A Day Of A Time Mage

"It won't bite you! I promise!"

"It's a behemoth size of a bird with claws! I'm not worried about its bite, I don't want those claws of that size anywhere near me!" I had been arguing with Ysabeau for about two days now. As I looked towards Mavis, she was happily stroking the beast's head. It squealed, which I cringed.

"It will be fine!"

"No, it will not!" The beast had now flopped onto her back, wiggling around as if it wanted someone to rub its belly.

"What's so difficult?"

"I dare not go remotely near it, what makes you think I would ride it?!"

At this time, Mavis had tried sitting on the bird. She gently shrugged off the saddle, indicating that she wasn't really fond of this contraption. Probably more for horses then. I had an eye on Fluffy and Mavis, just in case the beast harms Mavis in any way.

"I need it for safety, Fluffy. Please?" she whispered as she stroked her feathered head once more. She'd still refused. Instead, she plopped onto her rump, allowing Mavis to sit on her back. Her beak tilted as if it's prompting the Valkyrie to go on board. She showed fear as she scooted closer. It seems that Fluffy sensed her hesitance and gently squawked, trying to reassure her. Mavis was always one to hate flight, despite having wings.

"I don't even like riding horseback!"

"You're the only one who can oppose a second in command, how defiant can you be?!"

"I'll oppose the Lord of the Universe if it means to get away from that…" I looked towards the duo. Mavis looked shocked as she met my eyes with Ysabeau's confused look.

Fluffy took off without warning, prompting Ysabeau to shout. And I gave chase at the duo using Glitch. Ysabeau pulled out her Emerald Wings, in an attempt to catch up on Mavislin and beast.

"How the hell is this behemoth so fast?!" I yelled, trying to keep up.

"It's not a behemoth, it's a Rukh!" Meanwhile, she had problems of her own. I was able to watch her fly Fluffy by gripping the back of the beast's neck. She was terrified, to say the least since she hasn't opened her eyes for quite some time. Then, she took in a deep breath, trying to gather up the courage and look ahead. It was sunset, and the sky was adorned with pink and orange, closing with the night sky's purple hue. The clouds were highlighted pink. Fluffy had finally slowed down to witness the sight as well. She squawked softly as if to say she had surpassed the flying test. Ysabeau and I finally caught up to them, with enormous difficulty. It was to the point that I was literally teeming with electric shocks. I broke the silence by yelling

"Are you hurt?!"

"I'm fine, she didn't harm me," she replied, patting the bird's head. She flapped her wings as Mavis ruffled her feathers.

"Why didn't you use the saddle?" questioned Ysabeau, flying in front of the duo. Fluffy hung her head in shame.

"It's okay, Ysabeau, Fluffy didn't seem comfortable using the saddle. Thus, I did not leave it on," explained Mavislin. She then lightly smacked Fluffy on the head.

"No supper!" We both laughed.

"At least you have the guts to fly her, not like that pansy," complained Ysabeau as she pointed at me. I pouted, crossing my arms.

"Still not going anywhere near it!" With that, concludes the very first time we tried to take riding lessons. For Mavislin, that is. We were having dinner as we were joined with Z, Gillian, and Baldwin. But I decided to show Mavis something special, or perhaps, take her out to somewhere spectacular.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, wiping a plate. I replied with silence and shrug.

"Well, you are not one to stay at one place and be silent. You waiting for me for something?" she asked, in hopes to quell the awkwardness.

"Yea. I'm waiting for you to let you see what I have in my room. Or maybe a small trip," I said, smiling.

"A Time Frame Hop?" she quizzed.

"Not really. In Time Frame Hopping, I can travel in time, But I can only change the Time I'm at, not the area. I pluck out the Time Frame that I wish to go into and it would change the Time I was at, not the area I activated the spell. The one I am about to try is called Time Teleportation. Where I can actually travel through Time and Space. Combining Nature and Time," I elaborated. She sighed, tilting her head to look at me in the eye.

"Sorry, but I won't take up your offer," she replied, smiling. I was dumbfounded. No girl had ever declined my offer of a time travel date.

"But why? It'll be so fun, seeing what the future would be like..." I tried to hide my feelings of dismay, but I don't think I've done a very good job at it.

