Summoning Day.

That is what the school called this particular day of the school year. A day where aspiring mages participate in a ritual to summon forth their elemental familiar. In this world known as Halkeginia, magic and mages flourish in place of scientific advancements. Why have planes, when you can ride dragons. Why buy a stove, when you can heat things up with fire magic. However, all mages must first be taught how to perform such spells and techniques, thus there exists a school for young mages to attend. Tristain Academy of Magic, one of the finest institutions for mages in the country. Here, a group of second year students participate in their first day of class, and as befits the school curriculum, today is the day where each student is permitted to summon their familiar, a magical creature bound to the mage to be their partner from that day forth.

Chatter and whispers flourished among the students. Excitement and hopeful expectations dotted their faces, all eager to see what kind of creature they may bring forth today. Yet one student was not as ecstatic about the ritual. Short in stature with a small frame and long pink hair was a girl by the name of Louise de la Vallière. Her head was hung low, and her eyes were empty. She was not as excited, and for good reason.

"Hah, I wonder what kind of familiar I'm gonna get!"

"Of course I would get one as befitting my beautiful nature, do you not agree, my sweet Montmorency?"

She listened quietly to the other students as they chatted away happily, none batting an eye towards the solemn girl.

"Hah, I'm more curious about what Louise might summon."

Her ears perked up at the mention of her name.

"Really? Why is that?"

Louise waited on baited breath. Subconsciously she inched closer to hear more.

"Isn't it obvious? Because I wanna see what kind of fitting creature that loser of a Zero might summon!"

Louise flinched when she heard that nickname. Zero. That's what they called her. A talentless Zero, who could not conjure any magic spell no matter how simplistic. A name she loathed to the bottom of her heart.

"Hhah! You're right! I didn't even think about how amusing that would be! Maybe she'll summon a Slime or a Goblin! A perfect piece of trash creature to suit that wannabe dummy!"

She winced and stepped away, trying to tune them all out. She unknowingly bumped into someone.

"Ah, I'm sorry I wasn't-"

"Hah?! It's just Louise! What, it wasn't bad enough that your magic is at Zero, you also had to make your eyesight match it!? What if you got my cloak all dirty, loser!"

He shoved her, and her small body crumpled under the weight, causing her to hit the floor.

"AH-!"

Her small cry caught the attention of the students and teacher. They all turned to see her on the floor, nursing her arm.

"Hmm? Are you okay Louise?" he asked.

"Y-yes sir."

"Then please try to keep up. We're almost there," he said and continued forward.

She slowly stood up, her head hung even lower.

"Tch, that stupid idiot. Even her walking is at Zero, just like her spells."

"Why do we even have to put up with that Zero, ugh she's pissing me off."

"Hmph, can't even keep your grace at a time like this, Louise? So much for being my proclaimed rival."

She wanted to cry, but she held back her tears. She'll hold it in just like always. She had to.

At the field, the instructor had just finished the chalk lines to complete the summoning circle for the next student. Louise had already watched her fellow classmates call out their familiars. From a giant mole, to a small orange frog, to a small fairy, to a wind dragon, all proud mages stood beside their familiars. Her eyes drifted over to a tall and busty, ebony skinned redhead student, as she softly petted her Salamander familiar. A bright flame flickers at the end of its, and its bright red skin matches the fiery hair of the owner. Kirche von Zerbst, known by her mage title, the Ardent, and Louise's rival/bully. A bit of jealousy seeped from the pinkette as she glared at the fire familiar. Said Salamander bowed its head slightly at her envious gaze, drawing attention from Kirche. The dark skinned mage gave the shortstack a taunting and flirtatious smile.

"Now then, since everyone has successfully summoned their familiar, please re-organize yourselves and return to class."

"Pradon, professor. But there seems to still be one person who hasn't summoned a familiar yet," Kirche interrupted.

"Oh? I believe I have everyone accounted for…?"

"Ah, but our dear Louise has yet to step up, has she?"

"A-ah, it appears so," the instructor said as he turned towards the girl, "Louise do you wish to try your hand at this?"

The young girl glared a moment at her rival, before addressing her instructor with a nervous gulp.

"No, it is alright. I can do so another time. We have little time left before the start of our next period, sir."

Truth be told, she would prefer to never summon a familiar. The ring of her past failures sounded heavily in her mind. She could not bear the shame if she were to somehow butcher the summoning of her familiar as well. She hoped that she could ask the headmaster for some assistance to prevent such a thing.

"Ara, is the great and mighty Louise scared of summoning? Don't tell me you're afraid of pulling a weak familiar, are you?"

