Proofreader: Future ME

In an ever-increasing amount of tension, Serina and I planned out our future course of action. Or at least I thought we would.

“I agreed to help, but what do you expect me to do here?” I grumbled, unsure of what exactly we needed to do.

She responded in a monotone voice, “Bait.”

“Sorry?” I stammered for words to say, “I misheard you, can you say that again?”

“Bait.”

“I- I don’t think you know what that means.”

“Bait, a thing or being who acts as a distraction from an intended action.”

“Hah…” I held my face in my hands, “Is that all you want from me?”

“Yes,” She resolutely reassured me.

“For the record, I’m only helping out because I trust this side of yours,” I set her straight, “Your usual attitude, you better cut it out.”

Hearing my words her face reddened, like am I a face warmer or something? If so, I guess you could say that such an ability was important. Because, at this moment I needed that power.

Strength? Indomitability? Magic?

I had none of it. Thus I would use the only thing I can.

Words.

-x-

“I’ve always hated your fairy guts!” A dragon roared.

A clash between claw and glitter threatened the fabric of space between the two.

“I should’ve killed you when I had the chance!” A fairy exclaimed.

The battle on paper may have seemed utterly one-sided, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Runalia may have been the hero’s companion, but she was nothing compared to his other comrades.

“You brainless lizard, let me end that accursed race!”

The fire had been dismissed with the flick of the spirit queen’s hand. Fairy glitter spawned by the power of the last of her race spread across the fog.

“L-Like I told you! He’s one of us!”

The once equal battle had quickly become a dragon hunt. Countless spells decorated with enchanting glitter spread across the air.

“As if I’d accept something as nonsensical as ‘them’ being harmless,” She howled in anger, “They annihilated my race!”

It all illuminated, the fog that was once damp and murky lit up with a brightness unbelievable to the realm of humans.

“Now, lay to rest as I put to rest the vengeance of my kin.”

As she unleashed her final barrage of mana, a figure emerged in front of the collapsing dragon.

“Alright! Just let her live!” A tiny voice incomparable to the booming of the fight reached the queen’s ears.

“No!” The Dragon cried, “Child, you can’t!”

There was no reluctance in her voice, “As you wish!”

The paused circles of mana began churning out a large amount of concentrated light. In each circle was a power equivalent to a continent-shattering magnitude of power.

“Is this what ##### would want?”

It was a simple question uttered. And yet, that question was enough to pause the queen’s outrage.

“This would not only end my own but your life as well. Truly putting an end to the fairies, as well as their ambition.”

“You impudent human, cease your nonsense.”

The tiny being did not.

“You claim the desire to avenge your fallen comrades. And without having ever fulfilled their collective desire?” They spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, ignoring the immediate danger in front of them.

“Your words mean nothing!” The queen denied this truth.

“Abel promised to aid theirs and your own ambition, with this as the result?”

“Enough!”

Light began pouring down, but the human boy would not falter.

“Enough? Are you threatening a mere child enough to satiate your gluttony for vengeance?”

“…”

“You recognise it, no? The fact that this is a childish retaliation ignoring everything you strived to become.”

Whoosh!

The illumination all together vanished bit by bit, until a single speck of light remained. It grew brighter and brighter as if compressing all the energy that had seemingly disappeared.

“None of this matters in front of my conviction,” The Queen let out one last breath. “Disappear.”

"Tch." The boy clicked his tongue knowing his bluffs would no longer work, "You have no tact at all."

That speck of light descended.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

As it made an impact with the ground, a light comparable to a star expanded.

The ground lost all shape, with the sky becoming once again visible. In which space itself crumbled beneath its might.

Despite it all, the expression on the human boy showed no emotion. It was as if death had no meaning in front of him. However, unbeknownst to his surroundings he was in disarray. 'Hopefully, my bait was enough, like really, I don't wanna die.'

“Fate Reversal.”

The world, as if heeding the words spoken, began to act. The colour drained from existence, leaving only behind shades of black and white.

The shifting tectonic plates, the clear sky and the cracks in the space-time continuum ceased all kinds of progression.

The world in its entirety stopped.

Sequences of time played out like a record, and as if being wounded onto a tape, everything had begun to reverse.

All it took was one minute.

One minute of stalling and right before it all ended in front of me, it happened. The result of the progeny known as Serina Rosemary, the strongest mage.

In the end she proved to me that I could trust her after all.

“You think turning back time would prevent your death?” The Spirit Queen mocked my lowly self, “No one can get in, and no one can leave my domain.”

You’d think she already won by the way she was speaking.

“About that, miss queen of the fairies,” I made my wonderings audible, “ Tell me, who is your contractor again?”

We all knew the answer to that. And we both knew that what I was calling had the potential to be a world ending calamity. Our favourite, greatest hero-

“Yo! Luke, and- oh boy. This is quite the mess isn’t it?” The merry voice echoed across the spotless grove of Fjleora, causing me to retract my praise.

“Almost releasing the Demon King and killing two of my own in my Academy! This is quite the surprise, isn’t it Queen of the Spirits?” He raised his arms, shrugging in a disappointed manner.

