The beginning

"Did they always exist? I don't know if they did. You'll have to ask the ambassador. He knows more about that." Five pointed ahead. "There's the city. The ambassador is going to be coming along soon. We're going to wait near the south road to catch him."

"Alright," India sighed. "I can't wait to get in a warm bed and sleep."

Five sat on a broken curb. "It won't be that long. He's an efficient guy."

"Here," Seth said, stopping near a large circle etched in the ground. He jumped on top of a bus and sat down. "This is the spot."

Soren walked around the circle, scrutinizing it thoroughly. "Hmm. I must say, I'm impressed." He tapped the end of his staff at the outer edge of the circle, receiving a large spark of protest from the cement. "For mere demons, they seem to know what they're doing."
He looked up at Cala. "We'll need a sealing scroll first. If we're not careful, our exorcism will awaken him indefinitely."

"I hope you do," Seth sneered from the bus. "Athen would make things right again."

Kallias quickly approached 5, who was sitting upon a curb. "Five, I am afraid I have some bad news. I can't return to the safe camp yet. I have to inconvenience you further. Would you mind taking the Dr. Tanner to the safe camp and find Mr. Rowe and instruct him on repairing the carriages?" Kallias bowed deeply.

Cala nodded, ignoring Seth, and started preparing as Soren had asked.

Soren walked around the circle again, sprinkling a fine powdery substance around the circle carefully. The powder particles glowed upon impact with the concrete surface. "Dear boy, do you really think that negatively of those around you?" He called to the boy on the bus as he worked. He stood from his squatting position and picked up his staff. "Nobody is as they seem, you know," he added.

"Same to you," Seth growled, laying on the bus. "Athen is our protector. Our savior."

Soren ignored the boy's grouchy quips, smiling with amusement. He pulled a large book from his satchel and opened it, suspending it in midair chest-level, light blue mist seeping underneath the book and fading before touching the concrete below. "Shall we begin, Cala?" He asked the girl calmly.

Cala nodded and joined Soren, following his lead. She glanced at Seth, wondering what he was talking about and how a Miser was a savior, even to other Misers.

Soren began chanting in an ancient language, his voice powerful and loud. He held his staff out in front of him pointed at the circle. Fine blue mist began to form at the end. It seeped from the staff and creeped slowly to the ground, sliding quietly towards the circle. A dark red aura formed around the circle's edges as a luminescent translucent barrier tried its best to protect the summoning circle from the man's power.
As the mist made contact with the barrier, the red light began to crack audibly, a jagged scar running up its side. Soren chanted faster now, his words piercing as the mist leaked through the crack.

Cala watched and made mental notes, as she did every time. She wondered to herself if she could do something like this on her own, but decided that was a silly idea.

Anna sat on the edge of the city, staring at the city, smiling and eating jerky. "Things are changing fast!" she exclaimed.

Five stood. "Yeah, got it. I'll go now. I sent Soren ahead with Seth." He whistled and signaled to India to follow. "Let's move it, lady. I need something to eat and more smokes."

India followed quickly, looking between the two men. "O-ok. Um, thank you, ambassador." She bowed quickly and ran after Five.

"Listen up. It's about thirty minutes from here. Once we're there, I'm leaving you with the military leader when we get there. Got it?"

"Alright..." India answered quietly. She rushed to keep up, sprinting over the terrain.

Athen's senses began to awaken as he lay dormant in the chamber under the church. Something was calling him to wake, but holding him down. He gasped, feeling the weight on his chest, the invisible charm of a strong sleeping spell. The pull of the summoning was crushing him between the sleeping spell. He was becoming agitated and irate with his condition.
When I'm out of here, someone's going to pay for this!

Kallias nodded to the two as they passed and began to run towards the center of the city. "Soren!" he called out. I have to hurry!

Soren concentrated as the mist filled the shielded circle and began to slowly swirl within. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he continued chanting from the book. This is stronger than I thought, a small voice in the back of his mind said.

"Soren! There's something wrong with the spell!" Kallias called, leaping over a car and between crumbling buildings. "

Soren furrowed his brow as something struck him. This isn't right...
"Cala! Change of plans! Revive Athen!" He shouted loudly over the sudden wind gusts, ripping his staff free from the exorcism spell. "This is all wrong!"
He moved his free hand over the pages of his book, finding a revival spell. He began chanting a different spell as the mist began to turn a brighter white color.

Cala began to turn towards the voice when a sudden shock went from her toes to her head. An energy struck her inside her body that made her shudder and freeze. An image came to her, as real as the city before her.