the power with had gathered couldn''t be vanish with just a little light show. The more he thinks about it the more anxious he becomes. "..Dear." "I noticed, we must get out of here." They felt the subtle change in the fibric of reality. Something surreal was happening to them. Confused about the word of their parent the siblings looked at the them and switched to examine the seemingly empty room. But they couldnt find any fault, any traces, any magic. Then it hit them like lightning, there was no magic power in this room with is in itself unthinkable since it should be present at all time and everywhere. As they comes to this realisation they room began to distort and cracks start to appear midair starting from the center where the circle lay. Like a tree spreading his branches it grow with astonishing speed. The de Aquilae familie and Wega Leier had already begun to flee the room desperatly to escape their inpending doom. But all was too late as the cracks grow the centre started to suck in everything except one thing. Altair still standing a madman wouldn''t move an inch, his surrounding however began to to distort and break. Looking around the room he finds that his family tried to use magic with no effect. Everything began to move towards the centre which began to form some sort of tunnel. A dark and abysmal tunnel. The Anomalie continuous to grow in strenght as Altair too began to mave towards it. Fear started to spread, fear of death and the unknown. He began to desperatly chant to cancle his summon to no avail. Then tried other methods learned in the academy, all the while his family and love started to lose their foothold and be sucked in to the void. Seeing their despaired expression his mind triedto work out a method to break free. Steadily reaching the centre everything became a blurr. The flesh seemed to tear apart, their soul sucked out of their body. Open mouth trying to scream but no sound could be heard. Limps falling apart as they gets closer and closer to the void. Finaly unable to hold everyone except Altair got sucked. But he wasnt safe either. As he aproched the tunnel his mind began to fade, for the summon has taxed his very being. Nearly touching the edges of the anomaly a presence lurking in the void could be felt as he passed out. After he has woken up his whole body was left in tatterns, flesh ripped apart, skin shredded but what was most terrifying he fund himself alone in the devasted room. A cry roared out of him while tears streamed. Solitude, despair and a broken body was the endresult for his persuit to gain recognition from his family. The tears kept rolling all the while till he nearly began to collapse. That was the day of his biggest failure in life. Strangly enough only the summoning room was affected and everything outside of it was left intact. This he found out when the servants of his familyhouse came in after hearing his cry. After that he was treated immediatly as he swore to himself to find a solution to bring Wega and his family back. In the years to come he was branded, cursed, shunned from all around him. There were even trials against him for his counduct. But those close to his family and his old master pleaded for him as his own mistake was punishment enough. All these events were ignored, he was too busy in his research, which progressed slowly for his physical body wasn''t the only thing ripped out that day. All these things weighted heavely on him as the year passes but he never forget and forgave himself for his foolishness. Chapter 1: Through time and space After reminising about days long gone Altair picked up his papers and strode around his chamber. "I guess this body of mine won''t last much longer", his steps grows ever weaker while moving over complex circles, symbols and gravings on the floor. "Soon, everything will be fine. Just wait a little longer, yes just a little longer." A small smile creeps on his face beneath the hood. " Old man, I told the servants to take the day off of tomorrow. So what is it this time? Care to let me in on the ...", his apprentince barged in to the room as Altair traced the lines on the floor. "You know everytime you stand in this room that smile of yours is the only thing that tells me your are a human." Still folowing the engravings on the ground he ignored him. "Need some light? Makes this places much more comfortble isn''t it.", while lighting the room he looked around." So seems like it is nearly finished. Can''t wait to see the results." "Do not worry tomorrow it shall begin and you will be present." "Great, so what am I supposed to do while you get all the glory?" "How about standing there like a fool you are and continue brabbeling your mouth... Get the beast skins and the black box in the preparating room." "Aye, aye oh exalted magister of magus all over the world. What else shalt this