The Extra System: Summoner of Shadows

The shadows condensed around the desolate temple. No one had visited this place in the past thousand years. Cedric stared at the statue of the forgotten god, feeling slight apprehension about its story.

After hearing Cedric's answer, the ancient god remained silent. The shadows condensed around the statue, enveloping it until they formed the black cat that Cedric had met before. As its white wings spread open, a pair of red eyes appeared.

"Is this your true form?" Cedric asked, intrigued by the being before him. The more he read its story, the more he respected the cat.

"One of many," answered the cat, staring at him. Cedric was surprised to hear human words coming from a cat, but he did not question it. "As the Guardian of Oblivion, no shadow can escape my gaze. However, a greater shadow than the roc himself looms over yours."

"I have no idea what that shadow is."

"I somehow believe that," said the cat as it stared at him, its voice still as ancient and neutral. "You came here to become my contractor. Tell me one reason I should accept such a demeaning request."

Cedric agreed with its statement. A familiar was no different from a servant, and he was attempting to convince a god to take this step for him. If he were such a god, even if forgotten, he would smack the hell out of the impudent human who suggested such a thing. But Cedric was still alive.

That meant there was a chance. 

[Reader Mindset (X) has activated.] 

As he tried to remember something that would convince the god before him, the passive skill seemed to activate. His memories became crystal clear, allowing him to retrieve information about the god.

Records of Elaris was a giant novel, separated into segments just to encompass its millions of words. Cedric needed a year to finish it for the first time, but only a month to read it again. And in those hundreds of thousands of paragraphs, only a few mentioned the god before him. And even then, it was just an introduction to a chapter.

[Umbra, the final barrier between light and darkness, collapsed. In its shattered realm stood two looming shadows, old friends and rivals long forgotten by the rest of the world. Their final battle began, one destined to be forgotten. 

Countless figures of overbearing power arrived in Elaris, ready to make it a battlefield for their selfish gains. They were welcomed by the Lord of Umbra and the last ancient god, Sabasius, Guardian of Oblivion.]

Cedric was silent as he remembered their fate, saddened that their breathtaking existence and crucial importance were tossed aside by the author. He now understood why he had come to this world. His mission was to fix the novel.

"Umbra will fall," Cedric muttered, making the cat snap its eyes open at him. "And light will clash with darkness, bringing the end of Elaris. Before that happens, Umbra needs a Shadeborn, someone the Shadow Roc can trust."

"It could be any of the other candidates."

"If the nine are enough, why is there a tenth?" Cedric asked, and Sabasius was silent. The cat squinted its eyes at him, hesitant for the first time since they met. "You became my summon because you already knew I was different. Umbra will not fall as long as I exist."

Sabasius was once again silent, pondering the words this human gave him. It was a great leap of faith to become the Familiar of someone it could squash with a flick of its paws. Then, it smiled at him.

"You are indeed amusing," said Sabasius as shadows rose around it. "I want to see what made the Shadow Roc choose you. I have one final question before I agree to the contract, human."

"Ask away, god," Cedric said with a cheeky smile, but his heart was almost leaping out of his chest. If he could seal the deal with a god, he would have an easier time in Elaris.

"What makes you desire to be the Shadeborn?"

Cedric knew that his answer couldn't be another thoughtless response. His mind cleared as he thought about what he wanted from this world.

"If nothing changes, the world will end. That is no way to end a story, right?" he asked, and Sabasius seemed confused and intrigued by his answer. "I would be unsatisfied with such an ending."

"Unsatisfied, huh?" Sabasius muttered with a grin. "A truly amusing human. I accept becoming your Familiar and helping you become the Shadeborn. But if you change and abuse the power that comes with that title, I will be the one to kill you."

"That won't happen," Cedric said with a grin. "Because I have to be a one-dimensional, extra character!"

---

Cedric fell backward as his soul returned to his body. As the pain covered his back like a blanket, another shot through his hand. The back of his hand was burning as a new, different mark appeared atop it: a feline eye.

[You have formed a contract with Sabasius, Guardian of Oblivion.] 

[You have assigned Sabasius as your Familiar.] 

[You have obtained 25 SPs for personal achievement.] 

[You can now view the status menu of your Familiar in your Characters Menu.]

Cedric stared at the notifications raining down on him as he collapsed on the ground, smiling. He was satisfied with his progress so far, but he had also learned more about his purpose in this world. He wanted to change its ending.

Memories of his grandfather's bitter death resurfaced in his mind. Cedric considered him the only person who had loved him for who he was and never tried to force his ideals on him. His grandfather died with one regret that he never seemed to overcome: the ending of his beloved novel.

"I will change it," Cedric said as he reached into empty air and made a fist. "I will make sure that the world you loved so much has a better, complete ending."

Cedric wanted to be a writer in his previous life, but after some second thoughts, maybe he wanted that to ensure that his novels would not end in the same way as Records of Elaris.