The beginning

The chime rang from the bell tower that located in the middle of the academy to signal the start of the class.

"Okay, let's start. This lesson today was our last and crucial for you're final activity, for the end of your second year that is happening tomorrow." a man like in the middle age of thirty explained in front of the class. His facing an twenty student, it consists of nine girl's and eleven Boy's, their all like the middle age of seventeen to eighteen.

All the students in this room including the other year's and section are mages from all over the land. the children who want to become professional mage's and learn more in magic.

This academy was founded by the three kingdom and ashura empire one hundred years ago in order to nurture the growth of their children's as well for their future economy and the proof of the Peace contract they have.

This magic academy was run by great mage's in history, It was located inside in one of the ashura empire cities in the East where the sun rose.

"Thus we've done discussing about this. but, I want to discuss about it again before proceeding. summoning of servants.

This spell was forbidden for over fifteen decades twenty years after the end of the war between kingdoms and the empire. thus this spell brings victory and defeat to both side. But, twenty years ago the higher mage's decided to bring this spell back and teach to the new generation."

"what are this so-called servant? servant was the mage's summon that would fight along with and for the behalf of them, And stay by their side tell their last breath.

The first summon happened around five centuries ago, the summoner was the great mage, he fought with his servant along with the first crowned hero of central holy Church against the rampaging monster's.

"Thus that is what history says. But, here's the question. what is the origin of this servant is? What they are, before they became servants?

"servant is an entity that no form itself before it became full fledged servant. the Best example of this is air. Air was flowing everywhere but it has no form itself, Right? that's what servant first.

in order for this entity to manifest it form it need an Host and that host well be us mage's. When we summon our own servant We share our mana, blood and our life in order to manifest the form of this entity-

"Sensei!? Can we summon as many servants as we want?" One of the student ask, she was a Young woman sitting in the front set

"Are you not being so greedy, reyna-San?" another female student speaks, pointing the girl that asks a question to the professor.

"I'm just asking you know" replay of the female student that been pointed

"The answer for that question was no. Like I said we're going to share our own life to them, one servant is enough for one mage. In the history there are some attempt to summon many servant, but the result was failed. The mage manages to summon two servant, but its cause it's death after an hour, it's suspected that all of the mage life energy and physical strange been suck. in the blink of an eye the mage became skeleton wearing human skin."

"Ahh!!" A sounds that flood the room after hearing those answer from the professor, some student show's a disgusted expression.

"Imagine, you're going to support two servant with you're own life…..And that's part of the regulations that mage only allowed to summon one servant….but, if you'll like, you can try, if you're tired in living."

"Ah! Sensei? If their an entity's that no form itself before they became full pledge servant, where did their own personality and knowledge came from. if they don't have an appearance in the first place, you know-" a Young woman ask. she has a silver-hair With twisted braid in both side, a long silver eyelash and eyebrow and a pale skin with slite pinkish cheeks.

"oh! may. Are you being confused celes? Caused I'm sure you can't experience to have one" one of the female student interrupt the word's of the silver-hair girl. She was a young woman of average height with a curvy, but slim, well-endowed build and ashen hair that reached down to the middle of the back of her neck.

"You really didn't let slide this kind of opportunity to attack, huh? Olivia" another female student reply in instead to the silver-hair girl to the mocking word's from ashen hair girl. She was sitting beside the silver-hair girl, she has a long black straight-hair that almost reach her butt and bears a voluptuous and well-endowed figure.

"What is it, I'm I wrong?" Ashen hair girl name—Olivia says, while showing an arrogant smirk

"It's okay, Lisa-san." the silver-haired girl named—celes say in low tune. holding the hand of the girl beside her that in an irritated mood, throwing a glared dagger to the girl in the higher set not far in their back.

The entire class attention focused on the argument that happening. And the one initiate to stop it was the professor by continuing and answering the question of the silver-haired girl.

"Okay, thats enough!....a good question you ask lately celes-san. Servant personality and knowledge if their an entity that no form itself in the first place" after hearing the professor, the class attention focused back to him.

"The answer is very simple, they may not have a form, but they already has an personality and knowledge at the first place and appearance that a pointed to them when they been summon. like I said before, they only just need an host to help them manifest their form and that's us"

the professor pick up a piece of chalk and run it on the board on his back, and draw's an side view of a pregnant mother.

"example, at a time of pregnancy the baby inside their mother womb was transforming little by little until it reach its final form, then came out.

This time of pregnancy is like the moment of summoning. this baby inside was the entity that no form, but it has personality and knowledge. then this mother was us mage's" the professor pointed every single in the board using his index finger

"then this womb was a magic circle and our magic. At time of ritual we share our mana to them to manifest their form along with our little blood then share our own life to be their core. After a second nor minutes of ritual, the no form entity's came out like a baby inside the womb of the mother with his a pointed appearance and gender, along with their personality and knowledge. got it?"

No one react after hearing the professor nor ask questions. But, some show's a confused expression chatting with their seatmate.

"And that explains. if the Master's heart stop, then that's the end of the servant. After all, the master was the servant core……"

"anyway, that's goes the same for servant ranking too.

