"-za-"
Louise stirred in her exhausted trance, the remnants of consciousness finding her as her bearings slowly came into focus, and one startling fact found its way to her thought process.
She was not at the Academy. She would know. She'd been in most of the rooms, save for the staff only ones, but the one she currently resided in was foreign to her, she'd never seen the dark wood which adorned the walls, ceiling and floors, a gentle light emanating from… something mechanically similar to a candlelight. Yet, different, in the sense that a small glass sphere stayed stationary in the air, providing a warm light for her surroundings.
As she stood from the bed she… Somehow found herself resting on, she once more heard the unfamiliar voice grow impatient.
"Iza!" It sounded, wispy and echo-like though it was. "Hurry up!! He'll be here any minute!!"
Somehow, this statement made her more ecstatic than she'd felt in a long while. Her smile growing before she could question why. Her eyes flipped to the…
What?
That was the book!!
The one she… destroyed.
"I'll be down in a sec!" She answered in a strange boyish voice. It took her a moment to realize what, exactly, was going on.
She was reliving Izaneus's memories. But why? Or how? Nothing she knew about either of their methods of casting. Explained this phenomena.
Well… Now she had a chance to pore over the tome she had… pretty much disintegrated in the waking world.
She grabbed it… no pain! Being Izaneus had benefits.
…like getting past his own defenses.
Whatever, didn't matter. She opened the book and…
Didn't understand a word.
It's not that it was written in a separate language, she found herself able to understand the words themselves, but not the meanings behind them per se.
There were strange runic circles she found herself understanding, as well as a slew of runes and diagrams. Things that without the knowledge this… Dream? Vision? Was providing, she would be more lost than ever.
But.. Then how didn't the dream provide the answers she was currently missing? Were they not apart of Izaneus's memory? How was it there were…?
Her brain hurt trying to think about it, as there were too many possibilities, the fact of the matter. The only one that mattered, was that she didn't understand them.
She made sure however, to memorize as much as possible before she awoke unable to remember at all. From the runes on the pages, to the words describing them and their uses, as well as how vast this magic was.
You could do anything with the correct amount of skill and power. A power she too now wielded.
With an internal smirk, she walked down from her room-ish area thing. It was strange to be sure… it appeared she was in a mansion, in… A fair state of mild disrepair, what with certain paints flaking off the walls.
Aside from this however, it was in an almost pristine condition, the walls and floors being waxed and polished to shine, with a staircase and several fine rugs paving a way from the second floor bedroom She found herself in, to front double doors, which the person who called her in waved louise down excitedly.
She appeared young not older than Louise herself… Actually a few years younger.
"Hold on Shiki, I'll be right there!!" Louise called once more, in Izaneus's childlike voice.
It was jarring to her to hear names, and see some things she understood, to others who's answers still far eluded her. What was going on right now?
"Come on Iza!! We don't have time for your Laziness right now!! He's here!!!" The excitement she felt before amped up tenfold along with… some negative emotion she couldn't curb or understand correctly…
Holding the book tightly to herself, Louise dashed down the stairs, nearly tripping down them as she did so, unused to her dreamy form.
As she barreled through the door, she nearly toppled over. Before righting herself and dusting her clothing off. Looking off in the distance toward a dirt road, surrounded by thick forest of trees familiar yet different.
Edging closer to her was a small carriage of men talking and joking, with two in the front, one steering the horses at the reins, with the other faced toward him, his face…
Louise couldn't see his face…
The one at the reigns smiled, and waved. While the other stayed turned away.
Until he wasn't.
In a flash everything else disappeared, the man's head whipped toward her at a speed that should have broken his neck, in another flash he was in front of her, staring into her eyes.
She fell, and tried to scream, yet nothing escaped her lips, not even the voice of her familiar as a child.
The man grew a dark smile, his eyes still out of view somehow.. and reached toward her.
Her heart raced, what was happening??
Her mind fluttered incohesively. The only dominant word in her mind being 'afraid'.
Then she woke up, sitting up as fast as she could, as though she was still attempting to escape, a cold sweat covered her. the figure's ghastly smile imprinted deep within her psyche.
It took her a few moments to calm down, unable to think clearly after her… vision.
The pink haired mage still wasn't quite sure what to call it. All she knew at that juncture in time. Was that she did not want another, regardless of what insights it may provide.
In another corner of the Academy. The maid Siesta was looking forward to her lessons. But more than expected the worst. She was a commoner after all how could she cast magic?
