Shield of Gold
Chapter 3: Muscles and Magic Swords
Achillo
It appeared that Louise didn't fully grasp the true scope of my duties. I had insisted that I sit, or more aptly stand, in on her lessons. She was very quick to stop me from doing so, stating that the classrooms were perfectly safe, and my presence would greatly distract the other students. That was their problem, not mine. If they were so easily distracted, then discipline was the issue, and should have been addressed. Still, I would have outright ignored her command as the Emperor had permitted me to, but I also saw the opportunity I needed to go and peruse the academy's records. As I made my way towards the central tower, I made another list of things I should gain some insight on where possible. Magic was perhaps the most important of all, as it seemed psychic powers were either known differently here, or even more bizarrely, totally absent in place of something else. I would need to identify what mages could do what with each element, the restrictions on such elements, how elements interacted with each other, and how to counter them. Then there was learning the current political climate and recent history.
I entered the central tower and walked through the hallways of cold stone, brightly lit by windows that let in generous amounts of sunlight. Going by ambient temperature and the patches of flowers growing in the courtyard, it was late spring and coming into early summer. In fact, it even seemed as though this world worked on a twenty four hour day cycle like Terra did. I had seen in one of the many books that I had read and committed to memory , a map detailing the continent known as Halkegenia, consisting of several counties that was reminiscent of Europa, back when old Earth still had oceans of water. The odds of that were astronomical to say the least. Albion was the exception, being the only island of the major powers yet shared a continental plate.
The third floor was the place I was looking for, and I was greeted by Ms. Longueville as she rounded a corner. She had been looking over her shoulder, but was startled when she turned her head and saw me.
"By Birmir! It's just you." She placed a hand to her chest to steady her heartbeat. "For such a large figure, you sure know how to move silently. Any pointers?" She asked wryly, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with a small smirk. "Come looking for the archives, have you?"
"Indeed I have. Might you enlighten me as to which door I must use?" I asked, though something about how she had reacted to seeing me felt... off. I was used to looks of surprise, even fear, but she regained her composure a little too quickly for my liking. Perhaps it was nothing and she just had steelier nerves than most, but I would be remiss in my duty not to take note of that for future reference.
"Please, allow me to show you. It can get a little confusing in here if its your first time. It was for me." She chuckled as she passed me and beckoned me to follow. My suspicion of her must have been rather strong, as my target lock came unbidden, brought by some intrusive compulsion to end what some bone deep instinct knew was a threat. The white reticule settled on the back of the small woman's head. I blinked and dismissed it. No matter what, until I had a full grasp of the goings on of the academy and the nobility, I could not risk endangering my mission or Louise. Failure was something that all of the Ten Thousand feared, and with good reason. Our one duty, the safety of our master and the Emperor of Mankind was our sole responsibility above all others, and we failed. I would not fail a task given to me by my liege. The possibility of failure was enough to make my sweat cold, and my stomach form knots.
"You have my thanks." I kept my tone level and plain. She led me to a wooden door that was average and nondescript, just dark wood with an iron ring handle. However, it lit up with intricate magical diagrams, glyphs, and esoteric symbols that seemed to act as a seal that was deactivated when Longueville waved a... stick? Yes, a stick, at the door. I would need to learn what the significance of these sticks was.
"There. The door is magically sealed, and only faculty members know how to deactivate and reactivate it. By all means, once you're done, and find me or any other teachers, okay?" She smiled in an exaggerated way, as if she were forcing something extra into it. What that could have been, I had no idea. I nodded regardless.
"You have been most helpful. Thank you." She nodded to me and turned, walking away. I would be watching that one. Pushing her from my thoughts, I entered the chamber that held the academy's records. Glass globes on the walls lit up with white light, activated by the dispelling of the magic on the door. The room was filled with shelves, each meticulously dated and neatly packed with parchment scrolls and books. Wall to wall, and reaching near the zenith of the domed ceiling. It was nothing in scale to the hall of records within the imperial palace, but I knew that was a hilariously unfair comparison. Still, I had no doubt Kalluin would find this room rather interesting. Thinking about it now, I missed speaking with the old warrior
What would have taken a team of mortals weeks to find, read, and put back, took me mere hours, and in that time I learned a considerable amount about the nature of the relationships the various royal families and noble houses had with the academy. From what I had seen so far, there had indeed been no successful attempts on the lives the students had been made. The last recorded attempt had been thirty years ago, during the Tristain-Germaina wars. Germania had sent a team of highly skilled assassins, drawn from disgraced nobility, after one Count Sebastian Gramont, an up-and-coming mage who had shown astonishing promise as a military commander. The assassins had tried to sneak in disguised as a supply cart, but had not known about the earth magic used on the single road leading to the academy. This spell had been cast by Gramont himself as a security measure, using the earth and the vibrations caused by objects moving across it to perceive what the object was and anything that was on or in said object.
The assassins were discovered and ruthlessly dispatched by causing a chasm to open in the road, swallowing the cart and crushing it along with the occupants upon closing the chasm. This was also done by Gramont. Intelligent and ruthless, he finally became Marshal of Tristain's armies in the latter days of its war with Germania, but he had come too late to turn the tide, and Tristain was forced to surrender.
That was a catalyst for the agreements made between Tristain and Germania, finally forming peace agreements through the academy as a moderating body.
Another record made note of a conclave of rogue mages had somehow managed to bring a dragon, of all things, to within a mile of the academy fifty two years ago. The plan had been to destroy the academy outright and plunge the various nations into war, and set the noble houses against each other. They had apparently though themselves invincible, but that time period had seemed to be a time of incredibly powerful, young mages. It had been Osmond, a teacher at the time, who brought the dragon down, and the rogue mages had been captured and sent off to the capital to be judged.
These accounts were only two of hundreds I had read, with records spanning centuries. Yet, in all of those accounts, not one attempt had been successful. Osmond had not been lying, and if the trend held, he would be vindicated.
I exited the room, mostly satisfied with what I had found. So this really was the safest place for any child of nobility could be on the continent, perhaps the planet. That mattered little, however. The imperial palace on Terra was the most heavily fortified location within the Sol system, and we never relented for a second, there was never a single moment that the Emperor was not guarded, and threats were being looked for. What I had to consider was the class of threat I would be dealing with. For the most part, it would be unaugmented humans who would likely have access to magic. For now, magic remained the unknown factor, but once I understood it and its applications, I was confident that I could counter it. None could match me physically, mentally, or in skill at arms. They were hopelessly outclassed in technology, and I had studied tens of thousands of years of history, both military and political, meaning that I held the advantage within the highest places of this world. Knowing all this, it was still no excuse to relax my guard. Even letting Louise attend her lessons out of my sight gnawed at me as a dereliction of duty.
