Reverse Chronicles

Victory At Last

The battle between Johannes and Luke was so intense that the crowd watched the next battle in total boredom. The match between the competitors of Block I and Block N ended with N as the winner. He will face Luke in the next round. As for me, my next opponent will be the person who will win between the loser’s match, Johannes’ vs. the competitor from Block I. Block I instantly surrenders making Johannes my opponent.

I enter the arena with all of my weapons. Perhaps, I need to use God Wield to win against Johannes. However, as soon as the match started, Johannes lays down his sword yielding the match and instantly I win it.

Is he doing this on purpose so that Luke and I fight again?

“You’ll finally get the chance to vindicate your loss,” he says to me as we both exit the arena. “Win this time, Alan. Don’t let me down.”

I watch Luke proceed to the final round against me. He is the last obstacle that I have to overcome before winning. He is the last person that I have to beat to prove to everyone that I am worthy to be Wisterion’s Squire. I have to prove it to him and shove it in his face.

With the recent events including Johannes’s surrenders, the final match is met with blank stares and subtle sounds. The crowd is surprised with how things have gone and what could possibly be Johannes’s motives. Instead of shouts and cheers, a silent atmosphere envelops the arena as I enter ready to avenge my loss and humiliation.

“Alan! You can do it, we believe in you,” Vale and the members of my team shouts from the benches. With their lead, the entire stadium becomes lively again.

“The final match is between Alan H. Lancaste, Squire of the Mythos General, and Luke F. Atharia, Squire of the Defender General. The victor of this event will be recognized as this year’s strongest weapon user,” the headmaster announces. “Let the final battle begin!”

As the headmaster shouts the signal of commencing, Luke instant attaches strings to his dolls and sends them to attack me. I directly answer his attack with my own puppetry skills, manipulating more dolls than him. He controls four dolls, while my training has allowed me to control eight dolls at once. One by one, my dolls demolished his. My strategy is simple, thwart everything that Luke sends my way, until the opportunity to use my secret skill will show itself.

With all of his dolls destroyed, Luke wields his sword and proceeds in cutting my strings severing my connection with my dolls. I fight him with my sword. As I proceed to move against him, I use Prediction. Our first bout is about to begin when suddenly I see an image of him attacking from the back.

This is Time s***h!

Using Prediction, I evade all of his Time s***h attacks, which greatly surprised him. Before he can use another skill, I use Time s***h myself and let out a barrage of slashes with my own version of Rain of Blades. It’s not as fast nor as powerful as Haruka’s, but from studying her movements, this should be enough for this moment. I take a step back before time resumed seeing my attacks materialize greatly wounding Luke.

“Time s***h?” surprise marks his face as he applies pressure on his wounds.

Those are shallow slashes, but they should be enough to slow him down.

Luke backs up creating a fissure with his strings.

His puppetry skills are powerful as always, but my training should be enough to cancel his skills.

I attach my strings on the ground and with a great pull, I close the fissure that Luke created.

“What! How could this be?” his alarmed gesture shines at me with such passion. He grabs the cornucopia again ready for the tornado that could cut anything in the way. “Johannes was able to break this attack, but you are no Johannes. Prepare to meet your doom!”

He attaches his strings on the weapons and spins creating a tornado of blades.

Is this the right time to use that skill? There is no way I can break through his attack without that skill. Okay, here we go!

I close my eyes. The strength that is flowing throughout my body; I’m imagining that it becomes an extension of me. Slowly, I reach out. Feeling the hands that formed I open my eyes wielding the weapons at my perusal. 

Sounds of awe and amazement permeates throughout the great coliseum. I can feel raw power with every movement that I make. Even my breathing feels like it can blow away the great blaze of a giant torch. But is it strong enough to break through Luke’s attack?

It has to. I have to break through this obstacle…

“…and transcend beyond your limits,” my mom’s words resonate inside my head. She always tells me to go beyond with what I can do. To go so far and see how far I can go. My journey in sports and in school, and essentially my entire life is inspired by her words. “Transcend, Alyssa. Grow wings and fly like no one has done before.”

Mom, thank you for everything that you have taught me. I’ll transcend beyond my limits.

