Disclaimer: I do not own Prototype or Familiar of Zero

There will be no more Derf.

Chapter 6Day of Void

"A what?" Jake asked raising an eyebrow.

"You're the legendary Gandalfr. The familiar of our founder, Brimir. It is said that he could could every wield every weapon conceivable." Colbert explained.

"What's this got to do with me?" Jake crossed his arms and then it was Osmond who spoke next.

"You're the left hand of God. That means Ms. Louise is a void mage. Your runes are evidence to that." The old man pointed to Jake's runes and he glared at it.

"Then why don't you just take her to whatever hell you planned?"

"It's not that simple. If people found out, then it could create a power vacuum. Other countries would take her for their own purposes in war." Colbert sighed and Jake grunted.

"So you need me to protect her." They nodded. "Let's be clear, I don't care if that little failure gets killed, I don't give a shit about your idiotic god. All I care about is where Guiche is." He growled. Jake was hellbent on this.

Colbert and Osmond looked at each other then back at the dark Jake. "Mr. Anderson, you have done enough. The boy has suffered for his mistakes to you."

Osmond had to agree. Getting his leg cut off, beaten near death, and then having his spine broken was a bit over-kill.

"No, that little fucker is going to die and there's nothing you can do to stop me." With that, Jake exited the room and went to search for his prey.

Back in the room, Colbert sighed. "It's a good thing Guiche is not here."

"It wouldn't matter anyway. Guiche is practically brain dead because of him."

For the next days, Jake has been hunting for Guiche with no luck. 'One way or another, I will find that turd.' He growled to himself as he sat under a tree. His mind raging that he had lost his kill!

Let it be known that Jake, The Demon of Manhattan, Codename MARS, has NEVER lost a target!

Grinding his teeth, Jake threw a small rock through a boulder, drilling a hole right through it. This was HUMILIATING!

What's worse, Louise had been begging him to perform at some stupid festival because he was her familiar.

"I'm not a dog." He hissed, anger boiling inside him. Jake was a remorseless and merciless monster, not a circus freak!

As Jake was sitting, Tabitha and Sylphid were watching him. Well, Sylphid was and Tabitha was reading as usual but she did cast her eyes on him once in a while.

Though she may not admit it, Tabitha was indeed jealous of Louise. The pinkette had the most powerful being at her disposal and yet she wasted the chance. Jake was in control because Louise was too afraid to cross him.

Tabitha may have had a chance but her chances were almost as weak as Louise's in taming Jake.

Sylphid didn't view him like that. She didn't see him as a monster, he was more than that. She saw a very tortured man, tortures that drove someone like him to resent outside contact and developed a taste for seclusion and violence.

Though, underneath his extremely hard exterior, Jake was weak, vulnerable. Sylphid saw a glimpse of that. The impossible burden he carries.

The wind dragon watch as Jake's face changed from enraged to solemn and dropped his head. She swore she saw tears but that could be her imagination.

She had an irresistible urge to nuzzle him again but her big sister got up and said they were doing rehearsals for tomorrow.

Reluctantly, Sylphid conceded but not before giving the broken monster one more glance. In a weird and deadly way, she found him attractive.

Jake was at it again. He was brooding in the corner. Who could blame him. In his mind, he was responsible for all that happened in New York.

If he had just died, his parents would still be alive. Probably happy. He wouldn't be blamed for the worst viral outbreak his world has ever seen.

He wouldn't be like this.

Looking down at his hands, hands that tore the life of many beings, and clenched them tightly. He could hear Mercer mocking him in his head.

Saying he was no more than an animal waiting for its next meal. A scared little boy crying for mommy and daddy.

Jake was broken from his thought when the bell rang, signaling all the students and their familiars will be out.

Which means Louise would be here.

Mentioning that name made Jake's eyes burn red. He had promised to protect her, yes, but that doesn't mean he'll be friends with her. If anything, Jake couldn't even believe he made that promise.

Not wanting to hear her annoying voice, Jake sprung up and silently entered the castle. Servants wandered around but Jake paid them no mind. He just wanted to be alone.

Then he bumped into a maid carrying a tray of food. "Oh, sorry." She said but turned deathly pale when she saw who she was talking to.

