^^ Jack's Hand ^^
--- Greta's POV ---
I sat down in my classroom, and smiled. The normalcy of the setting appealed to me, strangely.
My sabbatical to the Demon Realm and Egypt had taken place during Winter break. Luckily, Exams were right around the corner, something I hadn't done normally, last year.
I decided to take them early, again, when I realized I could put all my textbooks except Crafting and Musicology into Hugin's Nest, meaning I knew everything in them.
---
I strode into the Exam Room, and smiled at the Masters Assembled. "Well hello, all. I'd like to be the first to say thank you for meeting me, and on such short notice. I'm sure you're all very busy individuals, and I'd like to take as little of your time as necessary. Now,-"
"You are very arrogant, aren't you, Miss Falkirk? To walk in here, and attempt to take over the Exam Hall? I-" a Lich who looked around twenty interrupted me, glaring down from his pedestal.
I interrupted him just like he interrupted me. "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the Rudeness that caused you to think interrupting me was in the least bit respectful. If you're going to speak to me, find a modicum of respect somewhere in that tiny, Idiotic brain of yours, or I'll plant the nation there after I've cracked it open." I hissed at him.
He leaned back, silenced, and the others seemed halfway impressed, and halfway angry at my arrogance.
"Now. To answer your unprovoked assault on my personality, I am not Arrogant, and I wasn't attempting to 'Take Over'. I was politely greeting the Masters in the room, and showing them the proper respect. I advise you think before you speak, little Lich. Next time, I won't forgive you." I warned him.
I looked around, and nodded. "Ahh... that's why you're so arrogant. You're not a Master. You're Haven's replacement, because I can't have the same Exam Master As I have Teacher. You're a what... Expert Shapeshifter? No... Journeyman?" I smirked.
He glared, and ground his teeth. "Watch your tongue, Girl."
I smiled. "Awe, I've hurt his feelings. Now, boy, understand something. My name is Lady Greta Falkirk, and you will address me as 'Lady', 'Milady', 'Ma'am', 'Lady Falkirk', or even 'Greta'. But if you call me 'Little Girl' again, I will make you into a little girl, am I clear?" I smiled sweetly at the end of it, baring my teeth.
He wasn't afraid, unfortunately. "You have no right to speak to me that way, Little Girl." He said haughtily.
I nodded. "I see... my apologies, Masters, and Little Boy, for delaying the Exam a moment or two. I suppose this will get me my masters in Shapeshifting..."
I leapt and dragged him down off the Pedestal, and then knocked him out. Then, before anyone could stop me, I plunged my fingers into his chest, and started changing his body, down to the DNA.
Soon, a woman of his age and general facial features laid under me, and I leaned back, exhausted. "Done. I believe that concludes that, hmm? Master Haven?" I asked.
"While Crude and rather Barbaric, yes, only a Master could force such a massive change on another so easily, and with no adverse affects... humph. I'll reprimand her Later, Masters. Continue with the Exam." She swooped down in her Owl form, and plucked him/her up, flying away.
I smiled. "Then let us continue, hmm?"
The Rune Master cleared his throat. "Well then... I Agree, let us continue. He didn't belong here anyway. A Journeyman on the Council, preposterous. Moving on. Lady Falkirk, if you'd show me what you can do with Runes? I understand you made your own, personal Rune? The fabled Rune of Flight?"
I smiled. "That's correct. Would you like to see me use it?"
"I'd like to see you draw it onto a RuneStone, actually." He asked, eyes wide with anticipation.
I smiled again, an evil smile. "I'm sorry. The Rune of Flight has been placed in the Restricted Section of the Great Library. I am Forbidden by the Grand Masters to share with you it's Secrets, even during an Exam. The fact that I Invented 58 Personal Runes, however, should grant me a Masters." I nodded, and bowed my head.
He turned a little red, angry at having lost that round, but gained control of his features. "Yes... I agree... Master Grant?"
The woman next to him smiled at me. "I approve. Not sharing your work with greedy people who would only use it for profit is always best."
I laughed. "I'm using it for profit. What's that make me, Master?" I grinned.
She raised an eyebrow. "An intelligent little Lady who is far to smart for her own good. Many people resent Genius."
"And many people are morons. It's a fact of life that people hate those they view as their superior. Even if that person doesn't view it that way, it doesn't matter." I shrugged.