But on the flipside, something excited her. Something found its way in her heart to make her excited for her tutoring, oh the possibilities!! She could teach it to her family! To her friends!
But then a feeling she immediately felt guilty for appeared within, a feeling to keep it for herself.
She shook the thought from her mind questioning why it even appeared in the first place.
"Sieesstaaa!!" Called her flamboyant superior, rousing her thoughts from her feelings.
"That weird familiar person thing is looking for youuu!"
Before the poor servant knew what hit him, Siesta flashed by, understanding that her "boss" of sorts, would be more than okay with her leaving now that someone had called for her.
Him being the familiar of a noblewoman (despite who he belonged to) helping greatly in that regard.
Her black hair swayed as she jogged through the cafeteria to meet her new magic mentor. Oh just the thought sent shivers up her spine!
Izaneus stood, ready to begin another day of lessons, ready, and mildly excited, if.. Slightly burnt out from the responsibility of having students. The thought, for him, was a taxing one.
"Swell! Are you ready to begin?" The noblemen asked, somewhat thankful the students were in class, and too busy to gossip about him and his practices.
"Indeed! Ready when you are!" The Maid exclaimed excitedly. Her drive to learn fueling her energy.
"What?" She asked, dumbfounded at Iza's request.
"Reach out with yourself and…. Ugh." The Wizard sighed in frustration, he was beginning to hate teaching more and more.
"I… Can't sir, I'm sorry." She replied, confused, and the depressing realization that all magic, was still magic, and commoners were simply not meant to learn. Her doubts began to fuel a pit of despair, that'd been growing in her stomach for a while.
A local count had taken interest in her. For reasons "unknown" so they say. His interest was made clear the prior month, and it had been stated that he would " preview her" at a later date.
The spoiled nobleman was horny for her.
She knew this, and hated dancing around it.
She was going to be sold. For a paltry sum of money. These things were common. Just as common as she.
Just because she had a hope did not except her from this ruling.
Izaneus sighed, and grasped her hand in his own, causing a small squeak to sound from the Servant in front of him. As he had shown Louise the wonders of his magic he'd realized something.
Somehow, in some way, the people's sources of this world were locked away.
Even upon a glance he could feel it, as he poured his inner reservoir of magical being into her own, he could feel the cracks of ancient magics crumble away. Who would lock away a populace's magic. And more importantly.
Who would seal away knowledge of the sources?
They were here, even in this world, and the people still held their own, they were repressed however. By some force unknown to the going Wizard, and these questions plagued him. Even now as he was teaching his new "apprentice" if Siesta could be called that.
Speaking of, the Maid had entered the same revelation Louise had when she'd first cast magic.
It was EVERYWHERE.
Potent, powerful, but not without cost.
Fair, and just, what is taken cannot be returned, what is returned, cannot be taken.
She.. Couldn't form it all in her head, but she could feel the quiet thrum of power in Izaneus's hand, who conjured a small bit of fire.
She felt it. The flame, she understood she could do the same. She needed to find it. Where…?
There! With a flick of her wrist and a bit of exertion she conjured a candlelight. Thin, wispy, but there. She had casted magic, and she felt the energy leave her being as she did so. She understood the give, and take, magic had.
She could feel it's-
"What are you doing?" Came a demanding feminine tone that signaled Louise's awakening. She looked on in disbelief as the commoner before her held a small flame in her hand, which, with anxieties rising, quickly dispersed into the ethereal once more.
"How..? You're..?" She babbled. Recent… visions in mind, she stood baffled at everything.
"Louise, meet Siesta, she'll be joining us for lessons from now on. When I'm not working with you, you can experiment amongst yourselves, just… try and stay safe?"
Louise found herself.. Mildly offended.
Nay. Highly offended.
How dare he? Consider that a noblewoman such as herself work with a commoner? However. He currently, was her master. Though she was loath to say as such more with each passing moment, this, was currently reality.
Siesta also felt anxiety working alongside Louise, but for the opposite reason, she hoped their status wouldn't be a deterrent for their relationship exploring this power they've both been introduced to.
But she heard plenty of Louise's stubbornness, and understood if they did form a friendly relationship, it would take a while at best.
"I hope we can get along!" She exclaimed, wanting to get off to the best foot possible.
"Indeed. So, what's next." Louise replied coldly, her eyes not once leaving Izaneus who she glared at, angrily.
