Chapter 2. Yea, be amazed! Heh. Anyways, mostly need to go read Familiar and work out a story idea beyond just doing FoZ with my character instead. Or even if I do, how completely taken off canon it'll become. After all, by the time of Shadowbringers, I don't think a lot of the 'threats' of Familiar are too much of a problem til later stuff.
Headmaster Osmond was having a typical day. Paperwork to go through, events to schedule, budgets to balance. Always so much to do. Lifting his pipe, he lit it and went to take a puff when it floated out of his hand. Ah, yes, that point of contention. He enjoyed having a secretary, especially one as lovely as Miss Longuevuille, but she was a sharp one. Getting up he walks over towards her. "Must you deprive an old man his pleasures?"
"It's for your own health, Old Osmond. Also, stop that or else." Her pointed glare made him back up, raising a hand that was heading towards her. With a few steps back, he feigned looking about in confusion, until she continued. "And stop feigning senility, we'd all be too lucky if you were."
"Bah, such prudishness." He returns to his desk, picking up a tiny white mouse that had scrambled up onto it. "You understand, don't you Motsognir?" The mouse chitters to him as he holds out a nut for it. "Yes yes, pure white and cotton, such a pruddish, childish design..." Osmond falls over, Longuevuille repeatedly kicking and stamping on him.
"Pervert old man! I should report you to the castle!"
"Bah, like I am afraid of them! Nothing I can't ha-"
"Shut up!" She continues to kick him til the echoes of an explosion ring out, both looking up. "That was..."
"The third daughter of the Valliere family again." Both returned to their seats, getting back to work. "I wonder if she's summoned something, despite the explosion. Still, I best prepare myself if she hasn't."
Following the dismissal of the students, though the two who had looked ready to attack him earlier were slower to leave, Nolza followed this Colbert and the girl, Louise, through the castle. A whole castle for a singular academy. Sure, Ul'dah was almost all a giant building, with many different guilds, professions, and all inside, but still. He guessed it wouldn't be impossible, after all there was stuff like the Gubal library, though how anyone did anything there with all the demons... or did they come later? He almost stopped to think on it before shaking it off.
Reaching up, he adjusted his glasses as they came up to a large door, which the teacher knocked on a few times, entering upon the door opening and being invited in by a cute green haired woman. Though she stared at him in shock when she finally looked his way. Seriously, did this place not have Miqo'te? What about Lalafell, Elezen, Au'ra, Viera, Hrothgar? Not to mention the beast tribes. If it was only Hyurs, what an odd world it would be.
Looking at the office, he turned his attention to the old man behind the desk that's gaze had grown sharp and actually felt decently powerful, like the teacher. Colbert spoke up when the door was closed. "Headmaster Osmond, we have a peculiar case here. Louise Valliere did summon a familiar but..." He cuts himself off and looks towards Nolza. "As you can see, he's not like any that have been documented before. And the binding ritual caused a backlash when she tried it."
"I cannot be bound by such things." He looks into Osmonds eyes, shaking his head. "Reverse this Calling, I do not have time to dawdle here." The Headmaster looked over at Colbert, then back to Nolza. "I'm afraid that there isn't a spell to return a creature from where it was summoned that we know of Mr?"
His eyes glowed before he sighed. "Nolza Arolza. And yes, I know it is a funny name for a Miqo'te, but I was raised by Lalafell." The old man just tilted his head, confused. "Do you not have either of these here? Or do they go by other names? I am a Miqo'te. No, no idea? A Lalafell is a small person, two to three feet in height. They look like Hyur children, with long ears. What about Au'ra, the dragon scaled folk? Viera, tall rabbit-folk? Elezen? They look like Hyurs but are tall and have long pointed ears."
All of the Hyurs in the room tensed up, causing him to stop and blink. "You know Elves?!" The girl screeched, pointing her broken wand in his direction.
Louise was already upset that things had gone the way they did. She didn't have a familiar, even if this beast was summoned by her. He should be bowing and pledging loyalty, not threatening her with that stupid sword of his! Once she got a new wand, she'd just have to do the binding again. Whatever power this dog... cat thought it had, it was just a mistake. She'd get it right next time. Now they were in the Headmaster's office and it demanded to be sent back. Even if she could she would refuse. Besides, here was obviously better than whatever hole it had come from. Tristain was better than anywhere else in the world.