They may not have form, but they already has their own ranking on how strong they are or weak. Like what we've already discussed, that this spell bring victory's along with defeat to both kingdom and empire. Like Lisa"

the professor spread his right arm pointing the Young woman sitting besides the silver-haired girl not far in the front set.

"Lisa's ancestors bring victorious to ashura empire on the war seventeen decades past. When her mage's ancestors successfully summon an dozen upper echelon servant, that's why the

‘vol narshal’ Household was the great mage's asset of the ashura empire."

"Then, What are this upper echelon? upper echelon servant means that he or she has great knowledge than others in physical combat, swordsmanship as well as skill when it comes to magic To make it easier, the greatest or strongest of all"

"Servant has three branches. lower echelons, middle echelon and upper echelon

How to specify an upper echelon and lower echelon. Lower echelon hold an yellow-green emerald colored eye's then the middle echelon hold an blue-green emerald colored eyes and the upper echelon hold an green emerald colored eyes."

"So, if you meet someone has this colored eyes you can tell if their lower or upper as well as if their an servant. after all, you can't tell the difference between we human and servant.

they have a human body as well. We breathe in the same air and they also eat, thus they can last without eating for a week. the deference is the name they are servant that we'll fight in behalf of the mage and been manifested by our magic and blood as their master"

"Right. You can't tell if she or he is a servant if you don't look closely…….we don't know the one we've ran lately to our way here, is an servant." another female student say

"Well, its normal if you ran an servant to you're way here. after all the city outside was build in extinction for the academy. So maybe those servant are from you're senpai or other mage from the academy"

professor reply

"But, the worse case scenario if you ran an chick's and you've fond liking her and lately you'll found out that she's an servant" one of the male student say's while showing a mocking expression

"Now! I'm gonna make sure to look in the eye of every person I've encounter…..and i'm gonna start here" another male student speak mockingly while gazing at every one eyes, one by one.

"Haha"

"Fufu"

"Haha"

A group of male student asses in laughing, while some female student show an disappointed expression.

"Okay….That's enough, let's proceed" professor says, while weaving his right hand near his face.

"did you know? servant has this skill that only Meant to them, like the hero's holy sword. They can use magic like us mage's and wield a swords like heroes and knights. But, unlike us they hold this kind of power and we call this ‘servant authority' the problem is, they don't and can't use their own mana if they use this skill.

In order to execute this skill, they'll need an massive amount of mana directly from their master three times the amount to our time of summoning them. it's enough to knocked down the master for entire day"

"Ahh! Entire day!" Student's reaction after hearing the professor

"Sensei!? Why they can't used their own mana to used that skill?" one of the student asked.

"Why? ahh! It's simple, their mana are not enough to execute that power'

"Huh….!?"

"Ahh!?"

The student body lift downstroke Expecting an deeper reason

"I thought that there's deeper reason why they can't used their own mana" one of the female student name reyna said with disappointed expression

"Oh! I didn't remember saying that there's a deeper reason. It's practically obvious, right." reply of the professor

"I'll leave that in your imagination to think, that there's deeper reason…….

then let's continue, each servant has different 'hidden skill' so that goes the same if the servant was upper, then expected that's it's skill are god like. But, some phenomenon in the history of the war, that there's lower echelon that the skill are greater than the upper. So its not really goes the same."

"Go on. Kail-kun" the professor spoke when he spotted a student raised it's hand.

"The master has sharing it's life to his servant right? If the master die then that's the end of the servant. But, it it goes the same to the master if the servant dies?”

"It's obviously no, right? The servant was they only one that residing into its master" the professor answered

"I see...Then if the servant dies, can the Master summoned again another servant?" Another question from the student named—kail.

"........"

A pause from the professor before answering, knowing the personality of this student. doubting that he doesn't have bad intentions for asking this question "you can. but, it's not guarantee your safety. after all, you're life has already been stain"

"Then, that's all I want to know" kail reply

"............" A silence for a second

"Did everyone have their emblem?" The professor asked, To break the awkward atmosphere. Then everyone picks up a scroll under their desk

"don't forget to bring that tomorrow, that seal that is painted by your blood is the most important thing in summoning. That's going to appear in the body of your servant as the mark that you are his or her master. And the connector to the servant and it's master, without the mark the servant will die and if the mark was painted not well in the body of the servant. The servant won't last a month."

                               ∆

The chim rang for the third time today, to signal the end of the Classes. As usual the students start moving and taking their leave. And crowd of students can be seen outside the window of one of the classrooms where a silver-haired girl is attending.

"Celes?....I can't go home together with you today. There's something I must do in Mrs. Brightstone office" a young-woman called and speak to the silver-haired girl name—celes. She has long black straight-hair that almost reaches her butt.

"Is it? About your seal?" Celes reply

"Yeah, I ask for a help to straighten my seal"

"You're gonna need that tomorrow, So make sure to fix it today."

