It's save for me to come out now? Just in case let me put Havel's armor, I don't want to be burned by those hate me for the scene with Kirche with Eurydice in the last chapter.
Well here it's the new chapter of this the story and I am happy that you guys are liking this story, this is the biggest chapter that I have written so far. Also all the information comes from Wikia.
Thanks for the reviews and to Flames of Nocturne, who again helped me with this story once again!
Please enjoy!
Chapter 4: An odd meeting
The young Vallière was sleeping peacefully in her comfy and warm bed, a true bliss for many people. Especially when it is the Void Day, a day when the students didn't need to attend classes, yep, a true blessing. Today, Louise had decided to stay inside of her warm bed and sleep for a longer time. But there is little problem, that day only exists in the Halkegenia's system, not in Thedas's system.
It was still dawn and Eurydice was already fully awake, in the Circle, the apprentices needed to wake up little more earlier to attend their basic needs, like getting some breakfast, taking bath and preparing for their lessons. Because their lessons started at eight o'clock sharp, and this was every day, there were some times when their lessons finished earlier of course. They didn't want a walking zombie wandering around inside of the Circle.
The Warden walks to the direction of the sleeping pinkette mage and starts poking her cheeks trying to wake her up.
"Louise! Louise!" Eurydice said softly for not startling her "It's time to wake up"
"Can I have some chocolate with my strawberries, please~!?" the young mage mumble as she sleeps.
"Louise! Is time wake up, you gonna be late for your lessons!" said again the Warden.
No response, Louise continues to dream with the strawberries and the chocolate. Eurydice releases a sigh, if this continues; both of them will be late. Then something pops up, it was the way to wake up someone when they refuse to wake up, something that she learned with Wynne when someone refuses to wake up. The old bucket with cold water!
"KYAAAAAAAAA!" the pinkette mage yelled.
The sudden yell was strong enough to wake up everyone that was sleeping in that tower. Especially a certain redhead whose body was numb for being in the same position for hours, because of a certain spell of a certain elf who was staying in her room temporarily that night. Which hadn't ended up like she wanted.
"Rise and shine sleepyhead!" said the Warden innocently.
Cold, that was the feeling that the pinkette mage was experiencing right now. Louise could feel the blood running into her face in pure rage, she looks angrily at the elven Warden who simply was smiling at her while was holding an empty bucket on her hand.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?" yelled the pinkette mage "WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?"
"We have classes to attend today, don't you remember?" asked the warden to the soaked pinkette mage.
"What? THAT'S WHY!? YOU IDIOT! Today is the Void Day, there are no classes today!" the pinkette shouted angrily to the innocent warden.
"Huh? You have a day like that?" Eurydice said to herself, then she look at Louise "In the Circle, we don't have a "Void Day", we have classes every day."
"Really? How can you endure it?" Louise asks to the elf.
"You get used to it." Eurydice answers as she picks up fresh clothes, and then she throws a clean set uniform to Louise "Well, now that you are awake. Why don't we take a bath? It should help you warm up."
*sometime later-at the Academy's female bathhouse*
"Wow! It's huge!" said the warden amazed.
The bathhouse was an incredibly large place and full of signs of luxury. The room had circular designed to match the large circular pool that was in the center, floor and the walls were made of marble. The room itself was illuminated by magical torches that don't go out with the humidity of the bathhouse, because it was built underground to prevent anyone from peaking in.
At the moment only Eurydice and Louise were the only ones using the bath, so without any delay Eurydice was the first one to go inside, which resulted relaxing immediately because of how warm was the water.
"It feels so nice~." Said pleased the Warden.
Following her example, Louise went inside and let herself relax too. Letting her body warm up from the cold she felt before.
"It must be hard to keep this place warm, huh?" said Eurydice as she pours water on her face.
"Maybe." said Louise without noticing it, because her mind was somewhere else.
She looks over the scars and bruises that were on the body of her familiar, especially those that were on her chest. She had three scars with a circular shape where is her heart. This made her wonder if all those marks were made by those monsters that Eurydice needed to fight in her homeland.
*flashback- at Louise's room*
Louise was sitting on Eurydice's bed, still looking at the drawings, which were drawn by the Warden. Even though being drawings, Louise couldn't stop from shaking in fear just by looking at the monsters that were recorded in that journal. She couldn't stop from imagining standing in front of those hideous creatures
"Did you know that it's not nice to be snooping the things of a girl?" a familiar voice calls her back to reality.
Louise looks over the owner of the voice and sees Eurydice standing in the entrance of the room.
"I-I am sorry! I didn't mean to! I was just curious." Said Louise trying to defend herself.
"There is no problem. Can you give me that back?" the Warden said calmly as she stretches her hand, in response, Louise passes her the journal.
"D-Did you fought against them?" asked the pinkette nervously.
Eurydice looks over the pages that the young mage was looking at "Yes."
"W-What are those things?" the pinkette asks again.
The Warden starts to wrap up the journal with thick threads that keeps the pages together before answering her question.
"Those things Louise, are what we call Darkspawn. Those are the things that we Grey Wardens fight."
*end of flashback*
Darkspawn. That's the name of those hideous monsters that Eurydice had to fight against. Since the beginning she didn't believe that the Darkspawn were the result of the greed of Humans, she thought it was just a stupid lie made-up by Eurydice to scare them or something like that. But when she saw those drawings, it reduced the odds of being a lie.
"Hey ,Louise. My eyes are up here." Said Eurydice waking her from her daydreaming.
Louise reacted when she heard her name and turns her eyes to Eurydice's face.
"Is not like have I something that you don't, but is still a bit embarrassing if you keep staring at them." Said the Warden shyly as she covered herself with her arms.
Louise's face had turned pinker that her own hair when she realizes where she had been staring the whole time. Quickly she turned her eyes to the other direction.
"I-I-Is not like t-t-that I am staring at t-t-those mammary of yours!" said Louise shyly.
Eurydice smiles at her reaction and starts patting her head as she speaks to her as if Louise is a child "You don't need to worry about it. You'll have the same when you are older!"
"Why are treating me like a child? I am sixteen, you know?" Louise said a bit annoyed.
There is a moment of silence between them and then she quickly removes her hand from the Louise's head "Hang in there and good luck!" she says with a thumb up.
"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?" yelled Louise.
The Warden was, well, surprised. She thought that Louise was a mere child. Because it is rather impossible for a person of her age to be so small, if she was in Ferelden, she would be mistaken by a dwarf. And with the body she has now, it will take a long time to develop. The only thing Eurydice could do right now was wishing her good luck to achieve the absolute womanhood.
Louise composed herself and starts speaking firmly "Either way. I wasn't looking at your chest, but rather your scars. Where did you get those?" she asks curiously.
The Warden looks over the scars and marks that were visible on her body before speaking "Well, most them was during my battle against Darkspawn and many other things."
"What other things?"
