Good, I see that I continue to receive positive reviews. Only one thing: I know, I need a beta reader. If someone is willing to do it I will gladly accept his help. The one who help me with my other story "A New Road Of Hope" is too busy to help me with this.
Corvus no Genmu: The honor is mine in receiving your praise, your one-shots are the best.
Gamer: Ah, "Hill of Swords". I admit it is one of the stories that I liked more. I hated his characterization of Shirou (read: a little hypocrite with suicidal inclinations) but the story was awesome. For the format...Yeah, I drew inspiration from there, I admit. But this is different: this dream sequence not only serves to illustrate the history of Zeruel (a past perceived with alien sense Louise can hardly understand) but also to start a development for our little mage. Do you remember that in the Eva serie were very careful to avoid mental contacts with the Angels and synchronization too high with the Evangelions?
And now the Familiar Contract established a permanent link between the souls of our two protagonists? Cookies for who can guess where I'm going with this.
asredwer: Yeah, usually the familiars's rebellious spirit is needed to make Louise understand that just because she is a noble she cannot expect to have the world at her feet. It is a lesson in humility and respect for others. Here she will see that every desire has its consequences, and even with a obedient servant life is not always nice.
Peanuckle: Right, "giant alien monster" can pretty much screw everything, I chose this form because I liked it. And she is a terrifying thing, but that looks pretty. Talk about deceptive appearance...
A friend of my point out that without a male protagonist the cast is both pretty much all female (a mixed bag but it removes many types of conflict and humor) and that without someone summoned from a more 'enlightened' society things may not be nearly as interesting, since Louise and her group won't have the progressive and adventurous attitude that lead to half of their adventures.
He has a point, so I thought of a solution: built new types of humor and conflict and add someone with said attitude. Who? You will see: there will be not only one at any rate. And the canon? Screwed beyond hope obviously.
YOU SHOULD THINK BEFORE SPEAKING
[*]
And morning comes. Zeruel sees the light of the star that illuminates this world filtering through the window. It's time to wake her master. She gets up and leans toward Louise.
"Master. It's dawn." She speaks softly.
"Munya, Munya..."
Zeruel blinks. Translation is impossible, the words of her master don't make sense at all. She tries again. "Master. You ordered me to wake you up...in the morning."
"Munyaaa...Fuah! Fuah!"
Even less sense. It appears the conscience of her master is still in the deep of her subconscious. She concentrates and uses the soul connection to catch a glimpse of her REM activity.
...
What are strawberries and chocolate? Regardless she needs to fulfill her orders, so she sends a feeling of severe urgency hoping that it would be enough to restore active consciousness.
What she don't know is that such an act is like a psychic slap to the face of the Ego while is busy building a castle of cards with the Id and is absorbed in the delicate task of placing the final piece.
In Layman's terms: overwhelming panic.
"UUUUWWAAAAHHH!" Louise wakes up shrieking. "What-Oh, it's you Zeruel."
"Good morning Master." The Apostle replies unabashed. Mission accomplished.
"Oh, I was dreaming of eating a delicious cake...'' 'Yes, and before a different one, but I don't remember it: something about father and...a light of some sort. I know it was strange, but not because it was.'
The sleepiness completely dissipated Louise stands up and take out from the closet a fresh uniform. Before she also picks the underwear she stops and turns toward her familiar, who continues to observe her with the same expressionless face. Should she ask the girl to dress her like a servant? But then she remembers: a familiar, not a servant, a Birdwoman, not a human. THAT would be improper. Even a bit perverted. She shakes her head to clear it and resumes the dressing.
[*]
They had just left the room when another door opens and from the inside a tall girl with flaming red hair steps out.
Kirche grins broadly. "Good morning Louise."
Louise frowns. "What do you want Zerbst?" It is too early in the morning to be dealing with her major source of headaches.
'Master is experiencing discomfort.' Zeruel thinks. 'This new female appears to be an unwelcome presence.' Her gaze shifts and concentrates on her, ready to react to the possible danger.
"Why, nothing, my dear Louise. I just decided to come here to greet you and your...unique familiar." She seems to study Zeruel with attention. "Simply amazing. What is your name?"
"Zeruel."
"What a strange name. So, how much?" She asks somewhat mockingly.
"Uh?" Louise says confused. But Kirche is talking to Zeruel.
"Come on, you can tell us what really happened. How much is she paying you per day to keep up the act of being her familiar?"
