The Grey Warden of the Void

by MikoCatFace

The Fifth Blight has ended with the death of the Archdemon and peace return to Ferelden once again but with what cost? Louise de La Vallière from Tristain summon what she thinks is a normal elf, but in reality she summon the very own Hero of Ferelden that sacrifice her own life to save Ferelden and her friends, will she help Louise? Or will she keep her duty as a Grey Warden?

10. Chapter 10

Well, after a year and a few months, I have finally able to publish something on this website. To everyone who had been waiting all this time, I am sorry for taking this long. But because of school and personal reasons kept me from writing anything, but there is one thing that I can promise. I will not stop writing my works, unless for a good reason, because I am enjoying writing this story and most of all I know there are people who enjoy reading them despise all the errors that might come.

So yet again, thank you for everything, for your patience and please enjoy.

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Chapter 10: Second round

Not very far from the outer walls of the Academy, the natural sound of the nature and of the wildlife, rule offer of the nearby calm forest. There was no other sound other than the sound of the wind hitting against the leaves of the trees, the sound of water slowly dancing within the river, and the sound of the animals doing their everyday life. One of those animals was the common red fox.

But what was so special about this fox, was that this particular fox was following a prey for its next meal, a hare. A creature that she had been stealthily chasing down for quite some time was finally so close to her maw that she could taste it. But it seemed that the fate had other plans for the hare though. Because when she was about to pounce down on the animal, the ground beneath them started to shake and the ground beneath the hare erupted from below.

This scared the hare greatly and ran away, and with a curse under her breath, the fox gives away again the chase.

And from within the underground, a hooded person carrying a large box on its back emerges from it. This person was none the other than Longueville the secretary to those in the Academy - and Fouquet to those whom she steals - who has just finished the biggest heist of her lifetime. Though it didn't go as well as she was expecting. For when she emerged from the underground, she felt a sharp pain forming around of her chest. And only grew worse as she moves.

She looks to her surroundings to see if she was alone before dropping the box onto the floor as she slowly sits on top of a nearby tree trunk so that she could get undressed herself - but it was easier said than done. Since she couldn't stop her grunts from the pain in her chest as she removes each layer of clothing off her body. It took a while until she finally relieve herself from her bra, leaving her now half-naked for everyone to see and a clear view of her to her chest.

She could only wince at the sight of the large light burn mark spread across her chest, and this was only a light wound she had received. If wasn't for her magically reinforced cloak, she couldn't imagine the idea of the full potential damage of Eurydice's spells could have caused to her. In future events she will have to tread cautiously when dealing with her. Something which she prays and hopes will never happen again, but in one way or another, she knows very well that they will face each other again.

With that in mind, Longueville sighs as she reaches to her cloak to remove her emergency MED-kit that she has hidden within. From it, she takes a magically reinforced glass corked bottle filled with a healing potion, a small case with salve, a small scissor and a roll of bandages. She bites down on a piece of fabric before uncorking the bottle and gently pouring down the cold liquid over the burn mark, to which causes her to hold from screaming as the pain pikes up as the liquid touches her chest. She then reaches into the small case and starts gently smearing the salve over it - it never hurt anyone to take precautions - before finishing by warping her chest with the bandages.

Now she only has to wait for the effects of the potion start to work.

She sighs "If she saw me like this. By Brimir, she wouldn't stop nagging me because of this like a mother hen for days." Longueville mumbles out loud before chuckling at the idea of that said person. At least that would give her a reason to make up for the time lost for being separated from each other for so long.

She then looks at the box standing right beside of her, the same box that only caused problems for her since the moment she put her hands on it. Whatever this so called 'Staff of Destruction' really was, she just hopes it's worth all this work just get this far. Because there are no sums of money in this entire world big enough to pay her to pull this off ever again. The only reason why she accepted this job in the first place, was because she had no other choice but to accept it or she would be dead if she had said no. Not to mention this could have gone far better if she had done it willingly, and if she had been given time, she could have come up plan for a proper escape route or something to steal this damnable staff that she knows nothing about.

Then, suddenly, her mind came to halt as something strokes her inside of her head. She had the famous Staff of Destruction standing right beside of her grasp. She had heard all sorts rumors about it, and despise she never had paid attention to rumors in the first place - she would be lying to herself that she wasn't curious about the mysterious staff.

According to the rumors, and from Old Osmond, the staff is called 'The Staff of Destruction' because was able to destroy a dragon by literally turning it inside out before exploding it with a single spell. When the staff was brought to the Tristain Royal Court, they called all scholars specialized in magical artifacts and items and the secretive Tristain Arcane Research Corp, in order to study it and try to recreate the spell used on the dragon. However, whenever someone tried to use it, they would start screaming in agony before passing out only to wake up several weeks later. It came to such point that not even the famous Karin the Heavy Wind would approach the thing when she saw it by the first time.

It was only then that the staff was sent to Academy since it was believed that it was far too dangerous to be around members of the court before they knew how to use it. Despise the idea of bringing such unknown item to a place full with spoiled hormonal teenagers sounding stupid to her. She can understand the strategic location to be so close to the capital which makes it easy to defend in case the Academy is attacked.

Well, not well enough to stop her from stealing it right under their noses.

So to sate her curiosity, Longueville slowly grabs the case and starts analyzing it.

"Strange…" she muttered out loud.

Despise this case carrying such important item inside of it. The case itself is rather simple made when comparing to the ones she saw back in the vault, and as far her magic goes, she didn't even detect an enchantment on it. The only thing is keeping its content inside were a pair of simple draw bolts.

Of course this made her very suspicious towards the case and she wonders if she had grabbed the right one. But it could not be, according to the documents that she discovered - they all stated that this case was the right one. So with that in mind, she unlocks the bolts and slowly opens very carefully in case there is some kind tripwire mechanism inside in just in case someone managed to steal the staff. But she could only sigh in relief on knowing it wasn't that case. However, when she finally opens it to see its content, her face quickly turned one of utterly disgust. Her mind quickly went to black out just by trying to process an answer of what she was seeing right now.

It was a staff for sure, but the grotesque design itself was more than enough to stay away from it. The staff's shaft is made of dark wood with leather strips warped in the center, four rings of metals going down to one point to the other and a small blade on the very end. But what really distinguishes it from the regular staves were the runes carved out on the shaft that she couldn't understand. And the real culprit, an aged skull of an unknown humanoid creature without eye sockets and three mouths armed with sharp teeth – the main one in front holding a crimson red crystal inside of it and two smaller ones on each side of the skull.

"Barbaric…" Longueville said the only word she could describe it. Overall, the staff is horribly disgusting to look at. Who in their right mind would make such thing? No doubt a sadistic fellow was the one behind of the creation of this monstrosity.

As she ponders to find a reason to why anyone wanted to use this, her eyes were drawn by the crystal inside of the skull. The glittering light from the sun above reflects its surface, making it very hypnotizable and even harder to look away. And as she keeps looking at it, she could feel herself slowly being drawn by it like a moth. A moth drawn by the warm light of honey promises whispered in her ears of things that only she knows about. Such whispers that tell her that promise turn her to whatever or whoever she wants - and only to her and her alone. Not even to her, the person who she cherishes the most.

"Tiffa…" her eyes started to grow cloudy as she keeps looking at it, and before she could anything else, her mind suddenly snaps back to reality and she quickly slams the box shut "What I was doing?" she wonders to herself as shakes her head.

What this thing was doing to her? When she was just looking at it, for some reason, she felt that she was losing her consciousness slowly. Whatever it was the cause, she believes that it was the staff. No wonder that the Heavy Wind didn't approach it, she must have felt something wrong with it and decided to stay away from it - maybe she should do the same.

But unfortunately for her, she still needs to deliver this blasted thing and not mention she also needs to go back to the Academy before they found out that she is missing. After all, she still needs that place to stay anonymous. Maybe she can find someone from there to test it out for her before she delivers it.

Later that day, Eurydice retired back to their room all exhausted after dealing with the massive golem created by the mage who attacked the Academy in plain day. For Louise, Kirche and Tabitha, they were called by Osmond to testify as witnesses to what happen and since she is classified as familiar to Vallière House, she was dismissed from participating. The entire Academy fell under lockdown and every student was sent to their rooms so that the guards could be on the lookout for the mage thief. This of course left her to stay on her bed and do nothing but rest until the lockdown is lifted.

And while she appreciates the chance to rest after all this, but what she doesn't appreciate, is being seen like an unintelligent animal when clearly she is more than that. But what she can expect from a place like this?

She wonders if Leliana had to go through this in Orlais when she was working as a Bard. Or like Alistair, who was pushed by Isolde to live in the stables with the dogs.

"Oh well," she said to herself "let's not think about depressing stuff now. It's already depressing enough to know when you are going to die."

She then heard the door opening and when she turned around to see who it was, she saw Louise standing in the entrance looking rather depressed for some reason. This of course made the Grey Warden worried for the small mage.

