Authors forward: as promised both betrayer and border are posted together, though border shall likely not update nearly as fast.

In addition I would like to state now that border shall deviate greatly from canon plotlines as it goes on, and that character personalities and backgrounds are being altered ever so slightly. Now I hope you enjoy Border of the void!


"Louise, morning!"

Louise slowly sat up in her bed as she rubbed her eyes. "W-wha?"

"Morning, breakfast."

Louise looked toward the door and realized who was on the other side as she got up out of her bed and walked over to her cabinet. "Oh right. Sorry Tabitha, did I sleep in too late?"

"No, Summoning Day. Came to get you."

"Thanks, I'll be down in a bit," Louise said in reply as she heard Tabitha walk away from her door.

Today was the day, the familiar summoning tests. She could finally prove herself as a mage.

Despite being from the high ranking Vallière family of Tristania, Louise always seemed to be unable to do magic. At least successfully. No matter what spell she would try either nothing would happen, or she would destroy everything in a ten meter radius with an explosion of unimaginable power. Because of this, she was always failing her practical magic classes. Even when she had help from Tabitha she still failed them, she just could not seem to use magic right. She knew the applications of all of them, after all she had one of the top five grades in the school, gained completely through hard work and research. Now if she could just summon a familiar she could finally prove to everyone, including her father that she indeed was a mage of the Vallière and not just good at research!

Louise threw her clothing on with practiced precision, focusing on her cloak's clasp as it was older and harder to use than the rest of her garments. The clasp had been given to her by her sister, Cattleya, as a good luck charm, though she wasn't sure if it worked or not.

With her clothing on flawlessly, Louise turned and walked out of her room through the early morning halls of the Magic Academy. The lamps in the halls were dim, almost having burnt out from being lit all night long, and Louise could hear the small sounds of other people waking up and crawling out of their beds all around her as she past room after room.

It only took a few minutes for Louise to descend the girl's dormitory tower and enter the school's main hall/dining hall where the various maids were bringing food to the few students who were up as early as she, granted she was only up because Tabitha woke her.

After a quick survey of the dining hall Louise spotted Tabitha and walked over, sitting across from her at the table. "Thanks for waking me, Tabitha."

Tabitha looked up and nodded, quickly going back to eating her breakfast. Louise was still surprised sometimes about how easily the two of them had become friends. With her inability to use magic properly everyone made fun of her and that made it hard for her to do anything with others, but Tabitha was the same way. By a stroke of chance the two of them had been put into a group to do a research project for their most respected teacher, Mister Colbert, and quickly found that the other was just as good at research. Since the project, the two of them gotten closer, despite Tabitha's quiet nature.

"Good morning, Tabitha, . . . Vallière"

Louise looked up from her food to see KircheAugusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst sit down beside Tabitha after greeting the two of them. Kirche was the daughter of a high rank Germanian family, and a rival family to her own for some stupid event that happened a few decades prior. Kirche was not exactly her friend, but the two of them got along well enough to stand the others presence, and they did not attempt to murder each other with words like the year prior.

Louise smiled slightly. "Good morning, Zerbst. You're up early."

"I could say the same for you. Wanted to make sure you were ready for the summoning?" Kirche asked honestly curious as to why Louise was up early.

Louise motioned toward Tabitha. "I asked Tabitha to wake me up early if she had the chance."

Kirche looked to Tabitha "Well, I guess she woke us both then.

"Wait, seriously?" Louise asked Tabitha in shock.

Tabitha merely nodded causing both Kirche and Louise to shake their head in exasperation. Tabitha had been pulling similar stunts for the past month, little actions that caused Louise and Kirche to be somewhere at similar times. It was obvious to them both what she was intending to do, but neither of them hated the fact.

As the three of them ate, more people shuffled into the dining hall from both dormitory towers and in a matter of minutes some of the boys caused a ruckus like usual. It normally was a guy hitting a girl who could care less or something similar, but this time it was something serious.

"Please I, I have work to do, sir. I… "

"You walked into me and spilt food all over my clothing, I think that deserves a punishment, you useless plebeian!"

Louise, Kirche and Tabitha looked up across the room at the ruckus to see the son of the Tristanian head general, a certain Guiche de la Gramont, yelling at one of the school's maids who was now laying on the ground against the wall quivering in fear.

"Help?" Questioned Tabitha quietly to which Kirche and Louise both nodded in unison. Despite their differences and dislike for the other, both Louise and Kirche did have a few things in common. One of these things was dislike for those who beat on plebeians. Just because they did not have magic and served those who did, did not make them less human!