lowly peasant bring to your holyness, a piece bread, a cup of tea or maybe some meat to state your body." "... Just get the skins, brat. All else is of no importance." "If you say so oh magus of all hungry in the world." "''Sigh'', get the skins and a meal while you are at it." "Will be done old man." "... Damn brat, should mind his own business." As the young man sauntered into the hallway, his stomach growled. Must have been since yesterday he sated his hunger. For him it doesn''t matter anymore. " Well guess can still enjoy a last meal before leaving. Never mind the fact that it will be tastless with this sorry body of mine. The brat better take care of things when I''m gone." It''s been ten years since he took his only apprentice, Sandor Trieres, in. He was recommended by his old master before his death. To repay the kindness he was shown over the years Altair teached the boy everything he known and learned. While cheeky and repelling at the beginning, over time Sandor growed to be an asset in the manor of de Aquilae. "I can only hope he will not make the same mistakes I made. Did I warn him enough? Maybe I should... No I''m out of time. This will be my last chance." After a while the apprentice returned from his errand. "Coming in. Man these things are heavy, takes me a cart and good old Sebaz to get them here. By the way here is your meal, this time the chef goes all the way out. Steaming, fat mutton in chef''s special sauce, freshly backed bread, blue cheese as garnish, salad for balance, raspberry pudding as dessert and the finiest wine to taste, ''gulp'' care to let me in on the feast, Just kidding." "Don''t mind me eat if you want. But could you should stop calling Hubert Sebaz just because he is the butler." "Why not, they kinda look the same to me and gives this vibe as if forcing me to name them that." "Brabbling brat show more respect. Old Hubert would cry if he hear you talk like that infront of him. Anyway you really don''t want a piece can''t finish them all off." "Haha good one you are practically starving. "One should never take a meal of a starving man", someone told me once." "Wonder who that gentleman might be." "Don''t know must be someone who has been through tough times. While on the subject why is everyone so gloom after I told them they got the day off. They behave like the world is gonna end." "Maybe your foolhardiness lead them to despair." "Fine forget I ever ask. Let''s get to the point. When will we start the experiment?" "When I finished this meal. You can start preparing by bringing the materials in." Going about the insctuction given to him he began his work immediately. "So what do we summon this time?" while carrying the materials. "From what I remember last time we got pretty much nothing but pretty sparcles. I wish we would get more monsters like that void creature we got. Although it wasn''t very funny to deal with that. But that over failures I... shot sorry shouldn''t mentioned that." "It is fine. Worry not this time all the failures will be erased by the one success. Yes It will be fine." "Old man something upset your stomach? you are acting very strange lately, even more so than usual.¡° ?Hoho, so how am I usualy and what is that strange you talking about?¡° ¡° Honestly I can''t grasps it exacly, I mean you normaly won''t respond to things I told you minutes ago and sometimes you''re lost in time, living in another weekscycle, but this time you seemed kinda melancholic or how do I put it lovestruck, yeah really like a maiden in love.¡° ¡°Puhhahaha, that''s a new one. Me a maiden. This humour of yours never fail to entertain. But you need to know when to tell your jokes Hubert will start complaining if more tables needs to be cleaned¡° ¡°I am serious, what is wrong with you this time, care to share some of your worries, even if it''s me I can at least listen.¡° A sad smile appeared on Altairs face, he was touched by his apprentices concern for him. ¡°How nice of you to care so much for these old bones of mine. Are you turning for a new leave?¡° ¡°Dammit stop dodging me and just, ¡­just let me know if something is wrong, Ok.¡° ¡°... If the time is right, maybe then.¡° ¡°I will hold you on that old man.¡° Little did he know that that time will never come. As the conversation was going, Sandor was already half done with his task. While Altair finished his meal, he moved about in the room to get the materials out of the box and began sorting so that no ingredience were missing. After checking that everything was ready he started to place the materials in it''s rightful place for to coming ritual. With the help of a younger hand to was going smothly and they were finish before midnight hit the clock. ¡°Good, very good everything is in its exact place, now we only have to wait for the right time.