Vol. I Chapter I: The Summoning

Preparations had taken a long time, but finally, it was blood moon, and the time had come to perform the summoning. 

Lucius crouched on the cold stone floor of his cellar, carefully sketching the summoning circle with chalk. Over and over, he paused to double-check that the lines and symbols matched the diagrams in the book exactly.

He’d never believed in magic. But the existence of this dusty tome, buried in his own house, had driven him half-mad with curiosity.

It’s not really going to work… right? he thought. Yet he couldn’t resist trying.

The spell was titled “Simple Servant.” A note underneath promised:

Does everything. Never talks back. Usable for beginners.

Lucius, a remote-working software developer with more time than friends, had spent weeks gathering the ingredients. Now he recited them under his breath, placing each one in the circle.

“Three belladonna berries, six fly agaric mushrooms… half a liter of snail slime… crow’s feather… and...”

He uncorked a bottle of red wine and poured it over the chalk lines.

“…one bottle of red wine.”

Clapping his hands, he nodded. “Good. That should do it.”

He lit eight candles, then raised his voice:

“EPIKALOUMAI SE THERAPONTA OLYMPOU ELTHE PARAGEGOU PHANEROTHETI HYPERETEI MOI KATHAPER TO SO THEO HYPERETESAS!”

Nothing happened.

Frowning, he skimmed the text again.

“…Candles from west to east… AH!”

“…and bind the servant with a drop of one’s own blood.”

Lucius jabbed a corkscrew into his thumb and let a bead of blood fall onto the circle.

“Ouch!”

A violent gust slammed him against the wall. The chalk lines blazed with light. When the glow faded, someone lay curled in the center of the circle.

A Satyr.

She had goat legs, curling horns, a long tail, and a face somewhere between a deer and a human. She stirred, yawned, and opened large, almond-shaped eyes.

“Hmm? Who wakes me from my slumber?”

She blinked around the room, tail flicking.

“A mortal. And a magic circle? Oh dear.”

She giggled, pressing a hand to her forehead. “You summoned me? Dionysus is going to die laughing!”

Straightening, she flashed a grin. There was mischief and something wild and dangerous in her eyes.

“So, little wizard… what exactly do you expect from this summoning? Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?”

Her hooves clicked on stone as she circled him. Lucius swallowed. She felt too real, too close.

“I… found the book,” he stammered. “It had a spell for a servant. I live alone. I thought… some help wouldn’t hurt. I didn’t expect… someone like you. Are you… a goat person?”

He glanced at her fur-covered chest, then looked away, scratching his neck. “…a female goat person?”

She snorted and tossed her hair so her horns caught the candlelight.

“Goat person? Please. I’m a Maenad, a Satyr Maenad, to be precise. Daughter of berries and wine and savage nights. If you want me to scrub floors, you’re in for disappointment.”

She zipped forward, her nose almost touching his, breath warm and sweet like honeyed wine.

“My cleaning method usually involves drowning everything in wine and dancing until the furniture catches fire.”

She stepped back, folding her arms, watching him with a teasing glint.

“So… do you really want me as your housemaid?”

Lucius’ face blushed. He blurted, mostly to change the topic:

“What’s your name?”

She laughed and tilted her head, her hair shimmering in the candlelight.

“Oh, how cute! The little wizard’s all flustered. You can call me Melissa. Named after the honeybees buzzing around Dionysus’ wine cups.”

She nudged him with her horns, voice dropping to a purr.

“And don’t worry about these…” She swept a hand over her chest. “We servants of Dionysus aren’t big on modesty. We care more about wine, dancing… and adventure. So what’s it going to be? Are you giving me orders… or trying to negotiate?”

Her tail lashed behind her, eager as a cat about to pounce. Lucius struggled to breathe.

“Okay, uh… maybe we could negotiate before making any decisions?” He cleared his throat. “I’ve got wine here. And there’s a lake nearby… maybe we could just… hang out? Relax? Isn’t that what Maenads and Satyrs like to do?”

Melissa’s eyes lit up. She lunged and hugged him so tightly he almost dropped the wine.

“Now you’re talking like a true follower of Dionysus!”

Her laughter bubbled like an overflowing goblet. She gave a little leap that sent the candles trembling.

“Wine? Dancing by the lake? Bathing in the moonlight?! Oh, you’re much more fun than I expected!”

Lucius waved his hands frantically. “Wait, wait—I didn’t say anything about dancing or bathing!”

Melissa just waved him off. “Don’t worry. With enough wine, that all happens naturally.”

Then she trailed a claw down his chest, leaning close. “So what does the little wizard want in return? Maybe… a little something?”

Lucius gulped, did’nt know what to say. Then he just bursted out, because he couldn’t think of something else:

“I… I want to know more about you! About your god. And I want you to show me… your world!”

Melissa paused, surprised. Then she let out a delighted laugh and snatched a candle like a victory toast.

“You’re such a peculiar little wizard. Fine! I accept, if you promise to party with me until sunrise!”

Lucius managed a nod. Melissa flicked him playfully with her tail.

“Then come on! Bring more wine! I want to see if your cellar’s worth anything.”