"Like demons, dragons, drakes, bandits, bounty hunters, assassins, mages, etc." Eurydice said as she counts with her fingers.
"But why didn't you fully heal them? Surely you could that, don't you?"
"Yes, I could do that, but these scars and marks are reminders of my past mistakes. Like this one." the Warden points to the marks of giant fingerprints that are marked on her waist "This is when I was grabbed by an Ogre and it nearly squeezed me to death." then she turns around and showed her a huge scar made by claw that extended from her right elbow to her left waist "This one were made by a Shriek that attack me from behind." and finally, she showed her the scars on her chest "And these are the first ones that I have received. I was shot by three arrows drenched by a powerful poison from the Darkspawn. Thankfully, I was saved by a woman named Morrigan and her mother, if weren't for them, I would be dead." She finishes with a smile as she remembers what Flemeth told her.
She told her that was a miracle that she had survived. She had trouble to heal her wounds due to the poison that was inside her. The poison had spread too quickly, but there was something holding her together, preventing her giving in to the poison.
"But, how were able to survive against that all this time?" asked Louise stunned.
"Because of my companions." Answered the Warden with a nostalgic voice.
"Companions?" said Louise confused.
"Yes, if weren't for them I was probably already dead long time ago. Let me tell you this, no matter if you have magic in your disposal, if you don't have anyone to cover your back, you will be easily defeated."
Louise's eyes wide with the words of Eurydice, for those words were the same told by her mother when she was in the army. If you don't have anyone to cover your back, you will be an easy target for the enemy. No matter if you are a noble or a commoner!
*time skip- at the academy's dining hall*
Both Eurydice and Louise had already finished taking a bath and now they went to grab something to eat. The hall was rather a bit empty, only a few students were already awake and already taking their breakfast. It was possible to see the servants of the academy serving the students and preparing the tables for the ones how were still sleeping. As they walk down the hall, Eurydice noticed some students whispering to one another, pretty much like yesterday, but this time there is a touch of fear in their whispers, probably because of yesterday's event.
"Normally only the nobles can eat here, but as you're going to start participating the classes, it shouldn't be a problem if you eat here." Said Louise as she sits down and starts to give a small prayer before eating.
Without saying anything else, the elven mage Warden sat beside her and started to eat. The Warden was delighted by the food that was served by the servants, this kind of breakfasts are completely different compared to the ones serve at the Circle, which was normally served bread, cheese and soup, but here, the students eat high quality food were is normally seen in the courts of Ferelden. If her knowledge is correct of course.
*time skip- at Academy's courtyard*
"I cannot believe you were able to eat all that! How are you able to keep your body like that!?" shouted Louise with a touch of jealousy in her voice.
The pinkette was dumbfounded, she had just witnessed the monstrous hunger of a Warden. Eurydice had just eaten five full dishes at ease and she said that she was able to eat more if she wanted, but she didn't want to leave huge piles of dirty dishes for the servants to wash.
"Ehehehehe. That, dear Louise, is a secret!" said the Warden with a playful smirk.
The pinkette wasn't content by the answer given by the Warden to her. She couldn't comprehend why it was a secret. Well, until now the only thing that she received information from the elven mage warden was only secrets. Secret there and secret over there. The only thing she could do right now was just releasing a disappointed sigh.
"So…as we have the day off, what you want to do?" asked the Warden.
Louise thought for a moment "What about going to the city?"
"The city, huh? Isn't a bad idea actually." Said the Warden in agreement. "How far is it?"
"Three hours by horse." answered Louise
*meanwhile- with Kirche*
"I can barely feel my body." complained Kirche with a grunt.
Correctly Kirche was walking in the halls of the Tower of Water. Her body was numb because she forced to be in the same position for hours, because of a spell that was cast by Eurydice to paralyze her body. The effect of the spell had ended only after three hours.
As she walks the halls of the Tower, she tries to arrange new plans in order to steal, correction, to "save" Eurydice from the hands of Vallière. For after all, her family and Louise's are old rivals for generations, her family had been "saving" grooms and brides who were getting married with the members of Vallière family.
"I need to find a way to make Eurydice fell in love for me no matter what." Said Kirche to herself with a smirk "How hard could it be?"
Then something caught her attention. From the window where she stood in front of, she saw Eurydice and Louise entering inside of a red wine colored carriage that was in front of the Academy's gates. This made her wonder where they were going during the Void Day. The only way to find out is following them, and there is only one person who could help her.
*scene change-at Tabitha's room*
Tabitha, the bluenette student from Gallia, was reading silently, like as usual, inside of her room. The Void Day is a very important day of the week for her, because is the only day where she can spend the entire day reading quietly inside of her room without anyone bothering her. But today was different.
Despising her young age, she is already ranked as a Chevalier, thanks to her training and missions given to her back in Gallia. This made her senses of her surroundings sharper, which means that is able to hear the familiar steps coming closer to her room. Without taking her eyes off the book, she grabbed her staff.
"Ansur Rel An…" the bluenette said lowly as she cast the spell.
This spell was the silent spell; a spell that lets you cut the sound of voices in an enclosed area or prohibiting anyone be able to hear conversations from the other side of the wall. When Tabitha finished casting the spell, Kirche burst in and started shouting to her, but due of the silence spell, she couldn't hear anything that her friend was saying. So she dispelled the spell.
"Tabitha! We're going out today! Get ready!" shouted the Germanian red-head woman.
"Void day." Tabitha spoke in counter, giving why she didn't want to go.
"I know just how important Void is to you!" complained Kirche "But you see… I've fallen in love." She said in a dramatic way.
"Who?" asked the bluenette, for she had heard this many times.
"Is Eurydice!" Kirche answered.
"The elf? You crazy?" said Tabitha a bit surprise.
"The love showed me that Eurydice is the one! I wanted to confess my true feelings to her, but it was stepped down by that Louise Zero! I have to figure out exactly where those two are heading! You understand, right!? " shouted Kirche in hope that her friend would understand her problem, but she received a shaking head as a response "Oh, right, you won't move an inch unless I explain everything." she said as realizes why her friend doesn't help her, Kirche takes a deep breath before speaking "I want to chase after the two because they're heading somewhere, but I can't catch up unless I get the help of your familiar! Please, help me!" she begged to the bluenette girl.
Tabitha mentally signed, if she didn't help her now, she would be bugging her later. So she closed her book and nodded to her request.
"You understand now? Thank you!" Kirche said pleased.
Without saying anything else, Tabitha opens the window of her room and whistled towards the horizon. In respond of her whistle came her familiar wind dragon, Sylphid. She would take them where Kirche wanted to go.
*back to Eurydice and Louise*
Eurydice stayed there staring at the landscape as the carriage follows the road to the city. The view reminds her when she traveled throughout Ferelden with her companions, in order to unite the four factions to defeat the Blight. There were times when they used horses to travel faster, especially when they went to seek help of the Circle of Magi to remove the demon that was inside of Connor.
