The Starlit Void

(Chapter Two)

"Speaking"

'Thought'

'Written'

Disclaimer: Zero no Tsukaima / Familiar of Zero (Light Novel) was written by Noboru Yamaguchi, illustrated by Eiji Usatsuka, and published by Media Factory (Seven Seas Entertainment in the US and Canada.) The first anime was directed by Yoshiaki Iwasaki with Studio J, and licensed by Geneon in the US and Canada... but as bluntly as possible in order to save time going through all other installments in the series – these authors are none of these people and have no legitimate claim to the series. Thus this work is strictly non-profit. Any use otherwise is not these authors' doing. Similarly, Mabinogi and all characters, races, concepts, ideas, and other material taken from it is the work and property of Nexon and BGEntertainment. These authors are likewise not affiliated with either group in any way or form and lays no claim to that property.

.XXX.

Death. It was a surprising state of being. She was numb, unable to move or feel or think with any sort of will, as if her body, soul, and mind had all been dipped into some sort of thick soup and left to cool. But, though her thoughts were clouded and unresponsive, and she certainly couldn't really feel the knife that had been wedged into her side or the myriad other wounds she'd sustained over the course of this encounter. The sounds of the world had faded away - beyond incoherent murmurs and into absolute silence. There wasn't even the constant ringing in one's ears that was always there, if one were to listen for it. No feeling, no sound. And her sight as well had turned to black.

But despite all this, she could remember, clearly, that last moment before it had turned to darkness.

The sky was bright that day as it always was here. The only shadow on it was her hair blocking her view. In stories, didn't tragedies always happen in the rain, on a clouded day? But today the desert sun continued to burn as mercilessly as ever.

The second time she'd been in this place, under this sun.

She hated it just as much as she had the last time.

Why had she remained with the caravan instead of parting at Rano and continuing on her own?

Oh, that's right.

Safety…

.XXX.

Linde jolted awake and looked wildly around the brightening room half expecting to see a blade plunging towards her unprotected stomach. When no shadowed figure emerged blade in hand she allowed herself to take a calming breath as she waited for her heart to stop hammering in her chest. With a groan she pulled herself to her hands and knees, cursing the fact that her 'Master' had her sleep on the small pile of hay. Such a thing wasn't good for a lady's posture... or anything really. The fog over her mind lifted and she remembered what she had been asked to do the night before and with a hand that would look monstrous next to the small figure beneath the blanked reached out to shake Louise awake.

Louise woke up with a panicked squawk as Linde shook her probably a little too hard. "Wagh! What are you doing!" The little pinkette shouted after finally managing to untangle herself from her sheets and glare at the sleepy giant across the mattress.

"Waking you up." Linde said as she stretched her arms.

"Hmph, be more gentle next time." Louise said as she walked over to her dresser and began laying out her clothes for the day. Louise paused just as she held up a pair of her 'delicates' and looked at the giant beyond. She hummed slightly as she contemplated asking Linde to dress her like she would a personal servant but decided that there were better ways to end up with bruises and torn clothes... like failing at casting... again.

"Sorry I forget my own strength sometimes." Linde replied as she observed Louise, who was inexplicably angry again. Once the girl started to disrobe Linde averted her eyes and stood from her spot on the floor, wondering if bipolar disorder was common in this strange land. "I'm going to go stretch my legs and see what I can do about breakfast." Linde said as she made for the door.

"Wait for me! I'm coming with you!" Louise shouted as she rapidly tugged on her clothes. "I don't want you to get into a fight again today so I'm going to have to watch you and Miss Pryderi closely!"

Linde raised an eyebrow but waited patiently for the girl to finish dressing and brush her hair into some semblance of tidy. Louise turned to the giant before pausing and looking at the brush in her hand. "Here, you need to brush your hair. I won't have my familiar walking around looking like they just woke up." She said before tossing Linde the almost comically small brush.

"Umm, thanks." Linde said before leaning down to the mirror next to Louise and straightening out her own purple bob. It only took a few minutes to properly straighten her hair and when she was done it was only a short while until they left and headed down the stairs to breakfast.