The three of them got up and walked around the table and toward the group of students who were surrounding the scene before them.

"Look at this stain!" Guiche demanded as he showed all those around the stain on his shirt, small and just above his belt. "Maybe I should make her clean it with her tongue as punishment, eh?" Guiche yelled causing many of the boys around to snicker perversely.

"Gramont!" Louise yelled causing the crowd to part allowing the three girls to walk toward Guiche unhindered.

Guiche Gramont turned away from the cowering maid and faced the three girls with a sneer on his face. He hated dealing with these three. "And what do the school's three star students want with me? Oh, forgive me. That's two stars and a failure, isn't it!" Guiche mocked to Louise.

Louise returned Guiche's sneer, "The girl already apologized, did she not? Just let her go along with her business! " Louise said as Tabitha walked past Guiche and helped the maid up.

Guiche turned and pointed his wand at the maid, causing the maid and Tabitha to freeze for different reasons. "This maid intentionally spilled food upon me in an attempt to make my family look bad. As a plebeian who does not realize her place she must be punished! Would you not agree?"

Louise grimaced; she hated it when he tried to pull this kind of crap. "Just because she likely tripped and got a tiny stain on your shirt does not give you the right to abuse her like a toy. You're supposed to be a noble, not a rapist!" Louise hissed causing many of the crowd around them to step back in shock at her words.

Guiche turned away from the maid and Tabitha and pointed his wand at Louise, allowing Tabitha to get the maid away. "You have no right to speak such a thing! You're nothing but a failure who can't cast magic, and I'd be surprised if you were even able to summon a familiar! I should-"

Guiche was cut off by Kirche flicking her wand creating a small lash of fire that sliced his wand from his hand. "Say anything more and I'll do more than that. You know Louise is right, now back off and go change your shirt!" Kirche declared loudly.

Guiche growled as he turned around and left, pushing his way through the crowd. The crowd quickly dispersed and Tabitha walked back over to Louise and Kirche. "Is she alright? asked Kirche.

Tabitha nodded. "Tripped. He there, out of proportion." Tabitha said casually.

"So it was the usual crap then. Damn, I wish he would stop causing so much trouble!" Louise growled as the three girls walked back to their seats at the table. Things soon returned to normal and after an hour the entire dining hall was full and breakfast was at an end. Normally, all the student would go to their classes, but everyone knew today was special as the headmaster, Old Osmond, stood up at the front of the hall.

"If I could have your attention, please." Old Osmond said loudly, waiting for the hall to quiet down before continuing. "Thank you. As you all know, second year students shall be doing their familiar summoning tests today. Because of this, the grounds are closed to all but the second years until the tests are done. I would like all first and third years to continue with classes as usual and to do their best not to get in the way of second years. Now that breakfast is over, would first and third years please go to their classes and second years please meet Mister Colbert in the courtyard. Dismissed." Osmond called causing the entire hall to get up and flood in every direction at once, the second years flooding toward the school courtyard.

The school's large courtyard was full of bright green grass and a light warm breeze blew around them, making it perfect weather for the entire second year class to sit down on the grass while their teacher Mr. Colbert told them how the summoning tests would be worked.

"The summing tests will be done one at a time in reverse order of the average of your marks, those of you with the lower marks will go first and depending on how your summoning goes your marks will be increased by a margin!" Mr. Colbert paused and looked around making sure that everyone was listening to what he was saying. "As I already said, summoning will be done one at a time. While someone is summoning everyone else is to be quiet to give them the best chances. Now we shall begin."

And with that the summoning's began. Wolf, cat, dog, owl, lizard, snake, bird, all were summoned by the weaker students of the class, though it did not make them unhappy. Tabitha nudged both Kirche and Louise as Guiche stood up and walked to Colbert's side, preparing to summon.

"Do you think we should cheer him on?" Kirche said, obviously with the intent to mess with his concentration.

"No, let's give him his chance. I wouldn't want him messing with us," Louise said to which Tabitha nodded as they redirected their attention as Guiche began.

"Beautiful and perfect familiar blessed by Brimir himself to serve my glory!" Guiche called loudly.

"Thinks highly of himself," Kirche whispered to the others causing a small snicker from them all, even Tabitha.

"I call you to my side to serve me faithfully and perfectly!" Guiche continued loudly, obviously thinking the louder he was the more successful he would be. "Answer my call and serve me, as you were born to do!"

