Alright, last chapter of this batch that does it's best to explain how Louise's magic will work. She will still be going for that 'Archon' title (as I still place it as an 'Ultimate Champion' like Sar-Elam) but I will expand my repertoire for her to use by combining spells and skills from Heroes 5-7 as they all take place in the same continuity.

To do this requires three separate wikis, but I believe it'll be worth it in the end. Though, once again, no mass spells for the sake of making Louise into less of a physical goddess. If I do this right, she won't reach the point of 'Flee on Sight' status until she's well into her twenties.

Plenty of time to get the crap beaten out of her at points alongside her friends and familiar.

Anyway, off we go!

The Mold is Cast

Louise wouldn't stop laughing.

At first, it was merely a disbelieving giggle. Then, it grew into a rumbling chuckle. Then a full belly guffaw.

She was currently on deranged screeches.

Neb had dragged the mad girl out of the academy with a sour face across his heads. Kirche had hurried off to find somewhere for Siesta to recuperate while Tabitha had muttered 'sedatives' and walked off.

Ok, lots of mental trauma related to magic. Based on the jeers and Colbert's account, the girl's been isolated and made a pariah because of her lack of ability in casting magic. I thought she was strong, but apparently, trying to play the mentor offer was enough to break the griffins back.

That spoke of many mentors abandoning her, which again lined up with Colbert's account. Oh boy, what was he getting himself into?

The guards at the gates did nothing as Neb ducked through, Louise hoarse from trying to laugh out her lungs. It eventually faded into unhinged giggles, her throat incapable of producing the mad peals of laughter.

Neb reached a field, laid her on the ground and smacked her with the tip of his tail.

The impact jarred her into sanity. "Ow! What the hell was that for?!"

"To return you to the present." Neb drawled, two heads observing the area while the central spoke. "Now, I heard more than one whisper call you 'Zero' which I can guess means you're not great at casting magic."

Louise chuckled hoarsely, loathing leaking into her voice. "Try incapable. You're the first thing I've ever done right that wasn't lighting a candle."

Matching up so far once again. Neb's tongue flicked out and tasted the air, his lone way to judge the magic of others.

…Lots of raw power hangs around her, but it's tasteless. Essentially a blank slate with enough space to fit all seven schools up to the fifth circle. That's… incredible.

Neb hummed as Louise wallowed in her misery. "…You've not been able to cast of your elements, correct? Wind, Fire, Earth, and Water?"

Louise nodded, sinking deeper into the malaise of her mind.

Neb started making a mental checklist, first among the tasks to get the girl's self-esteem out of the gutter. "…Well have you tried anything relating to Light and Darkness? Perhaps… Void?"

Louise's malaise burned away with righteous indignation. "Hold your tongue! Void is the Founder's holy element, only he alone could cast it! Entire armies were laid low by the Void spells, and it died with him! To claim that I attempt it is heresy of the highest order!"

Neb blinked at the outburst. Gotta love religion sometimes, could make even an off-hand suggestion into a crime. "I didn't know that, whelp, don't yell at me. Besides, what's holy to you is in no way holy to me. Remember that."

Louise scowled but let the matter drop. "Fine, but watch yourself, there are plenty who are far less forgiving of any blasphemy than I."

Neb rolled his eyes and gestured for her to follow. "That aside, I assume Light and Dark are out of the question then. To be honest, I'm quite surprised at how limited the selection of your magic is, yet it's certainly more… fluid, than that which I know."

Louise followed at the last bit; curiosity peaked. "Wait, you know magic? Why haven't I seen you cast anything if that's the case?"

Neb grunted and paused, the pair standing on a flat stretch of meadow. With Louise observing, the hydra started carving various symbols and runes into the ground, his heads and claws efficiently clearing the grass and rocks in the way.

Louise gulped as one head picked up a large rock like it was nothing, move it aside, and crush it to rubble with a great crack. The hydra was large enough that she barely came to his knee but seeing his strength on display in addition to the arcane symbols he was writing with unerring precision was… unnerving.