"No can do, Time Boy. I'm not going ahead to get spoilers for myself. If you want, you can do it. But just make sure you come back home in one piece. And don't tamper when you shouldn't!" she warned me, as I glitched back to my room in disappointment. Back at my room, I prepared my trip, forwards in time. 300 years, let's see what the world would be like. I couldn't have been more wrong about my expectations as I stepped into the rift.

The place was plunged into chaos as all around was smoke. Nothing but rubble remained around me. Loud explosions rang through the air, huge metal birds were zooming above my head. I looked behind, families screaming in terror and fleeing from the destruction. A few huge tanks, I believed that is what they are called, were now preparing to aim at the child in front of me.

"Look out!' I yelled as I glitched her back to safety. Just in time, as the tank fired later. I scanned around as I placed the child with her family. I didn't understand, where were the Pentacle Arks? This is not why I came here. This was not the outcome that we wanted. We wanted peace and this is the opposite result of it. Part of me was glad I didn't drag Mavislin here. The other half was wishing that I should have never tried to go so far ahead of time. But as I was debating about my choices, a familiar screech echoed above my head. And a voice I knew all too well.

"Windfall!" Without delay, the soldiers that were about to execute me was now kissing the ground. I laughed in fear. But, the weight didn't stop growing. Soon, even the tanks were getting crushed. As predicted the civilians were unaffected by the attack. Judgment was now in effect. But what I had not expected was how strong was the mage that conjured up this spell. Her aura was terrifying, to say the least. Wasn't what I had foreseen. Especially not the next spell.

"Let light flow, Let dark fade. Divine punishment, Descend from the heavens. I ask of thee, for this land to strive and flourish once more... Heaven's Wheel: Judgment Day!" yelled the woman who was on the back of the huge bird. Her voice boomed throughout the battlefield. A huge emblem appeared from underneath and above the area. The radius of the spell was so substantial that I was unable to see where the edges of the circular emblem were at. The emblems started to spin rapidly. Only an abundance of light devoured the area. Without my Time Pocket Skill, I would've been done for.

"Raiyen?!" yelled out my partner. She hopped down from the beast. Both of them had the same expression of bewilderment as they laid eyes on me.

"Mav?! That was your move?" I asked. I didn't get the answer I wanted, but what I needed as she jumped from Fluffy and into my arms.

"What's the occasion?" I mumbled as I hugged back. There was something wrong when I looked into her eyes. What had transpired during this 300 years I've skipped?

"World War 2," she replied, solemnly.

"There are two?!" She nodded. By the time, the rest had caught up to us. Ysabeau had her mouth covered as she saw me in the distance. Baldwin looked flabbergasted as he approached us. Z rushed up to Mavis to see if she was okay.

"Alive, check?" Classic Z when his mind was in a flurry. He glanced at me.

"Why are you in Germany?" asked Z.

"I'm not supposed to be here?" I replied with another question. Where was I? Silence fell on us until someone had to be violent.

"Why are you here?! Some kind of prank?!" roared Baldwin, hurling a punch at me. I dodged it with ease.

"Hold up, Angry Man! 300 years into the future and you are still this angry," I said, panting.

"Get a hold of yourself, Baldwin. Have you forgotten what mage he is?" commanded Mavislin. I shuddered at her words. Since when her words sounded this ruthless?

"Fair enough," murmured Baldwin.

"Bad enough we've lost a quarter of our armies. We don't need you to start any fights of your accord. Have I made myself clear?!" bellowed Mavislin. The Angry Man saluted.

"So, uh, where is Gillian?" I asked.

"USSR." I seemed confused at that answer but nodded along with it. I'll figure it out next time.

"So, where's the current me?"

"Singapore. You are in charge of Asian ground."

"Even Asia is under siege?"

"That's why its called 'World War', mate."

"Well, this matter aside, we've got problems of our own. Ysabeau, you know what to do. Baldwin, I am placing you at the front lines with the Knights. Don't let me down, you two. Z and Raiyen, you are following me. I'll let the Pillars continue battle here," authorized Mavis, as she summoned her wings. Z created a huge bubble of water for him to move around.

"Time Boy, I said you are with me," she stated, once more.

"Coordinates?"

"Amsterdam, 10 minutes," she replied.

As we got to the area, I was quite astonished. The whole area looks like a ghost town. No one was out. I knew that during wartime would be bad, but not this level of devastation.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked as Mavislin landed.

