Shadow of Zero

by Xeno-Freak

Yet another different familiar for Louise fic. FP POV, a former SI reincarnated into a stressful life. Ignorant of the series, how will this would be scholar fare when he realizes he's not the only thing from his old home to crossover?

3. To Find Yourself, To Look To Others

To Find Yourself, To Look To Others.

Shadow of Zero XXI

She stepped down approaching the front desk, and all the nearby students promptly sot cover.

"Give it a try dear." The elder woman encouraged. Sadly she honestly did seem to be hopeful that my student would succeed at making the small pebble into something else.

Louise scrunched up her face in determination, and then bore her eyes into the rock with concentration.

It was at about that time I realized she was going to throw my advice out the window and decided to emulate the example of my peers.

Still I gazed out from my spot of cover, to see the results.

The pebble shook, distorting, then collapsing inward in a manner that seemed vaguely familiar before it suddenly and violently exploded outwards.

Fortunately a tiny simple limestone pebble didn't have much mass to react with, and the dust cloud that kicked up in response was minor, with no real shockwave worth note.

Coughing slightly I rose back up to my seat and prepared a scolding look to my face when I saw it.

It was tiny, just a little thing on the desk, no bigger than thumbtack and well shed of at least half its initial mass.

It was a lump of iron… half molten, lopsided, and riddled with imperfections made up of the original element, but she had actually managed to do it!

I swore if I hadn't been so utterly pissed at the girl I'd have been swelling with pride.

Unfortunately that was not the case.

Mrs. Chevreuse coughed into her hand, waving her hand and staff to help disperse the smoke. "Oh my… I'm sor- oh, what's this now?"

I watched as she reached down and scooped up, the small half iron nugget, carefully in what was mostly likely a fire resistant cloth "Hum, not a complete transformation, but definitely some change." She waved her staff over it, and the misshapen thing began levitating. "Yes… yes! An excellent first try!" she beamed down at the surprised and shocked Louise. "Full marks!"

"No way." The unknown stated… for the sake of conveyance I was just going to term here 'Red' for now. "Zero actually cast a spell?" she asked in shock.

"I did it?" My naughty little master exclaimed with a Lot more shock then I expected. She looked back at me in and seemed confused.

Hadn't she intended that? I would have expected defiant glee at having accomplished a spell I told her she could not do.

All that was on her face was confusion, and maybe, a small trace of fear.

Could it be a false mask? An act to prevent the provocation of my wrath? Unlikely, Louise was still young, she hadn't yet gained the incite to read people's behavior, much less throw up an appropriate act to manipulate them.

To be frank, she was just no good at lying. That meant she hadn't intended to perform the spell that way… and that meant she passably had lost some conscious control on her magic, or at least some subconscious block that regulated what she could or could not manipulate with it.

This… was not good.

I gave her a concerned yet controlled look, and nodded slightly. We would deal with this later.

"Would you like to take another try?" Mrs. Chevreuse asked kindly, she had apparently heard of my master's reputation. She formed another clay orb, though I was a little too distracted to memorize the mechanics of the spell in detail.

Louise looked to me, and I gave a slight shake of my head.

"N-no thank you." She replied, seeming a bit shaken up.

The new teacher looked to Louise and seemed concerned for a moment; there had been no missing the byplay between us, nor the storm of mutters and whispers that had begun among the students. I caught bits, pieces, and noted Tabitha's sharp gaze. People were beginning to suspect my involvement, not seriously, but enough to plant a seed.

My teachings were not yet ready to be spread to the open. It would jeopardize so much, I wasn't ready yet.

Damage control… how? Damn it. Maybe step back on my operations?

No… these things had a tendency to fester. Despite the risk it would be best actually if I stepped things up. For my longer termed plans, I needed ether credibility, or as a backup force of arms. As things stood I had nether.

But I knew how to get both.

"Alright Ms. Vallière." The teacher allowed, and gave me a small smirk. She suspected, no, she Knew. But I didn't think she knew the scale. Disinformation! Why didn't I think of that? It would by me months, maybe years if I did it right.

Hah, score one for team deception!

…Man I really needed to work on my anti darkside regiment. Karma could be a utter bitch at times and I had no intent of getting on the wrong side of a lance any time soon.

Gods damned overzealous marsh loving horsemen…

I fought down the shiver successfully.

Louise quietly made her way to her seat, and took it, leaning back once the number of eyes observing had fallen. "I didn't mean to do that!" she whispered/hissed quickly.

"I know." I replied in a low tone, my voice hollow rather than her own sharp whisper. The human ear had more difficulty differentiating low tones to high ones, with the gossip storm stirred up I had ideal white noise to work with.

"You know?" she asked eyebrow raised skeptic at my statement.

I nodded. "Your reaction. I mean this in the best possible way master, but you're as easy to read as a book." Hopefully the little give would goad her into improving her bluffing skills.

She shot a look at me for that, but I held my expression. "What were you concentrating on when you cast?" I asked.

"Keep it small." She stated, "Don't make too big of an explosion, just put in a little power."

"And how did it Feel?" I asked her further.

She flushed a little, looking down. "I… I just took hold of it, and tried to move them only a little." She explained.

I nodded slowly. "So the transmuting itself was subconscious? You didn't think of it at all?"

"Well…" she was more than a little pink at that point, and I didn't mean her hair.

I relaxed a bit. Good, even if unintentional the magic itself was still under her control, it was simply that her thoughts themselves wasn't under her control. An easy if somewhat taxing fix, concentration exercises. I was going to start her on them regardless tonight. "It's alright… still we should try and work out what spells you're going to be taught in advanced, so we can refine your control some. Just keep the power low, and we'll get you up to speed soon enough." I gave her my best proud smile. "Until then, you did it!" I grinned wide, "First lightning, now earth, that makes you a line mage now doesn't it?" I asked her slyly.

Her eyes shot open at that. Bulging at the unexpected reaction. "What?" she blinked a few times.

"Transmutation, Evocation." I reminded her. "Two disciplines you've started into now. Perhaps not a very skilled one yet, but most definitely a line mage." I stated with a nod, cupping my chin, and again lamenting the lack of a nice spiny goatee.

She blushed again, but this time with a bit of pride. "I… yes.. yes it is." She gave me a grateful smile.

I nodded it off, and looked back to the front of the class. This was an interesting lesson after all. "Remember, to take down your notes." I reminded her.

Out of the corner of my eye, I almost missed 'Red's' curious look in our direction. Almost missed the sly smile forming on her own face.

Yes I almost missed it.

But I didn't.

"Trouble…" I muttered under by breath. The only question now was, what kind?

Shadow of Zero XXII

There had been several more demonstrations of both conjuration and transmutation, after my master's. All of which, now distraction free, I had observed and noted. A blond boy who reminded me far too much of some of the more arrogant elves, had proven rather skilled in both, more so then the majority of his classmates. Fortunately he was also a showboat, drawing out his spells, and doing his best to add 'style' to his spell work.

I got style I really did. Elegance and grace could add a great deal of efficiency to ones spells, the psychological aspects as well could be of tremendous use both to intimidate, and to bolster one's own confidence.

Well when it worked, anyway.

Compared to century old Elven spellswords, brutally animalistic druid barbarians, and mercilessly sadistic drow spider-clerics however… his little added swishes were rather… sloppy.

He wasted movements on drama. Rather than letting the power build with greater force, he only slowed his own spell with the grandiose movements, actually leaking much of the energy he sot to use. He held his posture to provide a more clear visual impression rather than to actually fortify his position, and actually attached pointless overly poetic speeches to his incantations…

Frankly if I had been the boy's teacher, I would have smacked him across the head, and forced drills unto him until he was totally depleted of willpower. Make him know the price of such wastefulness. He had talent, the potential for greatness, but he was wasting it showboating as he was.

The delay in casting however did give me the opening I needed to largely deconstruct the spell work being taught. It would take time to dabble out the fine details, but I believed I could at the least master the basics within the next week.

Hopefully doing so before my Master was once again forced to try and freeform craft true material items!

True conjuration as a beginner's lesson? Utter madness!

There were so many slight oddities to the magic of this world… I was relishing in the opportunity as much as I lamented my own ignorance in their methods. I doubted I could fully replicate the spells they used themselves, but spellcraft was far from an unknown skill to me, and I had no doubt I could make my own versions given opportunity.

When the class ended we rose. Our seating was in the middle of large stepped, group table. The sort commonly used for lectures and performances. It was also the kind, as many with personal experience could attest, that required a great deal of patience, in order to exit from.

