An: To the Guest who thought this story was dead... Hi! I'm not sure how well I wrote this, I've actually been sitting on this for a while hoping a friend would proofread it, but it's about time I get this moving again. Let's do this!

Explanations and Stories

He groaned, shuffling slightly as he felt hands pass over him. *Soft...* Not just the hands, but the surface he was on. Hadn't he been in the courtyard? *Must've passed out,* he thought, *carried or levitated to Louise's room? She's probably pissed.* His eyes fluttered open to the sight of his pink haired master speaking with the maid, it looked like she was getting ready to leave.

"-tch over him. I will be back later tonight with the potion for his wounds and-"

"Coat..." Kamvex mumbled, scaring the two women. "Inside, top left pocket. The red pouch." He started again. Siesta, being closer, grabbed it and riffled through, finding the item the man requested, a small plastic pouch with red liquid inside. "Gimme it." He held his hand out to take the pouch.

Louise was stunned. "How are you even conscious?" She asked. "The healers said you'd be out for at least a week, even if I got you a powerful potion."

He smirked weakly, "not the most amount of pain I've been in." He took the pouch from the maid before a small part of his mechanical arm slid down and opened up. "Obviously, right?" He placed the pack inside, and when it closed up, he felt the injection of the serum take hold, his recent wounds healing quickly.

Louise marveled as the cuts and bruises healed there in front of her. "Amazing. Not even the potion I was going to town for would have worked this quickly!" It seemed surprises would not stop for the young mage.

Kamvex rolled his shoulder and neck as he felt the serum take effect. "Most of this is superficial to be honest. The runes activated earlier I believe." He pondered a moment, hand resting on his chin. "It must've been a combination of the mental strain, damage and my body not being used to... Whatever happened."
He looked down at his left arm, gleaming in the setting sunlight. "And now I'll have to try and fix the holo-guise. Can't just have a metal arm out and about."

The girls glanced between themselves before Siesta asked, "How did you come to have such a terrible injury?"

"I'd quite like to know that myself."

Kamvex mulled it over when he heard the lightest scraping of the window opening. Violet eyes glanced between the two before looking over to the window. "And the person floating outside?"

"What?" Louise raced over to the window and looked out to see the floating forms of Kirche and Tabatha. "You two!"

"Hi there little Louise." Kirche said, inviting herself in. "I originally came just to return something of your familiar's, but now you have my interest."

"What could you have that-" her question died seeing the brightly pictured sash.

"Ah! My kapenia!" The male acknowledged. "Thanks for taking care of it for me Red." Kirche had a small blush on her face as she handed it back to the owner. It wasn't a look that Louise particularly liked. She turned with a questioning glare at the smaller girl.

"Curious." She mumbled. She stepped over to look at the young captain. "Observant."

"Takes a lot to sneak up on me, though it wasn't you I heard." He shrugged. "You are only as sneaky as your loudest companion." The blunette thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"That's all very nice," Louise began, "but I believe you were going to tell us about that." She pointed at the metal arm.

"Ah, right. Well, a bit of set up is needed I suppose. It wasn't long after I and my new crew were put together and accepted as part of the Starfinder Society and sent on our first real mission. From there, things spiraled out of control and sending us on a journey that would culminate with us finding that weapon I told you about Louise." Being straight up with his summoner was one thing, but others could possibly use information he had. It was for their protection they didn't know yet.

"Anyway, before that, we had come across some writings that we couldn't understand, as they were both ancient and alien to us. We went to the best University in our system to see an expert on the writings, and came to find out she'd been kidnapped." His brow furrowed as he recounted the journey. "A friend of mine who studied under the professor came with us, and we found an ancient temple from a bygone age... And in front of it was it's guardian."

~[Planet Castrovel - Courtyard of the Temple of the Twelve: 11 months ago]

"The speaker for the Star-Eater does not wish to allow you to enter, and by his will, I must insist. You are not welcome here."

