The Third Magic
A Familiar of Zero / Fate/Stay Night Story
Created in collaboration with Deviate's Fish of Fanfiction.net/SpaceBattles
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Among the Heroic Spirits, there was one who stood head and shoulders above the others in terms of raw strength. This was Heracles, son of Zeus, whose name was synonymous with power, against whom no mortal could long endure. Indeed, in the legends of his deeds, only the gods had been able to play the part of a lasting antagonist, as all others had been felled by mere fraction of his might. In terms of divine mystery and age, he was nigh unrivalled, and were it not for the constraints of the Servant system and the berserker craze that had robbed of his sanity during the Holy Grail War, leaving only a shard of himself behind, he would have been unmatched.
(Except by Gilgamesh, but then almost everything was an exception where the King of Heroes was concerned).
Still, his strength was why he had been chosen as the Einzbern Servant, from the many heroes of legends in his native world, and why he had been called to this place. And it showed in his upkeep, as to be his Master in this most dangerous game of death, one needed to have ridiculously high amounts of prana.
But now, in the fullness of his power, Heracles faced a trial unlike anything he had ever known.
For all his divine might and legendary cunning, he stood fearful before his task, a daunting charge that had claimed the souls of many lesser men and women.
Against this final obstacle, the world's strongest hero stood alone à
àas Illyasviel mumbled incoherently before snuggling even closer up against Louise.
æThe little pink thing and the Master need to wake for class, but how do I do so?Æ Heracles wondered. Of all the dangerous feats he had undertaken, this one was far and above the worst, given the conditions, what was expected of him, and how little he had had to use. Perhaps he would even need to give one of his twelve lives, his last resort, in order to wake them. Even after all the children he'd reared in his time, he had no idea how to wake them both and come out unscathed.
æAh, too late,Æ he thought as his eyes wandered to the snoozing faces, so rosy and content. Sometime during the night, Illyasviel had kicked off the covers and the two girls wearing identical, translucent negligees had turned to each other for warmth. Now that he made his mistake of looking directly down at the two girls, Heracles felt his willpower drain as he became paralyzed by the adorable sight. 'Too...what is the word? Cute.'
After a few minutes passed, Heracles shook his head, snapping himself out of his daze. æI must be strong for the little Lady!Æ His trembling hands crawled to the girls from one side of the bed, fearing that in his rapture, he might accidentally harm one of his wards. So, as gently as he could (which was surprisingly so, given his size!), Heracles used his forefingers to tap the soft cheeks of the girls, a task that was made rather difficult, as his fingers were twice as thick as either girlÆs thighs.
ôMunyuua,ö both girls groaned, almost like an echo, as both raised a hand to lazily slap away the offending appendage.
ôàLittle Lady, Pinkie,ö Heracles whispered distraughtly, trying to restrain his voice so it would seem he was roaring. ôItÆs time to wake up.ö
This time, Heracles poked against the petite girlsÆ shoulders. His soft thrust only prompted the girls to roll away from his finger.
ôUwagha,ö the girls mumble in unison, once again shrugging off his attempts to rouse them from their slumber.
Clearly, this was going to be more difficult than he thought.
Still, Heracles was not one of the greatest heroes of legend for nothing, and upon realizing that mere poking would not work, the leaden giant switched tactics.
He tried nudging the girls, but his titanic strength caused to girls to roll across the bed. Panicking, Heracles raced to the other side of the bed to stop them from falling off the bed. But as Louise reached the edge, she just bounced off him and started rolling the other way.
With the speed only a Heroic Spirit was capable of, Heracles passed through the bed to materialize on the other side, managing to stop Illyasviel from falling off the bed. Alas, the snow fairy did not wake. All his hard work only resulted in a change from Illyasviel spooning and grinding against Louise in her sleep to Louise spooning and groping Illyasviel in her sleep.
Puzzled, Heracles scratched his head, trying to recall how the maids had woken the little Lady, during the days of the Holy Grail War? Ah, yes, the Sella-Maid either rolled Illyasviel out of bed or tossed cold water on the little LadyÆs face.
That wouldn't do.
æOh, thatÆs right!Æ Heracles bumped his fist to his palm in realization. The Leysritt-Maid had once suggested tickling the little Lady awake! æNow, how do I do that when they are the size of my handsà?Æ
Heracles scratched his head again.
He carefully plucked two feathers from pillows the girls snoozed on and tickled their noses. This seemed to have an effect on the girls, but rather than waking up, the girls went into even deeper sleep.
As one, both girls dragged the covers over their heads, mumbling, ôMunya.ö
Heracles scratched his head again.
This time, he went to the girlÆs exposed feet. It was truly cruel, what he was about to do to the two little Ladies, but his duty demanded it. He took the feathers and tickled the girlÆs rosy soles.