We waited for our neighbors to get up and sort themselves from our row, out unto the narrowest stairway, which itself was being flooded by other rows, making the entire thing, one big nice neat mess.

Eventfully, several minutes later we found ourselves outside. I considered just directing my master to a good secluded corner so I could 'hop' us the rest of the way, but disregarded it. I still did not know if this castle had any warding against transportation magic, and I could only pull that trick off so many times a day… it was a handy ace in the whole.

'Red' was waiting for us at the hem of the staircase, unseen through the wall. I slipped into a slightly more guarded posture as we approached, tapping Louise's arm. "Let me take the lead." I spoke softly to her.

Odds are it was a simple childish despite. Something more serious was not likely to be carried out in such a public place, but I still knew not the rules of this land in detail, and there had been a great number of duels in the history books I read… My Master had just proven she had true potential, an old rival who once was happy to simply mock her may now consider her a true potential threat.

When we reached the entrance to the main hallway, 'Red's' eyes met my own, simmering haughty gold, clashing into burning focused red.

I said nothing, I made no aggressive posture, I didn't even linger, I met those oh so surprised eyes…

And unleashed my aura of terror.

Dragons were terrifying creatures. My kin and I inspired dread in many for a number of reasons, we were immortal beasts, were most creatures grew frail in time, we only ever grew stronger. We were large, fast, our senses, keen, and our wit sharp. An arsenal of weapons, both material and mystic was built into our forms, our blood carrying the memories of countless battles to their use.

But it was not that power that had filled men with dread. Men could slay us, ether with numbers, or with the few individuals who held enough skill.

No the thing that held us as the creatures of nightmares was the fear itself that we inspired. Those few few broken survivors to the battles that we waged, even the victors walked away chilled, only those most loved by their gods, so utterly sure of the fate of their souls, could walk away untouched by the miasmatic aura of absolute horror that we could unleash.

It was hard to explain it really. As a human child I had once encountered an untamed dog, a creature that out massed me, bore claw and fang were I did not, and shattered my will with barks loud enough I thought my ears would burst. I image that the fear was something like that. A sort of sudden sharp dread, instantaneous realization that the thing you were staring down could and would slay you as easily as not. That you were helpless, that none could protect you, that the moment those teeth touched your flesh you would only be waiting, hoping, for the end.

I had seen armies driven to sobbing wrecks by elder wyrms. Aged, experienced men, brought to their knees in sudden despair, broken before they had even entered reach of their opponent.

'Red' was a caster, likely a strong one by the way she seemed to all but ooze confidence. She didn't break in the face of the diminished aura. If she had gathered with the others for my little 'light show' I wager she would have remained standing as the mistress Tabitha had.

But that did not mean she was unaffected.

Her lips froze, pupils contracted to points, and her entire body shook as I held those eyes, not breaking stride. Her familiar whimpered and hid behind her legs, it's form ridged and the proud cresting fringe around its neck puffed out to full width as it backed away.

I broke contact, and both my Master and I continued walking past the frozen figure.

And then I stopped as I encountered blue eyes just as cold as my own.

Louise bumped into me, and I grunted to keep balance, I pulled at the warmth still within me, and let a tired smile cross my face. "Hello Tabitha." I greeted.

"You." She stated in the tone she always did, eyes flicking down to her book.

"Me." I completed the small ritual greeting.

She then did something I had never seen her do before. She spoke a complete sentence. "We need to talk." She stated in the same monotone she always did.

Shadow of Zero XXIII

"Master?" I asked quietly, and looked back.

Louise frowned at me. "Familiar…" she said a little uncertainly. I think she wanted me for something, hence the haste to return to her room.

"I will not be long." I offered, glancing to Tabitha for confirmation.

She nodded. "Minutes." She explained.

My little Master focused in on herself, waging an internal debate over priority. She sighed, and looked at me, not truly upset, but not happy ether. "This is going to be a regular thing with you isn't it?" She asked.

I gave a sheepish grin of my own and scratched at the back of my head. "I'm thinking maybe yes?" I dropped the embarrassed look and took things seriously. "You know I'll always be there when you need me."

A spark of something hit behind her eyes. She considered telling me she needed me right then… or all the time, or something to that note.

At least that was my guess, I never did find the details on it, namely as she didn't say whatever it was she was considering.

"Well we agreed you could have your own projects." She stated grudgingly. "But only a few minutes Familiar. I want you in my room before the end of the hour." She informed me as stern as she could.

I grinned at her. "Of course Master." I gave a slight bow. "Ms. Tabitha?" I requested of the stern bluenet.

She turned around and started down the hallway.

I fallowed… apparently she felt the need for more privacy then was available here.

She led me to one of the towers, an unused room that I couldn't quite identify the purpose of it, it was long, tall as the high roofed hallways all were, but else wise completely barren. An unused storage room perhaps?

She rounded and looked at me… well technically she was still reading the book, but I Felt her attention fall onto my form.

"Well." I started. "You wanted to talk? Let's talk." I stated, and considered posting sentries.

"Teaching." She said and pointed to me with her staff.

I blinked. "Yes, we already agreed on how I would help teach Iruk-"

"Not Slyphid." She narrowed down for me.

I raised an eyebrow, "You want lessons?" I asked, paranoia kicking into high gear.

She was not amused. It was hard to get a read off of her, but not impossible, she had a poker face like you wouldn't believe, but at the same time, there were small tells in her posture. Her breath and pulse, the little things the little things that almost anyone would miss.

She gave a more specific answer. "Louise."

I frowned, "I don't see your business in it, but yes. She is my Master, I am obligated to try and assist her where I can." I stated plainly.

She gave a slight downward twitch of the lips, only a millimeter, and only for a second, but it was there. Did Tabitha hold grudge to my master? If so Louise didn't seem to be in on it…

"Slyphid." She stated again. "Secret."

Ah… I understood, she was worried that if I would teach Louise magic I might teach her… other things.

I shook my head. "No. She doesn't know her secret, your secret… she doesn't even know mine yet." I mused. "I've been considering breaking the news of my own nature to her, but your secrets are not mine to tell." Unless I was sufficiently desperate, a man could be driven to do anything given the proper situation after all. It was a lesson I knew well.

She seemed to understand that… or at least except it. "Kirche." She moved onto the next topic.

"Kirche?" I asked, thrown for a bit of a loop. Who was 'Kirche?', I rattled my brain along the rather limited list of names known to this area.

Nope none. I shook my head in confusion. "I… am not sure who that is." I admitted.

This upset her. It upset her enough to openly frown, and display that displeasure to me. Her eyes shot up and the unvoiced command of 'Find Out.' Was sent. I lifted a hand. "Fine fine… I'll ask my master. What about Kirche?"

The frown shifted, and she looked back to her book. "Peace." She stated.

That could mean any number of things… Still I needed this odd relationship with the quite girl to work, for Irukuku's sake if none else. I wasn't about to let a fellow dragon as young as her, be left out to a world that had already brought her kin down to near extermination.

Tabitha was well meaning, but there was only so much a human could do for a young dragon. The lifespan issue alone… it was hard to be a parent to something that would take your entire lifetime to hit their equivalent of mid teens.

I was only barely an adult myself, and I was pushing a hundred and thirty. An adult my the local standard mind you, by the 'modern' rate of the human world of my first life, I couldn't even vote yet.

I had no idea how old Irukuku was, but I was betting around fifty. The start of a dragon's adolescence. She acted like a kid, but was old enough to instinctively use magic, so that put her in around the age of a juvenile.

Unless her family did what the silvers and golds did and taught their offspring shape shifting young.

I couldn't toss that idea out, but it didn't seem right, not an accurate match for what I had seen.

I nodded. "Just with me or my master?" I asked. My best guess on the subtle wording was that the blue haired mage wanted me to broker some sort of none aggression agreement with this 'Kirche'. I had some experience in the field. And despite the nature of our relationship Louise seemed to be deferring to my judgment on most things, likely seeing use in my greater experience. The difficulty would largely depend on this 'Kirche' themselves.

"You." She said eyes flickering up again. "Both… if you can." Another sentence… well a fragment technically, but still more words then she normally used.

She Was trying. I realized… it wasn't just flippancy, or a simple matter of efficiency. She was forcing out every word. Struggling in some internal war to communicate at all.

Maybe my sudden concern showed upon my face, because she locked down further, and what few tells I could read before became blank slate. "Hurry." She stated in monotone, more a bayed command then any plead.

I nodded. "I will." I offered switching to a more practiced relaxed tone. "You should go be with Slyphid for a while. Oh a small thing, that cloth I gave her earlier will fade in time, it's false material, an illusion." I let her know, giving her an opening to change topics.