The walk through the courtyard was as peaceful as the morning before. Linde couldn't help but pause when they passed the front gate and the pleasant looking grassland beyond stretched on for seemingly forever. Her attention was pulled from the scenery when the central tower loomed just ahead. Linde turned to wave to Louise, expecting her to break for the student dining hall but was surprised when the little mage was still right behind her. "Louise?" Linde asked while perking an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to eat with the other students?"

"I'm going with you, I have to keep an eye on you remember?" Louise said as she placed her hands on her hips in what Linde guessed was an effort to 'look more in charge.'

"To the Kitchens?" Linde found the situation funny and couldn't help but grin at the little mage.

"Yes to the Kitchens! Are we going to eat or are you going to keep us longer?" Louise huffed and walked ahead. Linde giggled a little at the girl before easily stepping ahead and opening the kitchen door for her little master before following her inside... only to nearly trip over a stunned Louise as she stared at something with mouth agape.

"W-w-what are you doing!?"

.XXX.

Nao reappeared in a flash of light in the dark of Louise's room in the early morning. Sadly she had mistimed her appearance and it would be a few hours still before Linde or Louise would be waking up. Deciding not to disturb them Nao took a seat by the window to gaze out at the still sleeping academy and the forest beyond that bordered the grassland that stretched out in the opposite direction. It had been such a long time since she had enjoyed a morning like this, just sitting and waiting for the sunrise. It was... peaceful was the best word for it. It reminded her of her past, of waiting for the sun to come up so she could run outside to practice her archery. Unfortunately Nao was pulled from her pleasant reminiscing by the sound of the door and a beam of light cutting the room in two.

"Oh, good morning Miss. Pryderi, I didn't mean to disturb you so early." Siesta said as she quickly entered the room and set about gathering Louise's dirty clothes into a basket.

"It's fine," Nao answered kindly, "you are only doing your job. In comparison, isn't it odd that I'm awake at this hour regardless?" She gestured to Louise who was curled comfortably in her bed, and Linde who was… laying across the floor and using a pile of hay as a pillow. Mentally, Nao made a note to talk to Louise about that later. Linde was a giant - it was understandable that they not have anything capable of accommodating her on hand. In fact, judging from the talk she'd heard about the school, it was uncommon for a humanoid familiar to be summoned at all - so it was forgivable for Louise who had only been expected a common animal to have only prepared a pile of hay. But, regardless, there was surely some sort of arrangement that could be made.

Linde could sleep, after all. She had the right to enjoy that slumber as much as she could in turn.

"Uhm… did you need anything, Miss Pryderi?" Siesta questioned, somewhat uncomfortably. With a start, Nao realized she had been staring intensely at Linde's sleeping form for some time now… and Siesta was standing next to the prone giantess, so…

"No, no. Pardon me, I lost myself for a moment there..." Tearing her gaze away from Linde, Nao spotted the large basket Siesta was carrying, "Well… actually…"

.XXX.

Louise stood mouth agape staring at the insanity in front of her.

"Hello Louise, are you having a good morning?" Nao smiled and set the large pot she had just finished cleaning onto the stove and nodded to one of the cooks who rapidly began adding the ingredients for a simple custard. Nao stepped away from the stove towards the still gaping Louise and cleaned her hands off on a nearby rag. "Louise?" Nao's smile faded slightly as she looked at the girl in concern.

"Good morning Nao." Linde called as she stepped into the kitchen around a still comatose Louise.

"Linde, it has been a good morning. They let me help make breakfast!" Nao clapped her hands together in glee and her smile blazing to life again.

"I didn't know you could cook." Linde said with a pleasant grin as Nao motioned to a table in the corner of the busy kitchen.

"I haven't been able to do things like this is so long, its nice to finally get a chance again." Nao said as she looked out at the busy kitchen staff, occasionally returning a wave of appreciation from them.

