Tristainian Academy of Magic, Halkaginia.
The Academy of Tristain was one of the most opulent buildings that could be found in the kingdom. Besides the palace, it is the foremost magical academy in the Brimirian world. It has been in use since times long past when the holy founder Brimir walked the plane and has served as an unbroken line of education for the nobility. Straight from the First headmistress Morgan La Fey to the current Headmaster Osmond the old.
The academy was designed in a manner as to honor the Numen (1). who allowed magic to flow into mankind. The hallowed site was constructed to resemble the holy pentagon with five outer towers surrounding an inner spire. The outermost towers are all linked together with an outer wall of thick stone, each tower was colored to match the corresponding element to which it was devoted for; Red for Fire, blue for water, brown for earth, white for air, and finally black for arcane which is where the study of magics derived from the combination of the four base elements is performed. In the center of these five towers is the focus point of the academy the Spire of holy Brimir which rises above all others and was devoted towards the study of Void magic. The supreme element in which all other magic is born from.
In one such tower was one Colbert the Argute. Sir Colbert is the foremost expert in the study of non-magical artifacts while most would have seen this field of study a futile waste of time, Old Osmond was gracious enough to allow him to work here and continue his research. "Truly there is nothing better than to be paid in the pursuit of ones passions." So total was the silence, that the sound of Colbert speaking shattered the peace his office held "truly if today was not the springtime festival I would just stay here in my palace of knowledge, but I am not so fortunate. The headmaster wrote into my contract that I would handle the ritual of companionship." Spoke a calm and gentle voice
While Cobert was speaking he reached for a pipe that was gifted to him by the Legendary Karin the Heavy Wind! A beautiful silver pipe made from the finest of Romalian Silver, crafted by a famous Germaian alchemist Schvert of Gahlenz, and unlike most claims this is a real piece from his works! as Corbert brought the pipe to his mouth and began to take a long slow drag to allow himself to relax there was a disharmony that ripped the poor man from his musing.
A rapid knocking was heard in the office study, a faint crying for his attention was heard on the other side but it was so rapid he was not able to understand the words spoken. Sighing as he exhaled the smoke, Colbert moved to open the door. What greeted his sight was his favorite student Louise, she may be troubled with her application of magic, but her desire to learn is rivaled by none.
"Ahh young Miss Valliere what brings you to my office so early in the day. You should be preparing for the familiar ritual not running around wasting your willpower." spoke the honest voice of Colbert as he began to fret over his student like a mother gosling worrying over her brood.
Louise was practically vibrating with energy as she flitted from place to place without any reason, like flying in a brewery. Before I could probe her for an answer Louise was already speaking "I will be late to the summoning ritual. I have had a breakthrough in a potential method to stabilize my spells, I am designing a sigil to aid in my summoning spell. I will then need to carve it into the ground to perform the summoning, so I may need to be last in the springtime ritual."
While the request was strange; it was not unheard of, in fact the headmaster Osmond the Old summoned his familiar Motsognir by similar means. These thoughts, among others, filtered into Sir Colbert's mind as he heard her request. With a subtle cast of levitation and spark to light his pipe as it floated to his lips. Taking a drag, Colbert nodded in agreeance before speaking his conditions, "I have been made aware by Sir Shultz, that you have been using the Grand Library." Louise nodded as if to confirm his assumption verbally could bring about her punishment. As if sensing her concerns, Colbert was quick to console the poor girl when he spoke again.
"Your use of the library is not the issue here; Sir Shultz extolls your academic virtue to the rest of the teachers in fact! I am only inquiring because I wish to make a selfish request of you." Colbert said, looking at Louise with a patient smile on his face.
"Well, what is it that you are wanting me to do?" Louise replied nervously, unsure if Sir Colbert was as perverted as Osmond the Old. "As an added assignment is all I ask. I will require an extra paper on your findings before the Sleipnir Ball. It will be on top of your thesis on magical artifacts. I don't make this request lightly, but I only ask you to do this as I know that you are the most gifted when it comes to theoretical application of magic in the school, and it would be a shame not to challenge you with heavier assignments loads." The professor said with a warm smile, he could tell that his words had the desired effect as a mixture of relief and joy washed over her face replaced quickly by embarrassment that was then chased by fear when she realized she had increased her work load.
As fast and suddenly as Louise had arrived, she was gone just as fast, running down the halls of Ignis, the tower dedicated to the secrets of fire. With speed, that poor Colbert suffered from whiplash as he spoke to where she once was. "Will you need any help in preparing Miss De Valliere-" chuckling and muttering about youth under his breath Colbert shut his office door.
At the highest point of the academy was where the foremost mage of the brimirian world lived, the office was rather plain in the opinion of most, and it was. The springtime ritual, where a mage would summon their familiar. It is a defining moment in most mage's lives, if one summons the right companion, they will find the road towards titles of nobility and feats of glory within their grasp. The students were all in their second year and desperate to prove themselves to their contemporaries and families, as youth tends to be.
Most sadly would not summon anything more than the mundane, maybe a few would manifest the magical beasts of the cosmos but scant few would be able to call forth the mythical. Even I, who had mastered the four elements before the ritual, was incapable of bringing forth a mythical beast. It makes one wonder what is the catalyst to summon and bind these creatures of myth.