Jake was unamused by this and scowled. "Watch where you're going." He said and went around the maid.

Other servants came to her and helped her stay upright. "Siesta, isn't that the one who challenged and beaten a noble?"

This Siesta only nodded. She had seen everything on that fateful day and she didn't want that happened to Guiche happen to her.

"I believe so."

It was night time and Jake was currently outside. Tomorrow was the Day of Void or whatever they call it, Jake didn't care.

In all honesty, he felt lost here. In New York, he had one absolute mission - destroy Blackwatch. But here, Jake was lost. He had nothing to fight for.

No one to be his anchor.

Dana was his anchor but she was maybe a dimension away. The memory of his beloved parents were the only thing keeping him sane here.

Sighing, Jake looked at his reflection in the lake near the school. What he saw was bot himself but a shell. A hollowed black shell with...nothing.

Nothing but rage and hate and resentment towards himself. Jake almost smiled, remembering he was the exact opposite when he was a boy.

Life was a cruel mistress.

Then he noticed a blue figure behind him, a feminine figure with blue hair. She had a beautiful face and smiled at him.

Turning around with his claws barred, Jake saw nothing. Maybe his breaking mind was playing a cruel trick on him.

But that figure reminded him of a certain annoying dragon. He grunted and shifted his arms back. That dragon angered and confused him greatly.

"H-hello." A voice stuttered behind him and Jake whirled around only to see the same girl in the reflection. She wore a nice blue dress that showed her elegant curve. Her eyes looked childish as did her face.

She also had a very...familiar scent. He couldn't be sure but he knew he smelt that before.

"Leave me alone." Jake huffed and walked off. But she was following him, of all people. Did this girl had a deathwish?

The girl looked at him with those big blue eyes with curiosity, and it made Jake clench his jaw.

They continued to walk around, the girl following Jake like a lost puppy. The viral avatar found this annoying and wanted it to stop.

She walked up beside him and Jake stopped in his tracks. "What do you want?" He demanded and glared at her

She fidgeted under his intense gaze. "Um, I-I don't know."

Jake's eyes glowed in annoyance. This girl was wasting his time for nothing!

"Get out of my sight." Jake said but she shook her head, making him glare harder at her.

"No." She braved his intimidating presence.

Staring her down, Jake leaned forward. This made the girl's cheeks flush pink but she still held a sad excuse of a pout. "Do not disturb me."

She gave him a smile and nodded her head like a child got her first taste of candy. "Okay!"

Jake raised an eyebrow before scowling again and moved away from her face. That was a bit awkward for him.

They walked for a while, well, Jake walked to wherever and the girl was just wobbling behind him. How was she still alive again?

If someone annoyed him, that person would most likely be bisected.

"Stop that." Jake growled and the girl looked at him curiously.

"Stop what?"

Jake had to control the urge to bring out his blade and just slice the girl. "Stop you're wobbling. It's annoying the hell outta me."

The girl tilted her head and stuck her tongue out. "You're no fun." She huffed and crossed her arms.

"Who the hell are you anyway?" Jake would know her name so he could chalk it up to the list of people who annoyed him.

Then her tombstone if there will be anything left to bury.

"I'm Illococoo."

The sun rose and Jake noticed it begrudgingly. The night's events were infuriating. That Illococoo, if that was even a name, was annoying and childishly immature.

Always following him, always asking questions. He ignored her most of the night but one thing bugged him - why didn't she ran in fright? Better yet, why did he let her live?

Shaking those thoughts away, he focused on this sad pathetic day.

He jumped out of the roof and sprinted to the forest to feed. The longer, the better.

As the other students prepared themselves for the festival, Louise was looking, and failing at that, to find her familiar.

She had been pleading with him to perform, even going as far as to become her equal. The only response she got was being planted to the wall.

"Where is he?!" She shrieked. This was too important. Her majesty, Princess Henrietta would be here to attend. Louise's dear friend.

She continued to search for her powerful familiar as the others were going over their routines.

One particular dragon was especially happy today.

Sylphid wasn't showing it but she was smiling internally. She managed to get the dangerous alpha predator to at least talk to her, albeit not knowing she was the human.