Linde made to sit down before spying her broken master still standing across the room. With a roll of the eyes the giant quickly stepped across the space and lifted the little mage up before returning and propping her up in a chair before taking a seat next to Nao. "Now where were we?" Linde asked as Nao covered her bemused expression with a demure hand.

"Good morning Noble Lady! Will you and your friends be dining with us this morning?" A man walked up the the table in a chef's uniform. Linde could almost mistake him as a giant if he only were actually tall enough. "Ah, I see your giant friend is joining us this morning, I cannot thank you enough for helping young Siesta yesterday."

"Ah, I didn't really," The giantess responded bashfully, one hand twirling her hair nervously.

"Yes thank you Mr. Marteau, If you don't mind we would like to have some breakfast please." Nao said after Linde had finished speaking.

"Ah! It would be our pleasure to serve a Noble Lady such as yourself and your friends, I will return in a moment with something!" Marteau energetically roared out before vanishing into the controlled chaos of the busy kitchen.

Nao was about to return to speaking with Linde when a loud thump rang out from across the table. The two older women curiously looked across at the suddenly angry pinkette across from them.

"Miss. Pryderi, why would you lower yourself to working in the kitchen like a commoner? It is unbecoming of a noble such as yourself!" Louise nearly shouted from across the table.

"Oh, I couldn't help it, I missed being able to do simple things." Nao replied with an unflinching serene expression.

"Missed?" A familiar, unwelcome voice cut in, prompting Louise to frown intensely, forgetting what she had been about to say in favor of her agitation.

Unaware or deliberately ignorant of Louise's displeasure, Nao answered the question as pleasantly as any other, "I haven't had the opportunity to use my hands for anything since I was a child." She paused, turning to face the newcomers - a certain red-haired germanian - who had come to stand behind them with a girl neither Linde nor Nao had met yet beside her, "How are you this morning, Miss Zerbst?"

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you for asking," Kirche answered pleasantly as she pulled up a seat for herself and the small blue haired girl at the little table. "Such courteous behavior, you should listen to your tutor Louise, you might learn something."

"I'm well aware of proper etiquette, Zerbst," Louise ground out, emphasizing Kirche's last name as if it were the most vile of curses, "unlike some individuals who freely interject themselves into others' business without care."

Before Kirche could make a retort Marteau arrived with three plates of the same food that was being served to the students out in the dining hall. Noticing the extra company he quickly promised to return with more before ducking away again. Linde sighed, content with a... small cup of tea that had been delivered to the table and attempted to tune the fighting out as she ate the finely made meal.

.XXX.

It was not long after Kirche had arrived that Louise realized the time for classes was drawing near and she hastily exited the kitchens, pulling on Linde's arm insistently until the giant reluctantly followed along, leaving Kirche to stare in amusement as Nao thanked the staff for their efforts and trailed after the odd pair. Gasping for breath, Louise came upon her class' door and, after taking a moment to recompose herself, opened it. To her relief, the room was mostly empty at the moment - only Tabitha (who had somehow beat her here) was present, reading in her usual seat. Letting out a sigh, she lead a bewildered Linde into the room and took her seat toward the front. Tabitha gave the pair a cursory glance as they entered, but soon returned to her book. Louise paid her little mind regardless. Tabitha was quiet, and didn't mock her like all the others did. Aside from her near-constant presence by Kirche's side, Louise had nothing against her.

The sound of a hand tapping wood brought Louise's attention back to Linde, who was warily pressing her palm against the bench as if to test its strength. "What are you doing?" Louise asked, faintly irked at her familiar's odd behavior but mostly curious to find out its cause.

"Testing its integrity," The giantess responded, eyes focused, "it wasn't made with giants in mind. Some seats look sturdy, but past experience shows they still don't hold up under my weight. Even high quality furniture can break easily if it's not reinforced properly." She sighed, straightening up and stepping away from the bench to look at Louise properly, "It's really inconvenient, sometimes. Even if this could hold me safely, I doubt there'd be enough room for me regardless."

Louise didn't have a proper answer to that, so she simply stared, askance, at her familiar.