Before he could answer, she bounded up the stairs, bottles clinking in her arms.

Lucius stared after her. He glanced at the wine bottle in his hand and exhaled.

“Alright then.”

He called out as he climbed the stairs. “By the way… I’m not actually a wizard. I just bought this house. I found the book here by accident. I tried the spell… mostly out of boredom.”

In the kitchen, Melissa froze mid-bite on a piece of cheese. Her eyes widened.

“Whaaaat?! You know nothing about magic and still messed with summoning rituals? Oh, you precious fool!”

She lunged at him, mussing his hair while laughing into his face.

“That explains why your circle looked like a toddler’s doodle! If you’d known even the basics, you’d know you don’t command Dionysus’ servants, you just try to survive them!”

She snatched a bottle from him and bit the cork off with her teeth.

“Cheers to your misfortune!” she cried, pressing the bottle into his chest. “Drink!”

And she vanished toward the terrace. Over her shoulder:

“And don’t forget snacks!”

Lucius stared at the bottle, then shrugged. “Ah, what the hell.”

He tipped it back and drained it in one go. Soon he was staggering after her, arms full of food, dishes, and more wine. Melissa was skipping down the forest path, laughing at the sight of him struggling under his burdens.

“Sweetie, did you really bring plates?” she teased, grabbing a loaf of bread and biting off a chunk. “Food and drink, that’s all we need!”

At the lake’s edge, the sun dipped low. Melissa spread her arms wide, drinking in the fading light. Lucius sighed and rubbed his temples.

“I still can’t believe any of this. Why could I even summon you when the circle wasn’t right?”

Melissa spun around, eyes sparkling. “Maybe I’m just easy to summon.”

She snatched the bottle from his hand, gulped, and wiped her lips. “Though you look like a guy who normally drinks apple juice.”

“How would you know that?” he demanded.

“Oh, I know plenty,” she purred. “Like how you scratch your left ear when you’re nervous. Or how you sneak down to this lake alone under the full moon. Kinda romantic, little wizard.”

He stared. “Wait… how…?”

Melissa tapped his nose with a claw. “Secret.”

“Why could I summon you?” he pressed. “Why did you really come?”

She leaned close, horns brushing his forehead. “Maybe because your circle was hilariously crooked. Or… maybe Dionysus thought someone like you needed supervision.”

Then she shoved him playfully toward the water. “Enough talking. Time for fun!”

Her furred silhouette shimmered against the lake as she dove with a graceful somersault into the water. Afert surfacing, she spit out a thin jet of water like a playful dolphin.

Lucius stood frozen, more questions than answers swirling in his mind.

“Get in here, you wimp! Or shall I come get you?!”

Her voice was a wicked challenge as she splashed water at him from afar.

“I’ll keep splashing you until you either jump in or you’re so soaked it doesn’t matter!”

So he jumped.

“Well, well! The wizard made it into the water!”

“I’m not a wizard,” he sputtered.

“You’ve got a magic book. That makes you a wizard!” she shouted, flinging a small wave into his face.

Lucius blinked, spat out a few drops, then grinned. He took a deep breath, lunged forward, and sent a huge wave of water splashing over her.

Melissa shrieked in laughter, immediately splashing him back.

What followed was a wild dance of splashing water, playful dives, and echoing laughter. They swam, dove, and frolicked until the sun vanished and the moon and stars began to glow.

The cool lake water slipped over Lucius’s skin, but in Melissa’s presence, he felt flushed with heat. Everything seemed sharper, more alive. Part of him wanted to push her away, but he simply couldn’t. He felt his heart pounding, drawn to the wild chaos she embodied.

At one point, Melissa dove beneath the surface, only to reappear behind him. Her arms slid around his chest. Her soft fur pressed into his back, her breath warm at his neck.

He felt her lips curve into a mischievous smile at his neck. Water dripped from her hair onto his shoulders and his entire body tensed involuntarily.

Suddenly she spun him around in the water, fixating him with her amber eyes. His heart thudded. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had ever made him feel like this.

Then, he kissed her.

Her lips tasted wild and sweet, like berries mixed with a salty tang that made his head spin.

She nudged him back into the water with her hoof and suddenly pounced, pinning him beneath her. Her sparkling eyes hovered close over his, and when he tried to speak, she silenced him with another kiss.

“Not bad for a human. Maybe you really do have the makings of a servant of Dionysus.”

Lucius gasped for breath, water rippling around them. Melissa grinned, and for a moment, he thought he’d never seen anything so impossibly beautiful.

I should be afraid. I should run. Instead… I already want to kiss her again. Maybe… I really am destined to fall into her chaos.

Melissa suddenly jumped up, grabbed the next wine bottle, and pinched his butt playfully.

“Come on! The night’s still young!“

I hardly know her. And yet… it feels like she’s always been missing from my life. Like a star suddenly blazing into existence, outshining everything else.

Melissa pulled back, breathing hard, her wine-scented lips curling into a wicked grin.

“And now…” she whispered, leaning in again, “…now we drink for real.”

Lucius pulled her closer, managing a weak smile.

Maybe I’m crazy. But somehow… This is fine.

She raised the bottle once more, and Lucius knew this night was far from over.