ALTER VIOLET

The outside of the dungeon was crowded with people from the military. ‘This is going to be a pain.’ I tried to think of something useful, until I remembered that I had a badge that would let me in the military without any questions towards me. ‘I guess this should do-’ I was cut off by a presence that I haven’t felt since the war, a basilisk.

What is a basilisk doing here, they shouldn’t be able to go through the portal at least not now. 

My mind was being clouded with unnecessary thoughts that did not make sense but those thoughts stopped when I remembered who was in the dungeon, Luna. Without any thought I made my way towards the entrance of the dungeon. 

“Sir, sir, you are not allowed to enter the dungeon since it's too dangero-” The soldiers fell to his knees after releasing my aura. Another soldier came to the scene, “Thi- This aura, my apologies sir for such disrespect towards you.” 

“That doesn’t matter now, let me through.” In a cold voice, this brought back un-nostalgic memories. “Y-Yes sir.” As I started to make my way towards the dungeon in a loud enough voice so that the soldiers could hear me. “Evacuate the area and bring healers to the scene since there could be injured people.” I Started to manipulate the mana around me trying to make a big enough hole so that people could come up and get treated, but that was in the last of my list. 

I started to break through the floors as if it was nothing but in the process I could feel more auras around the basilisk. ‘Those must be the students, I have to get there faster before anything regretful happens.’ 

CHARLOTTE BAMFORD

Why, why is this monster here? We have to get out of here but his presence is so powerful that students with a black ring fall unconscious to its evil mana wave. “Charlotte, take the rest of the class and retreat to the surface.” Is what the professor Cobb said trying to get a grip.

I turned to see the woman in the kingdom’s armor fighting that monster. She won’t be able to last until reinforcements get here. Damn it I have to make a decision before I regret it. I snapped out of the thoughts I was having when I saw a spell being thrown towards me. The professor looked in my direction trying to form a barrier spell, it was too late, the spell was so close to me that I couldn’t see my surroundings. I closed my eyes waiting for the impact. 

“You okay little one?” were the words that I heard before opening my eyes, It was the woman in the kingdom’s armor. 

“How?” How did she make it here before the spell hit me, was she that fast, what’s going on?

My head was filled with so many questions but then I realized that she was hurt and really bad. I tried to use a healing spell when she stopped me. “Don’t use it on me i’m okay, but use it on your unconscious classmates that could make them wake up and run from here.” She gave me a heartwarming smile, “So in the meantime I will buy you some time and in my signal you will use your healing spell.”

I nodded at her words and made my way towards my classmates. “That was pretty dirty don’t you think, basilisk?” Basilisk? Did she just say basilisk?

“How did you know I was a basilisk?” His aura got stronger than it was before. 

“Your speed and aura gave it away, and not to mention that your horns are visible.” The woman thrusted her sword towards the basilisk.

“I was right about you, you are an interesting one.” dodging the attack, the basilisk swung his dark red sword aiming at the neck of the woman, “Well it seems like I have to kill you since you know what I am.” As the basilisk swung his sword down, something broke through the floor above us. Something horrible came through the floor, whatever that thing was more powerful than the basilisk. Its aura made me sweat the moment I felt it. 

Everyone turned to where the aura was coming from, the smoke kept its features hidden. I turned to see my professor, her expression darken as she felt the aura and so did my classmates, but there was one person whose expression didn’t darken but lightened her expression. It was the woman who had been fighting that basilisk. 

The basilisk turned, his face expressed something I'd never thought I would see on that monster, Fear. Smoke was being cleared and then I saw someone who I never thought I would see again. He started to scan the room, next thing I knew he was next to me, he picked me up and I was next to my injured classmates. “Heal you classmate and make sure to heal Luna next.” Luna? so that was her name, I nodded to his words and started to heal using mana from the air as best as I could. 

I couldn’t get distracted by the battle that was about to happen, I needed to be useful towards the person that could potentially save us from this monster.

 “YOU BASTARD HOW ARE YOU USING THAT SPELL!” Startled by the roar that came from the basilisk. Trying to locate where Luna was, but she was next to me with a smile on her face. “Ms. Luna, I’m going to start healing you!”

