The Guardian

After Rai left, Nova had trained while experimenting with his mana.

Before long, he had gotten hungry again and ordered a meal named after house Strife, another great house.

It ended up being a variety of roasted meats, glazed vegetables, and breads, along with 3 honey lemon sodas and miscellaneous butters and sauce packets.

「 Man. Mage's Meals are really good. I might just have to order every day.」 [Nova]

After he finished eating he sat down on his bed and started to circulate his mana.

He depleted about half of his mana reserves before deciding that sleeping with an empty stomach would be a horrible idea.

And thus, he slept.

As he slept, the mark that emerged previously appeared on his head.

「Where am I?」[Nova]

Nova woke up in a place filled in milky white.

「Is this… a dream?」[Nova]

Behind him, a twinkling noise caught his attention.

「What is going on?」[Nova]

When he turned around, a person who had a vague appearance stood.

『When I was young, I had a dream.』[???]

『Huh?』[Nova]

『I was a young man with no background, but big aspirations.』[???]

The apparition began to shudder, and its features started to become visible.

He was a handsome man with long white hair, simple clothes, and a blade by his side.

『It was to vanquish all the beasts that plagued the people, and to protect the ones I love.』[???]

Nova stood still, listening attentively.

『But as time grew on, I became weak and old. It was time to pass the torch.』[???]

The young man began to grow old, until he had a tired look on his face.

『I will give you this sword. Take it and chase your dreams, my descendant.』[???]

He reached at his waist and handed a sheathed sword to Nova.

『...Thank you.』[Nova]

Nova admired the blade in his hands. It shone a pale blue, with an orange gem embedded where a guard should have been.

Grasping the hilt, threads of mana wove around Nova's hand and he felt a connection form between him and the sword.

『Call my name.』[???]

『I.. Don't know it.』[Nova]

『Close your eyes.』[???]

Nova closed his eyes for a moment, before they shot wide open again.

『Reischneid.』[Nova]

The sword erupted into a great inferno with Nova's blue flames.

『...Good. From now on, I'll be watching over you, Nova. Keep my blade in your heart, and I'll help you from going astray.』[Reischneid]

Nova knelt down and looked up at the handsome young man.

『Thank you. I'm indebted to you. I'll be in your care.』[Nova]

Nova felt a hand lay on his head.

He looked up and saw the young man smile.

『You're a good kid.』[Reischneid]

And with that, Nova faded back into his sleep.

----

After a nice... 14 hours of sleep, Nova woke up at some hour in the afternoon.

『What the heck? I went to bed to try and wake up early, but I still ended up missing breakfast..』[Nova]

Nova's phone buzzed.

「Something tells me that I'm in danger..」[Nova]

He lifted up his phone, and saw something that shook him to his core.

「Miss Sarena is… going to rip off my door again..?」[Nova]

Just as Nova thought that, he heard the noise of his door being broken down.

『So, what are you doing, and why are you still in bed?』[Sarena]

『I.. Was tired, so I was sleeping?』[Nova]

『When did you go to sleep?』[Sarena]

『..11?』[Nova]

『You slept for 14 hours?』[Sarena]

『..Yes?』[Nova]

『How, and why?』[Sarena]

『I don't know. I had this crazy dream and just slept.』[Nova]

『...How much did you train yesterday?』[Sarena]

『Huh? I trained from when I woke up to when I went to sleep.』[Nova]

『..What is wrong with you?』[Sarena]

『Huh?』[Nova]

『Say their name.』[Sarena]

Before his brain had caught up, he had already said the name.

『Reischneid.』[Nova]

With a burst of blue flame, a handle embedded with an orange gem floated in front of him.

『So, a Guardian has manifested and revealed itself to you already.』[Sarena]

『A.. Guardian?』[Nova]

『Yes. A Guardian manifests itself as a weapon that helps the person on their path. You'll learn more about it in Seed Theory, but for now, just know that some old person who takes kindly to you is watching over you.』[Sarena]

Nova heard a voice in his head.

