Yeah really, this is the second chapter.
Some of the waiting reviewers:
HERE IT IS!
Clarke's
Yeah, I follow that rule.
Disclaimer: Read the first chapter and try to understand it.
It was the deep of the night when Colbert decided to research about the unusual runes on Steve. He questioned if miss Lilliac has the same runes. Colbert was at the library and there he saw miss Lilliac slumping down the table. "Miss Lilliac, it is rude to do that in the library." He said as he woke up the woman. "Miss Lilliac?"
"Oh, mister Colbert. Is it morning yet?"
"How rude miss Lilliac."
"What?" Lillia came back into reality and jumped out of the chair she was sitting on. "Oh sorry."
"Anyway, what brings you here?"
"To read this unreadable book."
"What? Can you read? Can you write?"
"Yes but maybe not in your language."
"Can I see your writing?"
"Here." She passed her journal to the teacher.
"I have seen this writing before but never understood it."
"What? Well, that's expected."
"Why did you expect this?"
"Let's just say that you, maybe, are not alone."
"Of course I am not alone, you are here."
"No, no, no. You don't get it. Do you think that you are the only intelligent beings of this universe?"
"Yes."
"No, but maybe. Look here. Alien life exists. We don't know where but they left traces."
"Blasphemy."
"We had conquered the stars and its planets."
"Hersey."
"Let's agree to disagree that you are unique on this universe."
"How would you do it? Magic?"
"Technology."
"Techno- what?"
"It is the application of what we have learned in the past."
"Prove it."
"The wheel's construction have the axle and the wheel itself. The axle translates force multiplied by the ratio of the circumference of the axle to the circumference of the wheel. In layman's terms, the correct size of the axle lessens the force needed to move the wheel."
"Wow. Tell me more."
"Trade."
"What?"
"Let's trade knowledge. You language, knowledge about magic and history for my knowledge in technology."
"Deal."
"Shall we start on how can I read this and write so I can make a book of how we do things without magic. Oh, why are you here by the way?"
"To know about mister Steve's runes."
"Well, I have this runes too, why not take a look?"
"Sure. You mentioned without magic, do you mean that magic was non-existent in your world?"
"No. There is magic but it is unknown to many but as we have learned things, we came up with the law that any sufficiently advanced technology is the same as magic and vice versa."
"Wow."
"Now, onto learning!" They started with their lessons. For Lillia, it only took her two days to speak and write arabic. Which was common for some gifted people.
-o-
Siesta woke up to the call of the rooster. With disheveled hair and her rucksack pajamas, she quickly washed her face and changed into her maid uniform. It was still early sunrise and the breakfast was cooked. She rushed on to her dresser and took out a square pad which she quickly turned on and a thought went into her head. Will the armor fit her? She picked up the armor and tried it on. It was a perfect fit and it really showed her curves while protecting her body. The armor is much lighter than the iron armor that her father made. After that she tried to put on her maid dress above it. The helm gave it away but the rest seemed like her underwear from its weight. She removed the leggings, shoes and helm leaving the breastplate with her. "Better be safe than sorry." The armor replaced her brassière and allowed her to move just like normal making her more confident to face the world.
-o-
Old Osmond saw the battle and he knows he only know the half of it. He wants to learn more about the two and see Lillia in the said dress as it was not much seen at his office. But, dear him, his personality can't bear the fact of interrogating them manually. Knocks were heard along the door. "Miss Loungeville, would you please." He said as miss Loungeville opened the door. "Who is it?"
"It's mister Colbert, sir."
"Ah, come in." Colbert enters with a hard-bound book and a parchment.
"Sir, this is important news."
"How important?"
"Royal."
"Looks like this is a rare opportunity, mister Colbert? Miss Loungeville, I assume that you must go out of this room due to the sensitivity of the conversation."
"As your wish." Miss Loungeville exits the room and Osmond quickly casts a high tier segregation spell on the door rendering all noises from both sides, nullified.
"What is it?"
"Look at this, sir." He places the parchment along with the book side by side in comparison. "They might be the Gandalfr due to this evidences."
"It might be just a coincidence."
"Not only that, the chance of summoning a human familiar is zero to none."
"So are you implying that Louise has the same affinity as the Founder?"
"Yes."
"Great Scott! The princess should know this."
"But wouldn't that cause a commotion?"
"A real royal secret."
"Anyway, what's happening in the vault?"
"Setting up a tighter defence, but the school couldn't afford anti-golem weaponry."
"I know. Those do not come in cheap."
"Is that all, mister Colbert?"
"Yes."
"Then, adjourned."
