Louise slashes at her hated rival Kirche and her Salamander Flame protects her by slamming it's body into the corrupted noble. She is sent flying but catches herself and jumps to dodge Tabitha's icicles, which attaches to the walls. Louise climbs the ice and jumps off it. Flame spits out a fireball but Louise cuts the fireball in half. The salamander then pulls out his tongue and uses it to grab her wrist with the dagger still in her hands. Seeing a chance to knock her out, Kirche summons a giant fireball.
"I'm sorry Louise." She fires it at Louise, who ducks from the fireball and throws her dagger into her other hand to cut Flame's tongue off her. Once she is free, she runs at them. The fireball hits the wall behind her which causes an explosion that knocks her forward towards Sylphid. Tabitha's familiar dragon growls at this human that tried to hurt her big sister and so swings her tail with all her might which slams into Louise.
"Get away from big sister!" The dragon launches Louise through the destroyed wall. Kirche and Tabitha runs to the edge and looks down but doesn't see Louise. Kirche looks at her best friend, who knows what they need to do.
"We need to get the teachers."
"Miss Zerbst! Miss Tabitha!" The students look behind them and are meet with Longuevuille, secretary of the Headmaster. "Are you okay?"
"Longuevuille!" Kirche shouts and runs to the teacher. "You are not going to believe it!"
She holds her hand out to stop her. "I saw what had happen. It would seem something happen to her."
"Possession." Tabitha theorizes and Longuevuille nods in agreement. Her actions were clearly not her own. In fact, the secretary can sense a dark energy coming from the dagger she wielded. If it is what she thinks it is...
"She must be planning to escape the academy. Go tell the teachers to scout the road that leaves our academy." She orders the students but Kirche looks confused on something.
"How do I explain it?" Kirche said and Longuevuille realizes what she means. How do you tell people that one of the worst mages has seem to have snap and is now dangerous? No one will believe or care about the threat.
"Just tell them a student attacked you. Do not mention her name. I will give chase and try to lure her to an ambush."
Louise is running outside and sees the Tower, where a shard of Soul Edge is being kept. She hides behind a pillar where she can see some guards near the entrance, no doubt to stop any chance of someone getting one of the academy's greatest treasures.
It is near! Retrieve it! Slay all in your way!
She holds her dagger out, ready to reveal herself and strike these guards down. That was when another runs to them and shouts something that she can't hear. They all are surprised but nod. These Tower guards run, leaving the Tower defenseless. Louise quickly runs to the entrance and grabs the door only to realize it is locked.
"Of course. There must be another way."
"Allow me." A voice is her only warning when a giant fist made of stone hits her. This smashes her into the door and falls next to the vault. She coughs in pain when she sees a woman hidden under robes enters the tower with a giant golem beside her. Louise quickly gets up and runs towards this interloper.
"No one will take Soul Edge!" She shouts at this unknown mage, who is interested at that reveal.
"Now that is a treasure perhaps greater than the Staff of Destruction. Fall to Fouquet the Clod!" The Magical Thief declares her name and motions her golem to attack. Louise looks up to see the Golem slam it's fist to the ground. This causes earthquakes meant to lose her balance but Louise jumps to climb on its fist and cuts it in half. She runs on it's fist and dashes towards the golem. Fouquet is surprised by her agility but she slams her hands to the ground, creating stone pillars that are launched off the ground. Louise jumps backward to dodge the pillar which smashes the golem in the face. The Magical Thief sees Louise drop towards her. She uses levitation to dodge the slash. Louise lands on her feet and quickly gets right in front of Fouquet.
'I didn't see her move!' Fouquet is shock by her speed and tries to summon another golem. Louise readies her dagger to go for her neck. That was when Fouquet's hood falls out of head. Seeing her face shocks Louise.
"Longuevuille?!"
Seeing the Secretary of the Headmaster distracts Louise long enough for the Earth Golem to be formed and smacks her away. Louise lands on her feet and realizes that Longuevuille is right behind the vault. "You are Fouquet?!"
"Yes. If you can understand me, please stop this." Fouquet doesn't want to fight Louise. She was only attacking her because the corrupted noble looked rabid and believed she would've attacked her first. "Your moves were fast, I will give you that."
Louise stops and walks towards Fouquet. The secretary was someone Louise would go to for help. Tutoring and emotionally. Louise begins to tear up. "Please tell me that when we hanged out wasn't fake!"
"Louise..." Fouquet can hear her pleading. She walks to her and gives her a big hug. "The time we spent together was real. You reminded me of a good friend of mine. Hated for something that wasn't in your control. Please understand that I came to this academy for the Staff of Destruction. It wasn't to hurt you."
"Then let me help you!" Louise offers to help. "We are after something that is in that vault. We can work together!"
Don't offer her assistance! She will betray you! Kill her!
"Thank you, Louise." Fouquet lets go. Her golem punches the vault but it won't budge.
"Let me." Louise gets in front of the vault and focuses her power into her Soul Edge dagger. She waves it at the vault and it explodes, creating a crater to the treasure trove. They enter it and Fouquet sees the Staff of Destruction. This odd weapon was said to have killed a dragon with one attack. Something her cilent wants badly. She picks it up and feels it is heavier than she thought.
Louise meanwhile sees a shard of Soul Edge in the corner. She quickly grabs and places it on her Soul Edge. The dagger mutates and a giant closed eye appears on it. The wielder of Soul Edge has her arm mutate as well with veins appearing all over it. She feels herself feel weak and passes out. Fouquet has her golem grabs Louise and can feel her dark magic get stronger. She can hear footsteps entering. No doubt the teachers has realize her deception because of Louise's explosion. "Don't worry. I'm getting you out of here."
"Hurry! Get to the vault!" Professor Colbert orders the soldiers and other teachers as they enter the tower. That was when a giant golem sends everyone flying as it escapes the tower by tackling everyone in it's way. Jean Colbert quickly moves out of the way and fires a massive fireball which the golem blocks with it's hand. This destroys the arm but keeps the people on it's shoulders safe. He can only curse himself for his stupidity as it was his orders to go to the entrance. The golem runs away with the thieves unharmed.
"Do not look down Professor." Headmaster Osmond comes out to help his downed friend. "We will alert Princess Henrietta and she can send help."
"Thank you, Headmaster. But if what they took is true, we are dealing with a threat to all of Halkeginia."
"Good job." Fouquet pats her golem on the cheek. She is holding on to Louise. "Don't worry Miss Valliere, I know someone that can help you."
Unknown to the thief, the Soul Edge dagger strapped to Louise's side begins to stir. The giant eye opens and looks around.
Yes... This is a sufficient vessel.
Next Time: Warning the Princess and Meeting a Certain Elf