Mother Superior Gracia was a strong woman forged by the trials of Brimir. when Gracia was nine, she joined the order, as to repay the ones who fed her and her family when a famine ripped through the land. She was then whisked from her home and taken to a field hospital that was used by the order to treat members of the 6th Crusade.
It was there where she learned to treat most known ailments... but it was also where she was subjected to the elves in all their horror; she has watched as soldiers were transformed into living flower beds, or others that lost every bone in their body. Those were the lucky ones, as the crusades dragged on the spells used by the elves became crueler and more arcane.
There are tales of men being made into Draugr and golems of flesh but that is just likely to be the rumors spread by the Gallians to hide their own wickedness... No, the elves are anything but necromancers they may change life twisting it to their needs, but they do not remake it into twisted half-living abominations. These memories were not brought by revery but by the sickening scene she was to find that dreadful morning.
As I walked into the courtyard from the tower of water, the first thing I noticed was the smell... a putrid mix of burnt flesh, hair, and fat, that mixed with the perfumes and colognes that the young nobles wear. I could see Old Osmond floating down into the courtyard with his secretary Miss Loungevile in tow, they each came down on opposite sides of Gracia flanking her. With a shared look the three of us began our approach into the crowd of students.
Miss Loungeville would you please escort all the students out but young Louise" the surprisingly stern voice of Osmonde said, as he spoke the sound of a woman screaming reached their ears "If you continue to give him your being you may never cast again Louise!" came the ragged scream of Kirche from the center of the crowd.
Pushing through the gathered throng was easier than one would expect as the secretary of the headmaster had indeed heard the scream and was able to part the crowd a deft use of earth magic and shoving. That made rather quick work of the students in our way clearing them and sending them off for disciplinary action.
This allowed for Osmond and I to reach the ritual location just in time to see Colbert there standing beside Louise, there was a lump on the top of his head, but he seemed fine, at least. I was so close I could hear Colbert casting on repeat a simple water spell to heal the knight through Louise.
By the time I realized what the girl was doing the headmaster was already pulling Louise away, he must have said the words she needed to allow her mind to rest after such a harrowing familiar ritual. He must have caught her as she fell into a deep sleep because I could not hear Louise falling.
By the time I saw she was no longer going to try to kill herself, I began to focus on the knight before her and what else could he be but a knight. Upon closer inspection it became clear to me that this man was in service to a powerful noble as he was clad in full plate mail getting closer to the man I reached out with the spell Lífþrasir's grace to diagnose him, this was a spell that required the caster to be touching the patient.
What could be wrong with him I thought as I reached out to grasp him, only to be met with pain a pain very familiar. The pain one would receive when directly touching an elven champion, their armor being made to counter the magic of Brimir sapping away our strength and vitality causing tremendous pain more so when casting magic.
With a wince and a curse, I shot to my feet catching myself so as to not arise panic I looked at the man and my heart grew still, I had tried to start the spell near his should-be heart. He is obviously not an elven champion. They use the skin of the twice-accursed Nemean lion that is anti-magical or at least anti-brimirian magic, the issue, however, is that Neamean pelts are not made of metal and are difficult to work with as a pelt. whoever this knight is he cannot be allowed to wake... the armor he is wearing... he could kill us all!
With a short prayer, I called forth my will to cast a spell to finish the abomination off, as the marble spear formed and rocketed towards the exposed face of the knight. When the jagged spear was less than an inch away from his face, it suddenly froze and I felt a cold presence on my shoulder Motsognir was glaring down at me as I noticed that my spell was hijacked by the mouse familiar and crumbled to dust on the knight.
That was what broke Colbert out of his trance, as he looked between me and the knight, he could feel the remnants of my will in the dust that traced a straight line from the knight's nose to myself. With narrowed eyes, Colbert stood to his full height and moved to defend the knight.
Miss Gracia, I must ask why you decided to try to harm a fellow nobles' familiar? I will give you this grace as we are colleagues." Before I could respond Osmond strode over, his face grave and severe. Before either of us could talk we were both chained in lightning that nailed us into position unable to even kneel we were forced to stand looking at Osmond.