The courtyard was silent for many moments, it looking like he had failed, until a low rumbling became audible. The rumbling was quickly accompanied by a heavy shaking, causing many people to become worried. As the shakes and rumbles reached their apex a massive creature burst from the ground before him and stood before the entire class. The creature looked like massive lizard covered in shaped bronze armour and as it stood before them Mr. Colbert spoke up.

"I have not seen anyone summon a rare Rust dragon before. Congratulations, Mister Gramont, now finish the ceremony."

Guiche nodded and finished the ceremony lightly kissing the dragon's forehead, runes and symbols immediately appearing on the left of its head. Guiche guided the dragon away from the summoning zone, glancing at the three girls and grinning like an idiot as he did so.

"He's quite happy with himself isn't he?" Commented Kirche.

"Yeah, hopefully his dragon eats all of his armour and golems!" Louise joked as Tabitha appointed her staff towards Colbert.

"Look."

Louise and Kirche both looked to see Mr. Colbert looking around in confusion.

"It seems our next summoner is missing so we'll skip her, Miss Zerbst, you are next."

Kirche pulled herself up off the ground with a smile, "Wish me luck."

Louise and Tabitha looked on as Kirche stepped up to the summoning zone. The three of them had for the past few night been going over the historically most successful ways of summoning a familiar so they knew she would do well. They all would. They had to.

It wasn't a case of wanting a specific creature but more of a case of asking for a creature that could accept you and that you could accept. It was about being honest about your feelings and understanding yourself and your element. And it was about understanding magic as well.

"Oh familiar that resides in the land, heed unto me and answer my call. My passion burns brightest and I ask of you if I am worthy? Please answer me." Kirche said, just loud enough to only be heard by those closest, aka Mr. Colbert, Tabitha and Louise.

As Kirche finished and let her breath go a bright red magic circle appeared before her, and out of it leapt a large red salamander, its tail ablaze in bright flame. The salamander stood there beautifully and with a quick kiss from Kirche, happily became her familiar.

Kirche sat down beside Louise and Tabitha but before they could congratulate her Mr. Colbert spoke up again. "Miss Vallière, miss Tabitha. The two of your marks are tied so you may choose amongst yourselves who shall go first.

Tabitha looked to Louise who only nodded. "Go right ahead Tabitha. I'll be rooting for you.

Tabitha nodded in thanks and stepped up to the summoning zone, letting out a small breath as she began, speaking so quietly none could hear her. Within moments of her stepping into the summoning zone, a great blue dragon appeared and landed before her, crying happily as she made it her familiar.

Louise stood up and past Tabitha as she came to sit back down. The two of them gave each other a nod as they past and Louise then stood beside Colbert.

"Begin when ready." Colbert said casually

"Right." Louise replied as she took a few breaths to control her breathing and began quietly speaking to herself. "Oh familiar that exists in the world, I call upon you to answer my call and serve me. Be you small or large, strong or weak, the winds of fate call us together, so please, answer my call."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Louise slowly opened her eyes to find nothing before her. With a quick cough to make it seem like she was still preparing herself she began again, adding a bit to her summons. "Oh proud familiar that exists in the world I call upon you to please answer my call and serve me. Be you small or large, strong or weak, the winds of fate call us together, so please, answer my call."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Louise opened her eyes again to find nothing before her. This couldn't be happening, it was her only chance to prove she could use magic and be good for more than just research!

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue!" Guiche yelled from behind the masses of students causing small snickers to escape some people's lips unintentionally.

Louise turned her head to Guiche and glared at him. "Of course not, I'm just preparing myself; it will take a strong familiar to top your bucket of rust!"

"Then prove it!"

"I will!" Louise yelled as she looked back at the summoning zone and tried again, saying her summons loud enough to be heard by all. "Oh familiar that exists in the world I call upon you to answer my call and serve me. Be you small or large, strong or weak, the winds of fate call us together, so please, answer my call."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Still nothing! This couldn't be happening Louise thought as she again said her summons before anyone could comment. . "Oh proud familiar that exists in the world I call upon you to please answer my call and serve me. Be you small or large, strong or weak, the winds of fate call us together, so please, answer my call."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nothing. Nothing was happening. Louise fell to her knees as she tried again, tears filling her eyes as she could hear the cries of laughter behind her. It didn't matter how hard she tried though, she knew what had happened.

She had failed to summon a familiar; she had failed the summoning test. She had failed to become a mage. Tears dropped from her face as waves of emotion assaulted her heart.

She had failed.

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Louise sat before old Osmond with Mr. Colbert standing to the side. Her face was covered in fresh tears that would not stop and her clothing was disheveled.