She nodded, and instead simply made for the door.

I let her pass, face twisting into a grimace as she did.

Damn it, another one. I was a dragon blast it! I wasn't supposed to be helping Damsels…

Shadow of Zero XXIV

Now alone, I shifted gears… Louise needed my presence, and I had wasted more than enough time. I had vetoed the idea before but frankly… yeah, I was tired, annoyed, had a new self imposed mission on my plate, and Louise Needed Me.

I was about two hundred twenty, two hundred thirty yards from our room, well within range.

Shadows creeped across my form, pulling me into them and concealing me from view… then further.

All dragons had a few supernatural tricks in their arsenal, not spells, though most commanded true magic as well, but more… a sort of supernatural inherent ability, like how some snakes could see heat and others spit poison, or how cats land on their feet after even a short fall…

Or how humans could identify the intrinsic patterns of cause and effect.

The ability I was using let me 'hop' short distances instantly, teleport at a good range. Not exactly move anywhere instantly on the planet, but more than enough to give a sudden tactical advantage.

Or shave several minutes of navigating though bustling school hallways as it seemed.

The world went… weird. Like seeing everything fall into the distance in all directions from all directions simultaneously, in less time than it took to blink, then it crashed back in, different, my location now somewhere else, something near, but not quite the same as I was moments ago.

I tingled from that, and repressed a shiver… gods damn it, I don't care what in the nine hells people will tell you, once or a thousand times, you never really get used to teleporting. Ripping yourself from the anchor of your native plane and then flinging yourself through the alien realms, only to violently snap back, ripping brute force through various atmosphere/gravitational pull/laws of physics/states of being-s tended to give one a rather strong sense of disorientation.

And that was assuming you were lucky enough to only end up displacing Air…

You did 'get used to it' enough to not violently throw up from vertigo every time you did it, but the sensation never numbed.

I was still in shadows, the dark part of Louise's room, to the side of her large outfacing window. My bedroll, oh so inviting, lay in a lump to the side. My master sat on her own mattress kicking her feat and staring up at the ceiling.

I watched her for a moment, and felt some part of me relax… curious… I wondered if the feelings were natural, or some part of the familiar bond. I had not yet had much chance to look over our contract in detail yet, the way things were going odds dictated I would not be able to do so for some time. Idly I looked at the marking on my hand, Gandalfer, The left hand of god. What an odd thing to brand on someone. As a title it was a bit grandiose, and I had certainly not done anything to warrant it.

Well maybe that one… no.

I shook my head to clear it. Wariness was clawing at my mind it seemed. "Master?" I asked stepping into view.

She jumped. "Wha! How! I was watching the door for you!" she scowled.

I smirked slightly. "There are a great many tricks to magic Master, not all are as obvious as changing a stone to steel, or calling fire and lighting." I informed her. "You needed me for something?" I asked.

She gave me a sharp look, but ended it with a smile. "Yes… I wanted to talk more about magic." Interesting, magic, not your magic, or 'circle' magic. "You mentioned… eleven circles of magic?" she said a little confused. "then said there were only nine real ones?"

Ah, general education… well I suppose it was natural. She had found success in my teachings, praise in it, it was only natural she'd want more now that she'd had a taste.

"Right." I began, and then looked around for something to sit on. Hum, nothing really, did I want to waste the magic? No, I had enough of a headache from using my dimensional door ability moments ago, "Ok scooch over." I said and walked over for a seat.

She moved, and I popped down with all of the elegance of an elephant slumping down for a nap. "Right." I stated. "First you have to understand where the term circle comes from." I began. "With magic, both in my home realm, and here, spells all seem to have a sort of built in threshold of power to them. A sort of maximum amount of power that you can poor into the mold that forms the spell itself. You can overload them in one of several creative ways, but the results are always inefficient jumbles that never really match up to a spell custom tailored to work with that level of power." I explained. "Now a spell can use this power in several ways, though a simple sharp thrust of energy." I looked at her pointedly. "To a complex array of self supportive and diverse effect." I debated shadow conjuring something… but went against it. Too much effort and I was just too tired for upper level stuff. "It can build up this energy fast, quick but inefficiently, or drag out the casting, ensuring every drop of power go's to a purpose."

She listened with rapt attention, apparently this was ether something not yet covered in her classes, or alien to their spell system, regardless I continued.

"But they all have a glass ceiling just the same." I waved out. "A definite minimum and maximum level of ability. You just can't trigger a third circle spell with the power of a second. Not without some general trick that you can probably apply to a great number of spells. I've heard of a few, but that's the caster changing, not the spell itself. Likewise, even if you dumped enough willpower to fuel a ninth circle spell into a first circle spell, it'd not perform any better than normal. There are again tricks I've heard of that could give it a little boost, but all you'd really be doing is adding bits, remaking a weak spell into a strong one, and like most quick and messy improvisations, an inefficient one at that." I knew many of those tricks myself. They were graceless, costly, crude things… but well when life throws you an ogre, it was better to have a club on hand then a pocket knife.

"Along those lines, there are nine definite levels of spells in my school of magic. Nine glass ceilings one must break through to master every conventional spell that is known." I explained. "I can manage to the fifth reliably, though I am not quite ready to stab at the sixth. Likewise, the few spells I have for fifth circle are straining on me; I can only manage a set number a day without risk to myself, even if I had the raw willpower to fuel more. If I tried to cast too many, I'd fail at best, and backfire the whole thing at the worst." I recalled the first time I had attempted to brute force through my limit of spells I could use in one sitting; I had nearly killed myself with the resulting feedback.

Again some of my discomfort must have shown through, Louise seemed a mix of worried and grim at my listing of the limitations of 'circle' magic. From what I had read, the spells of this land held a simple cost and effect; they didn't overstrain the mage beyond the effort cost to actually cast them. My own school held more strict regulations. You could use your power to fuel numerous low level spells, but the higher in level they were, the more of a toil they cost the body to even channel them. A bit of rest and you could cast again sure, but overcastting was still a danger.

She pursued her lips. "Then… what level am I?" she asked.

"Third. Minimum, likely higher." I stated at once. "That lightning evocation you used was raw, unfocused, not a true spell, and not really useful. Likewise with the transmutation effort. Things like that can get you results, but not reliably, and not with any efficiency, they'll burn you out faster than you can imagine. But to manage something like that in even raw form, you'd need to at least be able to brake third circle, more likely fourth given the fact you did so without any real strain, and my real money would be far beyond even that. As rule of thumb, targeted summons can only call up things roughly three forth's your own power. Unguided summons can call up almost anything, but the binding aspect of a controlled summoning requires the caster to be able to out muscle any innate talent or resistance to magic." I explained.

"Then… I would be above fifth circle?" she asked, recalling my own limits.

I shrugged. "In power yes. I wouldn't try any spells I know of above that level. Evocation's rather simple magic, a good starter for someone with a lot of muscle but little skill." She bristled at that, but accepted the jibe. "Even they get more complex as things expand though, more elements used simultaneously, more finely controlled or intricately shaped effects. Also if you become completely dependent on keeping things simple, you might end up limiting your ability with more refined magic, like illusions, or conjuration." I was [b]not[/b] going to train up just another simple glass cannon. Louise would learn a diverse mix of spells, and she would like them. She could specialize if she felt like it, but I wouldn't allow her to cripple herself on just things that went boom.

She nodded at that "Alright, but you will be teaching me higher circle spells will you not?"

I shrugged. "I can teach you all I know, and help you develop more on your own. Don't worry about the higher level stuff for now. We need to master the basics before anything else. You might have the power to reach the stars, but it'll do you no good if you end up doing so in pieces." I poked her on the nose with a smirk.

She scowled again, "Fine fine… what are the other two then?" she asked.

I slipped back into 'lecture' mode easily enough. "The other two levels of magic are Not of conventional spells." I explained. "The first… well they are and are not normal spells, we call them cantrips, and they really are more along the lines of basic arcane tricks. There's no barrier at all to using them, and if you wanted, you could spend every drop of magic you had casting them and not feel any more strain then going on a brisk walk." I explained and flicked my hand a shower of muti colored sparks coming forth from them. "Simple things. Knowing them didn't even qualify you as an actual magus in my realm. I suppose you could call them the non circle magic."

She nodded, not at all distracted by the sparkles… which was a bit of a shame, as that really was one of my favorite tricks with prestidigitation. "And the other?"