At first, the tiny feet shifted and moved, trying to escape HeraclesÆ ruthless tickling. However, the two girls were mere mortals and could not measure up to the Heroic SpiritÆs awesome tickling ability (Rank B ). After five minutes of combat against the Tickle, the two pairs of tiny feet shrank into the safety of the covers, leaving Heracles alone once more.
Heracles frowned and scratched his head again.
Heracles sighed, and tried to pry to covers from the tiny hands, save that the girls clutched it so hard, the gentle giant's restrained pulls were not enough!
ôMaster,ö he rumbled softly, ôItÆs time for schoolàö
It seemed the girls were not going to make this easy for him. ThatÆs fine, Heracles realized, he was always up for a challenge. This time, he pulled harderà
...Way too hard!
The covers flew out of bed, flipping the girls into the air, before they plopped back down onto the bed. Heracles stared incredulously.
'Perhaps the little Ladies are playing with me? How are they still asleep after all that?'
Truly it was a great puzzle for the ages.
ôMaster,ö he rumbled again, this time a little louderà
...Way too loud!
Both girlsÆ heads shot up, smashing into HeraclesÆ forehead! But while the adamantine giant had God Hand to protect him from such jolts, the two girls were rather less fortunate.
ôMugyuuuàö Both girls cried, with tears welling up in their eyes as they rubbed their bruised foreheads....and then promptly collapsed back onto the bed, snoring.
Heracles stared before muttering to himself, ôàCold water it is then, but the little Lady would scold me. And maybe even hit me.ö
Sighing, he knew he had no other choice.
Heracles dug his fingers under the girls and gently lifted them out of the bed. In a single movement, he scooped up a girl in each hand and plopped them down next to each on the side of the bed, in sitting positions. The girls froze for just a second before falling back onto the fluffy covers below them.
ôPogiyaàö
ôI apologize for this ahead of time, my Master,ö Heracles muttered as he rifled through the little pink thingÆs closet. He then undressed the girls delicately, taking care to slip the negligees off of the girls without disturbing them too much as they squirmed and snuggle together. Luckily HeraclesÆ hands were swift as lightning and got the silky transparent white clothing off of the girls before they realized what was going on.
In the next few minutes, Heracles took his time to dress each of the girls. By the time he was done, they were in the pink thingÆs student uniforms, and still cuddled up against each other.
Heracles sighed again.
ôIÆm sorry for this, my Masteràbut it seems I have no choice. Noble Phantasm: Hundred Tickling Hands!ö HeraclesÆ hands sped up as he tickled the girls a hundred times simultaneously. The effect was devastating; both girls were completely defenseless against the onslaught of the Heroic SpiritÆs mighty power.
ôWuah! Hahaha!ö Illyasviel yelped and jumped up just too far and hit her head on the side of the bedpost, falling off the bed. Louise was not as strong as her familiar and was left a wiggling mass of pink giggling blob by the end of HeraclesÆ labors.
ôOw!ö Illyasviel moaned, clutching her doubly wounded head.
Louise wiped the tears and dust from her eyes and blinked. ôYou, youÆreàö She paused as her mind finally booted. ôAh, thatÆs right, I summoned you yesterday!ö She said before frowning. ôAnd how did I get dressedà?ö
ôOh good morning, Archer!ö Illyasviel called cheerfully from the ground where she was still clutching her head, ôand good morning to you too, Louise!ö
ôI told you, call me Masterùô Louise said with her eyes closed in annoyance, before managing to collect herself and looking up--only to see the hulking form of Archer. ôEep!ö
ôItÆs time for class, little Ladies,ö Heracles spoke in a voice that sounded more like a growl than anyone was comfortable with. ôFurther, you have a guest at the door, though she has been there for a few minutes, Pink Supervisor.ö With that, Heracles reverted to his spirit form, only keeping his link to Illyasviel's mind open.
ôWell then,ö Illyasviel said to the somewhat speechless Louise, ôI would say it is good manners to greet your guest, right Master?ö
ôàManners, rightàö Louise mumbled. Where...where had the colossus in her room gone? It had been there only a second ago, right? ...or was she seeing things again? "Ugh..." All the pinkette wanted to go back to bed and dream of fluffy manticores, and now she was being denied even that.
'ItÆs too early in the morning for thisà!'
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In all her years, Kirche the Ardent had never hurt anybody, or at least, had never hurt anyone deliberately. So the jilted lovers of some of her flings had become jealous that they hadn't been able to control their men's urges - why blame her for such things? So some men had tried to force themselves upon her despite her insistence otherwise, and so she had to ward them off with flames - how was that her fault?
After all, Kirche only wanted to have fun.
In Germania, she had been bored with the stifling attitudes of her peers, and after a number of incidents involving a little too much passion and excitement, culminating in her expulsion from the Vindobona Magical Academy, she had moved to Tristan to enjoy herself. There, she was only an ignorant foreigner, able to get away with things the professors back at her previous school would never have allowed her to.
