Yo! Sixsamchaos has returned! Again, sorry for the hiatus but things have been crunch time for me as my summer classes will be over in a week or two. I really like to thank my readers for putting up with all this waiting.

Again, feedback is always important, as is constructive criticism. Reviews are much appreciated.

FLAMES WILL BE IGNORED! DON'T LIKE MY STORIES THEN DON'T BOTHER READING THEM!

Now, I shall move on with the disclaimer:

Sixsamchaos does not own Familiar of Zero/Zero no Tsukaima. What he does own is the madness that is his story and any OCs that he creates.


*A Few Days Later*

In the days following the discovery of the sentient sword, Derflinger, the somber mood that surrounded Xander was practically nonexistent. During their free time, Xander and Louise would often talk with each other and share stories from their respective pasts. Often, Xander would talk about his adventures as a Guardian, while Louise would speak of her mother and older sisters. However, the mage and familiar would sometimes fall into arguments, either over trivial matters or powerful philosophies like the one Louise's mother follows. Fortunately, the arguments didn't last very long and neither side meant any real harm. However, Louise and Xander weren't the only ones to notice their relationship, as many of the other students and staff saw them having a more brother-sister bond rather than a mage-familiar bond.

In addition, Louise wasn't the only one to interact with the ancient warrior, as Xander was able to spend some time with the rest of the academy populace, particularly Louise's teachers and friends. The Guardian found it especially amusing whenever someone would jump in surprise during their first meeting with Derflinger. Speaking of the old sword, not long after Xander and Louise had returned the ancient warrior spent a large amount of time cleaning up the sentient blade. Surprisingly, Derflinger actually had a sense of touch in addition to having a soul, which Xander had discovered during the cleaning much to his embarrassment, since the sword's moans would often attract strange looks from passers-by. The ancient warrior originally wanted to keep Derflinger concealed underneath his trench coat, but the old sword was having none of it, as Derflinger wanted to experience the world once more, resulting in Xander keeping his new weapon secured to his back with Derflinger's head sticking over Xander's right shoulder.

Currently, Xander was sitting within the courtyard where most of the students usually left their familiars before heading to class. While the respective familiars of Louise's classmates had slowly gotten used to the ancient warrior, the rest of the familiar population steered clear of Xander as they still saw him as an unknown danger. As he continued to sharpen Derflinger, Xander thought back to his past experiences with the rest of Louise's friends throughout the last few days.


*Flashback*

(Tabitha)

Due to the fact that Xander was still considered to be a familiar, the ancient warrior spent most of his time exploring the academy grounds, to which he was completely fine with. He was always a bit fond of nature and the extra time allowed him to interact with Siesta more. In addition, it gave Xander time to continue his training exercises and his plans to regain his lost power. The ancient warrior even spent some of this time trying to befriend the familiars of Louise's friends. While a slow process to go through, it was during these attempts that Xander was able to get some one-on-one time with Sylphid and Tabitha.

The reserved mage was an enigma to the Guardian, as she didn't interact as much with the group as the others except with Kirche. However, Xander did notice that the young girl was extremely observant and talented when it came to the magical arts. In fact, Tabitha's quiet demeanor and aura seemed to remind the Guardian a little of himself and Louise. After some awkward, and some less awkward, silent interactions, the Guardian was finally able to have a full conversation with the blue-haired girl. Currently, they were sitting at a table in one of the courtyards, while Sylphid lounged nearby her master but still keeping an eye on the Guardian.

"So, you're a knight of your home country of Gallia? That is quite an impressive feat for someone your age," complimented the Guardian.

"Thank you. And your rank?"

"What made you think I had a rank?"

"The infirmary."

Xander chuckled. "As you already know, my title is the 'Guardian of Dimensions'. Actually, I was never officially declared a leader of Gaia due to my imprisonment. However, I do have a rank aside from being one of Gaia's leaders. I was the High General of my forces during the fight for Gaia's freedom."

"So, what about your parents? I'm sure they're proud of your achievements."

What surprised the Guardian was that, instead of answering his question, Tabitha merely stared at him for a moment before returning to her ever-present book. However, this didn't stop Xander from seeing the small spark of sadness that hid behind her stoic expression. After a moment of silently kicking himself, Xander quickly stood up, noticing Sylphid's warning gaze, and gently gave Tabitha a hug. Feeling the young prodigy tense, the embrace didn't last very long but it did leave the effect the Guardian wanted.

Before exiting the courtyard, Xander turned to the surprised girl and her dragon. "When you are comfortable, we can talk about it. If you ever need any help, don't hesitate to ask us. Louise and I will support you in any way we can, as will the others. You don't have to endure alone."

Had he stayed longer, Xander would have seen the small smile that the young girl and her dragon briefly held.

*End Flashback*


Xander smirked, as he lifted Derflinger up to examine the sharpened blade.

"Thinking about the quiet one?"

"How'd you guess?"

"Just a feeling. Still, I'm not sure about her. She has an aura that is both familiar and different at the same time."

"I'm sure she'll tell us more about her past eventually."

"At least she's more bearable than that blonde guy."

Xander smirked as he thought back to his encounter with Guiche.


*Flashback*

(Guiche)

Xander was walking through the halls of the academy, looking to spend some time with Siesta. Just as the ancient warrior was rounding a corner, Xander accidentally bumped straight into the running blonde earth mage. Shaking the stars out of his eyes, Xander sent Guiche an annoyed look before helping the noble up. Before he could question him, Guiche quickly muttered an apology before politely asking Xander to meet him at Vestri Court after classes. Cocking his head to side, Xander curiously stared at the departing teen before resuming his search for the beautiful maid.

*Vestri Court*

After having a wonderful lunch with Siesta, Xander made his way to Vestri Court to find Guiche already sitting at one of the tables. The blonde teen seemed nervous to the Guardian, which peeked Xander's curiosity, especially since no one else was in the courtyard. Quickly spotting the familiar, Guiche stood up before politely gesturing to the opposite chair. Raising a brow, Xander complied with Guiche's request as the teen took a seat himself. After several minutes of awkward silence, Xander was about to question the blonde when Guiche suddenly spoke up.

"First, I would like to apologize to you for my actions back during our duel. It is unbecoming of a noble to act like I did. I would also like to thank you for coming to meet me here."

Xander nodded. "I believe apologies have already been given and accepted. Now to the point. What do you want, Guiche?"

Guiche took a deep breath before looking Xander straight in the eye. "Master Melee. I humbly ask you to train me to be a true warrior."

Xander raised a brow, his curiosity growing even further. "You want me to train you to fight. Don't you know how to fight already?"

Guiche swallowed nervously, nodding. "I know how to cast spells and summon golems, yes. However, I would like to learn what it truly means to be a soldier."

