Jack's Windfall 3

Jack gathered his gear. He needed to create some fetishes to assist with the possible dark spirit invasion. To do this, he needed to find spirits willing to be bound to his will, to spend some of their time trapped within a physical shell. He hopped into his car, and just started to drive. It helped him think. He knew of a few spirits that might be willing, but unlike the incarnations he tended to summon, they were more individualistic. He would need to bargain with them, haggle to get their power. As he drove he contemplated who he should tackle first. His hand involuntarily went to his wrist, as he remembered the spirit that almost possessed him.

It called itself Maquatl, and posed as a spirit of glass. They worked together for some time, and Jack actually was considering binding it as a familiar. But then he found thin cuts on his wrists. Maquatl, like it’s namesake, was a spirit of sacrifice and murder that had fused with a glass spirit. Jack nearly lost his left hand in the resulting fight, but fortunately he survived. Now he will have to find spiritual allies that he could trust.

Jack stopped at a grocery store parking lot, and began shopping for supplies. He gathered a variety of spices, as well as chalk. Some chicken thighs, honey, liquor, and even some tobacco for some of the older spirits. At least he didn’t need to worry about maxing his credit, thanks to the previous payment. Taking the various items, Jack got back to his car, and drove to his first possible ally.

He drove to a nearby park, and took some of the supplies into one of the wooded areas. He needed to get away from any people who might interfere. He found a stump roughly circular enough for the ritual. Taking out the raw chicken, he began tracing a new glyph by smearing the chicken flesh into the stump. It was hard to see the work, due to the uneven surface of the wood. He placed the chicken into the circle, and stabbed it with a steak knife. He hit it hard, cracking the bone in the thigh and penetrating the wood underneath.

Jack focused and began the summoning. The wood cracked, and the chicken thigh started to unravel. Jack watched as it started to disappear, the meat wrapping around the knife. With a blink of the eye, a small figure appeared sitting on the knife. It’s clothes were regal, purple and gold. It had a dalmatian print cape and a leather doublet. Its face was a mix of a variety of rodents. It grabbed the knife and with effort pulled it out of the bone and wood. Placing the knife on its shoulder, the spirit looked up at him with purple eyes and a surprising amount of majesty.

“Why have you summoned me, the Royal Luxator, Crown Prince of the rodents, and Duke of the Chipmunks?” It took all of his discipline not to smirk. Luxator was a proud spirit despite it’s size, but as a Rodent spirit, it’s link with Urban Magic was powerful.

“Oh great and powerful Prince Luxator, I beseech you for assistance. I will be doing battle with a dark spirit soon, and have a need for powerful allies. I humbly beg for a boon, so that I can complete my duty.” As he said this, he bowed as deeply as he could. He could hear Luxator tut, and could feel it gloating. “Indeed, it makes sense that you would need one as powerful as I, Prince Luxator of House Tamias. Perhaps I should join you on the battlefield, and rout that foul spirit in the name of Rodentia!”

Jack winced. There was no way he could keep this up the poker face if Luxator followed him. “I could never ask this of you, oh great Regal one. I ask for the smallest of boons, perhaps a weapon I could bring into the battlefield under your name?” He could hear the small creature pacing. “Perhaps, I, Prince Luxator, Heir to the Chipmunks, and the bearer of the Striped pelt, could bless a blade with my favor.” Jack lifted his eyes. Luxator was stroking the steak knife. As it did, the steak knife shifted to an almost Damascus grain. Hidden within the grain, runes flowed like water. The blade shifted further, losing the serration and lengthening. Soon, the blade solidified, looking far deadlier than it should have.

Luxator placed the blade down, which at this point was larger than the Prince. Jack carefully took the blade. “Know this, Shaman Sapphire. While you wield my blade Striatus, you will have some of my authority over rodents. In addition, it’s strike is empowered, and would be able to cut spirits. It should assist you in your task. But, know it will be lost to you at some point in the future, and you will not be able to retrieve it.” With that, Luxator vanished.

Jack picked up the knife. It was lightweight, and it’s movement made a sound like a rodent’s squeak. He put it in his pocket. Jack realized that he will need more if this went down like he thought it would. He had a plan for that, though. First, he would need to speak to one of the victims of the accident.