But this time there is no darkspawn infestation, no demon possession problems, no civil war, for now, and plus, this time there is a carriage! The Warden had never ridden in a carriage before; they are more common in Orlais among the noble society, that's what Leliana had told her.
Her gaze turns to her fellow traveler, Louise. The small pinkette was sitting properly with her hands resting on her legs, at the moment she had her eyes closed. This made the Warden wondering if the small mage was sleeping, but in reality she was not. This is a way to pass the time that Louise had learned from mimicking her elder sisters during long travels instead keeping staring at the landscape.
"Hey Louise, where we are heading?" asked the Warden.
When Louise heard her name she re-opens her eyes and look at her "We are going to Tristania, the capital city of Tristain."
"The capital, huh?" said the Warden with a déjà vu feeling.
"Yep!" Louise said with a touch of pride "Although Tristain is a small country with a small military force compared to the others countries. We compensate with a rich geography, magical studies and architecture, our fertile lands allows us to plant a wide variety of crops and also is good to raise livestock!"
"That's impressive. The weather in Ferelden is a bit colder comparing to here, which reduces the choice of plantations so to compensate we have a large production of livestock!" Eurydice explained to the small mage about her homeland "How big is the Capital?"
"Big enough to hold thirty five thousand people!"
"Huh? That is a bit small. Denerim, which is the capital of Ferelden, alone have at least a population of seventy thousand."
"R-Really!? That is huge!" said Louise surprised "Somehow I feel smaller right now."
"Smaller than you are already?" Eurydice joked.
"HEY! I am still growing!" Louise shouted angrily.
The elven Warden laughs at the small pinkette's reaction "I'm sorry, it's just that you're so fun to mess with!"
Louise merely releases an annoyed "humph" and looks away "Idiot."
Eurydice just sighs, it seems that she stepped over the line. Then something hit her.
*Louise P.O.V*
Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Stupid woman, is it my fault that I am slow grower? Why is everyone making fun of height!? So I decided to ignore her and I turned my gaze towards the landscape. Although I had already seen this landscape many times, it's somehow a soothing experience. I like it.
It seems it's working, Eurydice hadn't even tried anything else to make fun of me. Instead, she had been quiet for some time. Then out nowhere I started to feel something poking my cheek. When I turn my head, I saw a small sphere made of light poking at me, whatever it is. Is freaking adorable! The mysterious sphere of light started to tickle me offer my neck mercilessly, I could control the giggles coming out from my mouth.
"It seems I was able to bright up your mood~!" Eurydice said pleased. Huh?
When I look back to her, I see the sphere light flying towards her and lands on her hands. A small smile is forms on her lips and starts to pat it gently like it was a small pet. It's hers?
"What is that?"
"Is a wisp." she answers "They are normally found in the Fade."
"The Fade? Wait!? Do you mean that realm thingy that you mentioned yesterday? Does that mean it's a spirit?"
"Yes! It's said they're the remains of a demon that was destroyed by another demon during their time in the Fade or existed in the waking world without a host for too long, which forced to lose their power as a result!" Eurydice explains to me.
"What is the "waking world"?" I asked confusedly, I never heard before.
"The "waking world" is where we are!" She answers "You see, the Fade although being the realm of the spirits is also realm of dreams. When someone goes to sleep, both their mind and soul goes to the Fade to dream. Although this only happens to the ones that aren't mages. Comparing to us, mages, we are able to wander the Fade in our free will and even going someone else's dream."
"Really!?" I couldn't believe what she said, being able to wander their own dreams and the dreams of others! What kind benefits this could bring?
"Yep!" then her eyes turn to the wisp that was resting on her hands "Although they have this cute appearance, they are still dangerous." when she said that my eyes look at the wisp with fear, how can something so cute can be dangerous? "Even if they have the consciousness of an average wisp, the only thing that clings to their mind is the hatred for all living things. Is possible to find them in our world, they are often mistaken for lanterns and are known to maliciously lead the living into dangerous areas." She said calmly as she pets with her hand the dangerous creature "But there is nothing to fear with this cutie here! This one is made from my own mana, you could say is a part of my soul. That is why it's so adorable~!" she finishes as she rubs the wisp gently to her cheek.
I could feel a bit of jealousy as I see Eurydice as she cuddles the wisp. The reason is because of her magic! Compared to her, I am an absolute zero! I can't even cast the simplest spell of the world, compared to her! Yes, I was able to summon her, but that was by mere chance. Even made it worse of what I was able to summon was someone able to do magic, especially if that someone is an elf!
The only thing I could do was releasing a frustrated sigh, I wish could do magic.
"Hey! Is it that Tristania?" said Eurydice as she points toward outside.
I could see the glorious walls of the capital, Tristania. The city of artists, sculptors and architects, a true gem of Tristain! From here it was possible to see the castle where the royal family lives at the highest point of the city. Speaking about the royal family, when the last time I spoke with Henrietta, I mean, the Princess? I wonder if her majesty stills remember me.
*Inside of Tristania- Normal P.O.V*
The city's streets were crowded and lively with merchants trying to sell their wares and both commoners and nobles wandering in the streets. It was possible to feel the pleasant smell of freshly baked bread coming out from the bakeries to the selling stalls. Not only that, there was also a wide variety of vibrant colors of vegetables, fruits and other wide variety of goods that are capable to tempt the people to watch. Eurydice was one of them.
She couldn't stand the desire to see what was in this new world where she lives now. At this moment; what was able to describe her right now, was that she's a child in a candy store. Louise just stays there as her familiar wanders towards the selling stalls of the city at ease, showing her how accustomed Eurydice was towards the Human society.
Louise release a sigh 'If she didn't behave like a child would be good.'
"Louise?" Eurydice's voice calls Louise attention "What is the currency of here?"
"The currency? Well, we have this. It is called an ecu." Louise said as she passes a silver coin. Eurydice starts to analyze the coin that was passed to her and continues listening to Louise's explanation "That is a silver ecu, there is also copper ecu and gold ecu."
"Which means the gold ecu is the coin with a higher value, right?"
"Yes." answered Louise.
The elven warden gives the coin back to Louise "Then is similar in Thedas, we call them sovereigns, silvers and bits or coppers."
"Sovereign?" said Louise confusedly; she understood the silvers and the coppers part, but sovereigns?
"This. This is a sovereign." the elven warden takes from her pocket a gold coin and show it to the pinkette "In Thedas, a sovereign is equivalent to 100 silver coins and a silver coin is equivalent to 100 copper coins."
"Then your currency is similar to the Albion's system." said Louise, as she realizes how the monetary system works in Thedas "Why do you ask?"
"I am trying to find a sword actually." Replied Eurydice "I grew accustomed to walking around armed back when I was in Ferelden, you never knew when a bandit or darkspawn would try to slit your throat."
"Follow me then. I know a weapon shop near of a potion shop that which I visit often, although I never went inside."
