The Summoner: Rise Of The Night Vanguard

Chapter 1: Shattered Dreams

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Adrian shouted.

Ruby, his girlfriend, was on the bed with some guy's hands all over her waist, kissing him like her life depended on it, and they sprang apart.

His girlfriend of four years was actually cheating on him!

Earlier that day he was still standing in front of the gate telling himself maybe one day he'd get into school and be a proper student but that was impossible for him because of one reason.

He wasn't born with a summon.

In this world, 95% of people awaken their summon at an early age, contracted beasts that aid humans in many ways and Adrian was unfortunately among the 5% without a summon.

He looked down at himself, same shirt with the hole by the collar, same slippers that had shrank all the way down and was now hurting his legs, and he almost laughed at himself for still standing there dreaming like an idiot.

He had stopped chasing his dreams and started chasing Ruby's instead, ever since that night under the old oak tree when she awoken her summon and told him she was going to become a great summoner.

"I'll support you with my life!" He has told her even though he's a broke, poor guy.

He never once thought about taking that back and he worked in three jobs where he was barely sleeping.

Every dollar he made went straight into her tuition, her dorm, her books, telling himself it was worth it and once she graduated they'd get married, get their own place, have children and love a happy life.

But what he failed to understand was that life had other plans.

Today was payday and just as usual his bag was stuffed with almost everything he made that month.

He had planned to surprise her with the money, take her on a date and maybe get her signature smile that never failed to brighten his day.

He was about entering when the security stopped him like always and once they confirmed he was her sponsor, they let him in.

He crossed the training field stopping to watch as kids his age moved with their summons. Beasts of different sizes and types with different abilities. Summoners were really the future of this world.

After he had looked to his satisfaction, he continued walking to room 214. Ruby's room.

The door was already open and he wondered who was in with her when he saw two shadows outside.

"Ruby?" He called out but there was no reply.

He pushed the door open only to see that scene.

She scrambled back stammering his name while the guy just sat up slowly, straightened his jacket, and looked Adrian over.

"So you're the boyfriend Ruby told me so much about." the guy said, and Adrian recognized him instantly.

His name was Damian Ashford and he was the heir of the prestigious Ashford family. His face appeared on television almost every week alongside stories of his family's immense influence and wealth.

"Ruby." His voice wasn't steady.

"You're cheating on me? With him?"

She stared at the floor instead of answering, and that told him everything.

Damian approached Adrian and pulled a black card out of his pocket and said,

"Let's keep this simple, ten million right now on this card and you'll disappear, no crying or no drama and don't even try coming back for her."

Adrian just stood, staring at the card dumbstruck. Considering whether to punch this guy's face or not.

"You think money solves everything?" Adrian said.

"Well, Most things," Damian said, shrugging like it didn't mean anything.

"No." Adrian stepped closer, his hands curling into fists.

"My four years with Ruby was real. I worked myself half to death for her. You can't buy that."

His eyes carrying pure anger, just for about a second, and then Ruby spoke.

"I'm sorry, Adrian" she said, and those words hurt worse than anything Damian had said.

He turned to her, waiting for her to look up, and when she finally did, she did not even look guilty.

"You're a good person," she said,

"and I won't forget what you did for me, but you don't have a summon, which means you don't have a future, and I can't stay for that"

"Please just move on." She added and looked away from him almost immediately

"Move on?" His voice cracked.

"We had a promise, Ruby. We were going to get married and a family, remember? Was any of it real?"

She said nothing, and Damian replied instead.

"You heard the girl. Take the money and go, bro"

"Who the hell is your bro?" He shouted In fury almost grabbing his collar but Ruby blocked him from moving closer to Damien

Adrian's nails dug into his palms.

"I don't want your money," he said, his voice gone flat.

"You'll both regret this." He cursed under his breath.

He looked at her one more time, waiting for anything, a tiny bit of regret or guilt but there was nothing, so he turned and walked out.

He didn't remember most of the walk home because he was just going in a blur.

He almost got hit by a car at some point, and he couldn't even bother to apologize to the driver. His face was down the whole time as tears threatened to fall out of his eyes.

The sun was already down by the time he got to his building and half the hallway lights were dead like always, he went up the stairs not really thinking about anything.

He was almost getting into his house when he stopped all of a sudden.

Some guy in a black hoodie was leaning against his door with a cigarette in his mouth and the moment their eyes met...

Adrian's expression changed as he recognized who that person was.

He turned to leave immediately but there was already a second guy behind him on the stairs with huge muscles, a tall frame and his face all smiles with zero warmt in it. One hand landing heavily on his shoulder and turning him right back around.

They were the Debt collectors!

The guy by the door dropped his cigarette, stepped on it, and grinned with a mouth full of white perfect dentition.

"Hey, Adrian." He said as he pushed himself off the wall.

"It's been a while"