-o-
Steve was in front of Louise's door when he felt a surge of His aura. He opened the door and only a sleeping Louise was there. He doesn't want to get Louise involved in his search for Him. "Louise, wake up. It's already morning." He placed his hand on Louise's forehead and stroked her hair away. "What a cute, innocent, little girl." Then after that, he slapped her lightly. "Wakey, wakey. Rise and shine. The morning's up and things should be done." Louise was still drowsy but awake. "I'm taking my leave as you change your dress." Steve went out only to see the girl named Kirche with her salamander.
"What a handsome guy." She pushes him to the nearby wall and Steve's expression didn't even change. "What is this long, hard thing?"
"That's my sword."
"Really?"
"Literally. Now, get out of my face."
"Oh, I will make you mine, fine man. Someday."
"Never."
"I like hard men."
"I'm not one of them." After Steve's words, Louise opened the door and she was furious.
"Why you cow-udder girl, how dare you seduce my familiar!?"
"Ha! I will take my leave now. But remember! Someday, your familiar will be mine!" Kirche left the conversation.
"What a douche." Louise commented.
-o-
Lillia met with Steve down in front of the dining hall. "You would not believe what I ended up."
"What?"
"You were right."
"Oh yeah!" He then danced for a short while.
"But Colbert said that we do not tell anybody except her."
"Why so?"
"Panic spreads faster than fire."
"What?"
"If somebody know this vast amount of power, then someone will try to use it against good or evil. We need her to be neutral and not just that, there is something weird and conflicting in her."
"Well, prevention is better than the cure."
"She has classes today, don't she? Well, I shall accompany her into the classes for better knowledge of this world. Oh, and why not map the land while we are in?"
"Sounds like a plan to me."
-o-
The first class was about Earth magic and the teacher was classified to be a triangle mage as explained. "My name is Miss Chevreuse and my runic name is The Clay. As stated in this class Earth magic must be known by all students, so why not explain it mister Gramont." Chevreuse gave the floor to Guiche.
"Earth magic utilizes the earth itself and allows transmutation. It also helps in building and creating defenses." Guiche explained briefly.
"Thank you, mister Gramont. Now to demonstrate you, I shall transmute this set of pebbles." Chevreuse waved her wand along an incantation to change stone into a yellow, shiny metal. Lillia couldn't deduce if it was bronze or gold or something alien. "Is that gold miss Chevreuse?" Kirche spoke.
"Unfortunately, no. It is not gold miss Zerbst, but it's only brass. Only Square mages can transmute things to gold." Chevreuse now replaces the brass pebbles with ordinary pebbles. "Care to try, miss Valiere?"
"No! Don't let her!" Kirche's warning wasn't heeded by miss Chevreuse and let Louise continue. "Everybody, take cover!" As Louise casted the transmutation spell, the pebbles grew bright and expanded.
"Oh, this is gonna suck." Lillia then ducks, covers her ear and hugs the table in front of her to reduce concussion. It was like a standard flashbang and it stunned everyone in the room. Luckly, no one was hurt.
"Well, I guess that concludes our lesson today." Miss Chevreuse ends the lesson dazed from the failed spell. Louise and Lillia walked out with a minor burns on their apparel and a blank look at their faces.
-o-
At the forest, Steve was battle-ready. His sword was at his hands and he was using a whole set of diamond armor. He was mapping the area manually, unlike at the overworld where the place is automatically mapped along your way. It was mapped with specialized GPS satellites and it was no magic on how it was transferred in the paper automatically. He used an ink and quill to draw beaten paths, strange landmarks and bodies of water. He was also placing markings on some trees reminding him of a nearby landmark. After traversing a beaten path near the school, he hears an explosion which grabs his attention. Steve had setup a lot of TNT traps back then, may it be tripwire or pressure plates, and that explosion was common for him. He then continues on his mapping journey.
-o-
The explosion rocked Old Osmond's office but he was unfazed. "There she goes again." He commented as he continued signing papers.
-o-
Siesta was having a siesta as students go into their class. Unlucky for her, she was taking her rest near the window of the tower where Louise's class is. The explosion woke her and she saw a rain of sparkling lights. It was not sparkling lights but it was the glass from the window. Her instincts kick in and she crouched while her back was facing the rain of glass. She felt its pitter-patter on her back and it did not even wounded her, but her dress was far from recognition. She ran back to her room and changed to another set of maid dress. "Good thing I wore the breastplate earlier or else I would've been dead." She commented in front of the head chef.
-o-
Louise and Lillia's blank faces walked down to their room and that signaled the end of classes for today. Lillia wrote in her book that everyday the students study one certain element and history on another. Louise was furious when they got in. "Flipping flying manticore!" She shouted as she changed clothes with Lillia. Lillia also noted the indefinite amount of uniforms Louise had, which she shrugs afterwards. "Come with me, we are to go to the town! I need to vent off some steam."
"Okay. How?"
"Horses."