Nodding at her words, Eurydice started following the small pinkette girl as she leads her towards the weapon shop.
"You will not believe what I saw last night!" said a voice of a random young man.
"What?" said another voice of a much older man.
"Yesterday, when I went out gathering wood in the forest near the Academy. I found a fairy!"
Those words froze Eurydice.
"A fairy? AH! Have you been drinking boy?" said the older man questioning the young man's words.
"I am telling the truth! Her skin was pale like snow and she had a beautiful long silver hair like it was reflecting the light of the moons!"
Eurydice gulped; she could feel her cheeks turning crimson of embarrassment. Someone had seen her naked like the day she was born while taking a bath!
"And where did you see this "fairy"?" asked the older man still not believing him.
"I saw her taking a bath on water spring inside of the forest! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see her face, but I still remember how I saw her." he said with a passionate sigh "Under the light of the moons, she was humming a song that I never heard before! It was really beautiful and yet at the same time, it was so sad! I could feel my heart grow heavier as I continue hearing her."
So their talk continues, Eurydice couldn't bear any more! Her face was now red like a tomato, filled with shame! So without thinking and in a flash, she grabbed Louise's wrist and dragged her towards the crowd.
"Eurydice!" said the small girl surprised due the sudden action "Hold on! You are hurting me!" but the elven warden didn't hear her.
"Huh?"
"What is it?" asked the older man when he turns his eyes where the younger man is looking at.
"I think I just saw her right there!" he said when he saw someone with silver hair running towards the crowd.
"The fairy!? Here!? AH! You must be still dreaming boy!"
*scene change*
"You are a brute, did you know that?" said Louise tiredly.
Eurydice just rubs the nape nervously, she was embarrassed from what she had heard from those men and so focus to run away, that she didn't noticed how she dragged Louise all this way. Well, at least she made a lot of exercise today.
"Ehehehehe. Sorry!" Eurydice said with an innocent smile.
"Don't "ehehehehe" me! You brute!" scolded Louise.
"Where are we?" asked the Warden while looking around.
Louise also looks around and recognizes the street where they are "We are nearby the shop that I spoke of. With all this, at least you drag us to the place where we were heading."
With that Eurydice starts following Louise until they stopped in front of a shop. The Warden look up and see a sign made of wood with two swords crossed behind a shield carved into the wood, this made her realize that this, was the weapon shop that Louise talked about.
"Welcome!" said a voice soon when they entered inside of the store "What can I help you with?"
The owner of the shop was a man in his forties, wearing a leather cap and glasses, this man could resemble as a rat because of his two teeth coming out from his upper lip. His red nose indicates the possibility of having the habit to drink alcohol during the work. The Warden gives a look around of his shop; all the weapons were covered by layers of dust, which shows the careless to take care of his merchandise. Not only that, most of his ware featured the erosion due to excessive disuse.
"I came here to buy a sword." said Louise instead of Eurydice.
"I see, and must be for the young servant girl who is accompanying you, yes?" asked to merchant while looking to the Warden, who was still looking at his ware "Many nobles, recently, have the tendency to arm their servants."
"Yes, I want the biggest and the best that you have!" announced the young pinkette.
"I see. Very well, wait a moment please." Said the merchant while walking inside of his store, hiding behind of his back a vicious smirk on his lips.
"Hey Louise, you don't need to buy me a sword. I am sure that I more than enough money to buy one." protested Eurydice when the small pinkette mentioned the sword.
"It is the master's duty to take care of his/her familiar! So buying you a sword is not a big deal."
"Although that I am grateful, I am still a person. So don't abuse the "familiar" word that much." said the Warden while looking at her with a smile, yet Louise could feel the chaotic aura coming out from behind of that smile.
Louise gulped while nodding at the elven words. Soon after the shopkeeper appeared from inside with a sword in his hands.
"Sorry for the waiting! Here it his!" the man passes the sword to the hands of Louise, a golden sword with red jewels decorating the handle of the sword "This is the best sword that I have!"
"Beautiful." comment the pinkette as she holds highly the shiny golden sword.
"Yes! This sword was forged by the famous alchemist mage, Lord Schvert of Germania! It slices steel like a hot knife through butter!" explain the shopkeeper.
"How much is it?" asked Louise without thinking that this "sword" was made by a Germanian.
"3000 gold ecu!" the man answered.
"3000 gold ecu!? You can buy a small mansion and garden with a forest for that much!" exclaimed Louise
"A good sword is comparable to a castle. It's a good deal if-"
"Sorry, may I see it?" interrupted Eurydice.
"S-Sure." said the man nervously.
Louise passes the sword to Eurydice, and slowly, the Warden starts to analyze all details of this sword. After all, she is a Grey Warden who killed countless Darkspawn, and a good Grey Warden knows everything about his/her weapon of choice.
"Um, Louise, this sword is fake." said the elven warden in conclusion that the sword is a fake.
"WHAT!?" yelled both Louise and the shopkeeper.
"Yes. First of all, the blade is blunt so wouldn't do a single thing. Second, gold is very malleable metal it would break with only the one swing or two, which mean it wouldn't stand a chance against one made of iron. And third…" she smashes the fake sword to the stony ground and the blade instantly broke into two " is hollow inside!" then Eurydice showed to Louise that the inside of the sword was hollow "He tried to sell you a literal piece of garbage!" finish the Warden while pointing the broken fake sword towards the shopkeeper.
"AHAHAHAHAHAH! It seems that someone finally found out about your little scheme, old fart!" said an anonymous voice of man out of nowhere.
"Where are you?" asked Eurydice curiously, because she does not see anyone else beside them.
"Behind you silver beauty!" said the same voice.
Eurydice looks back and sees only a barrel with old swords inside.
"I am right here!" said the voice again in front of her.
At this moment the elven warden is thinking that she is going crazy, the voice said that he was right in front of her, but the only thing was there was some old swords covered with dust because of the lack of cleanliness from the shop owner.
"Do you see me now?" asked the voice.
Soon when the voice said that, a sword had slightly lifted by itself from its sheath. Eurydice's eyes wide when she saw that, a sword and just moved by itself, slowly she removes the sword from the barrel and look at it.
"Did you just talk?" asked the Warden towards the sword, hoping that she isn't going crazy.
"Yeah, I just spoke, beauty!" said the sword again while moving a piece of metal like it was a mouth.
"An Intelligent Sword…" said Louise startled.
'An Intelligent Sword?' the Warden repeated the same words in her mind.
"Wow! Your hands are sure comfortable! I am starting to like you, beauty!" said the sword pleased "Hey, do we know each other? For some reason you are familiar to me."
"N-No. We have never met before! Excuse me." Said Warden as she gently removes the sword from his sheath.
The blade was strange, it was like a broadsword, but it had only one edge, a one edged sword. The blade of the sword was sure old and a rusty, the Warden could still see some of his real metal hidden by the layer of rust, but Eurydice couldn't recognize of what kind it is.