She nodded. "Indeed... well, Glyphs. Amaze me."
I summoned all of my spirit Branding's, including my newest one, which was filled with my 58 Runes, but only the parts, not the Flight Rune.
Any Physical attacks were deflected with the Momentum Runes, reversing their inertia, and any magical Attacks were bled dry and destroyed, feeding me and protecting me at the same time, as well as being filled with my newly learned Demon Magics from Eileen, both Regeneration and Osmosis.
Osmosis, in Biology, meant water through a barrier, sort of. In Magic, it meant that only benign magics could pass through the web of runes and glyphs and spells around me, which I'd made Permanent, and Invisible.
I made it all visible, though I left the confusion runes active around my Personal Runes, and grinned at the Masters gasps. I spread all of my many webs of magical protection into this one on a whim, thickening and strengthening it from rope to Titanium Cabling. I was proud of it, that was for sure.
I reenabled the Invisibility Rune, and bowed my head. "Thank you for your Praise." I said, smiling.
She laughed. "Well well... your genius was underestimated... I like that you have confidence, and you've surely earned some, but try to retain Humility, please. I'd hate for your genius to be squandered."
"So would I, I assure you." I smiled, and turned to the next master. "Circles, I presume?"
He nodded silently.
I summoned the circle I'd used on Eryn, and grinned when his eyes widened fractionally, then resettled.
He nodded, and looked at the woman next to him. She hummed. "I wonder what you could summon in this Circle..."
"Anything short of The Demon King." I shrugged.
She smiled. "The Demon King is just a Story, child."
I laughed. "And you're supposed to be a Demonology professor? Ha! I've met the Demon King, in Person. He exists. And he's quite sporting about Debts, like the massive one he owed me for saving his son from a certain death, by Poison incurable. I created the Cure, and saved him, and tadah!" I chuckled.
She blinked. "Odd... I don't sense a Lie."
"I don't lie." I said simply.
She smiled. "Then why don't you summon him?"
"Because that would be suicide? I just said this Circle couldn't hold him." I raised an eyebrow. "I can summon Azathoth or Dianthus, though, I suppose."
She blinked again. "Truly?"
"Yeah. Dianthus might not kill us all, should he be released, out of the Demon Princes, so he's the safest bet." I shrugged.
She leaned back. "Oh do show me..."
I built up the circle until it was chest high, and then compressed it down, so that it was barely an inch tall, and I sighed, and pricked a finger, dropping a Vial of Demon Ash with my blood to strengthen the spell.
"Please answer my call, Dianthus. I am sorry to call you so rudely, but I'd really like to talk to you." I said softly into the void, my draconian flawless, and a door appeared.
No normal door, mind you, but a set of beautifully carved French doors, gilded with pure gold and silver, and platinum door handles.
It opened slowly, and he stepped through, shirtless and steaming. "Ahhh, Princess Greta, my dear. How are you?" He asked, clothes appearing on his frame.
I smiled and spoke in Draconian again. "I am well! Can we talk a bit, please, Prince Dianthus? I don't want to hold you from your... activities, I guess, but I had to summon someone to get my Masters, and this arrogant woman though I should summon our King." I said dryly.
He laughed sarcastically. "Insolent mortals... ah, well. What can we do? They think they control the world." He waved a hand lazily. Then he noticed my lions clothes. "Ahhh? You killed the Namean Lion? I'm impressed!!" He laughed, switching to English.
I blushed. "And Sobek's Scale, Horus's Scale, and Apep's Scale. The Lion was actually Anhur's Scale, as well as its Pride. I battled the Scales of Four Egyptian Gods. I felt very accomplished. And tired."
He laughed again. "As well you should!! Ah, well. I must be returning... ah! I remember! One question per summoning. Ask me something, Princess."
I hummed. "Okay... how do I Gain Access to the Great Library?"
He blinked. "Hmm... Egypt?... hmm... I think I know a way into the Library, but you'll need some ingredients... your Map should now know the way. Good luck!" He stepped back through the door, and closed it as I heard several women giggle. "Now, where was I... Yes, I think it was you, Dana..." he said softly, chuckling.
I severed the connection, making a fake retching sound. "Adults. Always worried about one thing." I sighed disapprovingly.