Sure he ignored her but at least he asked her her name. And tolerated her. What can she say, Sylphid was the equivalent of an immature teenager by human standards. And a bit of a bottomless pit when it came to food.

The wind dragon was currently brushing up on her flight with her big sister as she thought about Jake.

She hasn't seen him since he disappeared that night but she knew Jake was feeding at this time. He always feeds at this time.

Tabitha pulled on her reigns to tell her to land and Sylphid did. "Good girl." Tabitha patted her snout and went to the shade.

Princess Henrietta was escorted to her seat with the crowd cheering for their monarch.

Every time, the princess was honored to have such loyal subject and made sure that they were treated equally, capable of magic or not, they were equals in her eyes.

"Your highness, it is a pleasure for you to be here." Colbert smiled and bowed. "I am sure you'll be most pleased with this year's Familiar Summons."

"Yes, and thank you. I do hope this will be an exciting event." Henrietta smiled as the festivities began.

Jake was heading back from his feeding. He only consumed about two animals and used the time to...relax. He had too many things to do, find a way back home, destroy Blackwatch, make sure aunt Dana's okay, and...visit his parent's grave.

After Jake cleared his head, he went back to the castle. And it was bustling with activity.

'That damn festival.' He growled and stayed in the shadows. Jake hated and envied humans. He hated them because they feared him, envied them because he was once them.

The performers were all shit in his opinion, the only good thing was with the dragon that he sensed was a bit too happy. Jake didn't care, though, he didn't care about that dragon.

Henrietta was looking forward to her friend's familiar's performance. Imagine her surprise to learn that the festival was over when her dearest friend did not even show her face.

"Sir, what happened to Ms. Louise's familiar? Was it injured?"

Colbert sighed and shook his head. "I'm afraid he won't be performing. He has...issues that prove too strong to ignore."

"He?" Henrietta raised a questioning eyebrow and the professor nodded.

"Yes, Ms. Louise summoned a boy. Though he is...not human."

'Not human...?' Henrietta was perplexed. Louise summoned a boy...but not human?

Before she could ask any more, the ground beneath their feet began to quake.

Just as Tabitha and Sylphid were about to be given the reward which they won, the ground began to shake. Subtle at first but began to tremble.

Knowing something was up, they flew up to the sky only to see a massive stone golem lumbering towards the school.

"Your majesty, we must leave!" Henrietta's head guard, Agnes, said.

"No! We must help!" The princess took out her wand but was stopped by Colbert.

"No, get to safety, we'll handle this." Colbert was oblivious to the hateful glare Agnes was sending him. Not nearly as hateful as Jake's but it was hateful.

"Hmm, I'll get the Staff of Destruction. I just hope that monster is not here yet." The hooded figure said in a feminine voice and commanded her golems to attack.

Professors, students, and knights alike tried to fight and though these golems were weak, the defenders were outnumbered as every golem just reformed.

Kirche used her flames, Tabitha used her wind, and Louise just ran like an idiot. Sylphid flew used her speed to her advantage.

Jake was watching and glared at the scene. These were golems, sure they were more powerful than that bastard Guiche's but they should be able to deal with it.

'Really disappointing.' He growled. So-called powerful mages, what a joke. They were all talk and no bite.

Louise wasn't any better, in fact, she had no use at all in this. How can a failure like her summon someone like him?

Then there's that dragon. Jake loathes that overgrown lizard but he felt a small twinge of satisfaction when it smashed a golem to pieces. Tabitha and her dragon were the only competent ones here.

Sylphid just knew he was watching and was determined to prove herself. She didn't know why but she just did. Crushing golems left and right was so fun but the giant one smashed the castle walls and the hooded figure jumped in.

'Oh no you don't!' Sylphid growled and flew towards it. Just as she to reach the golem, it swatted her away like a fly. The force of the hit sent her flying away before tumbling to a stop.

Her body was sore all over, her right wing was dislocated, and her vision was blurry.

Once she regained her vision, she saw a stone golem preparing to strike her down with its sharpened appendage. Sylphid closed her eyes and just when it was about to come crashing down, there was the distinct tearing of flesh.

Jake saw how the dragon was swatted away by the big one and rage filled him. Whether it was out of nothing or he was supposed to be the one who killed it, didn't matter. All that mattered was, NO ONE HURTS THAT DRAGON BUT ME!

