X
Unfamiliar Zero
Chapter 1
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Three seconds.
That was how long Louise's scream echoed in the cold dark before it was abruptly silenced.
"Enough of that," the other's voice cut through the darkness. Red eyes flashed brighter for a second.
At first Louise couldn't understand what had happened. Her body was telling her that she was indeed still screaming, her mouth was still open and her lungs straining, but for some reason she simply could no longer hear herself. The sensation was incredibly peculiar. Then she stopped as it dawned on her that she must have been silenced by some magic spell, and it frightened her even more to know that this clearly intelligent monster could use such magic.
Not even the worst of her nightmares compared to the terror she faced now as she quaked in her shoes. Her imagination proceeded to run wild as she pictured what kind of monster might be attached to those frightening red eyes. Something twisted and ugly with rows of sharp teeth and claws. A dragon perhaps, or something like it, since it was able to use magic and talk. According to the history books, some of the dragons have been known to actually speak and cast spells.
She tried her best not to think about getting eaten or torn to shreds. There was no way Louise could ever hope to defeat a dragon in her current condition. Even if she was a proper mage she highly doubted she could defeat it. If it ever decided to stop talking and start attacking, she was done for. Thankfully the monster didn't appear to be moving any closer to her. Not yet anyway.
There was a sigh that echoed in the darkness and it came from the creature with the crimson eyes.
"I suppose you can't see in the dark now, can you?"
At that moment, torches around the chamber burst to life with otherworldly greenish-blue flames and the darkness was steadily swept away as more and more torches lit up the chamber.
Her eyes, having to adjust to the abrupt change in lighting, hurt for a few seconds from the sudden illumination and she squinted so hard she could barely see. She felt somewhat relieved even in her current situation to at least have confirmation that she was definitely not blind. A small comfort given the life-threatening situation she found herself in.
When the last of the torches, the ones closest to the being with red eyes, finally burned to life, her own eyes went wide at the sight before her.
First and most noticeable was the massive throne that dominated the far side of what was now clearly an extensive throne room. Louise had never seen a throne so large. Not that she had seen plenty of them in the first place. The only throne room she had ever been to was the one in Tristain's Royal Palace, and that one was laughably small in comparison.
The throne in front of her was mostly made of some kind of black stone, with the rest of it consisting of what looked like solid gold and maybe some silver. The back of the throne soared up into the high vaulted ceiling, topping at least thirty feet, maybe a little more. There also appeared to be carvings and other decorative designs all over the throne, but Louise was too far to make them out clearly.
All of it was quite ostentatious to say the least, and definitely built to awe and intimidate all who came before it.
Her eyes finally settled upon the dark-haired man sitting on this grand display of a throne, eyes burning as red as hot coals. He appeared to be in the prime of his youth, with a complexion so pale she wouldn't have been surprised if he had no idea what the sun was.
At first glance he did appear to be human, but closer inspection revealed that he was no ordinary man. Not only because of his glowing red eyes, which over time actually seemed to grow dimmer, but because on his head were two curved black horns that jutted out from slightly above his temples.
They looked quite real, even from this distance, and the horns blended in with his well-groomed black hair. Although they were still quite noticeable and certainly unavoidable. While they seemed quite solid and even heavy, he didn't appear to be bothered by them in the slightest.
None of the books in the Academy ever mentioned anything about humanoids with horns or glowing eyes of crimson. At least none of the academic ones, which pretty much covered almost everything she had read in her life thus far.
One thing was for sure, he was most definitely not human. At least not entirely.
Similar to the dark throne upon which he sat, the regal-looking robes, armor, and cape that he wore were black and gold in color, with tastefully intricate patterns in certain places. Attached to his hip there appeared to be a sword sheathed also in black. Judging from everything she had seen so far, Louise was certain that everything he wore was of the highest quality.
Even though she was terrified of him, Louise couldn't help but be impressed.
Whatever he was, he looked and acted like a king, and the throne did seem to strongly imply that he was one. It was also evident from the way he held himself while he sat on the throne. He was relaxed and comfortable, with his chin resting lightly on his right fist, right arm bent on the armrest of his impressive throne. Red eyes menacingly stared out into the world, and more specifically at her.
"You," the man finally spoke again, this time in an accusatory tone, breaking the latest bout of silence that had settled between them. His voice was strong and carried easily across the enormous throne room. It made her flinch in fear.
"I don't know who you are, girl, and yet you had the audacity to come in here uninvited and rudely awaken me from my slumber," he continued. Each word had weight, spoken like a man who was used to being listened to. "And then you had the gall to scream in my presence so... unpleasantly."
His glowing eyes never left hers, and she continued to find herself unable to look away, even as frightened tears began to flood uncontrollably down her face. The implication was clear. She was going to be punished for her transgressions, regardless of whether or not she was meant to commit an offense.