Neb made the finishing touches and gestured to the collection of writing. "This is the only way I have to cast magic, through ritual. It's also may way of testing to see if your magic is… controllable, to an extent. I've made the symbols varied, so it's a tad random. Whatever happens when you channel your magic into it, that'll tell me what you can do."

Louise looked very skeptical but pulled out her wand and pointed at the writings. "Are there any chants I should use?"

Neb shook his head and moved behind Louise, observing the marking closely. "No, simply channel your magic, the runes will do the rest."

Or at least he hoped so. This little experiment would serve to see if the magic of his world would work in this one. If it did, there was hope for Louise to master… most everything, which made him giddy. If not, then the only answer to this lack of apparent ability was that Louise was a Void mage.

And thus, a living breathing heresy in her own religion, the irony of which was palpable.

Neb's thoughts ceased as he tasted magic on the air, Louise's eyes closed, and wand pointed at the markings. Light gathered at the tip of the wand, growing brighter by the moment, until it burst into a ray of energy that slammed into the marking.

Louise expected to hear another large boom a moment later, but much to her shock, the writings practically devoured her magic. Opening her eyes, she stared as the symbols glowed with myriad colors of light, equally numerous shapes rising into the air and disappearing.

Neb circled the writings in clear excitement, muttering under his breath about 'potential' and 'it's possible!' the whole time. Eventually, the light show died down and Neb's every head turned to stare at Louise in glee.

"You… have the potential to reach a peak not seen since Sar-Elam, nay, perhaps climb past it!" Neb almost giggled, eyes gleaming with joy and ambition. "Martial, Magic, and Civil… You will be amongst the greatest of history!"

Louise stumbled back at the outrageous claim. "What the hell are you talking about, you dumb lizard! I can't even cast normal magic, there's no way I'd ever be anything more than a failure as I am!"

The hydra ignored the insult, mind running a mile a minute. "I can make you into something far more than even your wildest dreams, Louise! Your magic is compatible with my own, I can show you! If I do, will you agree to let me teach and mentor you? I swear upon every dragon-god and spirit I will see you blossom into the greatest mage this world has seen!"

Louise backpedaled, Neb advancing on her in his excitement. "Speak sense dammit! The Founder is the greatest mage to ever live, none can hope to ever match him! Your blasphemy is getting out of hand!"

Neb's heads surrounded her, cutting off her retreat. "Then at least allow me to show you how to cast magic, yours is too raw for the finesse of the current system! Mine will work; you must simply let me show you! And I will show you so much more if you just let me!"

"Don't you want to prove yourself and cast aside the 'Zero' moniker? Prove those hecklers this morning wrong, nay, make them bow to you? Have the respect due your station so that Siesta would never have lost her job in the first place?"

Attacking her pride was a low blow, but an effective one. Louise snarled and stared into one head's eyes. "Of course, I want to prove myself, beyond anything! I want to make those heckling low lives know their place in this world! I… I want to be a mage Founder dammit!"

That was all the permission Neb needed. "Then hold out the hand you use for your wand. This will be a bit painful, but it's required for this to work."

Louise grit her teeth, desire to finally cast magic overcoming her apprehension and anxiety. Shakily, she held up her left hand, squeaking when one of Neb's heads shot forth to trap it in his jaws. She didn't dare move lest his fangs, hanging just over skin, open her like a stuck pig.

"My tongue will hold your arm still." Neb informed, the slick muscle wrapping around Louise's arm and staining her sleeve. "I apologize for this, but I need you still. Now, grab something you can bite on and get in your mouth, last thing we need is you biting your tongue."

Louise was starting to regret this decision but wadded up the bottom of her shirt and shoved it into her mouth. Once that was done, Neb's other two heads snaked in close, eyeing her hand carefully. Then, one of his paws rose from the mass of writhing necks that had trapped her, the black claws gleaming in the sun.

"Bear with me." Neb cautioned as he placed a claw over her hand. "The pain starts… now."

