A voice was resonating inside a well-lit room, warm inside, and comfortable sets of desks and chairs.
It looked like the students who sat upon them were comfortable; the desks were abnormally placed around the teacher's own desk.
The pupils inside were all girls, not many in terms of number. Still, this class is thought to be comprised of the finest magical students in the entirety of the Empire: "Odeon".
The name "Odeon" is directly from Ancient Greek and can be translated as "music place" or "singing place", though it hardly has to do anything with music. One could suppose it fairly looks like a miniature amphitheatre, and that is the reason why it's called "Odeon".
If someone were to count them, they would be 30. The 30 brightest minds of the Empire, all studying inside the Imperial Court.
The old-aged teacher, who still seemed to have many years ahead of him cause of his energetic and animated nature, even thought he was close to his 80s, took out his Surger.
"Now, regardless of theory, who can put this to the test? May one of you, whoever wishes, step in front of all and demonstrate 'Lingfal'. Failure to do so, will result in your semestral degradation."said the Professor, leaving the area of demonstration open for anyone.
Almost immediately, a pale hand arose in the air with confidence.
The Professor nodded and the girl, with a kind of different elegant air, elegance of some sort, walked to the demonstration area, where all the students bellow her could feast their eyes upon her incantation.
With a slight smirk on the left corner of her mouth, she took her Surger, her blue eyes mesmerising the ones who dared glue their gaze into them.
With an elegant leg pose, making a dynamic turn, before finally projecting a black beam at a wooden target on the other side of the huge room.
Her two legs were looking at opposite sides; her right leg, ok the left side, and the left crossing the right, on the right side.
And yet, this was a Duelist's pose. The black beam landed with so much force on its target, that blue off not only the wood on the target, but also the wall behind it.
Her classmates were fairly impressed, applauding mildly her impressive accomplishment. The professor, with a smile on his face, applauded too, as the girl left the demonstration area, with an even bigger smile than before.
The magic bell suddenly rang.
"Alright, this is all for today. I want you to study 'Lingfal', the Urgish spell many types of devils and Creatures of the Mandrak."said the Professor, leaving the class.
Almost suddenly, many girls came to the side of the girl who previously demonstrated.
"Aurelia-san, you're so cool! How did you learn to do that?! I've studied this spell previously and still haven't nailed it!"said another blonde girl, with a ponytail.
The girl sitting on her desk, named Aurelia, fixed her glasses, and formed a smirk on her face.
"I seems my talents baffle thy minds. My unworthy of such praise self just happens to practise a little more often than the average person..."said the glassy girl sitting on the desk, smiling.
"Hear, hear! We're not buying it! You're just too good!"said another girl on the left side, just next to her.
"I am just a humble servant to God and the Empire. Its not your dear classmate who has the power, she just burrows it from her masters. Thy masters. Every child of the Empire is a humble servant to the Emperor and God."she said, with now her arrogant smile wipped out, a much more innocent one taking its place.
Her classmates remained in awe, bombarding her with all sorts of questions. That all, until a servant came inside the class, bowing till his head reached the ground.
"The servantry terribly excuses its intrusion over your studies, Lady Taliesyn."said the servant, or rather a Eunuch, as it seemed.
"State thy purpose. I am listening."said Aurelia Taliesyn, fixing once again her glasses.
"The Headmaster Themistocles is summoning you to his office. You must hurry; he doesn't like waiting."said the servant, before excusing himself, leaving the classroom in a hurry, not raising his head and eyes for a moment.
Aurelia turned to the class, and bowed in a refined manner, before excusing herself. She starting taking the hallways of the Imperial Castle. Nobody has ever walked it whole. No one has ever come close to, actually. It is so massive, it took half a thousand years to build.
It was constructed on the top of the city of Ithil, the capital city of the Empire, and it is thought to be several thousands of kilometres, regarding its constructional proportions. A marvel of architecture indeed.
The girl, Aurelia, passed by a group of scholars, and bowed deeply at them, the scholars returning the gesture.
"The Headmaster is waiting for you, Lady Taliesyn! Please, don't make him wait!"said a silver bearded scholar. A balding shaped the top of his head.
"Woe to the undetermined. Carpe diem."simply said Aurelia, as the scholars, who liked her answer nodded pleased, carrying on their walk.
Soon, Aurelia, was in front of a big golden gate, standing in front a dozen of red hooded men.
"Salutations, Lady Taliesyn. The Headmaster wishes your attendance. Please, you may pass."said the robed men.
The guards opened the door for her, and Aurelia stepped inside the giant office of the Headmaster. Giant Rennaisance painting could be seen, of the Royal Family God and Jesus Christ.
