[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/VuJRTXX.png[/img] [i][sub]Early Morning[/sub] Shinto Town, Canals[/i] [sup]_________________________________[/sup][/center][b]"Gah!"[/b] The seventeen year old student flopped backwards onto the grass dramatically, flinging his arms out in frustration. Around him on the concrete of the canal were many crudely drawn "magic circles," if one could even call them that. Jigen had just about run out of chalk, let alone hope that the thick intricately titled book at his feet was real. It was certainly an impressive tome - leather bound, engraved lettering on the cover, twice as long as any of his text books... plus an unknown author. So despite the name [i]"Magic: it's real and here's how to do it!!"[/i] Jigen had thought hey, maybe it [i]was[/i] real when he checked it out of the old library. It wasn't, but how was he to know? The chapter on "summoning" made it clear that a perfectly drawn circle was needed to converse with a spirit, or angel or demon or youkai that would give him advice if he asked. Advice was definitely something he needed. If they happened to grant him some cool super powers, that'd be alright too. [b]"Don't give up, Saito-san,"[/b] the boy whispered to himself in a voice slightly higher pitched than his own, [b]"come on, you can do it!"[/b] With a quick nod of his head Jigen sprang back up, but he winced as the first rays of sunlight started to peek over the horizon. [i]Seriously? I've been out here this long?![/i] he thought, [i]Okay, I'll give it one more shot before I'll have to get going to school...[/i] The student got to work painstakingly drawing another circle, doing his best to make it as neat as possible. His school bag was nearby with his uniform and notebooks inside, as well as his simple cellphone. The gadget had been purchased for him so he could better stay in touch with his parents, but it hadn't rang with the notification of a message since he got it - and it didn't ring now, even though he'd been out all night attempting to summon some kind of magical being. When he was finishing drawing, Jigen stepped back and wiped his hands on his clothes, getting chalk dust and dirt all over himself. [b]"Hey, this one actually looks pretty good!"[/b] he said to himself with a grin. Okay, what's next... oh, right, the actual spell! He picked up the book and read the incantation lines to himself again. They were... a little embarrassing. Okay, a [i]lot[/i] embarrassing. Was it really supposed to rhyme? Still, he was alone out there by the river, so he quickly read the lines while focusing on his chalk circle. [b]"Here these words, here my cries, spirit from the other side, come to me who calls you near, cross now the great divide?"[/b] The "summoning spell" hadn't worked the last few times, but he attributed it to his poor drawing skills. Surely this time...?[right][sub][@Breo][/sub][/right][hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/y33CMFH.png[/img] [i][sub][/sub] Church Hilltop, Graveyard[/i] [sup]_________________________________[/sup][/center]Astonishing. That he would be summoned back to Earth and met with this... "grand feast." That he, a Pharaoh, would be as a servant to... well, this odd fellow. [i]Markansas Valdark Reschyshyn[/i], as he'd proudly claimed. What a fool. [s]Tut[/s]Berserker really wanted to shout at the mage about what the hell he thought he was doing. He didn't. Though it seemed to Berserker that Markansas was indeed some kind of jester - whether intentionally or not - he sensed something familiar about the man. Dark, hateful grievances swirled about him, though not [i]from[/i] him. Curious, but also a little mortifying if they really did have some things in common. Perhaps it was best to get along for now... [color=mediumslateblue]"..."[/color] Nope, he couldn't do it. He needed to keep his mouth shut if he didn't want to turn his master away from him not only on the first night, but in the [i]first hour.[/i] They said fools had thick heads, but did they have thick hearts? Berserker stared hard at Markansas as if trying to burrow a hole through the magus' skull with just his eyes. He listened to his master speak but he would swear the man wasn't actually [i]saying[/i] anything. After a few long, silent moments where it looked as if Berserker might just lash out with his words, the boy drew in a deep breath and held it. He gazed around the graveyard again since he'd been summoned, noting there was no one around save for master, servant and puppet. At least, none that could be sensed. [color=mediumslateblue]"Master,"[/color] the Pharaoh began, already finding the word distasteful, [color=mediumslateblue]"if you seek advice from me, speak plainly and I'll give it. As you can see, I am..."[/color] he paused, and raised his arms up with a shrug, [color=mediumslateblue]"...not well suited to direct combat. For now I suggest we stay clear of powerful martial servants... or..."[/color] A cursory look at Berserker's stats with his master's clairvoyance and Markansas would be able to tell that what his servant said was true. As the young king trailed off, he considered what he was about to say. If it was possible to land his draining curse on a powerful servant in the first night, it would be a major boon. The thought of using his Noble Phantasm gave Berserker a headache, but in the end it would only benefit them... he did have a personal duty to fulfill, but it was a really awful ability. [color=mediumslateblue]"Never mind for now. If you have a base like a magician's workshop, let me see it."[/color] [right][sub][@SSW][/sub][/right]