The days passed and Louise had yet to find any hint that could explain her dream. And, if that wasn't grinding on her nerves badly enough, another problem revealed itself.
The familiar examination that was in three days and the princess was coming personally to reward the winner. She had no idea what to do with Ikaros to impress the princess. They hadn't seen each other for so long, she just had to win somehow.
Louise was pacing back and forth in Tabitha's room thinking about the disaster that was about to hit in three days.
Damn it, her competition was a wind dragon and she couldn't just shout out that she had summoned a real angel. She was very aware that everyone thought that she had summoned some kind of bird-women, not an Angel.
Louise took a calming breath."Let's start with the basics. What can you do?"
"I will do whatever you desire, Master." Ikaros answered ever dutiful.
"Right, wrong question." Louise remembered how to the letter her familiar was. She needed to rephrase that.
"How physically strong are you?"
"This body has a pressure limit of 350 kg/cm² and can lift up to 12000 kg."
Louise's jaw dropped and for a moment she thought her hearing was somehow damaged. "Could you please repeat that?"
"This body has a pressure limit of 350 kg/cm² and can lift up to 12000 kg."
That was a lot more than Louise expected. And a problem, if she showed too much power people would get suspicious after all.
"Ok. Let's try something else. How fast can you fly?"
"The top speed is Mach 24."
"Mach 24? How much is that?" Louise asked curiously.
"One mach represents the speed at which shockwaves travel in standard atmospheric pressure."
Louise thought long and hard about what her familiar could mean with that.
She remembered one of her early lessons in water magic where the teacher demonstrated a water blast spell. If Ikaros could fly twenty four times that fast, then she could easily outfly a wind dragon.
After a long period of fruitless thinking Louise decided that working with an empty stomach would get her nowhere, and so they went for breakfast.
Ikaros once again positioned herself in front of the dining hall, as Louise had given up trying to feed her.
Siesta chose that exact moment to drive past here with her cart.
"Ikaros?" the maid stopped and got a questioning look on her face. "Why are you not eating? Its breakfast time."
"Master said that I should wait outside for her." Ikaros replied.
Siesta didn't really know what to do now, has Ikaros done something wrong and was she being punished by her master with no food for a day?
Her decision was obvious, after considering the way Ikaros had helped her and all the other maids, she grabbed the Angeloid by the hand and started dragging her to the kitchens.
The trip wasn't long, Siesta quickly seated Ikaros onto a table and went to the head-chef to get a trail of food. When asked why, she simply said that it was for someone who had saved her from an angry noble once.
Needless to say the chef made an extra large portion.
"Ikaros, I have some food for you." Siesta returned to the table from where Ikaros hadn't moved a muscle. "This should give you what you need for the day." she added enthusiastically.
Ikaros, in return, didn't really understand how the food would help her in any way but decided not to question it, after all Siesta's advice had worked so far and the excess energy could be useful.
Siesta could only watch in astonishment as Ikaros devoured her food without even chewing it. She wanted to tell the Angeloid to slow down but before she could even open her mouth Ikaros had already finished. She remained there, simply staring at the Angeloid with her mouth open.
"Thank you." Ikaros said as she used a napkin to clean her mouth.
"You had to be really hungry." Siesta replied as she took the empty plate.
"No." With her meal finished, Ikaros stood up. "Angeloids don't need food to survive."
"Then why did you eat it?" Siesta asked. "I mean, you can taste it, right?"
"The food will be turned into excess energy that I can store for later use and I am able to taste out every single ingredient and how it was prepared."
"Now that's something I want to see!" Marteau, the chef of the kitchen, surprised them. "This was a special mash that has various ingredients and is one of my own recipes."
Ikaros, instead of giving an answer, simply walked past the large man and took a look into the kitchen. She was about to start cutting vegetables when Marteau stopped her "Now wait a moment! You can't just go into the kitchen in full armor!" He scrolled her, "It's most likely dirty."
Ikaros responded by simply striping completely nude.
That got her the attention of the whole, now red faced, staff. Not that the Angeloid paid them any attention as she happily started chopping an onion.
Siesta quickly rushed out of the room and got Ikaros one of the spare maid outfits. "Ikaros, you can't just walk around nude like that! Please, put this on."
"Why?" Ikaros asked while cutting.
"Because going around like that is indecent!" Ikaros responded with a tilt of her head, but after some coaxing from Siesta put on the outfit.
After about half an hour of cooking, the Angeloid stopped and presented the finished dish to Marteau who took it and tasted it with the most critical look on his face he could muster.
That instantly broke when he realized that Ikaros held what she promised, it tasted exactly the same, he doubted he himself could have replicated it so precisely.
"I have to admit, I doubted you would be able to deliver." He got a broad grin on his face. "Looks like I got competition in the kitchen." He said with a hearty laugh while giving Ikaros a pat on the back.
