If you didn't read the Kingdom Descriptions, I know not everyone does, but I do recommend that you do.

Languages Key:

Translated Dragon Tongue: Bolded

Communication Devices: Italicized and underlined

Translated Demonic Tongue: Bolded and underlined

"There is only one you in the universe, that's what makes you unique."

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|  *A Year After King Ty's Coronation* |
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His body trembling with fear as he mutters under his breath repeatedly:

"M-Mi...b-bedaŭras...."

"P-Patrino..."

His eyes stayed squeezed shut, not daring to open to see what he knows is a horrific scene in front of him. He wants to leave, he wants to get away but his body is frozen to the corner he found himself cowering in as he tried his best to process the events to lead to such a morbid event. It was cold, very cold, the air reeked with the scent of blood and death tainting the once nice air.

Blood clung to him, staining his skin and ragged clothes. Visible wounds on his frail body that bled making the start of a puddle of his blood collected on the ground underneath him.

"Open your eyes," a voice spoke.

He shook his head. "N-No," he cried.

"See what you did..."

He shook his head again. "No, I-I didn't--"

"But you did...you know you did," the voice spoke. He froze, but his eyes opened when a hand grabbed his shoulder making him look up and gasp in horror when his eyes meant with pure white ones.

"You did great, Jason, I'm so proud of you," they said. Jason flinched when their hand glowed, he crawled backwards, but once his cut open back touched the wall behind him, he hissed in pain as black spots decorated his vision for a moment. "Yes...you are perfect..."

Jason's eyes snapped open as he sat up, breathing heavily. He stared at the end of his bed, trying to calm himself. He clutched his chest, slowly calming his breathing down to a normal rate.

But he was confused. 'What...But that was...' Jason thoughts raced, trying to find any other explanation other than the obvious one he first came too. 'W-What language was that? Mi bedaŭras? Patrino?' Jason thought.

Jason knew perfectly well where his nightmare took place, after all...it is one of the many events that took past when he was young that still haunts him to this day. But...it didn't happen like that.

Jason let out a shaky breath, his hand touching his head. 'Maybe I can ask Seto about it...' he thought before he looked to his nightstand, seeing the blue communication device that sat on it. After Dan made the first four for Seto, Ty, Sky, and Rosani; the inventor got to work making more of them, and three months after Seto left, he had given one to each other the generals and gave new ones to Seto, Ty, Sky, and Rosani. Dan took the liberty of naming the devices com-links. Jason picked up the com-link, but once he picked it up, he realized that his hands were trembling.

He bit his bottom lip, looking at the device, his eyes looking at Seto's connection light, seeing it is glowing red instead of purple.

"Damn...he's out of range again..." Jason mumbled. Not that isn't really surprising to anyone who has one the com-links, Seto's almost always out of range. It took two weeks for Dan to finally establish contact with the wizard so he could give Seto the new device that had everyone on it so anyone could talk to Seto if they need. But there is at least once a month where Seto is in range, but they know that Seto only does that so he can talk to Rosani to reassure her that he is alive and healthy.

Jason lowered his hands into his lap, he looked at the window, seeing dawn slowly creeping over the horizon. He almost dared falling back to sleep to catch a few more hours of rest since sleep isn't really something he's good at getting lately. But he gets out of bed, his mind too busy with the nightmare that sleep doesn't seem possible. He left his room, walking downstair, not caring that he looked like he just woke up since he did.

But when he came down the steps, he stopped when there was a knock on the door. He stared at the door, seriously considering ignoring it just out of the fact he's half asleep and doesn't want to deal with people. But he went to the door, opening it and meeting eyes with a recruit. But not just any recruit, veteran recruit Clarissa Larvan. A fairly skilled recruit that's part of the advanced branch of the Sky Army.

Jason stared at her, confused but just sighed while she looked amused. "I just woke up..." he mumbled to her.

Clarissa nods, chuckling lightly. "I can tell, General," she said.

"What is it?" he asked.

She loses her smile. "There's a problem at one of the training arenas," she said. Jason paused a minute before what she said processed.

Jason stared at her. "I need coffee. Just come in so I can make myself actually process a conversation correctly at this ungodly hour," he said making her smile. Jason moves aside, letting her in. Jason shut the door and walked towards the kitchen, Clarissa following him.

"Should I tell the Commander--"

Jason opens the cabinet. "You have fast reflexes?" he asked.

"Yes," she said.

Jason put the water and coffee bean filled kettle on the stove before turning the stove on. "Do you trust those reflexes against Commander Skylen?" Jason asked not looking at her.

She paused, thinking it over, and shook her head. "No," she said making him crack a small smile.

"Adam's not a morning person, so just leave him be for now. He'll probably wake up in a few minutes anyway," he said. Clarissa sat at the island, watching Jason but also looking around at the home of the higher-ups. There are two houses dedicated to the higher-ups, and usually, only higher-ups and the occasion captain gets into them. Recruits are usually never allowed inside, so she was taking a moment to look around.

"You know...When I thought I would finally get to see what the higher up houses look like, I expected something different," she said before she looked at Jason. She slowly loses her smile, seeing he isn't listening. "You okay, General?" she asked him.

Jason paused for a moment, tired of hearing that question. "Is it that obvious?" he asked her before his eyes looked to her, seeing her nod.