Once again, Longueville was there, had been startled by my sudden appearance. This time however, she was right in front of the door with her... stick, at the ready. We held each other's eye contact for several seconds until she stammered out a greeting.
"T-that's twice, ha ha! Weird how we keep bumping into each other! S-so, uh, were you done in there?" Her smile seemed strained. My target lock came back, but this time I was less inclined to dismiss it, but for the sake of the mission at hand, did so again.
"I am. You came back to lock it." I said.
"The school day has ended and I thought you would have already gone back to Louise." She replied. To her credit, she had once again calmed herself remarkably quickly. I would apply more pressure.
"Without checking first? Only you would know if I was in there." I spoke calmly. It wouldn't do to corner her without cause, but when pressure is applied, people without the proper training or simply the nature for lies cracked quickly.
"You'll have to forgive me. You see, it is mere force of habit. No one typically goes in to the record room besides a faculty member, so to see it unlocked struck me as odd. I had forgotten I had let you in. Busy day, you know." No over explanation, and her voice was calm and considered. Her rationale was sound too, since it was far from uncommon for mortals to forget things when otherwise occupied for long periods of time. This only worsened depending on how single minded a person could be. For now I would leave it be, but her behaviour had stirred my suspicion.
"Of course. I did not mean to imply anything." I said with as apologetic a tone as I felt necessary. She shook her head.
"No, not at all. Did you find what you were looking for, by the way?"
"I did. So far it is as you say and the academy's record for repelling attackers and assassins is so far spotless. This place has quite the storied history." I said.
"The academy has stood for one thousand years, and has seen all kinds of strife in that time. Many of the greatest mages have studied here, many becoming rulers, both kind and despotic. Everyone has a shared understanding of how important this place is, as it is where noble progeny come to learn their magical craft. There are many who would seek to take advantage of that. I'm sure you can imagine why the academy is so fiercely defended." I could see why. The nobility was so deeply and intrinsically linked to the fabric of their society that the death of a young noble could spell the slow death of a noble house or even a nation. With promises broken and pacts nullified, shadowy figures could work their tendrils into the political workings of a family or nation to wreak untold havoc.
If there was one thing I had learned from talking to some of my more socially inclined brothers, specifically those of the Emissaries Imperatus, who regularly dealt with nobility and dignitaries, planetary governors and all manner of people thinking themselves giants when they were but ants, it was that politics, no matter where or when, was a series of knock on effects that rippled throughout time, effecting everyone to varying degrees. The dictates of the time were entirely the product of the people and ideas of the time, and were someone to alter the status quo, whether that was through oratory stirring of the hearts of the people to accept new ideas, or the building of discontent within one class of people to another, the power to influence change presented itself. Iconoclasts and ambitious would-be revolutionaries knew this, as did the bureaucratic puppeteers within the high courts of any given state.
"Were this place to fall, or an incident were to occur, chaos would be sure to follow. Each nation has much invested in this place." I said.
"Their futures, yes." Longueville concurred. She shifted and checked over her shoulder again. "If you don't mind, I would like to lock the record room since you're finished with it." I stepped aside and let her do it, seeing the complex network of scrawled symbols light up once more as she muttered something while flicking her stick at it. Was it some kind of psychic conduit?
"I will have to bid you farewell for now. Old Osmond has me clearing his backlog of parental inquiries into the wellbeing of their children. Should have had them done weeks ago." She placed her fingers to her temples and sighed.
"Does he often saddle you with work?" I asked.
"All the time. And it's not even hard work either, which makes it more irritating when it gets passed on to me. I'm his assistant, I'm supposed to lighten the load, not do what he can't be bothered to do!" While I would have thought she spoke in jest, I could detect some genuine heat in her voice.
"Then I should let you get back to it. The longer you spend talking to me, the longer the work sits unfinished." I said, receiving a sigh in reply.
"You're right, of course. If there is anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask." She took her leave then, moving quite quickly as if in need to attend urgent business. I would have investigated further, but she spoke true when she told me that the day had ended. I left the central tower, descending the stone spiral staircase where the high morning sunlight had waned, slowly giving way the orange of fast approaching evening. Once outside of her door I knocked and waited for a reply.
"Who is it?" Louise asked.
"Achillo. Requesting permission to enter."
"Door's open." She said, and I opened the door, ducking low to step inside and more mindful of my Guardian Spear. Louise was sat in her chair at the circular table near the window, her cloak having been taken off and dumped by her bed. She was writing within a notebook, most likely something regarding her lessons. She set her quill down and looked at me.
"You went to the record rooms, right? Was it helpful?" She asked. I nodded.
"So far it seems that your headmaster has not mean lying to me, or at least, he had been telling the truth as he knows it. There are some very interesting accounts of attempts on the academy, many of them are surprising. Did you know Osmond has killed a dragon?" Louise looked quite surprised when I said that.
"Osmond? As in headmaster Osmond? When did that happen?"
"He was a teacher back then, but he took it down single-handedly. Apparently when he was young there was a period of time when abnormally powerful mages were being produced at a young age, with Osmond being one of them." I explained. "Now, you mentioned runes on my hand earlier." I prompted. She blinked once, and then nodded.
"That's right. Earlier today when you did that thing with your weapon, runes started glowing on your left hand. I wanted to take a look at them." Louise said.
"Indeed, you had said that. That would require me to remove my armour and my body glove. If you wish to wait outside for a few minutes, I will call you back in once I am done." I said, though I wondered if she was even listening as her face grew redder and redder as I spoke. "Louise?"
"Its fine I heard you!" She took a calming breath. "D-do what y-you have to." Flustered, she walked at a brisk pace and left the room, leaving me to my task. Her reaction had confused me, but I didn't dwell on it as I started to remove my armour segment by segment. I only asked for privacy as it was customary among the Ten Thousand to arm ourselves and don our armour in solitude. We did not use arming servitors or Tech-priests, as each ritual of arming was personal to the Custodian in question. For my part, I kept it simple and efficient, while others might follow a set order of arming or use it as a method of meditation.