"Either way, my name is Derflinger, the Great! Nice to meet you, beauty!" said the sword that it calls himself Derflinger.
"M-My name is Eurydice, nice to meet you too!" replied the Warden with a hint of enthusiasm, for she has never seen an Intelligent Sword before.
"Eurydice, huh? That's a nice name, beauty!"
"Flatterer." Said the elf as a small smile starts to form on her lips, she is starting to like him, then she turns her eyes towards the shopkeeper "How much does he cost?"
"100 gold ecu, and that's because he is a pain in my ass!" answered the man.
"100 gold ecu…" she repeated the price as she looks at Derflinger "You know, it would be a shame if the people knew that you tried to sell trash to a noble child. It would be bad for the business." Said Eurydice with an evil smirk on her face.
The man gulped, he could feel his sweat forming on his forehead "I must be a little sleepy. I mean 65 gold ecu!"
"I don't know… if the people knew that you have been pulling tricks just to take their money." Replied the Warden, as she approaches the counter.
"25 then."
"1" said Eurydice as she lifts a single finger "1 gold coin." finish the Warden with a pleasant smile, which was hiding a vicious smirk.
"F-FINE!"
*scene change- some time later- back to the carriage*
"And that's the story how the great barbarian leader Nizho lost his head and is also the story how I was brought to that shop!" finished Derflinger telling his story about how his previous wielder died, and died for a stupid reason. It seems, there was a discussion among the leaders of two tribes about who should get an apple tree that was located in the middle of the woods, however, there were plenty around them. So the leaders decided to fight for it, which resulted in Nizho losing the fight and when he returned home, he told his wife and then his wife cut off his head by using Derflinger, just because he lost the fight.
"Really!? That's the stupidest thing that I ever heard! Well, at least she became the new leader of her tribe." replied Eurydice after hearing his tale.
"Unfortunately, it's the truth." replied back Derflinger with a sigh "It's nothing compared to yours, of course! Fighting against the tides of evil is truly glorious!" he releases another sigh "If only I could taste that glory."
"Believe me; fighting against the Darkspawn isn't something that you wish for."
Louise releases a frustrated sigh, since they left Tristania the two didn't stop sharing stories about battles and adventures they had in the past, and also telling some jokes between them. This made the pinkette completely black out from the reality, due to the boredom, but it wasn't the only reason. The other reason was because how her own life is turning out. First, she summed an elf from a foreign kingdom that is against magic! Second, the amount knowledge that she learned about foreign magic, which it shouldn't be impossible to exist. And now this, a rude talking sword that only knows to annoy her by calling her names like "pinky", "brat" or "chickpea", what's next? A commoner that can use magic!?
"Hey pinky!" yelled the sword, waking her up back to the reality.
"What!? And my name isn't "pinky"!" replied back the pinkette girl angrily.
"Nothing. I was making sure that you're alive, you looked like an undead staring at someone else brains." at that both Eurydice and Derflinger started chuckling at Louise's reaction, her face was red with pure anger.
"Don't call me that, you shoddy piece of junk!"
"Shoddy? SHODDY!? I LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM A LEGENDARY SWORD WITH 6000 YEARS OF EXISTENCE! I HAVE SEEN MANY THINGS AND FOUGHT AGAINST MANY THINGS AND SURVIVED, YOU SPOILED BRAT!"
"JUNK!"
"CHICKPEA!"
"WIDOW MAKER!"
"Thank you for the compliment, washboard!""THAT'S IT! LEMME AT HIM!" Louise launch herself towards the sword
"BRIGHT IT ON!" Derflinger replied.
At this moment, Eurydice became the wall which separated the two individuals from fighting against each other. Her hands keep them separate with all the strength that she could gather, but they didn't stop. Louise continues charging even with the Warden's hand on her head, keeping her from coming any closer and Derflinger, even though he doesn't have a body, well a mobile body, he could still make some kind of movement that allow him to come closer, but Eurydice's hand also keeps him coming closer to the pinkette girl.
"WHOA!"
Suddenly the carriage stop brutally making the pinkette girl losing her balance, which resulted Louise falling on top of Eurydice.
"Ouch!" complained the pinkette.
"What in Maker's words…" mumble Eurydice as she removes Louise top of her and walked out of the carriage "What happened!" she spoke to the driver.
"Look, miss!" the driver pointed forward "The road is blocked!"
The road was blocked by a tree that was struck down, but it wasn't there before when they went to the capital. Then Eurydice's eyes wide soon when she realized what is happening and she quickly turns back to fetch Derflinger.
"W-W-What is going on?" asked Louise nervously when she saw Eurydice grabbing Derflinger and going back outside.
"Stay inside." Ordered the elf with a serious tone and then she closed the door.
Without saying anything, she removes Derflinger from his sheath and throws it to the ground. Then out of nowhere an arrow flew towards the driver's left shoulder, the man fell to the ground in agony. Eurydice quickly ran beside him and dragged him into the carriage with the hope that he would be safe in there alongside the small mage. Louise startled when Eurydice put the wounded driver in the carriage, she soon realizes that they were in danger.
Soon when Eurydice closed the door and then turns her attention to what was in front of her. A group of seven armed men, bandits to be more precise and they were well armed for a common group of bandits. Three of them were wearing armor made of steel and were equipped with a large round iron shield and maces and swords, and one of them was using an iron maul instead of a shield and a one handed weapon. The other three were wearing a thick leather armor that was covering chainmail shirt that was under the armor, one of them was using two short swords as dual willing, the other was using a pole arm weapon which was mounted a spear head with two projections at its base, a spetum, and the other had a bow. And then finally, the last one was wearing a dark blue robe and he was holding a staff.
"Is he mage?" the elven woman asked to herself.
"Probably, maybe he is a Fallen Noble!" Said Derflinger.
"A Fallen Noble?"
"Is someone that once was a Noble, but did something that got their title taken away. They can still do magic, but they aren't no longer consider Nobles! Many of them took a life as a mercenary or even formed a band of bandits, which would explain why that they are well equipped!"
"Well, well, well. What have we here boys?" announced the bandit mage "It seems that we found a good catch today!"
"Look at that Boss! It seems they have a bodyguard, a beautiful bodyguard at that!" said the heavily armored bandit with the maul.
"Go away! We don't have anything that you want!" said Eurydice firmly as she points Derflinger to them.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but that carriage came from the Academy, which means it's hosting a noble brat! So if you kindly step away from the carriage, nobody will get hurt." Said the mage.
"I will not let you come any closer!" announced Eurydice as she put herself in fighting position.
"Hey Boss, can we have fun with her when we finish with this?" asked one his men.
"Of course, think of it as a reward for being loyal to me!" announced the bandit mage with a grin on his face "Maybe that will teach her to know her place as a woman!"