Louise screamed into her self-made gag as Neb started to carve her hand, blood flowing as he dragged the claw through her skin and flesh. The hydra was quick and efficient, but every drag of the claw was agony, especially as he had to clear away the blood dripping down her arm to continue.

It went on for ten minutes though to Louise it felt like an eternity. Would she even be able to move her fingers or twist her wrist? It sure felt like he'd been carving a lot out of her.

"There, done." Neb sighed. "Wrap your hand and get it treated, but don't let them heal the scar. I'll have to carve it out again if you do."

Louise nodded, tears swimming in her eyes and teeth grit against the gag in intense pain.

Neb pulled back and watched as Louise started to wrap her torn hand. "As all mages before you, the mark is now made. It is a channel and refinery, turning all that raw magic you have into useable mana, or 'willpower' as you know it. It can then be directed by your wand and verbalizations, hopefully as desired."

Louise glared at him; accusation clear.

Neb rolled his eyes. "It'll work, I could taste your magic entering the marks I made and settling. If you want to see if what I say is true, take your wand in the blood-slicked hand, point it into the meadow, and say gust!"

Louise kept glaring at him, but a spark of desperate hope danced in her eyes. Shaking with pain and anxiety, Louise took hold of her wand after dropping it during the ordeal. Neb stepped away and she pointed the wand towards the open meadow, silently expecting nothing but hoping for anything.

She spat out her makeshift gag and called on her magic, power rushing up her arm. "Gust!"

Wind roared from the tip of her wand, sending Louise flying backward and flattening grass in a wide tunnel before her, the great gust rustling the leaves of trees almost five hundred yards away. Neb almost leapt with joy at the sight. "A storm wind-a storm wind! That was fantastic!"

Neb bounded over to where Louise had rolled to a stop, hair a mess and eyes bulging at the flattened meadow before her. "That was perfectly done, a gust that any initiate would be proud to claim! For a beginner spell that they teach you in the first week back home, that was impressive!"

No answer was forthcoming, and Neb had to pause his jubilations at roping in a new student. Louise was staring at the scene before her with unseeing disbelief, tears streaming down her cheeks and lips quivering with emotion. "…I did it…"

She looked down at her hands, uncaring of the red leaking through her half-made bandage. "I… I cast an actual spell… it wasn't a fluke."

"I'm a mage."

The raw relief in her voice when she said that made Neb frown. While it was perfectly alright to rid herself of the notion she couldn't cast magic, the relief she was feeling was so strong she may not want to continue pushing herself.

"Oh Founder, Louise! That was amazing!"

Who but Kirche chose then to show up, joy beaming from her face. "We can actually be rivals now! I knew there'd be a time all my teases would come to fruition, and I have seen it with my own eyes!"

She practically leapt at Louise, tackling the despondent girl to the ground. "Now we can compete as equals, at long last! Now I can show you up in a fair competition and gloat without pause!"

Tabitha brought up the rear as Kirche attempted to smother Louise. "…It happened."

"Indeed, it did." Neb agreed; eyes still glued to Louise. "…Are you an early riser, Tabitha?"

Tabitha glanced at the hydra, not sure where this was going. "…Yes."

"Good, make sure Louise is out in the courtyard first thing in the morning." Neb grunted as Louise started to weep. "She can have today to celebrate this momentous step, but a deal has been struck and she will honor it. See if you can't bring Siesta and Ms. Zerbst along with her. I have… a few ideas."

Tabitha nodded and went to pat Louise's back, the weeping girl turning to cry into the quiet girl's shoulder. Kirche protested that, being the first to rush up and congratulate Louise, but that descended into tear-laden bickering Neb wanted no part of.

Instead, the hydra gave Louise one last look before turning and stomping off, the guardhouse his destination. Once they were far enough away, his maws twisted into eager grins, ready to start at first light.

She was well behind even the latest bloomer of his world, but potential was practically her title. With the mark on her hand, they had a way to get the magic flowing and under control. Now it was a matter of molding her into something so great, only Sar-Elam had ever truly held the title, no matter the Hereshian knock-offs who claimed it for their order.