"Patrol." As we looked around, Z spotted something odd with a particular building. Huge trucks were about to pull up at that the house when I dashed into the building. There was no mistake, they were rounding up the people inside.

"Damn it!" yelled Mav, quickly following me. Z got towards us. I was shocked as I saw the family that was about to be rounded up. I had seen her book, her diary before. It was completely by accident as I experimented with Time Ripper.

"Get them to safety!" yelled Z, as he stood behind the door. He understood the situation, despite Mavislin's hesitance. 300 years, she had still been hesitant. He then conjured up an illusion, Void's Emergence. The ability to create anything out of nothing but the Mage's imagination.

"There's no way out!" shouted the woman. The children began to cry.

"Shall we kill them?" I asked. I took out Heaven Sent and Hell Bent, ready to unleash them towards the soldiers. Z was still holding the door as Mavislin was about to draw out her elements. However, a firm hand on both her and my shoulders.

"Don't," he spoke, eyes weighing heavily.

"What do you mean?" asked Mavislin.

"Even if you take down these soldiers, will you be able to take down the ones that come after?" he questioned.

"We can handle them all," I said, boldly. Even if it was a time skip, I could still finish off an armada of enemies.

"Don't worry, we are stronger than we look," she answered, giving a confident smile. But the man sighed and shook his head. It was only a matter of time before Z's illusion would fade.

"What I meant was, are you guys willing to shoulder the many lives that you are going take?"

"They are not innocent! Killing an entire group of people just because some mustache man said that they are evil is not justifiable!" she yelled. I had never seen her lose her temper before. Was she always like this? Or had something happened within those 300 years difference?

"And killing all these soldiers is?" he retorted back.

"They are merely soldiers. They are just following orders. They are doing this because they have no choice. Defy, and they will suffer. Tell me, which one would you choose?" asked the man. That question had no proper answer, both would be taking lives. I then realized that his eyes held the eyes of a past soldier. One who took many lives just for the sake of protecting others. He will forever be haunted by those who begged for their lives. He knew this matter vividly. I knew about this, my own history was filled with wars, it wasn't all peace or tranquility. No one could have such a privilege. Mavis bit her lip. The fact that all those soldiers were killing was for the sake of protecting others. I glanced at the children. They were terrified.

"I'm scared," said the youngest one. I never thought she was this terrified, Mavislin was scared at times, but never this. She wasn't scared of the soldiers or the man before her. She was scared of something else. No, she wasn't even scared. Not terrified. Not angry. She looked like she was recalling her past. My future.

"Over a thousand years of being scared. Being comforted by everyone. By so many people. And now, it is my turn to give someone else hope," mumbled Mavis.

"I know what our fate will become the moment we open that door. It's okay, I'm prepared for it. What I did was unforgivable, and that's why I forgive them since most won't," he said, bravely. Z looked down. I scanned the room, at all of the children's faces. Mavislin held the young child's hands. The same eyes I saw her earlier in the day. But it was still different from the one I had in my current memory. Something dark was behind them. Something was off. At that time, I had no idea who was the woman standing before me.

"Remember this, your body may be gone, but your voice and words will be heard throughout time and the world. Your death will not be for nothing, your words will be echoed across the globe," she whispered towards the scared little thing. The child's eyes lit up.

"Across the globe?" she repeated, with life. Mavis nodded.

"Yep, even Asia will know about your story, your diary. Don't lose hope. Never lose hope. You are right, you always have been. Your belief that everyone harbors good within their hearts, is correct." Her eyes widen. She has not shown anyone her writings yet, so how could some stranger know something as private as that? I had a feeling I would be showing Mavislin some 'future' stuff.

"High Queen, awaiting orders," announced Z. My eyes widened. Wasn't Ysabeau supposed to be High Queen?

"Let them in," ordered the current High Queen.

"What the hell?! Mav!" I yelled. There was no way I am gonna let those soldiers into the building.

"Enough! This is my decision, and it is final!" Her voice was of authority. I had no choice to abide it. This wasn't the Mavislin I knew and cared for. It was someone else, a person who hurt ten times over. Z nodded and saluted the man. She gave a hug toward the child.

"I won't forget you guys," answered the man, saluting.

The moment we opened that door, they had already forgotten about us. But there was no way I will never forget the soldier's words. We stood at the side, looking at the family being rounded up. And yet, the kid did not cry.