"Right, So I've gonna get going now" a young-woman with long black straight-hair, name 'Lisa' reply

"Then, I'll wait for you”

"Nah, it's okay, don't bother. after straightening my seal, Mrs. Brightstone ask help for various things so I might end up going home late now

"I see"

Lisa glanced in the window, and saw that the sky was changing to Bright an orange color. "It's already time!" she mumbled then dash through the door into the corridor. But, After stepping out she turned around and said "see ya tomorrow celes!"

Celes watch the returning figure of Lisa until its vanished.

"Guess, I'm gonna explore the city before going home" celes mumbled to herself

Celes was walking in the hallway when she spotted a familiar Man approaching her direction

"Celes!?" the man called her

"Professor" celes reply with her usual solemn demeanor

"Are you going home now? Where's Lisa, are you alone" the professor ask

"Yes, Lisa has something to do, she ask Mrs. Brightstone a help for straighten her seal"

"I see. How about bartold-kun?- huh, why did I ask about him" professor words stop and show a disappointed expression when remembering the personality of the person he's referring.

Bartold was one of the students and classmates of celes, And can be called her friends too.

"ahh, by the way celes. Uhm don't get me wrong, I'm not doubting your skill. After all, you are the best healing magic user of your grade year...What I'm trying to say is for the activity tomorrow, the school already approved that no matter what you may can summon or not, you've already been exempted. Like you're graduated relative." The professor speak euphemism

"Nah, its okay and thank you" celes reply with little painted smile while weaving her right hand

"Dear!"

While the two of them are talking, a woman's voice raised from behind the professor.

"Oh, have you arrived just now?” the professor said

The woman walks and stands beside the professor. she's a fine woman with the same age of the professor in Appearance.

"Uhm," celes sounds reaction can't find a conclusion to who is this woman to the professor. But, she remember that the woman called the professor 'dear'

"She's my wife" the professor said

The answer that celes wanted raised, and her puzzled mind became clear.

"Good afternoon" celes bowed her head in show's of respect, and look back again to the woman. Then she noticed something that made her mind puzzle for the second time ”if the professor said that this woman was his wife-

"I know" the professor speaks with a little better smile.

Celes thought stop after hearing the professor and saw his expression. What she saw was part of their discussion lately an green emerald colored-eyes. that what celes saw when she look focusedly to the woman besides the professor.

"But-

"But why not, there's no regulations that servant and master can't look at each other in a romantic way. Right?" The professor said head on and hold the hand of the woman besides him

"I'm sorry" celes apologize along with a little bowed

"Its okay, its natural you're going to react if you saw something like this"

The woman looks at celes and show's a cheerful smile "you're such a good beautiful Young-woman, I'm sure you'll be granted a good servant too." The woman say's

After hearing those words, celes eyes wide-up a little that look's dumbstruck

"Is there a problem" the woman ask

"Nah, nothing" celes reply with a painted smile

"huh? Dear, I forget something in the office so would you accompany me" the professor said in little frustration trying to prevent the awkward atmosphere that going to spark.

"Of course"

"Then, see you tomorrow celes and...good luck"

"Yes, thank you" celes reply

The professor drags the woman by holding her hand. while passing celes the woman look at her and show's a little gentle smile and spoke "Goodbye"

∆

At the moment Celes stepped out at the academy gate entrance, a crowd of people first her eye's to catch. Some are food vendor's, merchants, adventurers and the students of the academy and many various people, along with many horse carriage running in the road and uncount establishments. After all, the academy was located in the middle of the ‘arios city’ one of the biggest city of the ashura empire

Students are not allowed to step out in the city for over three to four years of their school life until their graduation. Thus all students live on their own house's inside the city all by themselves. house that built or bought by their perspective household. After all, most of the students are noblesse/noble from the empire and other countries. For the scholar or commoners that can't afford nor didn't have one are living in the academy dormitory that is located in the west side of the city.

The entire sky was devoured by the bright orange-color as the sun started to set. Celes was holding a small bag of fruits that she'd bought lately. She stopped in the middle of this bridge that connects the East side of the city known as the Wood's district, because of the various giant trees that grow inside.

She looks in the flowing river that separates the other side. In her surroundings there's children running and playing and some pass her, because this side is the most residential side of the city. Celes enjoying the beautiful moment as her face bear's a beautiful, better smile.

After a minute or so she finally reached this side of the Wood's district. though there's various house's and establishments you can see. But, this block of the neighborhood was the last one and the back of this neighborhood was the various giant tree or you can call city Forrest

Celes stopped in front of this two storey house. What are the most that going to notice about this block, was unlike other this neighboring was a bet silence thus there's various house's and establishment but it's different from the other maybe because it's the last and near the Forest

Celes open the door. she still bears the beautiful, better smile. But, you can smell the Solitude inside her. Living alone in this silence House was not easy for a seventeen year's old girl like her. This House was the state inside the arios city of the 'Bartfold' household, one of the mage's soldiers of the astria kingdom.

They bought this two story House for their children's that are going to attend in the academy.

For the past year's this house was lively and full of happiness. Various face's are laughing including celes. But, last year those face's were gone. Those people was celes relatives from bartfold lineage that attend in the academy but, their school year was already done as they all graduated last year and celes was the only one lift. The solitude inside her can't be hide as she mumbled "I'm home"