* Time : Late afternoon of that same day *
- * Removed * Step 2 : Thwart the attack by the heretics and the cultists * Impossible *
"Back to the library again, Baston?"
"Yeah..."
"See you later, then!"
"See ya!"
With the study of priest apprenticeship ending for the day, I am free to do whatever I want until sunset.
Following my usual routine, I part ways with my friends and walk against the crowds that seek playtime outside.
Playing sports, Practicing Sword Arts, Training in Sorcery, Going on an adventure, Relaxing on your bed, the list of usual hobbies goes on and on. However, like a boring old man or a shut-in researcher, I choose to go read more books in the library. Not exactly because I like it, but because my life depends on it.
"Swordsmanship and Magic, Experience in hunting monsters, I already receive plenty of them anyway; no need to be jealous." I comforted myself.
Heading inwards, to the innermost part of the temple, my destination, the grand library of York, the biggest in the North, I pass by many seniors and instructing priests who were also heading outside. Whispers echo along the corridors as passersby give me a look, some judging, some complimenting.
After a 10-minute walk, I finally reach the entrance of this church's member-only library, containing even more access restricted sections inside. Security here is so unusually tight for a bunch of shelves and books, I wouldn't be surprised if all the secrets of our King of Briton are kept here.
"Identification, please," said Clara, the librarian priestess.
I extend my arms, holding the magical identification bracelet along my wrist and the high priestess's recommendation letter in my hands. Clara, strictly adhering to her duty as always, scans the bracelet using a magical tool shaped like a sensor plate and reads the recommendation letter carefully without missing a single detail.
The entry process ends with the usual guidelines announcement by the librarian.
"Baston Thilloburg, son of Terric Thilloburg and Serafina Thilloburg, the apprentice priest of York Temple, with the recommendation of high priestess Serafina, is allowed entry into the library up to level 1 restriction sections. Please follow the rules and norms of our York Grand Library very thoroughly, as failure to do so may result in permanent suspension of entry."
Oh, and have I mentioned that my mother, Serafina, is a high priestess of this very York Temple.
"Thank you!" I quickly try to leave... but it seems like I was a bit late.
"Hey Baston!" Clara calls me out after the responsibility required by the entry protocol officially ends, seeming to switch from 'stickler for the rules' mode to 'neighborhood parents mode'. "Has someone ever told you to go outside and breathe in some fresh air?"
"I've been told that a lot lately."
"Don't you think there's a reason for that?"
"Well, it's not like I lack exercise, experience or anything like that. Right now, I think I need more knowledge than ever, so this is the most perfect time for me to go to the library." I answer her straightforwardly while also lightly soothing myself from all the losses of free time.
"Then go practise magic and sorcery, learn new spells, or read magical grimoires in the magic hall! Not holing up in the library like an introverted bookworm!"
"Ahhh, these books are so much more interesting. We need some artistry in life too."
"When does 'Underground sewage system, backbone of the Capitol' become an art?"
I shrug. "It depends on the point of view, doesn't it?"
"Uhhhh! This goddamn bookworm, I wish I could kick you out."
"I'll take my leave now. Bye!"
Following the trails I took several times a week for the past year, I find myself inside the left wing of the central library building, the location of the library level 1 restriction section.
'One day, I will definitely go to the right wing instead!'
I settle down on my usual spot, pouring out stuff from my pouch.
*thud* *thud*
Several items messily gathered on top of the table.
A few magical trinkets and tools, a magical grimoire, a thick 'diary', my pocket watch and lastly...
Books of various titles, such as
'Londinium : Architecture of Briton's Capital'
'Guide to traversing Londinium'
'Londinium City Plan'
'Briton History 101: Foundation of the Capital'
'Londinium natures'
and 5 more books, totalling 10 books, all related to Briton's capital of Londinium, its geographic properties and city designs.
From these titles, most would think that I am preparing for the trip to Londinium or studying to be an architect.
In reality, all these books are related to the prophetic dreams I have every night.
In those dreams, an apocalypse occurs in Londinium during an annual celebration, which my future self also attends.
I call this apocalypse "THE CAPITOL FALL", the 3rd apocalypse occurring on the land of Briton in the past 10 years, and as the name suggests, the capital, Londinium, will fall.
The event begins with a simultaneous attack from two enemies: first, the heretics and cultists causing internal chaos; second, the dragonics and its elder dragons seizing the opportunity of a compromised defense by flying in from overseas territory and invading our land.
Counterattacks utilising guerrilla tactics in urban warfare continue for a few days before the heretics successfully summon the Demon God on the last day. Then, the demon god plunges the entire country into abyssal darkness and covers our entire island nation with miasma, killing more than 90% of the population instantly and leaving those who survived a crippling prey for the demon.
To survive, there are only 2 options: the more realistic one, which is to escape from the country beforehand, and the impossible one, which is to kill the demon god/prevent its descent and deter the invasion by the dragons.
Taking refuge in the neighbouring countries sounds possible, if only they had good relations with the people of Briton.
The three closest choices are 'Island of Eireland' to the west, 'The Holy Alliance' to the south across the channel on the mainland continent of Europa and 'Scania', the dragonic empire on the opposite side of the sea, in the far northeastern direction.