The moment was interrupted by a distressed looking maid who ran into the kitchen. "Chef we have a problem! We just checked the warehouse and our fish was stolen!"
"What?" His face was of pure confusion. "We got one full cart of fish this morning who would even need so much fish?!"
A short distance away Sylphide sneezed so loudly she scared Flame into setting his food on fire.
"This is bad! Fish's the main dish for the brats this evening." He looked around for a moment "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LAZY EXCUSES OF RAT FEEDERS WAITING FOR! MOVE IT, WE NEED FISH!" The kitchen exploded into action as all of them remembered that Marteau the head chef and had the mouth to back it up.
What no one was expecting was that Ikaros suddenly decided to leave through the still closed window and left a Angeloid sized hole in the wall.
"What the?" Siesta asked at no one in particular
Louise chose that exact moment to appear looking for her familiar. "Ikaros?! Where are you?" She spotted the maid through the hole in the wall and recognized her from a few days ago. "You, maid!" She pointed at her.
"Y-Yes milady?" Siesta asked nervously.
"Do you have any idea where Ikaros is?"
Siesta started to fidget around trying to explain herself as best as possible. When asked why she tried to feed Ikaros she told Louise that she was responsible for all the familiar getting fed and Louise was mostly happy with the explanation.
"Well where is she now?" She asked impatiently.
"Did I somehow offend her with what I said?" Marteau asked himself while stroking his beard.
"Hey, look!" One of the maids pointed upwards and, indeed, there was a bright pink 'something' flying towards the academy.
Before they had even chance to observe it, the object was already above them, creating a high pitched sound and shattering multiple windows.
"What the..!"
"What in Brimir name was that?"
"AAAAA I don't want to die!"
Before the chaos could spread the pink object was back, this time way closer to the ground. Actually, it was sliding on the ground, and was coming right for poor Marteau.
Everyone in close proximity was knocked away as a gigantic cloud of dust rose from the impact point.
Before anyone could question what was going on, a voice was heard, "Will this be sufficient?"
Louise and Siesta recognized the voice but, after the smoke cleared, the most unbelievable thing wasn't that the Angeloid had her wings fully out in the maid dress, no, it was the gigantic fish that was twice her size balanced on her shoulders that drew every single pair of eyes.
"I think that solves our fish problem." Marteau said weakly from his grounded position.
Louise was observing the damage Ikaros had created just by flying past them and stored this fact into a growing corner of her mind that was dedicated to impossible things her familiar could do.
As she watched Ikaros with the fish, she got an idea.
Louise decided to take Ikaros into the forest and after some trials and errors, they worked out a routine. They practiced for a while until it was time for dinner and they went on their way.
Later that day, Louise ran into Tabitha who was also practicing. Needless to say, it was very awkward that they ran into each other while both tried to practice in secret. Louise broke the silence by saying, "I won't tell if you won't either." Tabitha only nodded at that, and they both started practicing again.
It was evening when they stopped and took a break.
"Do you think that one of us will win, Tabitha? I mean you got a dragon and you have to admit Ikaros' stunts are good."
"Others take this competition seriously. They want to stand good before the princess."
"Why do you want to win?" Louise, despite Tabitha being a good student, couldn't imagine her friend as the competitive type."I mean, you are not even from Tristain, are you?"
"It is a good exercise and teaches me the limitations of my familiar."
"Hmmmm." Louise hummed in acknowledgment.
The next day
Tabitha, Louise, and Ikaros where walking to breakfast when Kirche came running up to them.
"Louise," she stammered out in panic. "You have to hide your familiar!"
"What are you talking about Zerbst?"
"The Inquisition is here!" Louise immediately stopped walking. "There are four dragonriders at the front door talking with the headmaster."
Louise was frozen in shock. Her previous nightmare returned in full force and suddenly, the warning was all too clear.
"Hey, Louise? Do you hear me?" Kirche started shaking her because of the lack of response she was receiving.
On the inside, Louise was already starting to make a panic induced plan about her escape from the academy, and in her mind's eye she was already planning a route to the deserts.
"LOUISE!" Kirche finally managed to snap her out of it with her panicked scream, but Kirche was no longer holding Louise. Instead Ikaros was holding Kirche at her wrist while her eyes were spinning and green.
"Your presence and vocal output are causing a massive emotional disturbance in my master." Ikaros was tightening her grip. "You are now considered a threat."
"Ikaros! Stop!" As soon as the words left Louise's mouth. Ikaros stopped. Only after she stopped did they realized an angry looking Flame biting down on Ikaros's leg while flames were streaming out his mouth.
"Flame." Kirche said numbly. "You can stop now."
"Ikaros, are you ok?" Again her eyes flashed green for a split second.