Xander leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. "Why are you asking me this all of a sudden? Shouldn't you be asking your father about something like that?"

"While it is sensible that I ask my father for advice about military affairs, I would be given training on how to fight as a noble, and that is something I do not want."

"Why should I teach you anything? What makes you worthy of learning from me? In fact, what could I possibly teach you?"

Guiche sighed. "Ever since our duel, I have been pondering on your actions towards me. After hearing your explanation, I finally realized you were teaching me humility. I also recognized your behavior that day. It is an expression my elder brothers and I have seen on our father from time to time. I haven't experienced the horrors of war like you and my father have. My dream is to someday take my father's place as General of Tristain. I know my intentions seem selfish, but I truly wish to follow my dream and become worthy of the Gramont legacy."

Xander said nothing throughout Guiche's entire explanation, nor did he make any movement. After several nerve-racking minutes, Xander leaned forward, bringing his hand together. "You're right, Guiche. Your intentions are selfish."

Guiche flinched at the Guardian's hard words and looked down in shame.

"But that doesn't mean you can't learn better reasons for reaching your dream," finished Xander, causing Guiche to look up in shock.

"You mean. You will accept my request?"

Xander nodded. "You are not the first person I have met with such intentions and I'm sure you won't be the last. However, I am training you so that you will have what it takes to survive live combat. If you want to become a leader, then you will need to learn what it takes to survive first. However, I sense that this isn't the only reason why you're asking me this."

Guiche nodded. "It's Montmorency. Although she has forgiven me for my past actions, I know that she is still hurt by my lack of commitment. I want to prove to her that I am serious about our relationship that I want to be with her for the rest of my life. My hope is that during the training, I will learn to be a better person."

"How much are you willing to give up for her?"

"With my life if need be," replied Guiche without hesitance.

"I have to say, Guiche. I am very surprised by this sudden maturity you are exuding. Let's find out how much you will grow shall we?"

Guiche smiled as he stood to shake Xander's hand. "Thank you, master."

Xander chuckled. "Call me Xander when we're not training. However, you will address me as 'sir' when we are training. Understand?"

"Yes, sir. So, when do we begin?"

Xander smiled dangerously at the mage. "We start now."

Guiche gulped.

*End Flashback*


Xander chuckled as he remembered the look on Guiche's face. Just like he said, Xander started Guiche's training immediately in Vestri Court. The first thing Xander did was have Guiche go through several intensive workout exercises. The Guardian's plan was to first have Guiche improve his physical abilities before moving on to any training involving weapons or magic. To do so, Xander had Guiche complete every single exercise possible, including push-ups, crunches, cardio, and semi-cardio. In addition, Xander was continuously putting pressure on the teen, doing his best to make Guiche as miserable as possible. His reason was to test Guiche's mental capacity and patience, training the blonde so that he could perform well under pressure. Now, Guiche was not out of shape. In fact, the Gramont was better than most of the students when it came to physical fitness; however, the earth mage was not used to the intensive training that all military soldiers are familiar with, which meant his performance was practically pathetic. As the days past, Xander quickly saw that Guiche was starting to adapt to the life of a military recruit. Still, Xander knew from personal experience that Guiche had a long way to go before even starting down the military career path.

"Thinking about your training regimen for the kid?"

Xander nodded. "Guiche is starting to get in shape, but he still needs to work on his speed and reflexes."

"Then what was all that working out for."

"To help his endurance and stamina. Too tired to move, you're a dead man."

"I still find myself lucky for not having ears. I didn't know anyone could be that loud."

Xander shook his head, smirking. "Oh. I could think of a few people, and swords, that could give Montmorency competition."

Of course, the duo were talking about Montmorency's reaction to her boyfriend's decision once she had heard about it. Fortunately, it was from Guiche himself when she found out. Unfortunately, this led to the water mage venting her concern and frustrations out on Xander and Louise. Luckily, Guiche was able to quickly explain why he was taking the Guardian's intensive training before anything harmful could be said. However, Kirche did get a good laugh out of the whole thing, especially when Xander tried hiding behind Louise in an attempt to get away from the irate water mage.

"I still can't believe we had to go fix that girl's mistake with the positions."

"Don't remind me," groaned Xander.


*Flashback*

(Montmorency)

After finally calming down and accepting Guiche's reasons, Montmorency had called the group in to her quarters. The young water mage wanted to test out some potions she had been experimenting with into perfumes. With some reluctance, Louise and the others agreed to help the water mage after some assurance from Guiche that all of Montmorency's potions and perfumes were safe. Once their consent was given, Montmorency handed Kirche, Louise, and Tabitha each a small vial of perfume, while handing Siesta, Xander, and Guiche each a small vial with different colored potions. As each member of the group inspected their respective vials, a look of uncertainty appeared on each of their faces, still a bit reluctant to go through with the tests.

Shrugging his shoulders, Guiche decided to be the first one to try out Montmorency's work. Quickly downing the potion, Guiche grimaced at the bitter taste before inspecting his body to see if there were any changes. After the first few minutes, Guiche felt nothing out of the ordinary aside from feeling a little hot under the collar. However, the manageable heat soon started to grow hotter and hotter until the young mage couldn't take it anymore. Quickly discarding his shirt, Guiche immediately ran into the bathroom and doused himself with a large amount of water, surprisingly releasing a large amount of steam as well. Knowing that the human body could only take so much heat, Xander gave Montmorency a glance before checking up on his student. Waving away the fog, Xander saw that Guiche's skin had turned a dark shade of red, and was burning up quite a bit. Curiously, the mage didn't appear to be in any danger from the effects of the potion aside from sweating profusely and being hot to the touch.

"Guiche isn't in any danger, but he's a walking hot spring now," said Xander as he and Guiche rejoined the others.

"Well, that was a surprising result," muttered Montmorency.

"Shouldn't you be testing these things out on things aside from people, Montmorency," questioned Louise.

"Well, I just thought that testing it out on people would have the best results," stuttered the water mage.

Xander sighed. "Well, that's one potion used. Let's just test another one of the vials and end the experiment there. Montmorency can test out the rest by herself, while we take Guiche to the infirmary."

"But which of us should be the guinea pig," asked Kirche.

Xander shrugged his shoulders. "You'll have to decide amongst yourselves. I need to get Guiche to the infirmary before he burns through the floor."

With that Xander dragged the tomato-looking mage out of the room and towards the infirmary. Meanwhile, Louise, Kirche, Tabitha, and Siesta were sharing concerned looks, staring at the perfumes and potion with a grimace.

"I vote for the maid," spoke Kirche.

"What?! W-Why should I t-take the p-potion?"