Louise had never before felt so helpless. And afraid. So very afraid. She was very much aware that there was a high probability of her dying here in this strange place, and she couldn't really do anything about it.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked, the anger in his tone subsiding somewhat, shifting more into mild annoyance.
She hardly noticed as she struggled to speak, her body overcome by sobs. When she opened her mouth, she found that her voice was still missing, and the man realized it almost immediately.
"Ah. Right. You may speak." With a snap of his fingers, Louise felt an almost imperceptible weight lift from her body and she could hear her own sniffling and shallow breathing once more.
Now able to speak again, she felt compelled to reply lest silence upset the man who now held her life in his hands. However, she struggled to find the words. Her mind was currently a jumbled, chaotic mess. She could scarcely even appreciate the nonchalant way he had lifted the silencing spell from her, let alone give a full account of herself.
When she spoke it was practically incoherent as she attempted to say too many things all at once.
"I-I'm s-sorry... didn't... and th-then... there w-was... I... I d-don't know h-how... I just... f-familiar..."
"Speak clearly!" yelled the man on the throne with renewed annoyance. All of the torches in the room briefly flared as he yelled and the sound that they made was akin to a beastly roar.
Louise staggered as if she had been hit and then slumped to her knees on the floor, whimpering. Her right hand still clutched tightly to her wand that she held uselessly at her side. She finally tore her gaze away from the red-eyed man and was staring down at her lap, tears still freely escaping from her bloodshot eyes.
She was having a hard time processing her situation. Bravery and confidence were feelings she always outwardly projected, but in reality she didn't feel very brave or very confident at all in most things. Especially now, in the face of an enemy she knew was far beyond her means to oppose.
But despite that, she didn't want to die. Not here in this strange place. It was far too soon. There was so much she still needed to do and experience before she was going to willingly accept death, and that was to be at a ripe old age.
She still needed to become a real mage, one with great power and prestige that would make a mark on the world. She needed to make her doubters eat their words and insults as she showed them what she was truly capable of, particularly Kirche. She needed to finally make some more friends and enjoy life, things she had shunned in favor of devoting herself purely to her magic studies in an effort to overcome her seemingly insurmountable obstacles to performing magic properly.
She needed to be there for her best and only friend, Princess Henrietta, who would probably need her support once the young royal finally became queen.
And of course, she needed to make her family proud of her. She wanted to see them again. Particularly her sisters, Éléonore and Cattleya. She wondered if they even knew she was missing. The Academy staff and students were probably already searching for her, at least she hoped they were, but they wouldn't notify her family until they were certain she was nowhere to be found nearby.
Louise didn't need to look outside to know that she was nowhere near the Academy. She could feel it in her bones that she was somewhere far away from there.
Her classmates probably wouldn't mind if she never came back. Most of them had nothing but disdain and insults for her. In fact, it would not surprise her if they thought it best for everyone involved that she not return.
Louise's family on the other hand, there was no question that they would be worried sick, and she felt guilty that her failure as a mage were to cause them such stress and grief. They would lecture her to no end if they were to ever be reunited, and she found herself looking forward to that for the first time in her life.
Tristain's Crown Princess would also be most upset at her disappearance, and the young royal would likely turn the whole kingdom over looking for her.
Lost in her thoughts and emotions, she almost forgot about her impending doom who was seated at the other end of the room, watching her with blood-red eyes like a predator who has cornered his prey.
"Well this is pointless," he declared and she was brought out of her thoughts.
She glanced back up at him, managing to rub some of the tears away with the back of her free hand, which was now also quite wet from all the tears she had previously wiped in the last few minutes, so it really only succeeded in smearing the tears across her face. But at least it was out of her eyes for the time being and she could see somewhat clearly.
The man's eyes had been gradually losing their red glow as time passed and now they were neither glowing nor red at all. His face looked a little more human because of it, and less terrifying, but that did little to assuage her fear. Despite his now more human-like eyes, the horns were still clearly present and didn't appear to be going away anytime soon.
For the second time in the last few minutes, the man let out a tired sigh.
Louise watched with surprise at first as he smoothly got to his feet and started to walk towards her, and then her surprise turned to increasing panic.
His boots echoed ominously down the throne room with each purposeful step and she couldn't help but think that this was surely the slow drumbeat of her impending execution. He appeared not to be in any particular hurry, and her fear and anxiety only increased with each step.
Louise once more tried to will herself to get up and run away while there was still time, but she could only sit there pathetic and wet from her tears. And something else entirely, though she tried not to think about that.
Her heart, already pumping swiftly in her chest from the start of this ordeal, begun to go into overdrive in anticipation. She eyed his sword with dread as it jostled on his hip with every step and she thought that perhaps he might use it on her.
