Marateel breathed in deeply, steeling themself.

They'd been preparing for this for a while. Months of research on this spirit to confirm them as a good fit, each find stoking more and more curiosity within them. Many totally different accounts all led back to this single spirit. Marateel had taken to calling them "The Shapeless" because of that.

Over time, they confirmed that The Shapeless was a good fit for their criteria and they started prepping the ritual.

And now everything was set up. The sigil was drawn, the candles were lit, they had all the ingredients... They decided to run a quick checklist over that, just to be safe.

First, a catalyst to invoke the ritual. In the proper point on the sigil sat a bowl of bone shards supposedly belonging to The Shapeless's true species. Marateel doubted they even had one, but the bones would work either way. They'd just work better if it was true.

Second, an anchor to ground the deceased. For this, they had traveled far to the north and found a horn spear with a shorn handle, reportedly once belonging to The Shapeless and broken while they held it.

Lastly, an offering to draw in the deceased. For this, they had a small bag, embroidered with the image of a strawberry and filled with them, a fruit The Shapeless was apparently once obsessed with.

And Marateel had one more thing. They clutched the pendant they had selected: a glimmering crystal with several bright colors. This was a vessel; an object to contain the deceased, though normally not for the reason Marateel wanted to.

Everything was ready. They stepped into the center of the sigil and lit the final candle, the one within their lantern, as they summoned their magic.

It wasn't long before Marateel felt a presence join them. The Shapeless gently alit into Marateel's body, energy surging through Marateel as symbols of The Shapeless appeared across their scales.

"Why have you summoned me, O channeler mine?"

"I wish to offer you a second chance."

Silence. Then, a feeling of amusement.

"Very well. I accept your altruism, O savior mine~"

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Description by me