"Well. Yesterday, you experienced a lovely little deal. Called expending yourself to near death, which leads us to limits." He joked, causing Louise's cheeks to flush a bright shade of pink, and glare more fiercely.
"Magic, is almost never without cost. Be it your source, natural beads of magical energy, some component, etcetera." He explained, and Louise, trying to push out the embarrassment, instead decided to focus intently on his explanation.
Seeing their expressions telling him to continue, Izaneus did so.
"Allow me to demonstrate."
Uttering a small oath combined with bold hand gestures to better control his power, Izaneus pulled spirits of Earth and Wind from their individual planes, and into the world they inhabited. Forming into a small whirlwind of a creature and an equally small golem.
"Now, can either of you guess what's going on?" He asked quietly, his stamina quite drained after pulling two spirits at once into the same plane without colliding into a magical mishap.
They both stared dumbfounded, Siesta more than Louise. Louise had seen Guiche pompously summon golems and had gotten the basic principle behind it. This however… Seemed mildly different.
"Did.. You form elements to your will?" The mage asked, confused, what was different here?
"Close, very close!" Izaneus exclaimed, taking a moment to focus on his magical recovery, channeling the other sources through himself quietly to expedite the process.
"I've summoned spirits from the sources of Earth, and Wind respectively, and supplied them energy to stay and serve me for as long as that limited energy persists." He explained, causing Siesta to smile in understanding and excitement that she was learning magic just like the nobles she served.
Louise nodded compliantly, still not entirely happy about a maid of all people joining the exploration of new magic.
"It will last for a finite duration, and when it's expended, the spirits will return to their original homes. There are, however, a couple of ways to make them "perpetual" as the magi of old would say"
He began pulling on the spirit of the wind , drawing their breeze closer.
"The first. Is to form a contract with said spirit, where you shall form a mutually beneficial agreement." Closing his eyes, he traced a small sigil on his hand, and reached his hand out, the spirit doing the same.
After what seemed like an eternity their limbs met, and Iza's eyes gained a cloudy quality to them for just a moment.
"My true form is Izaneus Shaltrou Phortea, I am a practitioner of magic, and swear to protect your wind in return..-"
"For the winds protection-" finished the spirit, it's essence still not entirely on the plane of Tristain, and it's voice having a sound like the wind chimes often placed in doors or the like, wispy, and breathy.
"My true form is Tseyphalk, being of the breeze, and part of a whole, I do not speak for the wind, but I do hold a portion of it within, as all who cherish it's beauty do." It spoke cryptically, confusing the two new students watching nearby.
"By traditions new and old, we are one, allow us to serve one another more correctly".
As it spoke, it did something that shocked Louise to her core. She couldn't quite believe what was happening.
It was taking a material form.
The spirit glowed a soft array of pleasant colors, before locks of hair began to form in the light that shown where it's head was, with then with eyes that were as bright as the sky itself during a partially cloudy day.
It's skin showed a pale tone, with hues of green or blue here or there. Finally, it's clothes took on the form of clouds and leaves both, coming to a strange mixture of different aesthetics that… somehow worked for it.
Siesta was amazed, Louise was flabbergasted, and Izaneus felt mildly confident.
"Does this form suit thee?" It asked in a slightly deep, feminine tone, the wispy, fleeting quality it… her? Her voice, had a moment ago.
"Indeed, would you like to stay in this form or disappear from sight until needed?" The confident voice of Iza asked happily, quite proud of his work.
"Not of consequence." The spirit replied thusly, choosing to stay in her material form for the time being.
"Well! Would you two like to try next? Or would you like to focus on something simpler first?"
Neither Louise or Siesta had anything to say to the question recently posed, but for entirely separate reasons.
At the end of the Academy library once more sat Jean Colbert, having delved deep into the studies of runes since the arrival of Sir Phortea, the mage familiar, who appeared, to use a plethora of magics unfamiliar to… Well, everyone.
This served as fuel for his studies, the inevitable truth that someone would surely come for the boy making him work faster and harder than ever before, those runes… they were familiar in one way yet just as unfamiliar in another.
Tome, after tome. Study after study, finding anything on these runes proved difficult.
Until, now that is.
His hands shaking, he did a double take to make sure he was seeing this, rubbed his glasses to ensure this once more, he rubbed his forehead to appease the growing headache growing within.
These findings were… Worrying, to say the least, and needed to be reported immediately. Before something of horrid consequence came to being.