But in the end, Kirche would never purposely hurt anyone.
When she first met the third daughter of the ValliÞre family, Kirche had thought it was another moment for amusement. Never mind that their families have been feuding for generations, surely this ValliÞre girl would like to join her? They both stood so far from the crowd, so different from their peers, that neither would be able to fit in if they wanted to. But when she approached the girl, she was touchy and sensitive and na´ve unlike any other girl Kirche had met. Oh, sure, she was politics savvy enough to know when to do what in a formal setting, but it was as if this ValliÞre girl had grown up inside a cave like a hermit, as if there was an impossibly large shadow that protected her from all things worldly. Of course, after she had started teasing the ValliÞre girl, Kirche remember who the pinketteÆs father was and thought she understood, since the high nobility was often a little sheltered from the realities of the world.
So, Kirche reasoned, it fell to her to help Louise Franþoise Le Blanc de La ValliÞre get out of her shell with good natured ribbing, so that she'd be used to what the world had in store for her.
She never meant to hurt anyone! Really, she hadn't!
For Kirche was a kind girl, a girl who gave her love freely to those who wished it, even if her passion burned a little hotter than most were comfortable with. And while she never intentionally hurt others, sometimes, people were hurt nonetheless by her actions and words. People like the poor ValliÞre girl, who expected nothing but abuse, and interpreted everything in life through jade-colored lenses of despair and desolation, so no matter what Kirche tried, the third daughter of the ValliÞre family saw it as mockery and bitter torment.
Regardless, Kirche had since developed a sort of ritual with the ValliÞre girl, one of the fellow social exiles of campus. After all, in trading insults, they had a sort of companionship of rivals, so that neither was quite as lonely in the Academy as they otherwise might be, since aside from Louise, Kirche had but one friend - Tabitha.
Nevertheless, things hadn't gone as planned, and so Kirche genuinely felt bad about it. She thought she'd been doing Louise a favor, but her teasing was lost in the sea of jeers from the rest of their peers, a wealth of derision and scorn that had emotionally scarred the poor pinkette.
By the time she realized this, it had been too late to approach the ValliÞre girl and make amends, but at least they both had a consistency in their lives that both could appreciate.
Now, however...Kirche had a reason to approach the ValliÞre girl and try to befriend her once again. Kirche understood that even as confident and proud as she was on the outside, she was just as afraid of hurt as anyone else. But now that Ilya was here, she had a good reason to do something other than tease the ValliÞre girl.
So here she was, standing in front of the pinketteÆs door early in the morning, wondering what to do...what to even say. For the first time in years, the redhead was nervous, wondering what the other's reaction would be to her unannounced visit. Ah, to feel such emotions of uncertainty once again, to not know how a situation would turn out even before it began...it was glorious!
She Kirche was shaken out of her reverie by what sounded like rolling thunder, though she realized after a moment that it wasn't thunder at all, but a voice. A smooth, masculine bass that was richer and more resonant than any other Kirche had heard before.
Had the changes wrought by Ilya caused Louise to take a lover? Perhaps...an older man?
'But who? ...it couldn't be...Professor Colbert? Don't tell me...THAT's how she's passing her classes?'
Curiosity and the whiff of a possible scandal drew KircheÆs interest as she leaned closer, pressing her her ear against the wooden door of the ValliÞre girlÆs dormitory room as she strained to hear what was going on inside.
ôà--greet your guest, right, Master?ö Butàthat was Illyasviel? Was the snow-haired girl in there as well?
æIs this what Tristanains callàa mÚnage a trois?Æ
She hadnÆt thought Louise had a kinky bone in her body, but it seemed appearances were deceiving, and perhaps she and the pinkette had more in common than she thought.
ôàManners, rightàö Louise muttered grumpily, sounding like she didnÆt want to be up.
æMy, my, they must have worn her out last nightùæ
But her thought was interrupted by the sound of LouiseÆs distinctive stomping, prompting the Germanian to pull hastily away from the door, straightening herself as it opened.
Peering inside, Kirche looked past Louise to see if her lover was present, yet the only other there was an impeccably dressed Illyasviel sitting gracefully on the bed, with a haggard Louise as if she hadnÆt slept at all. Indeed, the strawberry blonde was drawn and pale, with a tired look in her eyes that suggested she was only a hairbreadth away from snapping.
æShe just defenestrated him then? WouldnÆt have expected thatàÆ
ôSo Louiseà,ö Kirche began, pushing open the door and giving the room a closer inspection, only to find the same results as her earlier more cursory survey. ôàwhereÆs your friend?ö
ôWhat are you talking about, Kirche?ö Louise grumbled. It was far too early in the morning to deal with KircheÆs mind-games (not that there was ever a good time of day to deal with those), and right now, she wanted food in her stomach and possibly a hot bath.