"Wow, I've never thought that finishing equestrian lessons would be handy someday." She then tears a piece of parchment and writes down a note. "That should remind him."
"Come!" And so, they went to the stables. Lillia picked a stallion while Louise picked a pony. Louise was amazed on how Lillia could tame the stallion, then they ride. "We're here. Leave your horse on that stable." And they went on.
"Wow, the town looks like Paris without skyscrapers."
"Paris?"
"It's an old place from where I came from."
"I'm sure Tristain is better."
"Why not we split up and meet here before sundown?"
"No. I would rather be with you."
"Okay." The streets was no more than three meters and the was a castle that was standing out like a sore thumb in the city. "So, where do we go next?"
"The doll store. I just need to cool off."
-o-
Steve was at the room when he saw the note. "Hmm. I guess that her childish ways are kicking in tantrums." He then decides to map the school floor by floor. While walking, he saw Siesta on her duties and greeted her. She then replies. "So, need a hand?" He offered.
"Yes, we need someone who would chop the firewood because is everyone is busy right now."
"Sure, why not." He then reveals a diamond axe and started to chop the firewood. His strength overall left a mark on the stump where the firewood was being cut. He then fixed the leaky ceiling, the broken wall and the shelf that was there. They gladly repaid him with the school's design and it helped him more than ever. He now decides to go after them by foot and a whole lot of Speed 2 potions. Running was no problem for him as stamina is just another small trouble, after all, he ran seven miles in just twenty minutes or he was running at 21 miles per hour. Steve was at the border of the town when he entered. Walking down the main pathway, he saw the blonde musketeer along the way.
"Oh, it's that guy who saved us back in the woods. The queen have me searching high and low for you, traveler. Come with me to the palace."
"Okay." He then follows with hope of asking where Louise is. The castle was big but small for what he had built. He made castles with obsidian walls and diamond halls but nobody ever ruled it. He was lonely for years and that loneliness fueled his search for refuge. As they go through vast amount of knights, they enter the royal chamber.
"Your highness, the man you seek is now here." She bowed and kneeled.
"Ah, the man in the cyan armor. I am seeking your help to guide me to the academy as night falls. You are to be paid and to be knighted after the deal is done."
"I will only help you traverse the night for it is dangerous and for your safety. I will not need the reward but if you insist."
"For the night, please suit yourself in the food, wanderer." She then holds her mace. "Agnes, make sure he is at the guest room until we are ready to leave."
"Yes, your highness." The words were swift and commanding as they left the chamber.
"Who was she?"
"She? You don't know her? How dare you tarnish the reputation of the queen!"
"Wait, she's the queen? I thought she was the adviser. Well, that's to note."
"Are you really a traveler?"
"No, I am miss Valiere's companion or familiar as she say."
"Hmm, you are to stay here for a while as your highness will call you when the time is right."
"Can you search for miss Louise?"
"Well, I can answer that request."
-o-
"It's so fluffy, I'm gonna die!" She commented on her newly bought stuff toy. "Come Lillia, we are to buy you and Steve a sword."
"No need for Steve. He has a good bit of swords and I only use swords when I want to. I have a lot of bows too. But something tells me that I need to buy something from there. Anyways, let's go." They arrived just before sundown.
"Ah, a noble. What kind of sword would you need?"
"I don't need a sword. My familiar needs it."
"Okay."
"Please show me your best sword."
"This one." The shopkeeper shows her a gold sword with three different colored gems on it. "This is enchanted by a Germanian Alchemist and is able to cut through iron like hot knife through butter."
"Gold. Highly malleable, really dense, not easily worn down but ornamental. Got any iron swords there?" Lillia spoke.
"Pick me!" An iron sword spoke behind them.
"Shut up, Derflinger!"
"Iron. Light, tensile, easily made into alloys, and strong." Louise was fazed on what Lillia spoke.
"Well, how much is for that sword?" Louise is now doing the talking.
"What sword?"
"Both of them."
"The special one is 300 gold coins and the iron one, well I'll just give to you as 5 copper coins."
"I'll take the iron one!" She said swiftly due to its price.
"You didn't made a mistake!"
"Come here you light longsword. You shall be my apprentice's weapon. Oh, and please train her on my command."
"Okay dokey. Hey, may I ask a question?"
"Yes." Lillia was talking to a sword.
"What's your names?"
"My name is Lillia and this is Louise."
"Name's Derflinger. A sword that has been here for a long time. And thanks for taking me out of that old man's shop."
"Don't mention it."
"Hey, Lillia, who is this apprentice you are talking about?"
"Siesta."
"Wait, that maid!" Louise was in shock.
"Yes. She's fit, she's quick and she's loyal."
"Wow."
"Can you guide me to the musket shop. I just need to buy somethings."
"Like what?"
