Heroine Creation: All My Summons Are Custom Made

The name struck hard right into the phoenix heart inside of her.

Solaris’s body went still. The flames covering her drew close enough to reveal the outline of the golden feathers along her shoulders.

"Do not use that name carelessly," she ordered. "You know nothing of what it cost."

"I know you died for it twice."

Solaris stepped a little closer, warning him that he was on fire’s edge. Any closer, and he would burn..

Lancet continued anyway.

"You defended Cinderhold until you had nothing left and died under the Phoenix Statue. Fifty years later, you returned and attacked Carrion Spire before you had enough support to win. They defeated you and your rebellion, and you were killed... again."

Solaris’s fingers tightened, flames covered them.

"Like I told you before. If you fly there now and repeat it, maybe you kill everyone in your path. Maybe you even reach the old city."

Lancet kept his voice level. "But if you die again, Cinderhold loses another fifty years."

The fire around her fist faltered. Solaris instantly stopped walking.

Lancet grinned in his mind. ’Maybe I should be a lawyer. My descalation and escalation skills are top notch!’

For Solaris, her mind was filled with traumatic thoughts.

Carrion Spire existed somewhere beyond the horizon. Larger now. Stronger. Built deeper into the land that still belonged to the Phoenix inside her.

She had returned from her first death and found Cinderhold buried under another name. Her second death allowed Carrion Spire to grow another 50 years. To get even more powerful and advanced.

If she failed again, there might be nothing left of Cinderhold at all when next she woke.

Lancet let her think.

The Academy’s riders carried students between distant buildings. Blue light moved through them faster than any carriage Solaris would have known. Below, bells sounded as professors tried to restore order after her arrival.

"What can you offer?" she asked.

"A way to reclaim Cinderhold without attacking Carrion Spire alone."

Solaris turned back. "You are a student."

Lancet puffed out his chest and shoulders. "You see, I may not seem like much. But like I told you, I’m pretty much a prestigious student here. I personally know the Sovereigns, Council members and even the President of the Brigades."

Her eyes narrowed again.

Lancet cleared his throat and continued. "The world works differently now. Cities don’t only belong to whoever kills the ruler and takes the walls. There are governments, elected officials, councils, courts, Guild interests and public votes."

"Votes."

"Yeah. People choose some of their leaders."

"The people of a city are allowed to decide who governs them?"

"In some places."

"And those already in power permit this?"

"Hey," Lancet shrugged. "Don’t ask me. It was their decision."

Solaris looked unconvinced.

Lancet pointed toward the Academy grounds. "It isn’t perfect. Wealth still matters. Powerful families still interfere. But it gives us other ways to build control inside Carrion Spire before fighting anyone."

"What ways?"

"We find Cinderhold’s surviving bloodlines and descendants. We recover historical records proving what House Ashen and the neighbouring cities did. We locate the Phoenix relics and trace every family or Guild still profiting from them."

Solaris listened without moving.

"We build support inside the old districts," Lancet continued. "People vote for representatives who recognize Cinderhold as more than part of Carrion Spire. We strengthen that identity until it has leaders, citizens and outside allies. Then independence becomes a political demand instead of one woman declaring war on an entire bastion."

"You believe thieves will surrender land because their victims ask correctly."

"I don’t think it’s that simple," Lancet said with a shake of his head. "But I believe it’s easier to force them when we’ve already taken away every reason the world might support them."

That answer made her look at him differently.

"We expose the theft," he said. "We make other cities, Guilds and governments choose between supporting Carrion Spire or supporting the return of a historic bastion with a God Phoenix behind it. We recover enough of the Phoenix’s body to strengthen you. Then, if force is still necessary, you won’t be fighting alone."

Solaris looked down at the grass.

The Phoenix inside her wanted Carrion Spire burned now. It had wanted the same thing fifty years ago.

She touched the feather on her brow again.

"My last uprising began with a plan."

Lancet waited.

"I had supporters inside the furnaces. Families who remembered Cinderhold. Fighters who had hidden the old symbols for decades." Her hand lowered. "I believed that was enough."

She paused before saying, "It wasn’t."

The word came without anger this time.

"They built over the old channels. When I used the Phoenix’s claim, Carrion Spire severed it before the city could answer." Solaris looked toward the spires again. "I mistook movement for progress and numbers for preparation."

Lancet said nothing. She did not need him to explain her own failure.

"If I return now," she continued, "they will know what to expect. The defenses will be stronger, and the stolen remains may have been moved again.

"And if I die, the offer you are making will not be here in fifty years."

The fire around her settled lower.

Solaris faced him. "What is your price?"

Lancet narrowed his eyes, becoming serious. "You train Frieda Castleloft. You help me in the coming war. And when I need your power, you work with my team."

"For how long?"

"You’re going to be my bond forever," he said. "But I need you forever. Once the wars are fought and Gehenna is defeated, you’re free to live as you wish."

Her mouth tightened.

Lancet added quickly to make her not concentrate on that, "In return, I will work toward Cinderhold. Records first. Phoenix relics next. Then we figure out who in Carrion Spire can be bought, persuaded, voted in or removed."

"Removed."

"You decide how peaceful that word needs to be."

Solaris almost smiled.

Almost.

"What is this girl like?"

"Frieda?"

"Yes."

Lancet sat on the fallen tree again now that he was no longer being held in place.

"She’s not wild. That’s part of the problem. Her fire is."

Solaris remained standing.

"She’s afraid of hurting people," Lancet continued. "The fear makes her hesitate, and the hesitation makes her control worse. Her instructor reacts by pushing harder. And her family’s expectations make the matter worse."

Solaris’s face remained calm. "She sounds poorly trained."

Lancet gave her a look. "Harsh... but true."

Solaris looked at him.

Lancet shrugged. "You don’t need to care about her. You just need to teach her."

"And if she wastes my time?"

"She won’t."

"You cannot know that."

"Frieda’s a very powerful Awakener. I’m doing this to help a friend of mine who’s really close to her," he explained. "She will prove herself to you. Just try to be... patient."

Solaris considered the answer, then turned away again. For several moments, she watched the Academy in silence.

At last, she said, "I will train her."

Lancet kept his relief from reaching his face too quickly.

"In exchange," Solaris continued, "you begin with Cinderhold at once. I want every modern map of Carrion Spire, every surviving record of House Ashen, and every known location tied to the Phoenix remains."

"I can do that."

"If I discover you have exaggerated your influence—"

"I haven’t."

"If you have, I will know."

Lancet nodded. "Fair."

Solaris looked at him over one shoulder. "I suppose this makes us allies."

He smiled. "Yup."

She squinted at him. "I do not even know your name."

"Oh!" he smiled sheepishly. "I’m Lancet Leogardt. Legend Summoner." He looked down at his bound hands. "I would have offered you a handshake but..."

She noticed, then sent away the flame cuffs on his hand. Lancet offered her his hand and after a subtle moment, she accepted and shook it.

Her century old hand was warm and soft, like a pillow soaked in summer heat. Lancet squeezed into it a bit and hoped she didn’t notice.

"Very well then, Lancet." Solaris released her hand. "We shall be allies."

Lancet smiled at her.

She looked at him with a less aggressive expression now, then, her gaze dropped for the first time.

The fire covering her body had thinned during the conversation. It still hid her, but only just.

"One more thing, Lancet," she said. "Do you have clothing?"

Lancet followed her eyes before realizing what she meant.

His face heated at once.

Solaris stood completely naked beneath the Phoenixfire.

He looked away so quickly his neck hurt. "I’ll find you something!"