Chapter 11: The Monarch in Stillness
As the dark miasma continued swirling around the summoning circle, silence swept across the entire school. One heartbeat later—time itself froze.
Students mid-scream stood like statues. Teachers who had begun to step forward were paused mid-stride. The air turned heavy. Eerily still.
But in the middle of it all, Mickey Windgrace remained conscious—breathing, blinking, alive.
A cold chill ran down his spine as he turned his gaze toward the towering figure standing inside the circle. A man with long silver hair, eyes glowing crimson like molten lava, and dark horns curling from his temples.
The air around him warped. Power radiated from his body, distorting reality. The presence alone was suffocating, but Mickey didn't flinch. His instincts told him: this was no ordinary summon.
The man opened his eyes wider, smirked slightly, and then spoke in a deep, smooth voice.
"So… you're the one who summoned me."
Mickey blinked. "Who… who are you?"
The man stepped closer, his boots tapping the stone floor, echoing through the frozen world.
"I am Draco—the Demon Monarch. The last of the Immortal Familiars. I was sealed away in the Abyss beyond time… until your magic called me back."
"Wait," Mickey stammered, "I didn't mean to summon you. I was just trying to—"
"To call a familiar. And here I am," Draco said with a smirk. "Fate doesn't make mistakes, kid."
Mickey's hands were trembling slightly. "Why is everyone frozen?"
Draco extended his hand, waving it across the air. "Time? Oh, I stopped it. You were about to faint from the pressure, so I figured we'd have a little talk—just the two of us."
"You… stopped time?"
"More accurately, I paused this slice of the world," Draco explained calmly. "Only you and I can move in it for now. Your summoning magic—that crest on your soul—it's not ordinary. It awakened something ancient. Something… forbidden."
Mickey looked around—his classmates frozen, the teachers mid-motion—and slowly nodded. "So this is real… I actually summoned a Demon Monarch."
"You didn't just summon me, Mickey," Draco said, walking behind him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You contracted me. And that means your life is now intertwined with mine."
Mickey's eyes widened. "Does that mean… you'll fight with me?"
Draco smirked, stepping in front of Mickey again. "Yes. But don't think I'm here just to protect you. I have my own reasons for answering your call… and I'll be watching you closely."
Mickey took a deep breath. "Fine. Then… welcome, Draco."
For a brief second, Draco's fierce expression softened.
"Interesting. You're not afraid."
"I was. I still kind of am," Mickey said honestly, "but… I think I've been waiting for something like this."
Draco chuckled. "You've got courage. You'll need it. Because once time resumes… everything changes."
As the world remained still and silent, Mickey stood firm in front of the being he had summoned—his fate now sealed with a force older than time itself.