"All systems run with optimal efficiency."
Hearing how strong her familiar is and doing pretty looking practices was nothing compared to seeing the bite of a Salamander that can bent plate armor while heating it up to 300 degrees get shrugged off like nothing.
Shrugged off, ha, Ikaros didn't even realize it until she looked down.
The Angeloid didn't know what to do with the looks she was receiving.
"Is something the matter, Master?"
"No, no, everything's alright."
Before the silence could drag on Tabitha interrupted them."The Inquisition."
And all went back to panic.
"What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?!" Louise's panic attack was interrupted by a slap from Tabitha.
"Stop panicking," the bluenette said with a firm voice. Louise, for a while, didn't know how to react to the fact that she was just physically assaulted by her friend.
"You slapped me?" Louise had to double check.
"Yes, I did. Now you are calm." Louise had no other choice but to agree.
"Still, they will be here any moment. What do I do?"
"Lie," Tabitha said as if it was the most simple thing in the world.
"Just like that? Lie to the church," Louise asked bewildered. "What would I even tell them? I am a bad liar."
"There they are," Kirche interrupted, pointing in the direction where the headmaster Osmond, professor Colbert, and four inquisitors were coming from.
"Just follow my lead," Tabitha whispered to Louise.
The air was tense and Louise had problems breathing, many things would depend on the next minutes and she was oh so scared.
Scared of the Inquisitors, scared for Ikaros and herself, scared for her family and what it would do to them when she was accused of heretical actions.
It only took a few seconds for the groups to meet, but for Louise it may very well have been an eternity.
"Greetings. My name is Julio Chesaré," the first of them, a blond, moon eyed man -with one of his eyes being red and the other one blue- said. "I am here with my companions to investigate an accusation of heresy, but the good professor already explained everything to me."
Now this was the last thing Louise expected to hear.
"Yes. The similarities between Ms. Vallière's familiar and the prophet of god are very inconvenient, but no reason to panic."Professor Colbert spoke up. "My personal theory is that she is from a clan of bird people from the mountains."
"Heh. Is that true?" Julio turned to Louise.
Before Louise could get another panic attack, Tabitha jumped in. "We haven't found out much about her yet but her clan name is Angeloid, that could have caused the accusation."
"Indeed the similarities are alarming, but I am glad that we could clear that up quickly." Julio addressed his companions "We should take a break and find an inn for the night then make haste to reach Romalia by the evening." But Old Osmond simply could not let this stand.
"Sir Julio, in two days we will hold the Familiar examination, the princess herself will reward the winner. Why don't you stay here? We can provide a room and care for you and your dragons."
'Please say no, please say no, please say no.' Louise chant in her mind.
"I would love to take you up on that invitation, Headmaster."
'DAMN IT!'
The teachers and the four knights made their way back while Louise and Tabitha made their way back to training. Ikaros was rudely stopped by Kirche, who glared daggers at the innocent looking Angeloid.
"Why did you only react to me that way and didn't even twitch when Tabi slapped Louise."
Louise completely forgot that that even happened; she now looked with interest at Ikaros, waiting for the answer.
"Your physical assault only raised emotional distress while Tabitha's assault had the opposite as a result."
Tabitha herself forgot that she could very well find herself at the receiving end of the Angeloid's wrath and paled at the thought of her being assaulted by the brute strength that Ikaros possessed. She would have to be more careful from now on.
A while later at a dark abandoned house in the forest.
"What do you mean, 'change of plans'? I already prepared everything for tonight!"
"Our informants have warned us about a additional presence during the planned attack. We have a new job for you..."
"YOU WANT ME TO WHAT?! ARE YOU INSANE?! THE LAST PLAN WAS ALREADY HARD ENOUGH BUT NOW YOU WANT SOMETHING THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE!"
"Impossible or not it has to be done and if you care for your sister's safety, I would suggest you get get this done with haste."
The day had come, and Louise was more nervous than ever. Well no, the meeting with the inquisitors was worse, but it's the expression that counts.
She was currently waiting in the back of the stage tent until the show started, and that was grinding badly on her nerves. Why was something always happening way too often lately.
"Psssst!" Louise was brought out of her musing by a cloaked stranger trying to get her attention.
"What the-" She quietly asked herself as she walked closer to the stranger. She got close enough so that she could be able to hear the cloaked intruder whisper. Then she saw who was under the cloak.
"Prin..." The rest was interrupted by Henrietta's hand that frantically gestured for Louise to be quiet.
"Pssssht! Louise! It's good to see you again, but please be quiet," Henrietta whispered. Louise nodded and the princess removed her hand.
"Princess, what were you doing here? Shouldn't you be at your seat?"