Linde blushed slightly, "It's a habit. I'm used to checking the quality of items before-"

Whatever Linde had been about to say was interrupted as Professor Colbert entered the room, towing some sort of contraption on a cart behind him. The rest of the class flooded in behind him, obviously having been lingering in the hallways till the last possible second.

"Good afternoon class! I'm very excited about todays lesson, so why don't you all get settled down and prepare for a few notes." The balding man said as he turned to watch the class as they took their seats and pulled out parchment and quills.

In the row in front of Louise sat Guiche de Gramont, looking significantly worse for wear with bags under his eyes and a generally mussed appearance. Louise was surprised when Linde leaned forward and set the boy's wand on the corner of his desk without saying a word or taking the opportunity to get in any extra ribbing. The blond turned his tired eyes onto the giant before picking up his wand and returning his attention to the front of the class. Louise was about to say something to the fop but that was the moment Colbert began his lesson.

He spoke for nearly an hour about the strange device he had brought before the class before attempting a rather... underwhelming demonstration. Louise felt bad for the poor man, he had obviously worked hard on the... whatever, the snake in the box... thing. The rest of the student jeered and dismissed the device as useless. Just as Louise lost her patience and was about to stand up and defend him and his device when a soft voice from the back of the room somehow overpowered the collected students.

"I thought it was a very interesting demonstration and the device shows a lot of promise." Louise immediately recognised the voice of Miss Pryderi.

The students fell silent as Linde also stood and rapidly made her way to the cart that held the device. She examined it critically before passing a glance to Professor Colbert, "Can you make it smaller?" She asked seriously, with an odd sort of gleam in her eye. "Does it have to be a snake? Could it move clockwork? Maybe a wheel? It works by air displacement, right? Maybe something like a miniature sail."

"Oh, I see like a mill, if you take the force produced by the-" Colbert suddenly exploded into a tangle of complicated words and a flurry of parchment as he and Linde spoke, shooting weird ideas back and forth and babbling on about things Louise could understand the words for but couldn't see any way to fit them together. Nao took Linde's former seat on the stairs next to Louise and hid a wide grin behind her hand.

"What did you do?" Louise tiredly asked as she let herself flop onto the desk.

"I started a conversation." Nao replied simply.

"What is she doing?" Louise was startled as Guiche turned around in his seat towards Ms. Pryderi and herself. Louise blinked before turning her attention back to the odd pair next to the contraption. They argued about what sounded like percentages for a moment before shaking hands. Linde rapidly wrote something on a bit of parchment before the professor signed it and returned it. Linde had just pulled out the pouch that Louise had seen and transferred a large number of coins to a leather bag that had been filled with small tools beneath the cart.

Louise turned back to the blond boy with a slightly dazed expression on her face. "Umm... Making a deal." Louise finally

"Investing? In… the snake?" Another student asked, breaking the stunned silenced that had consumed the students while Colbert and Linde communed with one another.

"In the theory behind it," The giantess explained, returning the pouch to its place at her side and stepping away from Colbert's desk.

"Oh my goodness, the time seems to have gotten away from me. Umm, for your homework please write a one page essay on the uses of fire magic outside of combat. Due next week." The students looked at one another in confusion for a moment before snatching up their supplies and flooding out the door.

"It was nice doing business with you, Miss Linde. It is rare that someone shows such appreciation for my ideas..." Colbert said as he walked over to Louise's desk. Guiche watched silently before sighing and gathering his own things. Louise perked an eyebrow at the fop as he sulked out of the room. Turning from Guiche to Professor Colbert, Louise resisted the urge to bite her lip before glancing between Linde, who was still exchanging pleasantries with the professor, and Nao, who was… gone. Somehow. Again.

'That settles it,' Louise thought, her resolve solidifying.

"Mr. Colbert," Louise spoke, just as Linde finished complimenting the professor on his creativity, "I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, but would you mind if we talked?" She glanced at Linde, "Alone?"

"Certainly Ms. Valliere, my office is always open to students. If I remember you used to visit me quite often in your first year to ask for help with your homework. Visit me any time after your classes." Colbert rambled on for a minute before wandering out of the door.