More talk, about weird names he kept listing off. Seriously, child-like race, cat and bunny creatures like him... Elez-wait... "You know Elves?!" A heretic! Not just some demi-human beast, but a heretic! She had her wand raised defensively. Who knows what el-
"What is an elf?" His words cut off her thoughts and she looked up at him. Professor Colbert was the one to speak up. "Elves are as you just described. Long pointed eared devils of the desert who use ancient magics. They have been less than friendly to humans since Brimir's time."
Yes, exactly. How could this person not know what an elf was and call them that ridiculous name.
Nolza blinked then shook his head, before taking a thinking pose. "Most Elezen live in Gridania, in the Shroud Forests. As for Ancient magic, they use what any race that can learn to use magic can. Though most would probably lean towards Conjuration, given the gift of the Elementals from their homeland, but I have seen plenty become Thaumaturges and Paladins, or otherwise learn to harness their Aether. Some might be able to find and attune to Soul Stones to learn the old Black or White arts, or find those who could teach them Red or Blue."
Looking up at their confusion, he tilted his head again. "Are you not a Thaumaturge, Colbert? To toss fire and ice in destructive waves, or call lightning to eat away at a target? Or even just Scathe a foe with a shot of force?" A shake of the head and he groaned. "Perhaps we have different classifications. A Thaumaturge uses their power to manipulate Aether into potent destructive forces of Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, and such. A Conjurer works with the blessings of the Elementals to strike foes with Stone, use Aero spells to strip at them, or mostly use their magic to heal and restore. Those who know the old magics tied to them, such as the Gridanian Padjal, call them the magics of Black and White, going further in power and scale than a mere Thaumaturge or Conjurer could. Red Mages, are able to use a focus and rapier to harness their Aether, casting jolts of power than imbue them with aspects of Black and White magics, even able to cast spells aligned with both schools, though the most powerful of magics for either will forever be from their grasp. They make up for this with their ability to improve their casting and take the imbuement of Aether into their swordplay. And Blue Mages..." He stops, thinking on it. "They are the most versatile, the most dangerous casters to themselves and others. They can learn to harness the power of monsters, to mimic their abilities through their magic."
While the Headmaster and Professor looked intrigued, the girl looked about ready to explode in anger. He did not know why this was so. Colbert spoke up, asking a question that he found funny. "You speak of anyone harnessing magic, is it not just the nobles?"
He laughed. "Most nobles actually don't care to learn, from what I've gathered. Though there's always an exception. Plus not everyone has the aptitude to learn, no matter their standing."
"Lies!" She screams out, unable to handle it anymore. The absolute heresy this beast was spouting! "Magic is a gift to the nobles from the Founder Brimir! Stop saying such lies, you beast!"
He looked at the girl, shaking his head. "I don't know who this Brimir is, but I speak no lies. I swear by the Twelve." The adults began to look worried now. "Twe-" Colbert was cut off by a throat clearing cough from Osmond, gathering everyone's attention. "We are all getting off track. Perhaps we should return to why we are here? Miss Valliere, right now you do not have a Familiar."
The girl went white, turning to look at the Headmaster, as Nolza spoke up. "Yes, about that. What is a Familiar, exactly? It sounds like they are just pets, or such?" He eyed Colbert, who coughed before speaking. "A Familiar is a mage's partner in life. Typically cats, dogs, or other such animals, though they can be more powerful. You saw the dragon with the students? A particularly talented student summoned it to be theirs."
"I see, and the dragon just agreed? It didn't say anything against this?"
"Dragons aren't sapient. The ancient Rhyme Dragons were hunted to extinction long ago."
Nolza frowned, and he could feel Midgarsormr's anger, even from this shard of it's whole. "I have fought and spoken with many dragons. Few would permit others from treating them as pets. Even Sormr, whom I rode on, only allows it through many trials and troubles on my end." As he speaks, a tiny dragon being sparkles into existence over his shoulder, glaring at the Hyur. When it speaks, it's voice is deep and booming.