"Louise, Tabitha, and I are all from prominent military families. If anything were to happen to us, then there would be hell to pay. I'm sorry, but you're pretty much the most practical choice. Besides, you're the only one left with a potion. Xander left and Guiche already took his."

"Xander would be furious if anything happened to Siesta," pointed out Louise, not really wanting Xander to kill her classmates.

Siesta gulped as she stared at her vial. Taking a deep breath, Siesta closed her eyes tightly before quickly drinking the potion. Louise and the others tensed, but blinked curiously at the maid after several minutes of nothing happening. Opening one eye, Siesta looked into the mirror to see her body hadn't changed. Now staring at her vial with confusion, Siesta looked to Montmorency only to get a shrug out of the water mage. Sighing in relief, the young maid quickly excused herself so that she could return to her duties. Once Siesta left the room, Louise and the others looked towards their friend.

"How come nothing happened?"

"I don't know. Maybe it has a delayed effect?"

"Well, we'll just have to deal with it later then."

"Agreed."

*A Few Hours Later*

It was close to midnight and Montmorency was dressed in her nightgown getting ready for bed. Before the water mage blew out the lights with her wand, Montmorency let out a yelp when her door was violently kicked open with Xander as the intruder. Furiously walking into the room, Xander glared at the cowering mage with a concerned Louise, whom was also dressed in her night clothes, entering the room.

"W-What are y-you doing?!"

"Fix it," gritted Xander.

"What?"

"Fix it," bellowed a furious Xander before turning his back to Montmorency, showing the reason for his sudden intrusion. Montmorency blinked at the sight of a love-struck Siesta holding tightly onto the Guardian. In fact, the water mage could practically see the little pink hearts coming out of the purring maid.

Louise sighed. "Apparently, your potion turned out to be some sort of love potion, which is illegal on academy grounds. I've checked my books and it isn't like any of the potions we've studied in class."

"Fix this mess," scowled Xander.

"I thought you fancied the maid," shouted Montmorency.

"I do, but not when she's drunk on some potion, especially a love potion," shouted Xander, a twitch starting form on his left eye.

"What's wrong," asked Louise.

"Love potions…never again," shivered Xander.

Louise sighed. "Can you make an antidote?"

Montmorency swallowed. "I'll try, but love potions need time to where off."

"Isn't there some way to make an antidote," asked Louise as she awkwardly saw a purring Siesta rubbing her cheek against Xander's trench coat.

"Well, there is the water spirit that my family is associated with, but the lake it resides in is all the way in Gallia."

Xander sighed. "Picture the location within your mind."

"Why?"

"Just do it," groaned Xander.

Montmorency closed her eyes and searched her memories for the home of the water spirit. Soon enough, the image of the magnificent lake formed within her mind. "I have it."

"Alright. Just keep holding that image. This won't take long," said Xander as he stepped up to the young water mage. Gently placing his hand on top of her head, Xander focused his energies and his eyes began to glow briefly. Nodding, Xander stepped away from Montmorency and turned towards one of the walls. His eyes glowing once more, Xander waved his hand as a large glowing portal suddenly formed before him. Louise and Montmorency both gasped at the beautiful swirling energies of amethyst and silver, as the portal emitted a soft humming sound.

"What is that?!"

Xander turned to the flabbergasted mages, rolling his eyes. "I told you my title is 'Guardian of Dimensions'. That implies I can travel great distances and other dimensions. Now, get what you need and come on. The portal should take us to the lake."

"Let me just change-"

"NO! You caused this mess, so you are going to fix it immediately," scowled Xander.

Nodding quickly, Montmorency quickly gathered her familiar before stepping up to stand next to Louise, eyeing the portal warily. "Is it safe?"

Xander sighed. "Just run through. You might get a little dizzy and nauseous but that's common. I'll go through first."

Relaxing his nerves, which was hard considering Siesta was still purring and rubbing against his back, Xander entered the portal and ran through to the other side. Once exiting the portal, Xander carefully skid to a stop so as to not jostle Siesta too much. However, the transition brought the young maid out of her daze as she looked around their new surroundings. Seeing the serene landscape and the beautiful stars dotting the night sky, Siesta giggled and held onto Xander even tighter.

"Such a romantic sight. Oh, you shouldn't have."

Xander sighed. "This is why I hate love potions," muttered the Guardian, as Montmorency and Louise exited the portal before it disappeared.

"Xaaaaannnnnndddddeeeeerrrrrr," Siesta whined. "Why are those girls here? I thought you loved me."

Xander sent a pleading look at the amused Louise before sending a glare at Montmorency. Getting the man's message, Montmorency approached the lake before taking out her familiar frog, Robin. Pricking her finger with a pin, Montmorency allowed a drop of her blood to land on her familiar before setting it near the water. Nodding to her master, Robin jumped into the water before swimming towards the bottom of the lake. After several moments of waiting and Xander keeping an eye on Siesta's wandering hands, Robin returned to her master as a large form emerged from the water. Looking up, Xander raised a brow at the sight of the water spirit, which appeared to look like a giant, naked version of Montmorency made entirely of water. Turning to the blonde mage, Xander saw Montmorency light up with a slight blush, indicating her embarrassment. Wanting to get it over with and return to her comfy bed, Montmorency quickly explained the reason for their calling. Unfortunately, there was a slight problem…

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?!"

"I said I will not help you. A spirit's tear is a sacred permission. It is not something to be given away so freely."

"Are you kidding me? Why I ought to-"

"Xander," hissed Louise, not wanting to suffer the water spirit's wrath.

Xander turned to Louise. "I have faced many different horrors in my life, each one more terrifying than the last. I am more than capable of handling one little water spirit."

The water spirit looked down upon the irritated man. "And what are you to speak such threatening tones against me, human."

Xander chuckled bitterly. "I can hardly be considered human anymore. I am Guardian Xander Melee of Gaia's Order."

"A Guardian!"

"The water spirit knows about the Guardians," asked Louise.

Xander nodded. "It is common knowledge for the spirits and gods of any world to know of our existence. Only the newest ones don't really know about us. The only problem is that most of them tend to look down on us Guardians. They believe us to be mere mortals who are unworthy of being granted such powers."

The water spirit seemed to be analyzing Xander for a moment before bowing her head. "Very well, I shall grant you my tear as a token of gratitude."

"Gratitude," asked Montmorency.

The water spirit nodded. "Long ago, my life was in danger. It was a Guardian of Gaia by the name of Retro whom saved my life. He promised to return one day to enjoy the serenity of my home."

Xander grimaced. "I'm sorry, spirit. Retro will not be returning, for he is dead."

"Dead? And you know this how?"

