Disclaimer: I do not own Warhammer or FoZ. Also, I probable don't know as much as I should about FoZ lore so if I bugger it up at any point feel free to give me an earful. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
A Pact with Ancient Gods
Chapter 6: Teaching and Challenges
As the sun's rays slowly rose over the academy, Louise was still fast asleep. She began to stir when the soft prodding of a finger on her cheek, but quickly brushed it off. Then soft felt a slightly more forceful prod from ruff wood along with a calm voice trying to wake her.
"Five more minutes." Mumbled Louise from her pillow.
Seeing his current method of waking his charge failing, a different approach was needed. He went through his memory of all the different monsters of the previous world, searching for the loudest creature that would comfortably fit in the room. After a few moments he took the form of a Kislevite bear with a snow-white pelt. Inhaling as much air as his lungs could, he realised a roar of such great strength the very walls of the surrounding rooms and halls shook under the force.
Louise jumped awoke immediately, her head dashing around the room to find the source of the roar. Her body frozen when she caught sight of the giant white furred bear at the end of her bed. The stunned fright turned to rage when the bear change to be her familiar.
"Good morning." Stated the spirit as if nothing had happened.
Louise was lost for words. Her familiar had just used its abilities to wake up her and anyone left asleep in the academy and he had the audacity to just say good morning. A punishment was due, and what better punishment than the new spell she was taught the previous night. Taking her wand and aiming at the Changeling, she repeated what she learned last night.
{--}
8 hours earlier
"So, what does this 'Final Transmutation' do exactly, it sounds like an earth spell for changing metal from one state to another." Asked Louise, wondering if this differed from the transmuting spell she knew.
"Your line of thinking is correct but flawed by your incomplete understanding of magic. This spell draws upon Chamon, the lore of metal, to transmute any substance, living or not, to shining gold. It is however one of the most advanced spells available to metal wizards." Before he could continue Louise interrupted with a baffled look on her face.
"What do you mean lore of metal, your describing earth magic, Aren't you?"
"No, I speak of one of the eight winds of magic that flow from the realm of magic, the magician knowledge of your culture is just extremely lacking in certain areas. Now as I was sayin-" Again Louise interrupted, this was beginning to become irritating.
"How dare you insult our Founder Brimir's teaching! Our knowledge of the 5 elements has been passed down the generations since the Founder first taught it!"
"Then I'm sorry to say your Founders knowledge was quite incomplete, given that he only discovered four of the many lore's of magic. And even his knowledge on those was incomplete." Louise was enraged at this display of rudeness, she reached for her wand to lay down proper punishment. Seeing her goal, the Changeling decided to show her how little her society truly knew of magic.
As Louise looked up to aim her wand, she was shocked to see her familiar waving his staff at her while a wave of white lights flowed around his body. Suddenly he pointed his staff in her direction and before she could react a giant net of pure light wrapped around her, ceasing all further movement.
"What have you done to me?!" Louise demanded.
"No need to panic, this spell doesn't harm the target, it only stops any movement. Now let's try and have a calm conversation like proper adult. If we can agree to that I shall undo the spell." Wanting her body back under her control, Louise relented.
"Fine! But if you speak another insult to the Founder, you won't be fast enough to stop me next time." With a wave of his staff the net disappeared and her body was her own once again.
"What was that spell anyway? I know it isn't part of any of the element." Her rage dying down slightly it was replaced with curiosity.
"You are correct it is a spell from Hysh, the lore of light, the spell itself is called Net of Amyntok. But we have gotten off topic I'm meant to be teaching you Final Transmutation, so let us continue." Sticking a hand into his cloak, he searches around for a few moments before pulling out a single blue feather. Setting it on Louise desk, he spoke again.
"Using Final Transmutation, you shall turn this feather to gold. To cast the spell, you must reach out to the magical winds that surrounds us and single out Chamon, once you have a strong grip upon it use the magic stored in your soul to cast the spell. You will see the spell working if you begin to be surrounded by streams of the brown winds of metal. Now begin." The changeling said no more and simple stared at her expectantly.
Getting up from her bed Louise went over to her desk and began to reach out for this 'Chamon'. What came as a surprise was that she did start to feel something, it was as if she had stepped outside into a storm, she could feel wind passing her and yet it didn't do anything further. As she tried to find the metal wind, she felt how there were several different flows of wind hitting her on all sides. One felt like a raging fire another as was moving so fast it was as if she was stood at the highest point of the world. And then she found her target, this flow was slower than all the others but had the greatest force behind it.
The moment Louise latched onto this wind her vision was flooded with a torrent of rust-brown speck converging on her, as she began to channel the magic in her soul through the winds, she spoke the spell.