Unfortunately, the island of eire to the west went to war with Briton, so the martial laws prohibit travelling between the countries, and the Holy Alliance was still mad about the Briton's church declaring independence from them.
Scania is the one invading us, so yeah... no more saying needed.
Travelling by sea any further out from the island will lead to new countries, but a trip that far requires a guardian accompanying you, but my mother and my father, working as a high-ranking personnel, can't abandon their posts for that long without any proper reason.
So for the survival of myself, my family and my hometown, I embark on an impossible journey to kill the demon god.
That's why, in every available waking hour of my daily life, I am drafting a 'God-Killing' plan, utilising many geographic advantages, ancient ruins, abandoned magic circles, and various secret tools in Londinium only few top brass of the royal family know about.
And, at night, I test the plan in my apocalyptic dream world, training to kill a god.
'That's why I said I don't exactly lack experiences.'
So, I open my so-called diary, a magical recording tool in a form of a book containing details ranging from random stories here and there to a 'god-killing' plan.
With handwriting reminiscent of a researcher scribbling down their experimental theory, this entire diary itself is the backbone and foundation to my god-killing plan.
On there it wrote: The plan, Codename "Butterfly Effect", consists of 3 main stages:
* DIARY ENTRY#3-001 - Headline Entry of Volume 3 - 'The Capitol Fall' and 120 other entries *
* BUTTERFLY EFFECT *
Three-stage operation in order to observe, strategize, and avert an impending doom.
Stage 1: Observation * Status : Completed *
- Beginning location inside the dream : Front lawn of Royal Palace, the Phoenix annex, Londinium, Briton at 7:00 PM with a couple hundreds people, both famous commoners and nobles, waiting outside, including me and my mother.
- Event : the Hundred Lights Festival, annual celebration of country's founding in 2010.
- Main Venue * Phoenix Annex * : An H-shaped palace with phoenix statue and exotic plants garden in the front. A lake and a bridge connecting to 'Lake Island' in the back.
- Surrounding environment : Royal exotic plants garden, surrounded by fully lit urban area with clear view of the skies
..
..
.. (And 53 more entries)
Stage 2: Experimentation, Planning and Trials * Status : Ongoing *
Entry : Experimentation
* Experimentation#1 : Real World Influence *
- I asked my mother for future favors and the one in my dream remembered it
- Discovery : Action upon the real world affects the stage of the real world. The apocalyptic future is not a fixed event.
- Note : Planning must leave room for unaccounted variables caused by me who knows the future and affecting the timeline with my knowledge
* Experimentation#2 : Experience and Muscle Memory *
- I intentionally created a habit in my swordsmanship where I moved in a switching tempo between fast attacks and strong charged attacks.
- Discovery : The habit and muscle memory carry over from the future to the present
- Conclusion : Knowledge of the future can change its corresponding past and present
- Question : What exactly is time? * Postponed *
* Planning and trials : Current Plan *
- Step 1 : Go with the flow from 7:00 PM to 8:45 PM, spending this time socializing and social networking with fellow juniors at the celebration to increase my likeability and trustworthiness.
- Step 2 : At 8:45 PM, convince my mother and her fellow colleagues to go to 'Lake Island' in order to quickly escape to the underground sewage system through the entrance on the island, the only publicly available one in the palace, when the attack happens at 9:30 PM.
- Step 3 : After a long undergroup escape with the group led by Commander of the Army, we group up with King Georian and his entourages and march to the defense ministry building.
- Step 4 : Commence the urban guerilla warfare counterattack across the entire city.
- Step 5 : Collect blood samples of the King
- Step 6 : Seperate from the group during the attack on Westminster Cathedral and head towards the innermost part of the Cathedral. Using an abandoned secret pathway in the church main hall, operate the ancient grand magic circle [Covenant of Royal and Divine] using royal blood from the king as a medium.
- Step 7 : ...
..
..
..(And 90 more entries)
Stage 3: Preparation for Real World Execution * Status : None *
- From the experiments, it reveals that the past, present and future affect each other. But how come I land myself in that exact spot every dream, even at the beginning when I absolutely want to leave the island fated to die?
- Note : Some significant events will and must occur in the two years between the present and the future
And that's the gist of Operation 'Butterfly Effect'.
Turning to the other pages of the magic diary, I finally land myself on my destination, the page 'to-do list'.
"Do more research on the topic of relationships between mana, magic and sorcery..."
"Okay..." I take a very deep breath, clear my mind of any distractions and fully concentrate on my duty.
After finding my immediate objective for the day, I close my diary, brace myself for the upcoming workload and head for the shelves.
"Let's go!" I whisper inwardly to cheer myself up.
And so continues the boring day cycle of Baston, the one who gazes upon the future.
From the outside, he might seem like who spends his daytime reading books peacefully without any care for his future career. However, at nightfall, his tranquility fades away as he spends his time in a horrifyingly adventurous and dangerous dream.
And not just any dream...
It's a prophetic dream...
It foretells an impending doom...
It foretells...
THE APOCALYPSE
![[Prologue #1] Baston, the One Who Gazes Upon the Future](https://us-a.tapas.io/sa/83/ecbd0573-ba24-4b11-99c5-2fb046e89dc1.jpg)
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