The scabbard was inlaid with an intricate gold pattern and was a beautiful piece of work. Same went for the hilt of the sword, ornately and exquisitely crafted. A most beautiful tool of death and destruction and she hadn't even seen the blade. She was certain that it too was beautiful.
Morbidly, Louise thought that it was in some way nice to be put to death by such finely crafted things. There were certainly worse ways to go.
He stopped a few feet away from her and they quietly examined each other, the only sound now was that of their breathing and the faint sound of the burning torches.
He was taller than she thought. More handsome too. And far more imposing up close. His eyes, definitely no longer red, were now a silver color bright with power, and they looked at her with the curiosity of someone who had been presented with a curious puzzle to solve.
"You are no assassin," he stated simply, apparently having finished his examination of her. He sounded neither happy nor upset about the appraisal.
"N-No..." Her voice was small and pathetic compared to his, but she surprised herself by responding at all.
"And you are weak. Very weak."
His harsh assessment felt like a punch to the gut. It really struck her down to the core. They had only met a short while earlier, but she had already been judged by this stranger and found sorely lacking. And now she was going to die after having been told her worth.
Zero.
Louise didn't refute him, although her pride whispered to her to protest and stand up for herself, she paid it no heed. There was no point in it now. It was like telling the ocean she knew how to swim even as it slowly drowned her. She couldn't help but smile bitterly as new tears blurred her vision. Life had been incredibly cruel to her, even up to the very end.
She thought she saw him put a hand to the hilt of his sword, so she hung her head low and shut her eyes tight, waiting for it all to be over. If there was an afterlife, she hoped it would be better than the life she had lived so far. Surely the gods would not be so cruel as to torment her even in death.
She heard him move closer and she held her breath. This was it. However, the seconds ticked by and nothing happened. When she dared to open her eyes, she saw that the man had knelt down in front of her and his face was now perilously close to hers.
She released the breath she had been holding and then blinked, momentarily stunned before she yelped while moving her head back away from him on reflex.
"W-What are y-you...?" she stammered, bewildered, her left hand automatically rising up to push his face away, but it never reached its target. Instead, he had swiftly gripped her wrist to stop her. His touch was firm and controlled, strong enough to stop her and give her pause while not too strong as to cause any significant pain. When her arm went limp as the reflexive urge to push him away passed, he let go.
He didn't seem fazed by her reaction, his eyes continuing to study her like he was committing every facet of her to memory.
She squirmed, suddenly embarrassed and uncomfortable, the fear of her impending demise momentarily forgotten. All she could think of in that brief moment was how terrible she must have looked with puffy bloodshot eyes and tears and snot all over her face. Her hair was probably a mess too. This was not how she normally looked and she had a strange desire to let him know that, not that she acted on it.
He looked down at her lap, to where her wand was held in her right hand, her knuckles white from gripping it so tightly. With a deliberate motion he reached out his hand and put it over her's. Surprisingly, he didn't attempt to take it from her, but he brought both hand and wand up to his face, peering at the wooden stick and then her hand with all the intensity of a craftsman checking his work for any problems or imperfections.
She didn't know how to react this time so she didn't, letting it happen without a fuss. Meanwhile, she in turn studied his face and horns up close. His face was smooth and pale as the moon, with defined cheekbones and a strong, square jaw. He had a somewhat prominent nose that seemed perfectly proportioned to his face. Thick brows hovered over his intense silver eyes like storm clouds.
His horns were no more than a foot long and curved backwards. They were for the most part smooth, with some lines and rough edges here and there. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch them, tempting as it was since they were well within her reach.
Louise's gaze moved to his ears, and she was surprised to see that they were longer than an average human's. More importantly, his ears were pointed. Only the elves had pointed ears, as far as she knew, and she considered the very real possibility that the man with the silver eyes was not a man at all, but an elf.
Being an elf would certainly explain why he had such a strong affinity for magic, and it would also explain why the magic he used was unrecognizable to her. Elves were the only ones capable of using ancient magic, and therefore they were the only ones who really studied it. There wasn't much information in the Academy library about that particular branch of magic so she knew very little beyond the fact that it existed.
But that didn't explain the horns. Elves weren't suppose to have those. She continued to think on the matter without really coming to a satisfying conclusion until, after what seemed like an hour, though it was really only about a minute, he finally let go of her hand and returned to his feet.
"I'm not sure how you could have possibly broken through my barrier and managed to wake me. From what I can see, such a feat appears to be well beyond your capabilities, and yet here we are. Rest assured, I will find out how you did it," he declared, "And you will tell me everything."