"Well, that's to be secret."
"You don't keep secrets from me you fool."
"Don't bite off more than you could chew." She warned before tripping her button. After those words, Louise succumbed into thinking and fear but they still arrived in the young night to the musket shop. "Wait here." Lillia said as she entered the shop. "Okay, how much is you small musket balls in here?"
"Two copper coins each." The lady shopkeeper spoke.
"Gunpowder?"
"Ten copper coin per pound."
"Oh, what's this?" She picks up a small cap with a small amount of explosive.
"That's a percussion cap. My husband invented it for his new line of modern muskets."
"How much?"
"Fifty copper coins each."
"Okay. I want to do business here. I will take a hundred of these percussion caps, five gold coins worth of small musket balls and fifty gold coins worth of gunpowder and you can keep the change but you will not question me. Deal?"
"How much will you give?"
"This." She magically pops out a cubic meter of gold. "All yours."
"Are you a noble?"
"No, but I think this will make you one."
"What's your name?"
"Kingfisher."
"Okay, miss Kingfisher, I will give you when?"
"Right now."
"We shall prepare it and remember you for your kindness."
"And I shall bring this into your basement." She magically disappears it and goes to their basement and magically places the gold block there.
"Ah, miss Kingfisher, apparently my husband packs it in that amounts and was placed in the lobby."
"Thank you, miss?"
"Miss Reverie."
"I shall be on my merry way now." She the magically takes the items into her inventory system and went out.
"You done?"
"Yes."
"Then, let's ride!"
-o-
Foquet was on the streak when she intercepted a caravan of a noble. Using a surprise tactic of a golem, it punched the first carriage throwing it in a good forty meters. Every single soldier of the caravan was dazed and some other ran away from the behemoth mound of rock. Foquet then dismounts the golem and loot the noble's belongings and ran away.
-o-
Henrietta was wearing a ragged robe and was riding along with Steve and Agnes. The ride was on the beaten path that Steve currently mapped. Steve then noticed a faint light from afar and asked Agnes to stop. "We will take a shortcut. Bandits up ahead." He then takes out a map and quickly points to the north-east where a small cave lies. "Enter the cave. It only leads to one way, so we shouldn't be lost." After they exited the cave, they saw a small ridge. "Turn right, then turn at the stone bridge."
"Where are we now?"
"We should be behind the academy and there is a small river if we continue forward."
"We should rest for a while there." Agnes commented. And so goes their steeds. They arrived at a really shallow river which was possible to be crossed but they decided to let their steeds drink before going forward. It was a quiet scenery where if you look towards the direction of the river, you are to see a part the mountain range that surrounds the academy. Steve, while eating a piece of bread, fished for some carps downstream. After catching two, they then left towards the academy.
-o-
"Siesta! Knock knock?" Lillia tied down Derflinger's mouth for being annoying on the ride home. The ribbon made it look like a gift.
"Who's there?" Siesta rushed to the door of her room.
"Lillia."
"Lillia who?"
"Lillia de Lilliac. Oh and I don't want to make a joke."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"What's that?"
"A sword."
"For me?"
"Yes, a bluntly speaking, sharp sword."
"What?"
"Untie the ribbon."
-o-
When they arrived, it was the deep of the night. Not one soul was to be seen awake. Steve, then enters the academy via the entrance of the servants. "Why here?" The musketeer inquired.
"It doesn't arouse suspicion if we enter here. Also, the servants know me well."
"He's right. The would think that we are just servants and they wouldn't even know that the queen is in here!" Henrietta commented.
"Shush!" Steve commented. "Where to now?"
"We'll be on our way now, mister Steve." They now went to their separate ways but still met at the front door of Louise's room. "What?"
"My master stays here."
"Oh." Henrietta's gears started to move. "Wait, what?"
"She's my master."
"Is that some kind of foreplay?"
"No."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that he is miss Valiere's familiar." Agnes remembered something that she should've said earlier.
"What? I want Louise to explain this." Henrietta then barged into the door and an arrow aimed at her face welcomed her. "Uh, I can explain." Henrietta then tries to remove her hood but Lillia stopped her.
"Stop. I'll do it." Lillia removed the hood with the arrow and Louise gasped.
"Your highness." She then bows down. "Lillia! Stand down." Louise shouted. "Oh, so she's the queen." Lillia drew her bow down. "Well, I guess that royal blood is uncommon in your country."
"And who are you?" Agnes spoke with her sword on guard.
"Lillia de Lilliac. A companion and not a familiar of Zero."
"All of you, stand down." Henrietta ordered. "It's been so nice to see you again Louise!" Her demeanor broke and she hugged Louise to her bosom. Louise with her height was proven disadvantaging at the situation as she was suffocating in the blossoms of your highness. "How is my cute Louise doing?"
