Summoner Of Death
Author note: Not much to say saw Overlord thought this could make a fun one shot/prologue. Notice any mistakes let me know.
As Louise watched her classmates bring forth their familiars one by one she tried to suppress the jealousy boiling within her. Each of her peers had brought forth familiars, while most weren't overly impressive by most measures the casual ease with which they used their magic gnawed at her.
Those flames of jealousy quickly turned to nerves as Tabitha, a quiet girl with blue hair and a slender frame, brought forth a gorgeous blue dragon. It appeared with a great gale of wind and flash of blue light. While the dragon was on the small side it was still very much a dragon, with its smooth blue coat of scales, large wings and intelligent eyes it struck an imposing figure. How was she supposed to follow that up?
Louise had decided early on to hide behind the rest of the students and attempt the ritual later, away from the judging eyes of her classmates. She was pretty sure Professor Colbert would allow it, while they weren't particularly close he was one of the kindest teachers she had.
"Professor Louise hasn't gone yet," Kirche shouted as their teacher began preparing to leave, Louise prayed to the founder her hair would catch alight from her newly summoned fire salamander. Louise felt her face burn as she turned to face Colbert's kind gaze. Without saying a word Louise stepped before the ritual circle, trying to exude a confidence she didn't feel. For a brief moment she could almost see something like an apology in the professor's kind eyes. Sighing internally she firmed her resolve, closing her eyes as she prepared to call forth her familiar
"My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière. Pentagon of the five elemental power, Heed my summoning... and bring forth...my familiar!" Louise cried to the sky as a large blast emanated from the center of the circle, knocking her from her feet.
A plume of smoke rose from the center of the creator that had once been a circle. Louise felt tears forming in her eyes even as her classmates began laughing.
"Wow, your record of zero successes remains unbroken...how shocking!" Kirche mocked as she delicately placed a hand over her no doubt grinning lips. Spurred by this the rest of the students burst into rancorous laughter, and Louise allowed her tears to fall.
"Quiet!" Colbert shouted, causing all the students to halt their laughter and interrupting Louise's quiet tears. As one the students turned to see what Colbert was staring at, in the center of the summoning circle something was emerging from the smoke.
In a word it was large, standing at over seven feet tall. Its shape was humanoid, appearing to be garbed in some kind of robe. The figure made a motion with its hand clearing the dust from the air, and standing at the center of the circle stood…Death.
The avatar of death appeared skeletal, its skull a polished white. Long bony fingers covered by pure white gloves, an elegant white robe covered its form, and golden chains draped across its neck. Despite the terrifying presence the outfit gave off a benevolent and pure feeling. In the pitch black pits of the skeletal eye sockets sat two flaming red Pinpricks of light. The red pinpricks moved across the students, as if judging them.
All was silent, Louise could make out Colbert gripping his wand out of the corner of her eye. She stood from her sprawled position slowly, wondering if she should try to complete the ritual. The being appeared docile at the moment but her instincts screamed that to walk towards the creature before her was to walk into the embrace of death.
The silent standoff seemed as if it would last an eternity, before finally the figure spoke.
"Greetings, I am Ainz Ooal Gown, the sorcerer-king. Is there a reason you have brought me here?" The skeleton spoke with regality and poise that befitted a member of nobility, it was beyond jarring seeing a member of the undead speaking with such a noble tone. Louise felt herself gulp, the undead were the things of fairy tales.
In her mind she'd always thought of them as monsters. Creatures borne of darkness incapable of refinement or tact yet before who stood a being that defied her expectations and judging by the small gasp from her peers theirs as well. It took her a moment to understand what the skeleton had said, it's name was Ainz and it claimed to be royalty.
"I am Jean Colbert, a teacher of the Tristain Academy of magic, the finest magical academy in the country. One of my students was attempting to summon a familiar when you appeared." As Colbert spoke Louise couldn't help but notice the odd timbre of his voice, if one hadn't listened intently to the professor during his lectures it would have been easy to miss. Louise's obsession with self-improvement had led to her pouring over his every word, she knew his voice. Which is why she could identify the tone he had taken, her professor who remained calm even before her most violent blunders was afraid.
"Well, I hope you're aware I have no intention of becoming a familiar. Will this be a problem?" As Ainz spoke, ice crawled down the spines of the student's and a cold sweat broke across Colbert's face.
"Of course not, your majesty. This is simply a misunderstanding, my deepest apologies for the inconvenience," Colbert explained with a bow, giving the creature all the respect one would show true royalty. Louise felt herself gape, in part outraged at being denied her familiar, but even more shocked at the professor agreeing with the creature.
Jean Colbert was a complex man, once hailed as the flame serpent he had walked through the fires of war and emerged stronger for them. He had freed himself of his fear of death long ago, many who knew the Colbert of the past would be baffled by his current submissive actions. Those people failed to realize the nature of the man of Jean Colbert.
He had seen innocents butchered and butchered innocents in turn, such is the nature of war. He lost himself in those years, after leaving the military to focus on magical studies and teaching he had found himself again. No longer a man who destroyed the futures of others but instead encouraged growth and independent thought. He had turned from the path of battle and found purpose in the arts of a scholar. Most importantly though, he found himself caring deeply for the health and well being of his students.