"Louise?" said Eurydice, as she gets up from her bed and approaches Louise "What's wrong?"

"They are going to blame her." Louise mumbles.

"What?"

"They are going to blame her, Eurydice! They are blaming Henrietta for what happened today! Many of them believe if the Princess had not come for the Exhibition, they would have more guards protecting the vault instead of her!" tears began pouring from her eyes "Why would they do that to her, Eurydice? She didn't do anything wrong!"

"Oh, Louise." the Grey Warden couldn't help herself from embracing Louise in hope to give some level of comfort to the small mage "I was once told that Men's hearts hold shadows darker than any tainted creature. What I believe they are trying to do is to use her as an escape goat to save their own skin when clearly is their fault."

"But Henrietta is the Princess and future Queen of Tristain, why would they do this to her?"

"You need to understand Louise that being a ruler is far more than you think. It is a gilded cage where many who you thought you could trust, are the ones who will plot against or use you for their own purpose." Louise halts her tears, as she sees Eurydice's face grows sadder as she speaks "It's a place where you must sacrifice your own feelings and happiness just for the sake of those who depend on you to lead. Even if you have to sacrifice the love you have for someone else."

From Louise's point of view, from the way Eurydice spoke, it seemed that she was speaking from experience. She wanted to ask her about it, but she feared she might bring some bad memory from her past. So she decided to let it for now and hope that one day she would tell her about it.

"Do you really think that they plan to use her?"

"I am sorry Louise, but I don't have an answer for that. Only time will tell."

It was easy to see that it was not what she wanted to hear, and despite of the bitter taste she had too shallow, the pinkette mage did not processed further "What can we do then?" but she asked with a hopeful expression.

"It depends. What have they decided about it?"

"They said there will be a meeting at Osmond's office tomorrow to discuss about the thief's whereabouts when the guards return from their search." Louise answers "Both I, Kirche and Tabitha will attend tomorrow's meeting, and…"

"You wish that I go with you to the meeting, right?"

"I-umm. Yes, if you wouldn't mind of course."

The Grey Warden sighs as she rubs the back of her head "Fine, I will go with you. But let's get you something to eat first before sending you to bed. The today's day was stressful for all of us and you need to rest after all this." her body is then engulfed in pale mist for a moment before dispersing and revealing that she took the form of one of the Academy's maids – which she use it to leave the room.

She later came back with a cart carrying plates of food filled to the brim for the two of them to eat peacefully in their room. And after finishing their meals, they washed themselves before changing to a clean nightwear and go to bed afterwards.

The night passed quickly as well as uneventful, and soon when they had realized, they were already attending the meeting. The office is full with professors bickering with each other like dogs and cats none stop. And all this began when the guards came back with nothing to report, this later led to this situation. Where they would throw blames or insults at each other, some which Eurydice never heard before.

The only way she could compare them from the way she is watching them bicker each other, is to compare them to children – children who only know how to tantrum. They were angry, and when they're angry, they scream. And when they scream, they grow unreasonable. And when they're unreasonable, the chaos grows within the office.

They might not have noticed themselves, but she could feel large quantities of magic being drawn to the room ready to unleash at their command if this escalates even further. And it seems that she isn't the only one to notice it, for Osmond, Colbert and Tabitha had their grasp tight around their staves in anticipation to what might come. She has some spells in her arsenal to stop them from doing magic in case a fight breaks out.

However, it seemed that it was not going to be necessary because Osmond decided to put an end to this.

"Enough!" yelled the old sage "Stop this behavior immediately!"

A teacher in his mid-thirties with short brunette hair turns towards him "But Osmo_"

"Have you all seen yourselves?" Osmond interrupts him "You're all behaving like children in front of students - who by the way are behaving more maturely than all of you combined. And you call yourselves nobles and teachers of this Academy." the Headmaster said disappointingly.

"Osmond," another teacher, a man in the late forties with grayish combed hair, caught the Headmaster's attention "what happened today will stain the Academy's name. If the Princess hadn't come we could have prevented this from happening."

"I have to agree with Professor Adrien, Osmond." agreed a female teacher in her thirties with dark hair "If that foolish girl had stayed in the palace like any monarch in her line did, we could have focused our manpower protecting the vault instead of her." she replied slight taste of poison.

This of course was caught by her fellow peers.

"That 'foolish girl' is our future Queen, Miss Cilla." said a female teacher angrily, who Eurydice knows her as Chevreuse - the teacher who teaches earth magic "That alone demands your utmost respect towards her young Highness - or I will be forced to fill your mouth with clay like I do with the bad behaved students until you do."

"Oh please, Chevreuse." the teacher known as Cilla counters "You and I are in the same boat when it comes to respect towards that foolish girl."

"How dare you!"

"ENOUGH!" Osmond yells as he stomps his staff on the floor "This is no time to fight among ourselves. Instead, we should focus our strengths on finding this thief."

"How, Osmond?" said another teacher "All searches have ended in failure with no clue about Fouquet's whereabouts. He could have already left Tristain's boarders as we speak!"

"That is not quite true, Lord Corentin." said a new voice as it enters the room.

"Ah, Miss Longueville. Do you perhaps have something to add about this?"

"Yes, I do Lord Osmond. I took the liberty to speak with the common folk in the nearby villages who use the surrounding forest and they state that they saw a suspicious hooded person wandering in the forest." said the secretary as approaches Osmond and hands him a rolled up paper.

When he unrolled the paper, it showed the sketch of the very same cloaked person who attacked the Academy yesterday "And what did they say?"

"According to one hunter from one of those villages, he saw the very same person depicted in the paper using an abandoned cabin in the wood in these last two days. It's a small lead, but I believe is better than none."

"And why should we believe a Commoner like him?" Adrien asked distrustfully "Seriously, how can you believe that a mere Commoner was able to find Fouquet when we couldn't?"

"If I may, Sir." this time, however, Eurydice decided to step in "Commoners aren't as stupid as you may believe. They know the land where they work at like a back of their hand, they would be the first ones quick to notice anything different than anyone of us."

"And how you know that, you heretical elven bitch?" the man asked fiercely rudely – apparently he didn't like the idea of commoners knowing far more than him or perhaps he didn't like to be talked down by an elf "You're lucky enough to be here instead of being paraded to your execution in the capital if you weren't bound to that catastrophic failure of a noble of yours."

Eurydice noticed Louise glaring at the man with knives as eyes, but instead saying to him, she chose to keep quiet on this matter. But that didn't mean what he said was ignored by the others. With a glare on his face, Professor Colbert was the first one to step forward towards the man clearly displeased with him when he insulted one of the students under his care. Especially one who has been bullied before due to her lack of infinity of casting normal known spells.

"Adrien, I would suggest you hold your tongue back before I_"

"You know what?" the Grey Warden spoke over the kind professor with a warming smile, but in reality, it was a smile that hid an intensive malice and killing intent towards the man in front of her. Something that Osmond, Colbert, Longueville and the young students were the first ones to notice "The past me would simply smile and talk you out of this, but the current me believes that you are dangerously walking on thin ice. So I believe we should all go back to the smiles and giggles before I turn your insides out."

The man glares at her angrily "Are you threatening me?"

"Threatening you? Perishing the thought, Sir!" the Warden spoke in a slight impish way, but she kept with the smile "It is not a threat but it is a promise. So I suggest that you step back before I paint this room with your parts."

Despise not showing, she could see fear in the man's eye as beans of sweat starts to form around his forehead. This of course made the room silent for a moment before Kirche was the one to break it.

"You're kidding, right?" the germanian red-head asked.

"No, I am quite serious." Eurydice turns her attention to Kirche "I had a friend who occasionally use a spell to explode someone from their insides." she then looks back at the man as she slowly walks towards him "First you start feeling incomparably warm, then you start to notice that your skin is turning red and then - and only then - you start feeling like you're boiling from inside." she sees the man was turning white as she keeps going, so she decided to drop it "And since you don't have a way to expel all that heat inside of you. You will swell up like a bubble before exploding into tiny bits all over the place." It was then when the Warden drop her gentle smile and smirked "And believe me, I know that spell. And all I need is. A. Simple. Touch. Booop" she poked the man's nose.

The man was quick to stumble back in fear as he felt Eurydice poking his nose and crawls away to his peers in hope that they could give him support in some way. Unfortunately for him, neither single of them wished to face the Elven Grey Warden in the office probably out of fear for her. One thing for sure, the office quickly grew awkwardly quiet until Osmond step forward.

"Ahem!" the sage cleared is voice "Very well then, now with that we have that out of the way. Despise how little his clue might be, I still believe that it is worthwhile to investigate what Miss Longueville has found out before we lose a chance to catch Fouquet." he then looks towards his fellow peers "Now, tell me. Who wishes to volunteer themselves to bring honor back to this Academy?"