Suddenly, I can feel something from my back. I turn to see wings extending from the base of my artificial arms. My wings are feather white and hangs down until my knees. As I marvel on my new skill, Wings of Transcendence, Luke’s assault is closer than ever.

I bend down and with a great kick, I zoom through the air. Luke’s attack appears slow as I moved. I could see the path of his blades, even the thin strings that he attached to them. With the blade in my hand, I flung all of his blades away. I cut the strings using the ax tearing the tornado into a mere twist of strings. With a great throw, I send the spear his way. However, at the last second, he uses Indomitable Defense and my spear is deflected.

“Impossible, how are you able to grow this strong in such a short amount of time?” Panic looms in Luke’s face. He grabs the last weapon in his cornucopia, a three-pronged trident.

It’s time to end this, Luke.

I grab my spear and begin a speedy attack. With my two artificial hands, I can attack and defend simultaneously. , and Ferocious Swing with my ax. The strings are for defense, I attach them to any weapon and manipulate them to defend. Luke gets knocked back whenever I attack, but his face that once showed panic has calmed down.

Launching another assault, he suddenly throws his spear at me. I parry using my sword flinging his spear away.

He must be planning something; I have to end this quick!

Using everything in my arsenal, I fly towards Luke to defeat him and end the match. However, as I approach him, he raised his hand and turned to the headmaster.

“The winner is Alan H. Lancaste, Squire of the Mythos General!” the headmaster announces and the entire gallery shouts in applause.

He surrendered? There was no plan after all?

“You are strong, Alan. Now I see why General van Kealyn chose you,” Luke says sitting on the ground. “Don’t let it get to you, though. I’m still going to be the strongest.”

“I’ll be your rival, then.” I reply letting go of all my weapons. God Wield and Wings of Transcendence eventually disappear. The headmaster calls me to the podium with him, where the emperor is also waiting.

“This year’s Grand Academy Games Weapon Master is Alan H. Lancaste!” Cyrus raises my right hand as the crowd goes wild with thunderous cheers and applauses.

I finally did it! I showed Luke that I am worthy to be Wisterion’s Squire.

“The Squire of destiny,” Wisterion’s words resonate inside my head once more, like a ripple travelling across my thoughts.

Yes, Wisterion’s Squire is the Squire of destiny. Thank you, Wisterion.

I get down from the podium. My victory meant that the first event is over and for that the day has end. I try to take a step forward, but my right leg suddenly freezes.

What the?

I see myself slowly falling to the ground. However, strong arms prevent me from having my face kissing the dirty dusty aggregate of soil and desert sand.

“Are you alright?” It was Vale and the others. They are able to stop my fall at the most opportune moment. “You were awesome. That was so cool!” Vale exclaims checking the injury that I sustained from my fight with Haruka.

“You’re an angel!” Rose runs around me and checks my back for wings.

“You did it, Alan.” Paul taps my shoulder which make me flinch in pain.

“Now, now, everyone,” Xin breaks up the group. “Give him some space, he should be tired from today’s match. Vale, you should get ready for tomorrow’s match. Alan also needs to prepare.”

“Wait, I’m going to fight in tomorrow’s match?” I shout in surprise.

That’s right, I am a Squire; I have to participate in all of the events.

With the event ending, I retire to my room and take a warm bath. As I was about to call it a day, somebody knocks on my door.

“Alan, are you here?” I open the door to see Syrena and Mathilde. They carried pouches and bottles of sorts.

“Here are ointments that should instantly heal all of your wounds and make your body recuperate,” Syrena hands the pouches and the battles.

“Congratulations for your win today, Alan.” Mathilde gives me the stuff that she is carrying. “You should directly apply them on your wounds. It is the fastest way to heal possible.”

“Don’t think that I’m going to go easy on you tomorrow,” Syrena mumbles. “Just because you’re injured doesn’t mean that I am going to excuse you from my magical prowess.” Syrena walks out running to her room.

“The same goes for me, Alan.” Mathilde smiles. “You should probably get some rest.”

I slowly close the door. Opening the bottles and the pouches, they smelled of lavender, basil, and saffron. The bottles contained liquids while the pouches powders. As I apply them to my wounds, they felt cool. I feel their rejuvenating power throughout my very body as if I did not fight my all today. I call it a day resting for another day of fighting.