Jumping from his hiding spot, he got between a smaller one about to kill the dragon. He was impaled through the chest but it only made the monster even more enraged.

Everything stopped, every soul looking at Jake. Where did he come from?

Sylphid opened her eyes only to see that Jake had a rock spear coming out of his back. She began to worry for him. She didn't know why she was worried but the dragon was.

With a roar, he kicked the golem away, shattering it once it hit with a boulder. He then pulled out the rock in his chest and there was a gapping hole in it.

Jake grunted as his biomass rebuilt the damage. The virus writhing together like a nest of vipers as the tendrils split apart and repaired the hole.

All were stunned, especially Henrietta. 'How could he survive that?!'

Sylphid stared wide eyed as the wound was no more, like it wasn't there in the first place. But deep down, she was relieved even if a little scared. Jake was fine.

But that didn't mean the golems would be.

Few things are able to hurt Jake, and by the odd chance that something did, hell was here.

Jake's eyes burned hellfire as he gritted his teeth. His glare almost melting the very golems to slag.

"Leave." He said to the dragon which she promptly did.

Morphing his arms to his blade, Jake rushed towards the golems with the intent of carving a new statue out of their rocky hides.

Jake tore through them like the rock was no more than paper. Two of them were cut down as Jake planted another to the ground, making it explode by the sheer force.

Those who were competent and courageous enough to help were Tabitha and Kirche. Picking off whatever they can while Jake handled the brunt.

Those who were not, mainly the princess and her escorts, were paralyzed with frightened awe. They saw him move swiftly and decisively, destroying everything in sight.

Surviving golems tried to kill Jake by rushing towards him at once. Very big mistake.

Jake snarled and waited for them to come closer. Once they were in range, he unleashed his devastator.

"AAAAHHHH!" Jake exploded with hundred if razor sharp tendrils sprouting out of his body, tearing and impaling the golems before they exploded.

Retracting his biomass, Jake rolled his shoulders. As this happened, every soul saw his devastating and quick attack.

Including the hooded figure.

She got what she wanted, the staff was hers. But after she got out of the vault, that monster was here. And she saw everything.

The way her golems were utterly decimated made her shudder at the thought. Even more so that Jake locked eyes with her.

Jake saw the big giant rock that hit the dragon and growled. He even saw someone standing on top of it. 'So, a coordinated attack, huh?'

Wasting no time, Jake ran to the golem with the intention of finding out why.

After seeing the monster coming towards her, the hooded figure commanded her golem to haul ass. Jake was almost there when his something caught his eye.

Louise was standing in front of the golem! That idiot!

Louise stood in front of the fleeing culprit and drew her wand. "Halt, creeten! You'll pay for your crimes!"

The golem didn't stop and Jake was half-tempted to just watch her get squashed like the worthless insect Louise was.

But then, Jake remembered his promise to protect her. And he always keep his promise. The promise to his parents were testament to that.

Louise was getting scared, the mountain of a golem didn't stop. "Stop!" She shrieked but it was too late. It's feet was coming down on her.

"LOUISE!" Henrietta tried to save her dear friend but her guards were holding her back.

"No, your majesty! You mustn't!"

"No! Let me go!" Henrietta struggled to break free. Louise was her first true friend and she'll be damned if she died this day.

Jake raced passed the golem and pushed the stupid Louise out of the way. "MOVE!" She was safe but meant him in her place. 'Great.'

The foot smashed down on Jake and dirt and blood exploded around the print. The hooded figure saw the opportunity and commanded her golem to stomp its hardest.

Sylphid watched as Jake was being crushed. Tears leaked from her face as she watched her not-so friend being killed.

She tried to stand, she must stand. She couldn't take it! Sylphid must help him!

Louise was carried out of there by one of the school guards. She watched as the golem stomped again on her familiar. Every blow made her cringe. 'He saved me?'

After about a full 5 minutes, the golem lumbered its way to the forest and disappeared. All the while, the hooded figure having a triumphant smirk of her face that she killed the monster.

There was only silence in the courtyard, no one could believe it. Jake was dead, nothing could've survived that.

Louise was reunited with Tabitha, Kirche, and Henrietta who promptly asked if she was all right.

