Azric knelt on the stone floor, finishing the construction of a large pentagram which filled the center of the small room.  It was a decent looking circle- more or less- and he knew how important it would be in the ensuing ritual.  Though barely an adept, he was a bright student- one of the better in the academy, or so he'd heard indirectly.  But that insight didn't help lessen the boy's ego.  And it was this ego which had brought him here to perform an illicit ritual far beyond his abilities.<br/><br/>He wanted a familiar of his own.  But nothing as mundane as a rat or an owl.  He wanted something a bit more exotic.  An imp, perhaps, or even a lesser demon.  He'd come across the incantation in an old tome in the library.  And it seemed easy enough.  For months he studied the preparations for summoning something from a realm other than his own.  The academy was on holiday and there were no classes today.  It seemed like the most opportune time.  And no one questioned his presence- he was a diligent student after all- and was no stranger to the halls of the school even when classes were out.  The materials for the ritual were readily available save one- a bit of demon skin.  He'd purchased that item from a shady character in town known for procuring more arcane items.  It had cost him a small fortune, but fortunately he had generous parents.  And ultimately it was with this item that things began to go wrong.<br/><br/>The skin wasn't demon skin at all.  Simply lizard skin.  But that wan't the only flaw in the preparations.  He'd drawn the pentagram from regular salt, and not the grade used for summoning.  As such, it would merely prove a nuisance to anything other than the weakest demon.    With the exception of these two major flaws, the spell was perfect.  The ingredients ignited in a crucible at the center of the pentagram.  An acrid smoke quickly filled the small room.  Surely he smelled a hint of brimstone?  The boy grinned.<br/><br/>A shadow slowly appeared in the center of the smoke.  It was roughly his height, and clearly humanoid.  Never in his wildest imaginations had he expected to summon something man sized.  But rather that worry- which he should have- he put this down to his own superior abilities.  As the smoke began to clear, he could see that what he'd summoned looked much like a human female.  A few more minutes and he'd know for sure.