Chapter 13
- POV: Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière -
"Go back! We have to go back!" I screamed as Kirche carried me to the cart, dumping me inside with a thud and a headache. I'd been pounding Kirche's back the entire time she was holding me - following Tabitha to the horses.
"Will you stop?" Kirche growled, rubbing her back as the battle raged on down the road. "We aren't leaving him, we're just making sure you and the Stave of Destruction are safe!"
Tabitha let out a loud whistle, interrupting what I was about to say before turning to look at me. "Stay here," was all she said, pulling the box from under her arm before handing it to me. She turned to nod at Kirche before waving a hand above.
Our cloaks and skirts fluttered as a large shape descended at once, casting a shadow over us all as it landed in front of the cart. The horses neighed loudly and bucked their hooves as Kirche quickly shushed them, holding their reins.
Sylphid lowered her body to allow Tabitha to climb on board quickly, with Kirche moving to join her before she stopped - turning to face me. "Like I said, stay here and be ready to drive the horses back to the school if the golem decides to go after you."
"Y-you're telling me to run?!" I cried.
"We're telling you to protect the artifact!" Kirche shouted back before she ran towards Sylphid, climbing on top before the dragon took off, flying towards the golem. The horses neighed once again, but didn't take off in a wildly random direction.
And now, I was alone, only with the jittery horses, the cart, and the Stave of Destruction to keep me company. Everyone else fought to take the golem down...to protect me and this stupid box.
I found myself no longer caring about this staff or whatever it was called. I needed to do something...but what? If I ran over there, then the golem would see me. But if I didn't do anything, Brenner would be destroyed - possibly Tabitha and Kirche as well.
What was I to do? Fear kept me rooted in place as I was trapped between two possible outcomes - both of which were equally as bad as the other. I couldn't even cast my own magic the first time we fought the golem - let alone help the others fight.
I truly was Louise the Zero, wasn't I? Kirche and Tabitha had nothing to help fight the golem, and Brenner had a sword and guns that did nothing to the sheer amount of rock that the golem had. My magic allowed me nothing more than the use of explosions, which I couldn't even aim well.
What could I do? What do I do to help? How can fate be ever so cruel as to leave me with nothing, to leave me so useless-
No.
I had the Stave of Destruction...
What I did next was arguably very stupid - so stupid that I would not refute anyone who called me and my decision such a word. I opened the box to see what was clearly not a staff - but some weird green tube. It was very thick, and metallic in nature. This was a staff? It hardly looked magical in nature - but it seemed to be intimidating regardless.
There was a strap, connected on each end - similar to the long rifle that Brenner had. For some reason, I made no connection at the time as I quickly pulled it over my shoulder and hopped out of the cart. It was lighter than I'd expected, and I found that I had no trouble running down the road towards the golem, although it kept bouncing on my back with every running step I took.
"Hold on," I found myself whispering as I hurried back to where the shack stood earlier. "I'm almost there...I'm almost there..."
- POV: Private First Class Brenner -
"That's well over a dozen now!" I shouted. The golem was climbing back on one foot - the ankle of its missing leg reforming slowly. The entire golem was completely burning with the tornado of fire that was completely engulfing it, courtesy of Tabitha and Kirche fighting the golem from Sylphid's back.
Gotta love close air support. I was beginning to get a little tired now, but I wasn't done yet. We were whittling down the golem bit by bit - with the limbs actually reforming themselves slower and slower with every blow I dealt it. And the fire attacks may not have been helping deal any direct damage - but it was actively blinding the rock monster long enough for me to get some more blows in.
And Derflinger was still completely undamaged despite the number of times the sword had carved cleanly through seemingly endless levels of heavy rock. "Come on, we can knock it down for good!"
"How? Is there some...engine? Or some weak point? I dunno, a heart?" I demanded as I jumped up, cutting down the hand that held it up - hearing the golem flop to the ground with a mighty thud behind me, more dust billowing out all the while.
"Not really! All we can do is wait for the golem's summoner to get tired!" Derflinger shouted as I dodged a haphazard swing from the golem. "Magic users need their own energy to supply their creations like summons and spells!"
I jumped back, already feeling a little tired. But I couldn't stop to take a rest now - not when this golem likely had more stamina and focus than a whole charging platoon in no man's land. "Then the golem's summoner has to be nearby, right?" I called.