My helmet came first, unlocking the collar seals with a click and hiss of depressurised air, followed by my cloak as I deactivated the mag locks inside the auramite clasps on either side of top of my breastplate. The cloak fell to the ground in a heap of purple while I removed my helm and placed it on the wooden table. Piece by piece, I removed each plate if armour as my neural connection with it allowed me greater ease when taking it off or putting it on. With all of my upper armour removed, I peeled myself free of the black body glove and let it hang from the waist. I suddenly felt the temperate air on my skin for the first time. My skin pricked as the unfamiliar feeling of being naked overtook me. It was no wonder as I spent so much time inside of my armour. I picked up my cloak and wrapped it around my waist, giving myself a similar look to my brothers who wore their cloaks in much the same way in their armour.
I heard a knock at the door, and called for Louise to enter.
Louise
I seriously didn't know what I was expecting, really. Despite what Achillo had told me about him being human, some part of me still expected something else. What that something was I had no idea. A mass of clockwork machinery, some mass of animated magical material, perhaps an actual golem. I placed the hallway as I waited for my Familiar to finish stripping off his armour, hearing the heavy thumps of his gold plate dropping against the wooden floor of my room. It didn't sound like he was just dropping them, but they sounded so heavy.
"Louise?" Oh, for the love of... why did she have to show her face? I turned, not at all hiding my displeasure as I laid eyes on Kirche. There she was, boobs all hanging out and ready to tease any boy she could get her hands on. Seriously, just who did she think she was!? Just looking at her seriously pisses me off. "Why are you out here? Didn't get kicked out of your room by your Familiar... no, hired actor, did you?" And here we go with the insults again.
"For your information, Zerbst, my Familiar asked for a moment of privacy, that is all." I replied, giving her my best glare. Predictably she chuckled in that carefree way that was so typical of her.
"A moment of privacy? What, were the shoulders of the man the other is sitting on getting tired?" Damn her and her chuckling! Was it so unbelievable that I could summon something at all? Sure I made things explode all the time, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. No, I needed to calm myself down. I should have been used to her jabs at my proficiency as a mage. I should have been used to all of the jokes the others made at my expense. But try as I might to ignore them and face them with mask of steel, it still stung.
"Have you come out just to bother me? If that's all then go bother one of the boys you've got wrapped around your finger." I tried to sound as dismissive as I could.
"Now why would I do that when bothering you is so much fun? Flame's asleep so I need something to do, and here you are." Kirche said as she leaned against the doorway of her room. Just to annoy me further, she folded her arms under her boobs. I get it, they're huge, so what!? Without even realising I had done the same, but only out of a sudden surge of self consciousness.
"Well as you can see, I'm not interested. Go bother someone else!" And as expected, she didn't go and bother someone else, instead she opted to keep looking at me with that condescending face of hers. It was always like this with her. Always and without fail. She couldn't just leave me alone, instead she always got her kicks out of kicking me while I was down. Even when I had clearly achieved something, my reputation made it so unbelievable that she still decided kicking me was good time. I'd show her though. Yeah, I'd show her. I'd she wanted proof, then I'd give it to her.
"Since you keep giving me shit over my Familiar, why not come and see for yourself? Runes showed up on his hand earlier, and he's going to look for himself since he didn't see them. I've even got a witness." I placed my hands on my hips and put my most confidence face forward.
"Oh? My, my, that's quite the face you're making. You must be pretty sure of yourself. Why not get this witness. I'll wait." Kirche smirked, thinking that she'd called my bluff. I couldn't wait to prove her wrong.
"Ms. Valliere?" And like a sign from Brimir himself, Siesta, my very own witness had arrived. I turned as she entered the hallway carrying a basket of discarded clothes on her hip.
"Thank Birmir, I was just talking about you. You saw Achillo's runes earlier, right? On his left hand." I asked, desperately hoping she remembered. To my great relief, she nodded.
"Well, yes. Why?" She asked.
"Zerbst over there seems to think that Achillo couldn't possibly be my Familiar. But you saw the runes! Actually, when he's done in my room, you can come too and support what I said." I could see that she was getting uncomfortable, especially since I was pitting her against another noble. "I'll even go and knock right now." I strode towards my door and knocked firmly. A moment later, I heard Achillo call to come in.
"Well? Follow me and see for yourselves." I was putting on a brave face but honestly I was as nervous as I'd ever been. The doubt returned tenfold as I placed my hand on the door handle. What if it really was just some elaborate trick? Some cruel prank by things beyond my control. I hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open, but when I did and stepped inside, I was rendered speechless.
~AYAYAYAAAAA~
Kirche
Indeed, upon seeing what I believed would be a complete joke that I would tease Louise over relentlessly, only one thought occupied my mind. 'OH NO, HE'S HOT!'
Siesta
-Senses overloaded-
-Brain melting-
-Rebooting...-
Achillo
I suddenly felt very uncomfortable and dearly wished to put my armour back on. Louise looked as though she had forgotten what she was going to say. Kirche in particular looked as though she really, really needed a drink. Siesta looked... eerily calm. Was she okay? Either way, I was planning to keep my exposure short and to the point. The sooner I could get back into my armour and continue with my task, the better.
Louise
First of all... suck it Kirche! Who was right? Yeah, that's right, I was! Secondly, my Familiar had abs you could cobble a road with. Seriously, just how in Birmir's name does someone like Achillo happen? I had to really get myself back on track, but you must understand that who was standing in my room was someone so unlike anyone I'd seen, and I'm sure that went for Kirche and Sieasta as well. I wished that Germaian horndog would stop drooling though. As for Achillo... well, where in the name of Brimir do I start?
The sight that greeted us when we stepped into my room was like a Romalian statue come to life. They liked to capture the image of their ancient kings and legendary god-warriors in ageless marble, carved and chiselled to such lifelike quality that you'd swear they could walk amongst the people should they have the desire to. Achillo put them all to shame. He was taller and broader than any man should be, standing nearly twice my height, and my height in breadth. Pale skin was pulled taught over great plains of bulging muscle, but even though his physique was truly immense, he wasn't grotesquely ballooned with it. Everything from the waist up that wasn't covered by golden armour plates was hard cut and incredibly well defined, as if it had all been sculpted by the hands of a master artist, a truly peerless virtuoso. I could scarcely imagine the raw physical power he could bring to bear, but it was like I could almost see it. He had various indentations at different points on his torso and arms that I could see, each looked as though something was meant to be inserted into them. On his left pectoral, a truly impressive sight, was a black tattoo of a double-header eagle, while on his right shoulder was an eagle clutching two criss-crossing lightning bolts in its talons.
