Alexander The Great Mage

Alexander tinkered around the capsule, but failed to find a way to open the hatch. Finally, he sighed and made a sharp spaceblade that neatly sliced through the transparent hatch.

Bshhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Air escaped from the capsule as the hatch separated from the capsule.

Alexander gently brushed the girl's hair aside to reveal her face.

"Princess Anastasia." Flamewing said with a slight hint of excitement in her voice.

"How… fortunate of me to find her so soon." Alexander said with a laugh.

"You recognize her, Your Majesty?" Dubaza asked.

"I do." Alexander said with a smile. "She is currently the most important person on this planet. Apart from me and Aleyria of course. But make sure that she stays alive going forward."

"As you command, Your Majesty." Dubaza said.

"Her enemies would probably come soon, and in great numbers. We might not be able to escape their high tech detection devices. We should go." Flamewing said quickly.

"Hmmm." Alexander agreed.

He lifted the girl out of the capsule and gently infused verdant energy into her body. After a few seconds, Alexander raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. Princess Anastasia's body was like a hungry black hole which devoured his magical energy. He could feel a suction force drawing his magical energy relentlessly.

Alexander circulated more magical energy around his body and began to send more verdant energy into her. However, they soon disappeared without a trace.

Just what is going on with this Princess Anastasia? Alexander was extremely intrigued. He wasn't worried in the slightest because the amount of energy she was absorbing from him, although rather large in amount, was still within the boundaries of his regenerative powers.

After an entire minute, a slight tinge of worry began to creep into Alexander's heart. Thankfully, at that moment, Princess Anastasia's eyes began to quiver slightly before slowly opening.

"Move back a little and give her some space." Flamewing ordered.

Alexander agreeably took a step back.

Princess Anastasia blinked a few times and then focused on Alexander with a startling intensity. More specifically, she focused on the furball that was sleeping on his head.

Her eyes were luminous and beautiful, giving her an adorable look. However, the intelligence and nobility that lurked within those eyes immediately quenched any thoughts of treating her like the child she was. She looked barely six years old.

"Are you the man the old man was talking about?" She said slowly. She had a beautiful voice that matched her looks and age, but it was nothing extraordinary.

"What old man?" Alexander asked immediately.

"He said his name was Magius. What's your name?" Princess Anastasia asked warily.

"My name is Alexander. And yes, I am the man Magius probably told you about. He instructed me to safely lead you to the throne of Symphonia. Frankly speaking, I had not expected to meet you so soon. I thought it would be in 5 years or so, at least until I control this world." Alexander said chattily. He was trying to make her feel comfortable.

Princess Anastasia nodded. She raised her hand and handed Alexander a little spherical ball. "Magius asked me to give this to you, to be passed on to 'Flamewing' once you succeed in your mission. If you had admitted to being sent by Magius but gave me a different name, I would have crushed that ball. It'll vaporize everything except for me within a two mile radius."

Alexander almost dropped the ball in shock. Vaporize everything in a two mile radius? That's insane!

"You might want to be careful with it." Princess Anastasia looked at Alexander with a trace of mirth in her eyes.

"Err.. Right. I will take good care of it." Alexander quickly stored the ball into the spatial-time prison.

"What now?" Princess Anastasia asked Alexander the way a little sister would ask her elder brother what else they should play. She folded her arms cutely and stared at him as she waited for an answer.

"Let's get to a safe place first, somewhere far enough to avoid detection by your brother's men and equipment." Alexander quickly said. This Princess Anastasia made him feel strange all over. He felt strangely warm and protective over her.

It's rather weird.

"Let's go then." Princess Anastasia raised both hands at Alexander.

He stared dumbly at her. "What does she want?" Alexander asked Flamewing nervously.

Flamewing burst out into a peal of laughter. "She wants you to carry her, dummy! She's still a little girl!"

"OH!" Alexander smacked his own head mentally as realization finally dawned.

Alexander reached out to Princess Anastasia and carried her out of the capsule.

"I want to sit on you too! Let me sit on your shoulders." Princess Anastasia commanded.

"Uh, okay." Alexander agreed.

Princess Anastasia promptly grabbed on his head and settled down on his shoulders.

"Make sure I don't fall off, okay?" Princess Anastasia called out in a slightly sing-song voice.

"Hey, isn't that something I should say to you?" Alexander said in protest.

"Cast your spells, make sure I don't fall, okay?" Princess Anastasia called out again as she released her grip on his head and began to play with Fluff-fluff.