Those were the last words the ancient elven temple guardian had said before he proceeded with beating the Seven Hells out of Kamvex and his crew. Even Karikta and Galshir, the crew's two greatest melee fighters, were dispatched almost effortlessly. Being tended to by their medic was their engineer, who paid for trying to attack up close with his right leg being sheared off by the Solarion's solar spear. As an android, he was easier to patch up than most, but he still lay unconscious due to shock.

The undead elf turned his head toward the last four that may give him trouble, eyes glowing with the solar energy coursing through him. Kamvex stood about 40 feet away, pistols in both hands, but clips nearly empty. Behind him was his childhood friend Saleris, and his two new crewmates, Faerin and Mini-Chew.

Faerin was a half-elf, drow to be precise, with a deep hatred for her bastard father. She stood a tad smaller than her captain and was mostly cloaked in blacks and crimson, save for her snow white hair. Kamvex had chosen her to be his second in command due to their conflicting personalities. Where he was loud and boisterous, she was subtle and silent. Where he could be impulsive, she could be cautious. She stood slightly in front of the other two women, rifle at the ready, as one cowered in fear, and the other chanted her spell.

Mini was an odd Ysoki, or as the old tongue said, rat-folk. At just under two feet tall, it wasn't a stretch to say she was the smallest one of the crew. Her fur was of a hazel color with splotches of white intermixed, and she wore a set of goggles atop her head while dressed in loose and colorful clothing. Her paws glowed green as intricate digital patterns danced about her, concentrating on breaking a spell placed upon the temple guard.

Saleris however, was cowering in fear. She was a pacifist and this was the first time she had seen something so brutal. To see the companions of her friend thrown around like rag dolls and the severing of a limb, it was nearly too much for the archeologist. But she was here for her friend and to find her mentor, so she watched as he fought.

Kamvex gave two more shots before he was blasted backward by a bolt of light. He skidded to a stop just to her side, as Faerin unloaded a shot into the undead elf's chest. It startled him before he rushed her down and threw her away. The haunting glow of his spear unnerved the redhead, but she was now the only one in the way of the mage who, if correct, could stop this. She picked up a pistol that Kamvex dropped and aimed.

"Foolish child, " the guardian spoke, "now you too will die here." She fired quickly but missed, then missed again, before he was upon her. She flinched, closing her eyes and raising her hands in defense that she knew wouldn't help before she felt herself tumbling over.

She opened her eyes at the sound of a 'thump'. To her right was Kamvex, arm outstretched having pushed her away... Or, that's what it should have been. There was nothing there but a clean and bloody stump, and twitching on the ground was his left arm.

For his part, Kamvex could only howl in pain as he fell to his knees before slipping into unconsciousness. As his vision darkened, however, he noticed the area filled with a bright green light, before he heard a cry for a medic. The only thought as he slipped, was that he had no regret about this, and he would do it again for anyone he cared about in a heartbeat.
No matter what.~

[Tristain Academy of Magic - Louise's Room: Present]

"I came to a little later. My friends cleared out the temple and we killed the cultists who dominated the guard. Once we got back home, myself and two crew mates got fitted for cybernetics." He held the arm up, "the first one was a bit more crude, but I was able to get a custom upgrade made."

It was a harrowing story, Louise thought. From the expressions, two of the other girls were also in awe, though it was always hard to get a reading on Tabatha. "So you mean to say that this is all because you pushed your friend out of harms way?"

"I did tell you what I was in the middle of when you summoned me, right?" He asked incredulously. "Other than the fact that this isn't something you've seen before, that shouldn't come as a suprise."

Louise had the decency to blush at least. She knew very well where he claimed to have been. This was another thing cementing it. Before she had the chance to speak again though, Siesta beat her to it.

"So what were those other crewmembers of yours? You said one of them was an elf?" She asked, fear plain in her voice.

"Half, but yes." The disgust and fear was plain on the girls' faces. So he decided to change from that topic to some more foreign races. "She's not the weirdest though. Do remember that I have a two foot tall mouse lady on my ship."

Kircher visibly shuddered. "I never knew I would learn about two foot tall talking rats..." Kamvex just started at her. "What?"

"You live in a magical society that's nobility are all mages and summon anything from a mole to a dragon. Don't tell me you don't have ROUSs."

"Huh?"

