Harbinger’s POV

Musicians with brass, wind, and stringed instruments played around me to the beat of my country’s national anthem. The sounds carried out of our practice room and down the empty halls. I played my violin, lost in mine and the other’s familiar rhythm. Suddenly, and without any sort of warning, everyone stopped all at once; like the sounds of the whole world had suddenly been muted.

“Why’d everyone stop?” I asked, but no one answered. Looking around, I saw they’d been frozen in place. Keys half pressed, stings pulled taunt, halfway through their vibration and bending in unnatural ways. Below me, a circular pattern of lines made of light formed, and my vision grew dark.

When I could see again, I realized I’d moved from the practice room to some sort of chapel or auditorium. Around me were seven small strange reddish-brown bird-like creatures. One of them stepped forward, a short one with golden lace draped around its thin neck. Looking up at me, it chirped and tweeted. As it did, I felt it wanted something. It was encouraging me to do something, or maybe it was demanding something from me.

“Hello?” I asked the little creature, unsure of what else to do. A few of the other creatures chirped back and forth between each other quietly. Once again, the creature tweeted and chirped, and… I felt new sensations; this time it was authority, and it wanted submission.

I should go to my master… I thought, as a haze clouded my mind. Without really thinking about it, I stepped closer to the creature. I cannot keep her waiting.

No, I can’t. Not for a moment. I thought. The creature chirped again.

I should sit beside her.

What a good idea… Feeling a bit dizzy, I sat beside the creature.

I must serve her.

Yes… I must.

“Congratulations, Lady Lokaria. I’ve never seen a familiar like this before, it must be quite rare.” as one of my master’s associates said.

Lokaria…My master Lokaria. I thought. Perhaps I should have been surprised that they could speak, but since they are the same as my master, it seemed only natural. Deep within me, I could feel a connection had formed between her and I, as if by magic. Her emotions were as clear to me as my own, and her desires were like whispers in my ears. I knew to stand before she gave me the order, and I knew to extend my arm before she’d even spread her wings that she wanted to perch on me.

“Ah, your control over it is superb. As expected of General Frey’s daughter.” One of the attendants said.

“Yes, though I wonder, why is it wearing garments? And what is that strange contraption in its hand?” Another asked, gesturing a wing toward me and my violin.

“Maybe it had another owner before me?” Lokaria said. I tried to answer her, to explain, but no words would form. Like my tongue refused to move. Though I could understand them, I couldn’t speak with them yet. “Well, it does not matter now. Is everyone prepared for the ritual?” My master asked.

“Yes, Lady Lokaria. Shall we bring them in?”

“At once. And send word to the castle of my new familiar.” She commanded. Two of her seven attendants left, and one returned with two more, however these were different. As soon as Lokaria laid eyes on them, I could feel her suspicion and caution. Though I knew she would not want me to do anything, I made sure to keep my eyes on them as well. The two newcomers flew over to her, and landed beside me. They looked up at my lady, who was still perched on my outstretched arm, and bowed slightly to her.

“Lady Lokaria, I am a priest from The Church of the Three Great Dragons. This is my assistant, who will be observing the ritual today. Thank you for-” Lady Lokaria, distrustful of his words, knowing full well how practiced his speech was, cut him off.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Are you ready to begin?”

“We are.”

“Then do so.” She ordered. They bowed, and flew to the other side of the room. After a few minutes, a strange magic circle, like the one I saw earlier, appeared on the floor.

“The preparations are complete, Lady Lokaria. You can begin at any time.” The priest said. My master left my arm, and landed on one side of the magic circle. I knew what she wanted, and took my place on the other side, opposite to her. She began chanting, and a second circle appeared under my feet, and one under hers. The new circles shrank and reshaped themselves until they matched the faint outlines of each of our shadows. A heaviness suddenly came upon me, like it could drag down my soul, and I fell to the ground. Just as the weight lifted, a small voice called out in the back of my head. Until I heard it clearly, and it became incredibly loud.