Louise twitched visibly, as other students began whispering words behind her back. Words she tuned out. However, Kirche's next words dug much deeper.

"I thought you were my rival. Surely you can conjure up something as great as my dear Flame here," she said as she stroked her Salamander, "Or are you going to admit that you are a Zero after all?"

At that, Louise froze, her mind turning Kirche's words in her head over and over again.

"Miss Zerbst, I believe that is enough. If Miss Vallière does not wish to perform the ritual right now then-"

"I'll do it." Louise cut the instructor off.

"Pardon? Miss Vallière you really do not have to perform it at this very moment if you are unprepared-"

"I said I'll do it!" she said, stomping her foot. Her pink hair fell and blocked her eyes.

Kirche smiled, her goading worked. She walked off to the side, standing beside her closest friend, a young and slender girl named Tabitha. She had a wicked and bemused smile as she watched Louise take to the summoning circle.

"Kirche," Tabitha called out, "This is uncalled for."

"It's just a bit of fun!"

Louise stood in the center, her wand gripped in both hands. Kirche's words echoed in her mind. She'd show them. She'd show all of them just how great a mage she truly is.

"Miss Vallière. Are you certain you want to do this? I will not hold it against you if you choose to do this again at a later time."

She gritted her teeth.

"I am certain."

The instructor let out a sigh.

"Very well then, let us start. Please recite your chant."

She breathed in a deep breath.

"My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière. Pentagon of the five elemental powers, Heed my summoning…"

Louise was desperate. Several times she had suffered the ridicule of the other students in their magical studies, her spells yielding nothing more than mocking explosions. So on this day, she would prove them wrong!

"And bring forth…"

It has to work this time…..it HAS TO!

"My familiar!" The young mage cried out.

Silence followed. One second passed. Then another. Nothing. No one. She could hear the snickering in the background, the ridicule.

"Hah. Louise couldn't even summon a familiar!"

"Once a Zero always a Zero."

"Hey Louise, maybe you should go help out in the kitchen with the commoners instead. But you'd probably be a Zero in there too! Hah!"

Her lip quivered as she held back her tears. For once she wanted to prove to them all that she was NOT a Zero, that she IS a talented mage. She had to be. She was a noble, born into a long line of great mages. An only child. Her family name and reputation rested firmly on HER shoulders. She could not and would not let them down. This summoning was to prove that. To prove to all of them that she could summon a powerful and strong familiar, one that would make everyone eat their words. So she gritted her teeth and held back her tears. She would not cry. Not like this. Not in front of them.

"I… I must've drawn the circle with an error. Pardon me Lousie." An instructor next to her bowed in apology.

She nodded. That must have been what went wrong, it was not her fault. She could do it, she could summon something, anything. Yet deep down, a part of her doubted the excuse was true. She kept her gaze at the summoning circle, her eyes not leaving the chalk covered grass. She would not look at her classmates and their snickering faces. She kept her gaze at a small shaded circle on the ground. One that seemed to grow larger with each passing moment.

"Huh? Wait, there's a… shadow?" she spoke.

"What?"

All the students and the Instructor turned their heads to the sky, just in time to see a large mass approaching them at a high speed.

"Look out!" a student screamed.

Run! Get out of the way!"

All except for Louise backed away as the large figure slammed into the ground, kicking up a massive amount of dust. Louise could only stare in awe. The figure must have been massive for such an impact. And the delay… could it be because the being was so powerful it needed time to materialize? That part of her that doubted herself told her no, but it was being overshadowed by her growing sense of pride and eagerness. Finally, she proved herself worthy. Finally, she could make them all see they were wrong.

The students slowly returned, with Lousie anxiously awaiting for the dust to clear.

"Uhh…" something within the dust groaned. It was a deep voice. One that made the students step back.

"Didn't… didn't see that fall comin'."

Louise tilted her head at those words. It was not a language she recognized. The voice… it also sounded… human?

"Now exactly how are we going to return? The portal has probably already sealed itself," another voice spoke. That shocked her. Was there more than one being? If she summoned two powerful creatures… though a more morbid part of her wondered if it was just a single massive creature with multiple faces.

"Could be worse. We could've landed in lava. It's not like we're completely surrounded or anything," came a third voice.

Louise gulped. Three creatures? This was getting a bit much now. The dust was clearing, enough to see the beings that were brought forth. Enough for them to see the students. There were three men, all with white hair. One dressed in blue, another in red, and one in white-ish grey.

"You were saying?" the man in blue, owner of the second voice, spoke, as they all examined their new surroundings.

"Well… I guess we're not in Kansas anymore," came the first voice, belonging to the man in red.