Tim Garretson was the first to Summon of us. I wasn't really paying attention. Instead I was scanning the crowd, hoping to see the faces of my parents, grandmother and brother. And if I'd noticed any other family members, it would be a surprising bonus, though I didn't expect them. I had the unfortunate luck to spot Shirley first. She'd probably elbowed her way to the front. She wasn't really paying attention and probably waiting for Judith to appear next to her with her little beast. Good. I didn't want to see her smirking at me. My eyes quickly fell upon Richard. He wasn't that far off of Shirley, who was the closest one to him. The crowd had created distance between them and him and now I could see he was in another magic circle. I couldn't see the prime sigil, but the elemental sigil showed the sign of air. I could barely see him, he'd fallen to his knees. Still I could see he hadn't stopped sobbing. With a heavy heart did I stop staring at him and resumed my search for my parents. It took me two Summonings to find them. They'd found a spot near one of the benches, upon which my grandmother was resting. The moment they'd noticed me look, they waved enthusiastically. I barely managed a smile. Not only because of my nerves, but smiling now while Richard was sobbing in my peripheral felt wrong.

"Zephyra Grey."

My breath hitched. I looked with wide eyes at the principal, whose dark eyes now bore into me. He nodded at me, and I still needed a few moments to react. I slowly took a step forward and, just like when I had to walk to the stage, my legs took over. I walked blankly to the principal. I ignored the teachers. I ignored everything the moment I saw the chalk. My hand shook as I took it. I stared at the ground. There were no outline of the previous circles. All had disappeared at the moment of Summoning. I now only hoped I still remembered the circle. I swallowed and began to work. The chalk scratched over the floor. I winced when I saw I hadn't made a perfect circle. Instead the lines were shaky at a few points. I erased those parts several times before I realized it wouldn't get any better than this. I then placed the sigil of Aether in the east sigil circle and the sigil of Umbra in the west. The elemental sigil was supposed to be empty for this spell. The prima sigil circle I drew the sigil for Summoning. Here I stopped halfway. Was this the right sigil? Wasn't I confusing it for the sigil of item summoning? They were so incredibly similar. Well, it wasn't like they would let me Summon if I'd used the wrong sigil. They'd tell me. Right? It wasn't as if they would be disappointed if they had to correct me. I continued the sigil and got up, awaiting the judgement of my teachers.

To my mild surprise they'd nodded their approval. It had been the correct sign. I realized I'd held my breath. I let it out with a sigh as I now went to get my sacrifice. A few of the students in line chuckled at me. I ignored them. They could chuckle all they wanted. I wasn't going to stop now. I looked into the chest and amongst the clutter I found Mousey. They'd taken him out of the bag. I was simply glad he was still there. A part of me had been certain he'd been taken. Or worse. I took him out and squeezed one more time. I couldn't hug him with the whole town looking at me. This had to do.

I walked with lead in my shoes to the circle. I was almost there. Mousey would be gone, forever. But I'd be a Summoner. Everything would be alright. I would be alright. I placed him in the circle. However, the moment my fingers left him, I felt a slight shock. I frowned. I'd never been staticky. And Mousey hadn't been either. My gut twisted and I reached out to grab him again. But I was too late. A new current ran over him and he exploded in bits of fabric, filling and buttons. And all I could do was stare. My fingers had frozen just before where he'd been. Where now only his fabric lay.

It was only then that I registered sound. A high cackling I despised so much. My gaze immediately went to Shirley, who was still cackling. Judith was next to her, laughing just as off pitch. And I saw red. I didn't know how and I didn't care how. I only knew it must have been them. No one else would have done it. I wouldn't have been able. It had been lightning magic. Lightning magic destroyed Mousey. Shirley destroyed him.

I would have leapt off the stage if the principal hadn't stopped me. Instead he pulled me back and blocked the way.

"Stopped that immediately. You're turning the Summoning into a jest. Is this all a joke to you?" he barked.

"But they! SHe!" I fired back, my voice already broken in anger.

"Don't be ridiculous. No one would intervene in this holy ritual. Your nerves must have caused your mana to blow it up. Now stand ready and repeat after me."

"But,"

"Repeat. After. Me."

I hadn't taken my gaze off of them while the principal had been talking. Not until now. I stared up at him. He didn't believe me. He didn't even care that my chances for a familiar had just gone to Nether. He probably never thought I'd manage anyway. I wanted to scream at him. Kick him and his ridiculous hare. And then see how quickly Judith and Shirley would turn blue when I choked them to death. Tears ran down my cheeks and I pressed my lips together and took my position.

"Oh macht van leven, geef mij de beschermer en gids van mijn bestaan. Een deel van mijn ziel en een deel van mijn hart. Weet wat ik denk en wat ik voel en toon mij de weg naar een volledig leven zodat ik ten tijde van mijn sterfte de rust kan vinden om weder te keren naar zij die mij creëerde," the principal chanted.

I repeated the lines, though when I spoke them they weren't as impressive as the way he said it. Instead I spat them out, making sure that he'd hear my anger. As I came to the end of my chant, I once again glared upon Judith and Shirley. After this, I would make them pay. They would regret this prank. I would make them cower. I was done with them and I would prove it. I pressed my hands on the ground. They would regret ever looking down upon me.

A light flared up.