Signing a Summoning Contract

“Did you see it? The flying fire bird over the village.” One man said to the other. Ryu was listening nearby as the two civilians were speaking to one another. “I didn’t see anything are you sure you’re not just crazy?” The man wearing a straw hat that said he’d seen the creature waved his fist at his friend who had suggested he was cuckoo. “I did see it and I’ll go out to the desert where it landed to prove it. I want to see a giant flaming bird maybe I should go. Interrupting the arguing now ensuing between the men Ryu blocked the straw man’s fist from hitting him as the man was flailing. “Sorry.” The man said looking at Ryu. “No problem, I just wanted to know where I could find the fire bird.” The man looking at his friend stuck out his tongue. “Told you it was real, they even have ninja looking for it now.” The other man crossed his arms in an attempt to look cool. “Well if ninja are looking for it.” Ryu interrupted the gentlemen once more as there seemed to be a misunderstanding. “Actually I’m the only one looking for it. I just want to find a flaming bird.” The man who had disagreed originally stuck out his tongue now. “See isn’t no such thing as a flaming bird.” The man in the hat addressed Ryu this time. “I’ll tell you where it landed if you can bring back proof it exist if you find it.” The man extended out his hand for the ninja to take. “Deal, if I find it I will bring back proof.” Ryu grasped than man’s hand in his and shook. “The bird landed in the sand east of the village, it’s pretty far out probably a couple of miles out.” Releasing each other’s arms Ryu thanked the man before heading off to pack for the trip.



Packing his bag for the trip Ryu made sure to pack plenty of water. The desert was hot and the sun was beating as usual, it was very difficult in a desert to find water. There were only a few known oasis in the area and the location was generally kept a secret as they supplied the entire village with water. Packing a couple meals for the trip the ninja was ready to go. Rushing out the door towards the village gates the ninja only left a sand cloud in his wake. Exiting the village wasn’t as easy as the ninja thought though, Ryu was stopped at the gate by the ninja guarding it. “Why are you leaving the village?” The ninja asked looking at the bulged out pack Ryu had been carrying. “I need to find the fire bird, I’ll be back by nightfall.” The ninja raised his arms in a whatever pose and let Ryu head out of the gates.

Outside the gates there was no identifiable markings around, it was all sand and dune in all directions. At least with this landscape it wouldn’t be hard to find the village. Running east the ninja noticed very little. There was the occasional lizard or snake, but aside from that there was nothing just sand, sand and more sand. After running for a couple of hours Ryu spotted a bird in the sky it wasn’t much larger than the vultures found around here and it traveled in the same direction as Ryu. After a bit of running and looking at the bird the ninja noticed something off about the creature it seemed the body was orange and flickered like a flame. “The fire bird!” The ninja shouted increasing his speed to get closer to the bird. As he closed in the bird landed into a cave on a mountain the mountain was pretty tall, but the cave wasn’t too high up with a little effort it could be climbed in an hour.

At the cave entrance Ryu heard some squawking and chirping. Peering inside Ryu saw something the likes of which he had never seen. There were birds of varying sizes covered in brilliant flames, the fire extended from the birds in various lengths around them. The flames were bright, but didn’t hurt the ninja’s eyes because of his shades. “There is someone here.” The bird in the back said addressing the others. This bird was massive it was thirty feet long and the flames coming from its body shot out in all directions. “Come out, let our flames shine on you!” He wants to burn my face off. The ninja was about to run off when another flaming bird crashed into him. “Oooof.” The sound escaped his lips as Ryu and the bird crashed into the center of the others. The creature’s body as hot to the touch and the shirt Ryu was wearing was now slightly burnt. “Well you look like a sand ninja, how did you end up here?” The giant bird asked with its sapphire eyes. Standing up slowly the ninja stood and looked at the bird that had crashed into him. It was pretty big around eight feet long and had thick muscles in comparison to the others. “Well someone had told me that they saw a flaming bird in the sky and when I headed out of the village trying to find one I spotted one of you and followed them here.” The gigantic bird drew closer and looked down at the ninja. “We aren’t regular birds we are phoenix, you know never die rise from the ashes all of that stuff?” Ryu shook his head as he had no idea what the phoenix was talking about. “We are immortal in a sense when one of us dies we turn to ash and from those ashes a new phoenix is born, don’t they have any stories about us?” Once again the ninja shook his head no. This time it was Ryu who spoke up. “This is amazing you guys are on fire. At first I wanted to just come see if this real, but this. This is sweet!”  The bird ruffled up its feathers and took a prideful stance. “Herodatus show this… Umm… What is your name?” The phoenix with brilliant flame asked looking at the ninja. “Ryu Reinhard of the hidden sand village.” The ninja responded looking around at the other six birds inside of the room. “Herodatus show Ryu Reinhard around the cave, you did lead him here after all. My name is Fawkes, please try to remember it.” When Fawkes ordered the smallest bird in the room took flight and landed on the ninja’s shoulder. The flames of this bird weren’t as bright and the flames didn’t surround the phoenix’s body like many of the other birds in the room. Pointing a wing toward an opening behind the others Ryu headed in that direction.