"We've been through too many wars to even consider forgiveness for those soldiers that risk their lives to protect and kill many more. In the name of protection, in the name of peace," explained Mavislin, looking down. She then ordered me to do something odd.

"Changing history ain't gonna be good," I reasoned as we hopped back into that time frame once more.

"Yea, I know."

"You can't save them all," I told her as we moved around in secrecy.

"No, but at the very least I can save one to let her voice be heard," she said, jumping into the action. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe, she was still Mavislin.

"Arrest her as an accomplice!" yelled the German soldier.

"Hold on!" she said, holding out her hands. The soldiers looked perplexed. Then, without warning, they opened fire.

"Roar, O' wind of Thunder and Lightning. Fan of steel, flames of perdition. Black Wave Hibiscus!" yelled Mavislin. Perhaps it is a new spell she picked up later on. We managed to hop out with Miep. The woman who saved the family during in times of their crisis. And the person who would make the Diary Of A Young Girl a reality.

"The rest of her diary is in her room drawer take it after we are done with these soldiers," explained the High Queen. Miep quickly ran away, after she agreed.

"I thought he told you to spare them?" I asked.

"Yea, but he did not say for how long. Enemies are still enemies."

"Mav…" Ruthlessness was what described the person before me. Born out of war and raised by hatred. This is the person standing before me and I had no clue why.

"Besides, the American Army, as well as Gillian himself, is coming to finish them off," she said, looking at the town which was writhing with soldiers tearing apart families, with god knows what reason. Even if there's such a thing as god.

"We've got no mercy on them, huh?" I noted as I sat down on the grass. She plopped down as well. I took out a bag of cookies.

"Cookie?" I asked. She took a bite.

"Headmaster won't be pleased seeing you two like this," commented Z as he took a bottle of whiskey and wiggle it in front of us. He gave a smile.

"Here we are, in the middle of war-torn Europe, sitting down with cookies and a bottle of whiskey," said Mavislin, taking another bite at the cookies.

"Shows how much we actually care about wars," I replied.

"It'd been only recently that was started to occur. The human race was calling this war, the 'World Wars'. The first one was years back, but in between, there were still some small fights," explained Z, since I looked confused.

"Why's Gillian going down to the battlefield? He's not the type to do things himself," I asked, shoving a cookie into my mouth. Should get Ysabeau to bake more often.

"They've taken his brother," answered Z, eyes heavy. He did not mention death but we all knew that would be imminent.

"Don't mess with the Headmaster," said Mavislin, chugging down the rest of the liquid. Well, 300 years and he is still Headmaster. I thought Z would've taken the title by now.

"Well, I'll be heading back now. See ya," I said, jumping into the time frame that I was from.

"Wait!" I paused. She ran up to me and hugged from the back.

"What's wrong, Mav?" I asked, turning around to face her. I then returned the hug.

"Nothing. It's just..."

"Just?"

"Which time frame are you from before coming here?" she asked, cautiously.

"After our first riding lesson," I replied.

"The first try with you on the bird or?" she asked, once again. A bit too vague. I presume.

"Without." With a forehead kiss as a goodbye, I jumped back into my time. Where I would be arriving just in time for supper. With the people of my time, where I would belong. This was a day in my eyes, a day of being a Time Mage. And I wasn't able to change anything, not that girl's fate, not Mavislin's future. Not my future. I can only bear witness to people's demise. I can't change their fate. They say being a Time Mage would be so exciting, powerful. But it isn't. It's a curse. I had hoped that the future would be marvelous. Not hateful. That was when I knew, I had to continue on. Seeing this, most people would just give up. I am not going to do that. I want to push on, I want to see Mavis raised the ranks to be at that level of intimidation that I have witnessed today. And for that to happen, I need to be stronger. I had to protect her. Not fair if my partner rose up in position and I was omitted, right? My High Queen Mavislin, she won't leave me behind, right?

As I arrived home to my own timeline, I went up to Mavislin's room. She looked surprised, tilting her head. I ran up to her, hugging her. I was happy to see my Mavis again, the one I knew. The one I cared for. The one I love.

"Okay, okay. Had a nightmare?" she asks, patting my head. I felt something wet fell from my eyes and onto the bed below us.

"Yea. I don't like nightmares."