"That's ridiculous! Kirche, you know very well that I wouldn't desecrate the ritual like that! I performed the summon and she is what came out!" She declares enraged. How dare she insinuate she degraded herself so much as to falsify the result of the ritual. It's an insult to the Founder himself!
"Oh, be serious Louise. How else could the famous 'Zero' summon something like a Birdman with a..."
"Apostle."
"Eh?" They both ask when Zeruel stops the talk.
"I'm not a Birdman." She continues with the same emotionless voice, but Louise senses it is an argument of the utmost importance. "My race is called...Apostles."
"Ahaha! I should've know it was a fluke! I never heard of 'Apostles' but if so they must be nothing special if they are so unknown. If you're going to have a familiar, it should be a good one, like this. Flame!" Kirche calls her familiar triumphantly. From her room, a large, dark-red lizard slithers out. It raises his head.
And sees Zeruel. Instantly he curls behind Zerbst's legs and begins to tremble in fear.
"Flame? What's wrong? Why are you so afraid?" She asks bewildered.
"Standard behavior." The Angel of Might replies after listening at the Soul's Melody of the new being.
"Uh?" The two noble ask again.
"Biological organism classified as 'Flame' is showing the standard behavior of most species when confronted with a superior life form and is unknown if it is a predator or not." Zeruel responds only because she perceived her master asking the same question. The worries of this female don't concern her.
Both nobles remain speechless while their brains process the meaning of the Apostle's words. The first to reach it is Louise, who despite the lack of magical prowess surpass the redhead in the theory. Immediately after she doesn't erupt in uncontrollable laughter, because such a thing is unbefitting of a noble.
No sir. Not at all.
"Ahahahaha! It appears the familiar has more brain in his skull than his summoner! Ahahahaha! It's just like you Zerbst! Ahahahaha!" Two whole years of frustration and now she has her revenge. What a sweet dish it is.
Kirche frowns. Her plan was simple: tease Louise, impress her and her familiar with Flame and leave with a healthy dose of good humor. It backfired horribly. She sighs. "Well, I suppose amateurs like you would never understand such a thing. I guess I can't really fault you since you obviously don't know the significance of such a feat as summoning something that is obviously better than some unknown creature. Come Flame, we're leaving."
She gestures to the salamander and walk away. As she disappears, Louise shook a fist in her direction. "Ooh, that girl gets on my nerves! She won't even admit her defeat!"
"That female is a...nuisance to you Master. Do you want me to...remove her?"
"Oh ye- wait, what?" Louise's instinctive agreement ends in sputters as she looks at her familiar's clenched fists while images pops out in her head. Images of Kirche, of the same fist clenched around her neck...
Of Kirche's head separated from her body...
"No! No killing my classmates!" Hate is okay but she has no intention of going to jail. "Just...don't kill anybody."
Zeruel bows. "Acknowledged."
A wide smile works its way up her face. "The next time she tries something like that, approach her familiar and see if you can make it run with its tail between its legs. Especially if there are other people present." The Germanian isn't the only one with a clever mind.
"Thy will be done."
[*]
The Academy of Magic's dining hall is the tallest and center most building on the premises. Inside, three extremely long tables are arranged parallel to each other. Each one looks like it could easily seat a hundred people. The students are divided according to years, one for each table, and a large number of servants are in constant movement carrying food and empty dishes. On an upper level the teachers are enjoying pleasant chatter.
"Miss Vallière!" Before Louise and Zeruel can enter in the hall an excited voice cuts through the air, calling out the pinkette's name. Turning to the source, Louise is treated to the sight of a very excited professor Colbert, a great number of notes under his left arm.
"Mr. Colbert?" She asks, looking at the elderly mage with a confused expression.
"Sorry for the interruption, but I'll need to borrow some of your time." Her teacher explains, moving towards them. "If you don't mind, would you let me take a look at the runes on your familiar? I could not see them well yesterday because of the confusion."
"Sure. Zeruel." She turns toward her familiar. "Show to professor Colbert the runes. The symbols on your left hand." She adds to make sure that she understands. The Apostle obeys and extends her arm forward. "They're unusual, aren't they? I never heard of multicolor markings." Louise said.
"True. Most are blue, and there are recorded cases of green and white, but none with more than one color. What's more, they are very intricate. So much that I do not think they can be deciphered without careful research. "He mutters while he continues to take notes.
"Another thing professor. Zeruel told me she is an Apostle. Is that perhaps a sub-species of Birdman?"
