Dxd: Ink and Summoning

"Is everything ready?" I asked l Shishou. 

Something changed in this place since the last time I was here, and I couldn't tell what it was unless she told me what she saw the day I left with a sleepy Ophis.

At least I can take it as Red giving us his approval. Dragon blood is not something you can take easily from someone that powerful.

It may be my imagination but Red may be related to the Goddess who brought me here to this world.

"This time, it will work." She sounded confident, and it's difficult not to be after what Red did to help with the makings of this place.

"But, before we begin, do you have a proper name in mind?" Shishou inquired, curious. She always explains how important names and titles are.

Just take Caesar from FATE. His round belly pretty much tells how much he spends training and fighting. He is not a fighter, more a schemer and tactician yet his Noble Phantasm is boosted to unbelievable levels thanks to him known for 'never been defeated'.

But good question, I spent hours coming up with a decent answer and the best one I could think of after days was.

"Star Court." 

It wasn't the best, but It wasn't terrible either. I think.

"... " 

Or so I thought until I saw Shishou's face "...What? " 

"Nothing, I'm just worried about what your other options were if this was the best one." She expressed her disappointment. "Forget it; it will suffice... for now."

I didn't even give it a bad name like 'Dimensional Trade Hub.' It could be a lot worse.

"Yes, but it could be much better." Shishou responded even when I wasn't speaking. Maybe she can read people's minds as well?

"It's written all over your face." Something else for you to work on. " She said this as she took her own seat, waiting for me to continue with the summon, which I did, but not before giving this place a glance.

IAs I inspected the Star Court one last time, I was truly proud of everything we accomplished for it.

There are twelve available seats, one for each of the zodiac signs.Well, they should be called thrones rather than seats because of their size, shape, and decorations that they have.

Perhaps it is unnecessary, but appearances are important when meeting someone, and we will be meeting a variety of people... and beasts... and even monsters... 

Was this a good idea? I don't know but it's too late to turn back now.

Each throne was unique and was made to fit the person who sat on it. Mine was mostly black, with a Cyan and Red pattern and gold accents that matched the colors of Dusk.

The most visible difference between my seat and the others was a statue of Lady Justice representing Libra behind it, and then a dragon head with antlers on the top back of it. 

Lady Justice is the one wearing the blindfold and wielding the Scale and Sword usually seen in the courts.

Scathach's Seat of Sagittarius is next, which matches the colors in her hair, eyes, spear, and armor, and is purple and red with a very sharp design due to the multiple spears piercing from it.

'At least she appears to like the design.'

Her seat also has a statue of the Sagittarius sign represented by a centaur shooting an arrow.

What about the remaining ten seats... Because we aren't using them right now, they all have a basic gold design. 

The girls were initially interested, but after seeing how many times it failed they decided to use the time on something else. That's why their seats are currently empty. 

One thing to note is that all 12 seats are on what we call "Our side," while hundreds of identical others are on the opposite side, where the people we summon will take a seat if they choose to join.

Each seat is also separated in different spaces by an invisible layer to separate each member.

Because each seat is designed to change shape based on its owner, there will undoubtedly be some significant changes in the monotonous sight in front of us.

"That should be the end of it." I said this while taking a deep breath to relax.

After double-checking that everything was in order, I looked at the Ouroboros Mark on my shoulder and began to fill the entire Star Court with its energy as well as some of my own as I took my seat.

"It's time to get started."

The most important ability that comes with Ophis' Mark is the ability to act as a generator of magical energy, which would take a week or two to generate enough energy to call someone again, according to some calculations.

As the energy from Mark and myself drained, I only thought, 'I just wish for it to be someone useful for us.'

I don't know how to feel If we end up summoning someone useless. Wait, why does it seem like I'm doing some weird IRL gacha? 

Anyway, world travel is a big deal, unlike when I do it with the system's help, so I shouldn't complain regardless of the outcome.

'Common' At least let it be a 4 star!

…

…

Year 1567.

Year 1567.

Grayish-red, stony plain dotted by ravines and faults, with stone mounds and massive, oddly shaped rocks.