"Retro was the Guardian who recruited me into the Order. A terrible attack upon the capital city resulted in his death alongside the deaths of many others. He granted me his gauntlets as a reminder of our friendship," said Xander as he presented the armor for the water spirit to see.

"A pity then. He was a soothing spirit, much like the waters that make up my home."

"He was," agreed Xander.

After creating a small grave under one of the trees that surrounded the great lake, Xander received the Spirit's Tear, in which Montmorency used a vial to hold it. Bidding the spirit farewell, Xander recreated another portal that would allow the weary group to travel back to the academy. Soon, the group was once again in Montmorency's quarters. Sighing, Louise bid everyone good night before retiring to her chambers, while Xander told Montmorency to get started on the antidote. However, the young water mage was already exhausted from the lack of sleep and her two trips through Xander's portal didn't help any matters for the young girl. Sighing, Xander told her to get some sleep and make the antidote tomorrow, as he held a sleeping Siesta bridal style. Montmorency nodded before apologizing to the Guardian for Siesta's behavior, as she held the door open for Xander.

After sleeping off her exhaustion, Montmorency quickly got to work on making the antidote for Siesta. Wandering around the halls, the young water mage quickly met up with Louise in her search for the maid.

"Louise! I have the antidote for Siesta. Do you know where she is?"

Louise shook her head. "I haven't seen either of them since last night."

"Looking for someone," asked Kirche as she, Tabitha and Guiche approached the two mages.

"I've been searching for Siesta and Xander all morning, but I can't seem to find them."

"They should be in the servant's quarters."

Louise turned to Kirche with a twitching brow. "And you would know this how, Kirche?"

"I was walking to meet my date when I saw Xander carrying Siesta to the servant's quarters. If you haven't seen them this morning, then they should still be there," smirked Kirche.

"He better not have done anything inappropriate," growled Louise, her casting finger itching for an explosion to occur.

"We'll just have to go and find out," giggled Kirche.

*Servant's Quarters*

Getting the location from the chef brothers, Louise and the others quickly went to give their friend the antidote. However, Marteau and Batou decided to tag along in order to make sure Xander hadn't done anything to their surrogate daughter. While the students understood the brothers' intentions, they were still a little unnerved by the amount of knives and cleavers the two brothers were able to keep hidden on their uniforms. Taking a few shortcuts as directed by the brothers, the group quickly found themselves standing in front of the servant's quarters. Making their way to Siesta's room, Louise stepped forward to knock. Hearing no response on the other side, Louise glanced back at the others, sweat dropping at the sight of the two chefs holding very imposing butcher knives, before gently opening the unlocked door. Walking inside, the group quickly saw a sight that lightened their hearts.

Siesta was sleeping, still clothed in her uniform to the relief of the chef brothers, with a serene expression on her face. Sitting in a chair that was brought to the bedside was Xander and judging from the way Siesta was holding on to his arm it was a very awkward position for the Guardian. Groaning to the sound of footsteps, Xander awoke to see two butcher knives blocking his vision. Sighing, Xander carefully tried to stand up, but Siesta's tight grip on his arm made it impossible so the ancient warrior had no choice but to stay in his uncomfortable position. Sweat dropping at the actions of the chef brothers, Louise and the others walked up to the Guardian.

"You seem calm," spoke an amused Louise.

"Not the first time I woke up with something sharp pressed against my neck," sighed Xander before looking up to Montmorency.

"Do you have the antidote?"

The water mage nodded. "She just needs to drink this and she should be back to normal," said Montmorency as she handed Xander the vial.

"And she'll remember everything?"

"Yes, sorry about that," laughed an embarrassed Montmorency.

"I can't move in this position," muttered Xander.

"I'll do it," spoke Marteau.

After carefully prying Siesta mouth open, the co-head chef poured the potion, being careful the young maid didn't choke. Once done, Marteau stepped back just as Siesta began to stir. Slowly opening her eyes, the maid's vision blurred slightly but soon cleared to reveal the rest of the room's occupants. Blinking in confusion, Siesta glanced at Louise and the other students and then at her surrogate fathers before her eyes caught Xander's incredibly close form. Traveling from the slight grimace Xander's face held and down his shoulder, Siesta's gaze finally reached to where she was tightly holding Xander's arm captive. His arm giving an involuntary twitch, Siesta immediately turned bright red before…

"KKKKKKKKKKYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

*End Flashback*


Xander grimaced as he absentmindedly rubbed his cheek, while Derflinger laughed at the memory. "I didn't think Siesta could slap me so hard."

"Like they say, you should always watch the gentle ones."

"I thought that expression was 'watch out for the quiet ones'."

"Is there a difference?"

Xander thought back to his adventures through the different dimensions before shrugging. "I guess not. Still didn't think three kids could pilot giant robots."

"What?"

"Ah. A story for another time," waved Xander.

"Is it like the stories you told that Zerbst woman?"

Xander chuckled, vividly remembering his encounter with the fiery female mage.


*Flashback*

(Kirche)

Xander yawned as he walked down the hallway towards the kitchens, hoping to get some breakfast after an early morning workout. The ancient warrior had given Guiche the day off so that he could rest and spend some time with Montmorency. After turning around the corner that would lead him straight to the kitchens, Xander stopped in his tracks as he saw an obstacle within his path. Looking down, the Guardian raised a brow at the fire salamander that was Kirche's familiar. Although Xander had been able to at least warm up to Sylphid during his interactions with Tabitha, the ancient warrior couldn't seem to gain any common ground with the smaller reptile. No matter what he did, Flame would always cast Xander with a cautious look that was borderline threatening whenever the man interacted with Kirche. Staring into the fire salamander's unflinching gaze, Xander looked up and down the corridor before returning his sight to the familiar.

"Is there something you want?"

Flame merely huffed a small fireball before getting up and walking passed the Guardian. Curious about the little creature's intentions, Xander followed Flame through the academy's hallways where the small but powerful reptile ultimately led the ancient warrior to Kirche's room. Having been informed by Louise about her rival's hobbies, Xander looked at Flame to see that the fire salamander wanted him to enter. Shrugging, Xander knocked on the door before stepping back.

"It's unlocked," called Kirche from the other side.

Turning the knob, Xander held the door open for Flame to enter first before taking a cautious step into the fire mage's personal quarters. As it was still the early morning, the room was still a little dark; however, the Guardian could see that a few well-placed candles were lit throughout the area. Upon further entry, Xander saw something that was completely unexpected of the beautiful fire mage. Sitting against the headboard of her bed was Kirche, dressed in a long purple robe that did nothing to hide the young woman's curves and showed a generous amount of Kirche's cleavage. Momentarily stunned by his friend's state of dress, Xander was even more surprised to see a large collection of books that was scattered throughout the fire mage's room. Everywhere he looked, Xander saw at least one or two books covering any available space on the furniture and floor. The only part of Kirche's chambers that didn't appear to be suffocated with tomes and books was a small area near the bed where Flame's own bed was set up.