Thus he was paralyzed with inaction, for the instincts that had saved him countless times in the past screamed that death stood before him. That not only would it claim his life should he insult it but the lives of every student in his immediate vicinity. There was no basis for this thought, the creature hadn't done anything, had made no grand gesture of power. Yet his instincts cried out that death stood before him, more the being called itself king yet its movements were far more reminiscent of a tyrant, assured of its absolute power and authority.
Unbeknownst to the two adults Tabitha struggled as she pushed down upon her dragon's head in an attempt to keep it calm, despite that it was clear the dragon was terrified. With a mighty roar, it shoved her aside and charged at the distracted Ainz. Tabitha shouted for her familiar to stop, but it was in vain.
Tabitha had always been a logical person, she knew just how easily false judgments and assumptions could unmake even the greatest of men. It was why she was so dedicated to keeping a level head in any given situation, thus her own worry and fear disturbed her. Looking at it logically her dragon shouldn't be in much danger, the skeleton seemed rather sedate and while it was large compared to humans it was still smaller than her dragon.
Dragons were one of the most powerful creatures in the world, her familiar thus should be fine. This thought repeated itself in her head, but Tabitha could feel something in the depths of her soul. Despite what logic and reason might dictate, her dragon was charging towards its death…
As her dragon approached Ainz it reared up, creating a large gust of wind with its wings and magic. No doubt intending to toss the skeletal figure back but as the gust hit it...Nothing happened, the powerful gust of wind that knocked several students from their feet failed to budge the specter of death. The dragon persisted in its attempts to attack but Ainz only seemed amused by the dragon's efforts. For a moment Tabitha could swear she saw the phantom of a smile upon the beings skeletal face.
"A wind-based dragon? How interesting! I haven't encountered one of your ilk before…I wonder what materials I'll get from your corpse?" Ainz spoke with casual ease as he walked through the gale towards the dragon.
The fear in her familiar's eyes seemed to increase as Ainz approached. Her dragon abandoned its wind-based attack to bite at Ainz's encroaching hand. It's jaws were unceremoniously caught by the hand it hoped to crush and was forced closed. The beast struggled against Ainz's steely grip and despite logic dictating the dragon should break the skeletal hand it held firm. The dragon whined and struggled but could not break free, the grip somehow surpassed the strength of the beast's jaws.
Tabitha rushed forward Ainz's words breaking her from her stupor, she didn't believe she could fight the specter of death but it had called itself a king. She offered a pray to the founder as she dropped to her knees before Ainz.
"Please spare her! She didn't mean it…" She begged with all the emotion she could muster, desperate to save her familiar.
"The beast attacked me and would have killed me if it had the strength, why should I spare it?" Ainz peered down at Tabitha, despite its unmoving face Tabitha was sure it was sneering.
"She's rare, and she's young, she doesn't know any better," Tabitha explained on her knees, voice trembling. Luck seemed to have favored her as Ainz eyes seemed to burst with light before a chuckle escaped his nonexistent lips. All the while the dragon continued to struggle in his steely grasp.
"Rare you say? Hmmm, it would be a shame to kill it then. Keep the beast in check from now on and Ill be forgiving this once." Ainz pronounced with the absolute authority of a true ruler.
Tabitha rose from her knees bowing submissively as she attempted to lead the dragon back to the crowd of students.
"So you hail from an academy of magic? Are you perhaps in contact with the Baharuth empire?" Ainz asked interest coloring his tone.
"No, I have never heard of such a place," Jean announced calmly. The crowd of students had formed a line behind him.
"Truly? How unfortunate, I must have been transported rather far than…." Ainz sighed as he lifted his hand in a majestic motion. A sphere of pure obsidian appeared before him, causing many of the students to grip their wands more tightly, yet the orb seemed dull and lifeless.
"Very far indeed…" Ainz mumbled under his breath, seemingly disappointed by the sphere as it disappeared before him. He turned back to face the gathered students and teacher.
"I have need of a map and other supplies, surely the greatest magical academy in the country can provide such things to a foreign Ruler they've inadvertently captured?" Ainz spoke a mocking edge to his voice.
"Of course! We shall also inform the queen of your arrival right away! If you'll follow me I can take you to speak with the headmaster…." Colbert felt sweat beading down his face as he explained. He didn't wish to bring the specter through the school but felt to confront it here would be to damn them all…
He would have to send a message to the queen informing her of the being that claimed to be a king and the danger it posed. Killing it was outside his abilities, in this his instincts were sure. If they could get rid of it without being forced to face it in battle that would best. Failing that they'd need a team of the finest mages in the country to defeat this threat before it began to spread havoc. Hopefully, it was more benevolent than its appearance let on.
Thus a simmering yet scared Louise, a "burningly" curious Kirche, and a stoic Tabitha accompanied the rest of the students back to the school, the shadow of death following close behind them.
So writing this my biggest issue was keeping Ainz from killing Louise, she's loud and obnoxious. She was very liable to be grasped heart by Ainz to test his strength. I finally came up with the idea of Colbert recognizing a threat and boxing Louise out of the conversation. I'm interested in getting a beta if any of you are interested let me know.