An Archon… the greatest hero any being in Ashan could aspire to, and only one had ever been. A being and soul so strong it bound the eternal rage of the demons. This time though, there'd be no mistake, or transcendence.

Asha did not exist here, even if her magic could, and Louise would not have to venture into the spirit realm. All she needed was time, energy, and an endless thirst for knowledge and self-improvement.

It was the only way he'd get her there in anything less than two decades.

"Perhaps this is the reason I was summoned," Neb mused. He paused and looked to the towers of the academy before glancing back to where Louise was still crying out all her life-long frustration. "To bring about one of the greatest to ever live, my finest student. If that is so, I shall take this task with gusto, bound as I am. Should she reach the limits of what she can be, and surpass them, this brand will be child's play."

He reached up to trace the runes, their meaning lost to him. It was a mystery for another day, for now, he had a great deal of work to do before the morning came. Not the least of which was coming up with some kind of practice dummy.

Fun times for all.

-Louise-

It took her hours to calm down.

That great gust of wind had not only flattened the meadow but blown away every anxiety and doubt about her magic that existed. She'd done it, she'd cast magic perfectly, beyond perfect in fact! A wind spell, at last something answering her call and desire, she wasn't a disgrace anymore!

Blowing away a lifetime of failure and disappointment released the floodgates; tears she'd long forced away bursting onto her cheeks. She barely noticed Neb congratulate her, Kirche tackle her, or Tabitha pat her back.

All there was in her life was sheer, raw relief. Her parents could at last be proud, Eleanor could stop looking at her in disgust and disappointment. Cattleya would be so happy for her, and Sir Wardes could have someone worthy of her name instead of the black sheep that was once being foisted onto him.

Those hecklers could at last lay silent, she never had to hear or internalize the taunts ever again. She was a mage, honest to Founder, and it was high time she could act like she wanted. No more bluster or angry outbursts, it was time to be the noble she'd wanted to be since a lowly servant had risked their life to save her many years ago.

First though, it was time to celebrate!

"Milady… what am I doing here?"

Louise blinked and looked over to find Siesta fidgeting in her seat, clearly uncomfortable. After Louise had come to her senses, she'd leapt out of Kirche's exulted embrace and ran to her room, ignoring or barreling through anyone in her way.

She almost missed the fact Siesta had been put in there, preferring to find her purse and get on the road. Only the maid rousing herself and stretching with a groan had made Louise pause, just barely able to make sure her new handmaid knew what she had in mind before dashing out of the room.

Barely ten minutes later, she'd saddled up a horse. Kirche and Tabitha had caught her at that point, wanting to know what was going on, before Louise gave her destination.

The extremely fancy restaurant they were now sitting in.

"I didn't know they had something like this so close to the academy." Kirche wondered as she looked around. There were a few other students here, mostly third years, but it still felt odd.

"…Academy." Tabitha pointed out. Having a center of knowledge with a very rich and indulgent student body was bound to make something like this pop up after all.

Siesta fidgeted again and repeated her question, feeling horrifically underdressed in her uniform. She'd been half-conscious when she'd gotten into the saddle and rode after Louise, mind still processing the day she'd had, but now everything was so awkward.

"You're here to celebrate with me, though with some uninvited guests." Louise answered; a light scowl thrown Kirche's way. "While we're at it, I can better explain what your duties are going to be. Go ahead and order whatever you like, if the waiter gives you any looks, leave them to me."

Siesta nodded and poked at the menu, slightly sickened by the luxury around her. It was just so opulent for an eatery, she felt like she should be in a silk gown and dripping in jewels. Not to mention she barely understood what the menu had. What the heck was a mousse and why did it come with nuts?

Kirche clapped her hands with a smile. "Well, what will we do now? With your newfound magic, all those competitions can happen again. A nice clean slate to show who the real victor is once and for all, no defaults."

"Gee, thanks for that reminder!" Louise growled. "Look, I'm in a fantastic mood, so the least you can do is be tolerable. Do that, and I may just pay for your meal."