Glancing up to see her visitor, Kirche's fiery eyes seemed to light up upon seeing Xander. Snapping her book shut, the young fire mage got up to greet her rival's familiar with a hug before stepping back.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise. I didn't expect to see Little Louise's darling familiar come visit me, especially during the early hours of the morning. You don't happen to be thinking something inappropriate are you," ended Kirche suggestively.

Sighing, Xander merely greeted his friend with a smile before looking curiously at the teen. "I was just walking towards the kitchens for some breakfast when I bumped into your familiar. He led me to your room. I figured you wanted something."

Kirche sent a confused glance over at Flame before returning his gaze back to the Guardian. "Hmm. Oh! So sorry. It seems that Flame had overheard me about having an interest in you. I guess he thought it was a command or something. Quite strange though, since he doesn't seem to like you very much."

Xander grunted. "It's ok. I don't really get along with reptiles. So, why were you interested in me? I hope you're not trying to seduce me away from Siesta."

Kirche giggled. "No, I couldn't do such a thing. Actually, I absolutely adore how you and that maid have been dancing around each other. I find it cute."

Xander chuckled. "Why, thank you."

"Now, as for Flame bringing you here. Ever since you told us who you were back in the infirmary, I have been slowly reading through my collection in hopes of finding more information about your people," explained Kirche, gesturing to the messy room.

Xander raised both brows in surprise as he took a closer look at the books around the room. Sure enough, they were all about the history and legends of Halkeginia. "No offense, but I didn't really peg you for a reader, especially one whose interest is in ancient legends and myths."

Kirche giggled. "No one really does. Well, except for Tabitha. Believe it or not, my reputation with men is merely on the surface. Ever since I was a child, I've always found the old legends and stories to be quite fascinating. I saw them as doorways to possibilities that have yet to be explored."

"Every legend and myth holds some aspect of truth," nodded Xander in understanding.

"And you're living proof of one of those possibilities. Aside from yourself, only Tabitha and my family know about the real me."

"From what I can tell, you seem to be quite the researcher. I wouldn't be surprised if you decided to become an adventurer or explorer."

Kirche beamed at the compliment. "Why thank you. One of the reasons why I came to the academy is due to its extensive library. Although not many know this, I spend quite a long time around books when I'm not with Tabitha or with one of my dates."

"So…what would you like to know," asked Xander as he moved a couple tomes so that he could commandeer a chair, while Kirche returned to her original position on against the headboard. Even though the Germanian teen was quite the looker, Xander was too loyal to Siesta to even think of another girl like he did with the young maid. As if hearing the Guardian's thoughts, Kirche giggled and wrapped herself underneath her covers, making it look as if Xander was telling his friend a bedtime story. In truth, it just might have been that as the young Germanian didn't gather much sleep, being too engrossed in her reading last night. Fortunately for Kirche, it was the beginning of the weekend, so she didn't need to worry about missing any classes.

"If you would, I would very much like to learn more about Gaia and the Guardians. What the world was like and what adventures you went on."

Xander smiled sadly. "Sorry my friend. I'm afraid most of my adventures contain only violence and tragedy. However, why don't I tell you about Norik Volkner, the first Light Guardian and the first leader to be chosen amongst the Prime Guardians?"

"It's not good for a person to keep things bottled up, darling."

Xander smiled at his friend's concern. "From what I can tell, each and every one of our little group has something bothering our innermost thoughts. Only time will tell if we each decide to open up to each other with those thoughts."

"Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Norik Volkner."

*End Flashback*


"You did tell a lot of good stories that day."

Xander smiled before sighing. "I just wish some of those people are still here to tell it themselves."

"You shouldn't feel responsible for things you cannot control, partner."

"Perhaps, but I still feel like I could have done something. All this power and skill means nothing if I can't even protect the people a simple civilian."

"Yeah, but you're not perfect. Anyway, let's got get something to eat. I'm hungry.

Xander shook his head as he sheathed Derflinger and made his way towards the kitchens. "I still don't understand how a sword, even a sentient one, is capable of knowing hunger."

"I feed off of your energy remember? Normally, I wouldn't need to eat, but whenever I have a partner that is powerful I tend to absorb some of their energy."

What Derflinger said was true, and a bit of a surprise to the Guardian. During his training to regain his skill with a weapon he actually had to hold onto, Xander was surprised to learn that his partner had the ability to absorb not only magic but also Guardian energy. While this wasn't the first time the blade had absorbed energy from his partner, it was the first time that Derflinger had 'tasted' any Guardian energy. This led to Derflinger feeding off of Xander's Guardian energies whenever the familiar went off to get a meal. While absorbing one's energy would be a dangerous act for the person being absorbed, Xander had massive reserves of Guardian energy that miraculously didn't fade during his imprisonment. In addition, the Guardian merely had to eat a little more in order to regain any lost energy even though he still had plenty to spare. As for Derflinger, the sword discovered that by absorbing Xander's Guardian energies he was able to take on an elemental affinity, meaning that he could now transform into various elemental forms. In addition, the absorbed energy could be stored within the blade and could be released in powerful bursts. In the sword's own words, 'they just got even more badass'!

Yawning, Xander stretched his muscles, feeling the satisfactory pops and cracks. Glancing up at the clear sky, Xander took a moment to enjoy the wonderful day before continuing his way towards the kitchens, hoping to see Siesta. Ever since the incident with Montmorency's unintentional love potion, things were a bit awkward between the two of them. Siesta would always blush and apologize profusely for her actions even though Xander and the others would reassure the distraught maid that she did nothing wrong. Unfortunately, the awkwardness also affected Xander, as he would blush and look away from Siesta whenever they met up, clearly remembering how the young maid pressed her body against his own. Sometimes, both parties would just try to avoid each other should one spotted the other. It was only yesterday that the would-be couple decided to sit down and talk things out. Having the threats of castration and being blown into a million pieces over their heads did help speed things along though, much to the satisfaction of Louise and the chef brothers.

*Kitchen*

Normally, Xander would expect the kitchens to be one of the busiest and liveliest places within the academy, but the moment he entered the large room things were more somber than a graveyard. Frowning at the extreme change in atmosphere, Xander looked around and wasn't able to make out Siesta amongst the workers but was able to spot two very depressed head chefs sadly chopping away at the vegetables.

"Batou. Marteau. What's with this place? Usually, everyone would be laughing and happily busy themselves with the cooking," asked a concerned Xander as he walked up to the two brothers.