"I can assure you, mortals, if you continue to think of true Dragons as such, I will find a way to call my brood to show you your errors." They stared a the tiny dragon til Nolza lifted a hand. "No need to threaten them like that Sormr. Perhaps their dragons are different? I would have to investigate more. Still, unable to be Returned." The tiny dragon gave them all a final glare before disappearing again. "If I had half the skill in Aetheric manipulation as Y'sholta or Krile, or even Lady Matoya's Eye, perhaps I could follow the current that brought me here back but I am no Sharlyan scholar." He shakes his head. "But, Familiars. Perhaps I can provide a solution. I could see about teaching her the ways of the Arcanist. They are neither White, Black, Red, or Blue. They use logic and formula to channel their Aether into spells that are not of an elemental variety to harm or heal. But they also can summon a Carbuncle. A companion that functions much the same as you put a Familiar as. The Carbucle can modify an Arcanist's power to channel it into power of Fire, Air, and Earth, through becoming a Emerald, Topaz, or Ruby Carbuncle."
He laughed as they looked at him, the looks on their faces were hilarious. "There's more and all, but an Arcanist sounds like exactly what is required... though I don't know whatever your learning of magic is to collaborate. Much less I'm not the best at weaving or alchemy to keep her upkept with proper equipment and grimoires." He looks at the girl. "The right equipment, as you grow in skill and talent, can further improve your prowess. But trying to use something beyond your abilities will only harm yourself. Hmm... with a lot of time, especially if I can find the materials, I can make you better stuff."
"Of course, I'll need the time collect everything and find what materials here I can use to substitute for what I know. The woods, inks, leathers, cloth." He shrugs. "So, I'll look into filling in for this 'Familiar' til then. But try to bind me again, girl, and I will show you why an entire Empire is cautious of me."
Those last words made the two adults share a look, before Osmond spoke up. "If you are willing to do this, then I can withhold Miss Valliere's expulsion, on her oath that she will not attempt the Binding spell again."
Louise was furious. All this Heretics words were an affront to Brimir and his teachings of magic. But, some traitorous part of her mind brought forth, maybe she would be able to finally cast a spell. Something that wouldn't just blow up. Plus Professor Colbert and Headmaster Osmond were listening to it. Maybe just the magic. Yea, then she could teach it the proper belief of Brimir. That and convince it it's proper place, humph. Still, she held up the remains of her wand, taking a breath. "On my honor, I, Louise Françoise de la Valliere, do vow to not cast the Binding spell upon this one, unless released from this oath."
She was rather proud of adding the stipulations of specifically targeting the beast and until released from it so she could either bind this 'Carbuncle' if it wasn't talking nonsense, or on him later when she got it to rescind the oath for one reason or another. But she was a noble, she'd never break it.
Nolza looked at the girl, nearly rolling his eyes at her. Some nobles always trying to do things to 'pull one over' on their 'lesser'. Not that he'd not met plenty of good nobles, such as the Sultana, the Manderville family (though Godbert and his wife both scared the pants off him), House Fortempts and more. And many are very good to their word. None here were giving off the feel of most of those in the Syndicate, so he just nodded. "Very well. Then let us take our leave for now. Might I make use of your library as well?"
Osmond just nods, writing a small note on a page and hands it over. Looking at it, he takes a moment for the Echo to let him 'learn' the language. It was always weird how that worked. Still, with a nod, he turns and leaves the room, Louise chasing after him yelling about rude manners. "Such an interesting place, until I can find a way back, or someone can find a way to get me back, this should be fun to explore."
"Familiar! I demand you stop!"
He stops, turning to look at the girl. "What is it, child?"
"You will address me as Master! And you will do what I say, Familiar!"
"Listen, child. I will humor acting in a Familiar's place til we get through the Carbucle or not. If not, I will either craft you a magical minion to take it's place or go find something for you to make one that is better suited. But do not take my humors for granted. You will speak to me by name or proper address or title. I will not call you 'Master' because of a bruised ego." He turns and continues walking, ignoring her squawking and yelling.
This was going to be a long adventure.
AN: Well, chapter 2. Chapter 3 when I get around to it will be the night, dealing with Guiche, and probably up through Day of Void. Then going from there. Working out how and why he might meet Derflinger, but I might also just leave the sword. Who knows.