Louise trembled at that seemingly ominous statement, but figured it was best not to say anything so she kept quiet. For the moment, it appeared that she was not going to die here after all and she was not going to jeopardize that by potentially saying something that might upset him. This was a king after all, or something like it.
His eyes then drifted to something behind her, and as if on cue, there was a loud thudding sound from that direction, startling Louise.
It was quickly followed by what sounded like groaning metal and grinding stone. Something heavy was being moved. Slowly. Unable to ignore it any longer, Louise turned around and saw what looked to be a very heavy set of doors opening slowly inwards. They didn't open all the way, stopping when there was just enough space for someone to slip through without any difficulty.
A figure appeared in the doorway, arms outstretched with hands pressing against the doors. It was a woman dressed in ornate green armor trimmed with gold, holding a sturdy black spear with a nasty looking jagged blade on one end. The steel of the blade was of a peculiar color, a reddish-orange metal that the pink-haired girl had never seen before.
The man didn't react at all to the woman's sudden appearance, as if he had been expecting her arrival all along, and merely observed the new arrival.
Standing motionless in between the partially opened massive doors, the armored woman took in the scene with sharp eyes that settled upon the man in black armor. With a sudden haste, she rushed over to them and dropped down to one knee in front of the silver-eyed man, bowing her head low in deference. She placed her right fist to her chest, placing the spear flat on the ground next to her.
Louise noted the woman's pretty raven-black hair tied back into a ponytail, probably so that it wouldn't get in her way as a warrior. Her face was beautiful and exotic, one that outshone Kirche in every way. A few stray strands fell across her tanned face, but she didn't seem to care.
The woman was completely still and silent throughout this whole interaction, and Louise realized she was waiting to be acknowledged by the man who was standing before her.
"Jade," the man finally spoke her name and Louise saw the smile on the woman's face as she looked up at him.
"My Lord," said the warrior woman apparently called Jade, "You've returned to us at last." She paused, the excitement in her voice clear to everyone. "And I am here to serve you once again."
Her master regarded her while he spoke in a steady tone. "How long has it been?"
Jade hesitated. "Please forgive me, my Lord. I too have been frozen in time awaiting your return, so I am unable to provide an answer for you. I rushed here as quickly as I could. I must also apologize for the poor state of the fortress. It appears that no one stayed behind to take care of it while we slept, and it is currently unfit for someone of your stature, but I will endeavor to correct this error at once."
"You were frozen in time as well? That explains why you are still here, and unchanged," said the lord with a hint of curiosity.
"Yes, sire. After you locked yourself away here in the throne room, it took us some time to research a ritual that would also put me into a sleep untouched by time. It was not easy and it required a lot of power, but the others assisted and it evidently worked well enough since I am here."
"And what of the others?"
Jade shook her head apologetically. "I know not what became of them, sire. I was the first and, as far as I know, only one to undergo the ritual."
The dark-haired lord nodded. "Based on the drain on my powers, I'd guess we are at least a century or two removed from when we went under, so I'm sure some of them are still alive and kicking."
"As you say, Lord."
"Why did you do it, Jade? What about your family?"
"I am your loyal servant, Lord. I swore myself to you and you alone, and I would not be able to serve you if I were to die while you secluded yourself from the world," Jade responded as if it were the most logical conclusion. "I'm confident that my family would have understood my decision."
"You didn't tell them?" he raised an eyebrow at her.
"No, Lord."
Louise was in awe at her loyalty and the lengths this woman was willing to go to fulfill her obligation as this man's servant. The magic that she spoke of, the ritual that could protect oneself from the ravages of time, was a power that she didn't think was possible. It sounded too unbelievable to be true, yet she knew they were speaking truthfully. This was real magic.
"I see," the lord said. "We shall discuss at length at a later time what you remember after I sealed myself here and before you performed the ritual. For now, tell me how did you awaken? Was it also because of her?" he gestured to Louise, who was observing them quietly from her spot on the floor, her plight momentarily forgotten thanks to the new arrival.
Jade's fittingly green eyes suddenly found Louise's pink ones, and the warrior narrowed them suspiciously at her. The younger girl looked away almost immediately, her fear spiking once again.
Louise definitely felt like she was the odd one out here, which was true given that she was indeed an intruder among them. She hoped and prayed that the woman would not feel inclined to skewer her on the end of her spear.
"I'm not sure how it happened, my Lord. But when I did wake up, I had a feeling that it meant you had also returned," the warrior replied, studying the pink-haired little girl briefly, then she turned her attention back to her master with a serious expression. "My Lord, you mean to say that she is the one who brought you back?"
"Yes. It appears this girl somehow managed to get in here and wake me," responded the lord, looking thoughtful.
"She is but a child," observed Jade, still kneeling as if it were the most natural thing for her to do.
"It would seem so."