But to his utmost disappointment, and to everyone else's surprise- minus Tabitha, not a single one of them said anything or step forward to volunteer. To this point, what little expectation that Eurydice or the students had for the teachers of this Academy was gone quickly.

Inside of Louise's mind, she couldn't stop herself from wondering how these people could call themselves teachers – the supposed best exemplary individuals who should show them how a true noble should be like. But apparently so far they have only proved themselves to be a bunch of traitors and cowards who are not able capable to deal with the problems themselves. Not to mention she used to respect them in the past, is no wonder why her familiar thinks so low of them.

She needed to put an end to this charade.

So she stepped forward.

"I'll go!"

Now their full attention was on her, but it wasn't for long.

"If Louise is going, then I will go myself too." Kirche was the next one to step up; this of course surprised the small pinkette mage.

"What you think you're doing, Kirche?" Louise asked.

"If you think I would let a Vallière have all the glory, then you're terribly wrong." the redhead replied "I would then be a horrible rival as well as a Zerbst if I let you go alone. Plus, it seems this will be fun!"

Then Tabitha came forward and lifted her staff.

"Tabitha?" the germanian redhead looked at her friend confused "Why? This is between me and Louise; you aren't obligated to get mixed up in all this."

The small bluenette mage looked at her and answered "Worried, for both of you. I will come." she then stomped her staff on the floor, stating that her decision was final.

"I see." Kirche replied with a smile, and seeing how determined her friend was, she knew there was no way to change her mind "Thank you, Tabitha."

And it seemed that Louise had to agree with her as well "Yes, thank you Tabitha."

The Grey Warden just stares at them for a second before sighing "Oh, geez." she sighs, as she steps forward, rubbing the back of head "I don't know about Tabitha, but I believe you need someone experienced to tag along."

"Oh Honey~!" the redheaded chirped happily.

Louise puffed her cheeks "I can look after myself just fine, you know?" despise of her childish-like reply, she felt relieved hearing that her familiar was going with them.

The old sage looks at the younger generation who volunteered with a distasteful feeling in his mouth, but he knew deep down that he had no choice other than sending practically children to danger.

The ones whom he hoped to volunteer backed away like cowards and there was no way he would send Colbert alone without any backup. He could perhaps go himself, and despite of his perverted nature, he was still a powerful square wind mage when he needs to. But due to his old age, he doubted that he could keep up with Fouquet. In firepower he could perhaps fight one on one, but not when it comes comparing in mobility.

This didn't sit well with him, but he didn't have any other choice before they lose this chance to catch Fouquet.

"It seems that we don't have no other choice," the old man said wearily "but it seems that everything isn't lost yet." Osmond turns towards the student; he first looks at Kirche "Miss Zerbst here comes from one the best Germania's military families renowned for their lineage of powerful fire mages, and not to mention her being a skillful fire mage herself." he then turns towards Tabitha "Miss Tabitha is a very skillful mage as well, and despite of her young age, she is a knight under the title of Chevalier of Gallia."

Eurydice whistles "Impressive."

This of course called the other two's attention who looked at her surprised, after all, is not every day that founds out that one of the students is actually a Chevalier – a title that carries a lot of meaning to one's self.

Osmond then looks at Louise "Well…" he begins "Miss Vallière is the direct descendant of the Vallière family, which has produced many excellent mages throughout history. And not to mention that she is the daughter of the famous Heavy Wind, I believe she has a bright future ahead of her." and finally, he looks at Eurydice "And finally, Miss Eurydice, familiar to Miss Vallière. Despise her being a foreigner to these lands, she proved to be many times a very well knowledgeable, skillful and powerful mage despite of her young age like Tabitha. These young ladies faced Fouquet before, so they have the general idea what to expect of him. Miss Longueville, if you would." he passed the reins to his secretary.

However, he didn't hear anything from her.

Confused, he looked at his secretary. Only to find her staring at nothing with such brooding expression on her face - she was in such a way – if she kept brooding like that, he fears that her face will be frozen like that forever. On the more serious side, this is his first time seeing his young secretary with such a face as far as he can remember. Yes, he saw before her wrathful side in such occasions where he may or may not be the cause of it in the first place, but he never like this. The only question he could ask himself was. Why she looked so worried? Was it because they were sending children? Was it because of Fouquet in general? Or was it for another reason? He will never know for certain.

"Miss Longueville?" he tries to call her attention.

"Huh?" she finally snaps up to reality "Oh, right!" she quickly composed herself before speaking again "As I said before, our current lead leads us into the woods. This means we will be fighting on their turf. I advise you to be prepared for anything that might happen." she informs to the four of them firmly "They gave me the directions to the cabin, so I'll act as our guide. We'll form a plan when we arrive there after evaluating our situation. Do you all agree?" they all nodded "Good. We'll meet up at the Academy's entrance in a few minutes make sure to bring everything you need."

And with that, it marked finally the end of the meeting.

After the meeting had ended, the girls were heading to the girl's dormitory to prepare themselves.

"Hey Eurydice," Louise calls out her familiar's attention "don't you think you went a bit too far back there?"

Her familiar simply looked at her and smiled "Don't you remember what I said to him before?"

Confused, Louise tries to recall what Eurydice had said to the professor. It was then she realized something "'The past me would simply smile and talk you out of this…'" the small mage recalls what Eurydice had said "Wait!? You mean that…"

"You sneaky little fox." Kirche replied over her cheerfully "You were bluffing all this time weren't you?"

The Grey Warden looked at her with even brighter smile "While the spell part was true, during my time adventuring as a Grey Warden I quickly learned to be more aggressive when dealing with people like him."

"Still, I believe you shouldn't have gone that far."

Before Eurydice could reply to her, she noticed Longueville coming from the left side of the corner where the halls cross each other. However, that was not what drew attention, but the way he was walking. She was holding her arm around the chest area while walking with a pained expression. This of course made her Spirit Healer Mage side grow worried for the greenette's health, so she walked towards the secretary.

"Miss Longueville." she calls out the secretary's name.

In response, the young secretary was startled for a moment when she heard her voice, but she was quick enough to compose herself again "Hello Miss Eurydice, do you need something?"

Despise looking firmly; the Grey Warden could notice anxiety hidden in her voice "Actually, it should be me asking you that. Are you alright? You looked like to be in a lot of pain."

It was then, out of a sudden, the woman's face twisted into something between a dead-pan and a murderous look for a second before returning to a more pleasant one "Oh, it is nothing Miss Eurydice." she says, as she rubs gently her chest area "Yesterday, I was knocked down by one Fouquet's spells before he heisted the vault. I already had one of the Academy's nurses have a look - is nothing that a simple salve won't heal."

"Hmm, I see. But just let me heal you to make sure."

"You don't need to, Miss Eurydice. I assure you that I'm in good health." the woman tried to walk away, but the Elven mage wouldn't let her.

"Nonsense, I would be a terrible Spirit Healer if I at least didn't patch you up."

Seeing no other way out, so the greenette secretary let the elven mage do what she wants.

Smiling victoriously, the Grey Warden quickly approaches the older woman and rests her hand over her chest area. She could already feel her mana leaving her through her hand towards the specific area she wished to heal. It is one of the great perks that many experienced mages in the arts of Creation magic and Spirit Healers learn throughout the years. Since many beginner healers tend to spend a lot of mana to heal what is not necessary. Another great perk they have, is being able to examine a person's body through their mana to know what is needed to be treated or the condition of one's body.

This is why, when Eurydice was healing Longueville, she looked rather perplex. She could see burn marks, no friction burns, but actual burns caused by something. Deciding to go even deeper, she was able to determine that they were made by magical means but not what caused them. She said that she was knocked out by Fouquet, but her wounds say the otherwise.

Was she lying? If so, why would she be lying about?

"Is everything alright?" Longueville speaks up, calling out Eurydice from her thoughts.

"Yes." Eurydice replied with a smile "You were right, it wasn't something really that serious but it was rather painful. I took the liberty to heal up for you."

"I see, thank you." and with said, the older woman walked away.

Eurydice watched Longueville walking away and when she was sure that she wasn't inside of the hearing range she talked "Hey, Louise."

"Huh?"

"Do you know if Fouquet uses another element other than earth?" she asked to the small pinkette mage.

The small mage stays silent for a few seconds to think about it before "Well, no. No he doesn't. Fouquet is as a powerful triangle earth mage capable to turn objects into dirt and build walking constructs, why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's nothing, just curious."

Waiting at the Academy's gates, Longueville sat at the carriage while waiting for the others to come. Truly be told, the things weren't going as well she expected. She had hoped to bring one or three teachers with her to test out the staff, but in the end, they are nothing more than bunch cowards who couldn't come themselves. Instead, she now has a bunch of children and the person she didn't want to face come with her.

She really has terrible luck.