The caves were full of twists and turns if it weren’t for the bird on his shoulder leading the way, Ryu would surely have gotten lost. The bird chirped every time it wanted the ninja to turn down a different path. “Do you talk like the others Herodatus?” Ryu watched the bird as it shook its head and chirped. “Want me to go down this path?” The phoenix nodded in response. These caverns are massive, well I guess they’d have to be to fit something like Fawkes in here. I wonder what these caves lead to. The bird and Ryu continued down the tunnels for a few more minutes before reaching a path with light shining through the end. Is that the exit? This must be one of the biggest cave systems I have ever seen. Exiting the cave there were phoenix everywhere there were some in flight and others were roosting on the ground. The area at the end of the cave was open and looking around there were more entrances into the mountain. The bird on Ryu’s shoulder chirped and pointed him to a pathway that ascended down the mountain. Descending down the stairs Ryu spotted what looked like small cavern clearly too large for any of the bigger birds to walk through. In the cave was a very large scroll that had contract written at the top of it. The bird hopped off of Ryu’s shoulder upon seeing the scroll and sat next to the thing. “Is there something you need me to do with this?” The bird nodded and touched the scroll, instantaneously a portal opened within the thing and a phoenix made its way out. This bird was bigger than Herodatus by a couple of feet and the flames it emitted were incredibly intense. “I am Pliny, I hold the summoning contract for the phoenix.” The bird said in a booming voice that echoed through the cavern. “To sign you must pass the test. First you must touch the scroll, it will determine if you are even capable of signing.” Never failing a test in his life Ryu wasn’t ready to fail one, so with much bravado he rolled up his sleeve and placed his palm onto the contract. “What is this supposed to do exactly?” As he asked the scroll lit on fire. “You have a natural affinity for fire, you have passed the first test.” The contact still seemed to be on fire, but was not burning. Now place your palm onto me and resist being burned using your chakra as a counter, this is the final test I shall give you before allowing you to sign. Only those with a spirit of fire can resist the flames of the phoenix. Focusing fire chakra into his palms Ryu stepped toward the bird. I can do this, I think I have a spirit of fire. The ninja presses his hand onto the bird’s body. It was hot, but surprisingly didn’t burn him at all. The ninja felt the bird breathing as he held his hand in place and continued the flow of chakra into his palm. “You have passed you may now sign the contract.” Removing his hand from the bird Ryu approached the scroll and looked around for something to write with. “Sorry, I don’t have a pen.” Pliny responded to the ninja’s question rather quickly as if this were a normal thing. “You use blood to sign a summoning contract.” Ryu drew a kunai from his bag and pricked his finger, then signed his name to the bottom of the scroll. There were no other names so Ryu had to have been the first to sign. “Congratulations on being the first ninja to sign our contract. All you have to do to call one of us forth is use a drop of blood and use the summoning jutsu. As long as you have enough chakra, which since the scroll is still burning means you have plenty one of us will answer your summons. The scroll can also be used to summon you should the need arise.” Pliny lowered its head before jumping back into the scroll.

“Hey Herodatus could you show me the way out of here? I kind of promised the ninja guarding Suna’s gate that I would be back by the end of the day.” Nodding the bird flew onto Ryu’s shoulder and began pointing out the way to leave. Passing the birds at the entrance Ryu thanked the one known as Fawkes for trusting him enough to let him enter his home and sign the scroll. “Also thank you Herodatus for guiding me through the place I couldn’t have done it without your help.” Winking with an emerald eye the phoenix flew further into the cave. “Alright see you everyone.”

Running back towards the village Ryu desperately wanted to keep his promise about returning before nightfall. It was hard to tell if Ryu was headed in the correct direction because of the lack of terrain features, but it seemed the correct ways as he could see vague footprints in the sand that seemed like his. “I am so glad the wind didn’t blow hard today.” Ryu increased his speed and followed his tracks until he reached the gates of Suna, he stopped at the gates and looked for the ninja he had spoken to. “Told you I’d make it back in time.”

WC: 2051

Claiming Rewards: Phoenix Summoning Contract and 10 stats