Shaken out of their melancholic state, both brothers looked up to see their Guardian friend. However, their surprise quickly turned into sadness and shame. Seeing their expressions change made Xander frown even more before making another quick survey of the staff. It didn't take long for the Guardian to figure out a guess.

"Where's Siesta?"

Both brothers exchanged glances before Batou nodded at his brother. Setting their knives down, Marteau told the Guardian to sit down so that they could explain everything. It turned out that Siesta had been purchased by Tristain's messenger, a noble known as Count Mott. Normally, the members of the staff weren't concerned with the danger of being sold off as it was not only against Academy rules, but also against Headmaster Osmond's beliefs. Judging from their looks and the expressions on the rest of the staff, Xander knew that this wasn't the first time someone had tried to buy one of the servants. Unfortunately, it seemed that Mott had been able to get past the Academy's law as he had a document with a signature from the royal court to allow him to purchase Siesta. Caught off guard, Osmond had no choice but to reluctantly go through with the order. When they were told of what had happened, the entire kitchen staff with the chef brothers leading the group attempted to keep the Count from getting his hands on Siesta. Unfortunately, the noble's guards merely shoved them out of the way, while Siesta willingly went with the Count so that none of his men would harm her surrogate family. When Marteau finished informing the Guardian, auras of the kitchen staff seemed to dull even more. It certainly didn't help when Derflinger added that Siesta would most likely end up as an unwilling mistress to the noble.

*CRACK*

Hearing the sudden splintering of wood, Marteau and Batou looked up in shock to see Xander gripping tightly onto a piece of wood that he had ripped out of the table before splintering it into even more pieces. Growling dangerously like a wild animal, Xander swiftly stood up and briskly made his way towards the exit. Shaking off the shock, Batou quickly grabbed onto the raging man's arm but quickly flinched away when a sinister dark energy started radiating off the Guardian.

"Where are you going?" Xander glanced back at the two brothers.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to get Siesta back from that bastard."

"Even if you did, it wouldn't change anything," argued Marteau.

Batou nodded. "Even though we want nothing more than to have Siesta back here with us, attacking Count Mott will result in severe consequences. You would be considered a criminal and be essentially declaring war on the royal court by attacking one of their primary messengers."

"It wouldn't be the first time I was charged as a criminal. I am sick and tired of arrogant bastards like that Count! These nobles think they can do whatever they want simply because they can perform magic. This Count believes himself to be untouchable. Well, let's see how he will face a living legend," growled Xander before harshly making his exit.

"You really think he can do it?"

Marteau looked at his brother. "I am more concerned with the consequences of his decision, but he's Siesta's only hope."

*The Courtyard*

Immediately following his exit, Xander quickly made his way to the courtyard where he knew Guiche and Montmorency liked to spend their time together. Knowing that Osmond and Colbert would most likely try to stop him, Xander had no choice but to go to his trainee. Fortunately, the Guardian was able to calm himself down enough so that he wasn't leaking any dark energies, although he was radiating a potent amount of killing intent. Finally arriving at the courtyard and spotting the couple enjoying some lunch, Xander immediately dragged the surprised mage away from his girlfriend.

"X-Xander! What are you doing," asked Guiche as the Guardian released him.

"I need you to tell me where Count Mott lives."

"Why do you need to go see Count Mott?"

"I'll explain later. Just give me the location," said Xander.

Noticing the anger in his trainer's eyes and hearing the serious tone, Guiche nodded before giving the man the directions to Count Mott's estate. Receiving a thanks, the befuddled and somewhat concerned earth mage returned to his seat.

"What was that all about?"

Guiche shook his head. "I don't know. Xander seemed angry and wanted to know where Count Mott lives."

"Maybe we should tell Louise and the others about this," suggested Montmorency.

Guiche waved his hand. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Besides, you know how Xander likes to do his own style when it comes to doing things."

Montmorency still didn't look convinced but decided to let the issue go. "Well, alright then."

*Several Hours Later*

Louise sighed as she tiredly joined her friends at their usual dining table. The pink-haired mage had spent the entire day searching for her missing familiar, wanting to ask if she could get some tips on how to better control her magical abilities. Unfortunately, the Guardian was nowhere to be found and even Siesta seemed to be missing as well, which was strange for the pair. Normally, the pair would at least alert either Louise or one of the others where they would be, while Xander always met with his surrogate little sister once classes were over. As hours passed, Louise quickly began to worry for her missing friend and she did nothing to hide it.

"Couldn't find darling, Louise?"

"No. I can't find him or Siesta anywhere. I know he can take care of himself, but it isn't like him to disappear all of a sudden, at least not without telling me."

Taking notice of Louise's growing concern, Montmorency quickly sent a look at Guiche, which caused the earth mage to gulp nervously. "Guiche…"

"Um…I know where Xander is."

"What!? You knew this entire time and didn't tell me," hissed Louise as she pointed her wand threateningly at the frightened mage.

"I didn't think it was anything important," stammered Guiche.

"Talk," ordered Tabitha as she brought Louise's arm down.

"Montmorency and I were having lunch when Xander stormed into the courtyard with a fierce look in his eyes. From what I could tell, he seemed to be very angry."

"Do you know what happened or why he was angry?"

Guiche shook his head. "All he wanted was the directions to Count Mott's estate."

"Count Mott? The royal messenger? Why would Xander want to find him," questioned Louise.

Guiche shrugged his shoulders, while Kirche seemed to take on a thoughtful look before her eyes widened in realization. "Louise. You couldn't find Siesta anywhere today correct?"

Louise shook her head. "I tried asking one of the other staff but they just seemed to sadden before wandering off."

"Well, there have been rumors that Count Mott had come and bought one of the servants. He must have bought Siesta."

"Isn't that against Academy law?"

"He must have gotten permission from the royal court. They're the only ones who have the authority to overrule the Academy's laws," answered Guiche, remembering what his father had told him.

"Xander went after Siesta," said Tabitha as she got up from the table. Following her lead, Louise and the others quickly followed their reserved friend to the courtyard. Letting out a whistle, Tabitha quickly commanded Sylphid to her side before mounting the dragon along with Kirche. Having encountered Prof. Colbert along the way and explaining the situation, the rest of the group immediately made their way to the stables. Soon, the group was following Tabitha's familiar to the Count's estate.

"This is bad, very bad," ranted Louise.

"Indeed. If Xander makes any threatening move against the Count, then Mott has every right to do what he wants with him."

"But Xander is a Guardian. Wouldn't he be overkill against the Count," yelled Montmorency.

"The runes," shouted Louise with dread.

"While Xander is indeed a good fighter, he has yet to regain his full power. In addition, the runes seem to act against him whenever he enters battle. We must get there before either party does something rash," spoke Colbert.