Kirche smirked and shrugged. "As you will, just know that I have expensive tastes. Still singing the same tune with a handmaid to pay?"

Tabitha glanced at her friend, surprised. "…Turning down?"

"It's a celebration!" Kirche countered, glad for the reason to party. "And I'm not turning down the meal, who do you think I am? Rather, I'll cover the drinks today. Think of it as a peace offering."

Louise felt like there was some ulterior motive to that, but she was too high off her own relief to care. "Alright then, just for today. Waiter, we're ready for you!"

Siesta shrunk into her seat as the waiter came to take orders, a sinking feeling in her gut. "Oh dear…"

-Several Hours Later-

"I knew I had a bad feeling about this." Siesta lamented as she guided her happy drunk of an employer out of the restaurant. "The matron told me to never serve Lady Valliere any wine."

Louise was a giggling mess; cheeks flushed a deep pink and lips set in a dopey grin. She'd drank two bottles of fine red wine all by herself alongside her meal of expensive steak. While it was certainly interesting having her act fun and open, it was something else when she started getting… handsy.

Poor Tabitha was the first victim, the quiet girl squeaking when Louise had reached over to cop a feel. Kirche declared immediate sovereignty on Tabitha's goods, which got her and Louise into a juvenile slap-fight. Where Louise proceeded to cop a feel not once, but twice.

Blackmail Kirche would hold for all her days, despite laughing uproariously at the antics Louise got into in her drunk state. More than one song had started in there, along with jokes and crude descriptions of her various tormentors.

"I didn't think she was a lightweight." Kirche chuckled as she ducked out of the restaurant, a heavily blushing Tabitha slung under her arm. "Poor Tabby, never been felt up in all her life before today. Then we get into that fight over her. Can't take a joke this one, your master even more so."

Siesta shifted Louise's weight, recalling that Tabitha had drank three whole bottles after that started. Seeing the quiet girl join Louise in the drunken songs had been… hilarious, but slightly disquieting.

"You can talk ya know." Kirche chuckled as she fell in step with Siesta, uncovered eye crinkled with her smile. "I promise I don't bite, this morning notwithstanding."

Siesta giggled awkwardly, recalling their encounter in the dining hall. Kirche had called her a fine piece of meat and clicked her teeth, only for Tabitha and Louise to deliver a momentous smack in unison and tell her to order or shut up.

"Milady will be fine." Siesta muttered, carefully guiding Louise up into the saddle. "I can… lead the horse while milady rides with me. I'll be sure to see her safely to her room and be ready for classes on the morrow."

Kirche smirked. "Just be ready for those grabby hands. A bad drunk and handsy? You'll be having a fun time riding back."

She leaned over and whispered into the maid's ear: "Hold onto this night, both for the blackmail and the fun we had. I don't think we'll be seeing Louise like this for a long time."

Siesta gulped and nodded, watching as Kirche carried her drunk friend to the waiting Sylphid, the pair soon in the air and on their way. Siesta dragged Louise to their horses and lit the lamps on each saddle, practically lifting Louise into one before mounting herself and tying the steeds together.

"Siesta pretty…" Louise giggled, a hiccup jolting her into Siesta's back. "So… pretty… jealous…"

Siesta did her best to not blush as Louise hugged her waist, a whip of the reins setting them down the street. It was only an hour's ride to the academy, it could be clearly seen even in the dark, but it would be a very embarrassing experience.

Even more so when Louise reached up and fondled her, complaining that everyone got the 'good genes' but her and Tabitha. That they'd need to form a coalition against big breasts, and all that hogwash.

You get five gold a week and she'll never be like this again. Siesta reassured herself, lightly wincing when Louise pushed too hard. Just bear with it and you may even be able to get an advance, that'll make it up to Mom and Dad.

It was just so hard. As the hour rolled by and the academy came closer, Louise started to get sleepy. In her drunken doze, she started plying Siesta with all kinds of compliments and innuendo. Based on a few phrases in-between the heavy flattery, Siesta gathered this was Lady Zerbst's influence out in the open.