"Ehm." Dubaza cleared his throat slightly to avoid laughing out.

Mutter. Mutter. Mutter. Alexander grumbled slightly. He's a King, for crying out loud! A great general, a powerful warrior, slayer of thousands, victor of a hundred battlefields! Now, he's essentially a table. His head the tabletop, his shoulders the chair.

"Let's go! Quick!" Princess Anastasia kicked her heels against Alexander's chest.

"A horse!" Flamewing pronounced. "You're a horse! Don't worry, you're not just any horse. You're a ROYAL horse! The King of Horses! This must be your CROWNING achievement for this life and the past! Neighh!!"

Sighing deeply, Alexandere grabbed Dubaza's shoulder and teleported away.

*-*-*-*-*

Aleyria floated above the City of Rin, supervising the progress of the buildings. She had been spending more and more time just standing in the sky recently. Aside from giving her an excellent vantage point over everything that was happening in the City, it also suited her mood perfectly.

She missed Alexander with a burning passion, and she was in no mood to talk to people.

Even this high in the sky, people still managed to come and disturb her with their incessant reporting.

"Report!" Came the voice of one of the guilty. It was the Academy Director she had installed to oversee the four Academies.

"Proceed." Aleyria said in a flat voice.

"All lead staff and lead teacher positions have been filled. We are ready to begin work on the curriculum."

"Begin at once, based on the framework I have created."

"Acknowledged." The Academy Director flew back down on his Wyvern.

Within a few short seconds, another Wyvern appeared.

"Report!" Battalion Commander Justin saluted smartly at Aleyria from atop his Wyvern.

"Proceed." Aleyria nodded at him.

"We've completed the main buildings for all four Academies. We require your seal to secure the secret rooms in all four buildings."

"Okay. I will be there shortly."

"Acknowledged." Battalion Commander Justin saluted smartly once more and departed.

Aleyria sighed. It's time for her to go to work. "I wonder if Alexander is missing me as well."

*-*-*-*-*-*

"Faster!" Shouted Princess Anastasia excitedly from Alexander's shoulders. "Quick! It's getting away! RUN FASTER!"

Alexander pumped his legs crazily, running after the deer who was scampering away at extremely high speed.

In his mind, Flamewing was laughing hysterically while occasionally making a neighing sound.

"Enough is enough!" Alexander thought saltily.

He pointed at the deer and immediately, it froze and fell down.

"Hey!" Princess Anastasia said in surprise. "I thought we weren't supposed to use magic? The whole purpose of this exercise is training, remember?"

"I thought you said you're hungry? We're in a hurry, exercise can wait!" Alexander said loudly. "I'm going to cook it first, do you want to come down for a bit and play with Uncle Dubaza?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake.

"No, thank you.' Princess Anastasia said. "I'd rather play with Fluff-fluff. She's so cute!"

Damn. I shouldn't have asked. I should have just told her to do it!

Alexander sighed in resignation and quickly started to skin the deer. They had two dragons to find and rescue, and yet here they were, chasing after deer and cooking as though they're camping somewhere instead of being on an important mission.

But truthfully, deep down he was actually rather pleased at how things were turning out. He got that beast core which had strengthened Vernie considerably, the incredibly rare fruits, and now even Princess Anastasia, his ticket to entering Magius's inner circle, had somehow delivered herself into his hands. And although she turned out to be just a mischievous little girl who treated him like her Royal Pony, it was a good thing compared to having to kidnap her from her Royal Palace or even helping her gain the throne from afar.

It's a perfect day! Alexander told himself. Perfect! His hands dealt with the deer with the skill of a seasoned cook.

Within a few minutes, a mouth-watering smell wafted by Princess Anastasia's nose. She gulped audibly. "Hey, can we eat it now?" She whispered as she stared at the chunk of meat on Alexander's hand.

"Sure! Just becareful, it's hot." He said.

Princess Anastasia nodded vigorously and grabbed the meat from Alexander.

"Ooh! Ooh! Hot! Hot!" Ahm. Chomp Chomp. "Itch cho nyammmy!" She exclaimed between mouthfuls.

"I'm glad you like it." Alexander said as he too opened his mouth to take a bite.

"Your Majesty!" Dubaza's excited voice rang out from somewhere in the distance.

What now? What treasure could it be this time??

Although these lucky incidents were becoming slightly ridiculous, Alexander totally loved it! This is how life should be lived! He cried out in his heart.