"Ah." I started. "The other… would be tenth circle magic. Epic magic." I began in a sort of reverent yet fearful tone. "I said there were nine levels of conventional magic yes? Nine of mortal magic. Spells that held limits and requirements." I started.

She nodded slowly. I took a deep breath. "Well magic of the Tenth circle isn't quite the same. It has requirements yes, a minimum level of power to cast a level of power that most would never even witness in their lifetime… but there are no limits." I informed in a crisp tone. "With Epic magic men can call forth islands from the sea, or sink others back down to it's depths. They can call an entire flight of king serpents to slay their enemies, or reshape themselves permanently as one of their number."

I shook my head slowly recalling my memories. "Spells to create new life. Crafting True, insouled, fully intelligent beings. Spells to warp time and space, allowing one to reach into their own past, or future. Spells that can do anything within your imagination, anything within your power." My words were a dread whisper. "No… tenth circle magic is not mortal magic. Not really, to those who hold epic magic, reality is a plaything, to reshape, create, or destroy at a whim. It is the domain of godlings, or those who would become them." A thought occurred to me then. How much power truly would it take to summon and bind me? How much to inscribe runes like those on my hand? I don't know how it slipped my mind, but the summoning that had called me was targeted, not random, it had sot me out, called me, brought me forth, and once completed bound me. It had slipped past my recondition at the time, I had first assumed it just a random gate, but the final stage. The runes themselves, had bypassed by innate resistance to magic, my own well of power, my immortal fortitude and well trained willpower… What was my master I questioned, what kind of power would it take to accomplish such a feat?

How powerful exactly was my little master? How strong would she become now that I began this path to her?

The experiment had changed… what would be the results now? What was I unleashing forth unto this world?

I didn't know. Fear warred with likely compulsion addled loyalty, and in the tired state of my mind I felt confusion build within me.

Was I doing the right thing?

Shadow of Zero XXV

I looked to my master, again she was shaken. The idea of such power.

"Regardless." I said at once. "I am only fifth circle, and primarily an illusionist and transmuter, not an evoker. I can teach you a number of tricks, but it'll be some time before you're at even my level, much less above it." I explained.

She scowled slightly at that, but her frame also sagged with relief. A front. Perhaps my master had more potential for deception then I originally suspected… Excellent.

I bit down on that feeling and rent at it. Definitely some sort of mind effecting aspect of this bond. A potent one too, subtler then I expected.

She frowned suddenly. "Illusions? Like that story you told before? Evocation, Conjuration, you speak as if they are all different things." She pursued her lips, despite how she had taken the earlier comments, she was still ready to push forward.

I nodded. "There are several widely excepted 'schools' of magic. Really they are just ways to define a particular type of spell. The spells themselves are all still simple shaped magic, there is no great divide between them outside of function, and to an extent methodology."

I tapped her want. "You are a natural at evocation, quick and dirty combat magic, there isn't much refinement to it, and by it's nature it's cast hard and fast, out of all the schools of magic isn't the most wasteful, but also by far one of the most useful. It's simplicity gives it speed, power, your not wasting time with some big construct, just shove all the power you need into the form of something that'll do what you need. Evokers are prized combatants, and a single skilled mage within the field can fell hundreds of regular troops, or even match an elder wyrm in raw destructive might."

She grimaced at that. "Honestly… I'm not sure how I feel about that." She admitted. "is destruction all it's good for?"

"You need to destroy to create." I reminded her. "Often you need force of arms to protect. Though there are a few none violent uses. Is there anything else you wanted to know about?"

She considered it, and I felt wariness start to crawl upon me once more. All these sudden shocks of adrenaline were giving me what I needed to remain awake, but they were also sapping my will, making me edgy, and I was certain I was missing things I would normally not.

Finally she nodded. "Alright… tell me about illusion." She asked.

I smirked. "Ah, buttering me up with my favorite subject? Well illusion's actually a tricky one, it has three real disciplines all it's own. The one's I've shown you mostly are basic glamers, figments of light and sound, true illusions that are nothing material, just bent light and occasionally sent. You can do taste and touch with them, but it's tricky, you're better off with phantasm's. Phantasms are illusions of the mind, a hallucination you can place upon another, but directed by yourself. Phantasms are the illusions most often used offensively, with the right knack, you can send someone into their wildest dreams… or their deepest waking nightmares." I grimaced at that. "I'm not much good at them myself. Figments come easily though, and as dose the last school. Shadow spells."

I paused at that. "Shadows blur the line. You can't do as much with them, there forms are more… limited. But the flip to that is that they are also more real. To form a shadow illusion you shape shadows themselves into forms, and in doing so make something that's not quite material, but not quite not. It blurs the line between illusion and other magic's. I've actually made a number of spells that utilize shadow magic, as it seems to be my strongest affinity."

That… confused her. "Not quite real, but not quite fake. What do you mean, how does something be not real, but real at the same."

I shrugged at that. "I'm not sure how to better explain it." I eyed her. "You… might do well with illusions. It's always tricky to tell with people. You certainly have the power to pull grand illusions, and I believe you to also possess the intelligence, the force of will to make things seem real. But it's like any other art, some people have a knack, others don't. No after we get hold of your evocation I'd like to move onto a related field. Conjuration."

She nodded. "Calling up earth like in class?"

"Similar… as odd as it sounds the methods of this world actually seem superior to my own." I admitted shamelessly "Most arcane creation in my world is temporary; magic pulled into a shape and bound to it for a limited bit of time, no more. The people here somehow actually call up true earth and steel. I'm not sure of the tradeoffs, yet though, and will have to study the subject in more depth before I determine what would be best for you."

She frowned at that, "Can't you just teach me the basics of your style?" she asked.

"I could." I said. "But it might not be for the best. You can pick up bad habits when learning magic, walking down one path makes it hard to walk another. I've been learning magic for over a hundred years, and I'm still only a fifth circle magus because I keep falling back to relearn the basics of other styles. It makes me a good teacher yes, I know more within my range of ability then most mages could ever claim, but if I had just focused on getting stronger, I could be seventh circle by now. Maybe eighth." I yawned.

She raised an eyebrow at that.

"Long night." I explained. "I was up reading most of it. Still need to catch up on the local history. Arcane theory's going fast, but I'm still behind." I gave an apologetic look. "I guess really, it comes down to one thing… what do you want with magic Louise? What do you need with it? Power? Recognition? Do you learn because you want to, or because you have to? I could make you the strongest mage in this land given time, but is that really what you want?"

I slumped a bit further back onto the mattress, throwing my arms back to support me… soft. Very soft in truth, you wouldn't expect it by structure of the place or the appearance, but this was a better mattress then I normally slept on.

"I… don't really know." Again she admitted, my questions had tugged at her. Gods she was still so young. This world was so spoiled. No horrors in the dark, no mad alchemists hunting you for your blood, or demons questing for your soul. So much power into one still so innocent. Would it corrupt her? Or would she use it nobly? Would she even strive to fully command it? Or unlock all of its potential?

I sunk a little lower. "It's fine… your still young." I stated, closing my eyes for a moment, just needed to rest them. The situation was… not as dire as it seemed. She had power, but so did a lot of others. Training her would help her get a handle on it; insure she didn't blow up some city by accident. "We have a lot of time to work out your goals, even more to work out how to accomplish them."

If nothing else there were countermeasures. Siesta would grow fast, I could feel it. Weather Louise went mad with power or chose to stagnate or forsake most of it; I could see to it that my other pupil would grow strong enough to fill the void.

Louse said something else, I didn't quite catch it, arms slumping slightly as I sank into the soft warmth of the blanket, mind wary of all its tasks.

Silence… then sounds.

Kirche. Forgot to ask about Kirche.

Didn't matter, could ask in the morning.

Tired… sleep.

Sleep.

Shadow of Zero XXVI

When my eyes opened, it was to the slight sound of the door opening.

Burgundy eyes tracked lazily out over towards the blob of pink and black slipping through the doorway. I made no real sound as the door shut behind her. Hum… what was she up to?

I felt for, more then looked at the position of the shadows out along the walls and floors, measuring the time past by it. Almost five. At least I hadn't overslept then.

Rising up, a rather nice, heavy comforter slipped off me, and I blinked down at myself. Ok, falling sleep, then being tucked in by my master at the edge of her own bed was rather embarrassing. Though it helped a bit with the moral debate I was still not entirely sure of.

Rising up, and renewing the magic that let me maintain this form again, I slipped out behind her, fallowing in shadows. Now just where was my little master going?

We walked down the halls, and I fell into step, noting the comings and goings. Not many people moving around at all at this time.

