Yuuno wiped the sweat from his brow as the midday sun bore down on him and his group. The small hat he had on did nothing to stop the sunlight from scorching his skin. Standing, he swigged a gulp of water from the flask hanging at his side, he knelt down in the sand once more, trying to ignore the way the individual grains stuck to his legs and burned into him. After several hours of fruitless dusting, he was almost ready to give up. The rest of his father's team felt the same way, tired from a long day spent crouching in the sand of an Egyptian desert. Suddenly one of them let out a cry of surprise and tripped, cussing loudly. Rushing to his side, they stared in amazement at the trapdoor uncovered on the floor of the ruins. Altogether, they tugged hard on the iron ring and it burst open, making the members of the expedition fall ungracefully on top of one another in a huge pile up. None of them minded, each scrambling to their feet and running to the now open trapdoor. More cautious this time, they slowly traversed down the cracked and sandy stone steps which curved into darkness. Torches were switched on, illuminating cracked walls and scuttling insects. Yuuno pulled his shirt over his mouth. It was dusty, suddenly, he walked right into the person in front of him.
"What is it?" he asked. No answer, squeezing past the bulky man, he entered the room. His jaw dropped. Gold. It filled the room. Gold pieces, medallions, chalices and several unknown artefacts.
"Careful," warned his father from behind him. "This probably used by thieves. They could have booby-trapped the place." Cautiously, they entered the chamber and began examining the artefacts. Yuuno scanned the medallions. They were real gold alright. Suddenly, something caught his eye. Sifting through the medallions, he pulled out a strange object. It was triangular, with another raised triangle on top. It wasn't gold, though. The colour wasn't quite right.
"Hey Yuuno! Get over here." his father called him over.
"Yeah?" unconsciously, he slipped the queer triangle into his pocket and hurried over to his father.
It was only later, when he was back in his room that he realised he had took it. Sitting down in a chair, his examined it closely. The outer triangle had a pattern carved in lightly. Running his thumb over the scratches idly, he wondered of what metal it was made from. Holding it up in the light, he saw some letters on the inner triangle. Putting it on his desk, he examined it closely under his desk light. It was an ancient and foreign language. Mid-childen. Hurrying back to his luggage bag, he pulled out the right book and impatiently flipped through the pages, sitting back down. Scanning the book, he slowly pieced together the word.
"Ba-r-di-che." he murmured softly. He picked up the triangle again. "Bardiche." he repeated, louder, unconsciously, rubbing the surface. He jumped to his feet as a clap of thunder sounded, rumbling and shaking the room while a flash of lightning illuminated it. "Ouch!" the item he held burned his fingers. He dropped it onto the floor, nursing his fingers. His hair stood on its end as electricity crackled.
Am I crazy? Lightning? In a room? But it was happening, right before his very eyes. When the light faded and his eyes adjusted, he gaped even more. Standing before him was a tall girl. She had long blonde hair, same as the triangle, in a loose head scarf. She had piercing burgundy eyes that stared at him intimidatingly. When she saw him, her stoic look faltered slightly.
"Oh no. Not again." he heard her mutter. The intimidating mask slipped for a moment to be replaced by one of annoyance, followed by a scowl, before it returned. He swallowed nervously. She stared back, arms folded. She was wearing loose black silk pants and shirt. She looked sort of like a bandit. Then she spoke.
"I am the Enforcer of Bardiche. By summoning me, you have entitled yourself three wishes or one goal, depending on your desires. Sign this contract," a scroll poofed out of nowhere in a cloud of yellow smoke. "And I will be bound to you until all you're wishes have been used or your goal has been achieved."
Her gaze remained neutral as she said this, but Yuuno couldn't help but feel a deadly aura coming from her, as if she wanted nothing more than to strike him down with the same lightning that took her here. He cleared his throat nervously.
"W-what is Bardiche?" She looked at him boredly.
"The will of lightning."
"A-and what is that?" He stuttered. She sighed, rolling her red eyes. She had the air of someone who had had to explain this several times before and was sick and tired of it. "Never mind," he stopped her quickly. Then realisation struck him.
"You're a genie!" She glared at him this time, showing her animosity towards him fully for the first time. He took a step back.
"I. Am. An. Enforcer."
"R-right. Of course you are! How could you be a genie? You're definitely an Enforcer. I mean, you look like one." he paused. "But you are like a genie, aren't you?" she facepalmed, taking a deep breath.
"Just read the damn contract." He leaned forward obediently, albeit a little cautiously, and did just that.
By calling upon Bardiche, the summoner has invoke the sacred agreement. In this agreement between the TSAB Enforcer of Bardiche and the summoner, The Enforcer of Bardiche will grant the summoner three wishes. Until the three wishes have been fulfilled, the Enforcer of Bardiche will remain bound to the summoner.*
Yuuno looked up. "Can I," he began hesitantly, "Wish for someone to love me?" In reply, the Enforcer merely jabbed at the paper gruffly. He resumed reading.