The redhead took that as her cue to smirk and saunter over to Louise, draping an arm around the other girlÆs shoulders and leaning in conspiratorially.
ôCome on, you can tell me,ö she whispered into LouiseÆs ear, a gleam in her eyes. ôI heard a guyÆs voice in here. So whoÆs the lucky man, eh? And where are you hiding him?ö
One could almost follow LouiseÆs train of thought as she first stiffened at KircheÆs touch, struggling to pull awayùthen freezing as the question came in. One, two, three seconds of utter silence passed as the query was processed, and thenà
ôWha-wha-what?! What are you talking about, you pervert?!ö the pinkette shouted, loud enough for people on another floor to hear her through insulation, stone and wood, with any traces of fatigue in her thin frame vanishing, replaced by near incandescent anger and embarrassed outrage. ôIÆM NOT LIKE YOU!ö
Kirche winced at the sudden onslaught of sound, oddly thinking that if one could weaponize LouiseÆs anger, it would make for quite a powerful explosion.
æMaybe it's not such a good idea to be close to Louise when she gets flusteredàÆ
ôYou must have imagined it, Miss Zerbst,ö Illyasviel piped up airily from her comfortable position on the bed, as the pinkette squirmed free of the redheadÆs hold and backed away, glaring daggers at the Germanian.
ôYeah, knowing this hussy, she was probably fantasizing about something naughty like she usually does,ö Louise muttered darkly, not really caring if Kirche heard or not. ôJust like she was probably doing last night, imagining the vile acts that they would do with her bodyàö
Kirche twitched.
She had tried to be nice, to approach the girl as she would a friend of sorts. And now Louise Franþoise Le Blanc de La ValliÞre, the Zero herself, had had the gall to throw that kindness in her face.
ôYou must be talking about yourself, Zero, because I never need to fantasize,ö she shot back, stung. ôI have men waiting on my beck and call, should my whims ever change! For I am the Kirche the Ardent! The ardent of gently smoking passion who men are drawn to like moths to a flameà!ö
ôZerbstùyou!ö Louise growled, anger piqued.
ôCome, Master, why donÆt we go to breakfast?ö Illyasviel interjected, a trace of amusement on her delicate lips. Looking over at her, Kirche couldnÆt be certain, but she thought perhaps the girl was hungry? After all, such a tiny body could burn quite a lot of energy during the night in certain activitiesà
ôThatÆs a wonderful idea, Ilya,ö Kirche replied, smoothly, thinking sheÆd get more information out of her fellow Germanian than the stubbornly prudish Louise, who apparently clung to her principles in public, even though Kirche had nearly caught her in flagrante delicto. ôWhy, we could even pick up Tabitha on the way!ö
ôAhùö Louise fumed, wanting to continue to rant at the unwanted intruder in her bedroom, but given pause by her familiar undercutting her authority. She never been forced into a situation like this, and well, it was rude to decline an invitation soà
But her choice as made for her, as while she was silently debating what to do, Kirche came up and grabbed one of her hands, dragging the unwilling strawberry blonde towards the door.
ôCome!ö the redhead intoned with great vigor and amusement. ôTabitha awaits!ö
ôAlready here,ö a soft voice announced from behind Kirche, causing everyone present to freeze momentarily, eyes glancing towards the hallway to see the diminutive blunette was already there.
Noting theàanomalous presence of her friend, Kirche turned her head around slowly to get a good look at her.
ôTabitha! I thought you were reading.ö
ôAm,ö the blue head confirmed as she pulled out a thick tome and buried her face inside it û something about atmospheric dynamics and the mechanics of turbulence that most would find impenetrable. Kirche smirked, shaking her head at the thought that Tabitha had probably followed her all the way to LouiseÆs room without her so much as a sound.
But then, the ice mage was quite good at what she did.
ôLetÆs go then, Master,ö Illyasviel quipped, skipping ahead of Kirche and pulling a faintly grumbling Louise behind her, her silvery-white hair nearly shimmering in the morning light. For some reason, the sight reminded Kirche of an old myth in her homeland her grandparents would tell her, when she was just a child.
The story of the Winter Saintà
Kon!
ôOw, what was that for, Tabitha?ö Kirche moaned, rubbing the place on her head that Tabitha had ôgently tapped" with her staff. ôThat hurt!ö
ôSpacing out,ö Tabitha replied in her usual monotone, pointing ahead at the rapidly fading forms of Illyasviel and Louise, with the latter squawking and protesting about Kirche and her breasts.
æHey, its not my fault I was born beautiful!Æ
ôRight, donÆt want to lose those two now, do we?ö Kirche asked as she stalked after the duo like a tigress in pursuit of prey, her long legs allowing her to close the distance rather quickly...and to pounce as she got close, wrapping Illya in her arms from behind.