Louise seemed… nervous. She clutched at something hidden in front of her. It smelled of paper and fresh ink, a letter was my best guess… but to whom? And for what purpose?

We were around halfway down one of the branching hallways that connected the outer towers to the main, when we ran into trouble.

'Red'.

The curvaceous, golden eyed lass, was walking down the hallway opposite to my master. At once the urge to show myself and offer support surged up.

I crushed it down.

I needed to use this, to measure it. To get a feel of how my master reacted to stress without me to play guardsman… and to see how strong this geas was in how it affected me.

Louise froze. I heard her heart skip a beat, and her hands clenched in sudden fear/anxiety.

The urge to step in surged again, stronger. I beat it back and locked down on my emotions in general, delving into that empty detached place were none of them really registered. Logic came to the foreground and I began analyzing. Louise showed a mixture of shock, anger, triumph, and fear. The standard for anyone who had to face there bully after gaining a new advantage.

How would she act on it though?

Red was a little off balance, as well, though she hid it far better than my master, an almost perfect poker face.

Well almost perfect. She was anxious, curious, and cautious. Something had her ill at ease, and most definitely not ready for this in counter so soon after our last. Really, what was with this school that so many of the students could hide their emotions so well at the drop of a hat? It was like being back at Menzoberranzan, only with less outright backstabbing, and actual warm real smiles mixed in with all the cold fake ones.

"Ah, Louise." Red started, in a mocking tone. "Finally managed a spell, have we?" The jousting began.

"What do you want Kirche?" Louise all but spat.

Red alert! Subject has been identified! This… was not good. Kirche. Tabitha's Kirche. The one I was supposed to make friendly with, was apparently one of my master's bullies.

Oh this was just Lovely.

Well experiment over, now I just had to wait for the right opening to make my entrance.

"Just curious." Kirche replied, with the subtle tone of amusement, her confidence reasserting itself. "Never once have you managed even a marginal success, and suddenly your summoning elves, and transmuting iron… unless one perhaps lead to another?" She jibed.

Louise went on the defensive. I had never told her to keep our lessons secret, but with my hushed tones, and cautious mannerisms I seem to have more than implied it. "What do you mean by that?" She asked with false bravado.

Kirche wasn't falling for it, and a hint of a victorious smirk crossed the edge of her lips. "It's a nice trick, all in all. You make an explosion for cover, then he casts the spell. It would be difficulty at a range like that, but still more than enough to bolster 'Louise the Zero' wouldn't it?" she asked in a tone a pure mix of accusation and smugness.

It shot right over Louise's head. "What?" She asked, before her mind put two and two together. "You… you think I faked it!" She asked in disbelief.

That… actually surprised me too. I did not see that one coming. The question as now how to act on it?

"I'm really only curious as to how you keep an elf in your service. Do you pay it? Or perhaps there are… other ways you are keeping him on a leash." This time the implied insult was as obvious as day break.

Louise recoiled. "What!" Her eyes burnt. "How… how dare you!" she reached for her wand.

"Come now master… I'm not that poor a catch am I?" I asked stepping forth from the shadows, approaching the pink haired mage, and interrupting the fight. My eyes flickered to meet shocked gold ones, not even bothering to turn to face there owners. "And Kirche… I've hardly met you." I shook my head. "And already such a poor impression. Freezing like that, and then insulting my master in front of my face?" Tricky work here, supportive to Louise, with out to insulting, I needed the redhead knocked off balance, not enraged. "One would almost think you are intimidated." That should do it, I raised an eyebrow and openly smirked in amusement.

"Familiar!" My master called in shock. "What are you?"

"It's alright master." I interrupted her. "I know you wished me to rest. But I had an idea for our next magic lesson and thought I should take it up with you." I explained casually. Throwing such things to the open was anemia to me, but I could work with it. A lizard could shed their tail to stave off a predator, and I was more than willing to take such lessons to heart.

She blinked. "You did?" she asked.

Kirche seemed a little unbalanced by this, but recovered quickly. "Come now, you expect me to believe that you're Teaching her?" She asked, now addressing me.

I sighed. "Honestly I don't really care what you believe." Really more people should learn to lie with a straight face; I would grow board without competition. Almost regretfully I turned to face the slightly taller woman. "My master needed a teacher in magic's, and so the ritual summoned me." The familiar ritual of this land called a creature that both represented there master, and fulfilled their needs, this I had uncovered in my reading. "What has me curious… is your implication on the nature of our relationship. Was that a tinge of jealousy I detected in your voice?" I asked still playing up the sly rogue.

She blushed. Not much, just a tiny bit of color across the cheeks, but enough to tell me I hit paydirt.

I wasn't the only one to notice it. Louise grabbed my arm and stared down at Kirche. "Well was it? My familiar asked you a question Zerbst." She stated, rubbing it in a bit far.

Time for a bit of damage control. "Oh it's fine Master." I said politely. "It has been some time since I've been in the company of a lovely young woman."

I caught some trouble for that, as Louise shot me an absolutely betrayed look, and Kirche recovered her footing. The redhead shot me an absolutely smoldering gaze, the same one I had known she would have since I first saw her. "Oh have you now?"

"Well enough that such things are flattering. I fear I'm rather busy as of late however." I shook my head. "I doubt I could give you the time a lady of nobility demands."

"Suffer hard under her then?" She asked sending a vicious look at Louise.

"He does not!" she shot back harshly, but shot me a worried look.

I shook my head. "Not at all. Louise has been a very kind master to me, far better than most I have served under. She has also been a most attentive student. Honestly I'm not sure what is wrong with the teachers here, that they could not find grasp in such great potential." The praise did seem to bolster her a bit.

It threw Kirche off her game again however, and she looked at me in confusion. "How then do you not have time? Am I simply not worth the effort?" she seemed almost… hurt, at that.

Again, the ball go's across the court. "No no, far from it, it's simply that this land is so strange to me. Your people haven't even heard of Drow Elves. The land, the history, the magic and the people. All of it is oh so new to me. I find myself struggling just to catch up." Hum, I was actually getting some real catharsis out of this.

A squeeze on my arm, and I looked down to Louise's bright pink eyes. A far brighter shade then my own burgundy red. I offered a smile. "I don't regret it. Really. This summoning was a gift to me. As strange as this land is… it is so much kinder then my own." Unless I remade it into the war torn ruin of my own homeland.

That wouldn't happen. The situation was different there. Different forces, different people. War of man against man was one thing; war against an entire world of mythic beasts and monsters was another.

Kirche… drew back a bit at that, a flash of guilt playing over her. I didn't look at her when it happened, didn't let her know I had seen that bit of vulnerability, before I turned my gaze back up at her and smiled my most charming grin. "Perhaps when I have some free time?" I asked her, looking back at Louise. "You don't need me looking after you all the time." I reminded with an affectionate poke on the nose. "Hopefully, including my arm." I added slyly.

It was let go with a snap, and both ladies were rather red.

"W-well then!" Kirche stated, regaining as much composure as she could, at the rather public affection. "I had best leave you to whatever it is you are after." She stated, and started quickly past us.

"Oh" She stated, and looked at me pointedly in lack of a title. "And as to your question… I'll consider it." She stated with an absolutely seductive look.

Dirty old man. Dirty, dirty old man. Well there just went my shot at a good afterlife, off to the special hell with me. I sighed. "So that was Kirche." I mused looking at Louise.

She nodded a bit quickly, still a little red in the face.

"I wonder what her story is." I mused, and then started down the hallway Louise had started, sparking my master back into action as she started up, and quickly retook the lead.

She scowled. "Who cares? And what was all that about her being a 'lovely young woman'?" she asked irritated.

"I'm in no hurry to make enemies. One of the easiest ways to complement a woman, is to let her know you find her attractive. It makes them think they have power over you." I explained.

She rolled her eyes. "I doubt that lesson will do me much good."

"It should." I stated warningly. "You will be a powerful sorceress in short time. Men will seek their way into your good graces vea such tactics." I frowned. "Perhaps we should have let the idea of us being lovers fester. It would at least intimidate such advances, with elves the dread figures they are here."

She gave me a smack on the shoulder for that. But never the less smiled as she turned her head.

Well this was off to a promising start.

Shadow of Zero XXVII

We walked down to the main tower, me back in my regular place slightly behind and to the side of Louise, ready to step in if anything should warrant my interference. "What is the story with you two anyway? I got the feeling that you have a bit of history." I started off.

She frowned. "We are traditional enemies." She explained. "The Vallière family has held a fierce rivalry with the Zerbsts since one of them ran away with a Vallière fiancée." She explained.

