It had begun. Chiron had made his first move.

Chaos unfolded in the Caelum Terra, as an explosion that was probably heard all throughout the magical land originated in the Association’s building. Soldiers that clearly didn’t belong in the IDA’s forces showed up seemingly out of nowhere, their numbers seemingly endless.

Brave men and women, all thinking that they were fighting for a better tomorrow. In truth, they were just fighting for commanders that wanted to see a tomorrow shaped by their designs.

It was tragic, and it almost made him feel sad he was using the corpse of one of those men as a meat shield to defend against his comrades’ gunfire. They were standing among a sea of corpses, soldiers from both sides, five invaders being the only ones left to stand in his way.

He took the single moment they took to pause, whether that was because they had run out of ammo or they began to reconsider their strategy he didn’t care, and threw that body at them.

Three people were knocked back by the throw, while James himself rushed in and stabbed through two others. Two of the three others began to get up, but even in his old age James was quick enough to stab one of them, and knock out the other one cold.

“You won’t get away with this!” said the last foe remaining, still on the ground.

Looking closer, James could see him clutching his leg, as well as a dark red spot forming around it. He clenched his sword, looking down at the golden hilt and the stone at the guard’s centre. He had long privately been dismayed over the fact that the stone’s magical properties were the only thing that let him keep going as he did.

But he didn’t call upon it this time. He was old, yes, but he had climbed to the top through his own skills, and he would win with those skills.

“What are you doing here? What are you seeking to accomplish?” asked James Mallory, putting his best interrogation voice on. It was something he hadn’t done in a long time, but he hoped that he would still have it.

The man, although he was more of a boy really, just chuckled, coughing up blood. “We know your plans. You cannot win. Even if you bring the Caelum Terra down, we will make sure that the Association will burn so badly, there won’t be enough for you to rule.”

He tightened his grip on his blade. For him to rule. It was almost ironic. Yes, they knew a part of his plan, but Chiron wasn’t nearly as forthcoming as James had initially thought.

“I am many things, but arrogant isn’t one of them,” said James, bringing up his sword. “So trust me when I say that I know that my victory, and your defeat, is certain.”

The older man then brought his sword down, and the boy’s head flew off, blood being splashed all over the floor. James let out a long sigh.

Three thousand, eight hundred and twenty three. That was how many people had died under his command. And they were among the countless that had died for the pursuit of his goal.

“Ava, Marly, please forgive me,” he said quietly. The names of his wife and daughter, the names of the artificial creatures he raised as his granddaughters. His granddaughters…

It was thirty two years ago that all of this started. He was not the same man that he was back then. No, he had changed much in that lifetime, so much. The ocean of bodies left behind in his wake were a testament to that.

A subtle ringing noise broke him out of his thoughts. His phone. It was an old one, Marly had tried to convince him to change it, but it did its job fine and so he just ignored her on that topic.

“Who is it?” he answered curtly. He didn’t have time to waste.

“Grandpa, it’s me.” came the hushed voice of Ava from the other side.

James let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, before steeling himself once more. “What are things like on your end?”

“Apart from the fact that the world is falling apart?” chuckled Ava, still whispering. “I’ve got nearly two hundred people here, all dressed in our ‘clan military suit’ ready to do what you want them to.”

He took a deep breath. If nothing else, then this facet of his plan would work. “One hundred, and eighty three. No more. I have that amount of letters stacked in a warehouse, fifty meters west of the Association base. Teleport out of here and do not come back under any circumstances.”

“I want to fight!” said Ava indignantly. “I know I wasn’t exactly what you were expecting, but please, don’t just throw me away like that.”

“I love you, Ava.” said James Mallory, too quickly and without thinking about it. “Your part, your part is the most important of all. Even if I fail here, then I know that victory will end up belonging to us as long as you make it out alive.” he explained, only parly lying.

Ava’s escape was important for the next day, for what came after, but it would not guarantee victory over them on that day. Still, what was another lie, when compared to the hundreds he had told over the years?

“Can you say it again?” asked Ava in a small voice.

“I love you.” responded James Mallory, unable to keep a small smile on his face. These three words were words that he didn’t say often enough. Especially to Ava, the original Ava, his wife.

“I truly do,” he added without prompting. “Be safe, granddaughter.”

“There are a lot of enemies here, but we’ll make it out alive. I was raised by the greatest commander, didn’t I?” said Ava lighty. “Thank you. For everything.” she added somberly, before hanging up.

He didn’t know how he felt. He was like a foolish teenager trapped in an old man’s body. Did he truly care for them? For Malry and Ava, independently of their predecessors? Damn him, he didn’t even know.

“I am coming, Chiron,” he said quietly. He focused on the idea of getting his revenge on the centaur. That was simpler, that was easier.

“Well, well, well.” lightly chuckled a voice from behind him. Turning around, he saw a somewhat short Japanese woman, probably in her twenties, with brown hair and matching eyes. She was wearing gloves, even though heptagrams glowed from beneath them on the backs of her hands.

“Hello, Yui,” he said neutrally. “It’s been a long time.”

The woman smirked. “Indeed it has, father.”