Reverse Chronicles

A Visit

“Alan, that’s not the correct stance!” Sir Galant shouts at me. He shows me the proper stance and I imitate it. “What’s wrong? You seem distracted today. Are you feeling alright? You also skipped yesterday’s class.”

“I’m fine, Sir.” I reply.

In the end, I wasn’t able to attend classes yesterday. I was too tired to go. Moving around the forest the entire night is unfathomably tiring. However, I finally got the answer to the dilemma in Strategy class.

“That’s it for today, then. Let’s not push things too hard.” Sir Galant dismisses the entire class. I proceed to Strategy class and tell everybody our final strategy, but things were not the same.

“You finally decided to show up?” Matthieu rudely remarks as I sit in my table. “Could you tell us just how did General Wisterion end up with you as his Squire?”

The entire room enters an ominous silence. Everybody looks at me. I lower my head to hide from the embarrassment.

“That’s enough!” Magistrate Elaine slams her a book with her staff, breaking its head. “As I have said before, this premise is no place for idle talk! You better perform excellently in today’s dilemma, Mr. Lancaste, or I will have you and your teammates expelled!”

“You can’t do that!” Matthieu shouts back.

“I can!” she shouts even louder. “That’s it. I’ve had enough of your antics. You will perform in the battlefield first!”

Roland and the rest of the party equip their gear. I wonder what was going to happen, but I grab a sword from the room’s side. Magistrate Elaine begins enchanting words that are incomprehensible. Suddenly, our round table begins glowing. The map of Jyria, the forest, and the mountain range appeared. A vortex appears and swallowed us into the map.

We end up at the plains in front of the entire Jyrian army, but we were dressed differently. I don’t have the sword. Instead, I have a great sword and don in a silver armor. The rest also were different.

“King Mioth,” a soldier approaches us. “The Sianese forces have entered the Araplene forest. We have lost contact with our units stationed there.”

“What’s the plan, Alan?” Roland asks me. “Even if the world ends, you will still be our commander.” Roland’s faith in me gave me a sense of bliss and inspiration. I pause for a bit thinking of a word to say. Whenever I thought of something, my will fails to materialize the words.

“Just let it out,” Matthieu says.

“I have a plan!” I utter.

Julius and Julia have been sent to the forest to regain contact with the isolated units. From there, they will engage with the Sianese army but will flee leading them deeper in the forest.

“Matthieu, Roland, what is the most powerful fire spell that you know?” I ask them. “A spell enough to burn the entire forest!”

“Wait, Alan. We’re burning the entire forest?” hesitation fills Roland’s expression.

“No, you’ve gone mad!” Matthieu shouts.

“King Mioth, we cannot burn the forest! Its guardian will have our heads,” an adviser comes forward.

“There is no other way!” I reason out. “Julia and Julius and the isolated units will lead the Sianese army deeper to the forest. I told them a way to exit the forest once they have led the Sianese army deep enough. Once the entire army is inside, we will burn the forest and win this battle.”

“O-okay!” Roland stutters after a long pause. “So, we should prepare a powerful fire spell?” Roland rides to the army of mages and begins instructing them what to do.

“This better work!” Matthieu goes and does the same.

The two finishes instructing the army waiting for my signal to cast the spells. However, there are still no signs of Julia and Julius and the other units. They still have not exited using the path that I told the them.

Where are they? Did something bad happen?

“King Mioth, we’re awaiting your orders,” one of the head mages speaks as I walk to take a closer look at the forest.

“Sire! Our scouts report that the entire Sianese army has entered the forest. The isolated units and generals Kyle and Mary have led the Sianese inside the heart of the forest.”

They did it! But, where are they?

The army grows increasingly anxious with every second that passes. I have to act soon, or everything would have been for naught. I clench my fists praying for the two to get out safely. The sky suddenly turned dark. Thunderclouds began forming directly above the plain.

“Alan, we won’t be able to cast the spell if it rains!” Roland shouts.

I know, but I just can’t abandon Julius and Julia.

“Sire! Our scouts report that some of the units in the forest have been captured by the enemy,” a soldier announces.

Oh no! What should I do?