"Ah." I nodded. "This is a major offense then? Or more a minor insult." I questioned.

She pursued her lips. "Duels have been fought over less. But it has not come to blood. Mostly due to political issues. The Zerbst live in Germania, while we Vallière live here in Tristan. If we were to challenge them for satisfaction."

"You could elevate the levels of hostilities between both nations." I finished for her. "And my reading tells me Germania is a much larger, more militarily powerful nation." I summarized grimly.

She seemed annoyed at my interruption but allowed it. "Exactly. Treason in all but name. The Vallière are patriotic, as any noble family should be." She informed with a nod.

That brought back a memory of her quoting her mother. "Military?" I questioned her with a raised eyebrow.

She unexpectedly flushed. "Some." She looked down.

"Well it will not do for my master to have an enemy within arm's reach." I mused. "So we'll have to do something about this feud."

Her response was to snap to surprised indigence almost instantly, before rolling her eyes and sighing. "I shouldn't be surprised. Really I shouldn't." she stated.

I all but ignored the comment. "Right well with direct action vetoed, that leaves us two primary options." I explained, "The first is simple enough, we do as they did, and indirectly find satisfaction. This is rather petty however, and if anything may escalate further hostilities." I shook my head. "Not the ideal choice."

Seeing I would not be stopped by this Louise lent an ear. She frowned. "Then what is the second option?"

"Ah." I started hesitantly. "That one is… trickier. Though potently the more rewarding. We end the feud… by making peace between family's. Perhaps in time an alliance" I stated.

"An alliance." She deadpanned, then eyed me for a moment, then smacked the side of my head. "Are you mad!"

I winced, and rubbed at the side of my head. "Ouch… And no. Think of it more over the long view. We could gain reparations from them, eliminate the political risk, heck if anything it might strengthen Tristan's bond with Germania, helping Tristan's relation with its Neighbor."

She scowled. "That still doesn't explain how we regain satisfaction! Much less how you plan on actually doing this." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh that's simple." I explained. "Kirche herself." I started with a devilish smirk. "We turn her." I elaborated "Befriend, and coerce her to someone a little more your point of view." I gave a slight wave of my hand as I continued. "And then she go's in as our inside woman. Turning the general view of her family to one more sympathetic of the Vallière name. Make them See the value of trying to regain a place within your good graces, and with that a rush to make amends for any slight inflicted, and then some upon you." You didn't spend time among the Drow without learning how to play politics. Xanatos gambits were bread and butter of the underdark.

She frowned, picking at my logic in her head. "And how do we do that?"

"Kirche herself will be easy." I started. "She seems friendly enough, and by her behavior isn't really taking this grudge of yours seriously. Even without my assistance you could likely befriend her given time."

Louise looked a little sickened by that, but swallowed it. "Alright. And the reason they would want our good favor?"

"Your good favor." I specified. "Louise, at the moment, you are the only sorceress of my style of magic in the land. You must understand the value of that. While it's true that most magic I use can be replicated to some extend or another by the local disciplines, several things very likely cannot, and at the very least, you will be able to reach heights of raw power few, if any others here ever could. You will have several abilities no other noble will have. That puts your family in an unbelievably powerful position in a magiocrocy such as this. Half the reason I have been so secretive with your lessons is simply to prevent your potential assassination as a threat to the throne!"

She jerked back as if stung. "What! Never! I would never conspire against Her Majesty!"

Well that was a bit of a relief. I wasn't sure I was up to pulling off a coup. I nodded slowly. "But others might still view you as a threat. Hence why we are masking your new skill in magic as simply a more exotic take on the local branches. And why you will not be revealing any higher level spells I teach you unless absolutely necessary." I warned her. "If you want to throw around lightning once you've mastered it, which is fine. People will confuse it with some sort of strange fire." The two forms of energy were rather similar after all, more ignorance cultures often called them one and the same. "But nothing too far above square level, or to strange to the local magics." That would limit my own casting ability to an extent, but I was given a limited pass with the whole 'elf' thing. Still I would need to be cautious.

Louise wasn't happy again… oddly she was surprised. "Only Square? You think I can do square level magic?" she asked.

"Third circle." I reminded her. "That's near triangle rank, I remind you. It's not too far off your mark. I estimate you'll be capable of it in less than a year's time."

She was a bit stunned, I suppose it never really registered with her, just how powerful she really was in her own cultures terms.

She shook it free. "Well if I am hiding myself how do we use it?"

"Hiding for now." I corrected. "Given time, you'll be strong enough, and to well connected to just dispose of. Then you can make your full power known… until then, you can just use me." I offered. "I am not too dissimilar from the local elves. You can use the frightening reputation that they bare, as your own tool. You are my master. That by default, should give you no small amount of respect."

She mused on that. "That is true…" she commented. Then stopped by a large door at the end of the hall. "Alright. How do we start this?" she asked me.

I felt the grin tug at my lips. "Ah, my master, that is the easy part."

Shadow of Zero XXVIII

We entered a room with an intricate set of numbered boxes, set into the walls in rows upon rows. I could feel the magic of it, a slight taste really, not on par with some of the locations in the academy in potency maybe, but fresh. Louise immediately set out to one, tapping it with her wand.

I tilted my head as the box swung open. A personal lock box? Keyed to ether the wand or the mage who owned it? Expensive, but on second thought it had only seemed practical. This school was by and far one of the most prestigious, the children of many a political enemy would all be schooling here, and intercepted messages from parent to child could hold vital secrets. Well if it was in fact a mail room. It seemed best to confirm that.

"Sending a letter to your parents?" I guessed.

She paused. "Sister." She explained then sealed the door and gave it another tap.

"Ah." I stated fondly. "Older or younger?"

"Older." She gave me a slightly curious look, a bit defensive. Oh my poor master I must teach you to hide your emotions better.

I gave a knowing look. "Annoyingly intrusive, or smotheringly affectionate?" Siblings only ever existed to annoy, but they were also sometimes ones strongest bonds, and of the few people you could count on… if you were lucky enough.

I made room for my master to pass and she started back out into the hallway.

While she did so she gave me an answer. "I wouldn't say she is smothering… just…"

My look softened. "She cares a great deal about you." And it seemed my master was one of those lucky individuals.

She nodded, and seemed a bit saddened. "I worry about her. She is always in such terrible health." She informed me. It was in that resolved, yet utterly unhappy tone that only one who bore the suffering of another could use.

That… brought up something else in me. Bad health? I could help with that. "Is there nothing that the water mages can do?" I asked curiously.

"They do." She explained. "The sickness… well." She slumped her shoulders slightly.

That settled it.

"When is the next brake in school?" I questioned her.

"What?" Louise asked blinking as she looked at me.

"It occurs to me." I began. "I have not yet met your family. If I am to be working on a political agenda featuring them, it would be best if I did." I stated very seriously.

She watched me for a moment. "No." She said slowly, drawing out the word.

I blinked. "No?"

"No." she stated. "That's not why you want to go." She explained.

Ah fiddlesticks. I know that I was obvious there but I didn't think she would catch it. My master was many things, but skilled at verbal byplay was not one of them. Still it gave me a bit of hope that she was developing some skill in that field.

I looked at her, and then responded with a bit more honestly. "It is a reason I would find it useful to go."

"And the others?" She pressed, a passionate fire lit behind her eyes, almost a desperate one. I had seen that flame before. The last time it was in orbs a deeper shade but…

"I don't want to get your hopes up." I admitted, and almost gave the entire thing up then and there. With even that she could-

"You think you can help Cattleya!" She stated wide eyed.

I winced. "Maybe." I stated.

"Maybe." She repeated in a whisper. "Some spell?" she guessed. "Some strange magic from your homeland?"

I nodded. "We became very good at curing most diseases, it's normally a magic reserved for divine magic users, but- " she cut me off again.

"You know it." She said again, and then all but seized me by the lapels of my outer shirt. "Teach me." She ordered.

I placed both hands on her wrists, and gave a slight pull to have her free me. "It's not that easy." I began. "For one thing, the spell only cleanses the body of illness; it does not render one resistant or immune. If your sister simply has a frail constitution then she could become ill again."

Louise frowned, but bore her eyes into me with a searing intensity. Her hands did not budge an inch. "Then I will have to be there to cure it. Can you teach me."

I frowned. "Not easily." She made to protest and I cut her off. "The spell takes meticulous control, and elaborate knowledge of anatomy. There is reason why it's normally only used by those who call to higher powers to shape there spells. I could teach you it's use, but even with your talent it will take Years to develop to that level Louise." I think the use of her name was what seemed to snap her out of it.