What had she gotten herself into? This would require a long, cold bath to put out of her mind. And even then, she'd have to put on her best acting to make it through tomorrow.

Thankfully getting into the academy wasn't hard. Kirche had informed the guards they'd be arriving, and a pair of stable hands took the horses after Siesta dragged Louise out of the saddle. From there, she guided the dozing girl most of the way back to her tower, only for Louise to collapse and demand to be carried before summarily passing out. Siesta had to hoist her petite mistress onto her back and carry her up to her room, silently musing on the many times she'd done the same with her siblings. Sadly, this situation was far more awkward, and it was with great relief she arrived at Louise's room.

She opened the door, deposited Louise in the bed, and tucked her in when Louise made a cute face. With that done, she slipped out into the hall, checked in with Kirche, and left for her quarters. Only to find Neb outside the tower, working on something. "Sir Neb?"

The hydra screeched and leapt into the air, Siesta somehow getting the drop on something with three heads. When he landed with a great thud, every head whipped around to glare at the sweating maid. "Elrath's Eye don't do that! Last one who snuck up on me got broken in two!"

Siesta quailed under the glare and swiftly excused herself, barely keeping herself from running back to her quarters. While she fled, Neb watched her go with a considering gaze

"…Looks like I need to procure a few daggers. Curse this land for not having cross-bows, I could make a true assassin out of her, but there's more than enough ability to make her into a great Shade."

He smirked as he recalled the way she'd moved so silently, even opening the door without disturbing the air. Not just a Shade… but one of the best to ever take up the dagger.

How fun.

-Morning-

"Ow…"

Louise groaned as she sat up, head pounding. The room twirled even through the cracks she had for eyes, and nausea squeezed her throat. Any light was like a dagger into her skull and she flopped back with another groan.

"I… drank too much…" Louise panted, trying to keep the nausea down as best she could. "Need… water…"

The clink of a glass was like thunder in her ears, flowing water a torrential downpour. Something solid was placed in her hands and she brought the item to her lips, liquid relief wetting the parched skin. She sipped on the water slowly, careful not to down it all and throw it back up.

Eventually, the pounding settled down. Several glasses of water had helped her parched mouth and dizziness, but it took what felt like an eternity for the pain to fade and her nausea to settle. Another eternity had to pass before she could open her eyes and not feel like she was being stabbed. "…Siesta?"

"Yes, Lady Valliere." Siesta whispered, careful not to cause any more pain. "Lady Tabitha was requested to wake you by your familiar, but I arrived just before she could knock. She's currently rousing Lady Zerbst."

Louise blinked a few times before her vision cleared. The source of the formerly burning light was a simple candelabra, Siesta sitting beside her bed in an equally simple dress. "…What… time is it?"

"About an hour before sunrise." Siesta answered, whisper still in place. "I know you're quite tired and wish to rest more, but your familiar was insistent."

Louise grumbled and forced herself up, a glare settling on her brow. "I'm… gonna give… that big lizard… a piece of… my mind."

A sleep-addled part of her mind suggested somehow popping open her skull and presenting part of her brain, but the rest beat that into submission and locked it up. Louise ignored the random thoughts and got up, only to stare as Siesta presented a pair of pants and her embarrassingly stained shirt. "…Are we going on a trip?"

"He recommended something you could sweat in." Siesta informed. "Insisted I do the same, which is why I'm out of uniform. Um… we best hurry, he sounded impatient when I left."

Louise groaned and grabbed the pants, shooing Siesta out of the room so she could change. It wasn't a long process but getting her messy hair into an equally messy ponytail took longer than she wanted. The wonders of still being hungover.

She staggered into the hall and almost slammed into Kirche's chest, her newly declared rival in similar dress. "Watch it, Zerbst!"