"Rodents Of Unusual Size." Tabitha provided. "We have them."

"Yes, but they don't talk or cast magic!" A horrifying thought came to her then. "Wait does that mean I possibly have the same social standing as a RAT!?"

"Somewhere out there probably, but not this one. Even if she does act like a diva." He shook his head and smiled. "As I've told Louise, our system of magic doesn't work like a hierarchy. Theoretically anyone can learn it, but some of the more rudimentary elements of it are gone..."

Louise had to admit, the stunned look on her Germainian rival's face was exquisite. It was something she didn't have a chance to see much of. The maid was similarly flabbergasted. It was only Tabitha that had the headway to ask an actual question.

"Simple spells... gone?"

Kamvex looked at the bluette before turning his attention outside again. It was really going to be dark soon. "Do you have a Light spell? Something to make a coin or a small rock glow?" With a nod of her head the quiet girl picked up Louise's brush, and with a few incantations, made it glow softly, lighting up the corner of the room.

Satisfied, Kamvex reached into his coat and pulled out a slender black cylinder. Passing it to Siesta, he motioned for her to press the small button on the end and point the glass end away from her.

With a press, the room was illuminated in a bright white light. The three young mages initially shielded their eyes before realizing that the room was significantly more lit.

"And that's just a simple, single direction flashlight. " Kamvex said, giving his best salesman impression. "Simple push of a button and you can light up a room. Comes as a lantern too for full room lighting. "

Though slightly impressed by the light, Louise had to ask. "But why not just use magic for it?"

"Look whose using it." He said, pointing to Siesta. "Young girl with no magic and a simple instrument can light up the room with a single press. Where a competent mage still needs to chant and make a target."

A bemused look came across the faces of the three mages whist Siesta stared at the little light in her hand. For her to be holding an object that took even noble mages off guard, no matter how insignificant the object was, was astounding. And his people made more things that don't require magic? "Amazing..."

~Old Osmand's Office~

It had been several hours since the duel between the young Gramont and Valliere's familiar, and Osmond and Colbert had reconvened. In the time between Osmand had ordered his employee to gather everything he had found on Gandalfr and bring it to his office. What the headmaster saw... it was troubling.

Osmand was not as foolish and senile as he showed. His form may have been brittle and frail for decades, but his mind was as sharp as ever. He knew the tales of the legendary familiars. Men and women able to bend certain powers to their will. He knew for certain that a Windalfr, The Right Hand of God and Master of Beasts, was summoned in the Holy City a year or so prior. There was also rumor as to there being a Mjöðvitnir, The Mind of God and Master of Magic. Never in millennia had there been more than one Void mage, and subsequently, only one legendary familiar.

"Great, now we need but The Heart of God to know that catastrophe is near..." He sighed. A small bell sound chimmed in his ear, one of his alarm spells, no doubt Colbert finally returning with his studies and findings.

He spared a glance outside, noting the maid that had gone with Miss Vallìere was leaving the kitchens with enough snacks for a party. It seemed his healers needed to be better trained. He looked to the opening door and greeted his guest, motioning him forward.

It was time to find answers.

~Louise's Room~

*At least they're calm now...* Kamvex thought with a sigh. After a moment more of being flabbergasted, the two red heads started to blitz him with questions while Tabitha took a closer look at the light. Or at least, they let him be upon his bringing up the family rival's ability to work toward a common goal.

Siesta had gone and returned now with drinks and snacks as the five talked. Before he got sucked back into a magic debate he truly didn't know enough about, he decided to get back on track. "I believe about a half hour ago someone asked about my crewmembers?" He asked looking about the room gaining their attention.

Upon getting it, he slipped a small metal band with a blue center off his arm, placing it up on the nearby dresser. "Till that's fixed, there's no reason for it to stay on my arm." He said matter of factly. Reaching for his belt, he grabbed the circular device he'd gotten his grappler out of and fit it into place on the arm. "This though..." after a moment and a push of a button, the piece sprang to life, displaying a holographic image of a symbol reading [NsC: mkII].