She let me go. She seemed stiff of limb, likely feeling a bit numb from the sudden emotional roller coaster. "But you can help her?" she all but pleaded.

"In the short term." I started. "The long term… maybe. If all else fails… I know a few tricks." It would be costly, but I knew of a few things that could cover for such weaknesses. All carried the risk of dependence however, she would become reliant on my gift, and I do not believe Louise would wish such a thing for her sister if given any other option.

My master took a steadying breath, and came upon me with a sudden strength. Some indefinable presence welling from within. "How many years will it take to teach me this spell?" she asked of me firmly.

"At our current rate… five. Well more four, but that doesn't include typical allowances for chance." I gave her the rough estimate. I knew she had talent, that she had power, but you could only push so much on ether alone. Healing was the most difficult task for 'circle' magic. Few ever picked up the basics, and this was a third ranked spell of its own right. I myself only knew it do to its shear value in use, and the fact I had a biological 'cheat sheet' to help me learn such magics much more easily than most.

She scowled. "Unacceptable! What if I was to forgo training on the other parts? What if we spent more time each night?"

"Then it would take ten." I halted her in her tracks. "Learning other types of magic is a good way to learn control, if you give that up, then you'll lose a lot of practice. Likewise exhausting yourself will cost you more time. There's no rush. Cattleya has made it fine until now. When we next get a break, we'll see what I can do, then we can see from there what more must be done." Another task, but this one I would take without grief. If nothing else it might offer me a slight reprieve.

She scowled at that, "I could just take the next few days off." She stated.

"And the days after that?" I questioned. "You need to finish your schooling. I doubt your sister would want you to sacrifice your chance here for her sake."

Stubborn as a mule she put her foot down. "It's my choice."

"And My spell." I reminded her. "Sleep on it." I bayed her. "Think it over. The Day of Void is approaching soon, and I know a few tricks to move long distances fast. Wait until then at least."

She built up her fury at me for a moment, angered at my refusal. Frankly I saw where she was coming from. But I had to take the long view of this. "Just a few days." I stated. "Day of void, come hell or high water, if you bid me, I will take you to your home, and see to your sister. Until then Work." I stated giving her a poke on the nose. "We have much to do here. The plan with Kirche, your studies alongside my own. Be angry if you must, but I am your familiar. My duty is to you, not to your orders."

She growled slightly, "This isn't over." She let out warningly.

"I know." I responded honestly… "Come, let's go to the kitchen and get you something to eat. I think we've already missed dinner."

Though still upset she fallowed.

Now just what was it I felt I was forgetting?

Shadow of Zero XXIX

We were just walking through the door when I realized what I had been forgetting.

The Time.

Dark gray eyes, almost black in color, sot out my own and brightened for a moment, before a quick mask of indignant anger surfaced. "Mr. Moxt." Siesta bowed.

Louise almost stormed in behind me. "You know normal familiars would just go and get there master's food for them." She informed me.

Siesta looked shocked for a moment, and then turned from her to me, looking confused.

I gave her a slight nod, "Siesta." and then looked to Louise, "True, but I've been here for three days now. You enjoyed that omelet I made you, but I'm still not certain on your taste for things." I explained

She frowned, but accepted it, keeping herself drawn up. "Very well." My but she was hamming up the regal act here. Did she feel the need to empress the servants? She considered her choices.

"Might I recommend a personal favorite?" I offered. "It's known as a Chicken Caesar." I began. "Salad, with dressing, croutons, and sprinkled with small portions of bacon, prepared with small cooked strips of chicken." I described. "It's a nice light meal, but still offers enough energy vea the dressing and meat, to give a good bit of energy." I explained quickly.

She pursued her lips at that. "I've never heard of that."

It didn't surprise me, a lot of the meals I knew from my first life were unheard of in my last home as well. I had even made money at times as an 'exotic chief.' Though not a particularly good one. I had been out completed with my own recipes in less than a weak in Silverymoon. In the end the only way to make money was to just outright sell the secrets behind the meals and take what gold I could from the royal chiefs egger provisioners.

"It was a popular meal among upper crust casters of my homeland." I explained, and it was true even. Well once I had made it so. Hamburgers were slightly more popular, but those took more time to make from scratch, best save them for a rainy day.

She nodded, and then pursed her lips. "If you were going to prepare a meal anyway then why bring me here?"

"Appetizers." I responded. "I know which fruits you like, but life it not always about sweet things."

She rolled her eyes. "Bread, brie, and milk. The good kind." She informed me.

I offered a playful smile and slight bow. "As you wish my Master." Rising up I set out to gather the appropriate, noting that the servants had gotten back to work for the most part. "You really should get in better touch with the castle staff though Master. It is no wiser to alienate yourself from who serve you, any more then it is to do so to those you serve." I reminded.

She rolled her eyes at that. "Again with this?" She asked.

"Commoners have more power then you suspect. They might not be able to do sorcery, but they can still do anything without innate magic… including using magic artifacts." I reminded as I found the bread and took a small loaf. "There were several highly effective disciplines of combat that could shut down a mage where I came from. If not else, just because one wields magic, does not make them any less susceptible to poison or a knife in the back."

Louise shot me a look at that, eyes glancing to the various servants.

I continued unhindered. "If nothing else, then as a Lady of nobility, then do you not hold duty to uphold yourself to the standards of nobility? To watch over those who you act as lord of? The word Lord is in relation to that of Leader I remind you." Well it was in most languages, from what I had seen the base language of this area was not too dissimilar from Latin, and it was the case there.

Other servants were now paying attention now. I took the opportunity to find a small roll of brie, and cut a slice.

She considered that. "I suppose so…" she commented.

"Good!" I chimed, as I arranged the two items. Hunting down the milk by sent more than anything. "You know you really should consider taking on a personal servant." I commented.

Siesta froze.

I continued. "I am too busy with arcane study to really do many of the tasks a familiar is normally able. And given that I believe I'll soon be turning profit in a few ventures I'm working on, I would be more than willing to shoulder the price of upkeep for one doing the duties I would normally be assigned." I explained.

Now this Louise was considering much more readily. I was suspecting she had been hurting a little from my absence for most simple chores. She put a hand to her chin. "You would take care of the price of this?" she questioned.

Considering I would soon be learning how to make solid gold from dirt, I was fairly confident I could recoup the prices. If nothing else, one always had to spent a little to make an investment, and the odds that we might be moving closer to Louise's family soon demanded I take action.

Irukuku I could reach vea other methods. With her fortunately I had no need to maintain this cover identity.

I nodded. "The advantage of my independence master." I explained. "I have resources of my own… gold is still an excepted currency is it not?" I questioned, as I found the milk pouring her a tall glass, then setting the whole thing before her.

She nodded. "Resources… Ah! Like that bag." She stated recalling my handy haversack.

I nodded. "Dimensional storage is an interesting art. A bit fickle in some ways, and fragile in others, but far too useful to not utilize. I'm actually thinking of making a sale of the techniques in its creation to the local guilds once I get the opportunity." The odds that it would likely require a 'circle' style caster to create them only added to the opportunity there on a personal level.

She raised an eyebrow. "How much do you have in that thing?" she questioned.

I smirked as a reply, and then set to work on the actual meal itself.

She rolled her eyes, and started into her snack, and considered it. "Alright." She said between bites. "What were you thinking?" she took a knife and started applying the cheese to the bread.

"For the most part just someone to help me see to your needs." I started. "But also someone you could keep closer. A confidant." I explained. "It seems we might be doing a great deal of traveling in the future. And I am not the best of company" I admitted.

Siesta was paying close attention to my words, freezing for a moment when I mentioned travel.

Louise frowned at that. "It would make things easier… but they would have to be able to take care of themselves."

"It's not too hard to teach someone the basics for living on the road." I waved it away. "If defense is your concern, well… I do know my way around a sword with some decency. And both of us are casters." I reminded her.

She pursued her lips at that, and then nodded. "I suppose that's wise, enough." She returned her attention largely to her meal.

"You'll be leaving soon Mr. Moxt?" Siesta asked concerned.

I nodded. "So it seems." I mused. "I fear our lessons might come to an end soon."

Louise frowned. "Well then why not bring her?" she asked. "You want to hire a servant? This Maid…" she hunted for a name.

"Siesta." I replied.

"Siesta." She continued. "Is a friend of yours. She seems competent enough."

I didn't smirk, I didn't. "Well I wouldn't want to drag her away from her job here at the castle." I started.

"No no!" Siesta said. "I'd love to go! I know Mr. Moxt is a fine man, and would be a good employer."

