Zero no Tsukaima: Shadow of Zero - Episode 2
Not So Good First Impression - Part 1
By Alienfinderx
With Special Thanks to Noctum
Tristian Academy of Magical Arts
When Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière woke up this morning, she faced the day with equal parts excitement and dread. Today was the day of judgement for her, the day that decided if she was going to remain here at Tristian Academy of Magical Arts to study the way of the magi, or if she was going to be sent home as a failure to be primed into a model wife and prodded off to married her fiancé. All for the benefit of the family of course.
Today was the day of the Spring Time Summoning Ritual, an ancient rite that was passed down from each generation of nobles to the next. Today was the day mages summoned a familiar to aid them in their journey to adulthood, as well as show them their elemental alignment. For a person like Louise today is the day that she finds out whether or not everyone was right about her…about her being nothing but a zero.
Louise the Zero, that's her nickname. The name used by her peers to mock and belittle her throughout her years at the school. It came from the sad fact that every single spell she had ever attempted to perform had blown up, quite literally, in her face. Every single spell ended in an explosion so big that the school had a special pool of funds used to fix her 'explosive' mistakes. The only person ever to use that nickname in a non-scornful way was Kirche von Zerbst. Zerbst and she had a…odd relationship. Sometimes they acted like sisters, other times they acted like the bitter enemies their families were. But mostly they acted like rivals, always trying to outdo the other in everything they do from spell casting to flirting with boys. Unfortunately, for Louise, Kirche was ahead of her on both accounts. She thinks of Kirche as her friend, her only friend she has in the Academy but she would never admit it to anyone, not even to Kirche as their families have been bitter enemies for countless generations and if someone find out about it could destroy any 'friendship' she has with Kirche.
Thinking of Kirche reminded of the stupid thing Louise did last night. She had told Kirche, in full view of their entire class, that she was going to receive a beautiful, powerful sacred familiar and that it was going to be better that hers in every way. That was the most idiotic thing she had ever done in her entire life. After that mistake, Louise spent the remaining hours she had searching the library for something, anything that might help her. She had nearly given up all hope when she found a very old Tome in the dustiest corner of the restricted section of the library. The book that had to be the oldest book in the library because it looked could fall apart at any moment. The leather cover of the book was old and worn, the strange rune-like mark on the front of the book was nearly gone, most of the words were worn-out and almost unreadable, the bindings were barely holding the book together and some of its pages crumbled to dust with the slightest tough.
Louise tried to read the ancient Summoning Ritual book but half of the book talked about some half-baked nonsense like the use of reagents during summoning rituals, the potential dangers of summoning, and also it talks about time travel and weakening or destroying of something called the Fabric of Space/Time Continuum? She skipped most of these paces as the warnings sound like really cheesy quotes like; 'Be careful what you wish for', 'Never judge a book by its cover', 'Expected the unexpected' and 'Be prepared for unforeseen consequences.' However, as Louise continued to read the other half of the book stuff started to make less sense to her than before and most of the stuff sounds utterly ridiculous! Most of the summoned Familiars are from the future or the past? Other more powerful Familiars come from different worlds? Worlds with one moon in the sky? Some worlds have no Magic? Time moves faster or slower between these worlds?
'What moron wrote this book?' Louise thought, 'this book talks about most ridiculous things I had ever heard in my entire life. Dangers? What is so dangerous about summoning or damaging some piece of fabric?'For thousands of years many hundreds of students have summoned Familiars here at Tristian Academy of Magical Arts during the Spring Time Summoning Ritual, it has been long, proud and noble tradition dating back to the time of Brimir. Any Familiar that was summoned fits perfectly to their master, they never had to use something as ridiculous a reagent to guide their spell to summon a Familiar and never in recorded history of has a summoning gone horribly wrong as it describe in this book. She was about to close the book full of nonsense when she saw on the last paces what appeared to be a List of many different Summoning Spells and Instructions how to use them, and as much she wants to forget book and all that nonsense from it, she finally has found what she is looking for. Searching the list she finds a Summoning Spell that in her eyes is truly fit for a noble and most powerful one of them all as that if she read it correctly, this spell is far more powerful than the ones they use during the Spring Time Summoning Ritual.