Without any warning, the two shield users charge ahead with their weapons ready to attack, taking their example, Eurydice charged ahead at full speed. Like the last time that she fought against the knights, she could feel a strange power coming out from her left hand soon when she grabbed a weapon. The sensation that she was feeling was like she could beat the Blight all by herself, all of her blood was boiling with excitement!
When bandit wielding a mace came closer to Eurydice, he raises his mace to strike her with a vertical swing, only to hit the ground, for Eurydice was able to pass through the strike thanks to the advantage being lower compared to a human. Taking this opportunity, Eurydice slices Derflinger by the bandit's neck in a single motion, the man starts crying in agony as he tries to stop coming from his neck with hand, but it was useless, he dies due to the blood loss.
Soon when the bandit's lifeless body fell to the ground, the other shield wielder starts to swing his sword senselessly at Eurydice, but due lack of experience of swordsmanship coming from him, the Warden was able to dodge and block easily every strike he gives to her. Then a new shadow appeared behind the Warden, it was the bandit with the maul and he had his weapon ready to strike her.
"BEAUTY!"
"EURYDICE BEHIND YOU!" both voice of Louise and Derflinger warning her.
Eurydice had only a second to turn her head before being struck on the nape of her neck by the maul, the bandit smile as he sees the Warden going down. The leader also smiles as he sees the body of the woman that was able to kill one of his men, falling to the ground, but that only lasted by mere seconds. His eyes wide at the moment when he sees the Warden turning her sword backwards and piercing it throw his man's belly.
The other man had only the opportunity to see his comrade fall lifeless before being complete frozen in ice in just mere seconds. Everyone's eyes wide when they saw one of their own being froze on ice, the leader couldn't still organize his mind of how the woman was still conscious after being hit by a maul and now this!
"Damn. That really hurt, you know?" Eurydice complains while rubbing the nape of her neck.
"B-B-But how is it possible that you are still standing!?" yelled the leader in panic, then he took a glimpse on her neck, rock, he was seeing thick plates made of rock covering a neck. Then, those same plates started extending themselves all over of her, creating an armor made of rock.
"Beauty?" said Derflinger astonished and yet the same time confuse as he sees his partner's eyes starting emitting a glowing blue pale mist.
"S-S-Shit! She is a Noble!" said one of the bandits in panic.
"Don't be stupid! She doesn't have a wand and her sword is not even a wand-sword! It must be the brat that is inside of the carriage giving her support!" the leader tried to calm down his men.
Then at those words, Eurydice engulfed in flames and she quickly throws a Fireball towards the leader. In a quick motion, the leader rose his staff and quickly created a shell made of wind magic which protected him from the attack, but it didn't save his men, for his own wind shell changed the direction of Fireball explosion straightly to his men. He had just sacrificed his own men.
He could hear cries of agony coming out from the burning bodies of his men, they try to roll down on the ground to try to put out the flames, but it was useless. They soon died by those same flames.
The Warden just stays there looking at the burning corpses of the bandit laying on the ground, just to imagine that this man had just finished sacrificing his men to save his own life, it disgusts her, but what she could expect from a dirty person like him.
"A man that sacrifices his own just to save his skin, you disgust me!" the Warden growled.
"Shut up, you bitch!" yelled the mage, he quickly pointed his staff and casts a wind spear spell towards the Warden.
Eurydice quickly dodges to the left to avoid the spear made of wind magic to hit her, instead, it hit the frozen statue of the bandit that standing right behind of the Warden. When it came into contact, instead of breaking the statue into tiny pieces like it should do, in Halkeginia knowledge, of course, it released a great amount of heat which vaporized in statue made of pure ice in just a few seconds!
The Warden gave a quick look at the place where the statue used to be, there wasn't a puddle of water like it would normally been seen when ice is melted, but there was a large burn mark in its place. His spell had just simply vaporized the whole thing!
"Surprised aren't you? My magic is capable of overheating the wind of my spells, allowing me to burn things in a few seconds! After all, my Runic name is The Burning Wind!"
At those words, the mage cast a small tornado towards the elf. Even being away from the spot where she is, Eurydice could feel the amount of heat rising as the tornado grew closer to her. The Warden quickly dodges to the right to get away from it, but soon when she dodged, the tornado quickly changed its direction and went towards Eurydice again.
'He must be controlling its trajectory!' Eurydice cursed 'I must find a way to stop it!'
Quickly, the Warden dodge it again only to receive the same result like the last time, she could hear the voice of the mage laughing like maniac. To him, this must like playing with puppets, pulling the strings to make them move like he wants! Eurydice tries again to dodge to the right, but only this time tornado almost hit her, even without touching her, Eurydice felt a slight burning pain coming from her right side. If wasn't for her for her rock armor, the pain would be greater.
'If this continues like this, soon I will become tired and that thing will hit me!'
She could hear the heavy breathing coming from the mage's mouth. The man was also becoming tired, for he was burning great amounts of willpower to maintain and to guide the tornado towards the Grey Warden. Soon or later his willpower reservations will end, he will need to find a way to finish her quickly and take any loot that he can gather.
"Tired are we? I hoped that we would keep dancing." Eurydice taunted.
"Shut up!" he yelled with rage "Take this!" with that he charged the tornado full speed ahead towards Eurydice.
The Warden quickly let her mana flowing towards her fingers tips, she could feel the icy breeze being accumulated on her hands. As the tornado approaches towards her, she continues letting accumulated great amounts to this spell which she hopes that will work. When she saw the tornado closed enough, she casts the concentrated version of Cone of Cold to the tornado. At the moment when the extreme cold of Cone of Cold came in contact with extreme heat of the tornado, a great wave of steam explodes between the two spells. Even though Eurydice couldn't stop his spell, at least she was able to cool it down and she continues to do this until finally the tornado hit her.
"Eurydice!" yelled Louise as she sees the Warden being hit by tornado.
"I am fine." said the voice of the Warden coming out from the tornado.
When the tornado finally had vanished, it revealed the Warden kneeling on the floor while using Derflinger as a support to keep her from falling. Thanks to her rock armor and the decreasing of the temperature of his spell, her skin only reveals traces of minor burn marks. The bandit could only curse the Warden surviving his attack, for he knew that nobody could survive an attack like that.
The Warden quickly starts to channel her mana throughout her body to heal her body. The bandit mage's eyes wide as he sees the body of the Warden being engulfed by a blue aura, he noticed when her body was still engulfed glowing by the same aura, her hair is being lifted by it and it was at that moment that he saw it. Her pointy ears which reveals her race, an Elf.
"Y-You are an Elf!?" said the mage with dread.
"Yes, I am an Elf." Eurydice confirmed by brushing her hair reveling her elven ears.
"W-W-What are you doing here!?" he pointed his staff towards Eurydice, trembling with fear.
"It's a long story." Said the Warden with a sigh "To sum up the story, I was summon here by a small pinkette mage yesterday to be her familiar, which she is the one." finished Eurydice while pointing towards Louise, who was poking her head outside of the window of the carriage.