¡° ¡°Hmm seems fair enough, most are the old design but there are enough changes to make it more powerful and stable. But what I dont get is why are you using the void crystal, that thing took us months to make and it''s properties are not exacly save, and something seems ood between the two summoner circle. Hmmm mind if I do some changes old man?¡° ¡°No, it is exacly as I calculated. There is nothing wrong with it, so everything will be fine.¡° ¡°Gonna trust you on this, you are the older one here. So when will be begin?¡° ¡°Tomorrow at the high of the zenith, you better go to bed now the summoning will last a long while so rest up, I don''t need someone who collapse on me in the middle of it..¡° ¡°That happened just once.¡° ¡°One time to many for my taste.¡° Looking at his masters body Sandor shut his mouth as to not offend. He knows of his condicion and also about the blunder and what it had cost him. ¡°Fine, see you tomorrow.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. After Sandor left, Altair traced the lines on the floor one last time. ¡°This insightful, loud and young student of mine. He will make a great summoner in the future. I just wish I got his perception when I was his age. Maybe then... No what''s done is done. Soon All will be undone.¡± The next day before the appointed time. The old master stood on one of two special circles, with difficulties to keeping himself up he waited for his apprentice. His mind was dwindling, his body was failing as age and missing parts of his soul has taken a toll on him. But all these thing will be insignificant once he succed. "Damn is this ever creepy, an old man, a dark room and these glowing patterns all over the place. Just getting goosebumbs being here." With a snarky remark Sandor enters the room. His intention to loosed the tension in the room seemed to fail him this time. "You are bearly on time. Now get to your position." "Alright, alright." "Prepare youself this time it will take till midnight to complete the full process." "Are these words for me or for you? Look, we can always get more help if this is to much for you." "No, there is no point in getting others involve. You are the only exception I made." "Oh how gracious of you. Well I am ready anytime you want." he said as he stood on the appointed place facing his master. While looking around he showed a slight discontent but refrained from speaking. Ignoring his emotion Altair called out: "Good now let us begin." The start of every summon was a routine for them, nothing spectacular just setting up defences and back ups. However this time the old man weaved another some additional spells in his formular. This inceased the unease in Sandor but they still continued. For the whole day they directed the stream of energy and chanted complex spells, humming in a cord the sound backed off the walls creating a orchestral ensemble. Steadily progessing towards the end, night time has come but nobody noticed in this enclosed space seemingly cut off of the rest of the world. The only indication for the passing of time was the everygrowing magical power and beads of sweat forming a pool beneath the summoners. Between the two the old ones was especially large and he barely can keep himself up and standing. But through sheer willpower he continiued and eyed his worring apprentice to do so in kind. Power gushed out of every symbol and lines on the ground, the thickened air began to spin. Anything in the room that wasn''t attached to the ground started to move becoming projectiles. The room became mayhem as a whirlpool started to form. And in the middle of the chaos two stood, one crazed in his endeavor the other worringly examined the room. ''Something is happening and it''s not something we can control'' Sandors unease started to turn into fear. The room has become a deathtrap, one step out of their guarding circle and the will be pieced, nevermind being incinerated by sheer energy swirling around. So as to not bring himself more in danger he focused on the summoning putting his faith on his master and hoping this will all end soon. Sure enough the chaotic energy started to wane after while. At closer inspection everything flowed into the middle of the room being sucked away, the more energy disappeared into the void the more silent the world has become till at last a colorful, spectacular light exploded dying everything white. After a few seconds of being blinded Sandor looked around to confirm the results. Firstly he seemed unharmed and so was his master, secondly the chamber they were in was void of any object and lastly the most important thing, the summoned being was nowhere to be found. Disappointed, angry and tired he wanted complain how dangerous that was but stopped short. Because the expression of his master told him that there was more to come. Altair stared into the place where the void will appear soon, everything was proceeding