Chapter: 2

Rick stumbled, pushing against a young man in uniform in front of him. He shoved him out of the way, drawing on his mana. Grabbing for his hammer and finding a sword instead.

He turned around, he was on a parade square, he’d just pushed his way out of a squad of soldiers lined up. Officers. His eyes darting over their uniforms.

Plynthia’s flag on their shoulders and snapping from flag poles. There were a half dozen squads in formation facing a podium and shaded bleachers. A memory crawled up from the back of his mind.

Mana reacted like sludge in a well as he drove it through a mana gate feeling resistance. Some kind of mana suppressor?

His gate cracked open. Fuck happened to my cultivation?

A larger, grizzled older man was staggered from his position of at-ease at the front of the formation by the younger man Rick pushed, hitting him.

His face turned thunderous as his bushy eyebrows trying to meet his walrus-stache. Rick knew that face.

He opened his mouth to yell as Rick clocked him in the face. His eyes found the back of his skull as he crumpled.

“Gods you were such a pissant asshole. Little bit of power and you buttered up the rich powerful fucks and turned a blind eye to anyone that didn’t have direct power. Well fuck you.” Rick kicked him right between the legs to give the officer’s his later generations something to worry about. To the hisses around him.

Rick checked his position in the ranks, the academy took in people when they were sixteen and graduated at twenty.

Second group in, guess I’m seventeen.

He looked up, standing in front of his ‘squad’, thirty noble dickheads that he would suffer with for four years. He presented them all with his middle fingers, one raw from the punching.

“Fuck you fuckers too.” He waved his middle fingers around liberally, then pointed at a guy in the back. “’Cept you, George, you were a good guy, hell of a fighter too. You’re good shit. Jaxon, fuck you. You… wow. Like I’ve never seen someone with their head so far up their ass in a fight that they think they’re talking out of their own mouth. You shouldn’t be in charge of a goddamn sheep that knows how to take care of itself. You’d fuck it up with your stupid.”

He looked around at the parade square. The general of Valoria Military Academy was standing at the podium with several officers behind him. All pomp and stupidity. The whole fucking school was a joke. Four years of learning ‘tactics’, which in reality was an excuse for noble children to attend all kinds of parties to foster better relations later on. While the teaching officers turned a blind eye, using their position to try and get in the good graces of a noble family to retire out as one of their retainers.

So they learned nothing about actual fighting, just more politics and bullshit.

Rick was the unwanted ward of his uncle. The Academy was a way to get him away from the city and get some independence.

He’d trained his body, snuck out for training at every opportunity. Skills that had come in use when the apocalypse happened.

Rick glanced around, the mana density was thin, and those were real Plynthia flags. Did I really go back in time?

The squad leaders and other officers started converging on him. Rick ran a hand over his head, getting caught in hair. I have fucking hair! He laughed out loud.

That mana vein, the obelisk, if they had that, they could change everything!

He had one shot here, oh fuck he’d use it. A weight seemed to drop from his shoulders and mind, a freedom he hadn’t felt in decades, the terrifying thrill of opportunity.

“Lily, I’m sure you’re great? Maybe? I dunno. But you know I know you’ve been fucking Hayden. Think it’d be best we cut off that whole thing. Messy messy. Have fun you two rascally kids.” He gave them both middle finger guns.

The hand he punched the jackass training officer with hurt. Fuck it, rule of cool. He grimaced through it.

Lily paled and dropped her head. Hayden glared from a squad over. Always was a dick.

“Bethany.” He let out a whistle. “You’re stunning, smart as hell, able to fight like a dervish! Ah you make an old man’s ticker pound! When you can, get your father to kill some chickens, ten should do! Also, go live your life, don’t worry about the brothers.”

Bethany’s eyes widened as she blushed. He gave her a wink and faced the others. “Any of you lot want to get stronger, get a weapon and some training, proper training. Go out to kill the beasts that have been attacking rural locations, get way more than you were planning to!”

He pivoted on one foot and bowed to the audience. “Well, that’s all I have left for today.” He rose up, the officers closing in on him with dark expressions.

His sound talisman started to ring out, through the silence. “Excuse me, got to take this.” He took out the talisman, and started to briskly walk between the squads, picking up pace into a jog as the officers pace picked up as well.

He could just hear it in their feet as they went from ‘I’m not jogging just walking fast’ to ‘fuck you for making me jog!’.

There was some yelling and cursing, a few ‘ladies’ admonishing him behind their fans.

“Yoo, Len.” Rick started running along the back of the squads as the officers moved around the different squads, who stayed in their positions but looking at what was unfolding. Acting like roadblocks. Hey they do have some use! Good nobles.

