Archive Of Potentialities.

Short story: Of Slime and Blood -- 3

Mensch are the standard humans we are all familiar with. In this universe, they fall under the same humanfolk umbrella that houses the Methuselah. Just a heads up.

.
.

Magdalena von Leizniz was fed up.

As the Dean in charge of the biggest cadre within the prestigious School of Daybreak, dealing with all sorts of eccentric Magia came to her as easy as pie.

As a person who eked out professorship as a mere mensch, and went on to become a powerful wraith after death her influence within the College was worthy of her title as the head of its currently most powerful faction.

Be it aristocratic games, theoretical ingenuity or the ever important act of meting out pure arcane violence, Leizniz could confidently stand in the upper echelons of all Magia, both within and beyond the Trialist Empire.

But even this undeniably capable person could do nothing but clench her fists in frustration when a certain Methuselah was involved.

After attaining her current position as a researcher, Agrippina — much to Leizniz’ chagrin — had dropped every pretense of being a diligent person worthy of being a Magus.

Her lectures were taught with farsight spells and astral projection, the library staff constantly complained to the cadre about her refusal to vacate the premises, her students constantly grumbled about not even knowing what their lecturer even looked like.

All this had gone on for years before Leizniz had enough.

She had confronted the slothful Methuselah and issued an Ultimatum.

“Fight me or go for fieldwork for an indefinite amount of time.” She had told the silver haired woman.

For Agrippina, fighting Leizniz was a stupid endeavor, even ignoring the possibility of her losing.

The political implications such a confrontation threatened were enough to scare even Agrippina, so she took the second option.

This was all according to Leizniz' plans, and so she succeeded in keeping the Methuselah away from her beloved mundane lifestyle for twenty whole years.

To further worsen Agrippina's situation, Leizniz had set a condition that should have been impossible for her to meet.

“You can't return without an apprentice.” She had said.

Leizniz could remember the glee she felt at finally removing a huge thorn in her and the College's side, expecting at least a century of peace and quiet.

Which was why it was so frustrating to see her nemesis return after two measly decades, pulling along two cute children. A changeling apprentice and her absurdly talented brother who Agrippina had taken as a manservant.

Leizniz took this in stride though, after negotiating with the symbol of sloth — giving her three years of freedom from work in exchange for the right to do as she wished with her cute apprentice and attendant — she had begun to relax, falling into a fairly relaxing routine.

‘Agrippina shouldn't cause any problems for a while.’

‘Surely she acquired common sense.’ She had thought…

But alas, all that was a fantasy.

“Agrippina.” Her frustrated voice echoed in the opulent office she now occupied with her disciple and two strangers.

“Yes, Lady Leizniz.” The heterochromatic immortal responded, feigning innocence.

“What have you done…?” She raised her incorporeal arm to massage her equally intangible forehead.