For the most part his body was free of imperfections and blemishes, save for what looked like blade scars on his forearms near the elbows, and around his ribs. Others took the form of patches of bright scar tissue, one of them being a jagged circle surrounded by other tinier lacerations just under his ribs on his right side.
Having to actively will myself to look away from his torso, the fascinating muscular mosaic that it was, and drew my attention up to his face. Perched atop a thick and powerful neck was quite the handsome face, it had to be said. His face was all hard angles, with an incredibly well defined jaw, high cheekbones, hollow cheeks, and a straight, modestly sized nose. When I looked at his greenish eyes, however, I hadn't expected just how soft they were. They were narrow and deep set, but they held no anger or bravado, nor cold detachment. They were... kind, was the best word I could find. His black hair shined pleasantly, and it came down to his mid neck in gentle waves, framing his face. I understood that many might take my words for those of a teenage girl seeing a man like this as love struck or some such nonsense, but I could honestly say on an aesthetic level that Achillo, my Familiar, was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on. There was no passion in this statement, no emotion or attraction, just a statement of fact. I personally didn't think someone could love a being like Achillo. At least not in the usual way. Something at the core of my being just screamed at me that he was something almost completely separate from the rest of us, and he deserved and understood reverence, not notions of romance. I thought my heart would have been stirred by looking upon him like that, but it wasn't.
I couldn't say the same for Kirche or Siesta though. Those two drooling buffoons were insensate, hopelessly and shamelessly staring at him. Kirche actually looked pained when she looked away from Achillo, as if she wanted to spend the rest of the day just drinking in the sights. By Birmir, if big sister Eleanor ever saw him...
"L-listen, uh, Louise? I know we've had our disagreements and I know I've teased you constantly, but I didn't mean any of it. You know that, right?" She said it so sweetly it almost made me sick. I knew what she wanted and she wasn't getting it.
"You can't have him, he's mine. You've got your own." I was feeling oh so smug at that moment. I wondered what such a big helping of humble pie tasted like.
"Giant muscular bongos..." Siesta mumbled, completely out of it and still shamelessly staring at the meaty slabs of his chest. She was starting to worry me. She looked... hungry? Judging by how red her face was, I can only imagine what lewd thoughts were running through her head.
"If you're quite finished," Achillo spoke then, snapping Siesta out of her daze and shifting our focus to his words rather than his divinely sculpted form, "I believe there was a purpose to this."
Ah, that's right. The runes. "Show me your left hand, Achillo. That's where Siesta and I saw them appear." Siesta nodded emphatically now that she had remembered why she was here. Achillo offered his hand and we approached to get a closer look. Just like the rest of him, his hand was massive. When I placed my own hands on it, my fingers barely wrapped around just one of his large fingers. The muscles beneath the skin didn't feel like muscle. It was pliant to a degree, but it felt so dense it was like holding a block of wood. I was pretty sure he could close his entire fist around my forearm with only a little space to spare.
"Good lord, your hands are like shovels. How did you grow to such immense size?" Kirche asked in bewilderment.
"I was forged by my lord in the image that best served him. Of the Ten Thousand, there are some larger than I, but not many." He replied.
"Ten Thousand?" Siesta asked. It was the first time that I could really gauge what Achillo was really thinking about something. Well, that may have been a stretch, but it was interesting to see what his face would convey. I briefly looked up from the runes carved on the back of his left hand, and saw a light crinkling at the edges of his eyes. He looked incredibly young, actually. Not much older than us despite his harsh facial structure.
"Indeed. I am one of ten thousand warriors, all crafted by my lord and is most trusted alchemists to defend Him and his domain. There are sparse few of us relative to his other armies, but we are the greatest of his warriors. However, we are getting distracted." He looked at me then. I looked back at the runes.
"Place your hand on the table, Achillo. I'm going to copy them down and show them to Mr. Colbert, see if he knows anything about them." I said, walking over to my vanity and opening the top drawer. From inside it, I retrieved my quill, inkwell, and a piece of parchment, setting them on the table once Achillo shifted his helmet to then other side of the table. Just looking at it, I didn't even want to contemplate how heavy it was.
"Mr. Colbert? Why him in particular?" Kirche asked, to which I rolled my eyes.
"If you'd bothered to pay attention then you'd know he's a scholar of all kinds of things, Familiars and rune magic being two of them. If anyone will know anything about this, then its him." I said while she just shrugged. I swear, anything I said just rolled off of her.
"But what could it be that makes the runes glow?" Siesta questioned. She looked at Achillo's hand, and then cast her gaze to where his spear stood in the corner. "Maybe it has something to do with your weapon, Achillo? Has it ever done that before?"
"It has not. To be honest, I hadn't noticed it until you pointed it out, and I would know if I had runes on my hand before coming here. Whatever they are, they are a result of being summoned here by Louise." He informed while I began copying down the runes on the parchment.
"See, told you. He's my Familiar." I said flatly to Kirche. She flicked her hair behind her shoulder before shrugging again.
"Alright, alright. I won't say I'm entirely convinced, but whether he is or not really doesn't matter. Surely you must understand why you summoning anything at all is so unbelievable? Can you blame us for being skeptical?" I really couldn't. My reputation, putting aside all pretence and ego, was abysmal. I just hated that my one achievement was overshadowed by constant failures. "Still, whatever the case may be, you're one lucky bitch though," she laughed, "What have I gotta do get a mountain of man like that for myself, huh?"
"If we could focus." Achillo interjected hastily. "Louise, you said Colbert would know something? Then we should find him."
"Agreed, but it's getting late in the day, so I don't know where he'd be." I said.
"That's easy. He'll be in his lab, where he always is. You'd know that if you were paying attention." Kirche sniped, this time with a smirk. Before I could respond, Achillo spoke.
"Then we head there now. The sooner we can discover the true significance of these runes, the better." He took his hand away from the table once I'd finished copying the runes. I agreed with him, of course, but he didn't seem at all perturbed at marching through the academy half naked. He was already on the move with us following quickly behind each of his thudding footfalls.
"Just look at his back!" Kirche all but squealed with delight while Siesta nodded her head so fast that I was sure she'd give herself a concussion. I shook my head and sighed. Horny idiots. Sure, I could appreciate that it was an incredible sight to see each muscle and where it connected, watching them tense and relax under his skin, but to me it was an example of the power my Familiar possessed. I swelled with pride, knowing that I summoned him. It was my power that brought him here.