Kirche hugged Louise, dragging the smaller girl into her breasts. "Too early… sleep good…"

Louise protested as best she could into the sinful softness of Kirche's bosom, the warmth radiating from the erstwhile prison trying to drag her back to slumber. Tabitha solved that issue by whacking Kirche upside the head with her staff. "…Bad"

Kirche cursed under her breath and freed Louise, the petite prisoner hurrying away so no one could see her indignant blush. Tabitha followed behind, with the still tired Kirche stumbling along after her while Siesta brought up the rear.

It was weird being up before most of the servants, the tower halls, stairs, and foyer quiet as the grave. It wasn't until they were outside and found Neb that the eerie silence was dispelled.

"Neb!" Louise shouted, grabbing the hydra's attention. "What in all that's holy is with the wake-up call?"

Her familiar grinned, each head baring the same sinister smile. "It's actually very late, dear Louise. It's time to train your body to match your mind, and that goes for all of you. The contract was agreed to and bound in flesh, so I am simply fulfilling my end."

Kirche and Tabitha turned on their heels and started to walk away, only for Neb's heads to strike out and block their escape. "Not so fast, at least listen. First, I'd like to know who treated and wrapped my 'master's' hand, they did well."

Siesta raised her hand, a tad pale at the memory. "That… was me, good sir. Um… why was her hand so deeply wounded if I might ask?"

Neb nodded to her and pulled his heads back. "Because that was the contract. In exchange for at last being able to cast magic, she would come under my tutelage. Lady Zerbst has, perhaps lightly, declared herself Louise's rival. As such, having her participate in my tutelage will be a source of both growth and motivation."

Louise and Kirche looked at each other, the former voicing her displeasure. "I don't recall ever actually agreeing! You carved this mark into my hand before I agreed to be taught anything!"

Neb snarled at her. "You agreed to take the mark, and by doing so, came under my wing! All I wish is to make you what you want to be, the one that old hecklers and tormentors bow to. The one that you've long boasted of being, if Colbert's description of you was correct."

Louise looked ready to shut him up, wrapped hand reaching into her pocket. She'd somehow remembered her wand throughout all of yesterday's mess, and she itched to show Neb his place in this.

Tabitha stepped in to stop her. "…Intentions good."

Louise kept her glare as Tabitha placed a hand on her shoulder, putting just enough pressure on the limb to keep Louise from drawing her wand. "…Fine, but I want to know what this 'tutelage' entails before I agree to anything."

Neb sighed and put on his most professional visage. "The training involves several things. First and foremost is getting you in better shape. Not only will the improved physical strength and stamina help you in every-day life, they will improve your ability to focus and expand your mana reserves."

The hydra started to pace, one head always on Louise while the others kept an eye on the others so they wouldn't bolt. "Second comes understanding magic in its many forms, what I call sorcery. You will learn to master your own minds and wills, the goals of which include the rate at which your mana returns, the power put into your spells, and the speed with which you can cast them."

The hydra growled as he ground out the next part. "Unfortunately, learning how to manage a realm is of importance as well. Mining, taxation, architecture, scouting, surveying, diplomacy, and so on. While of little practical use to any of you as of this moment, having knowledge of such things makes life easier when traveling to foreign regions."

He pressed on before anyone could ask. "Fourth is weapon and combat training. Magic, while very powerful as you all well know, is useless without the focusing implement. As such, in many encounters where magic is not readily available, your ability to use another source of defense and attack is paramount."

He growled as Louise opened her mouth to protest again. "Let me finish dammit! Fifth is warfare and all that entails. Leading others, managing logistics, tactical and strategic planning, flexible thinking, army composition, and war machines."

Louise and friends were starting to feel overwhelmed at the sheer amount of things Neb wished to drill into their heads. Many of the things he was mentioning would take years to become even minorly proficient!

"Sixth is medicine and poultices." Neb continued, silently noting the uneasy looks. "It will doubtlessly be ongoing lessons, as medicine and the many recipes for brews both mystic and not are always advancing. However, this knowledge can and will save both your lives and the lives of others."

He stopped his pacing and glared at them all. "Finally, you will each learn the art of blessings and curses. Sorcery training will include the various spells of the four schools, but this covers the three that lie outside of it. That which can fill you with the vigor of a hundred men or make your foes as feeble as stiff grass."

