Chapter Text
Elmville was a town like no other, and Solace was a country that by all accounts should not be able to exist, bordered by dragons and monsters and all manner of magical mysteries.
But despite all logic and reason, Solace, and by extension Elmville, developed and advanced into an overall peaceful and anachronistically modern place to live, where its citizens didn’t necessarily have to worry about roving bandits burning down their taverns and stealing their gold.
Instead, they had to worry about the first day of school.
Fabian Aramais Seacaster narrowed his eyes, focusing all his energy into keeping his hands steady, his movements perfectly precise. Of course, it wasn’t difficult, he wasn’t struggling. He didn't struggle. He was just being careful.
Although they were outside, the air felt thick and heavy with incense, the watchful eye of his instructor burning into the back of his skull, just waiting for him to make the wrong move.
With a deft flick of the wrist, he added the last stroke to the arcane rune he’d been stroking in the air. The incense burned ever brighter for a moment, the charcoal and herbs catching alight in a flash as the magic glowed, overtaking the entire ritual, expanding briefly before coalescing into a smaller, denser orb of magic.
The spell complete, Fabian let himself grin triumphantly, watching the magic take shape into a moving ball before finally settling into solid, fluffy, white fur, with a grey face and a small black nose.
Fabian blinked. It was a dog. A dog that would reach maybe halfway towards his knees. A dog that most people would rightfully call ‘a fluffball’.
“I thought you were attempting to summon a German Shepherd?” Herzon remarked from behind him, and Fabian looked over his shoulder, scowling.
“Well, of course, I changed my mind while I was doing the ritual!” He quickly snapped, before glancing back to the little dog that he definitely had not meant to summon. “I realised, there might be some students at school that are afraid of dogs! A German Shepherd could be disruptive, so a… smaller and… weaker dog would be more appropriate!”
No longer looking directly at Herzon, Fabian didn’t hide his disappointed frown. But there was no time to redo the ritual.
“Of course, Master Fabian,” Herzon said, perfectly deferential whether he believed Fabian or not.
“Oh, it’s adorable, darling!” Fabian glanced up to see his mother lounging on a deck chair, an oversized glass of wine in her hand, and a silk kimono barely staying atop her shoulders. “Almost as precious as my own darling son~”
“Oh, Mama.” Fabian sighed. There was a high-pitched bark from the dog, which had jumped to its feet, shaking itself and stretching out a little, as if the completion of the spell had been the end of a long nap.
Then it looked up at Fabian with wide, dark eyes, excited to see him.
At least for a moment. Fabian couldn’t be sure if it just saw the disappointment in his eyes, or if it could sense it telepathically, but the next thing he knew he could have sworn the dog frowned before it darted forwards, fully attacking his legs.
He managed to dart backward just before the thing could sink it’s tiny fangs into him, letting out an extremely manly and not at all delicate shriek before he picked it up, holding it at arm's length. “Herzon, I think you gave me faulty materials. My familiar is supposed to be friendly to me!”
“Of course, of course.” Herzon stepped forward, looking uncertain and peering closely at the familiar. He didn’t get to take a very long look before there was another flash of light, directly between where Fabian and Herzon were standing on the patio and his mother’s deck chair.
“Fabian! My most treasured son!” His father, tall and broad and dressed in an almost obnoxiously bright purple suit, appeared in the space, a wide grin on his face. He caught sight of the dog almost immediately, the grin widening. “Ah! You’ve done it!”
“Er-” Fabian looked at the dog, which was wriggling in his grasp. “Of course I have, Papa! How could you ever doubt me?”
“Oh, I would never, I would never! How could I ever doubt my son, my own flesh and blood, the finest wizard of the age?” He chortled, before suddenly turning deathly serious. “Finest wizard behind me that is.”
“Yes, Papa, of course,” Fabian said, his stomach doing flips. “I would never imagine comparing myself to you-”
“Ah now, I’m only joking! Come here!” He laughed heartily again, pulling Fabian in for a big, bone-crushing hug, the dog squished in between them. When they separated, his eyes were welled up with fat tears, so big and so sudden it was difficult to tell if they were real or not. “My own son, summoning his own familiar, finally starting high school. I couldn’t be more proud. You’ll give those bastards hell, won’t you?”
“Papa… you’re the principal of the school.” Fabian chuckled nervously, holding the dog closer to his chest as it started to settle down. “You want me to give you hell?”
“I’d expect nothing less!” Bill declared, raising a hand to the sky, before once again snapping to a far calmer, solemn demeanor. “And if anyone gives you any trouble, you know what to do.”
“Firebolt them while they’re not looking and use Shield if they try to hit back.”
“That’s my boy!” Bill pulled him in for another hug, shorter this time. “Now, what are you going to name your familiar?”
“Uh-” Fabian looked back down at the dog, which was now looking up at him expectantly. Almost smugly. Daring him to name it Killer or something equally deadly like he’d first planned to. Yeah, no way.
He looked up at his father, then to his mother, even to Herzon, before finally around the grand estate their home rested in. It was large and monumental, centered around the giant ship that his father had teleported into its current landbound location, after besting its former captain in a duel.
“I think I’ll call him Hangman.” Fabian finally said, plastering a wry grin on his face. “In honour of one of your greatest successes, Papa.”
His father stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter, crushing Fabian once again.
“Brilliant! Brilliant! Oh my son, you never fail to make me proud! Oh, you and your mother, I love you both so much. You know that, you know that.”
“Of course, Papa, I know.”
“I love you more than I love anything else in this world.”