“A NAME IS REQUIRED!” The voice demanded.

“A name?” My master asked, apparently able to hear the voice too. A small ember formed between us, and grew quickly into an inferno. It twisted and shifted until it was in the shape of a man, and continued to change again, into something like a dragon. From there is quickly and randomly morphed between the two forms. I felt her confusion, or maybe it was just mine? I tried to shout, to answer the voice, but still no words would come out. To my surprise, it was lady Lokaria who answered the voice. “I name it, Harbinger!” She yelled. The figure faded back into an ember, and I felt a searing pain in my shoulder. Rolling up my sleeve, I found that a magic circle, surrounded by some sort of symbols, had been etched into my skin like a brand.

A day later, after I finally regain the ability to speak, and was able to have a proper conversation with master Lokaria, I found out why she summoned me. She was to join her mother on the front lines of the annexation of new lands. The country she lived in was more of a federation of smaller territories, similar to how America works. It is called, The Union of the Caldonso Nation States. Unlike the other continents in this world, theirs was hot, arid, and mostly inhospitable. Most of their people lived in densely populated pockets along the shores, or in cities that had somehow managed to make the soil usable. Still, they had too many people, and not enough habitable land. Currently, the Southern Union has taken an island from one of the northern continents, and a small chain of island nations to the east called Taldre. We were being sent to train in the Caldonso military, and then to the Island of Sangu.

“Identification number, rank, place of birth, magic specialty, and number and type of familiars.” The recruitment officer asked, ready to engrave master Lokaria’s information onto an identification ring.

“My name is Lokaria. I am the daughter of General Frey. I was born in Fafnir. My specialty is Healing-Magic. I have only a single familiar, type ten, with Nature-Magic.”

“Type ten? That’s rare for one so young, even for a general’s child.” The officer said, molding the stone band so that the words were clearly visible, and then wrapping it around my master’s leg. “Fair warning: don’t use ocean-water to clean that. It’ll get itchy.” If Master Lokaria had teeth, she would have been gritting them as she thanked the officer.

During our time at the training camp, I learned how to use magic, and what kind I had. Apparently, while my individual magic type was not rare, my application of it was superb. I taught myself how to use my violin to create vibrations that her species, the Neame, were affected by. Mostly, I practiced on prisoners and slaves, so as not to hurt our comrades by accident. I could do anything from stun them to even kill them; all in a matter of moments. And while I possessed no “mana” of my own, I was apparently highly skilled at manipulating the mana in the environment around me, even when compared to class four or class five mages.

Everything was going well, until the strings on my violin finally broke. Now, for the first time since my arrival, I was forced to leave my master’s side, and return home to retrieve more strings. Being away from her pained me, so I requested to always be by her side. However there was no way around it. It had been six months since I arrived, but I was not looking forward to returning. Before, I’d had little in the way of family, or friends. My life almost entirely revolved around playing in the orchestra. But now that I have Lokaria, I feel like I have so much more in my life.

Just like before, my vision went dark, however this time I felt like I was falling. As I fell, there was a voice in the distance, and I saw a flickering light in the darkness that kept drawing closer. Soon, I could make out what it was; that strange flaming man-dragon thing.

“A GOOD BACKUP! But Sentinel must be the priority.” It said, shifting between its two halves. Suddenly, it seemed like something took its interest away from me as it turned its head sharply. “AH! SPEAKING OF… my salvation.” I began to fall away from the strange creature, and out of that dark void.

Regaining my senses, I heard the sounds of the orchestra playing my national anthem. I was back. Right back where I had been originally six months ago. In the same chair, listening to the same song, surrounded by the same people. Like the last six months had never happened, except for the fact that my clothes were tattered, my violin needed repair, and, based on the reactions of the people around me, I was in desperate need of a wash.

After searching for a few minutes, and while ignoring the confused and concerned questions of my orchestra members, I found everything I needed, and contacted Lady Lokaria; ready to return.