"Apostle?" He shook his head. "I have never heard of it. That's said I'm not really an expert in magical creatures. Maybe it is a rare species. Tell me Miss Zeruel, from where you are..." He raises his head to meet the eyes of the familiar. And froze.
Colbert was not always a teacher. Many years ago he was a soldier, the 'Fire Snake', trained by the best mages in the kingdom, used to accomplish dangerous missions. His commander was Karin the 'Heavy Wind', curiously the mother of Louise and now Duchess de La Vallière, but in those days (and even now he was sure) the best wind mage of Tristain, maybe of all Halgekenia: a ruthless soldier with nerves of steel and the knack of pulling only the best from her subordinates. He remembers her cold eyes, the insane eyes of his former subordinate Menvil, the eyes of all his enemies, his family, his friends, his students, his acquaintances. He has seen hundreds of different looks.
But never like the one of the self-proclaimed Apostle. Her fresh spilled-blood eyes look at him and yet at the same time not. It isn't how she sees him, it is how she considers him: not like a person, but only a simple part of her surroundings.
She don't regard him as a human, he thinks. Not even as a living being, for her he is no different from a lamp or the floor. It is the first time for Colbert seeing a creature who utterly refuses to distinguish him from others as an independent existence. Looking at those eyes is like having ones very identity denied.
It isn't scary. It isn't reassuring. It is alien.
With supreme force of will he stops himself for running from the familiar and backs away. He doesn't know but he is sweating copiously. "N-No, nothing. See you in class Miss Vallière." He stutters before leaving and heading to the library, the impulse of accelerating his pace barely restrained.
"Is he okay?" A confuse Louise asks aloud, before turning toward Zeruel. "Familiars are not allowed inside the Alvíss Dining Hall. Wait for me in the courtyard with the rest of the familiars."
"Understand." Zeruel don't like being separate from her master, but orders are absolute so there is no hesitation in the answer.
[*]
Zeruel walks into the courtyard, now full of all the other summoned animals. They are like her, she thinks, other beings with the Purpose of serving their respective masters. Unlike lost souls, they know their place in the world. And now she too knows hers. Her thoughts shift to her brethren, both the dead and the still alive. Of the original fifteen sons of the Father only four remains: her, Arael, Armisael and Tabris. They died searching for the answers that the Father could not provide them before freeing them. Now that she has found hers she can only pray for the others to be successful.
She stands there, motionless, when a known voice calls her name.
"Miss Zeruel." Siesta happily exclaims approaching the Apostle. "Good to see you again."
"Good morning." She replies. As a person which has provided useful aid to her master she must show attention.
"You too. What are you doing here?"
"Master ordered to wait for her here."
"I see. You must be hungry, do you want something to eat?" It is her turn to feed the new summoned familiars of the second years, which includes the nice winged girl.
Zeruel ponders. External nourishment? Such a thing is not needed with the blessing of the Fruit of Life. But in this new form it may be a good idea to replenish her reserves from another source, it will put less strain on the Fruit. She considers suitable foods. A feeling tells her those who are not.
"No meat."
"Excuse me?" Siesta asks puzzled.
"I don't desire to eat...products of animal origin."
"Ah, then fruits and vegetables are good?" Zeruel nods. "Come with me, we can take something from the herbivores stocks. But first we have to wash them."
[*]
Louise walks into the courtyard together the other students, briefly wondering why all the familiars seem to be in distress. Sylphid is atop one of the nearby castle towers, the paws over her ears to not listen to Tabitha's requests to come down. Not until the abomination is far away, that's for sure!
"Zeruel? Where are you?"
"Here master." She appears promptly.
"What do you have in your hand?" She asks pointing.
"An apple."
"Why you have an apple in your hand?"
"I am eating it." She nips a bite chewing slowly. It is her first time eating said fruit. It is a pleasant experience.
"...Forget it. Silly me to even ask. Come, I have class."
The classrooms in the Academy are similar to university lecture halls: like the rest of the castle made of stone, but the seats and desks are made of wood. When Zeruel and Louise enters, every student in the room simultaneously turn their heads towards them. At the same time all the familiars retreat to the opposite side of the room.
'What.' She turns toward Zeruel. 'Your the cause?' A nod from the Apostle informs her that their link works perfectly. 'Oh well, let them learn a bit of respect.' "Stand next to me." Another nod. Satisfied she sits down just before the teacher enters, a middle-aged woman with a friendly expression, dressed in a voluminous purple robe and wearing a hat. She looks around the classroom and speaks with a satisfied smile.