ôM-Miss Zerbst?ö Ilya questioned, looking over at Kirche with a suddenly flushed face, her breath hot against the Germanian's neck. To Kirche, it was like looking at a docile Louise, with the little one tamed at last by the warmth of her flames, so vulnerable and willing, entirely at her mercy. She didn't even try to pry KircheÆs fingers from her chest and inner thighs, squirming slightly, but only with a show of token resistance.
ôAh, ah, ah,ö Kirche chided, smirking down at the white haired girl, ôYou arenÆt getting away from me that easily. Though I suppose if you tried, I could be per--ö
BOOM!
A minor explosion erupted, with Kirche and Illya flung apart by the force of the blast. Groggily, Kirche looked over towards Louise to see that the pinkette was ranting, waving her wand in a rather threatening manner.
ô...and no molesting my familiar, Zerbst!ö Louise shouted, stalking the redhead with her wand ready to cast another explosion...only for the other to decide that discretion was the better part of valor, taking the chance to flee. "You...get back here so I can punish you!"
"Oho, so you're into that kind of thing, is it? How bold, ValliÞre!" Kirche called over her shoulder, the sound of her shoes against stone echoing behind her as her form receded into the distance. "I didn't know you were into other women..."
All of Louise's skin flushed as red as Kirche's hair as the comment registered, and she belatedly began to give chase, with explosions rocking the castle as she cast haphazardly.
'Yes,' Kirche thought. 'With Ilya here, things will be much more fun.'
Thoughts of girl as dangerous or at all like the Winter Saint, were by now long out of mind.
<hr>
Louise huffed. Louise puffed.
Louise dragged away Illyasviel from the dining hall as soon as they finished eating, still incensed over what had happened earlier and how the snow-haired girl hadn't fought back at all. In fact, the familiar almost seemed to enjoy it.
'No...just no. The familiar is supposed to reflect the master, and I'm not a sick pervert like Kirche...'
ôWhy are you so friendly with that-that-that....That!ö Louise asked, jabbing a finger violently towards Kirche, who for her part, merely waved cheerfully from a dining room table. The Germanian had beaten her to the great hall, and even Louise in the fullness of her wrath knew better than to disturb a teacher's lunch, lest she be sent to do some utterly humiliating labor like muck out the stables or tend the familiars like a common servant.
ôWhatÆs wrong with her?" Illyasviel replied, a finger on her lips as she recalled the incident of the morning. "She seems pretty friendly andàwarm.ö
Louise frowned at her familiar, an inkling of suspicion and horror trickling into her mind. Something was not right here.
ôYou don't...happen to like Kirche...do you?ö
'Please say no. Please, just say no...'
But the answer she desired was not quickly forthcoming.
ôWellàö Illyasviel said slowly, looking down as she suddenly found the tiles on the ground very interesting. Holding her hands behind her back, she half-heartedly nudged at a loose tile with her foot. fingers twiddling as she thought back to how soft Kirche was against her. Hugging the Germanian had been rather different from hugging Heracles or Louise...it was almost like molesting the maid. ôShe isn't bad, I suppose. Iàit's all a matter of what one appreciates, right?"
Given these words, Louise just stared at her familiar, unsure what to think of the foreign mage. On one hand, the pinkette was all but certain that the earth elemental that the snow-haired girl had somehow bound to her service was hiding somewhere nearby, a sign that this little snow-haired girl was a powerful mage.
On the other...her...preferences left something to be desired, to put it lightly.
"W...well," Louise broached awkwardly. ôI-If you are really loneù"
But the dere moment was ruined, as the snowy-haired girl chose that moment to skip down the hall towards the main classrooms
"You, familiar! Pay attention while IÆm talking!ö she snapped, chasing after her and hoping the familiar would just stop, though as usual, Illya did nothing so predictable.
ôOh? Are you mad, Master?ö Illyasviel giggled, in her sing-song voice, dodging under an angry swipe of Louise's wand and hooking an arm around LouiseÆs waist, her other hand taking hold of Louise's wand arm so it almost seemed they were dancing. "There's no reason to be angry..."
Louise felt conflicted at this situation, unsure what she was supposed to fear. She couldn't punish the familiar as she liked because she feared her, but underneath all of that, the pinkette was the one who had summoned and bound the snowy-haired girl, right? So why wasn't she cooperative? Why didn't she listen and obey, as familiars were supposed to, instead of humiliating her...