Globes of the Earth were all laid on the Headmaster's giant desk. Like ascending the steps of her Trial By Fire, she stepped on the wooden stairs to stand before the Headmaster.
"Aurelia, my dear. Please. Come closer."said an old voice, exhausted from old age as it was heard. The man was close to being characterised as a dwarf. He was too old to be talking and too frail to be walking. Yet, he still found the strength to do exactly that.
Aurelia ascended the stairs, and Headmaster Themistocles came from behind the giant library just behind his desk. It looked like his office was one giant building in itself.
He took his canonical position on his chair, and extended his rotten from old age hand to one of the guest chairs for Aurelia to sit.
She sat down, bowing even from the chair.
"Taliesyn Aurelia. Your magical aptitude is considered exceptional, even for the Imperial Academy's standards. I have summoned thee here, to congratulate thee. It is no mere achievement to excel in here."said the Headmaster, with a huge smile.
"I am honoured by thy words, Headmaster Themistocles."said Aurelia, her smirk never disappearing from her face.
"It is because you're so special that I have to assign you into something of grave importance, my dear. I wish it wouldn't be necessary to mobilise the brightest mind in the 'Odeon', oh truly desperate times indeed!"said theatrically the old man.
"Excuse me, Headmaster Themistocles, I don't quite understand thy words."said the now slightly curious Aurelia. It has been a while since something came up to get her out of her boring routine.
"Learn this, dearest daughter of Augustus, that barbarians have trodden on the lands of Gelida! Yes, they have! It has been hundreds of years, but these godforsaken tribes have launched an expedition against us!"declared the Headmaster.
Even the composed Aurelia gasped.
"What? How could this be possible..."she said.
"After the 'Battle of the Terror Mountains', it was decisive: the barbarians were decimated and rendered useless, completely neutralised for the next thousand years!"said the surprised Aurelia.
"That's what we thought, philtate(="philtate" means "dearest". It comes from Greek of course), but it seems these brutes with their unconventional methods have attacked again!"said the agitated Headmaster.
"I want you to go to the land of Gelida, up the Longnor mountains, and answer the call of the Lady of Longnor and Duchess of the Land Of Gelida, Her Imperial Highness Vespertite Bernadotte! Assist her in any way possible!"said the Headmaster, now standing from his chair, hitting his desk.
"Become her human shield if you must! We must ensure her safety and victory! Because my dear Aurelia, as our ancestors said hundreds of years before, 'Vae Victis'!", said the Headmaster, now trembling.
" 'Woe to the vanquished'. I understand thy call, Headmaster. I feel honoured you chose someone as meaningless as my humble self. I'll carry the will of the Emperor and God with me."she said, standing up and bowing again deeply.
"Good! Good! Go there as soon as you can! Your lessons can wait till you finish! It'll be my responsibility!"said the Headmaster.
"Consider it done. May God protect, so the Empire shall we serve!"said Aurelia, before departing completely from the office of the Headmaster.
He breathed a sigh of relief. The Headmaster rested the back of his chair.
"Aristea-sama...what are you planning again?"he murmured.
Thoughts were circulating around inside his mind.
"Sending a Devil to protect another Devil. I fear we have dug our own graves..."said the Headmaster, trying to comprehend all the situation which has arisen.
***
"You're all fucking USELESS! YOU'RE ALL USELESS!"cried out Aristea, kicking a servant with her bare feet, as they groveled on the ground.
"You damn Anastasia, you got yourself killed! And it's just your pitiful self that got killed, it was EVERY...OTHER...FUCKING...ALLY...I HAD!"she screamed, giving with each word a kick to the messenger that brought to her the grave news.
"And oh no, this is not enough! The Barbarians of the North have to attack us right now! And my sister is the one who'll get all the glory! She'll be the one to thwart them off!"she said, pulling her hair off her head.
"Yeah, as if the Barbarians will stand a chance against the Evil Princess! Bah! Ah, oimē!*" (oimē=the Ancient Greek equivalent of "dear me".)
"Woe to the Vanquised, my ancestors used to say! Vae Victis!"she said, pacing in a burst of mad frenzy.
"Vae Victis! Oh, Vespertite! You'll see! Even if I have to cause a civil war, I'll kill you! One way or another! I'll kill you! I'll make you suffer!"said Aristea, now breaking everything inside her room.
"Bring it on! I'll prove you're not better than me! You never once were!"shout Aristea, taking out her Surger.
"Vae Victis, bitch! For the both of us!"she shouted, her voice echoing in the entirety of the castle.