After few more minutes of waiting, she finally sees them coming towards her. The first two to come were Louise and Tabitha, who were still wearing their uniforms, but she saw that the gallian student was wearing a belt with small pouches and a waterskin. And right behind them, it was Eurydice in in the suit of armor of hers, and Kirche, clinging to Eurydice's armored arm like a dog to a morsel of meat.

"Oh honey~!" the germanian redhead spoke in a soft, smoky way "Did I ever tell you how much I love to see you in armor?

The Grey Warden rolled her eyes "Like three times from the last two minutes."

"But Eurydice," Kirche whined as she gently caresses Eurydice's arm "you always reminded me the knight in shiny armor from the fairy tales whenever I see you in it. Are you perhaps here to save me from this damnable prison on top of your noble steed?"

The secretary couldn't stop herself from groaning at the sight of the germaninan redhead behaving like a giddy school girl. To imagine she was one of the people who were going with her made her head hurt.

"Look, Miss Zerbst." The secretary began "I don't want to spoil your fun, but we need to get going. Our destination is not far from here, but I'm afraid we'll reach there at the nightfall if we don't get going soon – and I don't want to fight Fouquet in the dark."

"Fine." Kirche said with a sigh as let's go the Grey Warden's arm before returning back to her "Let's continue this later, okay honey?" she winked at her and walked towards the carriage.

The secretary could only smile at small victory for putting an end to her trifler moment. As they started to climb up to the carriage and sitting on their seats one by one, she was prepared to get going, but then she heard Eurydice talking again.

"Hey, do you think I should get a helmet?" she heard her asking Louise.

"And why you want a helmet?" the pinkette replied.

"Oh sheesh, I don't know. Maybe I will use it as a bucket to dig up a latrine in the future." the familiar said mockingly.

"Really?" she said, surprised.

"Of course not, you dummy. It is to protect my head, of course. I don't know about you, but I don't want anything to shoot my head with arrow or worse."

"Protective spell?" she then heard the girl Tabitha talking next.

Eurydice turns to her "Protective spell? You mean, you're asking me if I know a spell capable protecting me from objects, right?"

She nods in response.

"The only protective spells I know, are spells capable of protecting against magical attacks, diverting attacks sometimes and a light barrier that stops you from moving while protecting from everything. But…hmmm" she stops to think for a moment "I have been working on a spell capable to cast a protective barrier on you or more temporarily from a ward of sorts from some books I found."

"Interesting, does it work?"

"In theory, yes, but I need to work on a way to keep the barrier on when you step out of the ward's area of effect." She then sighs "Until then, no protective barrier for anyone. Hmm, I wonder if you have silverite here."

This will be a long ride.

From Academy's window, Princess Henrietta watches her dear childhood friend leaving the Academy's ground on a carriage with her companions. She wished her best friend didn't risk her life for her, but at last, her stubbornness that she was so fond of made her utmost loyal than anyone else other than her Knight Captain. She already had to sacrifice her happiness for her country when she decided to marry with Germania's Ruler, but she'll not lose her best friend. For now she could only hope and pray that she comes back safe and sound.

Inside of her luxurious room provided by Headmaster Osmond, not every far from the door, stood her faithful Knight Captain Agnès who just arrived in her chamber. During the attack on the Academy yesterday, Agnès and her musketeers were quick enough to surround both her and Cardinal Mazarin and guide them to a safer location while the rest of the guards dealt with the rest. And ever since the Academy went into lockdown, she stayed safely indoors with her musketeers guarding her on the other side of the door – something for some reason, left many nobles unpleased somehow.

"Hello Agnès, do you have any news?" the young princess asks as she kept looking outside of the window.

"Yes, I do, your Highness." the chevalier replied "I heard the word that many nobles and some of the teachers are planning to blame you, your Highness, for yesterday's successful heist on the Academy's vault."

"I see." Henrietta replied bitterly. In these last few days, the young princess had to quickly learn that the so-called blessed children of Brimir were quick to turn a blind eye towards things that didn't disrupt their way of life or if it actually benefits them, but to stoop so low to blame her for something she wasn't guilty for is beyond her "Is there any good news?"

"Yes," the chevalier woman replied "despise of the search ending poorly, Miss Longueville – the Headmaster's secretary – was able to find a clue of Fouquet's whereabouts. They already sent a group after him."

"Yes, I saw them leaving. What's your opinion about them?"

The knight stood silent for a moment before speaking again "May I speak freely, your Highness?" Henrietta nods to her request "I believe this Academy only houses cowards who can't deal with problems themselves. Sending a group of children to a possible ambush is despicably disgusting, however, apparently one of them is a renowned chevalier so perhaps they might have a chance."

"And what about your research, were you successful?"

This was another thing that Henrietta had been working on behind the scene ever since they came to the Academy. Unfortunately, she was persuaded by the Headmaster to stay inside of her chamber until all this was over, however, that didn't mean Agnès had stayed indoors as well. So she took the liberty to send Agnès to have a look around the Academy and learn what she can about the Count's demise and perhaps the woman mentioned in his journal.

And unfortunately for the young princess, her knight captain shook her head "I'm sorry, your Highness, but I couldn't find anything. I looked around and spoke to the servants, but I couldn't find anything that might lead us from here."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, there was a servant girl - Siesta of Tarbes I believe was her name – that looked suspiciously nervous when I asked her. When I ask her why she was nervous, she told me that the Count took interestin hiring her – and knowing the rumors about the Count, I can understand why she was so nervous."

"And did she tell you anything useful?"

"No, your Highness. She only told me that she was glad that the Count died before he could hire her."

The princess sighs tiredly as she shakes her head "It seems that we're back to square one. Do you think that you can look around again? Perhaps we'll be lucky this time."

"I'll go at once and try again your Highness, by your leave." she bowed and left the room.

"You know what?" Eurydice uttered "This reminds me of something I did in past."

"Really?" Louise asked "Like what?"

"With everything going on because of this Fouquet guy, it is actually reminding me when I robbed the market warehouse of Denerim back when I was dealing with the Blight."

This of course caught everyone in the carriage by surprised.

"You did what!?" the small pinkette screamed outraged by the thought of her familiar being a thief.

"Oh my, my, my." Kirche said amused "To think my precious Honey is a scoundrel in the end. I believe you need a good spanking, Honey."

"Why!?" Louise demanded to know.

"If make you feel any better Louise, that warehouse was being used to store silver bars of a disgusting corrupt nobleman named Rendon Howe." the Grey Warden said rather bitterly, especially when she mentioned that name.

"Tell me, Miss Eurydice." Longueville began "What prompted you to steal, if you do not mind me asking."

"Well, you might not know this. But there was a man, who as a huge asshole by the way, who allied himself with the man who betrayed and abandoned his King to his death and blamed the Grey Wardens for the deed. And he nearly wiped out the entire bloodline of a very influential family of Ferelden right under their noses."

"How influential are we talking here?" Kirche asked.

"There are five ranks of nobility in Ferelden: first there are the Knights, basically minor nobles under the service of a higher ranked noble, and above them there are the Bannors, the Arlings, the Teyrnirs and finally the Royalty." Eurydice explained to them "The Cousland name carries the title of Teyrn of Highever, which means, if something would happen to the royal bloodline of Ferelden, they alone and Teyrn of Gwaren have the right to succeed the throne." this of course made their eyes wide, because that meant that that family could be classified as a duke in their term, the only second right to the throne "And not to mention, the Rendon and his family were vassals to the Couslands. So you can imagine where I am going, right?"

"But that's treachery!" Louise said outraged "Please tell me he was at least punished."

"Hmm. I think the second Cousland child chopped off the rat's head, and the youngest, she put it on display on a pike right at his estate's walls in Denerim."

"Ouch." Kirche winced as she rubs her neck.

"Yep." Eurydice popped the p "And for the reason for stealing in particular, it was because it turned out that the warehouse was also a secret vault for the Grey Warden. It was a place where they could keep equipment and supplies hidden in case of an emergency." she explained to them, she still remembers how surprised she was when she found out that they such a thing "Unfortunately for us, we didn't how to get in but we were lucky enough to stumble upon the Black Wolf herself, but also known as the Bloody Bride to few."

"The Black Wolf?" Kirche said puzzled.

"Bloody Bride, very strange alias. Why?" Tabitha asked.

"The Black Wolf is her title as the famous thief of Ferelden, she is the predator who steals from the corrupted and the abusive and gives to the less fortunate. And for the Bloody Bride part, well, she told me that during the middle of her weeding, Vaughan Kendells – son of the previous Arl of Denerim - he kidnapped her, her cousin, the other bride and the bridesmaids. She didn't go on details what happened that day, she only told me that she pulled up the hem of her dress and brought them back all covered by the blood of their kidnappers and their guards."

The carriage quickly went quiet and neither of them wished to know more details about either Grey Ward's past experience or of her associates for a while. Even though they were told little details of the gruesome acts, it was more than enough to put an ill-disposed stomach into some of them – mostly to Louise and Kirche, since they weren't used to this sort of thing yet. They could only wonder how Eurydice could handle such tales for someone of her age was beyond them.