Louise could feel both of their gazes on her as she busied herself studying the exquisite craftsmanship of the armored boots that the young lord was wearing. She wanted to say that she was not a child, but she dared not speak and instead tried to wipe away some of the tears and snot from her face to make herself look less pitiful. She was only partially successful.
Jade sniffed the air, her eyes filled with contempt as she realized something. "And she has soiled herself, my Lord. Please allow me to end her for such filthy disrespect in your presence." Her hand reached for her spear and it appeared to quiver slightly as her grip tightened around it. Louise could have sworn the spear blade glowed brighter like it was being heated by a blacksmith's forge.
Louise grimaced. She had hoped they wouldn't realize it, but when she was quaking with fear earlier she had unfortunately pissed herself and was now sitting in a small puddle of her own urine. Perhaps it was stupid of her to think they wouldn't notice, but the lord of this place made no mention of it so she was hoping it had escaped his notice.
Jade's comments worried her and while she had to admit that what she did was irrefutably disgusting and offensive, surely this was not something to be punished with death.
"That was because I frightened her quite thoroughly when I was angry earlier at having been woken up so rudely," remarked the lord, seemingly not bothered by it in the slightest. He yawned casually then rolled his shoulders a few times to loosen them up.
Casting a glance at Jade, he said, "I'm tired, Jade. You may find me in my chambers if you have urgent need of me."
He had scarcely taken a step when Jade exclaimed with alarm, "Please, my Lord! Allow me to first clean your chambers. I am certain that it will need a thorough dusting and washing after all these years, in addition to changing the sheets."
There was a brief silence as the lord of this place mulled it over.
"Very well. Please be quick about it." With a bit of a flourish he turned on his heel, cape swinging behind him, and walked back towards his throne.
"What of the girl, my Lord?" Jade asked after him, glaring at Louise who could only look down at the floor in fear and shame.
"Clean her up and make use of her. She lives for now."
"As you command, Lord." Jade finally stood up and with barely contained disgust she said, "You. Girl. Come with me now."
=x=x=x=x=
The blast could be heard from several miles away, and for those close enough to the epicenter with magical affinity they could even feel it. The sudden release of massive amounts of magical energy. Branches whipped back and forth, trees bent dangerously, and leaves whirled about as the wave of magic crashed over them, accompanied by a violently gusting wind akin to that of a fierce tempest.
Birds squawked and chirped as they took to the sky, buffeted momentarily by the shockwave and rushing wind from the blast of energy as they flapped their wings through the night sky in an effort to get away.
Startled animals ran as fast as their legs could move, some toppling over in their panicked scramble to get away while others were swept off their feet by the shockwave as it passed over them.
In Elena's case, she saw the blast with her own eyes.
The night had started out like most nights before her. There were the usual soirees, dinner parties, and other social events that she was invited to all across the bustling city of Nifleheim. To be expected for the Night Queen. She had of course appeared at the most important ones, staying just long enough to leave a mark on the gathering and to remind everyone of who she was.
There were the anticipated exchanges of pleasantries and flattery, and of course there was the drinking, but she tried to keep that to a minimum. While most of the talk was shallow, mild, and uninteresting, a few asked her to lend them her ear and she obliged when she considered it worthwhile. Those instances were very few, and that night was no different.
Later in the evening, she found herself alone back at home with a glass of red staring off into the distance from the sizable balcony that jutted out from the master suite.
A cool breeze blew gently across her skin and the leaves of the nearby trees rustled lightly.
Even though it was extra dark that evening thanks to the clouds that hung overhead hiding the moon, Elena could see just as clearly as if she were in the light of the midday sun, and her gaze fixated like it usually did to the dark mountain that stood alone far to the north of the city, and to the fortress that she spent much of her time in centuries ago.
Those were the days when it seemed as if the whole world turned around them. When their choices and movements caused all the world to dance to their tune. When all eyes looked to the dark mountain, some with fear and hate and others with reverence and respect.
Now she felt smaller than she once was, for she had been to the peak of the world and was now unable to summit so high again, resigned to simply gaze up with longing at the place she once knew but now could never reach.
To be fair, she did try. She did the best that she could given the circumstances.
She had fought and maneuvered her way to the highest reaches of Nifleheim society and made her name known to many in the Territories. And when she had accomplished that, Elena then attempted to return to the heights which she had reached before, to have even a slice of that time when the world appeared to be at her beck and call, but it was not as easy as it once was.
Not that it was easy at all, but it sure felt easier to change the world back when the fortress was alive and so full of energy that the air was practically thrumming with it. When the company of her peers kept her on her toes, engaged and thrilled by those with the strength and wits to match her and sometimes even best her. Those were the days when she looked forward to every new day and every new challenge. Back when her master was still alive.