"What is this now?" Kirche asked with wonder, the blue glow taking over the attention of the room. The Germainian woman was a bit too close for Louise's liking, but she too was more interested in the device her familiar had active. But an eye would be kept on her blood rival's wicked ways.

"It stands for Null Space Chamber," Kamvex explained. "It's a tiny storage unit for a bunch of my stuff. Observe..." Pressing the logo brought up another display, a few more options before it opened up, a small swirling vortex within. He pulled out his Grappler and started feeding it into the vortex, the display above showing a digital version of the thing. Once it was gone, the display showed words and numbers that the girls couldn't read.

"Tada! And for my next trick..!" A few more keystrokes brought up a hexagonal device on the display. A final press and the vortex began to spit it out, the item being about three feet in diameter. With nothing else, the device shut off, with the new piece of metal on the bed.

"One holographic projector ready for deployment!" He said, placing it in the corner of the room.

The four women were stunned. His traversal equipment disappears and now this metal sheet comes out of his arm? "How?" Tabitha asked.

"Magitech combination of a Bag of Holding and the catologing and materialization of vendors." He explained as if it were nothing. "This one can hold close to three hundred pounds of stuff in its extradimentional space. All on a neat little watch."

He looked up from his work to see confused expressions. "You guys do have Bags of Holding, right?"

Four heads looked to the others before shaking no. "Seriously? How do guys use that magic if not for utility?"

Louise's mouth was agape as her familiar kept talking. "Any advanced mage worth their salt should have at LEAST looked into these kind of things. Couple millennia ago the mages of my world could teleport to the next star systems and other planes of existence."

With that Louise had heard enough. "There are laws and limits to magic. What you're speaking about is unbelievable."

"So is a beginner mage casually creating metal golems from nothing," he countered. "Making rocks appear in someone's mouth is pretty impressive too. Or as I explained earlier to you Miss, a flock of teenagers casually flying away."

He holds up a hand to stop an incoming tyraide from his master. "However, I've seen what you all can do with magic, and wonder what all else you could do. Surely you can do more than just elemental magics. Otherwise you're hiding progress behind a wall of outdated tradition." He put his hand to his chin again, his 'thinking pose' the girls gathered.

Louise was once again about to lay into him before he stared thinking out loud. "No, that's not right... that's bigoted. All people have they're own traditions and views. Dispite what I think, I currently I know nothing about what you believe, nor why." He rubbed the back of his head, a rueful look on his face. "I have a habit of saying whatever comes to mind. Sometimes I catch it, and others I don't. So I do apologize, Louise," he said with a bow.

Louise gave him a hard look. She was by far the most devout in the room, where the others stared either in disbelief or neutrality, she was obviously angry. However, "At least you understand your mistake familiar. Be sure to be more mindful. Others are not as forgiving as I."

"Of course, Miss." He responded.

"Um..." Siesta said quietly, "would you be able to show us what you were going to?"

"Yes, I'd quite like to see these crewmembers of yours." Kirche seconded.

"I did say that," Kamvex admitted. "And I can use a better analogy for magic and looking further into it for you all." The mages and maid turned to him again as he walked to a small painting on the wall.

It was of Louise in a beautiful regal gown on her family's property overlooking a small lake. "This probably took ages to paint. And most likely by the finest artist in the country. "

Louise nodded. The day had been dreadful, a hot summer afternoon in such a gown was unbearable. The painting was grand, but the time it took to make it was terrible. So deep in thought of the day, she hadn't noticed her familiar take out a knife before the scratching of her wall was heard.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Next to the painting was a gouged out simple stick figure. It had long waves for hair and a smaller stick coming from it's right hand.

"This is you, if you asked someone 10,000 years ago to draw you. In that time, people discovered lead to draw, minerals and oils to make paint. They learned and practiced, teaching generation after generation. They too would discover new skills and arts until finally... this," he gestures from the carving to the painting, "becomes this."

"Not that I don't like seeing Valliere get heated like this," the Germainian questioned, "but what are you trying to say with all this?"

"Progress takes time, dear listeners. It takes more questions and a thirst for knowledge and answers. Such as, with the previous case, hours of standing in sweltering heat, or..." he lifted his hand with his data pad. The girls then heard a small click and a flash of light before he turned the item around, showing a perfect picture of the four of them not a moment ago.