Seriously though, Kirche was being utterly shameless, it was embarrassing. Hmph, Kirche the Ardent... more like Kirche the Soaked Undies. Seriously, the way she was going on she might as well have been a master water mage. And Siesta seemed like a nice girl, so I didn't want her being influenced by that damnable Germanian floozy. Though it seemed that boat was quickly sailing off into the horizon as the maid seemed to be billowing steam from her ears, and her face was an unnatural shade of red.
We made it outside and thankfully there was no one out there for the time being. Good. No one would be staring at the giant, half-naked demigod and halting out progress any further. Achillo halted his stride and looked over his shoulder to us.
"Directions to Colbert's laboratory." He ordered. Kirche took the lead, more than happy to be of some use and score points with him. She even had the nerve, the sheer audacity, the ridiculous temerity to grab a hold of his hand and pull him along. I don't know why he didn't resist, but from the look I managed to catch on his face before he completely turned from myself and Siesta betrayed nothing.
"I know the way! Come along, I'll show you, Achillo." Oh, singling him out now like we weren't there? Why did I expect any different?" We went around to the other side of the main tower, facing west towards the mountains. There, adjoined to the stone wall and built into the west wing of the academy walls was Colbert's workshop and laboratory. It was later that I learned that it was indeed where Colbert spent most of his time, where he worked on magical experiments and mechanical projects, nothing like I had ever seen before.
Kirche stopped at the door and tapped on the door in a brief beat, then waited. After a few seconds proceeded by the clattering of tools against the floor and yelled curse, the door opened, revealing Mr. Colbert, his smiling face smeared with soot and shiny with oil. His teaching robes were covered by a leather apron stained with years of use, but his blue robe had not been entirely spared from the filth of his tinkering, evidenced by the black hand prints that were smudged at his sides where the entrances to his pockets were.
"Ms. Zerbst? And..." He trailed off, noticing the looming figure of Achillo standing behind her. He looked from him to Kirche, then to myself and Siesta once he had noticed us approach. "Quite the unusual gathering, I must say. How can I help you?" He showed remarkable composure all things considered. I slipped past Achillo and Kirche, but I had noticed that Siesta suddenly looked rather uncomfortable. I'd aske her about that.
"Good evening, Mr. Colbert. I'm sorry to bother you, but I could use some assistance regarding my Familiar." I said.
"Your Familiar? Ah, the tall gentleman here. Yes, quite the unusual Familiar indeed. What do you need my help with, Ms. Valliere?" I showed him parchment with the copied runes on it. He took it from me and examined it, wiping an oily hand on his apron before adjusting his round glasses. He hummed quietly and nodded. "Please, come in. I believe I may know something about this. I will need to go to the library to confirm it, so I would ask you leave it with me. For now though, I will tell you what I can." He beckoned us inside, Achillo allowing us in first before ducking low and twisting his body to the side, once again being far too big for the doorway.
The inside of Colbert's private retreat was a place I'd never seen in my time attending the academy. It was a wide, squat building, with a ceiling just high enough that Achillo didn't need to duck. His helmet wouldn't stand a chance in here. The walls were lined with tools ranging from basic hand tools to instruments that were undoubtedly magical in nature, but so esoteric in design that I couldn't even begin to imagine their intended uses. Benches and stations formed a cordon, with a long table on the centre of the room with a rectangular walkway of free floor space around it. Bits and pieces, pipes, bolts, straps, screws, nails, cloths, beakers, glassware, metal plates, and a whole assortment of things that made this place both an alchemist's lab and an engineer's sanctuary. Pieces of paper were stacked, each with painstakingly and hastily rendered designs for... honestly who knew what. I had no idea all of this was in here, and it was fascinating.
"Wow, what is all this?" Siesta asked, though she suddenly placed a hand over her mouth, mortified that she had spoken out of turn. Colbert merely smiled.
"Please, you needn't stand on ceremony with me. By all means, speak your mind, ask questions, I can only imagine this is all quite the wonder to you." He said in the amicable tone that he took with all of us. He picked up a large block of metal that seemed to be a culmination of various other pieces that I couldn't make heads or tails off. It looked as though it was meant to fit with a larger construct, perhaps the huge mass of iron fitted with brass pipes sat on the large central table.
"I'm something of an alchemist and a tinkerer. Magic may be my craft, but chemistry and engineering are my trades. My passions, if you will. I apologise for the mess. As you can see, I've been a bit too distracted with this engine prototype to tidy up." Colbert explained, gesturing to the mass of metal and pipes on the table. "So, how can I help you?"
Before I could speak, Kirche pushed ahead and put on that foul pleading face that she used to get her own way all the time. "Ah, Mr. Colbert! You're the only man I believe can help us. You see, my dear Achillo has some peculiar runes on his left hand, and we were so lost on their meaning that we didn't know who to turn to. Then I remembered my absolute favourite teacher, one with unparalleled knowledge in all sorts of esoteric things. We humbly request your aid, Mr. Colbert." Boy, oh, boy, she really could lay it on thick. I swear, the overly sweet tone was making my teeth itch. For his part, Colbert did look slightly taken aback.
"O-oh, I see. Why, I'm flattered you would think to ask me, but you needn't flatter me so much." He laughed good-naturedly. That's something that I liked about Colbert. He was humble and treated us all fairly, without all of the pomp that came with being aristocracy. Sure, there was protocol and etiquette to be adhered to, but it did get tiresome. It was nice when someone could just get to the point and not be a total ass about it.
"Well, show me those runes and I'll see if I can tell you anything." Achillo walked forward and came to a halt in front of Colbert, and in that moment I think he realised just how massive my Familiar was. He didn't look so much daunted as he did fascinated, as if he was keenly aware of something that only someone with his eclectic knowledge could be. Achillo held out his left hand for Colbert to examine. His eyes gradually widened as he read the runes. He stayed silent and stared, seemingly re-reading it over and over, looking for meaning within the scarred skin.
"Before I come to any conclusions, I will need to verify this with my own research. I believe this is... quite significant." His breath was a little shaky, but I couldn't be sure why. I held out the parchment with the copied runes on it.