"Well, everyone, it seems that the Springtime Familiar Summoning was a great success. I, Chevreuse, always enjoy seeing the new familiars that are summoned each spring." She then notices the Apostle. "My, my. This is not something you see quite often. You truly have a peculiar familiar, Miss Vallière."
Louise's face bright up at the compliment. Someone claims it is a fluke. Louise denies. Chevreuse fills their mouths with red clay. The lesson resumes.
Zeruel observes with interest the feats of the older female. Energy-mass conversion and matter transmutation, they are new interesting applications of the Light Of The Soul. She don't fully understand the mechanics of her master race's Light but she is confident she can replicate the effects with a little training. The question is: how they can be used to serve protect her master? She needs to think more about it.
"Now then, would you like to try transfiguring these stones into something else Miss Vallière?" The professor asks Louise. Many beg her to refuse but doing so only fuels her determination more. She stands up and walks toward the front of the class, Zeruel behind her. Louise don't complain, neither does Chevreuse.
The Angel of Might extends one of her many senses and carefully analyzes Louise's actions. She wants to witness the prowess of her master, obviously more powerful than her. She listens to her chanting, strange words that seem to be a help to manipulating the Light. She then focuses on the power building.
Her eyes widen when the atoms of the pebbles began a matter-antimatter annihilation with a predicted energy output high enough to cause severe bodily harm. Her instincts take over. The runes flash.
It's time to protect her master.
The pebbles on the desk violently explode filling the room with smoke and soot. The classroom erupts in a pandemonium.
"That's why I told you not to let her do it!" Kirche shrieks.
"Jeez, Vallière! Save us some relief and just quit school already!" Someone else screeches.
"Professor! Are you alright?"
But when the curtain of smoke drops an incredible sight appears to the class. Before Louise and Chevreuse stands Zeruel, as if to protect them. No one has seen her moving, but the most astounding thing is that the trio is completely unharmed. Every bit of furniture in the room is destroyed save for the blackboard and the wall behind them. On the floor, unnoticed, a neat line separates the soot covered from the still pristine stone.
Zeruel turns toward the shocked Louise and Chevreuse and asks. "Are you alright master?" A great concern is transmitted through the mental link.
"Ah...I'm fine." She replies, unable to understand what just happened. Usually she is the first receiver of her failure, and to tell the truth it is the first time she escapes without damage. She looks straight in the eyes of Zeruel. "You...protected me?"
The small smile forming on the lips of the Apostle is a more than sufficient answer.
"Ahem...Miss Vallière." Chevreuse stutters, her nerves still shaken. "You can return to your seat. And I...I better call someone to clean this mess..."
[*]
"It is good?" Louise asks.
"Yes, master." Zeruel replies taking another spoonful of soup: she is sitting on the floor on her knees, the buttocks resting on the heels (seiza-style). It is lunch and the Vallière decided to let the Apostle eat in the Dining Hall as a thanks for the previous help during class. One of the servants, a maid named Siesta, apparently took a liking to her familiar and said she was willing to cook for her. It appears the Apostle is a vegetarian, so the maid cooked a vegetable soup for her. It was hilarious to see the maid explain to the winged girl how to use a spoon with great detail.
Louise take another sip of tea, in the meantime thinking on the events of the day. After Earth class has been canceled she asked Zeruel how she stopped the explosion. At first she didn't understand what the 'Light Of The Soul' was, until the Apostle said it was the same power her and her peers used. She was talking about magic! It was a strange term but she supposed that like many other things the 'Apostles's' culture was very different from the human one. It was even possible they were from beyond Rub' al Khali in the East. She had looked in the library: Birdmen were in fact able to use Ancient Magic, the same as the Elves, but were limited to the manipulations of the flora like trees. Zeruel used hers in a stone room so it can't be the same. Truly, hers is a familiar with many mysteries.
Her musings are interrupted when a very angry voice call her. "There you are, Louise!" She finds herself face to face with that playboy Guiche waving his staff-rose around. Let's be serious, who do he think he is? Some sort of drama actor? Only Kirche is worse of this goof.
"What do you want Guiche? Make it fast, I don't want my tea to get cold." She murmurs with false courtesy.
"I want you and your familiar to apologize!" He exclaims flicking his rose.
"..." Louise's brain tries to process. It fails. "...What?"
