Author's Note: I don't know if you guys are familiar with . . . "Familiar of Zero", and I also don't know if you are a player of the MMORPG "World of Warcraft". The former is a series of Japanese light novels I've had a chance at reading (thanks to my ever-resourceful other), and the latter is arguably one of the more famous and played MMORPGs currently. This is a little joke fanfic I wrote while running ToC-25 back then, and the inspiration struck me while playing.
Disclaimer: Any characters herein are the properties, yadda yadda, I have no claim to these and can't sell them, yadda yadda
The air was empty, brisk but clear. Here on the sacred summoning grounds, a gaggle of teenaged magicians-to-be had been gathered to witness Louise the Zero's familiar summoning.
The ever-ridiculed young woman was tense, owing much to her reputation as a 'zero' of sorts, a failure in all things magic-related. Never mind that she was of noble blood and coming from a proud background.
Louise began casting her cantrip, partly out of necessity; and partly out of a need to show up her detractors - to prove once and for all that she wasn't a Zero. What she would end up summoning would shape her future to come. In some ways, it would define her as a mage.
There was a huge explosion, and those gathered watched in silent awe as an impressive purple magical gate came into existence in their midst. It was taller than any golem the students had ever seen, and radiated an uneasy feeling of magic to most.
The Zero watched, trembling in anticipation, as a massive red hand reached out through the opening in the gate. The nails on it were pointed, and attached around its wrist was a gold, spiked bracer.
"No way . . . the Zero actually summoned something?"
Yet what, pray tell, had she summoned?
The only indication then as to the familiar's nature was a demonic roar of titanic proportions, that rent the quiet atmosphere of the Halkeginian day.
"TRIFLING SUMMONER! YOUR ARROGANCE WILL BE YOUR UNDOING!"
"Eh?"
A mystified look was shared between all those gathered, as the smoke settled to reveal the summoned being. A single bolt of green energy emerged to fry Louise where she stood, and the teacher stood petrified as she watched green-tinged flames engulf her pink-haired student - her lovely flesh melting away to expose bleached bone. The smell of burnt offal caused many to retch, if they hadn't been screaming already.
"YOU FACE JARAXXUS! EREDAR-LORD OF THE BURNING LEGION!"