Before either of us could even argue, Osmond spoke his voice brought the cold feeling one would have around a powerful mage of the Pentagon. The type of feeling that was like all that is good and ill-being drained away, leaving nothing... Well, usually the mind interprets this as pure dread though in Osmond's case, all I could feel was dreadful awe.
"In my day I would have let you feel the true bite of these chains, but times change. First; Gracia, you attempted in full view of the students, to kill the familiar of a fellow noble unprovoked if I had not interceded, he would have died. That leads me to you Colbert I do not blame you for Louise's ritual, but it is your duty as the overseer to at least protect your student's familiar, let this be a lesson to you in vigilance." In a pop of soundless light, the chains disappeared and the overwhelmingness of his will subsided.
You both will eat with the servants and will eat what they eat; for Lady Gracia, half a year will suffice, for Sir Cobert two months will be all but you will not be allowed to tinker on your nonmagical devices for four. I do this so that you both will learn from this." turning his attention to the last dregs of students with a kindly smile "I ask that you make hast and leave so that I and the rest of the faculty can handle this... I do believe there is some wonderful plum wine that came from Albion go, and I also instructed Marteau to make briar berry pies that should now be done if my nose is still true after all these years."
This was all that was needed to convince the last of the students to leave for the rest of the school instead of staying here where Miss Longueville could still punish them. When the last of the students were finally gone Osmond turned to Gracia his familiar still on her shoulders "Why did you feel the need to kill the knight?" He inquired
Her face was firm "He is wearing armor that is anti-magical. This is an insult to us as nobles... The idea of if the elves or worse the Gallians learn of such a mythical metal it would harken the end of those true to Brimir I will not apologize for following my instincts as a mage of Brimir."
With a simple flame wisp Osmond tested her theory and watched in astonishment as the spell was canceled out... "so it would seem it still does not justify your actions, but it does raise questions about our knight here who would need a retinue of knights like this..." with Osmond trailing off as he was looking at the knight momentarily
"I cannot allow you to kill him at least not without Louise's permission." Osmond silenced Gracia's complaints with a wave of his hand "but I can have him stripped of his armor and weapons but I will allow him to keep his tabard and under armor, as is only right under the laws of capture." this was agreeable as Gracia visibly relaxed
It was then that three servants came to our location with two bows and a curtsy the lead butler looked to Osmond for further instructions "Yes you may rise, colin would you and the other two please strip the knight of his weapons he has been gravely injured and I am worried about trying to remove the armor without hurting him."
With a glance between the three of them Colin agreed with a quick and succinct "Right-O" The two began to remove his armor Colin started with the knight's helm carefully removing it and reviling a gambeson that was plated in scale covering his head after his helm came the gorget after that a lot of the upper straps and claps were reviled and each item was handed to the maid who looked a little awestruck as she took them.
No wonder while knights still exist, they are now a ceremonial honor guard as the famous musketeer came to hold the martial role they once had. But that awe was not idleness she was deftly collecting what Colin and the other butler were removing into a tied bundle when all was done, and the knight was removed from his armor colin paused as Osmond spoke SIestia dear would you please go get two laborers and a stretcher?" with a bow she rushed off to the school
"Cobert would you please guide Colin and Felix with the armor to the reliquary." with Cobert and the servants sent away. Osmonde looked to sister Gracia his question unspoken but ringing aloud. The sister spoke her thoughts "I will treat his master as she is a mage of Brimir that thing will not be given any mercy as it is an affront to our people and we should kill him so I will not treat his wounds. " Siestia soon after Sister Gracia finished speaking returned bringing with her two dish boys to help move the knight.
Headmaster, where do you want us to put him? Siesta asked while the headmaster directed two boys how to load an unconscious person properly. Osmond stroked his great beard as he started to think before an idea struck him. "the sister here has refused him into her Abby would you use Louise's room to allow him to recover."
Siestia gasped as did the waiters before quickly hurrying out to avoid the headmaster and the church coming to blows while they were stuck in between luckily, they remembered to take the injured summon with them to the second-year dorms where Louise's room was located. While Gracia and Osmond levitated Louise and each other to the medical ward.