"I am fine, your majesty." Louise smiled but then remembered her familiar in that pit. They ran towards it but they were beaten by Tabitha's dragon.

"What is she doing, Tabitha?" Kirche asked as they saw her looking desperately into the huge hole.

Tabitha had a few ideas but left it with a simple, "Unclear."

"Who, or better yet, what is he?" Henrietta recalled the man healing his gaping wound in seconds, morphed his arms in something straight out of a horror novel, and decimated a golem force that even they had trouble with.

"He's my familiar." Louise said sadly. That made the princes and her cohorts double over in shock.

'How could that be her familiar?!' They all asked the question mentally.

Sylphid sniffed and laid down on her belly. She had lost him. Jake may not have been the nicest or the most approachable, but the dragon just couldn't stand it.

A single tear dropped to the ground and it began rumbling. She cracked open her eyes as it grew, hope and shock filling her. The others were also immensely surprised all said the thing on Sylphid's mind. "No freaking way."

Jake jumped high into the air with a massive roar and landed beside of Sylphid. This, of course, made the dragon overjoyed that he survived. Again.

He looked worse for wear. His face was torn, bones were sticking out, and gashes covered his body. The others were tempted to help him, but Jake was already healing them.

Bones cracked back into place, flesh stringing back to normal, and not even the faintest scar.

Jake shook his head and glared at the direction where that golem went. Pure rage clouded his mind, not just at it but also at his master.

But before he could unleash hell, he was pounced to the ground by an overly happy Sylphid. He laid there frozen as she just nuzzled and licked him happily.

He was alive and that was all Sylphid could think. She actually believed she had lost him.

When Jake finally got his senses back, he threw Sylphid off him and she landed beside him. Jake glared at her but she was still smiling at him.

Jake stood back up and grabbed Louise by the neck, greatly surprising Henrietta and her guards.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"You're choking me!" Louise wheezed out but Jake just didn't care.

"You've been nothing but dead-weight, you worthless excuse of a mage! And now, that thing got away! So give me a reason not to kill you now." He snarled and pressed harder in her neck.

He had seen stupid before, Blackwatch was an example of that. But this girl, this pink-haired good for nothing girl just defined stupid!

Jake was about to squeeze her neck and watch her drop but before he could do that, Henrietta stepped into his crosshairs.

"Put her down." She tried to be intimidating but that was a hard thing to do when that someone was seemingly immortal.

Growling in anger, Jake turned to the voice and glared at this. "Stay out of this!" He snarled and was about to punch through Louise's chest but Sylphid stopped him yet again.

She used her tail to wrap around his cocked arm but Sylphid didn't pull it away. Instead, the dragon came closer and shook her head as if saying no to him.

Jake dared her with his demonic eyes but lessened his grip on Louise, allowing her to breathe.

Louise looked back and forth at the silent conversation of Jake and Tabitha's familiar. She would assume the dragon was asking for Jake to spare her. Oh, Founder please save her.

Silence reigned supreme as the two stared each other down. No one dared to move until Jake turned to Louise.

"I made you a promise. And I intend to keep it." Jake threw her to Henrietta and shrugged Sylphid's tail off his arm.

Louise and Henrietta groaned and looked at Jake who was glaring at them. "But don't think this means we're gonna be friends." He growled and the pinkette nodded fearfully.

Satisfied with his answer, he turned to the dragon that tormented him with these...whatever she did to him. He also smelled something familiar...too familiar.

"You and I will meet tonight." He said through his thoughts and like she heard it, nodded her head in understanding.

'He knows.'

Getting out of their stupor, Henrietta and Louise stood up. Louise was massaging her bruised neck with a handprint around it. Henrietta had her dress a little crumpled but otherwise all right.

"Uhm, we best get to my office for some explanations." Osmond suggested and the others nodded.

"Yes, please." They all turned to Jake who was still glaring at Sylphid.

"Jake, come with us. We'll need your help." Colbert said and Jake turned to look at him.

"Find me when you get the information that I need." Jake said and walked off but not before knocking Sylphid's right wing back into its proper place.

Sylphid yelped in pain and glared slightly at his retreating form. That hurts but she smiled in the end. She was glad that he was alive, he made things exciting.