"I dunno, powerful creations like this need lots of magic! If the summoner is this strong, they could have the range to pull it off as well!" the sword explained right as I tumbled out of the way from an arm slamming into the dirt. Its hand was already rebuilding itself, and I quickly moved to attack the leg this time.
"Brenner!" I heard. Turning, I could see Louise running down the road, something on her back via a leather strap. "Brenner, I'm coming!"
"Idiot! What's she doing?!" Derflinger yelled moments before I sheathed him. I couldn't help but groan angrily in agreement - abandoning my attack plan to run over to her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I demanded as soon as I reached her.
"I'm here to help you!" Louise cried, sliding and stumbling to a stop on the dirt path. Behind us, I could hear the golem trying to attack the others. Looking back, I saw Sylphid dodging a flying rock before Kirche let loose a blast of piercing fire from the large dragon's back.
"You wanna help, then-" I began before noticing what Louise was trying to pull off of her back - what was essentially a shortened M1 Bazooka. I wouldn't have made much of a correlation between the two if it weren't for the large white letters stamped on the side.
U.S. Army, 1968
"Gimme that!" I quickly growled, pulling it out of her hands before starting to use it. It was all a blur - pulling the pin, releasing the clasp, opening the caps, and yanking out the telescopic barrel before flipping up the front sights.
The bazooka in my hands felt lighter than the standard M1 Bazooka, and way simpler - somewhat too simple. There was no pulling the fuse nor loading the rocket, instead I was aiming the sights right at the golem's stupid looking chest face.
"Take cover!" I yelled, and I could barely see Louise scrambling away from me in my peripherals. Without any more hesitation, I pulled the trigger - or in this case, I pushed it instead, as it was more or less a rectangular button long enough for four of my fingers to push. The resulting blast reminded me of firing the M1 Bazooka almost perfectly, the light recoil and the feeling of a powerful backblast behind me.
The rocket slammed into the golem with a powerful explosion strong enough to send me toppling back violently - somewhat more powerful than I was expecting. Anti-tank rockets were more or less projectiles that punched through armor, not blew them up.
The massive cloud of smoke and dust died down slowly, and I could hear the crashing sound of rocks crumbling and collapsing, with even more dust billowing around the nearby area. The golem was down, and that filled me with more relief than I could've imagined - struggling to stand up as all of the fatigue struck me at once.
"Ow..." I mumbled, picking up my helmet and setting down the odd rocket launcher before slowly walking over to Louise, who was still lying on the ground - her clothes and cape scuffed and dirty. "Hey, you alright?"
Louise groaned as she looked up, her eyes blinking and unfocused as she tried to get up. "D-did you get it?" she whispered as she wiped her eyes, coughing harshly. With a sigh, I helped her up to her feet, dusting her shoulders off as I heard Sylphid landing behind us.
"Yeah, I got it," I whispered before turning around to spot Kirche and Tabitha approaching, with Sylphid lying down tiredly behind them. "You alright?"
"We're fine," Tabitha said, as quietly as she usually spoke. I looked around to see the cabin's ruins and the dust still hanging in the air.
"Hey, where's Miss Longueville?" Louise asked as she looked around.
"Huh. Now that you think of it, she's been gone for quite a while," Kirche said as she came over to me for a hug, only for me to back away with a hand held up. "That golem isn't very hard to miss."
"Do you...do you think she's alright?" Louise asked. I wasn't paying attention, however. I was staring at the rocket launcher I'd discarded earlier - now being picked up in the hands of a familiar hooded figure behind the girls.
"Get the fuck back," I quickly said, yanking out my sidearm and aiming it - just as the same hooded woman aimed the bazooka at us. Louise and Kirche stumbled back a few steps as the golem's summoner and I were locked in a stalemate.
"Careful now. I imagine the Stave of Destruction will be able to destroy you before your little peashooter can do anything," the woman said, holding the hollow tube the way I had when I first grabbed it from Louise. As she aimed it at us, I could see the back end of the launcher - showing no warhead inside.
"So you were watching us the whole time?" I asked as I slowly began to put two and two together, noticing the green hair under that hood. "Miss green haired secretary vanishes, and then a golem appears out of nowhere? Doesn't take a genius to figure out you two are the same gal."
"Hmph," the woman scoffed before she flung her hood off, revealing Miss Longueville - or in this case, Fouquet - with her hair down and glasses missing. "I suppose it doesn't take much to figure such simple things out. It'll be such a shame that you won't live to tell about it."