An enormous golden burning sun hung high above the plain, turning the entire sky yellow, distorting visibility with its blinding glare, and making the air shimmer.

That is how the Korath Dessert, also known as the Frying Pan by those who live on the edge, is described.

Apart from the well-known and simply named Sand Monster, who reaps the lives of those who fall into the Pitfalls it creates, very few other creatures live here due to its harsh environment.

An unfortunate young girl equipped with nothing else but a dagger to fend herself was thrown in by an unstable Portal amidst this inhabitable hell covered in sand, a place unfit for those who aren't adapted to the lack of water and extreme heat, a place where all that remains are catacombs and ruins from ancient civilizations. A young girl of no more than 15 years of age.

After days in this hellish place, the young Witcher(In training)(Kind of)(Ok, She identifies herself as a Witcher) found herself a safe enough spot to rest in some of the natural created shelters made of... well rocks and sand, that's all there is in this place outside the few bugs that she found and had to eat.

In this place, hunger, thirst, and heat were accompanied by fear and uncertainty.

The only solace she could find in this place was in the memories of those she loved and her determination to move forward in the hope of seeing them again.

When she thought about them, she smiled at the memories of a younger self being 'threatened' by Gerald back in Kaer Morhen. 

"I would take that bowl of slugs covered in salt if I can see them again. " A growl coming from her empty stomach was heard, it was loud enough in this quiet desert with only winds.

"Actually make it two… "

Her eyelids become heavy after staring at the night sky.

"I Wish I could find food and water tomorrow… " Memories of the person she spent time with flashed through her mind "... and to see them again. " 

As she fell asleep, she didn't notice the stars in the sky Brighten up.

…

Could it be that I died, or am I... dreaming?

The young girl questioned herself, she simply couldn't tell the difference between the two.

She was both amazed and terrified, and how could she not be? She was about to sleep in the middle of the desert when she awoke in this strange place.

A place that, no matter where she looked, felt irreal.

Staring up, the sky was covered in stars as far as the eye could see, but they felt bigger or... perhaps it would be more appropriate to say she was extremely close to them, as if she were floating in the sky.  Not to mention how clear and bright they appeared.

A sight so beautiful that she would love to just look at them for hours if it wasn't for how bizarre this whole situation is.

When she looked to the sides, she saw rows and rows of seats made of what appeared to be gold, making it seem as if the people who made them didn't care what it meant to use so much of it.

Just how much would it cost?

Was that person lavish, resourceful or wasteful?

Did the person who made it not know or care about the cost? She was raised as a princess, and she has no idea how much it would cost to construct something like this. 'Too much,' is the answer.

"That is, assuming this isn't a dream." She reminded herself of her predicament.

The place felt too real, she could even feel the coldness from the materials where she was sitting right now, but it just didn't feel right because of how sudden her arrival had been.

Looking closer, her seat appears to be unique among the others. It was decorated with parts from monsters she knows well, monsters Vesemir made sure she learned about back in Kaer Morhen. The memory that returned a small smile to her face.

Arachas, Nekkers, and Wyverns were among the many creatures she didn't recognize, but the seat bore a symbol she was all too familiar with: the Great Sun, which represented solar radiance and solar heat and was the primary symbol of the Nilfgaardian people.

"At least they don't stink like the real thing." Sitting around monster bodies would be… unpleasant to say the least.

She also discovered a familiar Wolf Symbol, which gave her a strong sense of belonging to the Seat but not realizing its throne-like shape represented to her.

Wait, how did I get here in the first place?

She also realized that all her tiredness, hunger and thirst that she was feeling simply disappeared, which made her go back to the start.

Did I die or Am I… dreaming? 

But before she could start looking around for answers a voice drew her attention.

"Have you finished looking around, little... princess?"

She unconsciously let out her thoughts as she looked at the owner of the voice.

"Pretty"  

And as soon as her words came out, she could swear that she saw the person in front of her wince which was soon followed by the giggles of the most gorgeous women that she ever laid her eyes on.