This is always what Headmaster Osmond the old always wondered during this time in the school year, never growing tired of the thought as the years turned to decades. He could have retired long ago, but he had not found the right time to do so, as he truly wanted to guide the youth in the ways of Brimir. While every year with his students is special it is when they summon their companion that is the most sublime, he remembers each and every springtime ritual he presided over as headmaster.
As Osmond was lost in revery he made the attempt to reach for a long pipe made from elven marble, it was given to him by Pope Urban II as a reward for holding the flank as the elves and their blighted magic routed the second Crusade. So deep was he in revery that Osmond did not notice that his precious pipe was already well on its way to the desk of his assistant.
"Miss Longuevuille, why do you steal an old man's pleasures there are plenty of youths you could pick on so why must you choose me... who is so weak from the cruel ministrations of time." as he spoke the old man had discreetly called for his familiar Motsognir to return to his side. The small white mouse quickly and quietly removed itself from between Miss Longuevuille's legs. Moving with the speed associated with its breed.
"As you know the contract you made me sign requires me to prioritize your health, if you truly wanted to smoke you would have done so in your study after you have sent me away." With her peace said, she went back to her work. Missing the thoughtful look on Osmond as he looked in her direction before a look of perverted mischief overcame his old visage. He decided to enact his pervert's justice on his poor secretary.
Returning to her master's side, she was rewarded with the finest of walnuts for her troubles and in return she shared the secret Osmond wanted to hear. All of this happened as Miss Loungevuille being unaware as to what had happened. "Plain white you say, I truly think that black lace would suite her better, really, you think red lace would work better with her verdant color I say I'm torn on the two, both colors sound good."
Miss Longuevuille has always been a busy body, allowing herself to forget her problems when she worked no matter what the job; it was better that way. Being able to focus on her work and ignore the reality that her sister is all alone in a land that would stop at nothing to bring her harm if they knew of her. That she once had a loving family until they were murdered in cold blood as she fled with her sister into the wilds, where she had to perform the unthinkable to ensure she and her sister could survive.
Why did these thoughts always plague her when she is not focused on her work? And why is she thinking about this now? It may have something to do with the Headmaster and his Familiar perversely giggling, she did not know how a mouse could laugh let alone loud enough to actually hear from across the room. As her attention left her work her ears caught the tail end of the discussion between that degenerate old man and his rodent "Really, you think red lace would work better with her verdant color I say I'm torn on the two, both colors sound good"
Immediately Longuevuille knew what had happened as hot embarrassment quickly burned across her face, quickly rising out of her chair she approached the head master. Standing over him like an avatar of feminine fury ready to dish out justice. "Osmond, you know that I could have you reported to the Crown." She said, anger in her voice, but Miss Loungevuille's statement was silenced by the grave look that came from the headmast- no from Osmonde the Old
In response the aged mage simply snapped his fingers and in the space between moments his pipe was in his hand once more. "Miss Loungevuille, I do not fear the crown I have personally trained the last seven generation of the crown and each one performed worse than the last... Besides I think you shouldn't be acting up over a bit of friendly peeping. This kind of reaction is probably going to cause you to end up as a spinster if you do not learn to accept a man's attention." He spoke from his chair, not needing to move a muscle to cast an incantation to light his pipe as a trail of lightning moved across the room like a serpent before snaking through the roof of Osmond's office and into his private quarters.
Small feats like this are what truly remind her why Osmond the Old is considered as a living saint by the Church, as no other in the history of Halkaginia besides Brimir had his level of prowess over magic. Some say that the reason the elves have not invaded to wipe out the followers of Brimir is because they fear Osmond the old. It also brought her true fear as she knew if her plans are not perfect then she will not have another chance.
While she hated the old Man when he acted like a pervert it still allowed her to forget what happened to her and her sister. So, while she does indeed hate his perverse ways, she does enjoy beating the ever-living shit out of him. Allowing this distraction from her past she began to kick him as he began to beg for mercy while she kicked him. Her gaze wandered outside the window and down in the courtyard she saw a sight that froze her in place, where the second year were performing their summoning ritual, a girl had summoned a juvenile blue dragon. One can tell it is a dragon because it was the same size as a fully grown drake, yet the scales were too dull showing it had not even grown its adult scales. The scales of an adult Dragon are used to attract mates.
What was even more surprising was that an eight foot sigil had been carved into the ground on the opposite side of the second year students. While strange the sigil itself was not the cause of her fear what was, however, the cause is that Louise De La Valliere Is the one who is drawing it. Every spell she has ever cast since coming here has destroyed an entire lecture hall, and while she does clean up after herself without a fuss it still takes her and five earth mages to actually undo the damage before the next school day.
A sigil of that size, if her spell fails could cause the Belenus wall that connects the fire and wind towers together to collapse I must have been shaking as headmaster Osmond was at my side looking over the courtyard. "While I understand your concern I have faith in miss Valliere's success. I couldn't make a better spell array if I tried. While the symmetry is unusual it is still better than the slop, they teach in Romalia... Yes, I think she will summon something special" Osmond spoke with such surety that she found herself calmed by his sincere words
Maybe she should treat him better, he comes from a different time. She even thought of forgiving him until his hand was placed on top of her butt while he began to act as the perverse fool she knew and hated. Turning on him with a strong left punch to his gut that brought him to the floor, she finished what she had started.
(1). In Latin numen means divine man