"What makes you think I can't nail you in the head before you pull that trigger?" I asked.
"Don't encourage her!" Louise cried.
"Oh, I think a fiery explosion is going to dwindle those chances. Besides, I must thank you for showing me how to use this," Fouquet said, a nasty smirk on her face. "Seeing such an odd construct left me in a bind, but after you told me what this weapon was back in the headmaster's office..."
I frowned as I continued to aim the M1911 at the thief and soon to be attempted murderer. "So what's this all for anyway?" I asked. "Were you hired? Or are you just a small-time crook with plans to become a full time terrorist?"
"I don't need to explain myself to you, mere familiar - a Gandalfr no less," Fouquet snapped before a click was heard. Louise and Kirche tensed up almost immediately, but I just grinned, watching as she tried to push the trigger to an empty steel tube. "What? Why is it not-" I didn't waste any more time, in case she would try and switch to some kind of magic spell of sorts. Instead of firing, I hurled my pistol at her, aiming for the head. I missed and it nailed her in the chest - though it was still enough to knock her down with a pained grunt.
I was on top of her before I knew it, slamming my fist into her face once. Then twice. Then three times. I heard Louise yelling at me, but I wasn't done. Picking up the empty rocket launcher, I held it above my hands, ready to bring it down before I was wrenched off of Fouquet's unmoving body. "Stop! You already defeated her!" Louise cried out as she and Kirche pulled me away, with Tabitha moved in and yanked the empty tube from my hands. "It's over!"
Shaking both their grips off of mine, I stormed away a few feet before sighing, trying to regain control of my breathing. "Dammit..." I mumbled. I wasn't exactly going to kill Fouquet - just rough her up. She nearly killed me once, and tried to do so twice today. What was the harm?
A few minutes passed by as I took the time to calm down. Drawing Derflinger, I looked the blade over, seeing it as rusty as ever, yet still in one piece. "It's over..." I mumbled.
"Thank all that is holy for that," the sword grumbled. "You went ham on her, didn't you?"
"Yeah. Revenge was sweet while it lasted..." I said before looking over. "So what was that? About...the symbols on my hand. What about you telling me that whatever was happening was 'all me' or something?"
"Well...I know there is a good explanation for that." Derflinger muttered. "But I can't remember. I'm an old sword, remember?"
Sighing, I sheathed him. "Yeah, guess I should've seen that one coming." Turning around, I saw Louise holding the empty "stave" of destruction, while Tabitha and Kirche dragged the unconscious Fouquet over to Sylphid.
"Are we getting outta here or what?" I called, walking over and picking up my pistol and checking it over - making a mental note to clean it up when I got back. Louise nodded, and I made to walk towards Sylphid before she stopped me with a hand gripping my arm.
"Were you going to kill her?" she asked, her voice quiet. I could immediately see where she was coming from: who would want to be around someone who mercilessly killed others?
"No. I was still pretty mad about the other day, and then she was gonna try and kill you girls so...I was just gonna rough her up," I said, scratching the back of my head. "Can't afford to be too careful."
"Still...even if she deserved it, it looked like..." Louise continued.
"Hey, I promise I'm not gonna start some murder spree or something like that. If I kill, it'll only be in self defense. To protect me and you, got it?" I asked. I remembered the duel with Guiche, as well as all the mistakes I made when fighting him - especially around so many teens. I'd already told myself that I would avoid doing something like that again.
Louise silently nodded before closing her eyes, breathing in and exhaling softly, likely focused on calming herself down. "You'd better remember that. I won't have a familiar who breaks his own promises," she said. "Now let's go back home."
The resulting flight from the now decimated cabin back to the Institute was less than an hour, and we were quickly rushed to the headmaster's office as soon as we landed, with the guards of the school taking away the still unconscious thief. Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha promptly explained everything that had happened - minus specific details of me beating up Fouquet after she unsuccessfully tried to kill us all with an empty rocket launcher.
Headmaster Osmond listened to each testimony carefully before he left the office in order to see to the events personally. Some more time passed with the four of us waiting for the headmaster's reply, as well as the completion of his inspection of the situation before he returned.
"Fouquet has been turned over to the palace guards, and the Stave of Destruction has once again been sealed away in the vault," the headmaster said as soon as he was completely updated. "That puts an end to these matters. All of you shall be guests of honor for tonight's banquet."
