[hider=Sola 28th, 3am (Warning: Contains violence against a bird!)] [color=9FA1A4]This was his space. An uninteresting warehouse in a sea of warehouses that all looked the same. Thieves looking for an easy break-in would find the door and its lock far sturdier than worth their effort. From inside the warehouse, the wards around the door would look like strange graffiti carved into the wood, and magic worked to both reinforce the barrier and deter the uninvited from attempting entry. Anyone who managed to break inside would find a mostly empty warehouse. A few crates here and there contained nothing but old junk. The only thing that might arouse suspicion was the absence of dust or cobwebs in a space so empty and seemingly abandoned. Only those who could see the lingering traces of magic would notice the concealed door. So Callum had to remember exactly where it was, had to count out the exact number of paces, and whisper an incantation to a wooden panel. Then he could walk right on through the illusionary wall and continue down a flight of stairs, down to a basement, and see only another locked door. This door had no metal key or secret password, this door opened only for his blood and led into a basement. Here was a dirt floor, surrounded by darkness until another spell from Callum lit a handful of candles around the room all at once. The dim light was not enough to reach the walls of the room. [color=black][b]Below the earth.[center]Hidden from the sun.[/center][right]Closer to the underworld.[/right][/b][/color] [center][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lMuISQz6Yw]Vibe[/url][/center] Here, Callum set down a backpack and a covered birdcage as his eyes adjusted to the dark and empty space. Soft cooing from the birdcage echoed around him as he carefully removed his clothing. [color=00F8FE]“Step one, prepare the mind and body.”[/color] He spoke aloud, as he carefully removed a fine-tipped brush and jar of freshly made ink. Once his eyes adjusted to the candlelight he set to work covering his skin in sigils, cold ink gliding over goosebumped skin. Symbols of strength, protection, and control covered his body. He sat on a blanket draped over the earth as he waited for the ink to dry, anticipation pounding in his chest. He had added his own interpretations to the ritual. He prepared his mind by retrieving an opium kit from the backpack, allowing the sweet smoke to lull him into a trance-like state. His mind was closer to the spirit realm but not entirely lost to the opium. Magic appreciated indulgence and restraint in equal measure, it rewarded balance. A request demanded a sacrifice, he felt the ritual he’d studied lacked that. He had a big request, he knew exactly what he wanted and would leave this room with nothing short of it. Cal would attract the attention of something powerful by first offering an equally powerful sacrifice. His heart pounded away as the ache in his chest squeezed tighter. He removed a few more items from the backpack. Callum removed a dove from the birdcage. His top fingers curled around the bird’s neck, the rest of his hand wrapped around the bird keeping its wings still. The dove continued to coo, the sound more frantic now, almost as if the poor creature could divine the future. His other hand held a small knife. He extended a finger and gently scratched the top of the bird’s head. [color=00F8FE]“I’m sorry,”[/color] Callum whispered. Then, without further hesitation, he drove the knife through the dove’s heart. He killed something innocent and willingly crossed his boundaries. His action echoed through the space. It made this spot a place where boundaries were easily crossed. The veil between the physical and the spirit realm thinned in response. He patiently waited as the blood dripped onto an offering bowl. Callum wanted power. He needed to attract the attention of a potent spirit; something primal and dangerous. The kind of spirit he wanted wouldn’t be drawn in by anything mundane; only a worthy sacrifice would suffice. A life and a piece of his soul were both gone. One dark act to help prepare his spirit to commit a darker act. He carefully moved the offering bowl to a new spot on the floor, not a drop of crimson spilled. He drew a large circle in the dirt floor around the bowl, redrawing it several times until it was perfectly formed. He then covered the circle with a layer of salt, poured from a jar. Within the salt circle, he painstakingly traced out a unicursal hexagram in one continuous motion and laid a layer of salt atop it as well. At each point, he drew a sigil and outside the circle, across from each sigil he’d drawn, he placed a black candle. [color=00F8FE]“Power.”[/color] His voice held resolve as he spoke each sigil's demand before lighting each candle. [color=00F8FE]“Protection. Guidance.”[/color] He continued as he struck a new match each time. [color=00F8FE]“Cunning. Loyalty. Ruthlessness.”[/color] His voice echoed in the quiet void below the earth. Finally, in the middle of the circle, he drew a sigil for the force he, and the familiar he intended to summon, would serve together; chaos. [color=00F8FE]“As we serve Cleado; destroyer of towers, bringer of change, herald of upheaval.”[/color] He washed his hands clean a few paces from the circle with a bottle of clear alcohol and ensured he was not tarnished with dirt. Then Callum stood within the circle, feet firmly planted, back straightened, chest stretching outwards, and wielding an athame in his left hand. [color=00F8FE][center]"Spiritus, adiuva me! Veni in pactum! Tenebras te arcesso, familiarem te facio!"