à the last time someone hugged her so closely like this, hooking each otherÆs arms in such a friendly fashion, was when Louise was home with big sister Cattleyaà
ôDonÆt be so familiar with me, Ilya-I-mean-familiar!ö Louise said, wrenching herself free of the other girl, as thoughts of her older sister quickly shifted to those of her mother again, and how Karin the Heavy Wind would...not react favorably if she found that one of her daughters could not do something so simple as control her familiar. Yes, even if her familiar was seemingly stronger than her, since summoning the girl meant that she had to have more power in the end, right? ôButà but I will allow you to stay close to me. For your protection, of course.ö
The last part was added purely for Louise to keep some shred of dignity, the veneer that the familiar was not in fact an existence that surpassed her in power and social interaction.
ôFor my protection...sure, Miss ValliÞre,ö Illyasviel giggled, a hint of a smirk playing at the corner of her lips. Still, she let Louise have a bit of distance as she walked side by side with the pinkette, their similar sizes allow their paces to match. ôSo what is this next class you are heading to, Master?ö
ôWe are going to the practical water magic course,ö Louise shot back, grabbing the snowy-haired girl's arm and pulling her in the right direction as she said so. ôBut youÆre going to have to sit in the back of the class; familiars are not allowed to participateàö
ôReally, but thatÆs boringàö Illyasviel groaned, disappointed, though interested to learn what she could of the magic system here. Louise sympathized with her familiar; what use was magic if one did not get to use it? Then Illya tilted her head, as if considering something. ôBut if you're in this class, does that mean you are good at water element magic, Master? After all, according to what you said about the summoning, you would have been sorted into classes depending on your ability, right?ö
Louise grimaced, choosing to ignore the question (something of a sore point for her, since she was the only one not sorted into an elemental specialty yet due to her...inability to use magic). ôIà Ah, weÆre here,ö she said hurriedly, dragging Illyasviel into the back of the classroom as they walked in. It was still early in the morning and students were still filing in. Many of them were chatting with their friends, so LouiseÆs more subdued entrance was largely ignored.
All the more so, as she didn't talk to Illyasviel as she took out her ink bottles and papers, almost hoping her familiar would stop asking about her magic and leave her sore point alone. She knew her familiar would find out soon anyway, but if Louise could delay that moment for even a little while, then she would. For she wondered, would Illyasviel leave her like everyone else when her spells blew up in her face?
ôM-a-s-t-e-r,ö Illyasviel whispered huskily into LouiseÆs ear, shaking Louise out of her thoughts abruptly. Lost in her reverie, she hadn't notice how close Illyasviel had crept, till the homunculus sat beside her. ôYou didnÆt answer my questionàö
Louise held still, thinking that maybe if she didn't say or do anything, the familiar would go away. After all, that was how one escaped the attention of a dangerous beast, right?
...sadly, such a rule did not work for humans.
"Oh, Maste--"
ôIÆmà IÆm not good at any of the elements, alright?!ö Louise whispered back harshly, at last, breaking under the continued deluge of questions. ôIÆve tried all four elements: earth, fire, wind, water, and nothing works for me...!"
ôEarth, fire, wind and water?ö Illyasviel repeated, looked at Louise with a puzzled look. ôBut during the ritual, didn't you invoke the ritual of the five elemental powers? Unless there's some mysterious fifth element that you've all forgotten about, in which case, this place a little backwards, isnÆt it?ö
ôBa-ba-backwards?!ö Louise exclaimed incredulously, drawing more attention than she would have liked. She saw the classmates glancing at her, so she lowered her voice to a hiss. ôThereÆs nothing wrong with the magic here, if anything your magic is the one thatÆs strangeà!ö
ôOho?" Illyasviel murmured, smirking. "Still, I've never heard of a magic that uses four elementsàö
ôWell...yes, there are five,ö Louise muttered reluctantly, ôand yes, one has been lost to us, but that's because the Void was a divine power handed down by God to the Founder."
"A divine power?" Ilya questioned, lips shaping the words absently. ôWell, I doubt that, since in almost every magic I know of, the fifth element is usable just like the others. Why, in my homeland, I know someone who could use all five elements.ö
ôAll five?!ö Louise gasped, looking around to see if anyone had noticed the nature of their conversation. Fortunately, it was her outburst they heeded, not Illya's words. ôThereÆs no way. No, donÆt even repeat that again, do you understand, Illyasviel?ö She said this seriously, given how she knew the Church would be...unhappy with her if she was to spread such rumors. ôWhat you just said...that's heresy. No one since the Founder Brimir has been able to use the lost element of the Void.ö
ôReally?ö Illyasviel noted archly, raising an eyebrow. ôWell, if you say so, Masteràö
Louise huffed at this diffident reply.
Really, why couldnÆt she just have gotten a dragon or a griffon or a manticore? Even a cat would have been fine too!
ôA-hem!ö A raspy cough interrupted her thoughts as an odd man who she thought might be the professor shambled to the front of the classroom and up onto the podium. ôIf I can have your attention and have some silence in the classroom, please? Thank you.ö
He broke down, coughing for a long minute before continuing, with most of the class looking at him in concern as he caught his breath. He was an old man, walking shakily with the aid of his walking stick. His face was gaunt and thin, as if he had been starved his entire life. His grey hair slicked back and an unshaven beard grew from all over his face.