.XXX.

Siesta smiled at the pleasant company of Ms. Pryderi as they both sat around a pair of large tubs peeling potatoes. She had appeared at the door to the store room several minutes ago asking if she could help with the preparations for the evening meal. It was a bizarre thing for a noble to defend a mere commoner from another noble and even more strange for them to join in doing the kitchen work. The woman was kind - almost unbelievably so, in fact. Siesta really did want to believe that there really were people like Nao in the world but Louise's tutor seemed almost too perfect to be real. She was easy to admire and was quickly being placed on a pedestal by most of the staff.

"Siesta?"

"Yes, what can I do for you Ms. Pryderi?" Siesta shook herself out of her thoughts, several years worth of experience thankfully saving her from looking like she was spacing out in the middle of a task.

"Please just call me Nao." The woman adjusted one of her long white pigtails and tossed a peeled potato into a bucket.

"Umm, Thank you... Nao." Siesta smiled awkwardly, such a thing was very improper but she had asked for it so...

"So, tell me about yourself Siesta. Have you always lived near here?" Nao fiddled with her knife for a moment before starting on another spud.

Siesta couldn't help but admire how the woman was able to make even the pedestrian act of peeling potatoes look graceful. She even found herself unconsciously trying to mimic her posture and movements. "Um, no I come from a little village named Tarbes about three days ride towards La Rochelle." Siesta answered as she straightened her back a little and attempted to move her arms a little less rigidly while watching Nao carefully out of the corner of her eye. "I'm the eldest of eight siblings, I came to the academy so I could help support my family."

"Thats a wonderful thing to do. Having that many children in one home must be a handful." Nao giggled when Siesta nodded vigorously.

The pair giggled to one another for a few minutes before Siesta finally composed herself "It's not really that bad, my brother Julien is old enough to help and keep the young ones from driving my mother and father crazy."

"Oh and what-" Nao paused as a loud knocking rang out through the room. The supply room they were using was attached to the kitchens and empty of anyone but the two of them. So it was quite a surprise when a middle aged nobleman stepped into the room before either of them had a chance to get to their feet and answer the door. The man was tall with a thin brown mustache and thinning hair that only reinforced the sleazy look on his face. His clothes were made with the highest quality fabric and he carried an abbreviated staff in a holster on his lower back. All in all he was a typical specimen of Tristanian nobility.

"Siesta my dear!" The man stepped over to the maid and yanked her to feet, pulling her into his chest as his other arm wrapped around her back to grab a handful of her butt.

Siesta's face fell out of shock and adopted a blank expression as she looked away from the man at the floor. "Hello, Count Mott." She squirmed uncomfortably as he pressed his body as close to hers as he could manage.

Siesta glanced over to the other woman in an attempt to focus her attention on anything but the man. Nao looked very much like she always did, smiling with serene expression, possessing an aura of grace even when she was still. What Siesta missed was a tightening of the woman's eyes as she stared hard at the man that had swept her up in his arms.

"Ah, my lovely Siesta, I have good news! I have submitted the papers to Old Osmond that will leave you in my employ in a day or two! Isn't it wonderful?" The man, Count Mott called out loudly as he squeezed his handful.

Siesta squeaked before replying, "Yes, my lord," in a flat, almost lifeless, voice.

Nao's smile thinned as she stood, staff in hand, from her stool. Mott looked up from where he was about to begin lavishing unwanted 'attentions' on Siesta's neck.

"Oh? Who do we have here?" Mott scrutinized the stunning woman in front of him, eyes undressing her as they roamed over her body. "A new hire perhaps? I would know your name, servant."

Nao's eye twitched slightly as she walked towards the man. Anticipating something pleasant Mott gently pushed Siesta aside and ran his eyes over Nao one more time before noticing she had angled her staff so the end was near his feet. Before he could even open his mouth to ask what she was doing a wave of force made him stumble backwards out of the room and back into the kitchens. He tried to begin a shout of protest but Nao closed the door in his face and latched the bolt into place.