“Yeah?” Len’s voice was equal parts questioning and apprehensive.

“Hey dude, umm, so, probably going to get arrested. Gonna need you to post my bail.” Rick picked up into a run. “Valoria Military Academy! Fuck it feels good to run!” He drew in mana, compressing it. So fucking thin.

“Get back here, you shit!” an officer said.

“You’re only making this harder on yourself.”

Rick laughed. His knees didn’t even hurt!

“We’ve been back in time for less than five fucking minutes!” Len hissed into the receiver.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

“We’re back in time!” Rick stopped, dodging an officer trying to tackle him. The officer sailed past as Rick spun around their heels and kept running. He twirled, sprinted, and stopped, getting through five more guards and still kept going.

“That’s not the point!” Len yelled. Rick held the sound talisman away from his ear and the volume.

He threw in a pirouette and stumbled; the officer’s hands grabbed at him as he ran off again. Maybe keep it simple next time. Good thing that Len wasn’t there to see that.

An officer ran out between the second last and last squad, with the weight and speed of a runaway train.

“Kind of the poi—oh shit, he’s fast!” The man’s legs thundered on the ground as he wrapped Rick around the midriff and threw them both to the ground. Just as the mana within Rick’s dantain compressed into a core.

Rick’s sound talisman went flying as they hit the ground. Impurities expelled from Rick’s pores and onto the officer.

He gagged at the smell.

“Impurities fucking stink, need like seven showers to get the smell out,” Rick wheezed helpfully, trying to get breath back in his body.

The big man’s body convulsed as he kept his bile down.

“Damn that felt good to do.” Rick let out a satisfied sigh. Len is gonna be pissed[MD2] .

“Its in my mouth!” The man spat to the side.

“Pretty shitty day,” Rick commiserated. The man’s eyes promised murder.

***

Len carried a messenger bag over his shoulder with all his worldly belongings, a newspaper he'd bought getting stained with coal under his armpit. He hurriedly scribbled down information in his journal, weaving through people as he turned to the side, shouldering the door to the police station open.

Conversation came to a halt as he weaved around a lawyer, by his embossed briefcase, pressed clothes and focused eyes and a retainer talking off to the side. The man wore fine clothes and weaponry.

Show pieces. Len dismissed it as he checked the station. It was a small one, dealing with those from the Academy. Many were whisked away before their names ever graced a piece of paper saying they spent time in such a place. Drinking, assault, all manner of charges disappeared from this location.

The floors were tiled and clean. The room well cared for and kept in good condition. There were planters around the room, regularly cared for.

Coal dust stained the floor as he walked through.

A man that could have been on a poster about joining the military was behind the counter, with the build of someone that took care of themselves, but a friendliness Len had found rare in any veteran. His eyes jumped to his rank tabs.

He’d been pressed into service at the beginning of the apocalypse like everyone. This man was staring in confusion at the coal covered boy infront of him.

"Corporal, I'm here for Rick." Len’s commanding tone snapped the man out of his thoughts as Len went back to writing.

"Rick?" The man's eyebrow rose. The chatter that was just restarting between the lawyer and retainer stuttered.

What the heck was his family name?

"From Valoria Academy?"

"Umm, we have someone with that name here," he said, frowning as he glanced at the duo at the entrance.

"Alright." Len sighed. "How much for the idiot’s bail?"

"You dare slight the Isendia name!" The reatainer’s voice rose.

Len raised an eyebrow at the man's outburst then turned back to the corporal. "How much is he going to cost me?"

"Uhm, it will be one and a half gold."

"Fucker is already costing me half of my damn savings." That was the better part of seven months his younger self had saved up, intending to send it home.

He pulled out the coins and put them on the counter.

"What do you think you're doing?" The lackey growled, reaching for Len's arm.

Len kicked out the man's leg, grabbing the back of his head and slamming him into the counter, tearing away the dagger at the man’s side as he crumpled to the ground in a whimper, holding it to the man's neck.

He realized where he was then. Gods he was weak, he would have smashed him through the counter before. Thankfully the man’s tempering was minimal, his face was already cut and his teeth were decorating the counter and floor.

Killing someone was a sure way to get the police on his ass. Especially inside the station.

"Don't touch me." Len hissed into the man’s ear, grabbing his shirt and throwing him to the side.

Len turned back to the corporal, sliding the dagger into his coveralls, out of everyone's view--he was still holding his journal in his left, the pencil under his thumb. "Rick Isendia?"

"Umm." The corporal looked at the man on the floor and Len.