ôRight then,ö the professor said, as he caught his breath. ôYou call can address me as Professor Styx. I use ahàö He coughed again, ôAck...water magic and my runic name is ahàthe Ghastly River. Thus, I am Styx the Ghastly River.ö He paused, taking a rag from his pocket and coughing into it again, with violent wheezes producing phlegm and bloody sputum. For a terrifying moment, Louise thought the professor was going to die in front of her, or at the very least, collapse, but it passed and the man managed to right himself, taking a deep, shuddering breath. ôI will be instructing you inàö He looked down at the podium, then apparently seeing nothing, up to the blackboard behind him, on which an introduction was written. "...the practical applications of water magic today. Right thenàö
The man proceeded to extract a long, thin wand from within robes made of some fabric so dark they seemed to drink in light. While most were of wood, this one was unusual in that it had been fashioned of white bone, with an odd red hue to it that unsettled Louise with the mere sight of it. Louise saw her familiar frown at the professor when he pulled out his wand, but stayed silent, not wanting to admit to her discomfort. Professor Styx then pulled out a glass of water from under the podium and placed it so that the whole class could see it.
ôWater magic, as you know, has a variety of uses. Like any other element, it can be used in combat, or to control the mind, but it best known for its other uses,ö Professor StyxÆs intoned in a deep, rasping voice that sounded like bones grinding against stone. ôChief among these areàahà healing magic and potions, the first of which you will be practicing today. Though, you must understand that should healing magic be used incorrectly, dire consequences might occur.ö
To Louise, listening to the professor drone on was like listening to bones being grounded into powder. The way that he swayed on podium, looking every bit a frail, old man who was on death's door had Louise questioning if this professor was really a healer. But then the professor pulled out a cage filled with rabbits, and as age-old wisdom went, cute things were excellent at distracting the attention of young people.
Some of the female students cooed when they saw the little, fluffy critters scurrying around in the cage, as some of the males wondered what would be done with them.
For her part, Louise blushed, unable to help but let off a soft squeal at the sight of the fluffy critters.
ôNow, then, we shall demonstrate healing magicàö The professor pulled out one of the rabbits, and then slashed its throat open with a jeweled dagger, blood spraying from the wounded creature as it thrashed about, only to be held down the professor. A few of the students shrieked at the sight of blood, with most looking a little faint, or as if they were about to throw up.
ôAh, now letÆs see," the professor rambled, seeing that he had the students' undivided attention. "The incantations are simple, most of you should be able to do it with just them minimal effort. Most wounds can be healed with a nearby water source--or if the wound is simple and shallow enough, simply the incantation as most living things are primarily water.ö Noting this, the professor waved his bone wand and muttered the incantation on the blackboard. Water rose from the glass he set in front of the class and glowed briefly as it settled onto the rabbit, sealing the wound.
ôAlright, letÆs see if thereÆs a volunteer for thisà" the deathly man intoned, scanning the room for those that looked most uneasy. "Ah, Miss ValliÞre, you should do nicely.ö Having never had the ValliÞre girl as a student before, he didn't know of the catastrophic outcomes that usually resulted from her attempts at casting...
ôAh, that might not be such a good idea, Professor,ö Montmorency the Fragrance piped up nervously from the other end of the classroom. Unlike Louise, she had been placed in this class because of her talent with water magic, and she knew full well what a failed healing spell could do.
ôAnd why is that?ö Professor Styx asked with a smile like the grinning rictus of a skull.
One of the other students in the class cut in. He was a rather plumper lad, but sounded like the other students in his obnoxious tone, ôBecause thatÆs Louise the Zero for you, Professor. Every spell she casts blows up in her face!ö
ôS-shut up!ö Louise shouted, leaping out of her chair, wand already in her hand. ôAt least IÆm not the Common Cloud, or was it the Cutting Cheese, Malicorne?ö
ôGood one, Master!ö Illyasviel whispered from behind Louise, giving her summoner a thumbs-up and a wink. Louise smirked inwardly, she had all the reason she need to perform this spell, if only to wipe that idiotic smirk off of MalicorneÆs face.
ôZero, that only happened once in class!ö
The fat boy, Malicorne, yelled back.
Professor Styx laughed, a rasping, almost malevolent sound like the grinding of old gears and twisting metal echoing in the room as he held up his hands, ôNow, now, children, we are all here to learn; there is no need to argue. So why donÆt you come up here Miss ValliÞre, and show us what you're capable of?ö
ôOf course, professor,ö Louise replied, using a similar tone to that Malicorne had used.