Luckily for them, they hadn't to wait any longer in their awkward silence they were stuck in. The carriage came to a halt when they finally arrived to their destination. They found themselves deeper into the forest than they had expected, but neither of them complained about it. From where they were, they could see the cabin in the midst of the trees from a safe distance of their target. From here, they had a great chance to sneak in without having the risk of being detected.

"Very well, here is the plan." the greenette woman called out as she gets off the carriage with the other four following suit "You four will go on ahead. Miss Tabitha, I believe you're knowledgeable on how to detect traps of magical nature, right?"

Tabitha nodded "Yes. Not most of them though."

"I will assist Tabitha with that too," Eurydice volunteered "I will also keep an eye on any physical trap might be out there. Thankfully, I learned one thing or two in the pass."

"Let me guess, you learned from one of your associates." Louise said jokily.

"I did actually." her familiar replied to her truthfully "I learned a bit from two friends of mine who were an assassin and a bard themselves. I might not be able to disarm most them, but I will be able to spot one."

"A bard, huh? That's doesn't sound so bad. I only wonder how a bard knew about traps and such."

"Err, I believe you're misunderstanding me. When I say bard, I mean an Orleasian bard – a spy or an assassin basically." Eurydice said casually as if it was a common knowledge.

The three of them looked at her with a somewhat blanched unease expression. Whenever Eurydice said something new about her past, they quickly learn how bizarre and strange her life was - no matter how many times they thought about it.

"Ahem." Longueville awkwardly interrupted the conversation "A-All right then, you two will take the lead then. Tread carefully and keep a watchful eye on your surroundings." then she turned towards Kirche "Miss Zerbst, you will give firepower support. However, make sure to focus on more compress spells – we are inside of a forest, I don't want to start a wildfire."

"Fine." Kirche replied dryly.

And finally Louise, when the secretary look the small pinkette mage, she saw her eyes filled with eagerness – like a puppy eager for a treat. She was sure, if she had a tail, it was wagging like crazy.

"Miss Vallière, you make sure that you stay close to the group. While I believe your, err, explosive magic would be useful in this situation, but due to their randomness, I would advise that you avoid casting any spells."

Louise didn't say anything in return, instead, she just simply nodded silently while with a downcast expression on her face.

"What about you, Miss Longueville?" the germanian redhead asked.

"I will have a look around the surrounding. If we don't find anything in there, hopefully, I will find a clue of some kind out there."

Now with their individual tasks in mind, the group five divided themselves so they could put their mission on the move. And like how they had planned beforehand, Eurydice and Tabitha took the charge of leading their little group while making sure to keep an eye to any possible trap with Kirche and Louise following right behind them.

Instead of going a more direct approach, they choose to go around their path, and use the tall bushes as cover to sneak in.

But now they wished haven't.

"Ugh. All this mud and bushes are ruining my uniform." Louise grumbles as she drags herself through the branches.

"I will need a bath after this." Kirche joins the small pinkette mage.

"Can you two be a little quieter? He will spot us if you keep complaining." the Grey Warden scolds them quietly.

"Look who is talking." Louise replied angrily "You're the one making most of all the noise."

And she was right. Unlike any of them, Eurydice was in full plate armor – and full plate armor is not the most suitable armor for stealth. And because of that, no matter how much she tried to keep quiet - there would always be that faint clanging noise of the plates moving as she moves through the bushes.

"Well, is not my fault that_"

"Quiet." Tabitha shushed the both of them and they complained.

Now in silence once again, the group focused their attention back to their task at hand. As they grow closer to the cabin, both the Warden and the gallian bluenette quickly noticed the sudden chances of their surroundings. The bushes had grown dispersed from each other, which was troublesome because it meant that something or someone usually uses this path. In other words, it was the perfect place to place a trap.

They didn't know how right they were.

At first they didn't notice when they first passed by it, but when they gave a better look, they saw a suspicious amount of dirt covered by leafs and broken branches. They thought nothing at first since the two of passed just fine, but it all changed when they saw Kirche walking towards it. It was then when they acted before anyone could get hurt, just in case.

"Wait." Eurydice ordered her to halt, which she did.

"What is it?" the redhead looked at her confusedly.

The Grey Warden gently pushes Kirche away from the suspicious amount of dirt and draws Derflinger, and with him, she starts gently poking her suspicious target. Seeing no reaction coming from it, she decided and started by removing leaves and branches without disturbing the dirt beneath, it was then when she noticed. When she tried to stab with the point of Derflinger's blade, it sank rather easily to the dirt beneath without any sign of resistance. The Germanian redhead kept staring at the Elven mage in confused wonder, and she only grew even more confused as her Honey approached closer to her and before starting gently rubbing off the soil between them.

It was to her surprised, when Eurydice had finished rubbing off the soil, to see a decent sizable hole with twigs on top of it to support the dirt. And when her Honey had cleared those twigs from the top of the hole, she was quickly grateful for Eurydice from stopping her when she did. The hole was filled with sharp wooden stakes inside – and if she had stepped over the hole, she was pretty much sure that wouldn't have ended up well for her.

"A rabbit trap." the Grey Warden commented.

"Agree." Tabitha replied back, she then looks around to their surroundings "There, another one." she said as she points out another trap not very far from where they were -a looped cable is hidden below the bushes. She then looks back to the hole, grabs a little of dirt from inside of the of the hole and examines it as she rubs between her fingers, "Still moist, suspicious."

"Why you say that, Tabitha?" Louise asked.

"This trap must have been made by a hunter, and recently." Eurydice explains to her.

Tabitha nods in agreement "Rabbits breed quickly. Plenty to eat. Seen as a plague. No worry for poaching."

"How you two know that?" Kirche asks, perplexed "For all we know Fouquet perhaps was the one who made it."

"I doubt it." Eurydice replied firmly "First, there was no way Fouquet would know what sort of specific trap to use in this forest. Second, why focusing on a trap for catching rabbits instead of something that could alarm someone was coming closer? And finally, third, do you remember what Longueville said? She said that they said that they saw a suspicious person wandering in the woods using this cabin."

"Why is so strange about that?" Louise asked. At this point, could already feel her already fragile temperament – something which she always kept denying to herself and others – crumbling, but somehow her curiosity kept her reaching to her climax.

"Academy attacked in daylight. News travels fast. Common folk gets scared and speculates." Tabitha explains to the pinkette mage.

"True, and any sane person would keep away from any suspicious individual where is staying. Especially now seeing that this person have been using the cabin lately. This only raises red flags all around." Eurydice said as she undoes the trap and fills it with dirt.

After dealing with the trap, Eurydice quickly reminded Kirche and Louise to be extra careful and keep an eye on the ground as they continue onwards. When they finally reached the rear of the cabin, they split with Eurydice and Louise going to the left and Kirche and Tabitha to the right.

From each side of the building, both the Grey Warden and the gallian bluenette cast their own version of detection spells to see they could detect any magical trap in the building – and while they do that – the other two kept themselves busy with what they can. Kirche kept an eye onto the ground in case she could see anything suspicious, and for Louise, one could say that she was glad for her small structure for once in her life – which she gladly used it to peek, but due how dirty the windows were it prevented her from seeing clearly what was inside.

When Eurydice and Tabitha couldn't detect any sort of magical trap from within the building, they signaled the others to meet up at the cabin's door on the other side. From there, now standing right in front of the door, they first analyze the ground in case there was a trap protecting the door and when they found none they stepped forward. Normally, many people would simply walk forward and open the door, but knowing their situation they first examined the door knob.

It was clear and easy to see that the door knob was very old and rusty - the Grey Warden approached the door to examine it. Unfortunately for them, when Eurydice looked inside of the keyhole and its edges, she didn't find anything that could help her. Seeing no other choice, Eurydice reached forthe door knob, grabs the door knob with all the gentleness and slowly to turn it around. It wasn't to her surprise to find out that didn't budge.

She then releases a sigh "It seems that we have to do this on the hard way." she draws Derflinger and looks back to the others "Stand back and prepare yourselves." she announced before stepping back.

After Louise and Kirche draw their wands and Tabitha already ready with her staff at hand, they step out of the way to give the Grey Warden the space she needed. The flux of mana quickly runs through her body as she manipulates the reality beneath of her feet to shape the earth to her desire. And simple movement of her hand, the earth erupts from below and fist shaped rock flew towards the door - knocking it down quite easily and leaving it wide open.

"Louise," Eurydice calls out to the small pinkette mage "you stay out here watching for trouble. Just scream in case you see Fouquet or something like that, alright?"

She just stared at her familiar and pouted "Fine." she replied with a sign in sight of the other three entering inside of the cabin.

"Ugh. This place is so filthy!" Kirche complained as she quickly covers both her face with her handkerchief.