Her train of thought was interrupted when she saw it. A flash of light unmistakable to her superhuman eyes. She blinked. It had come from the fortress. It seemed like a magical explosion of some kind. The first signs of life there in over two and a half centuries. There were only a few souls who would dare to get close to the fortress, quiet as it was these days, and even fewer still with the courage to enter it.
"Bartho," she called out as she finished the rest of her drink in one go, licking her lips with a satisfied sigh after.
There was a slight whooshing sound behind her.
"You called, your eminence?"
The gray-haired butler bowed with a gloved hand resting on his chest, red eyes staring respectfully at the ground by his master's feet. His black tuxedo was impeccable and he wore it quite handsomely, as was expected of him.
"Summon the Night Guard and have them meet me at the fortress, ready for battle. I'll be going there now myself," she said, handing her empty glass to him.
She sensed the briefest of hesitations before his reply, one that most people would not have picked up on.
"That fortress, my Queen?" he asked to be sure, eyes still looking down respectfully. He undoubtedly had more questions, but they went unasked. He knew better than that.
"Yes," she smiled ever so slightly at him, not that he could see, and her red eyes glowed with power. "The Black Fortress."
"Understood. How many of the Guard shall I call up, my Queen?"
"All of them."
And with that said she launched herself up into the air in a move so fast that the wind rushed and whirled around the space she had previously occupied, buffeting the butler who now stood alone on the balcony for a few seconds. He watched while his master suddenly sprout wings and flew off into the night before he too disappeared in a blur.
=x=x=x=x=
Louise struggled to keep up with the much taller lady warrior, who walked briskly with her long strides through the cold and deserted halls of the fortress, not making any attempt to slow down for the pink-haired girl.
Jade's spear, much to Louise's surprise, effectively became a torch after a moment of concentration from the lady warrior resulted in it bursting into a brilliant flame the same color as the glowing reddish-orange steel it burned out of. Outside of the throne room, the rest of the fortress was dark and unlit, but Jade was doing her best to light the ones that they passed along the way.
The younger girl's shoes squelched with each step, a humiliating reminder of her earlier indiscretion. Her clothes were still somewhat damp too and the chill air of the sleepy fortress made her shiver.
They made several turns and walked through long and silent hallways before they found themselves in a spacious spiral staircase. A cold draft blew in from above and she shivered again as the lady warrior led the way down the stairs.
Deeper into the fortress they went, and Louise marveled at the sheer size of the place. It was most definitely a bigger structure than the Academy or the Royal Palace in Tristain, maybe even larger than both combined. There seemed to be no end to the number of passageways, and the stairs seemed to go on forever in either direction.
Not once did the warrior speak to her as they made their way through the halls of the fortress. Their footsteps echoed across the cold dark stones of the otherwise silent passageways until at last they appeared to arrive at their destination.
Jade led her into a large room furnished with several identical tables and chairs. The warrior moved with purpose, lighting a few of the torches on the walls. They served not only to bring more light to the room, but to also warm the air, and Louise was certainly grateful for that as she shivered. It was colder down here compared to the throne room.
While the warrior moved about, Louise took this time to study the place. They had traveled deeper into the fortress and so the room unsurprisingly had no windows, but there were several wooden doors besides the one they had entered from. The walls were smooth dark stone and unadorned save for the brackets that held the torches in place.
The tables and chairs looked sturdy and well-made, but were in desperate need of a good dusting. A woven basket sat empty and alone upon one of the tables.
Along one of the walls was what looked to be a cooking area, with a place to light a fire for cooking and ample counter space for everything else. Above that was a stone hood and chimney to whisk away the smoke that would undoubtedly come from any cooking. In the corner and on top of the counter were a few sets of cutlery and a stack of simple plates and bowls.
"This is one of the servants quarters. Pick a room and it will be yours for as long as my Lord allows it," explained Jade frankly, her green eyes were hard as they stared down at Louise with a disdain that the young girl was all too familiar with.
Jade pointed to one of the doors. "That is the bathroom. Clean yourself up and wash your clothes. Thoroughly. Everything you need should still be in there. If not, one of these doors is also a supply closet. Take what you need. There should also be some leftover clothes somewhere for you to change into while your clothes dry. I have no time to watch over you so you must do this all yourself. Understand?"
Louise blinked, taking it all in, and nodded in understanding. The thought of being reduced to a mere servant shamed her and further eroded what little was left of her broken pride, but servitude was far better than death. At least while she was alive, she could work to improve herself and her situation.
Besides, it was not necessarily unheard of for mages to be servants of other mages, and the lord of this place was certainly a powerful magic user. That helped to slightly ease her troubled thoughts.