[/center][/color] His voice deep and commanding, called out across the veil. He chanted the phrase, each repetition growing louder and louder until he shouted with the fervor of a warlord. Each time he spoke the room grew colder, and by will alone he kept himself from trembling from the cold. His breath formed tiny clouds, his skin prickled, and his hair stood on the back of his neck. The flames of candles danced, threatening to flicker out, as winds moved through the room. [color=00F8FE][center][b]"Spiritus, adiuva me! Veni in pactum! Tenebras te arcesso, familiarem te facio!"[/b][/center][/color] The circle and his sigils charged with a red glow and the air hummed and crackled with magic until one by one the flame of each candle vanished with a faint pop. The red glow illuminated vanishing wisps of smoke as shadows crawled and slithered through the parted veil. [color=00F8FE][center][b]"Ite nunc! Ite nunc! Ite nunc!”[/b][/center][/color]Each utterance was accentuated by a slash of the athame. One by one he banished any spirit that begged or sniveled for attention. No spirit that showed weakness would suffice. [color=00F8FE][center][b]"Ite nunc! Ite nunc! Ite nunc!”[/b][/center][/color]The air became almost too heavy to breathe, the room so cold he felt the ground frosting beneath his feet. He saw brief glimpses into a realm that swirled with chaos and shadows. Spirits ebbed forth from behind the veil, things without shape that pooled around him. [color=00F8FE][center][b]"Ite nunc! Ite nunc! Ite nunc!”[/b][/center][/color]Until he felt a wind so strong it nearly knocked him from his stance. He had to force his eyes to stay open as the cold cut through him. [color=black][b]“Called here by a mortal child?”[/b][/color] A low, predatory whisper enveloped him. It laughed at him and his bones rattled. [color=black][b]“A pitiful magus, arrogant and hungry.”[/b][/color] A shadow began to rise, to take on an inky amorphous shape as it slunk around the perimeter of a circle that it could not break. Darkness gathered into orbs, cold voids that watched him, studied him, and bore through him. Cold crept inside of him; blood, organs, bones, all chilled beyond any winter he’d ever felt. [color=00F8FE]“You are worth my time,”[/color] Callum finally addressed the spirit. Shadows flickered and parted, and a ghastly smile too wide for its head formed as it laughed again. Its smile was just as dark and empty as its eyes. [color=black][b]“But are you worth mine?”[/b][/color] It asked as its dark form moved toward the offering bowl. In an instant, the shadow consumed the blood. Ancient spirit and arrogant sorcerer ironed out the terms of their agreement. Callum pierced his finger with the athame, a wisp of shadow slithered in and healed the wound. Their bond was sealed and long after the sun had risen, Cal left the warehouse with a monkey atop his shoulder. [/color][/hider] [hider=TLDR:] Callum does a ritual in a secret basement in a warehouse to summon a familiar. He sacrifices a dove too.[/hider] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ONd4lpK.png[/img][/center] [color=00F8FE]Time: 11-ish am Location: Edin Theater Interactions: Wulfric & Auguste (while ignoring Edin, Alibeth, and Morrigan)[/color] [color=red]Warning: Contains slander against all birds!! [/color] [hr] [color=9FA1A4] Callum was a tad late but in his defense, it wasn’t easy finding formal wear for a monkey. A few heads turned upon his arrival; perhaps some were surprised to see the young prince looking almost respectable in a dark blue suit, uncharacteristically well-groomed, and even wearing a smile for the event. A dark pair of sunglasses hid his pinpoint pupils and glassy expression but the sweet and smoky scent that clung to him betrayed one of his indulgences. Most, however, were simply confused to see a wiry little spider monkey perched atop the prince’s shoulder wearing a matching suit. Both sported a pop of color in their matching bright pink bow ties, which Cal had picked out to show their support for Ana in her big performance. Some likely wondered if the prince brought a monkey into such a formal occasion to stir up trouble, but the monkey matched Cal’s calm demeanor as the creature flashed wide smiles at those who turned to look at them. A quick stop at the concessions stand, as Callum bought two fruit cups, allowed a few to see the monkey even bow gracefully before wrapping his tail around one of the fruit cups. It seemed the monkey had better table manners than the prince, as it daintily snacked upon fresh fruit. The monkey’s suit remained pristine as the animal chewed with a closed mouth, happily bobbing his head. Callum then climbed the stairs to the private viewing box reserved for his family and sat beside his brothers, without a single word to either monarch. [color=00F8FE]“Good morning, Wulfy. Auggie. Lovely day. May I introduce you to my new friend, Clarence?”[/color] He asked, his words slow as a snail's pace but not quite slurred. At the mention of his name, Clarence again stood upright, gracefully balanced on Cal’s shoulder, and bowed just as he had for his fruit up. [color=00F8FE]“Ain’t he somethin’”[/color] He added, grinning, just as Farim took the stage. Callum sat transfixed by Farim’s story and the incredible flight path of Thara. The falcon’s grace seemed effortless, her movements matched Farim’s commands as if they shared one mind, and there was just something incredible about seeing such a creature soar. [color=00F8FE][i]What a majestic–[/i][/color] [color=black][i][/i][/color] Thoughts that weren’t his intruded into his mind and shouted over his own. [color=00F8FE]“I like birds.”[/color] Callum whispered out loud to the voice only he could hear. His heart crumpled as he thought of the dove that would never fly again. Because of him. [color=black][i][/i][/color] Clarence’s voice reverberated in his mind. Callum's sunglasses hid his eye roll but the unearthly growl that abruptly clamored around in his head told him Clarence could sense the disrespectful gesture. His head continued to throb long after the sound ceased.[/color]