UFF: Interlude III (Patreon)

Interlude III

Claudia Von’Roseblade

“Well hello there Daren, a pleasure to meet you.” Claudia stated, as she happened to run into the choir boy who happened to be alone. This was a perfect time, as Claudia herself had finally gotten rid of the overbearing and overprotective Marie, who did nothing but seemingly fuss over the fact that she tried to seduce every boy.

“Hello? Do I know you?” Daren Drakerton, the younger brother of Rydel Drakerton asked.

Hearing his shy voice, Claudia paused as she realized her mistake, having already called the junior prince by his first name, rather than his sir name. Still, in for a penny, in for a pound, which was why she pressed on.

“Not yet, but I was hoping to get to know you better?” Claudia recovered.

“Right,” Daren stated, a note of apprehension in his voice.

Gah.

Why was this so hard? Claudia thought to herself, as in the game the boys came to her. Now she had to do all of the stalking.

“So what is it that you are doing on this fine holiday?” Claudia pressed.

“I was going to practice my healing magic.” Daren stated.

“Oh, healing? That is wonderful, you are a healer?” Claudia asked, then continued “why I bet you are one of the best healers around.”

At that Daren’s face just dropped, as he clearly looked dejected by the comment.

“No, I’m barely the third best healer of the freshmen class.” Daren replied bitterly.

At this, Claudia realized that part of Daren’s personality was that he was excessively resentful of the fact that his brother always outshone him in magic. Thus, anyone who showed more competency than him at what he felt was his calling always hurt him and made him want to sit out of the group. This was why you couldn’t have him and Marie in the same party, as Marie would always be able to out heal him.

Still with Marie gone, that should make this a lot easier.

“Third best? I know Marie is a fair healer, but you cannot compare yourself to her. She does have the blessing of the gods on her, and is slated to be the next Saint candidate.” Claudia said, trying to be consoling, but even she found this going a lot worse than expected. Particularly as she didn’t have the assistance of the conversation idea starters flaring in her mind.

“Marie can’t even hold a candle to the first Healer. And sadly, you are correct. Compared to Marie I am easily outclassed as well.” Daren stated, then dejectedly he finished his statement. “Which is why I must ask of my leave from you, while I attempt to not get displaced by even more in our class.”

At that Daren Drakerton, future paramour interest turned and left.

Leaving Claudia alone to realize that she had seemingly failed yet another paramour encounter.

“Why is this so tough?” She swore to herself as she then tried to find one of the other paramour candidates and try her luck once more.

***

The Dark Messiah

Everything was going according to plan. At least, that is what the Dark Messiah’s minions were telling him.

Of course he had his doubts, as the High Priestess, his number one subordinate in the enemy empire had seemed recently distracted.

Though according to the prophecy, one who would challenge him and his authority had already arrived. One who also had the blood of the ancients flowing within their veins.

Yet, despite this, the High Priestess assured him multiple times that no one had the mark of the Ancients on their cards.

She even provided a roster of all recently registered students, the only ones who High Priestess Palmyra had not recorded until recently.

Still, the more time passed, the more the Dark Messiah’s Oracle warned of impending doom.

Now all the Dark Messiah could do was sit back, wait, and trust.

The last part, the trusting part was the hardest to swallow, for whom should he trust, his subordinate who always followed his instructions flawlessly, or the ramblings of the old oracle.

Trusting an Oracle was akin to trusting dreams to not end upon your awakening. They were often vague, rambling, and seldom had any actual semblance of the truth until viewed much later.

That said, when the Oracle in question was your famed aunt, and the same aunt that helped you rise to power in your birthlands, you would also take notice.

Still, it was odd how quiet everything was.

At least that is what the Dark Messiah thought, until he got the most random warning from his Beginner’s Staff.

This was the same Beginner’s Staff that he used to unite his homeland under his rule. While he had ultimately upgraded by the time of his ascent to control the dark continent, that initial staff of his did provide a certain fondness. Which was why he had it shipped to the old lands as a binding anchor point for his future Teleportation.

The idea was that even now, he could feel his resonance with his Beginner’s Staff, which was squared away, ready for his inevitable return.

Yet, something was off.

He felt his connection to his Beginner’s Staff flaring to life as a new master apparently sought to lay claim to the ancient device.

This of course was something that was impossible.

At least it should be impossible, if what his subordinate had been painstakingly assuring him of was accurate.

For a moment, an image of a muscular man showed brightly. Their image illuminated by a burst of light coming from the Beginner’s Staff.

Then before the Dark Messiah could fully take in everything he heard two words that sent shivers down his spine.

These were the words of a true master.

Factory Reset.

A female voice called out, then in his mind the Dark Messiah saw it, the brand of an Ancient Master caster, the triangle within a circle.

Seeing the mark sent a chill down his spine, as he realized two things.

First, he realized that his aunt had been correct, that a new master had arrived.

Long ago the Dark Messiah had scouted out the old known master and brokered a deal. One that ensured the old Ancient Master would not interfere with his subjugation conquest. From all accounts, the known Ancient Master was male, while this voice was clearly that of a female, young, again just as his aunt predicted.

Who this person was, the Dark Messiah didn’t know.

There wasn’t enough time to reveal the image of the person holding the staff, only enough time to see the male heading towards the staff.

Pausing for a moment, he mentally focused and then with the wave of his hand created a floating magical image of the male.

Seeing the image and realizing that there might be time to end the challenger’s chances of stopping his arrival before they even had a chance to gain power, the Dark Messiah paused and then nodding to himself realized he needed to act now.

Fwoosh

Just waving his hand was enough to invoke the master to slave communication contract between him and his high priestess.

“Master, what a joy it is to…” High Priestess Palmyra began, but was quickly cut off.

“You have failed. There is a female with blood of the Ancients coursing through her veins. Worse, she is already trained in the old ways.”

“Impossible!”

“Do not interrupt me! You must go now; they are at the Academy Southeastern Observation Post. Go there now and destroy them before they have a chance to flee.” The Dark Messiah commanded.

“Your will be done.” High Priestess Palmyra exclaimed as it was clear her mind was already working and planning to enact the contingency plans that were in place for his inevitable arrival.

Realizing that this piece would be used prematurely was no problem, it could be accounted for. Anything was worth stopping that one, the one who was prophesized as the only one to pose any real threat to his inevitable return as the rightful king of the Ancients.

Pausing for a moment, he took one last glance at the magical image of the boy, no someone who was nearly a man, based on the muscles and visual magical signature that the Dark Messiah saw in the boy.

Looking at him, the Dark Messiah felt it was also time to prepare for him as well.

“No stone, unburned.” The Dark Messiah chanted to himself, as he began preparing for the next wave of invasions. Invasions that clearly needed to be stepped up, now that his opposition was in place.