Then I heard the woman say something that surprised everyone. 

“General?” 

ALTER VIOLET

Now that Luna was in a safe place, I could start to get serious. “What is a basilisk doing here?” questioning the ‘thing’ in front of me. 

“NOT UNTIL YOU ANSWER MY QUESTION, HOW ARE YOU USING THAT MAGIC SPELL!” pointing his sword at me while igniting it with mana. “I think you already know the answer to your question.” I said while getting my sword out of my dimension ring. 

“But if you want to make sure about your answer you have to beat out of me first.” swinging my sword towards his neck and him blocking it with his crimson sword. “If that is what it takes to get them out of your mouth!” 

Sending me 5 feet back, I regained my ground before being blasted with mana spells. ‘He seems to be a dual-elemental mana user.’ As I started to think about his abilities, I decided to not put the people behind in danger just for my greed of information. Igniting my sword with fire mana I strived forward, trying to find a weakness on the basilisk. 

“I HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR GAMES HUMAN!” Releasing all of his mana into the air the atmosphere had gotten heavy but for the people behind me it was crushing them. I had to use it even if it meant to give away my position in this world, I have to take responsibility towards these people. 

“Abeyance” I muttered under my breath, everything went into black and white. nothing moved, except me and the basilisk. 

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE HUMAN!” sensing his bloodlust I quickly let out mine, “Something I should have done after seeing you.” trying to use mana knowing that he could not, went full on trying to strike me down which failed on the first swing. 

I kept dodging his attacks since they came to me as slow as snail would come, ‘I should cut one of his arms but which one’. seeing as the basilisk used his right arm to wield a sword I decided to cut it which means he could retreat. 

igniting my sword with the quadra-elemental mana and then slashing through his crimson sword and onto his right arm cutting it clean. The basilisk clenched his bleeding wound, “You’re strong I’ll give you that but you won't be a match for our army in the upcoming war!” 

Army? Upcoming war? What is happening?

I released Abeyance.

 “How did you get here?” binding him into the ground with earth magic.

“Through a portal.” A smile slowly showed on his face.

 “There's active portals? No, no that can't be right. They were destroyed.” I turned to see Luna walking up. “Luna, are you healed already?”. She looked at me with mixed emotions.

“Y-yes, Gene-” I cut her off, “Alter, call me Alter”

 “Y-yes, Alter.” Looking around avoiding eye contact until her eyes landed on mine, giving her a smile that I probably haven’t given her in a long time. I saw tears form in her eyes, not from sadness but from joy. “It seems that I need to be more strict on your training cry baby.” I said teasing her, we both chuckled. 

Upon waiting for the reinforcements, Luna and I catched up with a couple of things. Of Course I didn’t tell her lies but not the whole truth either, since getting her involved with something that personal will be too much for her, especially since she’s an Espion. 

Hearing the footsteps of the reinforcements I got up but something was wrong, not around me but inside me. Something was corrupting me, my ring, my heart. Falling to my knees, gripping my chest where my heart was. 

“¡GENERAL!” I heard Luna scream. “Don’t you dare to leave me alone now, general!...” Is all I heard before falling into the darkness…

I found myself wondering through the emptiness of the darkness, forgetting what had happened before I fell to my knees. Still trying to remember what happened, unpleasant memories from the past came to me. The War, my family, my wife… I have to push these memories aside and find a way out of here and fast.

I turned around just to be in another place, and god I knew where I was the second laid eyes on the field. This was the place where the war took on, The dark and gloomy rainy clouds, The muddy floor, The roars of the people, The sounds of the metal clashing, The mana in the air. There was no mistaking it, this was the war. 

“Why now out of all times… Dammit.” Trying to vent my anger through my voice. Trying to look for a way out I found someone who wasn't supposed to be in there, it was a little boy with black curly hair. ‘Pretty long, he should tie it before it becomes a pain when it gets in the way’ I said to myself trying to remember why that little kid was no older than seven.