"Too late with that," muttered Guiche.

As the group raced to the Count's estate, Louise grew increasingly worried about Xander and the consequences that might stem from his actions. Even if Xander took Siesta and left, he would still be considered a criminal for not only threatening a royal messenger but also for stealing what was technically his property, assuming the Count was still alive. In addition, the Count would no doubt take the attack on his home and person to the royal court, causing even more complications. The court would definitely want to know what kind of threat Xander could be, and things would most likely go to hell should his status as a Guardian be revealed. Granted, Louise was a childhood friend with the princess and that her family has close ties to the royal court and the ruling family, but the judgment would come from Henrietta's mother instead of the Princess herself.

"You better not do anything stupid, big brother."


*Meanwhile*

Following the directions that Guiche supplied, Xander was finally able to locate Count Mott's estate after several hours of searching. However, the fact that it took most of the day brought nothing but irritation to the Guardian. Despite the fact that Xander could have simply summoned a dimensional gate, the Guardian knew that he couldn't as Guiche didn't have a specific memory of what the Count's estate looked like, only the general layout. A dimensional gate would simply attract too much attention.

"Damn it, Guiche. I am so adding map reading and territorial layout reading to your training," growled Xander as he stepped out of the surrounding forests but still keeping to the shadows. Surveying the mansion's grounds, Xander saw that there were several groups of guards patrolling the area. Furthermore, it appeared that the only light souce came from inside the mansion aside from the lanterns that some of the guards were carrying. Making things even more difficult, each group of guards had several guard dogs roaming the grounds with them. After another survey on the defenses, Xander quickly spotted an open window on the ground floor.

Xander hummed. "Even if I use my shadow abilities to get past the guards and get inside, one shout and the entire place will be alerted to my presence."

"Why don't you use the shadow strike maneuver?"

"Well, this is a surprise. I thought you didn't want me to grow attached to others," replied Xander, feeling the familiar chill go down his spine.

"That didn't stop you before. Now, use the shadow strike maneuver."

Xander frowned. "But neither of us have used that maneuver in centuries. I don't know if the runes will interfere with it."

"Either use it or watch your precious maid become a slave to the Count."

"Fine," growled Xander, practically seeing the voice's smug look before him.

Taking several deep breaths, Xander slowly merged with the shadows surrounding him and quickly faded from view. His speed increased with the lack of physical form, Xander immediately shadowed the first group until they were a reasonable distance from the other patrolling guards. Carefully moving closer to the unaware guards without alerting the dogs, Xander soon merged with the shadows of the guards and dogs that were formed due to the lanterns. Once the guards stopped for a quick survey of the area, Xander pounced. Without warning, several shadow tendrils erupted from the shadows before entangling the entire group, including the dogs. Struggling against the dark binds, the guards could do nothing but collapse to the ground where the shadows merged with the surrounding darkness and solidified into an almost metallic solid, pinning the guards and dogs to the ground. Emerging out of the shadows, Xander smirked at the shocked expressions his captives held, since the shadows had covered their mouths in order to prevent them from alerting the other groups.

"Well, that worked perfectly," smirked Xander as he proceeded to knock out every guard and dog before snuffing out the lanterns.

In truth, the Guardian was using an alternative version of the shadow strike maneuver. The shadow strike maneuver was a technique designed specifically for the purpose of taking out enemy defenses and patrols. However, the original intent was to kill the enemy units by skewering them with shadow spikes or by Xander himself. The way the technique worked was that Xander had to merge with the shadows of the surrounding area in order to get close to his targets. Once he was close enough, Xander then had to merge either with the shadows casted by his target or with the shadows that were closest to it. After that, all the Guardian had to do was either summon up shadow spikes to kill or incapacitate his target or emerge out of the darkness himself to take them out. However, this time the Guardian decided to merely knock his targets unconscious since he didn't want any unnecessary bloodshed.

Once knocking the last guard unconscious, Xander released the shadow binds and remerged with the shadows before heading towards the next patrol group.

*Later*

Xander groaned as he climbed through the window before crouching close behind a large statue. The Guardian had to use the maneuver on several more groups that were patrolling the outside with one group almost letting out an alert had Xander not already taken care of the others.

"I have got to work on my abilities more. All that time as a statue has really made me soft."

"Perhaps you are just old."

"Now you make me sound like a pedophile," muttered Xander as he looked down the hall he was currently in.

"You are several thousand years old whereas that maid is barely reaching her twenties. By definition, you are a pedophile."

"Hey! I was twenty when Retro first recruited me. Not to mention I tended to age faster with there being so many different time flows between each dimension."

"Excuses. Besides, I believe we are getting off topic."

Xander hummed as he agreed with the voice in his head. "How do I find Siesta in a large mansion like this?"

"Why don't you search out her aura? If memories serves, those shinobi and shinigami had similar sensory abilities."

"But Siesta is neither a shinobi nor a shinigami. She doesn't even have any magical energies. How am I supposed to find her using a technique focused on spiritual energies?"

"You have been with that maid long enough to get a sense of her aura. Besides, did you truly try to gauge her for any hidden abilities?"

Xander grimaced. "No. Still, I'll give your suggestion a shot."

Placing his hands on the carpeted floor, Xander closed his eyes before focusing his senses on the surrounding area, allowing his energies to flow through the shadows of the entire estate. Unfortunately, not many of these shadows existed as the mansion was quite bathed in light. After several more minutes of searching, Xander was finally able to deduce Siesta's location but was rocked when he focused in on her aura.

"Impossible. Siesta said she didn't have any magical ancestors, but this feeling…"

"Someone's coming."

Snapping his eyes open, Xander looked towards the T-junction at the end of the corridor. Hearing the clanking of metal, Xander stuck to the wall as he made his way to the junction. Hearing the footsteps coming from the left, the Guardian carefully peered around the corner to see two armored men conversing with each other as they walked. Crouching down, Xander waited for the two men to come closer before springing his attack, smashing one of the larger men straight into the wall.

"What the-"

The second guard couldn't say more as Xander harshly backhanded the man with his left gauntlet. Dropping like a ton of bricks, Xander sprinted down the hall, leaving the unconscious guards on the floor.

"Don't worry Siesta. I'm getting you out of here."


*Siesta's Chambers*

Siesta sighed warily as she brought her legs up and held them. Sitting in the large spa-like pool that acted as a bathtub, the young maid was supposed to be preparing for herself for the Count, but the steam and lavender aroma did nothing to soothe her. Hearing a knock on the door, Siesta looked up to see an old woman, who was obviously one of the older servants, enter the room. Seeing the practically dead eyes staring back at her, the older woman merely gave the younger maid a look of pity before telling Siesta that the Count had requested her presence and that her new uniform was on the bed for her to put on. Nodding at the old woman, Siesta sighed as she stared into the water.

