The Tower of Mist

by Sabin

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Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapter 3	Chapter 4
Chapter 5	Chapter 6	Chapter 7

Chapter 1

Rydia looked at her class of child monsters as they played. She looked at her watch. "Ok, class. Recess is over." She watched as her class of mutants and demi-humans came back into the classroom. As soon as they were all in, she closed the door and went to her desk. "Ok. Take out your homework."

It had been a couple months since Rydia had taken on Zemus, the dark lord of the lunarians. After she had defeated him, she returned to the Land of Summoned Monsters and become a teacher to the younger monsters.

"Ok. It's time for an oral pop quiz." Rydia said. The students groaned. "Don't groan. It's apart of your grade." She paused to think of a question. "What is your job as a summon?" A couple of students raised their hands, but Rydia looked passed them at a fire demon and a snake monster talking to each other. "Ifrit Jr., perhaps you know the answer."

The fire demon looked up at her. Even though he didn't hear the question, he tried to think of an answer. "ur... Fire 3?"

"That's your job as a summon?" Rydia asked.

"Oh! You mean our job as a summon. Well,
that's easier. See, you had me confused. I thought you said..." Ifrit said, trying to evade the question.

"Ifrit, you don't give me an answer, I'm going to fail you for this pop quiz." Rydia said.

"Don't you fail me enough times?" Ifrit said. "Come on, Ms. Rydia. Pleeease..."

Rydia rolled her eyes. "Does anyone know the answer?" A young girl raised her hand. "Aria."
Aria stood up. She looked more like a human girl than a summoned monster. "A summoned monster's job is too to protect the master whom that summoned monster had bestowed upon their service."

"Very good. That is correct." Rydia replied.

"Stop showing off, Aria. We all know how smart you are because you are Queen Asura's daughter." Ifrit complained.

"I'd be smarter than you even if I wasn't." Aria said, sticking her tongue out at Ifrit. Ifrit scoffed at the remark.

Rydia looked at her watch. "I suppose I can let you out a little early today." The students stood up and left the classroom. "Don't forget to practice your elemental abilities. We'll be having a guest tomorrow, so be sure to brush up on it. And please don't set the building on fire again."

Before Ifrit left, he turned around. "It was one time! I was a novice! How could you blame me?" He left the classroom.

Rydia packed up her things and left for her home. She only lived a short distance from the school. She arrived at her house a couple minutes later. She opened her door to find her cat waiting for her. "Hello, Tiddles." The black and white cat gave her a gentle meow. Rydia picked her cat up and began to pet it. Tiddles began to purr. "Are you hungry?" Tiddles' eyes lit up. The cat leapt from Rydia's arms and walked into the kitchen. Rydia went into the kitchen and fed her cat. She sat back down on the couch when a knock came from her door. She opened it to find Asura. "Queen Asura! W-what an unexpected surprise."

"I just came by to see how you were doing, dear." Asura said.

"I'm doing fine... Why do you ask?"

"Well, I heard about you and Edge calling it quits." Asura said. "Breakups are never too easy on a heart."

Rydia sighed. "So, everyone knows now?"

Asura nodded. "I'm afraid so." She came into Rydia's house. "Do you feel like talking about it? The ending of a relationship is going to eat you alive if you do not talk about it."

Rydia snickered a little. "Too tell the truth, we never really got started, let alone finish a relationship."

"Oh dear." Asura patted Rydia's back. "Well, I'm going to say that you do not need that man. He is an arrogant, self-absorbed man. You deserve better than that, dear."

Rydia sighed. "I suppose."

Asura shook her head. "I don't suppose this, I know this."

Rydia nodded. "Well, thank you for your concern, but I'm over him completely."

Asura smiled. "Well, good. But if you need to talk about it, I am willing to listen." Asura let herself out.

Rydia laid down on the couch. She began to think about Edge and the times they had. Without noticing, she drifted off to dreamless sleep. She awoke the next morning and prepared to go teach her class. While she was preparing her breakfast, she heard someone knock at the door. "Who could that be this morning?"

As she approached the door, she heard a familiar voice talking to her. "Come on, Rydia. Open up. It's me."

Rydia stopped where she was, thinking whether or not she should answer the door. After another round of knocks, she sighed and opened the door. They both stood there silent. Rydia shrugged. "Well?"

Edge sighed. "Can we talk?"

Rydia laughed at the remark. "For the last couple weeks, you never listened to me. And now, all of a sudden, you want me to listen?" She was about to close the door, but Edge put his arm on it and forced it to stay open.

"Come on, you're being unfair to me." Edge complained.

"Oh, so now I'm the one being unfair. What about the time you said that we would go out and have a picnic by the waterfall. But you said you couldn't make it because you were helping the army fight off a troop of Torants." Rydia said.

"Hey, I could've been doing that."

"Unlikely. Torants were wiped off the face of the earth a couple centuries ago." Rydia replied. "So instead, you sent your brother to join me. Tell me, was that fair?"

"Look, I know I acted like a jerk, but maybe we can work things out. Just hear me out." Edge pleaded.

"No, you hear me out! When we first met, I thought you were an arrogant, self-absorbed twit. But when you said you loved me, I thought you meant it and I thought that I had misjudged you. But my original perception was right and I can't believe that I thought you could change. You are nothing more than a self-centered glory hound and you'll never change." Rydia snapped. Edge stayed silent. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to teach a class." She grabbed her supplies and walked past him.

All of a sudden, Asura came running through the door. From the look on her face, she was in a panicked state. "Rydia, have you seen Aria anywhere?!"

"No, your grace. Did she say she was going anywhere?" Rydia asked.

"I remember she said she was going to meet with some friends, but she never came home last night!" Asura responded.

"Don't worry, your majesty. We'll find her for you." Edge said.

Asura looked at Edge with a slightly angered face. "That's very nice of you to say that, but I feel that this doesn't concern you." She looked back at Rydia. "Will you help me?"

"Of course." Rydia said. She and Asura went out of the house. Edge shook his head and left.

They went over to the schoolhouse to find Aria's friends and ask them about her. But they all said she had gone home.

"What are we going to do?" Asura said, hopelessly.

"Rydia! Asura!" Edge came running up to them. "Aria was kidnapped." He handed them a piece of paper. "I found it stuck to your door."

Asura grabbed it and read it aloud. "Dear Asura and Leviathan, if you ever want to see your precious daughter again, surrender the summoner Rydia to me. Signed the great warlock." Tears came to Asura's eyes. "Leviathan will not be pleased when he gets back from patrolling the seas."

"The great warlock? Who could that be?" Edge pondered.

Rydia remained silent, drawn back by the note. "I must save her."

Asura wiped her eyes. "I couldn't ask you to jeopardize your safety. But please do something to save my little girl."

Rydia nodded. She began to walk towards the entrance of the cave.

"I'll go with you." Edge said, catching to her.

"No. I must confront this warlock alone." Rydia said.

"Rydia, you can't face him alone." Edge argued.

"So now you're acting all noble because of what I said."

"No. I'm doing this because I don't want to see a mother lose her child." Edge said. Rydia just looked at him with a stubborn look. "You'll need a bodyguard."

"I can take care of myself." Rydia continued to argue.

"Rydia! I am coming with you whether you like it or not!" Edge said with finality.

Rydia closed her eyes and held her hands out in front of her. "Sleep." A bluish aura emitted from her hands. Edge gazed into the aura and fell to the ground, immediately asleep. "Sorry, Edge. But I just can't trust you anymore." She left him asleep on the ground while she made her way out of the cave.