"M mmmmm mm mmmm mm mmm mmm mm mm. (I would be fine if you let me go.)" Her voiced was muffled in the bosoms.
"What?"
"You may want to let het go. She seems to be suffocating." Agnes said.
"Oh."
"Ah!"
"Little Louise suffering at the high hills." Lillia commented.
"What did you just said, Lillia?"
"Nothing." Louise shot a glare up Lillia.
"Okay. I know this is something like a pillow talk, so I'll just stay away from this." Steve was slowly leaving with an emphasis on the word slowly.
"Oh, no you don't." Henrietta pulled Steve's collar. "I need Louise to explain what is this master relationship."
"Well, this two are my familiars, but they choose to be called companions for, well, temper issues." Louise summed it up in one sentence.
"Whew, good thing it wasn't the thing that I'm thinking."
"If you know what she mean." Lillia commented before bursting to a laugh. Henrietta blushed at her mistake. "Okay, Steve, stay. Pillow talk isn't just for girls and blonde woman, join in." Agnes sighed and removed her armor but Steve was near the window, ready to jump and break his leg if things gets kinky. The pillow talk involved the history of Louise and Henrietta which Lillia compared to her relationship with her niece. Steve was listening too and he chuckled on some points.
-o-
"Hey! Louise, check this out." Henrietta danced gracefully for a short while.
"Wow! That was superb Henrietta. I wish I can be like that too."
"No you can't be like that because your small."
"Hey, no teasing."
"Am I teasing you?"
"Why, you." The duo started to wrestle out until they're exhausted. "That's a draw."
"A draw it is." Then the two laughed.
-o-
Agnes also spoke about her childhood. A sob story compared to the two but Steve tried to comfort her at the best as he could.
-o-
Agnes was drowsy when it started to get hot. When a good bit of smoke reached her nose, she went back to her senses and ran towards her mother and father but it was futile. They were not there and smoke was filling up her lungs. She was desperate and young, so she ran and cried towards the front door but the door was also in flames. All hope was lost for little Agnes and by the broken window, she saw thirty, hulking men who wielded staves that shot fire into other buildings. One of them stayed behind and heard Agnes' cries. He busts down the burning door and piggybacks Agnes as quick as he could. The girl was succumbing to the smoke when she felt something hot touch her. The man flinched but was determined to get Agnes out of there. When they were at the open air, the village where Agnes lived was up in flames and all souls except little Agnes' was extinguished by the flames. Her consciousness starts to fade but she caught a glimpse of the fresh scar of the man who saved her. Then, the world turned to black.
-o-
"That was embedded deep in my memories and this scar? This was the result of a burning column that fell down on me."
"Well, better off than being left for dead and silenced in uncharted territory, alone." Steve added.
"PTSD." Lillia commented.
"What?" Agnes replied.
"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Do you get depressed or angry when you remember it?"
"Yes."
"Then let it be. Forget the past as the path of revenge requires you to dig two graves. One for the enemy and one for you."
"What?"
"When you kill somebody, it will just breed another fragment of hate, but now, it will be targeted on you."
"I can never let the man who did that live another day."
"You're hopeless."
"Your highness, Steve has told me that you should embark now if you are to arrive at the palace before sunrise." Louise said.
"Yes, we shall. And I shall return on the day of the Founder."
"Yes, your highness."
-o-
Louise still had five hours of sleep before the sun shone but her dream today has been different. She was now in a land of fire and lava. A barren wasteland where no man wants to step. A castle made out of dark stone was present. She now decided to look at it. There were different beings in the castle. Human-like pigs that were zombies, floating sticks of fire and floating souls which had their eyes closed. All hailed her and all feared her. At the end of the castle was a being that emanated an aura of fear and devastation. A being of superior strength. The being looked like a fish bone with three human skulls. "Who art thou go into my abode?" It spoke a husky voice.
"I-I am L-louise." The different presence of this being scared her but she mustered all of her courage to speak to it.
"So you are who Emma talked about."
"W-who are you?"
"The Wither. The remnant of the barren Earth."
"W-why am I here?"
"Your task today is to learn how to muster enough courage. Your backbone is still a toothpick to me. Your task is to gather a Nether Star."
"W-where is it?"
"There." It points its head to the vast pool of lava.
"T-there?"
"Yes, there."
"Wait, so its inside of that pool of molten rock!?"
"Yes."
"No way I'm diving that!"
"Be brave, young child."
"Brave? How can I be brave if the thing you want me to do is suicidal!?"
"Believe in yourself."
"No way. Never."
"Well, suit yourself. I'd rather jump and swim through lava than get trapped here forever."
"What!"
"Huh?"
"T-trapped here forever?"
"Yes. The portal will be only opened at my will."