What she says is true. The place not only proved to be abandoned for quite some time, but also extremely dirty, with heavy layers of dust, dirt and some cobwebs decorating the little furniture there is, the shelves, the floor and the windows. And when they had knocked down the door, they had disturbed some of the dust resting inside when did it, and now - they have now dust hovering in the air.

Though it was true that the cabin's interior looked to be, and it was, abandoned. But when they entered inside, they saw further ahead of them what it seemed to be footprints circulating around the cabin - proving that someone had been using the place recently. This, of course, only made them grow anxious since they knew that everything could go wrong quickly at any moment.

"Slip up and search." said the small bluenette as she walks to a nearby old looking wooden cupboard. She then turned back and looked at the other two, especially at the redhead germanian young woman "Be careful. Especially you, Kirche."

"Yes, mother." Kirche replied jokily with a pout as she walked to the other side.

They quickly began searching through every nook and cranny they could find in hope to find what they were looking for. Of course, while they were searching, they took the extra precaution on looking for traps when opening any drawers they find. However, as they kept searching, they couldn't find what they're looking for.

All could find was either more dust or cobwebs, and broken utensils like old plates, bowls and some cups – but nothing about they wanted. They even started to think that the staff wasn't here anymore.

But all changed when Kirche opened a wooden foot truck.

"Hey! I found something!" the busty redhead calls out to them.

"What is it?" the small bluenette mage asks as she approaches to her friend.

Her friend turns around and presents them a large purple box in her arms "I think found it!"

"Are you sure that's the thing we're looking for?" the Grey Warden asks while staring at the box suspiciously.

Kirche looks at the case on her arms for a moment before examining it "Well, there is this crest engraved over here." she says as she shows them a crest of a flower-de-luce being held by an owl with a single half-open eye on top of it engraved on the other side of the case.

"Too easy. Very suspicious" Tabitha replied back rather suspicious, and with good reason.

Kirche just shrugs back "There is only one way to find out." she replied as she reaches to the draw bolts to open the case to see if the staff was inside or not.

But unknown to the natives of Halkeginia, Eurydice was staring at the case with mistrustful eyes. Not only because she finds it too easy that they had already found what they were looking for so early, but also because she was feeling an ominous aura coming from it. She doesn't know what is it, but the last time she felt something like this it ended up with a possessed count.

All she knows, whatever it is, it's something that should keep inside of that case for their own safety and of others. But apparently, for whatever reason, she is the only one who felt it since she still sees Kirche reaching her hand to open it. So she took the initiative and grabbed her hand before she could open it.

"Don't open it." commanded the Grey Warden with a serious and firm voice.

"But Eurydice_" Kirche began, but the Elven mage interrupted her.

"Look Kirche," Eurydice began "whatever is inside is not worth our trouble. Let's just take it outside, show it to Louise for confirmation since she might know about that crest and give it back to the Academy." She urged her to do what she said, but it seemed that she was still determined to open it "Please Kirche, you must trust me."

The redhead stares at the Grey Warden for a moment, then to the case and then back to her before finally releasing a sigh "Fine, but only because you asked."

"Thank you, Kirche."

And with that, they left the cabin with the case with them.

"Did you find it?" Louise asks as she sees them coming out from the cabin and walks towards them.

"Um, I think we did." Kirche said with doubt in her voice, she approaches the small pinkette with the case with her "We found this inside, but we don't know if this is it." she explains to Louise and shows it to her, in particular the crest on it "Do you know what the crest is?" she hands her the case.

The small mage analyzes the crest for a moment before her eyes wide as she gasps in surprise "This crest belongs to Tristain Royal Arcane Research Corp! They are a secretive association responsible for everything related to magic or magical in nature. They usually operate from within the Royal court, but they have worked many times alongside with Romalia before." when Louise finished explaining to them. And she quickly noticed the way they were staring at her with a surprised expression. It was if they weren't expecting her knowing all this "What? My mother worked with them in the past."

They all stared at her in an awkward silence, not knowing on how to respond to this new information. Though deep down, they knew it wasn't important at the moment. They just need for the moment to worry about finishing their task at hand. Then they have the time to ask all the questions they want.

"Alright then." the Grey Warden began "In the other words, whatever is inside, there is a high chance being what we were looking for. Right?" Louise just nods at her in response "Then, seeing there isn't anything else we can do, I suggest that we go find Miss Longueville so that we can go home."

"That will not be necessary!" announced a familiar voice, and as if was on cue, the ground beneath them started shaking violently.

And without any warning, and right in front of them, the earth erupted apart and massive bipedal figure came from within. A bipedal crude looking figure whose body is made of earth and stone, and with its massive club like arms and its sturdy stubby legs, it stood ready to crush anyone in its path. This monstrosity of a construct was no other than a golem, the very same golem who attacked the Academy in the daylight. And it was the very same golem who was now staring down at them.

"Move!" Eurydice yelled and they throw themselves out of the way just in time when the golem destroyed the cabin with a single swing of its massive arm.

The cabin's debris flew across the forest, hitting anything indiscriminately, and luckily for them, they were spared thanks to the terrain. The massive construct quickly took its next action and takes the opportunity while they are down to slam them with its arm, but its attack was countered when Tabitha and Eurydice's cast together a combination of wind and ice magic to stop its arm and push it backwards.

However, unluckily for them, they were only able to push it only a few steps backwards due to its size before it could compose – but at least they could at least now get up from the ground. And now, standing up on their feet, they could now counterattack at ease - and hopefully -defeat the golem once and for all.

Kirche quickly took the initiative and concentrated a small fireball on the tip of her wand and throw it towards the golem's head, which in response it used one of its arms to protect itself. Feeling rather confident, and with a cocky grin, the redhead quickly ran towards its left side right on its back – one of its blind spots – while Eurydice and Tabitha kept it districted. She pointed her wand towards directly towards the back of its head with one of her spells under her arsenal. But she was quickly pointed her wand up, quickly she pointed it down with her grin coming along with it.

"Miss Longueville?!" she exclaimed shocked. And true to her words, standing on top of the golem was Longueville - the greenette secretary – the woman who separated from them on her search for the thief was now standing on the very same golem who attacked the Academy on the previous day.

Her Honey and best friend quickly ceased from attacking when they heard her, and with Louise following them, they ran to her side only to be shocked as well.

"Miss Longueville, what is the meaning of this!?" Louise yelled loudly while pointing at the greenette secretary.

Longueville didn't reply back, instead, she just kept staring –no– leering intensely in a deep silence. Their minds were in disarray, they didn't know how they could respond to this sudden change of events. A moment ago, they all came together in order to capture the infamous thief who attacked the Academy and now, the very same secretary that they knew, was now attacking them with the golem under her feet.

The older woman looks at them for a moment before turning her eyes directly to the case in Louise's arms, which was still locked like she had left. And she sighs with disappointed.

"So, you didn't open it, didn't you? Pity, I was hoping that you at least tried to use the staff to see how it works, but it seems I was wrong."

"How it works, you say! You wanted us to see 'how it works', you say!?" Louise yelled angrily as all her senses started to fade out in all this mess "You knew about the Staff of Destruction, didn't you? You are Fouquet, aren't you?!" she accused Longueville, or in this case Fouquet, with an accusative finger.

The woman looks at her for a moment before starting laughing, when she finally calmed down, she spoke "My, you are smarter than I thought." she replied with a smirk on her face "Yes, I am Fouquet. The name Longueville was nothing more than alias for me to work for that despicable perverted old man before I could perform my heist."

"What are you going to do next?" the Grey Warden said while approaching with Derflinger drawn "Clearly you will not let us go now that we know your identity."

"No, I can't. I was hoping they would send some egocentric nobody after me, but apparently not even that they can do it themselves. Bunch of cowards…" she spits out in disgust "Look. I don't like this more than you, but this is just business."

Golem lifts up its club like arm and tries to slam it on top of them, but with a quick warning of the event Grey Warden, they jump out to safety. Tabitha and Kirche quickly pointed their individual catalytic, and with a short chant, both wind and fire were unleashed together, creating a decent sized fireball towards Longueville, no, Fouquet on top of the golem's shoulder. The Thief in response, she quickly commanded the golem to lift up its arm and block the incoming fireball.

The blazing heat erupts from the other side and Fouquet quickly commanded the golem to move forward and try to stomp them with its massive weight. The bluenette gallian student quickly concentrated her Willpower on the waterskin and draws out water from within, and uses it to create a wall of ice spears in order to slow down the slow moving construct but it proved to be ineffective. The golem's weight and size proved to be far too much for her spell to handle it, she quickly changed her tactic and used the remaining ice to encase its foot in ice.

Fouquet curses under her breath as she sees ice forming around her golem's foot, making the things harder for her golem to move. Seeing no other choice, the waves around her wand and earth spires were launched from the shoulder towards the students below. But the students were quick to get out of the way of the incoming projectiles, and before she could have cast another spell, a fireball hit on the golem's left side.