Osmond turned and looked toward Colbert with a grim look. "So, she failed her familiar summoning then?"

Colbert nodded. "She tried many, many after she first failed; all tries ended the same. No reaction of any kind.

"I see. Inform her family and-"

"Please give me one more chance!" Louise interrupted Osmond as she stood up with a cry, causing more tears to fall from her face.

Osmond sighed. "I know it may be hard to take but you failed the familiar summoning and are to be expelled, it is not the end of the world though you just-"

"It is! When my parents hear of this they'll disown me! I'll be a nobody! Please give me another try I know it will work this time please!" Louise cried as she fell to her knees, knowing that it was over for her.

The room was quiet for many moments before a new voice was heard.

"You may as well give up, you won't summon anything!"

Osmond and Colbert looked over to see a woman with long blonde hair standing at the edge of the room. "Who are you? How did you get in?"

The woman stepped out of the shadows of the room allowing them to see her. She wore a long white dress that had odd designs on the edges and a purple rectangle of cloth that went from her neck down to the dresses bottom that had a strange symbol upon it. She lifted her gaze to the two men causing them to shudder at the immediate amount of power they felt from her. "I am Yukari Yakumo, The Border of Phantasm." The woman said as she looked toward Louise who was still kneeling on the floor crying. "And I am the reason why you could not summon a familiar!"

Louise looked up to the woman named Yukari as fresh tears filled her eyes. "Why? Why would you do this! I'll be a nobody now!"

Yukari looked at Louise for many moments before turning to Old Osmond. "No matter how hard she tries she will not summon anything, I am here to speak to her, but first to you."

Osmond looked at her and sighed in acknowledgment. "Mr. Colbert."

"Yes?" Mr. Colbert replied.

"Please take Miss Vallière to her room; she is to not be allowed to leave until her family arrives."

Colbert was quiet and obviously conflicted about the order, but nodded and slowly with difficulty, pulled a sobbing Louise out of the room leaving Osmond alone with Yukari.

Many quiet moments went by before Osmond broke the silence with a question. "Is what you say true?"

"About what?"

"About you being the reason that she was unable to summon a familiar?"

". . . Yes. That girl attempted to summon something already mine, I could not just allow a weak and naïve girl to summon something as powerful as she tried to."

"Then she could summon something else, no?"

"No, that girl will only ever summon the same thing, the thing I already possess, and I will not give it to her as she is now.

"Then she can be made to be worthy of it, just let her-"Osmond started.

"NO!"

Osmond fell backward onto his chair. The amount of power this unknown woman named Yukari was releasing just by yelling was enough to choke him. He was considered one of the most powerful mages in Tristania, yet this woman was overpowering him with latent magic released from just a yell!

Yukari took out a black folding fan and fanned herself for many moments before putting the fan away again. "You fools here do not understand her potential. You teach her magic she cannot use and then yell at her when she fails. You cannot teach a fish to fly, why do you think you could teach her what she cannot learn?"

Osmond looked at the woman in confusion. "I don't quite understand what you mean."

"Of course you don't. You think in merely one dimension, whereas she is a dimension you cannot comprehend. Only one of such power to see her dimension would be able to understand her beautiful potential."

"And that is you?" Osmond asked carefully.

Yukari smiled, took out her fan and pointed it towards Osmond. "Yes. Through her attempt to steal that which was not hers I felt her, and now that I have seen her with my own eyes I can tell you with complete surety, she would never learn anything useful at this place. Her skills and potential will wither and rot and she will merely be a tool for those that are weaker than her, though they would never realize."

Osmond could sense what the woman was after, but the reasons why still eluded him. This woman, who was more powerful than he thought possible, what could she want with the young Vallière? "And am I to assume you have an answer to this problem?"

Yukari covered her mouth with the now open fan though her smile was noticeable even from behind it. "I will take her and teach her!"

Osmond grimaced. "That will be impossible."

Yukari raised an eyebrow at the man. "Why is that?"

"I cannot in good conscious give a girl to a total stranger. That would be up to her parents first of all and-"

"From the sound of it, if her worries prove true she will be disowned. It would be her choice then and neither you nor her parents would have a choice, young man."

Osmond looked at the woman in confusion. Did she just call him young when she looked so much younger than he? "It would not be her choice actually. If her parents decided to disown her they still have a decision of what to do with her."

"And what choices would they likely have?" Yukari demanded, her gaze piercing Osmond who was obviously now very uncomfortable at having to talk about this particular subject.

"The likely choices would be sending her to an orphanage, forcing her to become a plebeian under their rule or, . . . "

"Or what?"