"Oh no, you didn't." That came out of Louise mouth before gibberish flooded the area. "That's it. I don't want to be some fairytale, I'm doing this." She ran back for a boost and ran forward for the jump. She remembered that she forgot to remove her clothes but she continued to try do a swan dive which she only saw in shows. She miraculously did the swan dive and didn't burn into ashes the soon she touched the molten rock, but her clothes did. She felt warm and in pain for a short while but it also went away the deeper she got. Up above, one of the Wither's head was holding a placard with the number ten on it. Louise back down, was searching in the darkness of the light. "It's too damn bright to see in here." After her comment, a surge of energy slid down her spine. "What was that?" Another surge. "It's coming from somewhere. It seems that it's on my right." After turning, she saw a star. White and yellow together as one. It seemed like magic was emanating from the star, vast amount of magic. The magic was enough to destroy Albion itself but she still took it. It burned like the flames of hell, everlasting. She then tried to swim up but the flames hurt her more every time she moved. She still continued. She screamed in agony but her will is strong. Before her last one push, she felt the star rupturing her hands. It was like having a nail driven at your hand. The agony didn't dazed her nor slowed her. "I don't want to be asleep forever. I don't want to be called a scaredy cat! Never!" Her naked body then exits the pool of lava. The Wither moved into her face and took the star.
"Now, have you learned what courage means?"
"Yes. It is to be brave and face danger head on with perseverance and will."
"You forgot one word."
"What's that?"
"Knowledge. That is how I lost to the man. I went on him with brute strength but he outsmarted me." A violet portal appears beside the Wither. The portal was bordered by a dark purple stone but Louise didn't care. "There are still many tests to be finished before you are ready. Wake up now and tell Emma that you passed Wardenclyffe's test."
"I will." Louise said before passing through the portal.
-o-
Before dawn, Foquet was at the forest border. Lumps of rocks which are ready to be transformed to siege the academy where the Staff of Destruction is being held at. "Patience and tactics can always turn the tide of the battle."
-o-
Iron formed the body, a percussion cap as the primer, 0.7mm steel balls, and fill it with gunpowder then close it in with paper. And now you have a simple shotgun shell. It was Lillia's plan. "If there are muskets around here, then a shotgun should be handy." Lillia then retired for the night after making ten of the said shells.
-o-
Steve was at a cave and he was deep underground. Sleep was just another want for him. His goal was to collect minerals but there seemed to be one missing ore that was present to the overworld, Redstone.
-o-
Redstone is a compound which is easily found deep underground the overworld. It is an organic superconductor and is cheaper than copper. The only problem is that it requires hemoglobin to form the compound. Redstone can be mixed on to potions to energize it. It is edible in potion form but inedible in dust form. One property of Redstone is piezoelectricity but one struck, it can only be shut of by connecting another torch and making an inverter to reverse its output. Using basic red stone dust is like using raw copper dust, it looses electrons quickly but red stone allows you to make logic gates to be used on circuits. It is the wire of the overworld in summary.
-o-
"No Redstone. Great. Now, how can I make better potions. Ah screw it, I'll just use Redstone on wires." Steve concluded his hike after mining 30 gold ores, 64 iron ores and 96 pieces of coal. When he got back to surface, it was already sunrise.
-o-
"So, how's the hike?"
"No Redstone, 0-30-64-96."
"Well that sucked. Anything interesting?"
"No mobs and weird mounds of rock and soil back in the border."
"Forget about that. Let's just wake up sleepy head."
"Sure." Then the duo went to the academy.
-o-
For two days, Lillia had accompanied Louise in her classes while Steve helped the masses. Guiche was now a follower of Louise and so is his girlfriend Montmorency after a short talk. Louise didn't had the strange dreams for the two days and it seemed that it will not come back. Many people didn't cared of the upcoming danger and the students are busy for the familiar show-off on the day of the founder.
-o-
"Oh Founder. I forgot about the show-off. Kirche will tease me for this." Louise had remembered what she had to.
"What can we do?" Steve was beside Louise as Lillia was busy at the library for Louise's homework.
"Show off your talent."
"I'll handle this."
"How?"
"Something elegant."
"Okay, what do you need?" She asked Steve.
"Just wait and see."
-o-
Henrietta arrived but Louise didn't made eye contact with her as a request last night. Their relation now was hidden as a royal secret.
-o-
Steve was behind the academy walls, fully armored, where the sky from there was visible from the stage. He spent all day creating the items he needed, fireworks. He had set up dispensers and Redstone wire that was covered in the foliage he made. Lillia on the other hand had her face on a book.
-o-
Louise back on the stage was nervous. She was given a small coned-tip cylinder with a string on the other end. Steve told her to light the string using a torch when it's her time to perform. She was nervously watching Kirche's salamander burst of its flames. She knows that after Kirche is her turn. "And that is it for miss Zerbst's salamander, Flame!" The announcer roared. "Now, how about we see the performance of miss Valiere."