"Hmm. That's to be expected," the fire mage huffed, though her 'holier than thou' attitude went ignored by the others.
"The palace thinks very highly of you, and I'm certain some sort of grand reward shall be bestowed upon the three of you," Osmond continued, much to Kirche's sudden excitement.
Louise didn't seem so eager, however. "You said...the three of us. So Brenner won't be rewarded? He fought the golem head on, and he was the one to defeat it," she said.
Osmond closed his eyes, a clearly disappointed tone taking precedence over his earlier tone of praise as he listened to Louise's inquiry. "Unfortunately, the palace won't recognize a non-nobleman for any noble deeds," he explained.
So status was working to screw me over. At least I was just being denied a reward. "Whatever, I'm not exactly expecting much," I answered, not feeling too offended - but I was pretty tired. The headmaster nodded before dismissing the four of us with one last thanks, presumably to get prepared for the palace banquet that was to come tonight. Kirche quickly rushed down the stairs, giggling about a dress while dragging Tabitha with her the entire way.
Louise and I were silent the entire walk down. Even Derflinger hadn't said a word - even though he poked a quarter of himself out of his scabbard the entire time. When we reached the ground floor, Louise stopped in front of me. "You're going to have to dress up, you know."
"...I'm not really sure I'll attend the ceremony," I muttered. "Not too big a fan of fancy dances and suit and tie events. That stuff is really...really out of my depth."
"Didn't you say you could slow dance earlier?" Louise asked me, somewhat nervously.
"I know how to...but big events always make me a little nervous. I usually prefer not to dance if that makes sense," I said.
"Then I'll stay with you during the banquet. And when the dancing comes...I'll help you," Louise answered. "Just...please come with me?"
"That desperate for a date, are you?" I said, clearly meaning to be a joke. But Louise didn't respond how I thought she would: with light insults and a smack to the face or the arm. Instead, she just looked away with what I assumed was a pouting face of sorts.
"I'm your master, and I want to make sure you're safe at all times," Louise muttered. "So please follow this order?"
I wasn't exactly sure what to say here for a moment, especially given everything that's happened. I was still somewhat upset over her needlessly risking herself earlier. "Well...as long as I get some time to myself beforehand," I said. "Can I ask you something first?"
"What is it?" Louise asked, turning back to face me.
"I know you came back to help, bringing back that rocket launcher and all," I said. "But next time, stay safe?"
That set her off. "I had to do something, anything!" Louise cried. "If I just ran and hid-"
"Is this about status again? Who gives a horse's shit about what nobles and peasants should do, if you're in danger, you get outta danger. Period," I quickly interjected. "I'd be hella upset if you died right there, you know."
Louise made to talk back before the door opened. Professor Colbert stepped inside to see the two of us, and he cleared his throat. "Is...is everything alright?" he asked.
"We're fine. Just having a heart to heart about...stuff," I quickly said, Louise nodding in response.
"I see," Colbert said before nodding and making his way past us, up the stairs to the headmaster's office.
I sighed. "Thanks for the help. But avoid getting hurt, alright? Live to fight another day," I said. "I've been following that rule ever since I got shipped to the front lines."
Louise looked away. "My status as a noble means I must stand fast against any threat I may come across," she said quietly. I moved to open my mouth again, but Louise continued, cutting me off. "But if there's something I cannot handle...we cannot handle, then I will...no, we'll back away."
That was as much of a compromise I'd be willing to get - a bit lacking considering that it was our safety we were arguing over. "Alright. Sounds good to me," I said after a moment of thinking to myself.
"Good," Louise said as she turned around to leave the tower. "Now I have a dress to find and you have a suit to find."
"Nope! No suits, not for me!" I quickly interjected as I followed her.
- timeskip: several hours later -
The trip to the palace was rather long on horse drawn carriage. Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha had their dresses stored away to wear at the event upon arrival, while I more or less brought what I had with me on hand. Upon arrival at the palace - which admittedly looked magnificent, the girls were escorted to changing rooms while I was sent straight to the banquet with little fanfare.
The banquet was huge, brightly lit by hundreds of candles on the walls and chandeliers, and full of nobles left and right. People were eating at the tables, mingling among each other, and presenting the most sociable atmosphere I'd seen in a long time.