Louise maid to interrupt but I cut her off. "Are you certain? It could be rather dangerous at times. Highwaymen and all that."

Again she tried but again was interrupted, this time by Siesta. "I'm sure we will be fine. After all, though strange, you are an elf. Who would dare try to rob and elf?"

Louise was growing frustrated I could see, but frankly it was too much fun to stop now. "Well then we'll have to work out a proper wage for you." I mused. "I suppose we can waive the training fee for the added difficulty in working on the road."

"Will we be traveling much?" Siesta asked a little concerned, and stopping the pink haired mage before she could even open her mouth, inflicting a full eye twitch upon her.

"Regularly." I began. "Though from my understanding it will be more a commute then anything. Moving regularly from the castle to my master's homestead." I explained in further detail.

"Oh my!" she stated. "Has something happened at her home?" she asked in genuine concern.

Louise threw up her hands and gave it up as a bad job, focusing on eating and just listening in with an irritated look on her face.

"It's more of a private matter." I stated quietly. "I can explain more if you decide to take the job."

She considered it, giving a cute little hum as she did. "Well it sounds alright." She admitted. "So long as I can keep at a reasonable wage."

I nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem." I finished quickly.

She beamed. "Then I would be happy to accept such an offer Mr. Moxt!"

Louise made a sound.

I turned to face her. "Yes master?" I asked.

"Chicken's burning." She informed me.

I blinked, sniffed the air and twisted to see the chicken was in fact burning.

Letting out a squawk of surprise and shock I swiftly went to work saving what I could, ignoring the variable aura of smug behind me.

Shadow of Zero XXX

It didn't take much time to put together a chicken caesar, not if you knew what you knew what you were doing. The cuts were thin and chicken was far from the densest of meats.

The first batch was dead, not inedible, but not up to the standards I would ever serve to even a temporary superior. Me and Siesta snacked on them and chatted over the fine points of the verbal contract between us, the mild char giving it a delightful crunch to my own pallet… Siesta… did not seem to be of the same opinion given her tendency to scrape off the black bits before eating the rest.

Humans, even having once been one I still didn't fully understand why they were so picky about what they ate. Bah, if they didn't want to enjoy the occasional chunk of iron with their poultry, there loss.

I had to mix up the salad dressing myself, but at this point I was long used to that. The bacon was easy, they already had cut strips in the ice box and Siesta went and retrieved some for me.

Hand cleaned with another application of prestidigitation, I crushed up two croutons upon the salad itself, before picking apart the now cooked bacon strips into the mix, and applying a generous amount of the creamy dressing. I left Siesta to toss it as I went to retrieve the chicken out of the pan.

Retrieving the thinly sliced meat, I placed it onto the salad a moment after the Maid had made a plate of it, presenting it to my master with an eerie coordination considering the little time we had worked together.

Louise blinked. I'm not sure if she was impressed, unnerved, or just outright confused by the little display.

"Well." I stated, snatching out a fork and offering it. "You going to try it or not?"

Cautiously she took the utensil, and started at the dish.

I think it was the dressing that did it really. She lit right up, eyes wide. "mish if 'ood!" she got out around bites.

I grinned, and then started with the next bit of meat. Still had enough salad to feed around three others.

"So what are you planning on doing to for the Evaluation Fair?" Siesta asked.

"Evaluation Fair?" I questioned, and glanced over at my master for explanation

Louise colored and focused far more heavily on her meal.

"The Evaluation Fair is a presentation of familiars." Siesta explained to me. "It's a tradition the students have. I think it's required too." She guessed though she sounded a little unsure. "It starts up soon; I thought you would have begun preparing by now."

Louise pointedly did not look at me.

"On the day of the Void?" I questioned, Siesta. "Exactly what kind of presentation are we talking about? A quick overview, or would I be expected to demonstrate my capabilities?" I added as inquiry.

She paused at that thinking, making another plate, as I lifted up the next set of slices. "No. I think it's on the next day of Water. The student's get a bit excited because they get to miss a class for it." She paused on my second question, "And yes, I've seen some of the students training for it."

I frowned, arranging the meat once more, and then setting the next dish before her, setting down yet more cuts, even as I sliced them. "I've heard nothing about this. Well I suppose it's logical. The Familiar is supposed to represent the master as much as meet there needs. Showing off your own would be a good way to boast one's ability, and demonstrating the ability to command would demonstrate further command over one's own power." I mused; really this version of the familiar bond was interesting. There didn't seem to be quite as many side benefits, but the ritual bonding itself was far more elaborate, providing a much closer pact partner. Then again that could just be due to the smaller relative distance between master and familiar, even in my home land, stronger familiars didn't tend to 'buff up' as much as weaker ones, only being slightly more powerful in net total do to their origins. Binding some creature that already had innate magics just took more power to do, and you over all had less over to augment their abilities, its why most stuck to the simpler method of simple animals?

Not to say that a powerful base didn't lead to a powerful familiar. I was poof enough of that, we just didn't need as much magic to bring up to the standard.

Siesta looked somewhat interested at that. "It does?"

Louise seemed to think likewise, though with her face stuffed, she didn't get out the same question.

I sighed, and nodded. "Yes, yes it does." Really, it wasn't that much of a jump of logic. "So then I am to make a bit of a show of myself? Interesting… I suppose I could always sling a spell or two of my own. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to ham up things in front of an audience. Maybe turn a random bystander in the audience into a newt or something."

"Gerk!" Louise choked at that.

"It wouldn't be permanent." I assured her.

She seemed to relax a little but seemed still quite wary.

"I'd change them back afterwards." I explained.

She made the sound again.

I smirked. "Really. The spell itself is quite harmless… well so long as you're not squished or the like in your stay. I've even used it beneficially before. Turned a man dying of a rather harsh stab wound into a starfish so he could heal up, and aided star-crossed lovers deal with small issues like incompatible lifespan or species." I mused whimsically. "Not something to do lightly of course if you're not planning on reversing it, but hardly dangerous in and of itself."

Siesta was wide eyed, and looking at me much as how I would look at one of my older, larger, and much more powerful brethren.

I raised an eyebrow in response. "What?"

"Nothing!" she said quickly.

Louise filled in the gap. "Your magic really is different though. I've never heard of human transfiguration." She explained.

I thought on it. "I noticed. I think it's mostly a philosophical thing. Your people treat it more like it's a simple force, it commands elemental powers and that's all there really is to it. Fire is hot, things fall when dropped, magic turns rocks into gold." A very simplistic approach, very primal, and there was value in some of the things they had developed from that base. They had pushed raw ability of magic to manipulate substance to unbelievable levels. I was already using small tricks observed off other mages to render my own spells more efficient, or to up there potency. "We as my own have always viewed magic in and of itself as more a substance, as a power of its own, an element all its own." Which is why when we conjured or transfigured something it was largely made up directly of magic, and hence ether bound to condition, or temporary, we weren't writing reality, just fixing our own notes over the pages.

Louise blinked at that. I suspected a bit of confusion there. It flew in the face of what she had been taught. Surprisingly however she nodded appreciatively, apparently grasping the concept easily.

Siesta interrupted however to move onto a different point all together. "Star-crossed lovers?" She asked, eyeing me with an amused look. "You don't exactly seem the type."

"It happens." I stated. "Humans and elves, humans and dwarves, elves and elves." I smirked and tapped to the side of my own crimson eye. "Even a blink dog once. She was entranced with my first wayward apprentice. Found value in his loyalty, and commitment in his ideals." I explained.

At the sudden looks I elaborated. "Blink dogs are an intelligent dog like race. Very clever, but still shaped much like your average hound. They have the ability to teleport short distances instantly, hence the name." I shook my head. "Good natured, but perhaps a bit to loyal, to steadfast in their commitments. Even with the gift of human form, I don't think Jono ever really understood her intent. Last I saw she was still fallowing him loyally." I pressed my lips. "I can shape form, but not minds, not hearts. It takes a lot of courage to abandon your people for one who will always be at least a little bit alien to you." I shrugged. "In the face of that, who am I to deny them the opportunity to try?" I set the slices on the next dish and replaced my master's. "Can't really help them much. An elf shaped as a man is still an elf. They'll live and die human, but under it they are still elven. You can get used to a form like that, even enjoy it. But it'll never be entirely right." I knew that one from intimate experience, but at least I had an escape at times.

Louise tilted her head at that. "Who would want to live like that?"

I shrugged again one last group of meat on the pan. "You do crazy things for love."

I didn't see the look Siesta gave me at that. I didn't.