Chapter Thirteen: A Summoning Without a War

Flashback: 1 year, 2 months, and 17 days ago

The world was silent.

Not the comforting silence of a library filled with the scratching of pens, nor the lively hum of a workshop where gears clicked and metal clanged together. This was the silence of an untouched world, a place where nature ruled unchallenged. There were no city streets, no human voices, no familiar architecture. Only the rustling of leaves, the distant cry of unseen creatures, and the hum of wind filtering through the dense foliage above.

Leonardo da Vinci opened her eyes to an unfamiliar sky. The canopy of towering trees cast shifting patterns of light and shadow over her as the sun's golden rays streamed through the cracks. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, rich and untainted. Where was she?

She sat up, placing a gloved hand over her chest. Her body felt stable, properly materialized, her Spirit Core intact. She had been summoned. That much was clear. But where was the summoning circle? Where was her Master? There were no signs of a ritual having taken place, no remnants of incantations hanging in the air. She had been brought here, but by whom? And why?

"Hmm… Now, isn't this a fascinating predicament?" she mused aloud, stretching her arms before dusting off her sleeves. Her voice was the only human sound in the wilderness.

She was used to the unexpected. A polymath, a painter, an engineer, a philosopher—her life had been filled with moments of discovery, of wandering into the unknown. But even she had to admit that waking up in the middle of an uncharted land, summoned with no clear purpose, was a first.

Da Vinci placed a hand on her hip, tilting her head slightly. "A Grail War, perhaps? No, there would be others. A singular summoning? But why out here?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she reached out, testing the bond that tied her existence to this world. And there it was, a distant, faint, but undeniably present. A Master. Someone had summoned her, intentionally or not, and their presence was the only tether connecting her to this reality.

"Well then," she grinned, adjusting her sleeves with a flourish, "it seems my Master has an odd taste for summoning locations. Let's see what kind of person calls for da Vinci in the middle of nowhere."

She began walking, her boots barely making a sound against the damp ground. She had no map, no guide, only the pull of the bond leading her forward. Yet she moved with purpose, as if each step was a calculated part of an experiment.

The world around her was beautiful, untouched. Massive trees with knotted roots twisted into the earth, their leaves the size of shields. Wildflowers in vibrant, unfamiliar hues bloomed along her path, their petals shifting slightly in response to the breeze. Some even glowed faintly as dusk approached, their bioluminescent shimmer giving the jungle an ethereal quality.

Creatures roamed the land, some resembling beasts from ancient Earth, others utterly alien. She paused at the sight of a reptilian predator the size of a carriage, its dark eyes fixed on her before it slinked back into the undergrowth. She could tell that it was Intelligent, territorial, and most importantly dangerous.

Da Vinci was no warrior. She was a thinker, an artist, an inventor. But she was no stranger to survival either. Every new land was a puzzle to be solved, and this world was no different.

She moved swiftly, marking details in her mind as she traveled. The terrain sloped upward at certain points, suggesting a higher plateau. Rivers cut through the dense jungle, their currents fast and untamed. The constellations above were unfamiliar, unrecognizable.

A new world, perhaps? Or an ancient, forgotten part of Earth? No way to know yet.

Her thoughts often wandered to her Master. What kind of person had summoned her?

She had met all kinds of ambitious rulers, desperate scholars, weary warriors, and reckless fools. But a summoner who called upon her, and then left her to traverse an untamed land to find them? That was… intriguing.

"Perhaps a hermit?" she mused. "A reclusive scholar, lost in his own discoveries? Or maybe a warrior, hardened by solitude? No… something doesn't quite fit."

The connection to her Master was stable, strong, but not domineering. There was no overwhelming magical presence, no oppressive control over her existence. Whoever they were, they weren't forcing her into submission.

"A curious one, then," she said with a smirk. "And I do enjoy curiosity."

Days passed. She navigated the landscape with ease, adapting to its dangers and wonders alike. She fashioned tools from the resources around her, constructed makeshift shelters, and observed the patterns of the local wildlife.

She slept beneath the unfamiliar stars, studying their alignment, searching for patterns. The journey was long, but she was patient. The best discoveries were never rushed.

Then, one day, she saw it.

The first sign of civilization or rather, a place built with intent.

A structure stood in the distance, not primitive, but methodical. Stone walls reinforced with metal. Pathways carefully placed for efficiency. It was not a castle, nor a fortress. It was a workshop.

Her eyes gleamed with excitement.

And then, she saw him.

A man stood outside the workshop, inspecting something in his hands. Black hair, brown eyes, and an expression of quiet focus. He was tall, but not imposing, lean yet strong.

He didn't carry the presence of a noble or a soldier. Not an aristocrat, nor a battle-worn warrior.

He was something else. Something methodical, precise, like the gears of an intricate mechanism.

He turned, sensing her presence, and their eyes met for the first time.

Da Vinci smiled.

"So, you're my Master."

How very interesting.

---

End of Chapter Thirteen