I ate my own plate leaning against the corner of the room, watching as Kirche flirted with half a dozen men at once in the middle of the banquet. Tabitha was eating what was probably the equivalent of a dozen chicken's worth of meat on a plate.
Louise wasn't anywhere to be seen, having disappeared with the other girls the moment we arrived to change into her own fancy dress for the banquet. While Kirche and Tabitha came out in minutes, Louise more or less hadn't reappeared yet. I wasn't wearing a suit like Louise had wanted, only having what I usually wore minus the backpack and grenades. My Garand remained in Louise's room back in the Institute, hidden under the bed - though I kept my M1911, as well as Derflinger with me so he wouldn't miss out on this boring party.
"This is so damn boring," Derflinger mumbled. "Are you ever gonna do something other than stay here and eat?"
"In case you haven't noticed - or forgot, I'm not a noble. So I'm not gonna get a decent conversation out of anyone here," I said. "The only two I can talk with are Kirche the ultra flirt and Tabitha who doesn't even talk that much."
"I still think you should at least do something," Derflinger pointed out as I finished eating. Setting my plate and silverware at the nearest table, I dusted off my hands and walked along the wall towards the balcony, where the night sky awaited.
"I'm not that into parties anyways. Months camping it out in the wilderness between skirmishes made me realize something. The outdoors isn't so bad," I said as I leaned on the elaborately carved railing of the balcony. "I just wanna mind my own business if that's fine with you."
"Eh, suit yourself, partner. Not like I'm missing out on anything. I'm a sword, how am I gonna eat or dance or talk to someone without them freaking out on me?" Derflinger asked.
"Freaking out? Are talking swords not common here?" I asked, turning to the sword on my back.
"Not really. Last I heard, intelligent swords are usually looked down upon by nobles," Derflinger said before a fanfare burst into the room, cutting off any more conversation.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Presenting Miss Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, second year student of the Tristain Academy of Magic, and daughter of Duke Vallière!" a voice loudly proclaimed. I turned around to see every noble looking at the center of the room, where a set of stairs led up to the banquet floor from below.
Louise walked up the stairs as the fanfare concluded, holding the front of her dress up with her hands as she graciously entered the banquet. Her dress was light pink, frilled, and slim fitting, although the skirt was more or less like a traditional gown, strapless with the neckline going down to the base of the shoulders. She wore a pair of equally light pink opera gloves, and she had on a golden necklace with blue gems centered over her collar.
To finish her formal appearance, her hair was no longer down - instead, it was tied up by a piece of jewelry likely designed for the hair. She was very pretty, and that was clear to see by everyone else in the room, as many of the nobles crowded her to ask her for a dance. Yet, she didn't answer any of their requests - simply looking at me as she approached.
"Oop, she looks mad. Good luck," Derflinger whispered before sliding back in his scabbard. Louise reached me as I leaned back on the balcony, pulling Derflinger off of my back and leaning him on the balcony wall against the doorway.
"You look pretty," I said, my arms crossed as I eyed Louise.
"You look...like you," Louise said curtly in reply. I half grinned at that, and Louise smiled back - a little curling up of the lips. "Why are you just standing here?"
"Like I said, not really my thing," I remarked, noticing as the lights began to dim - with servants in the back putting out some of the candles. "No offense, but I feel out of place here."
"Then just focus on me," Louise said as she reached over and took my hand, pulling me gently to the middle of the room, where there were several couples already beginning to slow dance to the sound of music. She let go of my hand and turned around to face me, before she bowed - lifting up the front of her dress in a curtsy of sorts. "May I have this dance?"
I could actually feel myself heat up on the inside a little. Dammit, why'd she have to be so pretty? "Well, I guess I can oblige if you're asking me like that," I said as I held out my hand. Louise took it, and the two of us moved towards an empty spot by the wall to start our dance.
The banquet in general was still rather off putting to me, but that didn't matter now - not when Louise and I maintained eye contact throughout the whole event. As the two of us danced, I couldn't help but notice her gentle smile. "Are you having fun?" Louise asked.
I sighed. "A little. Feeling a little awkward, but still fun," I said.
"Would you mind doing something like this again in the future?" Louise asked, a little more bashfully.
I fell into some thought before I grinned. "You know, I just might."
(AN: Real life be hard. For now, the story's on pause so I can get through college and get back to one of my other stories.)