"A heretic then, it seems if I brought yours heads to the Church they reward me handsomely." with that, he points the staff to the carriage "I think I will kill her first!"
At those words, Eurydice puts herself in front of the carriage "I will not let you kill an innocent for profit!"
"Then you gonna die together! AEROBLAST" he yelled.
A massive sphere made of overheated wind is fired from the staff towards them. The heat was so great, that leaves a trail of burnt grass as it goes forward. In response, Eurydice casts a Spell Shield, but only this time, she created a shield even bigger of what she is accustomed to do. The Warden could feel great amounts of mana being sucked out of her body, but this wasn't the worst part, but rather to keep it up is what it will be the hardest part. After all, this spell wasn't created for large scales.
The young noble mage could only sitting there and watch, as her familiar protects her and the driver all alone. The only thing that she is good at was being useless. She, a person of noble blood being dependent on someone who shows superior magical abilities of hers.
'Why can't I be like her? Why can't I do magic!?' she mentally cursed to herself.
Soon when two spells came into contact with one to another, a terrible screeching noise is created as the massive sphere of wind tries to break through the shield. Both Louise and the driver covered their ears as they cry in agony and only Eurydice stood strong even when her eardrums were being pierced by the terrible noise, for she knew if she gave in by the pain, all of them would probably die. After all, she was just coming back from the dead by mysterious reasons which she thinks that Louise is involved, so she isn't planning on dying again just yet.
The Warden quickly increased the amount of mana on her shield to make it stronger, so when the bandit's spell felt enormous pressure of mana being piled up on the shield, it was overwhelmed and then it exploded. The smoke from the explosion covered the view of the bandit, he had hoped that his explosion killed the elf and the noble, but was wrong. When the smoke had finally faded, it revealed the shield still standing strongly and the only damage that was made is on the once green fresh grass, now burnt.
When Eurydice broke the shield, she felt both mentally and physically relieved from the burden to keep the shield lifted, she never felt so exhausted or having some difficulties of casting or even keeping spells before.
'If this continues like this, I will run out of mana.' Cursed Eurydice.
Eurydice without any thought and taking advantage of the state of shock of the bandit, the Warden stretched her hand towards him. The bandit found himself being elevated from the floor and suddenly he felt being crushed by invisible force, it was if he was being crushed by someone else hand.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" yelled the bandit in pain.
"You are too dangerous to stay alive, I can't let you hurt anyone else." Replied the Warden with a calm and yet harsh voice.
Crushing Prison, a spell that is used to neutralize an enemy and to allow the caster to crush the target slowly, there are even rumors that this spell was used as a way of interrogations or for torture back in the days of the Ancient Tevinter Imperium.
The Warden slowly starts to close her own hand and as she do that, the more the pressure that the bandit feels. The man suddenly starts begging for his life, but it fell on deaf ears, despite of her calm, kind, cheerful personality, she is merciless towards men like him. How many people died on his hands, begging for their lives? She knew that people like him need to be stopped so they don't hurt anyone else. When the Warden finally closed her hand, the only thing that could be it could hear was the sound of bones being crushed and the screams of the man, the young mage could only look away as the blood and the internal organs being expelled from his body. Now the only thing that remains of him was his crushed corpse and the gory pool of blood and organs.
Louise could feel her vomit climbing up her throat after seeing the gruesome sight, but she was able to swallow it before reaching to her mouth, even the driver was having difficulties to not throw up.
"Don't look…" said, no, ordered Eurydice calmly "I will take care of their bodies and then I treat the driver's wound so that we can resume the trip back to the Academy."
"HONEY~!" yelled a familiar voice coming above them, interrupting Louise from saying something else.
When they look up, they saw Kirche and Tabitha ridding on top of a blue dragon. The Warden quickly grabbed the handle of Derflinger due to her past deadly experience with dragons, but when Derflinger said that it was tamed, Eurydice eased a bit. The newly arrived mages landed few feet away from them, the red haired quickly get off the dragon and went directly to Eurydice, she was holding a rectangular box decorated with a bow between of her arms, a present.
"What happen here?" Asked the bluenette calmly as she observes her surroundings.
"We were ambushed by bandits." answered the Warden while trying to avoid the red head, which was trying to call her attention.
"Honey! Don't ignore me!" Kirche complained in a childish way, as she pulls the elf's sleeve.
"Is everyone alright?"
"Yeah, the driver was hit by an arrow in his shoulder, unfortunately." she Warden replied, still not giving any attention to the redhead.
"Honey!" the red head cried.
*scene change *
After burning down the corpses with the help of Tabitha and Kirche, healing the driver's wound and clearing the road with their magic, they continue following the road down to the Academy with the other two riding the dragon above them, making sure that they wouldn't be ambushed again. The young pinkette noble stares at the Warden, which is in deep thought, she could see that her eyes focused to the floor carriage with her hands crossed. Those eyes and that posture made her remaining at the times when her mother was in deep thoughts and when that happened, it was something very serious.
'What is she thinking about?' the pinkette girl wonder.
*time skip- at the Academy's courtyard at night*
Eurydice was standing alone with Derflinger in the middle of a severely damaged courtyard with signs of elemental destruction all around her. Since when they have arrived, Eurydice had been in the courtyard casting spells senselessly all around her. Although, this is for a good reason, she is testing her mana reserves.
"Fireball!" the elven Warden shouted wearily as she casts a small fireball, which soon disappeared in thin air, the Warden couldn't stop panting due to fatigue, then as a last resort she casted Rock Armor, but instead appearing the plates like usual, it appeared a thin layer of stone on top of her skin "It seems that I was right…" she said wearily.
"What do you mean, beauty?" Derflinger asked to his partner.
"It seems that I am not able to regenerate mana that quickly like in Thedas."
"Do you mean that thing that you use casting magic?" he said as he remembers what Eurydice had told him since they have arrive.
The Warden nods "Due to our connection with the Fade, we mages are able to regenerate mana in just a few moments. The stronger is the connection the faster is mana regeneration, but here it seems that the connection is much weaker." she explains to Derflinger "For some reason, I can't regenerate mana at the same rate like I did in the past, not even Spellbloom, which is a spell created to regenerate mana even faster, doesn't help me." The elven warden cursed as she bites her nail.
"Sorry to disappoint you, beauty, but in all my years of existence I never hear anything like this."
Eurydice could only sigh in disappointment and then she finally sat on the floor due to tiredness.
"What happen here?" asked a familiar male voice, it was Colbert.
"Sorry, Professor Colbert, I am the cause." replied the Warden tiredly.
"Miss Eurydice, are you alright?" he said worriedly after seeing the elf fatigued.
"Let me explain, baldy!" interrupted the sword, calling Colbert's attention.
"An Intelligent Sword!?" said the kind teacher surprised "I never hoped to see one in all my live!"