She quickly wrote down the incantation and instructions how to use it on piece of paper, and she fled the Library as fast as she can and went back to her to her room with the book under her arm to memorizing the summoning spell before going to bed. But when she woke up this morning, she found that the old book she had taken from the library had completely turn to dust, the only thing she had left was the piece of paper with the Summoning Spell written on it.
As the day went on and the summoning rite fast approached, Louise began to feel more anxious and nervous than she had ever in her existence. When the class began to go through the summoning rites Louise felt herself built confidence take a hit with every successful summoning another student performed. Her confidence took a dive when Kirche summoned a Salamander as her familiar and it plummeted when Kirche's friend Tabitha summoned a dragon... a freaking DRAGON! What can she summon that more sacred, beautiful and powerful than a dragon! She would have more luck completely angering Bahamut, the Dragon God of the Void of the Old Religion, the legendary King of Dragons who according to legend taught Brimir how to use Void Magic. Bahamut would probably crush her first with his mighty paw and then obliviate her with his fearsome breath attack that is only known as the Mega Flare, if she was lucky.
Louise tries to think what she must do, will she use the traditional Summon Spell or the one she found in that book. However, Summoning Spell from that old book might be her only hope of summoning something, all the spells that teachers have tried to teach her have backfired into an explosion and now most of the teachers and students of the Academy are now afraid of her. Every night she cries herself to sleep as no one in the Academy want to be her friend, she did not want to be alone, she did not want to be failure, she do not want to be a Zero!
"Miss Vallière! Miss Vallière, will you step forward please!" the voice of older man called out over crowd of students and their familiars.
Louise was snapped out of her thoughts as her teacher, a kind glasses wearing man by the name of Colbert, was calling her. It was finally her turn to summon and Louise was a nervous wreck. Even as she walked up to what could possibly be the end to her career as a mage; she walked with her head held high, back straight, pretending that she didn't hear her peers' hurtful words. Pretending that she didn't hear her schoolmates call her a failure, a screw up, a zero. Louise walked over to the clearing in front of her gathered classmates where Professor Colbert stood patiently waiting for his final student to finish the summoning rite. Professor Colbert knew of her reputation for explosions, so when she started her incantation the balding man took it upon himself to position himself outside of her range. Everyone was gathered around to see what disappointment Louise would cook up this time. Louise closed her eyes and begun to chant the mysterious Summoning Spell.
"I beg of you, O five elemental spirits of the Pentagon…"Louise chanted. Everyone looked at her dumbfounded. What the in Brimir's name is she doing?
"Err... what's with that chant?" A French bread headed girl named Montmorency said.
"Well it's a unique chant my dear Montmorency" Guiche said. Guiche was a shorthaired blond kid that had good looks to match his ego. Most of the girls absolutely loved him but other people found him quite unbearable with his self-righteous rants.
"Humph" Montmorency huffed. "Don't think I've forgotten those stories I have heared about you flirting with some girl" "That is nothing more was a misunderstanding my love, you're the only girl whom my heart belongs to. Rumors thought up by the feeble minded to ruin my image because they are jealous of me for having such a beautiful flower like you as my girlfriend." He said putting his rose in his mouth. They both focused back on Louise as she continued chanting.
"Find my servant who exists somewhere in the known and unknown universe..." She said as her voice began filled with her hopes, desires and desperation.
"Oh Sacred, beautiful and powerful familiar spirit…"Louise said as she wished with all her heart for her wish to come true. Wishing a Familiar that more sacred, beautiful and powerful than all others that have been summoned, someone that out shines them all in every aspect. Wishing for someone that recognized for her potential, wishing for someone who respect her, Wishing for someone who will be her friend that really care for her and protect her, but most of all she wishing for someone who will… who will… love her.
As Louise was nearing completion incantation, desperation, loneliness, and sadness starts to fill her voice. "I desire and here I plead from my heart…" she said as bit of fear took hold of her heart. What happens if her spell backfires? What if it explosion? No she must give in these feeling, she must succeeded she will succeeded.