"Or a simple quick picture taken in but a moment? And this tech is around two hundred years old. We have something even more." A few more taps and the metal piece on the floor lit up. After a moment, a simple hologram of Louise popped into existence.

The figure was correct for the most part, though the simple 3d model pails in comparison to the original starting back. Louise looked in ernest, anger mostly forgotten at the moment, as she waved her hand through the light construct. "This is... me?"

"A simplified version, yes," Kamvex supplied. "With a full scan though..." a few more presses and soon he himself appeared, fully colored in and posed, "you get this. Full model. No guesswork. It's all there."

After a few moments of looking, he tapped the pad a few times, the image leaving and constructing another. "Now for the main event."

The form coming together was that of a large brute, the legs each being near the size of Louise or Tabitha's waists. Forming behind was a thick scaled tail, and their first clue that they would see something not human. An armored torso and arms came about next, the chest as wide as a small armoire. Finally, at around seven feet tall, came a blue/green reptilian head, spiked scales on the chin forming a beard of sorts. A menacing figure if they ever saw one, THIS creature took orders from a man nearly half his size?

"Ladies, meet Karikta Grrkek von Iron-Skull," the captain spoke of his first crewmate. "And if you meet him, that's how you'd better address him. As most of you are in high society, you know the meaning and respect for a full name. The Vesk as a race command that respect for their military might. Until you learn who they are and they accept you, you use the full name."

Siesta, the most sacred of the four spoke up to ask, "What would they do then?"

"Do you know what happens if you insult a noble?" She shook her head, terrified. "That but worse. Their society is similar to yours, but replace magic with combat prowess. And most have the ability to fight a mage head on because of it."

The image shifted slightly, becoming a bit taller, but slightly more slender. This bluer Vesk was dressed more loosely in comparison to the armored tank of Karikta, the head was smoother as well. "Speaking of magic, Verset is one of our mages, a Mindbreaker Mystic. While she doesn't have the same physical abilities as Karikta, she's able to destroy a person with just her mind and psionic magic."

"Psionics?"

Kamvex turned to the inquiring blue haired girl. "Magic of the mind. It's our belief that there are four sources of magic: the divines, the arcane, the primal, and the occult, which the mind falls into. We'll go over philosophy later as it IS late and I think we'd all rather finish this before we get derailed again."

Tabitha looked thoughtful for a moment before a silent nod told him to continue. The next image to materialize was that of the two foot tall rat woman Mini-Chew, looking exactly as described.

"Sassy, stubborn, brilliant... and quick to pick playful fights with Karikta. She's our other mage, a Technomancer. It's like Necromancy but with science and less sinister..." he paused thinking on his words, "usually..."

After a short pause, the image once again changed. This time it was a lean humanoid figure, though now the differences were grey skin, an elongated head and a second set of arms! His clothes were a combination of a skin tight suit, a mask over his mouth, and several loose shawls.

Seeing their question early, the captain started to explain, "Galshier. He's a race known as a Kasathan. Very traditional people, many of them enjoy history as a hobby. Mine enjoys flying things really fast." He chuckled for a moment. "Actually his history intake puts him in position to be our chronicler as well, writing down reports and small tidbits of our journey."

His smile turned to a sour frown as he punches in the keys to bring up the next crewmember. It was only Louise who noticed but upon the image that was brought up, she understood.

While the top half was mostly human in look, if a bit metallic, the bottom was all mechanical. Four robotic limbs grafted under the torso to replace lost legs. On his shoulder, a small little drone no bigger than a kitten perched.

"Kail0 V s is the ship's Engineer. He's the one that took the biggest hit in that fight..." He sighed, "someone was looking out for him though. Somehow we were able to keep him alive long enough for some of us to get him back for emergency treatment."

He looked back at the girls, each of them having a look of empathy and some fright. *It's fine,* he reasoned. They, like him, were young. This was the first time he dealt with such a serious problem, the near death of a comrade.

