C1: The Summoning Begins

Chapter 1: The Summoning Begins

The room was dimly lit, with only the faint glow of candles flickering against the walls. Dave knelt on the floor, carefully tracing the intricate symbols from the cult's instructions into the dust, his hands shaking slightly as he double-checked the diagram. It was a perfect circle, detailed with strange runes that glowed faintly in the candlelight. For once, Dave wasn't playing a game on his phone, and that nervous energy buzzed within him.

"This is going to be awesome," Aaron said, crouching beside him. His eyes gleamed with excitement, a wide grin plastered across his face. "I knew you could do it, Dave. This circle looks badass!"

Dave didn't answer immediately, focusing on the last few strokes of the chalk. His stutter threatened to break through, but he held it back, determined not to let his nerves show in front of Aaron. He had worked hard on this—months of reading, researching, and gathering materials. He wasn't going to mess it up now.

"Just…just give me a sec," Dave muttered, finishing the last symbol. His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of fear and exhilaration coursing through him. "It has to be perfect."

Jake stood off to the side, arms crossed, his expression neutral. He hadn't said much since they had started. He was the type to go along with things just to keep the peace, but Aaron's unrelenting enthusiasm and Dave's strange obsession with the summoning had him a little on edge. Still, he wasn't about to back out. These were his best friends, his only friends.

"Hope this thing works," Jake finally muttered, kicking at a stray pebble on the ground.

Aaron laughed, a carefree sound that echoed through the room. "Of course it will! I mean, look at this thing. Dave's got it all figured out."

Dave straightened up, glancing over his handiwork with a sense of accomplishment. He wiped his hands on his jeans and looked at the circle again. It was now or never.

"I… I think we're ready," he said, his voice wavering slightly, but there was a determination in his eyes that Aaron had never seen before.

Aaron clapped Dave on the shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. "Let's do it, then. Time to see what this entity's all about."

Jake sighed softly but took a step closer, his gaze flickering between the circle and his friends. He wasn't as enthusiastic as Aaron, but he couldn't deny the excitement bubbling under the surface. Maybe this would be the turning point for all of them. Maybe things would finally change.

As the three of them stood around the circle, Dave reached for the ancient book he'd borrowed from a forgotten corner of the internet, his fingers trembling. He began reciting the strange words, his voice growing steadier with each line. The air around them grew thick, the candles flickering wildly as an unnatural wind swept through the room.

Suddenly, the runes on the floor began to glow brighter, pulsing with an eerie, otherworldly light. The temperature in the room plummeted, and the hair on the back of Aaron's neck stood on end. Jake shifted uncomfortably, his eyes narrowing as he instinctively stepped closer to the others.

"Here we go," Aaron whispered, his excitement barely contained.

The room exploded in a flash of blinding light, and from the center of the circle, a figure materialized.

The entity was unlike anything they had imagined. It towered over them, its body a swirling mass of shadow and molten gold. Its form constantly shifted, as though it was made from smoke and liquid metal, blending shapes and features that no human could ever describe. Eyes like burning coals dotted its body, glowing in different places, each one tracking their movements. From its back sprouted elongated tendrils, swirling lazily as though they were alive. The air around it seemed to hum with power, heavy and suffocating.

The entity's voice, deep and ethereal, seemed to vibrate in their very bones. "Three mortals…with no sacrifices... yet you summon me," it said, its tone laced with surprise. "This is… most unexpected."

Dave, frozen in awe, took a step back, swallowing hard. Aaron, however, grinned even wider. "Told you this would work," he muttered to Jake.

The entity's glowing eyes fixated on each of them in turn, its presence overwhelming. "You three are… intriguing. Summoning an entity such as I, without any offering. Fascinating." It leaned forward slightly, its tendrils curling as though studying them more closely. "Very well. As a reward for this unexpected feat, I shall grant each of you a boon—an ability, limited only by what lies within my power."

Dave had already thought about what he wanted. He had dreamed about it for ages, ever since his time playing shooter and RPG games. "I want… powers like the hacks I use in games," Dave blurted out, his voice shaky but filled with determination. "Unlimited health, ESP, magic bullets—stuff like that."

The entity's molten eyes flickered for a moment before it nodded. "Done," it said simply. A surge of energy flowed through Dave, and he stumbled slightly, feeling a new strength and clarity course through his veins.

Aaron thought back to a movie he'd once seen, a hero who could evolve and adapt to any situation. His heart raced. "I want to be able to evolve—like, change my body to different animals or use their powers. And… maybe monsters too?" he added with a smirk, already imagining the possibilities.

The entity tilted its head, its eyes glinting with interest. "A curious request. But yes… within my limits." Aaron felt a rush of power fill him, a buzzing energy that made his skin tingle with excitement.

Jake, unlike his friends, hadn't put much thought into what he wanted. He glanced at Dave and Aaron, their faces lit with excitement and newfound strength. He didn't care about the specifics; he just wanted something that would keep him on their level. "Just… give me something good," Jake said, waving a hand dismissively. "But make sure it's something that'll actually help me."

The entity's many eyes blinked, and it chuckled—a strange, low rumble. "Very well. I shall grant you something fitting, yet powerful. Something that suits you."

The same surge of energy that hit Aaron and Dave now flowed into Jake. His body tensed as the power settled within him, unfamiliar and yet comforting. He didn't know what he had just been given, but he felt stronger, faster, and more alive than ever before.

The entity straightened, its tendrils retracting slightly. "Your wishes are granted. What you do with these gifts… is up to you."

The trio stood in silence, their hearts racing, as the entity's presence began to fade. The room grew cold again, and the runes on the floor dimmed until they were nothing more than smudges of chalk.

And just like that, the entity was gone.