"Final Transmutation!" The effect was near instantaneous. The specks around Louise burst out and crashed into the feather. Over the next few seconds Louise watched with amazed eyes as the feather slowly turned to solid, sparkling gold.
"I-I did it!" Louise practically jumped on the spot. Her first real spell, and she had turned something to solid gold.
{--}
Present
Channelling Chamon she tried to cast the spell but found herself yet again wrapped in the net of Amyntok.
"Even though you performed the spell on your first try, don't think that you can beat someone that has practiced for thousands of years." said the Changeling as he undid the spell. "Move fast or you'll miss your breakfast." And with that he left the room.
{--}
Dining hall
The first thing to hit the changeling when he entered the hall was the wave of voice's competing with each other to be heard. As he looked around, he spotted an empty table close to one of the corners, he made his way over before taking a seat.
After a few minutes of moderate silence two figures began to approach the table, he recognised them as the tall red head and the short blue haired girl from when he was summoned.
"So, your Valiere's familiar, I must say you do seem rather impressive. I am curious though, was your previous masters claim that you're a shapeshifter true?" Asked Kirche.
"First, I must state that no force on any plane of existence can sever the bond between the four and their spirit servants, not even runes of this calibre. And second, would like a demonstration of my shapeshifting?" Kirche was taken a bit off-guard by his first answer but filed it away for later in place of seeing the familiar change form.
"I would indeed like a demonstration, how about you Tabitha?" In response the now name Tabitha simply gave a nod while putting her book aside to watch the familiar's display.
At this response the Changeling took a quick look around his surrounding to see is available space. Thankfully choosing a corner table meant he had about 10 meters of space from the table to the wall. If he wanted, he could take the form of a hellpit abomination, but that was unnecessary.
"I would ask the quiet one if she had a request, a human, elf, dragon, or even a predator of the Lustrian jungles. Actually, nothing to big, the form of a hungry beast may get the wrong reaction from those surrounding us." Tabitha rose her head slightly thinking of something see had only read in her books that could be interesting, but not too big.
"Dryad."
"Done." Those looking even slightly in the direction of the Changeling suddenly blinked, and now standing before the duo was a being of twisted wood with a slightly human looking face and twisted roots for hands. Stepping forward Tabitha lay her hand upon the cold wooden skin of the dryad, confirming it was real and not an illusion.
"Real." Stated Tabitha as she began to turn back, there was another involuntary blink, and now standing before her was a perfect copy of herself, only this one had a large cheeky smile on their face.
"Of course it's real, or I would be an illusionist and not a shapeshifter." Her double said in her voice, although this one had much more life to it.
Hearing murmuring coming from Kirche, Tabitha turned around to see her friend staring with dazzled eye at her double. "Happy Taby." But before she could do anything else the Changeling was back in his first form.
Then in the corner of his vision he spotted something the boy from last night Guiche of he remembered right, but this time he was acting all sweet to a different girl. Now he knew this was the opportunity for mischief he had waited for.
"You Tall red head -" "Kirche" "Okay Kirche, does that young girl sat next to the Guiche boy know of his meeting with a young girl late last night?" Asked the daemon.
"Montmorency, no I'd say not, why though?" As she looked back round, in the familiar's place was a young brown-haired girl in a first years cloak.
"Allow me to demonstrate why I am known as Tzeetches trickster." And with that they walked off towards Guiche.
{--}
Guiche's table
Guiche would say he was having a rather good morning. Last night with Katie had left him with pleasant memories and now he was enjoying a lovely breakfast with his girlfriend. All these good thoughts came crashing down when he saw Katia making her way over to him.
"Lord Guiche, I came to thank you for the perfume you gave me last night." The feelings of dread well up as Montmorency's grip tightened around his arm.
"Guiche, who is this and why does she have one of my perfumes I gave you?" The words were spoken with daggers as she levelled a fierce glare upon her boyfriend.
"I-I." Guiche stuttered as he attempted to cover his actions, but then Katie spoke again.
"Lord Guiche you said I was the only one." Said Katie, tears starting to show from her eyes.
"Oh, he did, did he."
"Montmorency allow me to exp-" He was cut off by a hand striking is cheek.
"No more explanations, we're done!" And with that she left. As Guiche turned to face Katie, he found her … laughing? And as he blinked in her place was the familiar from last night.
"I haven't had a laugh like that in a while, thank you for that. Well Good day to you." With that said he began to float away.
"WAIT! Insolent familiar in teach you your place, I challenge you to a dual." Guiche all but shouted as he marched to the Changeling.
"Very well, when, where and is this to the death or till one yields?"
"Vestri Field in 30 minutes, and until one yields, I want to humiliate you." And with that he marched out of the hall. At this time Louise came in.
"What have you done now?" She asked in a defeated tone.
"Who me? I was just having a bit of fun. Now can you show me to Vestri field."