"I know, but I just wanted to see you again, my dear Louise. After all the fun times we had together, I couldn't hold myself from visiting you for old time's sake." Henrietta's eyes became a bit glassy. "I tried to visit your room yesterday, but you weren't there."
"I am sorry Princess. I was staying the night with a friend." Louise said apologetically. "You still remember our times together? I thought you had forgotten since I was not allowed to visit you anymore," she said with a saddening voice.
Henrietta took Louise into a hug. "Louise, my best friend, I would never forget you."
"The show starts in 10 minutes, everyone get ready." Colbert's voice sounded from the entrance. "You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself in front of the Princess, would you?"
"I should go now. Best of luck, Louise," Henritta worriedly said.
As soon as the princess left, the first students got ready. The shows ranged from a show of strength, to grace, to cunning, and beauty. Every familiar was showing it's skills in a unique way, and before she had the chance to look at the clock, it was at the last 3 contestants. Guiche had finished quickly, just making a boastful pose with his mole.
The next one interested her way more.
Despite already having seen it Tabitha's performance was breathtaking, especially the part where she lets herself drop only to be caught by Silphid.
After a deafening round of applause it was finally her turn.
Louise took a deep breath and walked onto the stage with as much confidence as she could muster. As she stood in the middle of the stage she took a quick look at the audience. In the front was Tabitha, sitting with Kirche and the others who had already finished their performance. They were far in the back, surrounded by her musketiers. Next to Tabitha was the headmaster and the other teachers, including the four inquisitors.
With her full confidence she spoke up,"I am Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière and I am presenting you my familiar, the Angeloid, Ikaros!"
With that signal, Ikaros jumped from behind the stage, accelerating upwards. She stared with a simple loop the she interrupted right in the middle to make multiple aileron rolls, followed by a high speed acceleration around the school. The aerobatics where only the introduction as Ikaros started a ninety degree climb upwards going faster and faster only to suddenly stop and fold her wings midair.
Her fall downwards only got faster and faster until she opened her wing, which to everyone's horror, only speed up her fall. The inevitable happened and she collided with the ground in an explosive fashion. Some of the professors looked to Louise, but as they saw that she had no worries on her face, they quickly calmed down.
Suddenly another bang was heard from the smoke, than another one, and another, and another. It continued on until a gust of wind appeared, blowing the smoke away, and everyone saw Ikaros lift a boulder that had nearly her own size out of the ground. With another flap of her wings she lifted herself of the ground and was airborne again. She flew faster and higher until she reached the height of the tower and threw the rock with all her might.
Than Ikaros let herself fall again and made a round so close to the ground the audience could nearly touch her before she again started flying towards the now falling rock and punching it with immense strength, shattering it into thousands of tiny rocks so fine that it glowed in the sunlight when it rained down as fine sand. Ikaros herself was already back on stage and bowed with Louise.
The applause was deafening. Everyone was standing on their feet, clapping their hands and screaming in adoration. Louise loved it. For the first time since coming to the academy there was no Zero. Just Louise and Ikaros being adored by everyone. Absolutely nothing could take this from her.
That was when everything went to hell.
People started screaming, guards were firing their rifles, and mages started to chant spells. As Louise lifted her head the first thing she saw was the massive golem with a hooded person on its shoulder attacking the audience. Tabitha and many others were already in the air, some of them fighting but most fleeing in fright.
Louise first instinct was to look to the princess. After spotting her being guided by two of her personal guards she released a breath she didn't know she was holding. Ikaros only watched, not sure what to make of this situation, but noting the distress in her master.
As one they started to move towards Henrietta.
"Princess!" Louise screamed out. That got the princess to turn to her and offer a smile.
"Louise! I am so gla-" Anything else she tried to say was drowned out by Louise's scream.
"BEHIND YOU!" Her second guard only turned fast enough to see the blade the was rammed through Henrietta's heart by her other supposed companion.
"YOUR HIGHNESS!" The noise got nearly everyone who was not busy with the golem to turn to the tragedy, only to see the killer disappear in a wall of earth that shot from the ground. But for Louise, that was not important, she had to get to her friend, to do something, anything!
She rushed as fast as she could, sliding the rest of the way on her knees and taking Henrietta's hand. But it was already too late, there were no last words, no great promises of vengeance against her murder or speeches about never leaving her side. The blade pierced her heart killing her almost instantly and all that was for Louise to see was the lifeless body of her most beloved friend.
"Henrietta?" She knew it made no sense to try, but she still called out for her.
"Henrietta," she called out again, tears streaming down her eyes and ears deaf to the rest of the world.
Louise could not take it anymore and broke down crying. "Please wake up! I just got you back," she cried into her chest. "This can't be real, you can't be dead, the whole country needs you!" Much quieter she spoke, "I need you."
"I wish this was just a bad dream."
"Yes, Master."