"Last night your familiar offended both me and Katie! She has the guts to ask if we were maids. Maids! Can you believe it? So I want her to apologize, and since masters are responsible for their familiars I want you to do the same!" He finishes with a smirk.
That fades when Louise begins giggling like she just heard the best joke of the world. "Uhuhuh...you, her, maids...Uhuhuh!" She wipes a tear from her eye. "Sorry, it's too funny to resist. I instructed her to find a maid, and since she didn't know how to distinguish between people I told her to ask, but to think...Uhuhuh! You're the best, Zeruel!" She compliments the winged girl. The Apostle don't understand the reasons but she knows her master praised her, so she smiles.
"And?" Guiche tries to keep up the facade of politeness. "When are you going to apologize?"
"Never."
The facade melts like snow under the sun. "What?"
"I said neither I or my familiar will never apologize to you." She waves her finger. "She didn't anything wrong, she was only getting information like I told her. I am going to punish her because she tried to perform my orders? I don't think so. I will make sure it doesn't happen again, but I will not lose my time over something so futile."
"Futile? Your ignorant beast insulted the both of us, it's a grave matter!"
Louise slaps both hands on the table, rising to her feet. Zeruel does the same, laying the soup on the table. "Now YOU are insulting my familiar? Zeruel is not ignorant or a beast, she's just a little naive. It's not her fault if you and who else was with you are so touchy!"
"Her name is Katie! And we are not..."
"Who's Katie?" A voice cold like ice cuts the heated atmosphere, sending chills down the spine of everyone save Zeruel. Guiche turns his head and turns pale. Because before him stands hell itself. A hell with long, thick blonde curls.
"Montmorency. This is a misunderstanding, the only person I hold in my heart is you..." The unfaithful fop tries to defend himself but, alas, the Universe with the capital U is not a nice entity. And it likes to troll poor fools like humans.
"I knew it, you and Miss Montmorency are..." Another voice, this one sobbing. Guiche turns again and paled even further, because this time it is Katie.
"Katie, Montmorency, I assure you this is all a big misunderstanding..." Stubborn till the end, eh boy? A pity it's pointless. Rightful feminine fury explodes and Guiche de Gramond finds himself on the ground with two new marks on his cheeks, a pair of very red hands.
"So..." Louise asks, more disgusted that amused. "Case closed?"
"As if!" He shouts, rising to his feet with all the bravado he could muster despite his stinging face. He turned toward Zeruel, seeing in her a target to restore part of his lost pride. "Thanks to your thoughtless actions, the reputation of two ladies has been damaged. Therefore I, Guiche de Gramont, challenge you to a duel!"
"Are you becoming mad?" Louise can't believe her ears. Maybe the slaps have damaged his already addled brain even more . "You got what you deserve and now you try to make my familiar take the guilt? Besides, duels are forbidden."
"Only a duel between nobles." The blonde declares.
"No. I prohibit it."
"The choice is not you to make. So, beast, your answer?"
Zeruels expressionless face don't change one bit. "Master's orders are absolute." It is all she says.
"See? MY familiar is obedient. Get lost two-timer, don't shame yourself further."
Guiche frowns. "Obedient? More like afraid. I should not expect more from the familiar of a worthless mage such as you, 'Zero'."
Louise is livid. 'Again. Again and again they insulted me: for my magical failures, for my flat chest, for...for everything!' No one had ever faith in her, not even her family! Only big sister Cattleya believed in her and never cared about her mistakes. And now this shameless two-timer dare to mock her and the only other being who has show kindness to her? Her last hope of having a companion, a guardian...
...A friend...
"Fine. Have your way." She hisses. 'Just you wait until Zeruel shows her magic and we'll see who is the worthless between us.' "Zeruel!" She commands. "Hit him with everything you got!"
"Understand." The Apostle replies automatically.
"Good." Guiche grins. "The Vestri court, thirty minutes..."
It is as far as he got before the fist of Zeruel punched him straight in the face. With a sickening sound of broken bones the young noble is sent flying backwards until he crashes into a table, breaking it into two. A very robust table it must be said.
"Zeruel!" Louise shrieks. "What are you doing?"
"Following orders." Is her calm answer.
"What orders?"
"Hit him with everything I got."
"I was talking about the duel!"
Zeruel tilts her head, while other students try to help Guiche with cries of "Someone call a healer!" and "Oh God, is that his face?", and asks innocently: "What is a duel?"