"Well, as Lillia said, I must trust my companions if they trust me. Here goes nothing." Louise climbed the stage. "Be brave. Be brave." She held the cylinder and lit the string. It flew up in the air with a golden trail.
-o-
"Showtime." Steve pressed the first buttons sparking the start of a light orchestra. He was pressing buttons unconsciously. The fireworks was now playing Ride of the Valkyries by an old composer named Wagner. Flares, crackers and poppers filled the sky that the nearby Foquet was amazed by the light show.
-o-
"Wow. The elegance is overflowing." A teacher wiped his tears away.
"I could never be much more happy than I am right now." Another teacher spoke.
-o-
"Mama mia!" Louise shouted. As the fireworks roared, Kirche was amazed too.
"You know Louise, I declare you the winner."
"Everlasting!" Louise exclaimed again
-o-
"Oh my Founder." Henrietta exclaimed. "I want our country to learn how to make those!" Another volley went up.
"I think they did this to amaze us." Agnes commented.
-o-
Lillia woke up to the sound of fireworks. She looked to the nearest window and remembered the tune. "All we need now is just a fleet of helicopters and a beach to conquer." Then she saw the golems at bay. "Oh flippers." She went to a frantic state in less than a split second then wore her diamond armor. A step back for a running jump and the glass was broken. Feather falling was a really good when you need to have to detour stairs. She drew the Windforce Bow and surveyed the area. A whole battalion of golem plus a big one further out. With the amount of troops here, a siege is enivitable. The problem is, that the queen is poorly defended. It will be rookies versus elites if she let the students do the fighting. The defending force will need a tactic. After making an estimate, Lillia then remembers that the golems will automatically disappear if the mage is weakened or killed in action. To where now is the question. Where is the enemy?
-o-
Back in the grounds, The crowd applauded to the end of the light show but a huge rumble rocked the roaring crowd. Golems attacked every single person in the vicinity. The surprise caught everyone off guard. Some golems targeted the queen but one was intercepted by a well-placed musket shot. "Get the everyone into the building but prioritize the queen!" The one who fired the shot, Agnes, ordered. Many were wounded but none was killed, yet. Louise, on the stage, now fully understood her dream. Rather than going into the building, she ran towards where the tremors. "Louise! Ah, suit yourself. You, escort the students, now!"
-o-
By the first tremor, Steve quickly ran to the academy walls where a fifteen meter tall golem was positioned. "That's one big rock to be mined."
"Hey, up here!" Lillia shouted.
"What's happening?" The two were shouting due to the chaos amidst the academy.
"School's being attacked. This is the big cheese. Look at its shoulder." Steve saw the small figure on the golem's shoulder. Far away, it looked like a speck, on Lillia's view, it looked like a person.
"Can you shoot it down?" They were now side by side.
"No. Can't get a clean shot."
"How the hell do we get up that?"
"I got an idea. Want to get shot?"
"No."
"That's the only way."
"How?"
"This. The Air Blast. Punch 2, Infinity 1, Unbreaking 3." Lillia held a different bow.
"Okay, what's the plan?"
"You jump, I shoot you twice. That should throw you up by its shoulder. Climb it and capture the person up there if possible."
"How we gonna pull it off?" After those words, an explosion rocked the golem removing a visibly large chunk from it.
"That works. Now go near it. On my mark. Now!" As Steve jumped, Lillia slid down him and shot an arrow down his feet to propel him upward. "Another!" Those words marked another shot that managed Steve to get close to the hulking golem. To latch on, Steve brandished out two pickaxes. Left pickaxe, right pickaxe. He climbed in the midst of the explosions. Lillia, carefully observant, ran towards the mage who was casting the explosion. She saw Louise who had the golem's attention. "Really?" A sixty ton fist almost collided with Louise's face but was saved from turning from a pulp by Lillia's punch bow which diverted the attack.
-o-
Siesta saw the havoc. She quickly ran back to her quarters and changed into the armor not knowing that she changed the setting into Adaptivity.
-o-
The inventory system have an armor option. Ranging full armor to underwear. But some were fitted the option of adaptivity. A setting about necessity and function. It was used by high ranking military personnel to protect themselves while wearing their ordinary clothes but some used it for fashion while in war. Of course, some people also used it in cunning enemy personnel except that it broke the Geneva Convention.
-o-
Siesta was shocked that she was still wearing the maid dress while wearing the armor. She picked up Derflinger and tried to position herself. "Please take care of me, Derflinger."
"Sure did, lady." Six golems were pounding twenty-four soldiers on their knees. "Okay. Raise me. Then strike!"