“Alan, what should we do now?” Roland asks again. Fear and anxiety mark his face as he clings on to the reins tightly.

What should I do? What should I do?

“Look over there!” a mage suddenly shouts. “Those are the generals along with some of the units.”

“They were not captured.”

“Do it, Alan!” Julius shouts from a distance.

“Roland, Matthieu,” I shout. “Do it!” All the mages begin casting. Red lights start to flicker on air forming a giant red magic circle over the Araplene forest. The red spheres began to intensify, and the air swirled violently.

“Fire Storm!” Matthieu shouts and a rain of fire poured down from the magic circle. In an instant, the entire forest was burnt to a crisp, with it the screams and cries of a thousand men that got caught up in the blast.

“This is an abomination,” one of my advisors tell me. “You are a fiend!” he shouts.

As I was about to answer him, a blinding light takes us back to the classroom. We are back inside Strategy class, back in the room with a ceiling of a painted map, numerous round tables, and a sea of faces.

“Bravo! You brought victory to the Jyrian army,” Magistrate Elaine gives her applause.

“It wasn’t victory,” I answer. “It was a m******e. Even one of my advisors called me a fiend.”

“Johannes,” Magistrate Elaine turns his attention to the Squire of the empire’s most celebrated tactician, “what was your strategy?”

“Our strategy is similar to theirs, ma’am. We will burn the entire forest along with the Sianese army. We would’ve included the isolated units, if it came to that.”

“You see, Alan.” The magistrate walks up to me. “Strategies in war and battle are merciless. However, these strategies also ensure that life goes on. The Sarcen empire is a testament to that. Nobody cares what you feel, you must do everything so that victory for the empire is secured.”

“Even though it is g******e?” I answer back. “You have no morals!”

“Morals?” she rushes toward me not breaking her sharp aquiline gaze. “Moral do not matter if the enemy slashes your throat with a sword.”

“That’s enough, Alan,” a familiar voice suddenly calls out. From the entrance of the classroom, Wisterion stood with eyes that looked both proud and disappointed. Everyone in class is overcome with star struck as the general made his way towards me. “I have to talk to you about something. Will you excuse him, Magistrate?”

“Of course!” she answers. “Anything for you, great general.”

I follow him outside to see Zenneif with a woman.

“That was a great performance!” he compliments me.

“No, not you, too!” I show him my concern. “It was a m******e, it was terrible.”

“Alan, that was just a spell,” Wisterion says. “None of that happened, history has already been set and is forever unchangeable.”

“Still, it felt wrong,” I answer.

“As my Squire, you must understand these things. We do these for a reason, because it is our duty and we have something to protect. Our country, its people, and its very existence.”

His words led me to silence. I just nodded in agreement and went back inside. I was glad for his visit, but that feeling disappeared in an instant. Magistrate Elaine ends the session. Instead of going to Physical Education, I skipped class and ran back to my room. I lie on bed gazing at the ceiling searching for comfort. A comfort that I really need right now.

This world, it’s more twisted than I thought. Why would people do such horrible things just for the sake of something…

“Alan are you here?” a soul suddenly knocks on my door. It was Vale. His eyes look calm and composed entrancing me to gaze at them blankly. “Are you going to invite me inside or what?”

“Oh, come in,” I invite him inside.

“That was such a great strategy! I wasn’t able to think of it. It’s brilliant,” he compliments.

“Mm hmm,” I nod, just nod. 

“Listen, I would be honored if you join our team in the upcoming games,” he says.

“Games?”

“The Grand Academy Games,” he answers. “It’s an event for students in the campus to showcase their skills and talents through various tournaments and activities. I’m actually making a team and I would like you to be part of it!”

“I’ll think about it,” I reply.

“Please do, it’s a month from now!” Vale left as soon as he arrived.

His eyes are darker than I thought or perhaps I’m jumping to conclusions?

After skipping P.E., I went to Magic Class and attended our first session with the woman that Zenneif talked to earlier. She has red wavy hair and wore a pair of glasses. She floated around the room, grabbing a book or sometimes levitating it towards her. She wore a less decorated version of Zenneif’s outfit. She taught us Magic theory and some basic spells. Another day ends here in the Academy, another day spent in this world.