There are fourteen rules that cannot be broken while wishing.
1. No wishing for more wishes.
2. Nothing concerning love for another person.
He sighed, disappointed. "Read it properly, idiot." the Enforcer rustled the paper. Looking back down for a third time, he skipped the rules.
To bypass these rules, the three wishes can be exchanged with one singular goal. In such case, the summoner may wish for whatever he wants in effort to achieve that goal. All wishes made in this extent must be within the rules. Futhermore, the summoner is given three tries. If he fails a third time, he will only be given one wish in refund.
Below that was a wax stamp, with the same pattern as on the outer triangle followed by a dotted line for him to sign. Hesitantly, he took the contract.
"Umm..." She conjured a knife out of thin air. He looked confused.
"Usually you sign in blood." Yuuno paled slightly. She sighed, and in another puff of gold smoke, the knife was replaced with a calligraphy pen. He bent over the paper and signed it. The girl took it back, rolling it up before it disappeared with the pen. Then she bowed almost mockingly at Yuuno. She definitely didn't like him.
"Bardiche has been invoked. Summon me when you require assistance, master." She addressed him so contemptuously, she might have just as well called him a piece of trash. That was she made him feel like anyway. What with the stoic, cold looks and the scorn in her eyes.
"Just call me Yuuno. And how will I summon you?"
"The same as before, Yuuno." she spoke his name like a curse. " Oh, don't lose the charm. Keep it with you at all times." She eyed him evilly, as if he had committed the sin before.
" I'll be careful." He promised. " I won't lose it again." He frowned as the word slipped out. Again? What was he saying? The Enforcer did not correct him.
" You'd better not." The room started to brighten and thunder started to build, the rumble gradually reaching a crescendo
"Wait! What do I call you?" he called out. She scowled at him dourly, as if the question offended her.
"What ever you want." And then she was gone. All that was left was the triangle charm. Bending down, he picked it up. It was still warm, though not as hot as before. Well, he thought to himself, that was something. Maybe now he stood a chance with Nanoha.
The Enforcer was having a bad day. It was one of her worse in a long time. The last time she had been summoned, it was by a desert bandit. It had been fun, at the very least, eventful. The bandit died in a fight, even after using all his wishes. She remembered being taken, stolen from his pocket and then being tossed into a secret chamber by the thieves. The hideout had been raided but the raiders had not discovered the treasure cove, so she had lain there, waiting. It was boring, gathering dust in a underground room. At first she had paced around the triangle walls of her prison, looking up at every sound, hoping to be summoned. More then once, she had bounced of the walls in a fit of impatience. The damn thing was too damned small! Then she had taken to hibernating, but there was only so long she could sleep. All in all, this had been the longest stretch without a master.
Then finally, she awoke from her twentieth hibernation to sounds from the above world. She heard walking, dim and muffled, the vibrations travelling down the earth to her eager ears. She paced restlessly, longing to be free of her prison. Then suddenly there was a loud thud. Excited voices. Then footsteps. Awed voices. Come on, she urged them internally. Come on. Then she heard the sound of sifting, someone moving the gold medallions she was buried in. Yes! She pumped her fist in triumph as she felt her prison being lifted up.
She read his thoughts as he picked her up. 'Is this gold?' She crossed her fingers. Some people threw her aside when they realised it wasn't gold. She shuddered, remembering the last time someone threw her onto a river. She scowl remembering that previous master. He was an idiot. He wasn't too bad, but he really didn't think his wishes through. He had been too obsessed over some girl. But the girl really was quite beautiful. She had found herself falling for her as well. Unfortunately, she had rejected her master three times. In a fit of despair, he had cast her into a river. Thankfully, someone had found her before long. A boy who had given her to his beloved. The girl had been a good master, unselfish and kind. She had used her last wish to cure her younger sister even after she had been kidnapped by pirates. She had passed Bardiche onto the captain of a ship that rescued her. Then the bandits had raided the ship and she had been taken by her last master. She pumped her fist in triumph as the boy slipped her into his pocket. Finally! But his voice sounded familiar somehow...
She stared at him. Oh damn. Not him again. It was the idiot boy who had thrown her into the stream. Just my luck... She pulled herself together, quickly wiped off her look of annoyance to replace it with her usual stoic face. I'm a professional after all... She introduced herself and sighed as he asked exactly the same questions as last time. Reincarnation certainly hasn't done anything new for him. She eyed him critically. Same blonde hair. Green eyes. Better than no one, I suppose. He's probably going after the same girl. Her heart lifted a bit at that. The girl was nice. It was certainly no trouble to see her again. She smiled inwardly, remembering those clear blue eyes. Definitely no trouble.
So what'd you think? Review people!