He glanced to Kirche and Tabitha, who had paled. "This is not Void magic, whelps. Unless you too desire the mark, only Louise is bound to those lessons."

He cleared his throats and looked to them all, ready to finish. "I won't be foisting all of this on you at one time, that's simply inefficient. Instead, we will not move to any of the more intellectual and magic related lessons until you demonstrate acceptable proficiency in a chosen primary and secondary weapon alongside acceptable fitness."

He gave a wide sweep of his paw. "What say you all. Do this, and I swear no force under the sky can hope to match you. I will not rest until you are legends in every sense of the word."

Siesta bowed her head, humbled and scared. "I… I don't know if I should be here, Sir Neb. That which you speak of is for greater people than I."

"I wouldn't speak of the lessons if you weren't worthy of them." Neb grunted, making Siesta look up. "Obviously you cannot participate in the magical lessons, but I have another idea for you. What it is, I will share only with you, and only after you've agreed to let me teach you."

Siesta looked to Louise before bowing her head again. "I am humbled you think so, Sir Neb, but I must defer to my lady. Should she accept, then so shall I."

"Why me again?" Kirche queried a moment later. "You say it's because we're rivals, but shouldn't that make you want me out of these lessons?"

Neb shrugged, unsurprised. "Normally, yes. However, I did notice Louise became far more… energetic when rising to your taunts and teases, not to mention your own clear talent. I feel Arkath would more than welcome a mage of your fiery nature and find you more than worthy."

He started Tabitha's explanation when she gave him a curious tilt of the head. "You are… interesting. I can tell that you're the most powerful mage of the three before me, and master of a dragon. Kirche's dear salamander and I are quite impressive, but a recent hatchling is nothing to scoff at."

Everyone gave him flat looks as he praised himself. "What? I'm allowed to moments of conceited pride, lay off."

Louise sighed and ran a hand down her face. Ultimately, whether this happened or not was up to her. She needn't agree, she was a mage now and that was all she'd wanted in the world. She could be of use to the Crown, make her family proud at last, and get those idiot fellow students shut up.

…Like hell.

She'd worked her ass off for years, for little to nothing, and only now she'd be shown respect? Like she was worth something when she'd been barely a step above a commoner her whole life?

No. Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere did not settle. She took every opportunity granted to her, no matter the work she had to put in or the pain she had to go through. If she was going to be what she wanted to be, needed to be, then listening to a familiar with far too much sarcasm and just as much experience was what she would do.

Louise looked around before staring up at Neb. With a deep breath, she nodded. "Alright, fine, I'll take your lessons. So long as they don't interfere with my academy work."

Neb puffed with happiness, a quick glance showing the others falling in line. It had been so very long since he'd had multiple students rather than one pupil, it'd be interesting keeping up with them.

But, first things first. "And I accept your condition. Now, as you're all clearly dressed and the sun has yet to greet us, we might as well get something of an idea on where you all stand."

Dread settled over the girls as the hydra started to stretch, Louise able to voice her suspicions. "Neb… what do you mean?"

"Why a nice morning run!" Neb informed cheerily, everyone save Siesta paling. "As I said, we'll be working on stamina, so let's see what you got. As many laps around the courtyard as you can, full speed. Worry not, for I shall join you! I fear I've lost some of my lean figure the last few years."

The girls watched the hydra perform a variety of stretches with ever growing dread. Whilst the academy encouraged a physical regimen to keep healthy, no one really… stuck to it. Magic casting ate a lot of energy as was, so what was the point?

All Louise could do was stare at the pleased grins crossing Neb's every maw and internally sigh.

He was about to be very disappointed.

Ch. End

And there we go, the first batch of new chapters for the rewrite! Don't be shy on opinions ladies and gents, I would love to hear how these compare to the old version!

Thank you to everyone who stuck it out waiting for the old one, you make this worth it! And for those who stumble upon us, I hope you enjoy the ride!

Until next time, Ciao!