"Here, Mr. Colbert. Maybe this will help." I said and he took it. He nodded approvingly. "My thanks, Ms. Valliere. I was going to make a reference copy, and you have provided one." He placed it on the table amongst other parchment and other knick-knacks. We left shortly after he gave us a rather excited tour of his workshop, showing us the other projects he was working on. The way that man gets so enthused about his passions made it impossible not to become similarly engrossed in it. He was talking so quickly and with such loquaciousness in his terminology that I scarcely remembered anything he'd said, despite my best efforts. Kirche and Siesta were similarly baffled, with Siesta politely smiling and nodding, while communicating with her eyes to me that she had no idea what he was talking about. He and Achillo had quite the back and forth, talking in terms only enthusiasts could. It was becoming more and more apparent to me that my Familiar was quite the wealth of knowledge.
Outside, the sun was a burning orange orb hanging low on the horizon. Clouds tinged pink and orange drifted languidly, and the plains of grass around us were quiet. Achillo had stopped, his eyes squinting slightly as he looked towards the sun. He looked serene as he stood there, and the other two had taken notice as well.
"I have not felt this before. Sunlight on my skin, a warm breeze of clean air on my face. I cannot remember when I last watched a sunset that wasn't on a battlefield." He sounded like he was talking to himself rather than us.
"Are you alright, Achillo?" Siesta asked. He nodded and breathed deeply.
"Yes. I'm fine. The sun here feels wonderful. Most of the time I experience sunlight like this, my armour keeps it from me. It is refreshing to feel it on my skin for once. And your air is so clean and pure." He said, breathing deeply through his nose again. If he had looked like a figure torn from the pages of a story book before, then under the setting sun he looked like one of the ancient Romalian gods. The sun cast orange light over every muscle, creating a patchwork of shadows in the dips and connections. His leg armour burned bright from its former lustrous gold, to the hot copper of colour of molten metal. I could see a small smile play at the corners of his mouth.
"Well, we've done what we came for. We should proceed with our evening." Achillo said and turned to Siesta and Kirche. "What shall you do now?"
"I was really hoping I could get you to pose for me." Kirche said without a moments hesitation. Now, I want too sure how expressive Achillo was, but I'd never seen someone give another person such a flat look before.
"Why would I do that?" A fair question. He folded his arms across his chest, and the contraction of his muscles only served to encourage her. Couldn't she just give it a rest?
"Could you stop drooling over my Familiar for five minutes, Zerbst? You're lucky I let you see this much, so take that and go bother your own Familiar." I said, finally tired of her antics. I was tempted to tell Siesta to keep her eyes from wandering too, but she was harmless and at least had the decency to keep it to herself. She looked as though she was about to argue, then relented with a shrug.
"Hmm, I suppose you're right. Don't mistake this as me giving up though, Louise. A fire has been lit that wont be quenched until I see that mountainous muscle man strike a pose. Try all you like, but I will see it." She looked close to frenzied, a state I'd never seen her in. I looked at Achillo, and he looked as if he was remembering something awful and I saw him visibly shudder. Terrifying.
Siesta, sweet Siesta, broke the tension and thankfully the crazed state Kirche had found herself in. "I have duties elsewhere. This was fun though, and I never thought I'd be involved in anything like this." We said our goodbyes and she left to tend to her duties.
"If there is nothing left to be said about my state of dress, I will now return to your room and armour up. I am much more comfortable that way anyway." He gave Kirche a weary glance and she smirked like a cat would to a mouse. Kirche had returned to her room once we got back to our hallway, probably seeing no reason to hang around since the eye candy was being re-wrapped, as it were. Achillo had once again donned his breastplate, cloak, and gauntlets, but had decided leave his helmet off.
He hadn't stuck around long though, and he said he was off to do more research on the history of the continent. I hadn't even had the chance to ask him about what he'd meant when he mentioned something about battlefields. He certainly looked like he belonged on one, there was no mistaking that. But to never have felt sunlight and wind on his skin? There was a story behind that, I knew it.
Achillo
It was dawn when I finally finished conducting some more research within the academy library. I believed that I had now attained a firm grasp of the situation the continent was in based upon recent history. Firstly, Tristain's royal family was enduring a period of strife. Since the last war between Tristain and Germania, Tristain's standing army of formerly five hundred-thousand, including footmen, cavalry, gryphon riders, dragoons, and knights, had been devastated. Germania's use of mechanised anti-air balistae made short work of gryphons and drakes. The first siege of Silberg was the first time Tristain had faced off against Germania's superior technology, as balistae mounted on the walls of the coastal city cut their aerial units down in droves as the only approach the Tristainian army had was by land due south-west. Their gryphon and dragoon corps were devastated, and the remainder were repurposed into specialised strike forces.
A series of crushing defeats followed, from the failed defence of the border city of Highhearth, losing Tristain a major trade route and key defensive redoubt, as well as a border garrison. The Germanian cannoneer corps were vital in the offensive action, as well as their earth mages. Their ingenuity went as far as creating golems with battlements across their shoulders, mounting them with cannons. It surprised me how much they reminded me of the Imperium's own bipedal war engines. From what I had read, very few were as schooled and proficient in the arts of war than the Germanians.
Over time and with little success, Tristain suffered defeat after defeat as internal conflict within the court stifled war efforts, disruptive action by Gallian agents caused crippling logistical issues, contested leadership at the level of the throne itself threatened civil war on top of their current conflict, all came to a boil and the war effort collapsed with many soldiers deserting and entire regiments scattering to the winds.
The king of Tristain at the time, Edward VIII, father of Henrietta IV, his successor, used the academy a means to broker peace with as few concessions as possible. There were still quite a number of concession, functionally crippling Tristain's army and turning it into a self-defense force. Their naval forces could only arm twenty five percent of their ships with ten cannons each. Highhearth would be returned to Tristain, but Germania was allowed to establish a heavy economic presence there. Modern day Tristain was a minor military power, but what it did have was the densest concentration of mages on the continent, it was a very self-sufficient nation with fertile soil, fresh water streams, and mountain ranges. Because of its high concentration of mages and playing host to the academy, it wielded significant political power, making wars with other nations a relative rarity. The war with Germania only started because several students crossing the border from Tristain and into their homeland were assassinated. It was finger pointing and technicality that started the war, since the bodies of the students were found at the border, but their carriage was found on Tristainian soil. Tristain was blamed for assassinating the students, and the true killers hadn't been found.