"Answer to my guidance!" She yelled and for a moment, there was… nothing, not a spark, not an explosion, just nothing. Nothing but silence of wind that is blowing through her hair and after few moments the students gathered in the ritual area broke out in uproarious laughter, catcalls and outright insults. There were too many voices to hear all at once, but certain words slipped through like whips on her back. Zero, disgrace, failure. "Well, that's just like you isn't it Zero?" one particularly cutting voice managed to make itself heard through the discord.
Everyone laughed at Louise, everyone expect Professor Colbert. Colbert gazed over the ritual area with half closed eyes, scanning, searching. Something was not right, he does not know why His instincts were screaming at him that something was completely wrong, normally Louise's spells ends into an explosion but it had not happened and for some reason the familiars were all nervous. Most of the familiars, like the dragon that Tabitha had summoned, were hiding behind the back of their masters completely terrified, some of them have even run away in complete terror. Few of the more braver familiars, like the Salamander that Kirche summoned, was standing in a defective pose trying to protect their masters, all baring their teeth and growling at something.
Louise was on point of falling to her knees and crying as her mind ordering itself to the marching beat of resentment, fury and denial. She could not have failed, not like this! She should have gotten a divine, wise and powerful familiar, something to put them all in their place and mark her success. There should have been a dragon, a manticore, something, and anything, even- even Dormin.
Louise blinked, her thoughts coming to a screeching halt as she backtracked her thoughts to a moment ago. Where had that thought come from? Who or What for Founder's sake was Dormin?
"WE ARE THE ONE KNOWN AS DORMIN."
It was like someone shouting in both her ears, from a myriad number of throats that sounded male, female and alien all at the same time. She clapped her hands over her ears at the painful assault. Her head swivelled left and right, looking for the culprit. The only one close enough was Colbert and- no, that was impossible. He is also holding his hears to in pain, in fact all the students gathered in the ritual area were holding their ears, all their faces grimicing in pain.
"Who did that?" she asked out loud as she look around the ritual area and notched that some of the Familiars were looking, growling at something. Fallowing the gaze of the Familiars and then she saw it, a small puddle of black oil-like substance, seems to buddle up from the ground in the middle of the clearing. Everyone finally noticed the puddle and students were about laugh again at Louise's failure when they are interrupted by another painful assault on their ears.
"WE SPEAK, THAT YOU MAY KNOW US."
Everyone cringed at the titanic voice, while it is still loud it was not as loud when it first spoke.
"What are you talking about?" Louise demanded aloud, squeezing her eyes shut until the last echoes of its words faded away. The students, even professor Colbert was starting to look at the black pool with expressions ranging from uncertainty to the beginnings of fear as suddenly a black arm shoot out from pool of black oil with its hand grasping at the sky.
"THOU HATH CALLED UPON US, AND WE ANSWERED."
"I didn't call you- you... whatever you are!" Louis snarls at the pool as another black arm reached out of pool, both hands grab the side of pool and something began to pull itself out of it. Colbert tightening his grip on the staff ready to attack, whatever Louise had summoned it was not even human or an animal; it was something else, something he never seen or heard of. The students backed away in fear as a humanoid creature made out of darkness and shadows came crawling out of the black pool and stood up.
"WE KNOW WHAT THOU DESIRE AND WE ARE HERE TO GIVE OURSELVES TO THEE."
The Voices said sounding much weaker as the humanoid shadow limps towards Louis. Colbert fallowed the shadow every movement as it comes closer to Louise with every step, it walked like a heavily inured man desperately trying to get somewhere safe. Whatever Louise had summoned, it is hurt very badly and dying, he can see black droplets falling of the shadow and turning into blood as they touched the ground. Colbert knows that while this creature is injured it can still be dangerous if provoked. Louise stands completly prettified as the shadow comes closer to her, unable to speak.
