1447, London - Part 1

It's been nineteen years. When I first stepped from the Sacred Palace into this new world, my new home, I found myself in France, 1428 and for those who know their history, The Hundred Years' War.

At first, I didn't know if I was lucky or not. On the one hand, I'm years earlier than cannon even though the Devil's Civil Wars starts in, at the time, seventy-eight years or so. On the other hand, I just got dropped in the middle of a war, with practically no way to defend myself. You can imagine that I was beyond excited.

Why? You must be asking yourself. I had two reasons, the first was that if I did things right no one would care or even notice me, I could find a place for myself in some secluded location and begin my studies. The second reason has a name and it's Jeanne d'Arc. How could I not be thrilled with the idea of meeting one of the most influential people of the fifteenth century?!

However, I had my problems to deal first. I didn't think I had enough time to get proficient on combat magic, so I decided to start with illusions, defensive magic, body enhancement and the All Speak, since I can't speak french. Once I had found a safe place to rest I could start studying combat magic.

It took me all two weeks to find such a place and by that time I was already proficient enough with illusions to fool bandits. The reinforcement, or at least the bastardized version I was using since I'm just flooding my body with mana, took a bit of time to make it work since I still had to translate my magecraft knowledge to this world system but in the end, I was able to do it, with some complications.

I later found out that I was in a bosque near Chinon, really damn close to Orleans. How do I know that? Bandits like to talk when their lives are on the line. Did I kill them? No, I did not. I know that at some point I will have to but I don't think I'm ready to kill someone already defeated in cold blood. I just knocked them out cold and dropped their naked ass on the road. I didn't have a lot to worry about since this place was outside English influence and so I went on my way to find my safe place.

I did find such a place. In two weeks and with my spirit's help I had managed to build a somewhat shabby cabin. Magic does make things easier, even when used in such a barbarous way as using so much mana I could have used extreme magic just to levitate logs. Oh, I may have stoled an ax from someone too.

It's was that way I spent the rest of the year. Making upgrades to my now beautiful cabin, learning and creating bounded fields around the area so that humans would just walk around this place, practicing combat magic and so much more. It was then 1429 and so I started my journey to Orleans.

On normal circumstances, it would have taken a little more than a day to travel by foot but thanks to reinforcement, and yes, I was able to translate the spell, it took me a little more than ten hours with breaks to get there. And the first thing I noticed was the sound of steel clashing, cries of pain and the smell of blood.

Do you remember your History Classes, where the teacher talked about war and most probably you thought nothing of it? Or when you played war games and was surprised about how 'realistic' it looked? At that moment I thought about that and puked because nothing can describe how horrible the sight in my vision looked like.

Blood, bodies, dismemberment limbs. The smell of burned flesh was all that filled my nose and I had to stop myself from puking once again. That was when I learned a valuable lesson, that no matter the reason, war is a horrible thing.

On that day I killed someone. Again I puked. The second time wasn't any easier. By the time the battle ended I had lost count on how many I had cut with my sword. Did I know how to use one? No, but when you're moving so fast that to most people you appear as only a blur it doesn't matter.

By the time all of it finished I still felt horrible, I still hated that I had to do it. But this was war and they were the ones that made the first move. I didn't leave the battle uninjured, after all, I couldn't use any 'flashy' spell. I had some cuts and tomorrow I would have bruises but nothing serious.

You must be asking why I couldn't use illusions to hide that I was going to use magic to kill the soldiers and the answer is simple. I couldn't. To make an illusion I need to have a concrete image in my mind, which is difficult to make when you're fighting for your life. Another reason is that the more people you had to influence the more difficult it would be to pull the spell and I don't think I could make the hundreds of people around me see what I want at that moment.

I didn't want to make a mistake and then have a platoon after my ass for using magic. Remember that Jeanne died burned alive for religious reason and last time I checked magic wasn't condone by the church.

The moment I noticed the soldiers retreating I used a spell to go unnoticed as I walked in the direction of Orleans. It was then that I saw her, Jeanne d'Arc, with a sword and a banner on her hands. It was also at that moment I realized that I truly was in a somewhat fantasy world since this Jeanne looked nothing like the one from my original Earth but like Ruler, from Nasuverse. Blond hair tied in a ponytail that goes all the way down her back, a heart-shaped face with amethyst colored eyes and wearing what looks like a battle-dress.

I didn't talk to her. I was mentally exhausted and need some time to deal with the day's events and so I found a corner for myself near the woods and cried myself to sleep.

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Three months had passed since that day. I had decided to stay with the army for no other reason than Jeanne. I wasn't in love with her or anything like that but my curiosity from getting to know her turned into a friendship with time. I also met Gilles de Rais. He seems like a cool guy but the look in his eyes when Jeanne is near us disturbs me. I don't know much about him, just that in the future he is decorated alongside Jeanne as saviors by King Charles.

Jeanne also knows that I can use magic. She caught me healing soldiers in the middle of the night. I thought I was done for but instead, she thanked me for my work. When I asked why she didn't seem disturbed by my magic, she answered that I was using it for good and that God must have a reason to let me use it. Oh, the irony.

In the time I was with them I continue my studies in secret. I'm no longer fazed by life and death battles, I finally could use my illusion while bombarding my enemies with simple wind magic. I killed by the dozens and when all was finished people only thought I was a master swordsman.

I'm a genius. I made a zone around me with a double-layered illusion. From the outside, it looks like I'm waving through enemies with my sword while inside the people just ignored me while I killed them with sharp wind blades on the neck.

Time passed and finally, we had recaptured Orleans. It was time for me to leave but not before giving a farewell gift for my first friend in this new beginning.

"Jeanne! It seems this is the end of our journey."

"Damon, we had this conversation countless times so I'm not going to repeat myself. I just wish you good luck and fro you to promise me that you will take care of yourself."

"I will, Jeanne, I promised but before going I have something for you."

I present her with a silver cross, similar to the one she always wears but this one is enchanted with some protection spells. It will also show me when she is in danger so that, when I learn how to do it, I can teleport to her side.

"Don't ever take this off, please. It will tell me when you're in a dangerous situation you have no way to get out yourself."

"Thank you, Damon. I promised I won't take it off. It's a beautiful cross."

"Goodbye, Jeanne. I know we will meet again someday."

And with that, I turned around and walked away not seeing the tear that rolled down my friend's face.