"Do you know anything about it, Professor Colbert?" Eurydice asked.
"Yes, they are very rare weapons created during the time when Brimir was still alive. They are famous for possessing unique powers comparing to a normal enchanted weapon, unfortunately, the secret to create them was lost a long time ago." explained the professor, then he changed to subject "Either way, back to the topic! What happen here?"
"You see baldy. Beauty here, have been testing her reserves of mana." Derflinger explained.
"And why's that?" asked the kind professor.
"For reason I am not able to regenerate like I used to, I start getting very tired when I almost reach at the bottom of my reserves and if I pass beyond of that, I can barely to stand up." Eurydice explained the rest.
"Hmmmm. It seems that you have, in our theory, Willpower withdrawal." answered the kind professor.
"Willpower?"
"Willpower is like mana. To be able to cast spell, mage needs to use their own physical energy to cast magic, your symptoms are similar Willpower withdrawal. At first a mage starts to get tired, then he/she starts losing the balance of their body and finally it can lead to death if they continue casting spells." explained the professor.
"Is there any way to fix it?"
"You just need to sleep, a mage is able recover Willpower by sleeping!" Colbert answered.
"Hmm. I see, it seems logical." the Warden nodded in agreement, then she sighs "But that is no good in case of battle, if only I had some lyrium with me."
"Lyrium?" Colbert asked confusedly.
"Lyrium is a mineral-like life form very powerful that exist underground, they are mainly used for enchantment, creating staffs and to create potions that are able to recover mana!"
"That's fascinating, I never heard something like that!" Colbert was astonished; he never hoped something like that to be able to exist.
"Although is it true, lyrium is still very dangerous. If you are in physical contact with raw lyrium for a long period of time, it will cause serious injury and psychological damage you! On that form, only the dwarves are able to work with it because of their natural resistance against lyrium!"
"Oh dear! If that is something dangerous, why you use it?"
"It's safe to handle it when it's in a powdered state or when it's separate from its source, but is not still save to be used by anyone. Only mage are capable consume it without any problems, but for a non-mage or for a Templar, it can be very addictive, making them having headaches, short temper, nightmares, insomnias, memory loss and even madness."
Colbert begins to silently thinking about the subject "If I may ask Miss Eurydice. What does lyrium look like?" he finally asks.
"Well, Lyrium is blue crystal and when it comes into contact with mana it begins to emit a blue glow." the Warden answered.
The kind professor stays in silence for mere seconds before he spoke again "Come with me." he said in a serious tone.
At first, Eurydice looked at him confuse, but then she did what he had told her and followed him.
*scene change- at Colbert's workshop*
The Warden looks around of her surroundings fascinated, Professor Colbert took her to what it seems to be some kind of workshop which it was situated in a building outside of the Academy's towers. Inside of the workshop, she could see several books, which unfortunately she isn't able to read them, several chemistry goods and many other weird devices that she had never seen before.
Colbert had told her that during his years of studying and traveling, he was able to find many things during those times. He said that many things are still on the waiting list for consideration because of a discovery he made some years ago. The Warden looks were the professor pointed, it was a large rectangular box made of stone with metal on the sides, and the top of the box was made of glass, allowing one to see its content.
When Eurydice came closer to the box, her eyes wide of what she saw. It was a large blue crystallized object, lyrium in crystal form.
"Professor Colbert where did you get this?" asked the Warden in a serious tone.
"I found it during my travels, it was inside of a racked wooded fortified carriage."
"Did you find anyone?"
"No, just corpses, many of them were armored soldiers carrying a sword symbol on their shield and armor."
"They were Templars, then that means it was trading caravan that it was carrying Lyrium with them, it is very valuable and dangerous after all. Did you touch it?"
"Only once." he admitted with a sigh "It started suddenly glowing soon when I touch it, and then my head started to hurt soon when I touched it, so I kept it locked until now."
"Good, I didn't want you- wait! Did you just say it glowed when you touched?" she turns her attention towards the professor, he nods "That means that you are able to use mana!"
"Really? Then what about the headache?"
"Hmm. Maybe it's because you aren't accustomed to the presence of mana, especially towards lyrium. We need to start making some tests."
"I agree! Maybe this will become the greatest discovery in Halkeginia history!" announced the kind teacher enthusiastically.
"Not only that, but this also proofs that the Fade is bound to this world!" the Warden added 'If there is a bind, then there is the Veil. I hope that Veil isn't weak here, a single small raid or even a small miscalculated spell was enough to break it.'
*Meanwhile*
In this twisted world of the Fade, a single young female person with black short hair in one piece sleeping garment, ran in pure fear on its hard dark rock floor of one many islands that dwell in that world.
"Where are you~?"
The person ran as fast that her legs would allow her through the thick green mist, she crawls into holes, squish through tight passages and even risked her own life just to jump to the other side of the island when her path is prevented by the pits which led to the abyss of the Fade that was below her.
"Come out. Come out wherever you are~!"
She ran, and ran, and ran, but she couldn't get way whatever was chasing her, this lasted until she ran into a wall. The girl tries to climb the wall, but her bare feet were thwarted by the sharp pikes made dark stone that were attached to the wall. Her feet scream in agony at the very attempt that she tried to climb the cursed dark rock wall.
"I finally find you, little girl~!"
The young woman suddenly flinched when she heard the voice coming from behind her, in fear, the black haired girl slowly turns around to see the owner of the voice that had been following her all this time. Her eyes widen when she saw what it was. It was a tall shadowed than appears to be shaped like a woman that stood few steps away from the black haired girl.
"After all these years, there is one in this forsaken place~!" the shadowed figured said delightedly and slowly starts coming closer to the girl "And there isn't anyone to stop me~! I'm gonna have so much fun with your body~!"
"Go away!" the black haired girl yelled as she stumbles in fear, she crawls backwards, but she was stopped by the wall.
"There is no place to run, maggot~! Now, be a good bitch and let me have you!" the shadowed figure stretches out its clawed hand to grab the scared girl.
'Please! Eurydice! Anyone! Please, save me!' the girl begged as she closes her eyes as the clawed hand comes closer to her.
On the moment when the clawed hand was almost touching one of the strands of her hair, a light suddenly erupted between them "I WILL NOT LET YOU HAVE THIS CHILD, DEMON!" a powerful male voice filled with valor boomed between them like a thunder.
The shadowed figured winced in pain as the light forces it to move away from the girl, the black haired could only stare terrified as the light keeps the shadow figure with a light barrier, then everything faded from the light.
*scene change*
The black haired girl gasped as she wakes up from her slumber by the sudden nightmare, she slowly observes her surroundings and she sees that she is still inside of her room at the Servant Quarters of the Academy. Her heart couldn't stop beating like crazy due to the event where she was forced to experience, once more.
"This dream again…" the black haired girl panted with dread "…I didn't have this dream since I was nine…"
End chapter 4
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