"It would be good if you call for medical aid or have someone that can do that within the building. Then Rick if you please?"

"Rick Isendia is my client," the lawyer said, though there was a quiver to his voice as he stayed well outside of Len's range. Ever heard of a throwing knife?

"How about asking him?" Len asked.

"That you out there, Len?" A voice came through the corridor to the side of the room.

"Yes, Rick," Len said, unable to keep his exasperation from his voice.

"Good! I'm getting old again! Hurry up and pay the man!" Rick yelled.

"Fucking nobles," Len said under his breath. "You're paying me back—with interest."

"Aww, don't be like that, what's interest between friends!" Rick tried in his most engrating tone.

"Compounded," Len raised an eyebrow to the corporal. "Medical aid and my idiot friend please?" He pushed the coins across the counter. "Rick, say you want to go with me," Len yelled.

"I want to go with, Len," Rick moped.

"Right." The corporal pulled out a sound talisman and talked into it as he pulled out keys. "I need medical help,” His eyes darted to the retainer and then Len. “Uhh, someone slipped and hit their head."

Used to covering up the noble's faux pas.

Len looked over to the retainer who was cradling his bloodied mouth and probably a broken jaw, glaring at Len.

"Who are you?" the lawyer asked as the corporal moved into the back of the station through the corridor.

Len shrugged. "Was a coal shoveller this morning."

That set the lawyer back a few seconds, enough time for Rick to walk out. "Well shit, you don't look like a worried nutsack. Just one that’s been dragged through a coal pit.”

He had a ground rash on a cheek scabbing over already, he was skinny full color in his hair, and much longer than Len had ever seen it.

"Fuck you too, Rick. Come on, things to do." Len headed out of the reception.

"Can I borrow this?" Rick grabbed a piece of paper from the desk.

"S-sure?" the corporal said. His day was not going how he'd expected it, Len bet.

"Thanks!" Rick started folding the paper.

"Borrowing is when you give it back," Len said.

"Future problems." Rick shrugged, putting the paper and pencil into his pocket.

"Mister Isendia, your uncle sent us to secure your release," the lawyer said.

"Hey Domious, should get that face seen to." Rick kicked the retainer in the face. "Fucking useless dickwad. All you had was shitty stories and you didn’t even defend her in the end, just ran with everyone else." Rick bent down and went through the unconscious man's pockets, pulling out a watch and a coin purse, he undid his sword belt, pulling it free and held it out to Len.

“Got a dagger already,” Len said, writing in his book.

“Finders keepers then.” Rick pulled the sword out, inspecting it. “So fucking shiny.” He sniffed the blade. “Polish? Fucking polish!”

He drew back his leg again, grumbled and put it back on the floor. “Twat.” He drew it out more. “Good steel at least but damn. Made to be light and shiny. Oh, lawyer guy, tell my uncle to fuck himself, the sibling killing piece of shit.”

Rick moved after Len as they continued out of the station.

Rick slid the sword away and looped the belt around his waist. He paused, his head snapping up to the lawyer. “Lydia, grandmother, how are they[mc3] ?”

“Uhh?”

“Spit it out,” Rick growled, stepping forward. Len felt the mana in the room constrict. His cultivation might be minimal like Len’s but the control honed over decades was still there.

Len lowered his journal. He had heard of Rick’s sister and grandmother. It had taken years, deep trust and a lot of some rot gut that could peel paint.

“Y-you’re grandmother… she’s in failing health. She’s cared for on the grounds but her mental stability has deteriorated.

"And my sister?” Rick pressed.

“She's denied all of the hands that have been presented to her thus far, but your uncle is moving towards an alliance with one of the higher noble families.”

“Trying to sell her off," Rick said out of the side of his mouth. "What about her lessons?"

"She's been doing well in her cultural lessons," the lawyer said.

"I don't mean her cultural lessons, I mean her fighting lessons," Rick said.

"Fighting lessons?" The lawyer looked perplexed.

"Still hiding it then." Rick held his chin, eyes moving back and forth.

“Retainer Everett, how is he?”

“He is living out his retirement caring for your grandmother.

Rick’s face split into a dark smile. Len kept his expression neutral, tallying up questions.

"Has the yearly Isendia fighting contest begun?" Rick asked.

"Yes, the finals are in five days," the lawyer said.

"Was it this year or next year?" Rick ran his hand through his hair, letting out a sigh of frustration. "Okay." He turned his gaze on Len. "We got lots of work to do then."

They headed out of the station.

“It was years before we got the screens.” Len said.

“Came with the first arrivals,” Rick said.

“So the past has changed already.”