“Don’t get in my way,” She ignored his implied warning.

He laughed and questioned the mere fairy in front of him, “Have you really forgotten? Or are you joking?”

“There is nothing to forget. You were the strongest.”

“Haha, even if I may be weaker in these times of peace, I was the one who buried both the demon king and the twisted goddess,” Abel sent a glance toward me. “It matters not if he possesses such eyes because the Greatest hero this world has possessed declares as such.”

Fjleora and Abel glared at one another, neither moving until the other did.

“Vanish,” She spared no more words.

The once-gone supernova of energy had found itself once again upon us.

“I really thought we could resolve this peacefully,” Abel frowned slightly, “Don’t blame me if you can’t remain the same after this.”

He held out his hand initiating an infamous stance from within the game. Every time this was revealed, no matter the enemy, they would perish. If held towards the player, there was no end in which we won. If held towards an enemy, they would die without sparing a thought. The moment he held his weapon, he had won.

“Come to me,” He announced to the world, “My partner…”

”Gáe Bulg.”

The spear, which never failed to meet its target, has made its appearance.

I sent my prayers to the Queen. Abel has made his verdict of extreme punishment, there was no chance in hell she would make it out alive.

His whole body emanated power, forming shockwaves which pulsed across the field, from merely wielding a legendary weapon. He was the judge, handing down his judgment upon a lost lamb.

Abel poised his body in preparation for launch. His arm holding Gáe Bulg had been cocked backward indicating the soon launch of doomsday.

“You see, even if I may be weaker, It doesn’t mean my weapons are.”

Gulp

The Queen exhibited a trembling display of instant defeat.

This weapon had led to the death of all enemies that had laid their eyes upon it. According to legends both in and out of the game, it was a spear that would never miss when its target was determined.

“Abel!” She attempted to remedy her impending doom, “We can-“

“Let’s talk after you calm down, okay?” A frightening smile encroached upon his usually innocent face. “Good night.”

Such words indicated the end of the Spirit Queen.

Runalia and I had found ourselves floating inside a spherical barrier, courtesy of the hero. Where across from us light had bent around Abel, as the world seemed to circle around him. Space was put under his will as gravity lost meaning around him. Mana was manipulated to its fullest extent as Fjleora could do nothing but watch the scythe of a grime reaper complete its job.

Abel alone was the honoured one.

Crack!

Time and space itself had been contorted as it was released from his arm, leaving gaps in reality from its wake. The world around us had lost shape, trees were upside down, and the surroundings twisted and distorted. Fjleora lost the ability to move in a broken space, simply staring in fear at certain death.

This power should not belong to a mortal of this plane.

And yet, such a person existed, currently ignoring what he had caused.

“Well, how’s everyone doing?” Abel nonchalantly asked.

Yeah. I’ve done enough.

“Honestly,” I followed suit in ignoring the chaos, “I’m done for the day,”

“That can’t be right, we still have classes running,” He wagged his finger telling me off as if I was a child.

“Surely you don’t mean…” My face crumpled from an incoming despair.

“Of course! You still have the rest of the day, and class starts in a few minutes.”

“…” This cheapskate hero was getting on my nerves.

“Hurry along okay?” He gestured with his hand, “Shoo.”

Did I seriously just go through all that to receive nothing?

Reality forced me to accept fate, with Gáe Bulg piercing through the Spirit Queen.

“Oh, and when the spirit queen comes back to her senses later…” He smiled saintly, “I’ll have her reimburse you personally.”

Cheapskate? I meant messiah. All hail Great Hero Abel!

Serina should also praise...

Huh…?

Where did she go?

-x-

Luke had done it perfectly. I had witnessed his knowledge and true strength first hand, accessing the information of the fairy race so easily. Without his distraction, everything would have ended for the seventh time.

The spell Fate Reversal saved us.

The activation of such a grand scale level of magic came with severe consequences. My power is significantly weaker than what it would be in the coming future. Meaning I had to draw power from life force, as my capacity for mana wasn’t large enough. However without such a ruckus, that god in the shape of a child would fail to notice.

As a result, casting such a spell left me sprawled out across the ground lifeless.

“Good work! As expected of a Rosemary, you truly were exemplary in getting my attention,” It was the principal in his full childish glory.

“…”

“Normally you’d die as a consequence, but I can’t let that happen so soon right?” He cryptically continued, “The reincarnator shouldn’t lose their life that easily, especially when a newcomer has made his appearance.”

My grudge towards this man far extended beyond simple timelines. Yet, I couldn’t truly hate him, not after knowing his fate. His motives, everything which he had revealed, were beyond what a lone human should have endured.

“Well, I don’t know what’ve you been through so I can’t really talk,” He waved his hand softly, “See ya.”

With those parting words, he snapped his fingers, and I felt an object materialise into my hand. Taking into account his personality, it was not some normal elixir. But if I couldn’t move my body there was no point.

“Hello?” A voice reverberated from ahead, “You there?”

It was without a doubt the anomaly, Luke.