"When you're finished cleaning yourself up, take the stairs that we came from and go all the way up as high as you can go. You'll find me there. Do not keep me waiting for long," Jade said with a serious look that also told the younger girl to keep any questions she had to herself. Her fire-spear flared a little to emphasize the implied threat.
Louise understood well enough and nodded again, this time stammering out a quick reply. "Y-Yes ma'am!"
Jade left her alone almost immediately and Louise let out a long breath.
Her eyes scanned the room one more time. This was to be her home for a while. How long that would be, she didn't know, but she was going to do her best to try and survive here for as long as she can. She had to.
It was honestly better than she thought she was going to get, and for that at least she was grateful. She was lucky to be alive and she knew it.
Besides, her treatment here couldn't be any worse than back at the Academy. Except perhaps for the constant threat of death or dismemberment.
Sobs threatened to overcome her then and tears came unbidden to her eyes, but she quickly wiped those away and fought hard to hold herself in check. Right now there was no time for that. Not with a flame-spear-wielding warrior waiting on her.
Sniffling, Louise shook her head and gathered herself as best she could and got down to business.
There turned out to be four bedrooms in total, each one pretty much identical in layout and furnishings, with only the bare necessities. Then there was the one communal bathroom that had a bathtub, sink, and a latrine or toilet. If nothing else there was at least running water and plumbing, though she figured the water was likely going to be frigid and she was not looking forward to bathing in that.
Turning the faucet loose, she ran the bath while she set about getting everything ready and familiarizing herself with her new home.
She searched the storage room and found a towel and a sponge, but unfortunately there didn't seem to be any shampoo or soap that survived however long it had been since there were servants here, but she figured she could manage without those for now. Perhaps it was something she could ask for later on, when the opportunity presented itself.
One of the rooms had several folded maid outfits stored in a cabinet and they looked surprisingly clean, and they were the only women's clothes she could find. Though she was loathe to wear one, since it was something more befitting of a commoner than a noble of Tristain such as herself, she didn't really have much choice in the matter. Her current outfit was partially wet and smelled of urine and even she had to admit that it was pretty gross to continue walking around in them.
There was, however, one major problem with all of this: there was no clean underwear anywhere. Her own underwear was definitely still soiled, and even if she was able to clean it, which she couldn't properly without soap, there was still the issue of drying it and she wasn't about to wear panties that were soaking wet.
Although the thought of not wearing any underwear at all brought a deep blush to her cheeks. Shaking her head, she looked at the maid's outfit, which was the typical black dress with white trim and frills along with a white apron. The dress at least was a little too big for her, which while it made it loose, also meant that it went past her knees. That was going to have to do since she had no other options given her short time limit.
When there was enough water in the stone tub, Louise stopped the faucet, took off her clothes, and set them aside to be washed later when she had more time. Mindful not to take too long in the bath, she was surprised at how much warmer the water was than she had originally expected. It wasn't as hot as she would have preferred, but it was pleasant enough and thankfully not cold.
Once she was all clean, she went ahead and donned the maid outfit that was entirely too big for her. The fabric was surprisingly comfortable and of good quality, feeling fairly comfortable against her skin. The thought of not wearing underwear underneath it made her blush and she tried to think of anything else to get her mind off of it.
Only one mirror existed in the servants quarters and it was located in the bathroom. A cursory glance at herself in a maid outfit made her think of Siesta, one of the maids at the Academy whose uniform was very similar to this one.
The commoner was a nice enough girl and performed her duties fairly well and without complaint. Louise had never interacted with her directly, but she had heard about her from the others.
Louise hoped to channel at least some of the young maid's spirit while performing whatever duties were required of her in order for her to continue surviving in this strange place. Judging from the two people she had encountered in this fortress so far, her usual stubborn and combative self would prove fatal here, so she would have to be extra careful of her emotions.
Moving as swiftly as her feet could take her, she managed not to get too lost on her way back to the spiral staircase.
Up she went, her damp hair clinging to her skin where it could as the cold draft continued to come from above, leaving her feeling chilly. There had been no time to thoroughly dry her hair, so when it was dry enough for her to work with, she stopped.
A few times she had to lean against the wall to catch her breath, the stairs seemingly endless, and by the time she finally reached the very top as instructed her legs were burning from the effort and she already felt quite tired. Louise mused that the servants who used to live here probably ended up incredibly fit with legs of steel.
She stepped into the hallway and saw that it was fairly short and led to only one set of double doors stained black and engraved with gold, a common color scheme in this place. Louise estimated them to be about twice her height. One of the doors was ajar and light streamed out from the gap.
The torches up here burned a bright red-orange like the flames from Jade's spear, indicating that the warrior had certainly passed through.