She turned around and saw the Elven Grey Warden charging another fireball in her hands. Not wanting for her to finish, Fouquet quickly used her Willpower to create a sharp shard of rock and launched towards the Grey Warden. This forced the Grey Warden to stop what she was doing to cast Spell Shield to protect herself. Taking this opportunity, she commanded her golem to shake off the ice surrounding its foot and succeeded – but she didn't have the luxury to celebrate, because once again, she was under barrage after barrage of spells casted by the younger mages.

This had become a bigger nuisance that she had expected.

Hiding behind of a tree away from the fighting, stood Louise watching as Eurydice, Tabitha and Kirche fought against Fouquet while she just stood there hiding with the case holding the Staff of Destruction inside tightly in her arms. And once again, she was the one left behind while others fought against their ordeals.

It was just like yesterday when Fouquet attacked the Academy all over again. It was like when few days ago, she, her familiar and Kirche went to the Count's estate to save the maid Siesta from his grasp. Or like that time when they were ambushed by those bandits were coming back from the Capital. And like all those times, she always stood hiding behind of something while others would do everything all by themselves – and all thanks they had something that could help them that she didn't.

Magic.

No matter how much she tried. No matter how much wished she could do magic. She would never be able to do something to help them, for she was useless. How she could call herself a noble, a proud daughter of Vallière family, when she couldn't even cast the simplest spell.

Turning around to take look and she sees them doing their best to face against the golem and Fouquet with everything they could muster. The battle had already prolonged for quite a while and exhaustion was already settling in both their mind and body. Even so, they kept unleashing their spells with all their might when the opportunity was right, since they're fighting something so big while in place didn't give them much advantage to them.

Whenever they found a small gap and try to exploit it, Fouquet was quick to fix that and turn the tide against them in one way or another. And because they were in such compressive place, they couldn't do anything whenever the massive construct decided to swing its bulky, massive arms and they were forced either to choose to dodge from being hit by it or by the debris that follow it.

"You three are really starting to annoy me!" Fouquet yelled angrily "Let's finish this once and for all!"

And so with that sudden announcement, spikes quickly spawn from within the golem's body and were launched everywhere – piercing anything remorselessly. And she doubts that if they hadn't dodged in time, they would have survived from that. To make the things even worse for them, the very same spikes that came from its body, they started to reshape into human size golems and started to march towards them with their main coming along.

And unlike the ones last time, these ones had a sharper look instead of the more common blocky look that many golems tend to have. This means that these golems had sharp stony blades for arms instead of the club like arm, in other words, Fouquet intends to mince them into pieces.

Their situation keeps escalating for the worst for them as this fight keeps prolonging every second it passes. If only they, no, if only she had something that could help them. If only she had magic she knew that she could make a difference. She knows that she can do it, and she knows it, but she only needs something that could help her.

And then, it all came to her mind and she looks at her arms- the very same arms who were carrying all this time their answer to their.

This is really bad. This is really bad. Eurydice kept reciting the same quote as the fight keeps prolonging - and as it did so - so as did her exhaustion. She already could feel her strengths slowly leaving her body as well her pool of mana depleting far quicker that she could replenish. And she wasn't the only one.

Both Tabitha and Kirche were already breathing heavily as well as tired her. And everything went for the worse when Longueville, or rather Fouquet, decided to conjure up smaller golems against them. One of which she was dealing right now with Derflinger in her hands as she keeps the golem from chopping her with their sharp bladed arms.

"Hey Beauty," Derf called out "I don't want to be a downer, but don´t y_" he was quickly interrupted when Eurydice parried another incoming attack with his guard "don't you th_" and once again he was interrupted "don't you think this getting out of hand?" Derflinger said and before he could continue, Eurydice interrupted yet again when she use him to parry another golem.

"You don't say." the Grey Warden replied back sarcastically as kicks another coming towards her "Ugh. Don't you think that I didn't think about it?"

Derflinger hadn't time to reply this time either when yet another golem came to them and they're forced to protect themselves. Even he knows that this will end badly for them if this keeps going – and he has firsthand experience. They will need eventually to run away in hope to survive this, but no matter how many tricks his partner has under her sleeve. He doubts that Fouquet would simply let them and spread the word telling who in reality she really is. And he bets until the last spot of rust on him that she had foreseen this happening and left some surprises all over the forest just for them.

He only hopes that he doesn't lose another good partner after all this years.

"Louise!?" or maybe soon he will after all.

Turning around when Eurydice heard Kirche yelling she sees Louise out of her hiding place with the case containing the Staff of Destruction with her. What that girl thinks is doing? That was question questioned herself. They had specifically told her to hide and take with her, but apparently she didn't get the memo and now standing out in the open like a fat nug in front of a hungry mabari.

"What you think are doing?" Kirche continue "We told you to hide!"

But the girl didn't respond, instead she simply silently flips the case towards her and starts to unlock it. It was then when she realizes what she was doing - she was going to use the staff. And so, without any reservation for her personal wellbeing, she ran towards that stubborn, impatient, reckless and impatient little girl. Hoping to stop her before she can do something that get herself hurt.

She yells for her, she calls out for her name in hopes she reacts to something but she kept determined on opening the case. She wants to reach out to her and smack her for doing something so irresponsible, but the golems kept coming to her and stopping her from her tracks, no matter how many times she tries to run pass them.

"Don't do it Louise! Don't open that thing!" she calls out for the small mage, but it was too late.

Louise has dropped down the now empty case and now was holding a terrifying looking staff of a gaping skull with a crimson red crystal in its mouth. And without any knowing what was going on to her, an eerie reddish and purplish aura starts surrounding her body. It was then when it all happens. She releases a feverish screech of pain without warning as the same eerie aura grows around her body.

The red crystal starts to glow and a vortex carrying the same colors that the aura starts to form at its tip. Both she and the students didn't know what was happening, but one thing that they knew that it was too late stopping her when the same vortex started to glow brightly. By instinct, Kirche ran towards her best friend and grab her in order to shield her from the possible explosion. While Eurydice managed to reach them and cast a Spell Shield in hope to absorb some of the damage - just in time before the world around them is engulfed by a bright light.

Louise's pink eyes snapped wide open in panic as her mind tries to understand her surroundings, and instead seeing branches blocking the light of the sun above she was seeing the very familiar white ceiling of the Academy's infirmary. A place that she is well known for sending herself, her classmates and her teachers here during her time in the first year in this Academy – place she tends to have bad memories whenever she comes here for a one reason or another.

Though to her surprise, she found out that wasn't alone in the room. Standing beside her bed was her precious childhood friend Henrietta with her blond Musketeer Captain right behind her, and to her other side, were both Professor Colbert, Headmaster Osmond – who was currently sitting in a very comfortable chair – Eurydice, that damnable Kirche and Tabitha right beside them.

"Louise!" Henrietta exclaims happily and holds her tightly "I am so happy that you're alright."

"Princess…" Louise replied back slowly "What happened?"

Her familiar was the one who respond "Well, after you used the Staff of Destruction you managed to destroy the difference between time and reality and now the time is frozen and everyone is a thousand years older." she spoke with a stern voice and with an expression that shows the severity of their situation "Oh! You also made a huge, pink hole in the sky and now is constantly spitting out little pink angry flying monsters."

The blood is drains from her face and she becomes pale as a sheet as she realizes the result of her actions. That couldn't be, she thought to herself. How could she have done that in the first place? She knows her familiar - and despise after everything they went through these days - she knows that she wouldn't joke something about this, but creating a giant hole in the sky and stopping time! How could she have done that?

Just imagine the chaos that might be going on behind the stone walls of the Academy scares her the most. What will happen to her now? She bets that the Romalian Inquisition is already out there searching for her in order to execute her for all this chaos. And not to mention, of the possibility what other countries will do their part in the search for her. She needs to hide, but to where? She couldn't hide in her family's land or estate without risking her mother's wrath if she found her there. Plus, her pride as a Vallière keep her from running away like a coward – if she had to die, at least she would die like a Vallière.

"Pfffft…" it was then when she noticed

She looks up and sees Eurydice trying to hold herself from laughing to death – and growing suspicious, she gets up from her bed and towards a nearby window to look outside. And true to her suspicion, she sees no sign of a hole in the sky nor does she see a single pink flying monster.

It was all a lie.

Her head snaps her head back towards at the laughing familiar, who is laughing even harder as she witnesses her face grows red and her cheeks swell up in anger.

"Stop laughing!" she yells angrily.

"Ahahaha! Sorry. I couldn't resist without to do that." her familiar took a few seconds to calm down before continuing "You passed out right after you used that staff."

"That's right. And let me tell you something." Kirche decided to continue with Eurydice's turn "You created the freakiest biggest explosion this year. Every single explosion you have done in the past don't compare to this one. Yeck! I doubt that they will be able to restore that part of the forest."

