When the sword of eternal power shattered in opposition to the light's champion - it was the beginning of the end.

When the burning Highlord had the fel crown placed upon his head – fate was already shifting.

Those were but mild symptoms, hinting at something that shouldn't have been in the grand scheme.

…I beg of you…

Indeed, the long dead king had said that no one rules forever.

...My familiar who exists…

Indeed, the bindings of fate were beginning to unwind – untangle and weave into something new.

…somewhere in this universe…

Indeed, and unbeknownst to everyone watching, reality was breaking – tearing – as ovals of rippling green abyss began to form.

…COME FORTH!

It was in this way that the shattered sword Frostmourne disappeared from the world, and the countdown truly began.

Because there must always be a Lich King.

It was a good and bright day. A day filled with blooming flowers, frolicking wildlife, and cloudless skies. Thus, it was also a perfect day for the age old tradition of the 'Springtime Summoning Ritual'.

Mages within the Tristain Academy of Magic were bustling and churning with a certain level of excitement usually seen during final exams; because today was the day they summoned their lifelong partners.

Yet regrettably, it was not an exciting day for all. In fact, according to the thoughts of a particularly pink haired and flat chested noble, it was the exact opposite.

Today was the day Louise Françoise Le Blanc, youngest daughter of the Vallière family, would either summon a familiar or be sent home. Understandably, she was distraught.

She had, of course, memorized the summoning ritual down the every single rune and minute line. Every syllable involved with the summoning was practiced to a fault, every rune and angle understood with an obsessive hunger, hours upon hours dedicated to convincing herself she would not fail.

Failure was intolerable. For Louise, failure spelled expulsion; it meant a life dedicated to obscurity, and worst of all, the inability to truly look her mother in the eyes and say she finally succeeded.

So it was with heavy heart that she left the last class of the day to follow her balding professor and join up with the other excited students trailing behind him.

Predictably, the Germanian cow took notice of her immediately, approaching her with the blue haired bookworm trailing not far behind.

"Zero!" Kirche, a redheaded harlot of a woman, greeted mockingly.

Damn her noble pride, damn her willpower and determination, any less and she would have gladly shot a fireball at the insufferable cow. Instead, she held back and gritted her teeth.

"What do you want Zerbst…" Louise stated bluntly and straight to the point. It wouldn't do to lose her head right before the ritual.

"Just wanted to know what you had planned for the rest of the day." The redhead stated a tidbit too calmly, "I mean, after you fail your summoning of course."

Louise just looked into her eyes while holding her pride at bay and simply stated, "I won't fail." Before quickly walking away, while her heart silently voiced her dread, and numbed her body at the prospect.

Predictably, the cow caught up to begin chipping away at her resolve, but Louise would have none of that. She sped up to walk closely behind her professor, at least then she wouldn't have to worry about the hateful words of her peers.

Shortly thereafter they arrived at their destination, and the Springtime Ritual began.

"Ms. Vallière!" " Her professor, Mr. Colbert, began exasperatingly, "You've been standing there staring into space for a whole minute, and it's your turn!"

Louise seemed to shrink into herself before muttering a quiet, "Sorry Professor."

"No need, No need" Mr. Colbert said as he waved his hands in a dismissive manner, "You're paying attention now, so let's get started."

However, Louise wasn't listening to her professor's words, only the mantra in her head, a rhythmic and constant, 'I will not fail.'

"Don't worry Ms. Vallière!" " The balding man said as an afterthought, "I can tell you're nervous, but don't worry. You'll succeed, I know you will."

Louise's mental mantra stopped, she faced the circle, determined not to fail her professor, determined not to fail her mother, determined to prove them ALL wrong, and began her summoning.

"Come forth!" she yelled unknowingly into the depths of space and time, at the void in between worlds, and fate screamed as her spell shattered with a deafening explosion.

She tried again, began the summoning again, ignoring the jeers and laughs of her peers, ignoring Mr. Colbert's attempts to silence them, "Come forth!"

As fate screamed, destiny slowly and loudly began screaming alongside it. Lines tying together Louise to her ultimate destiny were forcefully coming undone. Still her summon did not show, yet the explosion became louder, as if foretelling her morbid future.

Numbness was beginning to descend onto her body; a painful cold in her heart pervaded her entire being as she began anew. Again she drew the circle, again she said the words, this time putting all her energy behind them. She was the embodiment of her intent; her spell the result. This time she screamed the words, "Come Forth!"

Reality buckled, time and space began to liquefy, destiny was torn off its hinges and fate began to die a slow and whimpering death. Gone was Louise's destiny, and destroyed was her future as her spell began to paint her a new and ultimately bleaker one. Again, her only answer was an explosion.

"Ms. Vallière – "

She was going to fail. She knew it in her bones, cold with the loss of her willpower. The numbness had spread from her head to her toes; the coldness in her heart was unyielding. Even then, she pressed forward and persevered, gathering up the last dredges of her willpower and sending them forward with this spell, it was her everything; her heart's desire, her future, her family, her legacy, she wanted it so much and poured it all into her spell work. Like a crack of lightning, filled with power and desperation, she screamed at the heavens, "COME FORTH!"

Time stood still, space became solid, destiny and fate tore and re-aligned, eldritch power bloomed from the depths of the abyss to wear at the very fabric of existence. The future of 'Louise the void mage' was slain by her own power; it only needed to be finalized, like a blood signature on a Faustian contract.

It was then that her wand exploded.

Silence pervaded the school, and the animals ceased their chatter long ago. There was intent, a whispering in the cracks of reality that only she could hear. If only she had a wand, one more wand, her summon would be here. As it stood, she only stared off into the distance, looking at something incomprehensible and unseen by everyone else. Even as Mr. Colbert silently directed her away from the clearing by her shoulders, she still stared.

Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière felt dead.

Author's Note: Apologies for those who were seeing the misspelling, was being finicky with format.