Arthur reviewed the documents reporting unusual activity at the border between Branch and Cloud, it said some group had entered discreetly without any official announcements. The source seemed reliable so he was planning on organizing a team of experts to visit it later. Meanwhile, he had to file a request form to the division head to have an investigation approved. Their division was called Light Tower, as in, "That which guides sea-farers in the night."   To his dismay, however, his request form was rejected.

'Strange,' he thought, 'this is obviously suspicious, does the brass have some other plan in mind?''

As he was deep in thought a girl approached him with an uncanny grin.

"Been a while little sprout," she said, tapping Arthur's shoulders, "the mission was a tough one, smugglers put up a lot of fight, took us three months to beat them, and another three to quench the repercussions. So, how's things on your end?"

"Still boring," Arthur immediately replied.

"You know what I mean," said the woman, rolling her eyes.

"You mean the girl you hooked me up with?" Arthur clarified. "We've been dating for six months already and I think I'm going to propose soon."

"Whoa so fast!"

"I mean, ask her out to be my girlfriend."

The girl jerked in shock, "Wait," she said, "you've been dating her for six months without being, you know... her boyfriend?

"We've been dating as casual friends." Arthur returned to studying the reports. "Please Sasha don't bother me for now, I'm quite busy as you can see."

"Eh? You've got to loosen up a bit. Maya doesn't like serious boys you know."

"Maya?" Arthur let out, somewhat perplexed. "Who's Maya?"

"Um... the girl I hooked you up with?" Sasha responded questioningly.

"What? The name of the girl I've been dating is Aisha not Maya."

"What are you talking about?" laughed Sasha. "Maya's been my friend for ages, and I'm sure she has no other name aside from Maya."

Arthur looked down in shock, "Then who's the girl I've been dating all this time?"

"Wait, you weren't joking? Looks like this might be a case of mistaken identity."

***

At a forest near the border, the wind blew violently strong, causing the tree branches to dance wildly and gracefully at the same time. The birds sang a tune of jubilee while the rabbits and other small animals frolic up and about.  It was here where a young woman, cloaked in black while hooded down to her nose, rendezvoused with Arch-mage Merlin. Merlin was the strongest mage in all of Cloud Kingdom, and also their king, albeit superficially, for the one that truly had power was the Round Table.  Merlin walked wispily towards the meeting point, wearing a black robe imbued with magic that hid his presence.

The Round Table had been scheming, and Merlin knew that it involved his daughter, so in order to protect her, he used what authority he had to send her to Branch and arranged to marry her to the late Supreme Commander's son.  He did this under the guise of international relations while at the same time protecting her daughter, a plan hitting two birds with one stone.

"You've made contact with your fiancé?" spoke Merlin in a burly tone.

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"I have," replied the girl. "But he's unlike the stories I've heard, he's completely an average man, there's nothing powerful about him at all, but being with him for some time now, I've seen how gentle and kind he is; as if the last thing he wants is to break something."

"Oh?" reacted the old man, "you were opposed to this in the beginning, have you somehow have had a change of heart?"

"Indeed I have Father. Arthur's been quite the man lately," she responded with a gentle smile.

"Of course, we're talking about the wielder of Excalibur here. Arthur Pendragon's supposed to be the elite of all elites."

Hearing that Aisha's expression suddenly turned into a grimace. "Come again Father?" she demanded, "what did you say?"

"Elite of all elites?"

"No, something before that."

"Arthur Pendragon?"

'Pendragon?' she thought, asking herself.

"Do you not mean Crane, Arthur Crane?"

"Who's that?"

At that moment the girl had an epiphany; that's why Arthur was so weak, that's why he did not have the presence of a warrior. It was because the 'Arthur' she met was simply that, an 'Arthur'. He was not the titular Arthur known to have inherited the sword Excalibur.

"I think," She muttered nervously, "I may have dated the wrong person."

"Would you please clarify what you mean by that, Aisha?"

"I-I mean," she said hesitantly, while frantically fidgeting, "For the past six months, I've been going out with a guy named Arthur Crane."

Silence—upon hearing those shocking words from his daughter, Merlin did not speak a word. But from his silence the girl could feel Mana (a form of energy converted from Aether, used to cast magic, that Aethereans produce from their body after absorbing Aether in their surroundings) burst in growing increments from Merlin.

"Daughter," called Merlin in a thunderous and profound voice. "Have you carelessly jeopardized our nation's safety by mistake?"

***

That same day, Aisha met with Arthur once again to sight-see at a famous natural park. Although she promised her father she'd do something to fix this 'mistake', somehow she couldn't make up her mind. They were meeting at a lake surrounded by the most beautiful of sceneries. The breeze was cool and gentle and the sun was setting down, migratory birds flew southwards in the distance.  The grass that brushed with the wind produced sounds of tiny, hissing laughter.

"What a beautiful scene," uttered Arthur looking at the red-tainted sky. He was sitting down on the grass with both hands placed on the ground behind him to support his weight as he leaned backwards. "I think I won't be forgetting this scenery," he added, turning towards Aisha.

Aisha was smiling happily as she hugged her knees tightly to herself while sitting down. The breeze blew her silky red hair to the back, making it dance like real fire burning hot.  Her eyes shimmered as it reflected the dazzling red hue of the sky.  She was beautiful, like an otherworldly being that have shackled herself to the earth just to meet Arthur. Nonetheless, Arthur was quiet a perceptive man, and he noticed the slightest change in her demeanor, her smile seemed rather somber, as though it's a smile that people give when saying goodbye. Afraid to ask, he shut himself up and never let an ounce of inquiry get out of him.

"You know," said Aisha, biting her lip in sadness, "this kind of thing will never last."

"That's a given," he replied, "That’s why we must cherish it together."

"Arthur, let's end this," bluntly pronounced Aisha, looking down with watery eyes, "I live a dangerous life, and a man as weak as you cannot hope to protect me."

As those words came out of her mouth, she felt the unnecessary weight they contained. It tore her heart to say them with sudden clearness and exactness. It is said that females fall in love with men who show strength, but why is it, that she fell in love with a man like Arthur? Ah! She realized it too easily, it was Arthur's character, for truly what makes a woman's heart beat is not the flamboyance of manly strength but the grace of manly character. His kindness, his gentleness towards her as if she'd break at first touch, all were things appealing about him. His countenance all the more bore significant beauty unknown perhaps to those around him, and only visible to her heart.

She fell in love, alas, with the wrong man.

"I'd be meeting another guy soon," she said, hiding her true feelings, "and he's someone better than you."

She took a peek at Arthur, desiring to see his reaction and was surprised to see him crying; for every word she had said cut deep into Arthur's heart, awakening memories of the past when he failed to save a friend from dying.

"I see," he said, "it hurts to hear that, but I guess I can manage. If it's for your happiness how can I go against that? I guess I saw this one coming. Actually, I know we just met by accident, my coworker came back from a mission just recently and she told me I was supposed to meet with a girl called Maya. I figured you mistook me for someone else. Although, on my part it didn't matter, I thought it was the same with you... but..." as his sentence trailed off the tears began flowing exponentially making it hard for him to face Aisha as it was just too embarrassing to show his vulnerable side to her. He looked away hoping she won't think badly of him

However, in a sudden instant, he felt the warmth of a fragile body envelop him. The pleasing smell of perfume wafted to his nose and the warm feeling comforted his lonely heart.

"I can't bear seeing you like this," Aisha said. "So before I leave, I'll reveal to you a secret."

"I love you," whispered Aisha to Arthur's ears, "very much."

The next instant she disappeared like a ghost, and Arthur was left alone, crying profusely with a painful heart.