as planed from his memory. Many times he failed to get this far and after countless trials he came to the realization that this coudln''t be done with him alone, which makes him all the more bitter about the first ''success''. This was the real reason he took in Sandors, even so he didn''t immediatly perform the ritual because firstly the apprentice was but a kid at the time and secondly he must prepare a method so the boy wouldn''t come to harm for his foolish endeavor. Now that he had come so far there was only one thing to make. Slowly pulling out a wraped object to cast a final spell. "Old man what are you doing!" "Ending what I started sixty years ago." "You are crazy that thing will kill you in your current condition!" "Oh, my mind has never been so clear as now. With this I will save them." "Them? are you talking about your family. Listen nothing can be done it was not your fault." "Not my fault? Everything that happened, every failure points towards me. I am the greatest fool in this world for striving more I can take involving those who stands besides me, loving and caring, till the end. Endangering them without heeding their warnings and ultimatly killing them." "And what you are doing now is any different from before? Please you have to stop this. You can still do so much more." "No, no I can''t my young boy. Once started this will swallow all that is living in the enclosed space. Look It has begun." Just as Altair spoke the empty room began to shake announcing the next disaster. In the middle cracks started to form breaking the fiber of reality. Times and space distort around it''s edges, very soon reality will break forming a rift to another space. "For the love of, I never was religous please don''t let me start picking it up." "Hahaha, don''t worry you will be fine." Panicky eyes stared at him, hoping what he said was true. "Let my final cast be something to remembered. Sandor I leave everything in your care." "What..." Before he could protest the air between them was gone leave no medium to tranmite his sound. He could only stay in his barrier giving despairing look and absorbing everthing that was about to happen. The adjustment Altair prepared came now into play. Creating a subspace so this final cast will be sucessful. "Der M?chtigste regiert nicht die Welt. Der Genialste erkennt nicht die Welt. Der St?rkste tr?gt nicht die Welt. Es ist der Tor welches die Fesseln der Realit?t sprengt und sie sein Eigen nennt. Breche und forme erneut, so seine Torheit zu Kenntnis werde. Binde die neugeschaffene Ketten der Realit?t auf dem Ziel, das all jene die folgen gleichwohl wissen was Macht bedeutet. M?gen die die aufbegehren von den Fesseln unterdr¨¹ckt zur Ruhe kommen. Lasst sie die Last tragen auf das in Zukunft keiner ein Wagnis macht. Ich Altair de Aquillae beschw?re den Tor, im Zeichen des Adlers lasset die Welt in Unwissenheit versinken und h¨¹lle sie vor den Chaos der Erkenntnis!" Finishing the cast Altair exposed the voidcrystal he took out earlier and pointed it towards Sandor. Terrified the young man braced himself for an impact that could destoy him, but instead he was engulfed in a veil of darkness traping him. In it he could not see, hear or feel, it was like swimming in thick black syrup. Satisfied with the result Altair waited for what was to come. The barrier was still holding up against the pull but soon enough it will disappear as he planned beforehand. Streching to the limit it finaly breaked for a split second another seemed to replace it but was disrupted by an interference in the system. Now out in the open the rift pulled the exposed person to it. This time it was even more powerful than what he experienced, perhaps his helping hand has more potential than he inmagined. But all will be meaningless when he steps through the void. His mind was clear and his senses dissapearing as his flesh was torn apart. While stared into the abyss he noticed a familiar presence. ''I am coming for you.'' he though,''Just you wait with my last breath I will take back what I lost and bring them back here.'' Pain assaulted him half of his body was gone, every muscle, fiber and bone was being pulled out of him. Embracing the suffering one loud shout was echoing through his mind. "Don''t go. Please don''t go master!" Somehow his only student made a connection through the veil. He smiled by these last word he heard before being completly sucked in. The journey through the rift was unbearable. His body was separeted from his mind, he felt every pain and anguish that assaulted both, above all his soul was desparetly trying to hold everything together. The longer he stayed in the rift the more severe his being was damaged. A complete soul could had somehow endure it but his was not . Under the never ending assault finaly he broke apart. Separeting and scattering into nothingness.