He seemed so mature for his age, but still a little kid going to war in the front lines none the less. The kid sprinted towards the horde of enemies without fear of death, killing one by one with his sword. Leaving the sword in an enemy's body like it didn’t matter, he pulled his dual daggers and kept killing without mercy. Blood marks all over his body, now I know why he looked so familiar to me… that kid was ‘the me’ from the war.

“General, your face is covered with blood…” 

‘That voice could it be?’ Turning around and seeing one of the people who still followed me no matter the path I took, one of my subordinates, an Espion, Luna Lyric.

“Is that so Captain Lyric?” turned to face Luna in a cold tone. “Give me a report of your mission Captain.”

“The mission has been successful.” Luna kneeled with her right hand on her heart. “And the portals have been discovered too?” A submissive tone was given.

“Yes the basilisk’s portal has been spotted and we have men on stand by for your orders general.” Luna stood up with her unemotional face.

“Go to the front lines and aid the other soldiers there and let Espion Juliette go to the Elf Kingdom and to get rid of the pest there.” 

“As for the Portals, I will deal with it Myself personally.” The Espion gave a worried look but then went to her unemotional expression.

“¡Yes sir!” The Espion teleported away.

The younger me turned in my direction, “you should leave too, older me.” I felt a rush of panic going through me. It must be a fluke, there has to be someone behind me. Turning around just to see no one there. 

“‘How is it possible, how can he see me?’ Is that what you are thinking right?” His lips curled upwards as if knowing what he said scared me.

“And here I thought it was a dream.” I said, trying to play it off. “Well for starters you haven’t completely accepted me but time will be your enemy.”

“What does that mean?” I extended an arm as if trying to grab him. He turned around and gave me an unemotional look, “war is coming and your time to accept me will be late.”

“Hold on, what are you talking about!?, ‘war is coming’ what does that mean?” My mind was being flooded with thoughts about what he said.

“Your time is up.” As releasing his power made the ground tremble making me snap back to reality. Opening my eyes to an odd ceiling, I tried looking around but my body cried in pain.

“How long did I use Abeyance for?” I ignored my body’s plea and proceeded to sit down and kept looking around. “Where am I?” 

The door opened wide to reveal a figure that I had to see. “General, you’re awake.” It was Luna, giving me a relieved expression.

“You’re in a nursing tent outside of the dungeon. As for your first question you used Abeyance for 3 minutes which you also had been mana depleted.” She said, looking at me with such a disappointed smile.

“Are you hurt by any chance?” Worrying since she might have gotten caught in the battle. “No I haven’t but the healers still healed me just in case.” Well that’s a rock off my back. 

Looking at Luna now and comparing her with the one of my dreams, she had changed for the best. She’s always smiling, giving people inspiration, helping people where she can. I am glad I left before she turned cold-hearted like the old me or should I say younger me? 

“G-general,” I snapped out of my thoughts. “What’s wrong Luna?”

“Why did you disappear after the war was over?” I could see tears forming in her eyes. I sighed, “There are two reasons why I disappeared without saying a word… First, after the war I had to make sure that the portals didn't activate after I actually left the battlefield but I haven’t gotten a good answer yet…” I looked at my feet before continuing, “As for the second, that one is personal and I can’t say anything before I have solid evidence of it but I want you to know this, I didn’t leave you guys because I was tired of you guys but for those reasons.” I faced Luna after finishing, her head was facing down to her hands with droplets of her tears. 

“And here I thought you were avoiding us now that we ended the war.” My two hands reached out to her and embraced her. “Luna I wouldn’t want to avoid you and Juliette, you should know that.” Her head was on my chest with her arms around me.

“Y-you won’t leave us again r-right.” She said sobbing like a little girl. “No… I won’t leave you guys, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t since you guys are my responsibility.” Luna’s sobbing was calming down.

“Isn’t that right Juliette?” I said loud enough so that she could hear me. 

Luna turned towards the door, “It seems like I am still no match for you, general.” As she walked in the room with tears going down her check.

I signaled her to come for a hug too. She hugged me tighter than I expected but I didn’t budge on it, ‘now that I’ve come back I need to protect them no matter what’ I said to myself.