"I suggest you speak to the headmaster about this." Nao said as she simply turned around and went back to the stool to resume peeling the potatoes.

"Y-y-you shouldn't have done that Ms. Pryderi. As a commoner I have to follow the wishes of the nobility." Siesta said as she retook her seat opposite of Nao with a downtrodden expression.

"That's nonsense. You should not have to follow the orders of such a man. Also, please call me Nao." Nao dismissed the notion like such a thing was merely the rambling of a crazy person with a smile and a wave of her hand.

"N-Nao..." Siesta stuttered quietly trying to come up with an argument.

"Siesta, if it worries you please don't hesitate to come find me should that man ever approach you again... I would be more than happy to protect a friend from someone like that." Nao said with a serious expression that didn't take away from the concern in her voice or eyes.

Siesta was stunned by the ernest offer of friendship from the older woman. With a swallow to sooth her dry throat she nodded and quietly said. "I promise."

Nao smiled brightly and motioned to the stool across from her. Realizing she still had a task to finish Siesta quickly made her way over and resumed peeling. After a few moments of companionable silence between them Nao spoke up. "So... You were telling me about your brother..."

Eager to talk about something pleasant after what had just transpired, Siesta resumed her description of her family, home, and the mischief her siblings got up to.

.XXX.

Professor Jean Colbert mumbled slightly to himself as he tinkered away silently in his workshop. The giant woman, Linde, had given him such interesting ideas about where to take his device. The concepts she had helped in devising were exactly what he had needed to fuel his ideas and he could see his little device becoming something great. He eyed the bag full of gold that Linde had given him as an 'investment', seed money in exchange for a share of future profits. He had to admit that he hadn't put much thought into selling his device but the woman seemed to know exactly what she was doing. His thoughts trailed off as he heard a faint knocking on the door to his workshop and he quickly cleaned his hands and opened the large wooden door

"Oh hello Ms. Valliere." Colbert said with a smile. "Here already? What was it you needed help with, an assignment perhaps?"

"You should pay more attention professor, I was knocking for at least half of the hour!" Miss Valliere complained. Colbert was about to make a joke and apologise when the girl's face became serious and hesitant. "There was something I needed to speak with you about, it's my familiar." Louise said, nervously checking the hallway for anyone who might be listening in.

"Oh? Yes I believe you did have quite the unique summon in Ms. Linde. Tell me, have there been any problems?" Colbert stood aside from his door and invited Louise into his workshop with a motion of his arm.

"There has been a strange... development." Louise said as she took a seat at the table she usually used when she came here to do class work.

The professor took a seat on the other side if the table, pulling a stool from a nearby workbench as he usually did. "It is unsurprising that something would come up, I am happy you came to me quickly rather than wait until it became more serious," Colbert said as he settled into his seat. "Now what seems to be the matter with Ms. Linde?"

"Well..." Louise struggled to begin speaking for a moment. "It is not so much a problem with my familiar as it is with something strange that happened."

Colbert listened attentively as Louise began her story, citing how she was trying to communicate with her familiar (unsuccessfully) when a strange woman appeared in her room and introduced herself as 'Nao,' close friend of Linde', upon introduction. This claim, Louise assured him, seemed valid as the two of them were quite comfortable around one another and, it seemed, Linde was rather protective of Miss Pryderi, in fact. The woman claimed that she had simply used the door to enter the room and that Louise had been too preoccupied to notice her - plausible, the girl admitted begrudgingly, but not as likely as it had seemed when the woman had promptly dismissed Louise's presence and… vanished. Into thin air. Colbert raised an eyebrow as he cycled through the possibilities that were running loose in his mind.