「Did she really call me an old person? In spirit, I'll always be young!」[Reischneid]

『Huh? Reischneid, you can talk to me?』[Nova]

『...Wait, you're communicating already, too? This is starting to give me a headache..』[Sarena]

『Uhm.. sorry?』[Nova]

Sarena waved him off.

『So, then since I'm here, let's go do some training. Right, Nova?』[Sarena]

『I… suppose?』[Nova]

『It's- "Yes, master".』[Sarena]

『Oh, okay. Wait- I'm calling you master now?』[Nova]

『Well... you call Oswald teacher, so it'd be better if you called me master, right?』[Sarena]

『Uhh… Yes, master?』[Nova]

...But in Nova's mind he thought something completely different.

「Wait, is that really how this works?」[Nova]

『Good. Then let's proceed.』[Sarena]

---------------------

『So.. Master. How do I use my Guardian?』[Nova]

『How am I supposed to know? Ask him.』[Sarena]

『Oh. Reischneid?』[Nova]

「Pour your mana into it and try to control the flow of it exiting the top of the hilt. You can use it in multiple ways. By stopping the flow of mana into it, it will consolidate and become solid. By pouring mana continuously, you can make the blade constantly change forms. On top of that- you can cast your spells as if the blade was an extension of your body. There's more, but I'll tell you when you should use it.」[Reischneid]

『Let's begin. I'll have you spar against me for battle training.』[Sarena]

『Wait, what?』[Nova]

『You heard me. Let's go, Zenithia!』[Sarena]

A lotus flower appeared out of a flourish and floated in front of her.

Sarena grasped an elegant white sword with a leather hilt from the center of the flower.

『If you can land a hit on me, I'll teach you something nice as a reward!』[Sarena]

『Alright, let's go then. Reischneid!』[Nova]

「Yeah! Use me in solid form, as a blade about 2 feet long.」[Reischneid]

「Alright! What's the plan?」[Nova]

「We're going to trick her into thinking that she has an advantage in range.」[Reischneid]

Nova formed the blade and stopped pouring mana into it, causing it to become a blue steel.

「HOLD IT! She's in a stance, and you probably have no experience in sword fighting.」[Reischneid]

「Well.. Yeah! I don't have any at all!」[Nova]

「Okay. Keep your eyes on her blade, and try to clash with it. Then, pour mana into it and wrap the sword around the blade.」[Reischneid]

「Oh! As expected of you, Reischneid!」[Nova]

「Heh. It's nothing much.」[Reischneid]

Nova ran at Sarena with an amateur's stance and swung his sword at her.

She of course, blocked with her blade. To which, Nova smiled.

『Got you.』[Nova]

Reischneid proceeded to quickly expand and wrap around Sarena's blade.

『Oi. Aren't you getting a bit cocky?』[Sarena]

『Hu-?』[Nova]

Nova's "Huh?" was cut short by Sarena hitting him with a palm on his stomach that sent him flying and broke the blade at the same time.

『GUHAH!』[Nova]

『I never said that I wasn't gonna hit you.』[Sarena]

『This.. Better be some lesson I'm getting if I have to land a hit on you..』[Nova]

『It's a spell. Specifically one in the chanter category.』[Sarena]

Nova's eyes lit up, and his inner greedy pig began to call out for the spell.

『Reischneid, we gotta go all out.』[Nova]

「Got it, partner. Then, I'll give you some cool advice.」[Reischneid]

「Alright, what's the game plan?」[Nova]

「Put mana into the orange gem, as much as possible.」[Reischneid]

He began to infuse mana into the gem, circling around Sarena.

「What is he going to do?」[Sarena]

「Alright. NOW, NOVA! THROW ME!」[Reischneid]

He threw the hilt straight at Sarena, and she dodged it.

「Wait. What?」[Nova]

Nova was then considering the consequences of his action.