"What? I'm not fighting."
"What did missy get me for you for?"
"To protect myself?"
"Wrong. She told me that she will train you in sword fighting to kill someone in times of extreme need."
"But I don't wanna!"
"Those are just lifeless rocks. Try to cut 'em!"
"Okay, here goes nothing." She lifted her sword and sliced a golem in half disabling it. Siesta then remembers something. A memory of when a fellow friend was killed. She then ran unto the killer and used his sword to gut him. "Haha. Hahaha. Hahahaha!" She then started laughing manically.
"Oh balls. You can stop now, missy."
"Stop? Those bloody nobles and thieves had attacked our family over and over and you want me to stop? Insolence. You are just a sword that talks. I can move!" Siesta had now eviscerated more than fifteen golems. "Nobody shall stop me!" She move with great speed and nimbleness into the heat of the battle. One golem managed to land a hit on her but its hand was broken by her dress.
"Let's get to the school now. Maybe there's more of them in there!"
"Let me at 'em!" Siesta ran to the door.
"Hit her in the head! She's going crazy!" The sword shouted a command which was followed by Colbert.
"What?" Her vision grew dim as she felt pain.
-o-
"Aha!" Steve was now facing the mage who was riding the golem. A growl was heard from the mage and the golem was now much focused on the walls but why? A punch and the wall was gone and so was the mage. Steve didn't pursued the mage but took another option which is to hit the golem. A pickaxe with Efficiency 5 can cut to solid stone like laser and this golem is made out of a combination of soil and rock. It was decimated not destroyed. When it was near crumbling, an explosion threw Steve off. He tried to hold on using a pickaxe but the golem was too soft to hold through.
-o-
Foquet was now inside the vault. Thousands of gold and silver but she was after a weapon. The Staff of Destruction. Foquet's employer gave her a task of retrieving it for unknown reasons. Foquet searched high and low, leaving no stone unturned until Foquet found it in a box. After seeing the golem beaten up, Foquet quickly moves to the golem for a quick escape. Entering was one thing, escaping was another. Arrows were fired in quick succession to Foquet's general direction. No mercy, no surrender. An arrow grazed Foquet in the arm forcing Foquet to flinch. Foquet quickly rush out into the deeper forest as she escaped.
-o-
"Son of a!" Lillia shouted. "That little prick!"
"Calm down, Lillia." Louise said.
"Where's Steve?"
-o-
"Is everybody alright?" Agnes shouted while bleeding. All miniature golems dissolved down as time passed.
"We got a lot of wounded here." A solider spoke.
"One needs critical attention here!" Another one spoke.
"Let the mages do their work. We'll need to assess the situation." Henrietta ordered. "What happened back there soldier?"
"A maid. A maid with a sword saved us from being crushed." There were some minor wounds and lacerations on the man but he was mentally scarred from the surprise assault. "She killed many of the golems as we fell back. We owe her our life."
"Is everyone okay?" Louise shouted as she entered the shelter. Your highness, are you okay?"
"Yes. Yes I am."
"Foquet got away with a box from the vault."
"What?"
"She got away because we didn't gave our best in stopping her."
"Don't worry." Henrietta pulled Louise into her bosom. Louise was evidently crying and ashamed. "You did your best into fighting the golem. And knew her true motives. What can we do now is to pursue her."
"Your highness, the golem Foquet was on was reported to be heading into the woods." Agnes butted in.
"Have our forces to start a pursuit."
"No, I'm going after her by dawn. She disgraced my school and my friends and now it's personal."
"No, Louise, you are not going."
"You? A Zero going into the heat of the battle? Well if you are going, then I am going too. Her familiar may have bested my familiar but I will not let her gain on me in the fight of honor." Kirche spoke "Me too." The blue haired girl spoke.
"We'll aid them." The foreign duo spoke.
"I'll also let my apprentice go with me for some practice." Lillia added.
"Well then, if you are willing then retire for the night. You shall embark tomorrow."
"I'm going too!" Miss Loungeville spoke behind them. "That cheeky bastard wounded me." There was a large cut on her right arm.
-o-
"What happened?" Siesta had woke up in the night.
"I got you knocked out just for you to stay still." Derf was the only one with her.
"Why?"
"You have gone psycho, you woman!"
"Oh, not again."
"What? This happened before?"
"Don't even ask me about it."
"Hey, what happened here? Why are you in armor?" Lillia went near her.
"She went psycho, used me to murder twenty-two golems and got knocked out." Derflinger liked to abridge the happenings.
"Oh. You're gonna need to solve those problems, but for now, sleep for the night. We'll go hunting."
Okay about the time table? Screw it. I'll just post sometime when I have free time.
Oh, I also like to put in some references but some of them are really unknown to many.
This is indefinity007, signing out.