"Or pawning her off to another noble house for favors." Osmond admitted with s sickening tone. "If she escaped any of these she would likely be killed in the wilds, or if lucky found by bandits."

"Which would be a whole new group of dangers."

"Yes."

" . . . . . . . . . Your society is disgusting." Yukari said sharply.

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me." Yukari said as she turned around and waved her hands opening up a strange oval object full of purple energy and various eyeballs. "I will return to speak to the girl later, until then I would suggest being careful."

And with that she was gone, leaving Osmond alone.

Osmond turned his chair around to look out of the window behind him. The sun shone brightly but he could see dark clouds off in the distance. "Perhaps it would be best to alert all of our instructors."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2 days later, Tristania Academy of Magic.

Louise fell backwards onto her bed, knocking her suitcase off as she did. Her face hurt badly, and she knew why. Her father had backhanded her. Placing her hand on her cheek as tears fell down her face, she turned to her father who stood above her fuming.

"You are not worthy to be called a Vallière; you are nothing but a mistake."

"But Father, I-"Louise started before he swung his leg at her, catching her legs and causing her to fall backwards onto the floor.

"I am no father of a disowned plebeian girl! You will be brought to the manor, and there it will be decided what will be done with you!"

"Please I-"

"Enough!" Louise's father yelled as he flicked his wand crating a gust of wind that send Louise into the wall behind her. "You will learn how to speak to a noble, whelp. Perhaps I should give you to Count Mott; I do owe him a favour after all."

Louise went silently immediately. Everyone knew what Count Mott was like and she did not want to be reduced to a slave chained to his bedpost.

"Ara, to treat your own child like such is quite despicable!"

Louise's father looked above Louise to see a strange blonde woman wearing a white and purple dress standing in the open window frame. "Who are you?" He growled as he pointed his wand at the unknown woman.

Yukari smiled slightly and stepped off the window sill, landing beside Louise without making a sound. "I am Yukari Yakumo, The Border of Phantasm. May I ask your name?"

"Very well" Louise's father growled. "I am Duke of La Vallière. Why are you here, woman?"

Yukari's slight smile immediately disappeared. "I told this girl I would speak to her, and I shall." Yukari said as she turned to Louise and knelt down beside her while Louise's father raged loudly behind them. "I'm sorry I was unable to speak with you sooner girl. May I ask for your name?"

Louise looked at Yukari with contempt. "You said you're the reason I failed. I am just Louise now because of you!"

"Yes, and I am sorry. You attempted to summon something of mine that possessed great power, and I cannot let just anyone take something of mine when they are not worthy."

"I -,I tried to summon something of yours as my familiar?"

"Yes."

Louise looked down at the stone floor, letting tears drip from her face.. "I- I didn't know I, could I summon something else then? Right?"

"No, you will only be able to summon what is currently mine, but that is not to say you cannot become worthy of it."

"What do you mean?"

"Come with me, and I shall teach you what you should've been taught." Yukari said as she held out her hand.

Louise looked up at Yukari and let her hand drift toward Yukari's.

"I think not!" Duke Vallière yelled as he pointed his wand at Yukari once more. "I will not allow this!"

Yukari stood up, helping Louise do so as she did, and looked to the man. "You have disowned this girl, the choice is hers."

"I will not let you corrupt a young girls mind with your heresy. Teach her right? She was taught by the greatest magical minds in Halkeginia. If she cannot use magic then she is incapable and the one at fault. She must deal with her failings, not get help from a random stranger who speaks ill of our magic!"

Yukari sighed and glanced to Louise. "The reason you could not use the magic you were taught is your magic is different. I can explain it to you and teach you but it cannot be done here where the teachers do not understand your potential. If you wish to stay however, I will not force you."

Louise looked between Yukari and her father many times before turning to Yukari and bowing before her. "I attempted to take something of yours for my own, and I am greatly sorry. Please teach me."

"Very well, then Louise. I shall take you under my arm and teach you. I shall even allow you to leave at any time if you feel my teaching will not help you."

"Thank you, I"

"This farce ends here!" Duke Vallière roared as he swung his wand creating numerous floating fireballs and globes of water. "I will not allow this!"

"It is her choice" Yukari said plainly.

"She has no choice! She is now nothing but a mere plebeian, and plebeians must obey nobles regardless of the reason! If she intends to ignore my orders then I shall not let either of you leave this room!"

Yukari opened her fan and pointed it to Duke Vallière. "It seems someone does not realize his place. Shall I teach it to you?"