I don't understand why people seem to think summoning doesn't fit being a player ability. Especially considering (possible spoiler alert) Ifrit explicitly comments on making a pact with the player so long as he/she forsakes calling OTHER Eikons. To which our npcs reply something along the lines of : "Are you saying that we are capable of summoning primals as well!?"

But yeah it totally has NO place in the story line. >_>