Louise didn't notice Colbert's intrigued expression and continued her recount. The woman had returned quickly - from thin air, again - citing that 'the soul stream here' was odd. Or something to that effect - Louise was too busy gaping at the feat she'd just witnessed to reliably recollect what had been said. After that incident, Miss Pryderi seemed intent on lingering. It seemed she was just as protective as Linde as the giantess was of her, as well, for she frequently lectured Louise on the way she treated her familiar and expressed concern over her well being - as if Louise would do anything to jeopardize her health! The professor 'hmmed' as tried to connect the dots. Later, when the three of them had left for breakfast the next day, Louise had asked about Miss Pryderi's family, concerned that Linde was a favored retainer of theirs - which, Colbert agreed, could cause some severe issues to be raised - only to receive little in response save for Miss Pryderi's full name. Any further discussion at that time was interrupted when Linde had suddenly left the table and, before Louise could blink, Nao was on the other side of the field and had broken Guiche's wrist with her staff in defense of a member of the serving staff.

Perhaps more startlingly, though, she healed the wound moments later after extracting an apology. Fully and painlessly with a wave of her staff. No incantation. Colbert's eyes narrowed slightly as the girl relayed this information. A square class healing spell with no incantation and no reagents? Such a thing had only ever been possible with exceedingly powerful magical artifacts and such artifacts were incredibly rare... and well accounted for. As of the moment, the woman seemed content to linger about helping the serving staff and monitoring Linde's health under the guise of Louise's tutor - an excuse that had been presented when Kirche (and here Colbert winced at the venom used to say the Germanian's name) had pressed Louise for answers she couldn't give regarding Miss Pryderi's reasons for being here.

When the young Valliere's explanation was finally done Colbert gazed across the table with a pensive, concerned look on his face. Unless her 'tutor' possessed several different magical artifacts that, last he knew, were in possession of several royal families across Halkegenia, he didn't see a way for the feats that were mentioned to be possible. Louise fidgeted nervously as his gaze hadn't wavered for several long moments, but Colbert was too deep in thought to notice. There wasn't any other explanation he could think of for the strange woman's powers that wasn't horribly far fetched but surely if the artifacts in question had been pilfered word would have spread by now... His thoughts fell to the woman who had stood at the back of his classroom, she certainly hadn't been laden with the many myriad of artifacts that would have been required to accomplish the things Louise had claimed.

erhaps the rings of wind or water could account for some of the things, he had heard they were supposed to posses some sort of power but he wasn't sure the powers of teleportation and healing were actually among them or not. The amount of strength it would have taken to hold a staff in such a grip as a man could break his hand upon it was frankly ridiculous to expect from a woman of Ms. Pryderi's stature. Then there was the 'Soul Stream', such a name concerned Colbert greatly. Was it mentioned for misdirection, to hide the woman's true origins by confusing the issue? No, if that was the case, surely there would have been more than a scattered mentioning and no actual account of the place. Someone strange had found their way into the academy it seemed...

"Umm, Professor?" The concerned voice of the young Valliere shook Colbert out of his musings.

"Oh, my apologies, I was lost in thought." Colbert waved a hand as if to banish the child's worries. "I wouldn't be too concerned Ms. Valliere. There are many explanations for the odd happenings and I'm sure there is nothing to worry about. I will make an inquiry into the matter and make certain to speak with Ms. Pryderi. For now you should return to class." Colbert smoothly lied and soothed the child's worries. Louise thanked him for his help and he escorted her to the door. As the large wooden door finally clicked closed the smile on his face slowly dropped and he shuffled back over to the disassembled machine that still lay on the cart. The situation had started to tease awake long buried instincts that had the ageing professor checking the shadowed corners of the room and listening for muffled footsteps. "Someone strange indeed..."

.Ferghuswuzhere.

Author (Number-III): Bizarrely, this has updated before the month has passed. And this chapter jumps around a lot. It was planned to be longer, but considering how many different events are already presented we decided to cut it short. And - Ferghus. That is a Ferghus break. It is the remains of a forlorn milletian's favorite weapon, shattered across the cosmos by the mighty swing of a hammered blacksmith's hand.

Co-Author (Radon): This chapter took so much work to get right. It was irritating that stupid annoying things kept getting in the way like jobs... or the need to consume food... or sleep... all of those things delayed and annoyed us while writing this... the bastards!