“Yes, I know.”
“I love you more than the school, more than money and power and magic.”
“I know, you tell me so often.” Fabian chuckled nervously.
“You’re the lights of my magically extended life, and I know you’ll make me proud.” Bill gave Fabian a long look, both his hands resting heavily on Fabian’s shoulders. Then all at once, he was shouting again. “And you better, cause heavens knows what I’ll do if you don’t!”
He cracked up, slapping Fabian on the back before turning around. “To the car, my boy! We’ll be leaving in five minutes!”
“Ach- of course, Papa!” Fabian doubled over, only slightly winded, the tie around his neck feeling just a little too tight.
“Oh darling, are you sure you don’t want to wear something a little more comfortable?” His mother called out from the deck chair with an overly sympathetic look on her face.
“No, Mama, this is fine.” Fabian straightened up, Hangman in one hand and dusting down his dress pants and matching navy blue suit jacket. It was most definitely not a recreation of his father’s outfit, the colours were entirely different. He just liked to dress respectably. “I really must get going now.”
He gave his mother a quick cheek kiss before he raced to the car, picking up his backpack and crystal along the way. Just before he got in, there was the pattering of small footsteps on the floor, and the maid came jogging around the corner, holding some books in her hands.
“Oh, Fabian, you nearly forgot your notebooks!” She said.
“Ah, thank you, Cathilda.” Fabian said, halfway into the car, his father already settled inside.
“You’re mighty welcome, dear, you have a good first day at school now, yeah? Make lots of friends, study hard,” She leaned in a little closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I slipped a little extra snack into the front pocket of your backpack in case the cafeteria food isn’t to your liking.”
“Oh Cathilda, you are always so thoughtful.” Fabian gushed, climbing in the rest of the way.
He had barely gotten settled with the Hangman in his lap and his schoolbag on the ground before his father cleared his throat as the car began to drive off towards the school. “Now, Fabian, my son, this is your first day at school. You’re attending Aguefort Adventuring Academy, the finest school for adventurers on this entire planet.”
Fabian nodded along, staying silent even as his fingers itched for his crystal.
“So, in celebration, I’ve got a present for you,” Bill said solemnly, reaching down below his seat and pulling up a large, round bag. Fabian’s heart leapt, imagining what it could be.
Bill reached into the bag, pulling out a large, semi-translucent blue glass orb. One bigger than a bowling ball. Maybe even bigger than Hangman.
“Your very own arcane focus.”
Fabian stared. That wasn’t an arcane focus, that was a potential murder weapon. “Papa…”
“What’s wrong?” Bill squinted down at him, one eyebrow raised comically high.
“Nothing!” Fabian said quickly, taking the orb from his father's hands. “It’s- it’s magnificent! I’ve never seen such a… large arcane focus.”
“Well, the bigger, the better, isn’t it?” Bill said, leaning backward, entirely relaxed again. “Why, my first arcane focus was a tea kettle! They’d always laugh, giggling when I stepped up with my tea kettle.” He shook his head, snarling. “Weren’t laughing for very long.”
Fabian looked down at the massive orb, catching Hangman’s eyes. This was going to be interesting.
“Because I killed them, you see.” Bill continued after a moment of Fabian saying nothing.
“Oh, I assumed, Papa.”
“I killed them very quickly, I’m very effective.”
“I know, Papa.”
One hand clapped his shoulder and shook it heartily before the driver took a turn that Bill didn’t agree with, and he quickly got distracted by getting them back on course. Fabian took the opportunity to put the orb on the ground for now, pulling out his crystal and texting his favourite number.
Fabian: hey, are you headed to school yet?
He only had to wait a moment before some ellipses popped up, signaling a reply. Fabian grinned.
Aelwyn: just got on bus. wyd?
Fabian: omw to aguefort. summoned a familiar this morning
Aelwyn: wow
Aelwyn Abernant was, not to put things lightly, the girl of Fabian’s dreams. The eldest daughter of diplomats from Fallinel, one of the top students of Hudol College, objectively very attractive, she and Fabian’s families had run in the same circles for a long time, attending dozens of garden parties and other events.
She was a couple of years older than Fabian, but her younger sister that was Fabian’s age didn’t like him very much, so Fabian had tried his best to get in good with Aelwyn. For the longest time, she had just brushed him off, but over the summer holidays, he had finally managed to get her number.
Fabian: yeah its pretty impressive
Aelwyn: idk i can think of something even more impressive
Fabian: what????
Aelwyn: well i heard aguefort has a lot of books in the restricted section of their library. I heard one of them, watches and wards, almost has a legend around it. If someone manages to steal it from the library on their first day, then it’s like good luck for the rest of their entire schooling career
Fabian: no way really???
Aelwyn: yeah but ive heard no one has actually managed to do it
Fabian: pft i bet i could do it easily
Aelwyn: lmao doubt it
Fabian: i definitely could! I bet you i’ll be able to do it in the first ten minutes
Aelwyn: i’ll hold you to that ;)
Aelwyn: you better send a pic for proof
Fabian: of course
Aelwyn didn’t respond after that, and eventually Fabian pocketed his phone, trying to stuff his giant orb into his backpack. Hangman clambered around on his lap, climbing up and licking his face.
“Pft-oh- gross-” Fabian lightly batted him away from his face, before leaning back in his seat.
Hangman kept shuffling up to him, digging his paws into his stomach. He was pretty soft though. And kinda cute.
“Okay, you got me.” Fabian sighed, scratching his head. “Let’s do this.”