Several years ago, Edward was assassinated and rather than rule alone, the queen retired from her post to act as an internal minister as she was wracked with sorrow and paranoia. However, this left the throne empty and many nobles began formulating plans to exploit the power vacuum. That was until against all advice, Henrietta took the throne despite the target she would make of herself. Her rule so far had been fair, using the peacetime to focus on domestic matters. Taxes were low and since they no longer needed to maintain a large army, she instead focused on expanding their economic powers and encouraging people with trades to become enterprising entrepreneurs. She was popular with nobles and commoners alike, and the old war hounds under Edward were happy that the army hadn't been neglected, but turned into an elite defensive force that employed advanced magical and technological innovations.
None of this was to say that she didn't have her opposition within the noble class. No attempts on her life had been recorded, and most of her opposition came from Edward's most ardent supporters, the old guard under his father during Tristain's expansionist days. They saw Henrietta as weak and a traitor to the dream they had for the kingdom. Overall, my view on the state of Tristain led me to believe that this country was in very little danger of foreign attack, there political situation, while under some tension, didn't seem as though it were a powder keg, so I doubted any form of civil conflict would be an issue. Being home to the academy was a huge advantage as it was the single greatest deterrent for any kind of overt or covert action as an incident could be the catalyst to all out war. Quite the system they've set up, I would give them that. Red tape was keeping everything from falling apart. The Administratum would have loved this.
When I left the library, the sun had set and the two moons hung high above. The breeze held a slight chill when it caressed my face and for a moment I thought about the sensation. I wore my helmet most of the time inside the palace and when out in the galaxy, and so enjoying as simple as a spring night's breeze was something almost unknown to me. Still, recycled air was what I was accustomed to. It was strange though. Why did I enjoy it so much? I almost resented the fact that I wore a helmet so much before now, when it was not my place to feel such things. I wore the war gear given to me to perform my duty to the Emperor. I wore a helmet because it could save me from a killing blow or a bolt round, thus allowing me to keep fighting. Then why did I think about wearing my helm as a burden now? Surely it couldn't have been because I enjoyed the sun and breeze? That would be ridiculous. I refused to believe that such things could influence me in any way. Then again, when the Emperor spoke to me, he did tell me to enjoy this things and become used to them. To enjoy them would be to enact His will. Still, something at the back of my mind wondered if there was something more to my disquiet.
Louise and I had arrived at a small town some five miles south of the academy. She had come looking for... something or other, to be honest, she hadn't really bothered telling me. She said that she would let me see what kind of weapons were in use, and that she wanted me to see how things outside of the academy worked. I couldn't really argue with that as it was a valuable learning experience, and if she wanted to shop, then what she was shopping for was really none of my concern unless it was dangerous.
The town of Ville was a small place that sat at the bank of the Fleuve river. I swear an Imperial Fist was naming these places. For the purpose of disambiguation, Ville was just 'town' in Tristainian, and Fleuve was 'river'. Essentially, we had come to the town of Town, on the banks of the River river. I'd have put a bolt round into whoever dared be so uninspired.
Throne Room, Terra
"Father, I feel personally attacked and I don't know why."
"I did not know you could feel personally attacked, Rogal. Did someone swear at a wall?"
"Walls cannot hear when they are sworn at, father. They do not have ears."
"God dammit, I know! Maybe someone somewhere is cursing you for being so pants-shittingly literal all the damn time. I know I would."
"But father... you do that already."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Fuck you, Rogal."
Achillo
The town... of town... Ville, whatever, was quite a pleasant little place, all things considered. It was well kept and tidy, with paved streets of cobblestone. Tall street lights were spaced at three meter intervals and the buildings were of good quality given the materials available. People went about their business, ordinary people who looked well fed and clean. I had not expected this from the feudal system that was in operation, but these people seemed happy with their lots in life. I didn't see any beggars, and there were well equipped guards patrolling the streets, exchanging greetings with passing townsfolk. It seemed like quite the idyllic place. I decided that I was going to paint it at some point. Since seeing the beautiful evening skies, the bright nights under the two moons, and the crisp mornings, I had felt my muse begin to stir, and inspiration was gently knocking at the doors of my mind.
I ignored the states as Louise and I navigated the streets while looking for whatever it was she was looking for. We passed market stalls where farmers sold their produce, seamstresses sold clothing and rugs, and traders from foreign lands had come to sell their wares, such as spices, silks, and the occasional piece of jewellery. Voices of various accents; Gallian, Germanian, Tristainian, Albionian, and even local and regional dialects chattered and called out looking to make a sale.
As we walked, my target lock would occasionally flick to life on the head of some random civilian. Even in a place like this I had to be vigilant and watch the movements of everyone I could see for even to most minute of aggressive movements. Every window was a shadow that could hide a sniper, and every alleyway was a potential ambush point.
We reached a shop that dealt in alchemical ingredients and various products to do with magical research, and wouldn't you know it, I wouldn't be able to fit through that door no matter what I did. It was simply too small by every metric. Louise turned to me when she realised that I wouldn't be able to follow her in.
"Before you start worrying, remember that I'm a mage. I'm not defenceless. Besides, this town is in active service of the academy, so nothing's going to happen. Students come here for supplies all the time, and it's pretty heavily defended. Most of the shop owners are contracted either by the throne or the academy itself." Louise explained.
"There is always the chance. As unlikely as something is, the chance is never zero." I said and she rolled her eyes.
"Look, I'll only be a minute. They might not even have what I'm want but either way I'll be quick. Just wait here, we can check out the weapon store when I'm done." She didn't wait for me to reply and entered the building. Several minutes later she came back out looking rather annoyed. "Seriously, the premium on sulphur is ridiculous!"
"You need sulphur? For what?" I asked. She held up a paper bag with a cloth-wrapped glass vial inside.
"Alchemy class. It's part of our fundamentals module, studying Paracelius, the father of alchemy. We're looking at his principle that people are made of three elements; salt, sulphur, and mercury. The academy has plenty of salt, they handle the mercury because it's dangerous, and we have to get our own sulphur."
She looked over towards the weapons shop across the plaza where the storefront sat behind a large fountain of expertly carved marble, where faces trickled clear water from their mouths. "That looks more like your kind of shop. You were curious about the weapons here weren't you?" I nodded and she led the way to the thankfully taller doorway, one I could fit through with some finesse. We got inside, making the bored shopkeeper jolt to alertness once he was aware he had customers. He was a ratty man, as in his face was remarkably reminiscent of a rodent, with pronounced buck teeth, a large red nose and beady eyes. I briefly wondered if he were the genesis of some abhuman strain, the genetic link between human and mutant.