'What in the names of the Founder and the One God have I summoned, is it some kind of Shadow creature, I have never heard that something like that exists.' As the smell of blood began filled the air as the shadow is now standing right affront of her, as the shadow reached out his hand, she closed her eyes in fear. Suddenly she feels the hand touching her cheek, the touch felted both warm and soft like the hand of baby that just is born, but is also hard and cold like the hand of a dead man, the sensation sending shivers down her spin. It was strange, both a pleasant and creepy sensation.
"PLEASE ACCEPT US, DO NOT REJECT US…"
The Voice whispered, but this time the Voice did not sound loud but soft, so soft that did not hurt their ears. Louise opened her eyes and looked at the faceless face of the shadow, she can hear the desperation, loneliness, and sadness in the voice, and it was like if the voice knows her sadness, her pain. Then she realized something, she has succeeded, finally after all those years, she has successfully used spell, did not exploded, and she summoned… some kind of shadow creature? It does not matter, here is her prove at she is worthy stay here at Academy, her future as a mage is here by secured, she doesn't have to go home and marry her fiancé who she haven't seen in years! Louise turned to look to her teacher for guidance. The look she received was enough. It said, 'do it or else you're done for.' She had to complete the ritual or else she would never be a mage. Oh well beggars can't be choosers, she thought to herself with a grimace, mentally preparing herself for the bonding ceremony.
"I don't know what you are, but you are better than anything that I had dreamed of." Louise raised her wand into the air and then placed her wand on the Shadow's forehead, before incanting.
"My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière. By Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers, grant your blessings upon this humble being, and bind him my Familiar."
What happened next shocked even her; she reached up, grabbed her familiar by his shoulders and forcefully pulled his lips onto hers, if it even has lips.
"WHY DID THOU DO-AAAAHHHHHHHH!"
The Voice's question dissolved into a deafening scream of pain. Runes started to appear on the Shadow's hands, chest, neck and forehead, smoke stared to appear before red, green, violate, blue, orange and yellow Fires erupts form the each rune and start spread across the body of the shadow. As shadows twisted and turned in pain as everyone looks on in horror as the flames consume him, everyone preset can all hear the Voice changing as it screams in pain, it was as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced, only leaving behind one to scream in pain. Suddenly without warning, there was a flash then an explosion. Everyone ducked for cover.
"Montmorency are you injured?" Guiche said running over to her aid. He noticed her expression."What's wrong?" He asked. She stood there dumbstruck and pointed towards the place where the Shadow once stood.
Louise's mind went blank. There on the place once the Shadow once stood, now stands a man. Louise felt her breath get caught in her throat and an unfamiliar heat appeared on her cheeks as she gazed upon the man. He was, to put it simply, breathtaking. His hair is long and as dark as the night. His strange eyes were two pools of electric blue lighting that were as unsettling as they were beautiful and mysterious. His form was wiry and muscular, built for power without sacrificing speed in the process. In addition, those small black horns on top of his head are so cute, making him more mysterious and devilish attractive…
'Wait a Minute! Horns?' Louise thought as she takes another good look at the man.
Then something hit her like a ton of bricks, her familiar was turn into a human, he has two small horns on his head, he is also completely butt naked and his body in covered in blood! Her Familiar looked into her, his mysterious electric blue locked with hers as he whispered, "Help… me…" it was just loud enough for her to hear before he fells to the ground in the middle of the clearing as pool of blood start to form under him. "Someone get a healer!" Someone shouted as the eyes of the mysterious man slowly close as his mind slips into unconscious slumber.
Next in Zero no Tsukaima: Shadow of Zero
Montmorency: Will he be okay Professor Colbert?"
Colbert: I do not think so Montmorency. It looks like he is stab sixteen times with a sword.
?: To who belongs these cloths?
Kirche: What's wrong Headmaster Osmond?
Osmond: Ahhh young Zerbst, how are you my dear?
Kirche: "Eyes up here old man
Louise: You stupid Shadow!
?: My name is not Shadow or Familiar!
?: T-two M-m-moons? This c-c-can't be real!
This and More in the Next Expecting Chapter of Zero no Tsukaima: Shadow of Zero!