"Luckily I have a good second in command to keep my head on straight." And with that, he brought up the half elven woman that immediately struck fear into the girls hearts. The piercing gaze could be felt even though the hologram, the woman staring back had such a presence.

"How... how can you stand to be in the presence of such a vile creature?" Louise asked, fear and hatred getting the better of her.

Kamvex turned to her slowly, "and that is where we come to a finale of our cultural adventure into art, magic and people." He stooped down to look her straight in the eye. "To be blunt, Louise, you are blind. You see pointed ears and believe them devils. You currently see nothing but the walls instilled around you filled with hate. Fae is a person. Just like any of us in this room she has hopes and dreams that sent her to the stars. If you rounded the ears, you'd say nothing."

Louise grew very quite, the tension leaking from her familiar as thick as could be. Everyone in the room could feel his anger and passion as he spoke. "I know at least one reason why you've failed to cast anything so far Miss. You can't cast magic or grow, because you are too narrow minded. Too proud to ask for true help and too prideful to take up those that offer it."

He stood up and walked to the wall he'd scratched up and put his hand over the damaged part. "Others, no matter their status, stare at the same wall as you. With such tunnel vision, you see nothing but the wall in front of you and the dogma displayed all about it. You'll try to continue to break through it without damaging what 'Truths' lie upon the wall. You won't even step back to see that the wall could be climbed, that a door could be opened or that a different path is available. Without understanding that..."

He stepped to the side to gather his things, the wall completely fixed. "You'll have nothing but a damaged wall, and a bruised ego." He started heading for the door, throwing his coat on as he went. "So then, take a good look at that image. Then ask yourself: are they so different from you?"

And with that, he slipped out the door, the image of the elven woman still staring at the four young girls.

~*A few minutes later: Vestri Court*~

"Sigh... perhaps I was too harsh on them..." Kamvex lamented. He knew he couldn't push views and agendas on those from a less accepting world. "Still though, hate for no reason is terrible. Gotta do some research..."

The trip around the school proved both fruitful and frustrating. Without his Comprehend Language spell, there was no use in truly mapping out the place, as he still couldn't read. *Another thing on the to-do list,* he thought.

The bit of skulking around did show that there were not many guards or teachers roaming. *Not like there are sons and daughters of major hierarchy he- oh wait!* was sarcastically in his head. The next bit of interest was the lights in the large window at the top of the central tower.

"Now what could this be..?"

~Old Osmand's Office~

It was official. Both Osmand and Colbert could prove that the young Valliere girl was a Void Mage. Not only that, her familiar was a Gandalfr. Not just a Gandalfr, but quite possibly the strongest form the Familiar name had taken.

The recorded Gandalfr of the past, when it was done so, were usually commoners that the royal who summoned them had fallen in love with beforehand. Each case, though brief, ended in one of two ways: a happy life for the two, or an early end.

Osmand puffed on his pipe, and after a long and exhausted exhale, spoke first. "There's no use denying it. That boy is most certainly the legendary familiar. And with that knowledge..."

"Miss Valliere's mishaps with magic have taken shape. " Colbert supplied. He stood to fomally address the old wizard. "Sir Osmand, I shall contact the church at once. They will want to know that another Void mage has been-"

"That will not be necessary, Colbert. "

"But sir..!"

Osmand held his hand up to quell the younger professor's questions. "Other than Lífþrasir for unknown reasons, Gandalfr has the shortest life expectancy of the four. His summoners even less so."

He steepled his fingers and gave the balding man a hard look. "Should the Church of Brimir find out too soon, they may send the child to the front of a Holy War. If she cannot cast any spells, then she will be defenseless, regardless of this Gandalfr's prowess."

Colbert could see the rationale of this. The Left Hand was far more suited to combat than any other familiar. That still left a question though, "Where do we go from here then, Sir?"

"We do what we can to protect Miss Valliere and the rest of our young student body." The Headmaster responded. "We do everything in our power to teach her what we can, but in the long run, it will be up to her and her convictions. "

Unbeknownst to the two mages, a coated figure flew to the ground.

A/N: So hopefully this was okay. Again I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with this. I have more ready and I'll try to keep up some more. We'll see what happens as I try to get on a schedule.