Here at the very top floor of the fortress was without question the lord's chambers, and Louise found herself interested to find out what it looked like inside. She imagined it to be as ostentatious as the throne upon which he sat.
Stepping through the door and into the wide expanse of the room beyond, she was immediately greeted by a strange sight.
Jade's spear was planted right by the entrance and appeared to be staying upright on its own, defying gravity somehow. The spear blade was no longer on fire, but the reddish-orange steel looked to be glowing with energy, and the air around the weapon was undoubtedly warmer than the hallway that she had walked through only seconds ago.
Her eyes scanned the rectangular room. It was not quite as lavish as she thought it might be, given what she had seen in the throne room, but the size of the room was impressive. There were plenty of cushioned chairs, tables, and various decorations and ornaments all over the room. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling.
Given the ample amount of seating as well as the other furniture, this was more than likely a room for entertaining guests. What kinds of guests the lord hosted here, Louise wanted to know.
On one side of the room to her left was an open archway leading off to another part of the chambers. Across from it, on the other side of the room and to her right, was a heavy wooden door that was closed shut. And opposite from where Jade was standing, across from the main entrance, was another set of double doors. Unlike the main doors, these were made of glass and polished wood and led out onto a terrace.
To either side of those doors were several large floor-to-ceiling windows, each one framed by long drapes of black and gold.
There was no sign of Jade. The warrior was probably somewhere further in.
Taking this chance to take a closer look at said warrior's weapon, Louise stepped up to it with the eagerness of a child who had received an unexpected present and was about to open it. She noted the countless small runes expertly carved all along the length of the spear. There must have been hundreds of them, maybe even thousands. Sadly, Louise didn't recognize a single one, but she could at the very least admire the craftsmanship.
It looked as though it was made of a similar material to the black steel that the lord of the fortress used for his equipment. Though it was hard to tell for sure without putting them side-by-side. Scrutinizing it even more, she realized that light seemed to interact strangely with the metal, moving and reflecting oddly as she peered at it from different angles. Rippling even.
Intrigued, she reached out a hand to grasp the spear but stopped short, her hand hovering perilously close to the weapon. Touching the weapon was probably not a good idea even though she really wanted to.
"Do it," someone whispered gently in her ear, breath tickling her skin and startling her almost out of her outfit.
Louise jumped so abruptly away from the direction of the whispering voice that she lost her footing, stumbled, and in the middle of having lost her balance she grabbed at the only thing she could.
Jade's spear somehow didn't budge as the young girl used it to steady herself, and for a few seconds Louise continued to hold on to it as she looked around for the voice that had whispered in her ear. The metal was cool to the touch, and strangely enough it felt like it was moving and rippling subtly in her hand.
Before she could explore the bizarre sensation further, she noticed the spear blade begin to glow, and then she felt the spear heat up against her hand so rapidly that it practically burned her palm faster than she could even react. By the time she yelped in pain and let go of the weapon, the damage had already been done, and her palm burned terribly.
Taking several steps back, she grimaced while, not for the first time that day, tears filled her vision. These tears actually came from pain and not fear this time. Wiping them away angrily and hissing as her palm throbbed with pain, Louise scanned the immediate area for the culprit and still could not find anyone.
When she was about to consider that she might have simply imagined it or worse that she was starting to lose her mind and hear voices, she was made aware that there was in fact someone else in the room with her.
"Looking for me, dear?" said a playful feminine voice that was equally sultry and cultured. What was strange though was that the voice came from above her.
Louise slowly looked up.
It was the hair that she saw first. Long, wavy blonde hair that hung down from the ceiling, and when she followed the hair up to the head to which it was attached, Louise's breath hitched in her throat as she froze and found herself staring straight into the gleaming red pupils of a pale woman.
A woman who was somehow standing effortlessly on the ceiling, arms crossed over her full breasts that were barely contained in an elegant form-fitting dress that matched the color of her eyes.
When the blonde woman smiled, her plump lipstick red lips parted to reveal rows of perfect, pearly white teeth. But even though she was upside down, it was the woman's canines that drew Louise's attention. They were long. Too long. More like fangs than teeth.
=x=x=x=x=
Author's Note: And we're off! I'm not sure how many of you fanfic readers use the metric system or imperial system of measurement - as an American, I'm more comfortable with the imperial system, which I use here, but I'm curious to know what the percentages are for each system on.
Btw, if you're having trouble picturing the horns of our other main character, think of Loki's (from Marvel) helmet and then move the horns a little more to the side of the head from where they are. And half the length too.
Just as a notice: thus far, the only character from the anime series in this story will be Louise. Everyone else will be OC's. This is very much AU. I might do some flashbacks that include other series characters and haven't completely ruled out writing chapters about what's going on with the people in Tristain, but as of now there are no concrete plans to write about them moving forward.