The shop itself was fairly cramped, but that was probably by my standards, and weapons of various kinds were displayed packed together in barrels, with some of the flashier ones displayed behind the counter on wall hooks. I was immediately disappointed at what I saw, though it was nothing I hadn't expected.
Halberds, spears, axes, swords, daggers, quarterstaffs, all were standard and in less than stellar condition. Steel was dull, edges chipped and blunted. Rust mottled blades, turning what once was shining steel, to faded and reddening scrap. How could the rat-faced man have hoped to sell anything like this?
"U-h, welcome... uh, welcome. I'd ask if you're looking for weapons, but you seem like you've got that covered." He said to me, his eyes trailing the length of the Guardian Spear in my hand. "What in the name of Birmir is that? I've never seen anything like it."
"The weapons you keep are in pitiful condition." I spoke without thinking. He narrowed his eyes.
"This is primarily a mage town. Not much call for weapons like these, but I'm paid to stay open, so it works for me." He said, trying to keep as professional a tone as he could.
"Forgive me. I am rather insistent on weapons maintenance, so it bothers me to see it." I said, not wanting to irritate him.
"Hmm, I suppose that makes sense. You certainly look the type to like his weapons more than the average person." He said.
"Just saying, chief, this guy's a fucking clown. Doesn't even have a grind stone, what an idiot!" A voice from no where crackled at the man's expense. I looked around and didn't see anyone, and Louise looked confused while the man's face flushed with anger. He narrowed his eyes towards a barrel full of weapons.
"Quiet you rusty piece of shit! We had a deal that you shut your damned mouth when there's customers!" He snapped. I looked between him and the barrel, and then exchanged a look with Louise. She shrugged at me.
"Pfft, deal? What fucking deal, ya schmuck!" The voice then addressed me in quite the unflattering fashion. "Hey you! Goldilocks! Yeah, you with the dickhead helmet. You look like you can at least swing a blade the right way round. Buy me and get me the hell outta here, would ya?"
"Show yourself!" I commanded, making both Louise and the shopkeeper wince at my vox distorted voice.
"Ugh, fuck me! The sword in the barrel to your right, yeah over here. See me now, bananarama?" I saw the weapon then, a rusty blade with a strange guard that flapped open when it spoke. A Daemon weapon perhaps? I approached it, grabbed the hilt and withdrew it. The single-edged blade was six feet long from the guard, and the hilt was wrapped with cloth with a metal block for a pommel.
"What are you?" I asked.
"Duh, fuck I don't know, a sword maybe? The fuck you think I am, genius?" This sword was beginning to irritate me. "Alright look. You look like you're pretty good at murderising things, and I'm a sword that's been used to murderise things for over six thousand years. I'm telling you, you start swinging me and we'll get some real work done, I guarantee it."
"I've never encountered a talking sword before. Typically weapons that talk have Daemons in them." I said.
"Daemons? Nah, no spooky shit here, pal. I've always been a sword, never any of that spiritual possession shit. Come on, you gotta get me outta here. If you don't, this fucking goober's just gonna let me rot in that barrel, while he keeps sparkly pieces of shit in the shape of swords behind the counter. Word to the wise? Those things ain't weapons." The sword was pleading now.
"Hey, I'll sell that mouthy fucker to you at a discount if you wanna take it. One hundred gold and it's yours, I'll even go lower if you want, I just want that sword out of my shop." The rat-faced man begged.
"Wait! One hundred gold for a talking sword, but it's seven hundred for two ounces of sulphur? What the hell is up with this economy!?" Louise looked bewildered as she spoke.
"Supply and demand little lady. Economics can be a bitch, lemme tell ya. But just so happens rat face over there doesn't know what he has, so just take the deal." The sword said.
"Well, can't say I've run into any talking swords before, and who knows when we'll run into one again. I'll buy it." Louise said, stroking her chin in thought.
"You're certain? This might be a bit big for you." I said, which caused her to roll her eyes at me.
"Achillo, don't be dense. It's not for me. You could use a backup weapon, right? Who knows what else the sword could do." She replied. Admittedly, I don't know why I thought she would use the sword. We Custodians could have our moments of dullness too, it seemed.
"That's right! That's right! Listen to the little lady. I might look like a total piece of shit right now, thanks to someone. Mentioning no names!" The sword yelled pointedly. "But once I get a little spa treatment, there's no armour or hide I can't cut through."
"...Fine." I sighed. Louise paid for the sword, much to the relief of the shop owner and the weapon.
"Holy shit, fucking finally! Free of this stinky shit pit at last! Suck it you rat bastard, if I had an asshole, I'd fart in your general direction!" The sword cackled with glee while the man glowered at the sword. "Well, nice to meet you taco man! Name's Derflinger."
"I am not calling you that. Dipshit will be your name." I replied flatly. This sword was unique, I would admit that, but it was beyond annoying so far. If it wouldn't have the decency to even ask for my name, then I wouldn't bother using the name it provided.
"Aww, come on! Don't be an ass about it. Take me out for a swing and I bet you'll change your tune. Not even that fancy spear of yours can compete."
"Oh? Can you fire a rocket propelled mass-reactive adamantium tipped .75 calibre round that explodes the target from within with an effective range of five hundred meters? Can your blade be encased in a disruptor field capable of cutting through the toughest armour at temperatures close to the surface of the sun with no damage done to the blade?" I smiled wryly behind my helmet.
"First of all, what the fuck did any of that even mean? And secondly, I don't need some fancy field on my blade. No armour has ever stopped me, and I don't think that weapon of yours can literally eat magic." It could eat magic? What did that even mean?
"Explain."
"Why don't we go fight some mages and I can show you instead?"
"If we're done here, I wanna get back to the academy. Getting screwed on the sulphur has killed my appetite for shopping." Louise said impatiently. We left the weapon shop and began on our way back to the academy. Louise was surprised that I could keep up with her while she rode on horseback, keeping pace with the beast without exhausting myself at all.
With the matter of security inside the academy dealt with and to my satisfaction, I found myself with new questions. I was going to learn more about magic, and this sword that I had grown quite fond of calling Dipshit.
Another chapter done. Took a little longer than I wanted, but it is what it is. For anyone wondering, I've decided to to turn down the dial on Louise's personality a bit. For me it would just be annoying to write, and I'm generally not that good at writing bratty characters, and with a Custodian of all things hanging around, I think she'd feel more inclined to keep herself in check. Until next time. Peace