Chapter 10 - The First Summon

Ignia deeply exhaled. The summoning circle was drawn at her front yard. She pondered over her work without a care in the world, she never had visitors or passerbys in her location. A simple bounded field that didn't repulse others, but kept those that weren't aware of it far and away through a simple lack of interest. There really was nothing special here, that was part of the charm of her small home to her though. And, when it came to making preparations for a war in secret it came as one of its best qualities.

The circle was drawn with silver mixed with her blood. Despite the mixture, the melted silver retained the majority and it's beautiful color. The circle was neat and tidy, it was a wonder that someone as impatient as Ignia managed to draw it. Upon closer inspection, there were some parts that were rushed. At least, that is what one could assume happened knowing the girl's temperament. And with only the vague book that she had for guidance, who could blame her for being a little hasty on parts of the circle that weren't made clear. Still, from a distance the circle looked complete and well made.

Just to be sure though, she thought, and did a slice to her finger. A single drop of blood dripped into the center of the circle before she began the chant. After that drop fell, her wound was already healed.

"Silver and blood to the origin.

Fire and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone…"

So on and so forth the chant continued, the gathering of mana increasing to an apex.

"I shall become the Justice that stands against the dominions of hell. From the seventh heaven, attended to by three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, Protector of the Balance!" Ignia's loud voice rang out as none expected what came next.

A chair was positioned at the opposite end of the summoning circle. The chair was made from some dark colored stone and was indeed an ornate throne. However the stone appeared cut at the head, making it shorter and more fit to the one sitting in it now. A dark brown haired girl with length left unchecked, growing far down to the ground. Her head had a hairband in it, and her eyes held a blue light. At her side was a sword, and those glowing eyes looked directly at Ignia. "Well isn't this a familiar sight?" A young voice spoke. It was condescending and snide, full of discontent. "And I take it you are to be my Master? You are unworthy of the position. Kneel."

Ignia smiled despite the young girl's provocation. "I am Ignia Carroll. I am to be your Master, Alice Liddell."

The girl hopped up from her seat. "I have not been called by that name in a long time. And that family name is the only thing keeping your head on your shoulders, impertinent brat." She smiled. It seemed as though she took a liking to having a Master that didn't serve her beck and call here. "I am the Caster servant, and if you dare refer to me as your Servant your war will end the moment after. However, in honor of your name, I shall allow you to call yourself my Master. Feel honored, Miss Carroll."

"You are every bit as described by my late ancestor, Caster." Ignia smiled happily.

You see, the first rendition of Alice in Wonderland was indeed a darker tale. For while Lewis Carroll was able to witness Alice's journey, the girl never managed to make her return. That was no way to end a story, and so Lewis penned the ending the world knew. This was Caster. Alice Liddell, not the girl who went on a dreamlike adventure, but the girl who was swallowed by it and not returned. And this teenage girl, darkened and warped by the experience, is the result.

"A shame I never got to return. The power I gained is something else you know."

"I know quite well. I only wish it could have been documented further, and of course that you could have returned." Ignia explained. She was quite the fan of the original work, to the point that of any summon she could have gone for she indeed summoned the little girl.

"It is best for all that I did not. Though given this attempt to have a wish granted, I do not mind wandering through a new Wonderland. Shall we begin, ancestor of Carroll?" She wasted no time demonstrating the awesome power that servants possessed. And then, what Lana was able to see all the way from her view in her small church.

The countryside was picturesque, ideal for background imagery in many movies. So picture the Overseer's surprise when the grass changed to be a shade of purple. From the clear amount of magical energy being gathered, she already knew what was happening, but neither Lana nor Ignia expected Caster to create an entire castle in a single minute during the night. Yet that is exactly what appeared. Soldiers shaped like cards wandered within the grounds away from peering eyes, and elite soldiers fashioned after chess pieces stood atop the walls. All centered around the cut throne that Caster was summoned from.

"I would like to see who dares assail us now, let their attacks be swift and many. Shall they attempt to harm a hair on your brow, my Wonderland is open to any."

Ignia was shocked well and truly. She wandered the massive castle that her countryside had become after reinforcing her bounded field. Any half baked mage could see through the disguise, but she was concerned with this castle not becoming DisneyLand. Anyone who saw would have thought it was a new tourist attraction, at the very least this would keep curious onlookers away.

But that said, Ignia was a curious onlooker herself this moment, and explored the stone castle that was her new residence. The castle was wondrous in unorthodox ways. The suits of armor that decorated the halls would kneel as she passed, for starters. The banners waved, literally, as she strolled forward. There was no waiting staff, but there were fairies of all sorts darting around. Ignia paused for a moment to inspect them. They were closer to pixies in nature than actual fairies, and they seemed a little darker as though to reflect the owner of this castle. She thought all in all that this was… more normal than a Castle out of Wonderland. She moved to the throne room where Caster sat, a wide smile across her face.

"What do you think? Is my territory not magnificent?" She asked her Master. Despite the power difference between the two, Ignia was almost a solid two feet taller than the teenage girl, who was only a bit above four feet tall.

"It is… Quite a powerful move indeed though it is more normal than I thought."

"Ah, don't you worry about that. If I could summon up all the defenses that easily this world would not be able to contain me. This is the bare minimum of what I can accept. And if I summoned the entire territory, your bounded field could not have held it."

"So you did notice that before you summoned this castle, that is a relief." And here Ignia thought young Alice was trying to reveal the mysteries of the world to all.

"... Yes, I absolutely noticed that before and not during. Praise my observation further, daughter of Carroll."

Ignia paused for a moment and sighed. Her servant was quite childish, both in revealing her meaning so easily and wishing for praise on such minute details rather than the truly amazing work they did. Nonetheless, Ignia was happy to pat the girl on her head, which elicited a small giggle from her partner. "You truly are his daughter, he used to pat me the same way. Such memories, I may wish to stroll through the city one evening."

"I could likely arrange that." Ignia responded with a gentle smile.

"I doubt you could have stopped me, though the assistance is indeed welcomed."

The child had no form of real supervision or monitoring for far too many years. Ignia could only wonder what the true effect of that land had upon young Alice. She was clearly arrogant and unruly, yet she maintained much of the proper teachings of her mother as well. Ignia could only ponder what the other Servants would be like. Most legends wouldn't be quite this young.