'I wish I could have at least told Xander that I was leaving. They didn't even give me a chance to pack my things. Besides, Xander would most likely fight the Count and that will spell disaster for him. No, it was better this way.'

Trying and failing to accept her new life, Siesta tried to think of the positives that came with her new occupation but the only thoughts that danced through her mind were the fond memories that she had with Xander and the rest of their friends. Siesta smiled as she remembered the walks she and Xander would have throughout the academy, the picnics they would go on, and even the times where he had helped her with her workload. She even remembered her times with the girls and the time where Guiche apologized profusely to her with an angry Louise and Montmorency standing behind him.

'We've become so close since our first meeting. If it wasn't for him, I'd have never found friends in Louise and the others. And everyone in the kitchen were ready to fight against the Count for me, even the chef brothers. If they're brave enough to face nobles, then so should I.'

With her faith renewed despite not really looking forward to meeting with the Count, Siesta stepped out of the bath and wrapped a towel around her elegant form before entering her spacious private quarters. Quickly drying herself off, Siesta turned to see the red and white uniform that was left by the old woman and grimaced at the provocative outfit. Sighing, she quickly donned on her new clothes and was about to make her way to the door until it suddenly busted open. Screaming in fright, Siesta nearly tripped backwards but was caught and quickly found herself being hugged tightly by the intruder before being held at arms-length.

"Siesta! I'm so glad you're safe. Are you okay? Did that bastard do anything to you? And what are you wearing!?"

Blinking, Siesta stepped out of the man's grip to see Xander's concerned expression, her brain taking a moment to adjust to what just happened. Once it caught up to speed, Siesta felt her eyes shed tears as she grabbed Xander in a tight hug.

"You're really here. You really came for me."

"Of course I did," said Xander softly as he returned the embrace.

"But how did you get here," asked Siesta as she stepped back once more.

Xander smirked. "I asked Guiche for directions. Remind me to beat map reading and territorial layout lessons into him next time I'm training him."

Siesta giggled, but her amusement soon ended once the full scope of the situation hit her. Gasping, Siesta gave Xander a worried look. "You can't be here. Breaking into a noble's home is a very serious offense. If you get into a fight with Count Mott, then you'll be facing very serious charges."

"So I've been told," spoke Xander dryly before grabbing Siesta's hand.

"I'm not leaving without you. Do you have any other clothes besides that uniform?"

"No. They took my academy uniform to be washed. This is all I have for the moment," blushed Siesta as she tried to cover herself up a bit more.

Muttering about perverted mages, Xander took off his trench coat and draped it around her shoulders. Smiling, Siesta wrapped the coat around her form to better cover herself up.

"Uh…partner? We've got a problem!"

"You there! What do you think you are doing with my maid?"

"Your maid," growled Xander as he stepped in front of Siesta.

"Yes. I bought her contract fair and square. Ever since I first saw her I knew she must be mine," smirked Count Mott as he and two armed guards stepped into the room.

"First of all, she's not yours to own. Secondly, you can't be so arrogant as to think you could actually own people," scowled Xander.

"I am the royal messenger of Tristain's royal court. I can do anything I want," laughed the Count.

"I'll be sure to change your thinking," growled Xander as he drew Derflinger.

"Ah. You drew. Foolish boy, I am a triangle-class water mage. Even with that sword of yours, you are no match for me," smirked Count Mott.

"Abusing your status as a messenger is hardly fair. The more time I spend with you nobles, the more I start to believe that your society was made for arrogant pricks. Brimir was a fool for founding such kingdoms."

"You dare not only to break into my home and steal my maid but also to insult the Founder!? As a noble and a royal messenger, I believe it's time to punish you for such insolence! However, I will let you live, if just so that the royal court could further your punishment."

Xander chuckled darkly. "Then I'll just have to beat them down like I'm going to do with you."

"Enough of this! Guards! Take care of this commoner," ordered Count Mott, as his two guards charged towards Xander with swords at the ready.

Snorting, Xander ignited his fist with dark energy before punching the wooden floor, unleashing several shadow tendrils that quickly wrapped around the charging guards. Giving the guards a good squeeze, Xander then manipulated the shadow tendrils to slam the larger men into the far wall, knocking both guards unconscious. Savoring the shocked look upon Mott's face, Xander chuckled as he brought Derflinger up into a stance.

"You honestly expected me to be a normal human? Why do you think your guards aren't all rushing towards our location? I took down every security group and guard that I came across while I was on my way here."

Mott shook his head before scowling at the Guardian. "I admit that your sudden use of magic surprised me, but it matters not! I will still defeat you like the dog you are," claimed the Count as he readied his wand.

Just as Xander attempted to run the water mage through with his blade, his runes immediately surged with electricity, shocking the Guardian before he could even take a single step. Gritting his teeth, Xander growled at the smirk forming across Count Mott's face.

"It seems you are even lower than a commoner. You're nothing more than some pathetic noble's familiar," laughed Mott, having noticed Xander's runes.

"Shut up," growled Xander.

"Now, witness your death," proclaimed Count Mott as he pointed his wand towards a nearby vase filled with water. Casting a quick spell, the Count formed an ice spear before launching it at the prone Guardian.

"NO!"


And here's the third chapter of the rewrite.

A/N:

I believe that the characters could be developed in a more realistic fashion, and I plan to use Xander as a catalyst for this development. If you compare this Xander to the Xander of the original plot, you can see that the new Xander is more nostalgic and mature-like. This is due to his age and experience as a Guardian.

Updated Bio:

Bio: Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière

Youngest daughter of the Duchess, Karin the Heavy Wind, and the Duke de la Vallière, Louise currently studies at the Tristain Academy of Magic. Ridiculed by her peers and pitied by her instructors as 'Louise the Zero', Louise stubbornly works to prove she has great magical potential. Summoning Xander to be her familiar, the young mage tries to understand her surrogate older brother. Young, yet having knowledge that makes her wider than her years suggest, Louise has yet to learn of her true potential within the magical realm.

Bio: Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt-Zerbst

The daughter of one of Germania's great military families, Kirche was considered a nuisance to her family due to being expelled from her last school before being forced to marry an "old geezer". Sent to Tristain's Magical Academy, Kirche met Tabitha and soon the two girls hit it off. Unknown to the rest of the Academy's population, aside from Tabitha, Kirche is in fact a free spirit with a love for reading and ancient legends. Fascinated by Xander and his status as a Guardian, Kirche loves hearing his stories as a Guardian, hoping to one day go on her own adventures.