The Master who was testing me laughed. "I suppose from a child's perspective, that's true. Well, you've surpassed my expectations and abilities. On personal terms with a Demon Prince? Eesh. And why'd he call you 'Princess'?"
I blinked. "Because I'm a Future Demon Princess. The King has already Adopted me. When I die, whenever I die, I'll be made a Demon, and if I'm powerful enough, I'll take my Grandmother's Throne as the Tenth Royal Demon. Without Baba Yaga, the scales have been perilously close to destabilizing for a long time." I nodded.
She frowned. "I see... you made a deal with a Demon?"
"Several. But that's besides the point. I'm sure I passed?" I grinned.
She nodded. "Yes. I don't know if I could have ever done that, and I'm one of the best Demon Summoners this Republic has."
I bowed my head. "Thank you for your praise. And my next subject?"
An elderly man whose right hand was gone hummed. "The Craft. Make something from the materials you have on you." He nodded.
I grinned. "Do Pocket Dimensions count as 'On Me'?"
He nodded.
I laughed. "Prepare to be amazed, then, my friend... can I see your left hand, please?" I held out a piece of papyrus.
He placed his hand on it, and I grinned, calling a spell to map his hand in a 3D model, and then sat down, pulling my watchmaking tools out of my Workshop.
I began molding metals with my mind, using Alchemy to strengthen my Adamantine Metals and blend with Titanium and An organic sample, which was a piece of his hair I'd snatched while he wasn't paying attention. (He hadn't appreciated that, but it was necessary)
Then, I built the framework, for a hand. I added tendons, then veins, which would carry blood like any other vein, but with filtration systems that would filter every drop of blood in his body as it passed through his hand, and remove anything over the optimal amount of any substance, like cholesterol and sodium.
I added the proper amount of muscle, and then filled in the flesh with enough energy-rich crystals to power its functions for the next hundred years. I added the 'Skin', and then began carving runes of protection, power, and dexterity into it.
I nodded, finally finished, about an hour later. "I think I've finished." I walked over and handed the Hand to the Master. "Try it out?"
He nodded and touched it to his wrist, and winced as it latched onto him, and ripped open his stub, connecting at the molecular level. "I forgot it would need Nerve connections... very skilled forging skills..." he grunted, and then relaxed, flexing the fingers. "Very Skilled indeed. And your command of Biology and Anatomy escaped none or us. Well done." He bowed his head.
"Thanks, Master...?"
"Jack. Jack Gillenhal." He shook my hand, chuckling.
I smiled. "Nice to meet you, Master Jack."
"Ahem... while that was acceptably skilled, I'd like to remind you that this is an Exam?" The Severe lady next to him said, blinking owlishly.
I hummed. "Very true... and what is your subject, again?"
"Potions." She said simply, looking down her beaklike nose at me.
I nodded. "I see... and your test?"
She pointed to a small table in front of her podium. A small collection of substandard ingredients appeared, and a mortar and Pestle. "Make something new." She nodded, smirking.
I hummed. "With ingredients as Substandard as these, I'm lucky if I don't discover a 'new' way to poison myself... oh! Ha! I've beaten you at your own game, Greta!" I spoke to myself, and began crafting a new Poison, with the effects of extreme Nausea and Vertigo, Along with Dehydration and Fever, just like a terrible Cold.
I added hallucinations, psychosis, and even adrenal stimulation, Fear Poisons, with a mushroom she'd given me, plus some bay leaves. An odd combination, but effective. I crafted it with the most addictive of the ingredients, creating a Maliciously Addictive Narcotic.
I also crafted its anti-poison, placed an amount into a Syringe, and then leaned back. "I think I've managed something..."
"You're finished? It's been 45 minutes, Lady Falkirk." She said impatiently.
"I believe this is what you were looking for? I could've done better with quality ingredients, but this is my product." I handed her the two syringes.
She hummed. "Quite brilliant... I judged you as arrogant, and I'm not wrong... but you're also skilled. And the fact that everyone lets you know you're skilled is the cause of your arrogance. A bit of a conundrum..."
"That does sound needlessly complicated." I nodded.
"But, it is indeed good work. A powerful Hallucinogenic Narcotic, addictive, and Malicious? I like your mind... but don't produce this again, please, Narcotics are dangerous." She nodded.
I chuckled. "I'm sure you think so."