ôNow then, I will cut the rabbit and you shall begin chanting the moment I make the cut, alright, Miss ValliÞre?ö At her nod, Professor Styx reached into the cage and grabbed a fresh rabbit. It was a white one with pale pink eyes, and looked very adorable to Louise.
She could not help but wince when the professor slashed his dagger across this rabbit's throat, but didn't hesitate, didn't hold back, for the pinkette knew that she was racing for its survival. So she gathered as much willpower as she could, chanted the spell as the professor had demonstrated.
All the while, the professor stood back with a strange smile on his face, as if life or death did not bother him at all. It was curious, LouiseÆs mind noted, but she did not care what the professor thought. The important thing was to accomplish magic here, to save the poor rabbit!
At first, it seemed like she was actually going to get this spell right. Sure, the water that streamed from the glass to the rabbit's throat looked as if it was glowing, with a thousand tiny bubbles exploding inside it, but it still went from the glass to the rabbit.
That was then, in her moment of hope, that her spell failed, along with her spirits, for hope was the best spice to bring out despair.
The water in the glass destabilized, erupting into a cloud of superheated steam that covered the front of the classroom, spreading over the first few rows of the class as students began to scream in agony as scalding droplets seared their delicate noble flesh.
A wand was waved--the professor's--and the stream cleared, settling to the ground as merely boiling water, revealing the sight of a mostly unharmed Louise, who was anxiously looking at the rabbit, hoping it was alright.
To the shock of the students present, the rabbit was twitching as if it were lively again. Louise wanted to cheer at her success, shout that despite what had seemed like failure, she had managed to cast a spell, but...
'Waità that doesn't look rightà'
To her horror, she realized that the rabbit's mouth was foaming with bloody bubbles. Its eyes were wide and bloodshot and bulging from its body, so that Louise could even see the whites of its eyes. Pustules of blood and some black liquid leaked from open sores around all over its body, with the rabbitÆs mouth opening and an unearthly shriek issuing forth it.
Then, its eyes melted from its skull.
ôEkk!ö One of her female classmates shrieked in horror.
Louise couldn't blame her. If she had not been so frozen with horror at what she had just done to the poor animal, she would have screamed too.
Then the rabbit twitched upwards again, sitting on its hind legs with its face silently roaring at the sky. Its tiny forelimbs thrashed wildly at some invisible foe as more blood dripped out of its mouth, mixing with bile, urine and other foul-smelling liquids.
A last death rattle gurgled mouth before the fluffy rodent exploded, covering Louise in bits of bloody fur and bone.
The class was silent for only a moment before it exploded into general pandemonium.
From the front of the classroom, Professor Styx droned on, unaffected by how gloriously wrong the spell had gone.
ôAs you can see," he intoned, pausing to cough. "When healing spells are cast...incorrectly, they twist theirà victimsà into something quite alike to an abomination.ö He coughed again into his wrinkled hands, his face twisting into an ugly frown as he showed visible pain in his poor health.
All the while, almost the whole class was frantically shouting up a storm, taunts and jeers flying at Louise like spitballs. Kirche and Tabitha looked on silently, unsure how to approach the quietly trembling girl at the center of the room still dripping in rabbit guts. From the corner of her eyes, Louise saw that even her familiar did not approach her. The snow haired girl had sat back, looking on with mild interest in her eyes and nothing else, much like the professor. There was no pity, no sympathy, to be found, only cold, clinical observation.
Louise bit back a cry. She failed again, likeà like always...
And this time, something else had paid the price.
ôObserve how twisted the rabbit is now, class, for the sake of your studies! Why, this is precisely why one should cast healing spells with care," the professor was explaining, with no discomfort from the death, only his own condition. "Should one lose control of the water element, their patients may be twisted into things inhuman and unnatural.ö Here, the professor paused to allow himself a dry cackle that in itself seemed twisted and deranged. ôAre you alright, Miss ValliÞre? Here, let me clean you upàö
Before Louise could reply, the professor used her as an example to demonstrate another useful ability of water magic: rapid cleaning. In a simple wave of his wand, the sticky, red goo that covered Louise all plopped onto the granite floor, leaving her relatively dry.
The stench of blood and death still clung to her clothes and skin, but to Louise, it reminded her of Mother, with the crowd jeering at her like that at the execution of some criminal, condemning her to a fate worse than death: to live, knowing she was a failure.
There were nothing more to be said.
She ran.
Salty droplets threatened to spill from her eyes, but Louise would not allow her classmates the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
The door slammed behind her with a resounding clang! as many eyes watched as she disappeared.
ôWell,ö the professor said after a moment, scratching his chin, where his unkempt beard grew, and sighed, ôI suppose that concludes todayÆs demonstration. Will one of you please make sure Miss ValliÞre is alright? I understand that there are many who cannot handle the pain of failed healing spellsàö