Louise stares at redhead Germanian for a moment before looking at the headmaster confusedly.

The old man looked worried for a moment "Well…Ahem" he clears his throat "Right after you used the Staff of Destruction, there was a bright light following after an explosion from the forest that was seen from here. We didn't see everything, but when everything calmed down, we saw that a small portion of the forest was missing." he then looks at her with eyes filled with guilt "When you returned it was then when we learned what had happened and I am really sorry for what you went through. If only I had known Miss Longueville true identity and intentions with the Staff I could have prevented this from happening."

"That's one thing, however, what I am really worried about is to know why she wanted that staff in the first place." Eurydice states as she changes his attention to her "Tell me something Osmond. Where in the void you found this thing?" her familiar ask in a rather hostile way as she points towards an unoccupied bed.

Following to where Eurydice is pointing Louise sees the very same case they went to retrieve lying on top near the bed next to her. The memories came back scratching the back of her skull as the sensation of wrongness and pain she felt when she had the terrifying looking staff in her hands. It made her feel sick.

"Tell me Osmond, please." her Grey Warden familiar begged to the headmaster.

The sage looks to the younger woman for a moment before sighing "Around thirty years ago, during my younger adventuring days, I was attacked by surprise by a dragon. But before the massive reptile could lay a single tooth on me, it exploded into chucks of meat from its insides out. It then when I met him." then the old headmaster's face turns into a mournful one as he recalls that day "He was a man, a mage, in his thirties I think. He wore a beige and brownish robe with a long open wide tailcoat, with one of his arms fully protected with a plated pauldron, counter and a gauntlet. I knew it was him who saved me from that blasted beast when I saw the Staff of Destruction still pulsating with energy in his hands."

"Wait a moment, Lord Osmond." Henrietta gently intervenes "I read reports about the Staff of Destruction. They all state that those who had tried to use the staff collapsed in agony just by holding it. How was he able to use it?"

"Ahh, yes. The man had special gloves that served as some magical conduit of sorts that allows the user to use the staff. Well, I think it was at least." the old man answered. "Then why didn't use them when testing the staff?" inquired Eurydice.

The old sage looks at her and answers "Well, it seemed that those gloves had a limited time of used. Not to mention they were falling into pieces when I reached to the Capital."

"Hmm..." the Elven Warden takes a thinking position "A consumable arcane transitory substitute conduit, perhaps?" they all looked at the Warden elf surprised as she continues mumbling to herself before looking back to the old man "What about the man? What happen to him?"

Osmond just sighs "When I found him, he was heavily wounded in the chest and losing a lot of blood quickly. In his last breath, he handed me the glove he wore and said. 'Università!', 'Università!', as he presented me the Staff of Destruction before dying." His face grows sadder and sadder as he tries to keep himself from crying in front of them "I buried his body under a great Oak, it was at least thing that I could do for him for saving my life and took the staff to the capital."

"Università?" Eurydice comments as she mumbles to herself "Università…Università…Beige and brown robes…" then her face is enlightened in realization "It can't be...a Nevarran." she finally said socked.

Everyone in that room looks at the Grey Warden in confusion, all of them except Jean since the kind teacher had been teaching the young Elven mage everything she need to know about Halkeginia and in exchange she told about Thedas. For what he learned, Nevarran is someone from Nevarra, a nation in Central Thedas. She never went too in depth when explaining about her world, but she explained about the nations that ruled the lands of Thedas, and in his opinion, it is an awful place to live in.

"Are you sure Miss Eurydice?" he asked her.

"There is no doubt."

"Um… Excuse me?" the young future ruler came forward and called their attention "Miss Eurydice, you seem to be very knowledgeable about the Staff's origin. I don't want to sound snooper or anything, but is there something perhaps that I should know about? Something like, perhaps, that could come to harm either my country or people?"

Tension in the room grows deeper as the teacher, headmaster and students, minus Tabitha, grow nervous. The elven Grey Warden looks carefully to the young future ruler, in one part she was mentally scolding to herself for her carelessness, and the other she was unsure how processed. She hadn't planned on how to crack out this situation before hand, and to tell the truth, she hadn't planned to reveal anything about her so soon. But she believes that honesty is the best policy above else to create a bridge between individuals, but sometimes you need to make an honest lie to keep it steady from crumbling down.

She sighs and looks at Louise, there was only one way to find out.

"Louise."

"Yes?" she answers back.

"Of all of us in this room, you know the Princess the best. Do you trust her, Louise? "

"How dare you to_" the blonde Musketeer guard quickly retaliates angrily, but before she could anything the young Princess raised her arm and stopped her.

"Is alright Agnès, let her speak." she quickly calmed down angry guard from doing anything.

Louise stares at her familiar for a second and looks to her precious childhood friend, to whom she smiles and nods before looking back to her familiar.

"Yes, Eurydice. I trust on her Highness with my life and deepest secret." the small pinkette answers honestly and with a sence of pride.

"Thank you, Louise."

Eurydice then sighs "Fine…" and she then looks at Tabitha and Kirche "Tabitha. Kirche. Could you two make sure that nobody will hear us?" the duo nods and went to do their task. Kirche went to lock the door and close the curtains in the room, while Tabitha waved her staff around and the outside sound suddenly disappeared in a second.

"Very well…" Eurydice begins "but before I continue. I want you hand me over every your weapons you two carry." she reaches out her hand and beckons to give her.

"What?" again Agnès said outraged "You must be kidding?!"

"No, it's alright, here." Henrietta said, as she hands over her mace/ scepter like wand to Eurydice.

Agnès she just mumbles indignantly under her breath before handing Eurydice over her flintlock pistol and her sword from her belt, and the musket she has on her back. To whom Eurydice just looks at her weapons for a moment before looking back at the blonde musketeer and beckoning her hand again.

"Come on, Miss Bodyguard, I know you have more somewhere."

The blonde woman just swears silently before removing two pairs of daggers hidden inside of a concealed pouch on her back and from within her boots and handing them over. But the Grey Warden isn't getting any of it and just says 'Keep going', and with angry growl the female musketeer throws to floor one more pair of daggers out of her forearm guards, a pair of small knives that were somehow hidden in her pauldrons under her cloak, a couple throwing knives and sharp needles and two small iron balls attached by a rope.

Eurydice just looks at the weapons on the floor just for a second before looking back to Agnès "Do you have anything inside of your pants?"

Then the kind professor spoke "Miss Eurydice, I thi_"

"Could Lord Osmond and Lord Colbert turn around for a moment?"

The others in the room looked at the blonde knight with wide eyes, and then, the only two men in the room were rushed to turn around in order to give Agnès the time she needs. To which she takes off yet another dagger, one with slightly longer blade than the others.

"How did you know?" the blonde knight asks.

To which Eurydice answers, as she gathers all the weapons "When you travel with an assassin and a former spy you quickly learn where the hiding places are, truthfully."

The young future ruler looks worried "An Assassin? A spy?"

"Very well, let's begin…" the Grey Warden begins, as she makes sure that the weapons were away from their reach "I will be straight forward. I have not been fully honest about who I am." she leaves weapons behind and starts walking towards them, to whom which she stops right in front between them and the others "I am not from Halkeginia, or rather, I am not from this world entirely."

"You are not from this world? How can that be?" Henrietta asks, as she tries to absorb everything.

"I was brought here from my world by Louise during her summoning ritual." Eurydice explains "My world is completely the opposite of yours. While here magic is seen as a divine will itself, in my world, is seen nothing more than a curse."

The shock was clearly written all over their faces, the Princess most of all since can't imagine how such thing, while her bodyguard, strangely enough, seemed to be somehow rather intrigued about a possible land out there such as hers.

"And before I continue, I think proper instructions are in order." Eurydice continues, as she gently pushes the hair away from her ears. To which, to their shock and surprise, they started to emit a golden dust only to reveal her long pointy ears – breaking away the 'Illusive Cloak' spell and revealing her true elven heritage to the country's monarch and her knight "My name is Eurydice of Kinloch Hold of Lake Calenhad, the Circle of Magi in Ferelden and Grey Warden Mage of Ferelden…" she slightly bow towards the monarch "is an honor to meet you, your Highness."

Chapter 10 end

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And with this, the chapter ends here for now until a new chapter is published. But for now I have a question a ask. Throughout this all the time, I have come to receive messages from some people asking me how this story will run in the future. And a lot of those questions were about Eurydice's love life in Halkeginia. They wonder if Eurydice, somehow, falls in love with Kirche (since the way the things that I am writing will perhpas lead to that), or other characters like Siesta, Louise or even Tabitha. Heck, they even ask me about Tiffania and Julio.

And their reason is, since she is believed to be dead back in Thedas, there is nothing stopping her from finding her own happiness.

So I decided to make a vote poll of sorts. Just send me PM your answer (and perhaps write the reason why, if you want), and I will consider your choice.

So as always, did you like it? Please, any reviews are always appreciated.