Clarissa rested her arms on the table, looking at him. "For someone who has been working in the Sky Army as long as I have...yes, it is," she said as she watched him pour himself a cup of coffee. She observed him for a moment, looking for any indication.

When Vincent Magi exposed Jason's slavery past, it took everyone by a complete surprise. But to those who know Jason, it answered a lot of questions that surrounded the General that the General himself was never comfortable answering.

"If you need someone to talk to, General...I'm open to listening whenever you need it--"

Jason looked at her. "Did Cassandra put you up to this?" Jason asked her.

Clarissa hesitated. "Maybe..." she mumbled.

Jason shook his head a bit. "There is no problem at the training arena, is there?" he asked.

She shook her head at him. "No, actually, that was legit. The Training Arena doors are all locked and only the commander, second and third in command have access to the keys which would be Commander Skylen, you, and General Stapleton. And from what you say, waking the commander would be hazardous to my health--"

"Have you tried Ian?" Jason asked before drinking his coffee.

Clarissa nods. "Yeah, he was still asleep and my knocking woke up General Hughes who did not look happy with me that I had woken him up this early in the morning for something like this," Clarissa admitted while Jason leans against the corner, smiling.

"Mitch isn't a morning person either, but the smallest sounds can wake him up while Jerome could sleep through an earthquake," Jason said.

"You know, I'm starting to think none of you are morning people," she said. 

Jason shrugs his shoulders. "I mean, we can wake up at the crack of dawn but that doesn't mean we will be good company until we are fully awake. You're lucky I answered the door, I was seriously considering ignoring you," he said.

Clarissa smiled. "So, I was wondering about the rumors going around about you and Cassandra, are they true?" she asked him.

Jason looked at her. "What rumors?" he asked confused.

Clarissa shook her head a bit, not surprised in the least bit. For the years she has been working here, she has gotten to know Jason after working with him one several assignments in the past. "You know, I'm not surprised you haven't heard of them. After all, you tend to live under a rock at times," she said.

Jason nods. "Harsh but true," he said before drank some more of his coffee.

She smiles at him again. "Everyone can see that she is totally into you and you are into her. After the whole Vincent Magi thing, a lot of us were hoping that maybe it could have sparked something between you two," she said.

Jason put his cup in the sink. "Hate to disappoint you all; actually, no I'm not," he said before looking at her. "Cassandra and I are just...very close friends," he said.

She lifted an eyebrow up at him. "Are you sure about that? You have no feelings for her that are beyond friendship? Really?" she asked him. Jason's not blind, he knows the very obvious hints that Cassandra has dropped over the last few months towards him. And he's been good at playing the oblivious fool through it all.

Jason shakes his head at her. "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not as oblivious as people believe I am. I've known that Cassandra has feelings for me for months. I picked that up quite quickly," Jason said.

She loses her smile. "Wait, if you knew, why haven't you--"

Jason crossed his arms. "After I found out about my real family heritage, let's just say that it...it put the world it a very different perspective for me," he said before his eyes flickered to hers heavily debating on telling her the real reason as to why he's keeping Cassandra away only to decide against it. "I will unlock the training arena, are both of them locked up?" he asked. She shook her head. Jason stood up straight, putting his empty mug on the counter before refilling it. "Okay, use the unlocked one, for now, I will unlock the other after I get dressed," he said.

She nods. "Alright, I'll let the others who are waiting outside of it know--"

"Wait...people are actually awake?" Jason asked her making her chuckle as she stood up from her chair.

"Most of the base is already awake, I was under the assumption that your higher-ups woke up when the rest of us did. Guess I was wrong," she said.

Jason shakes his head a bit. "Technically, everyone on base is supposed to be awake by 9 o'clock since that's when the first rounds of Squad trainings are. It is only 5:30 or something I think," Jason said. He looked at her. "And us higher-ups take sleep when we can get it since we normally don't go to bed until like 1 or 2 in the morning," he said honestly.

She stared at him. "None of you seem like you get any sleep to begin with," she said as she watched him drink more of the coffee. "You can't depend on coffee to keep you awake, you need to sleep--"

Jason chuckled as he shook his head a bit. "You sound exactly like Quentin, Classira," Jason said.

Classira stared at him. She could see the bags under his eyes and his slouched posture and that isn't just from waking up. He was in bad shape and she could see it. She stepped towards him. "Listen, I know that as a recruit, I don't have any place or authority to tell you, higher-ups, what you need. But as someone who cares a whole lot about what happens to you...you need to take care of yourself first, everyone else can wait, General Probst. You did go through something traumatic, people don't just walk away after being kidnapped like you were--"

Classira stopped when she saw Jason's expression darken at her in an instant and heard the footsteps coming down the stairs. "Classira, I wouldn't bother..." Sky said coming down the steps. She looked at him, seeing he has his eyes on Jason and looked like he was prepared to fight. "I've been trying to get him to talk about it for months, he only ever gets mad when it is mentioned," he said before he looked at her. "What did you need?" he asked.

"Training Arena doors are locked," she said.

Adam nodded. "Okay, I'll make sure they get unlocked," he said before she left.

Jason looked down at his mug before drinking the rest of the coffee in it. "You didn't have to do that," he said.

Adam walked past him, getting a mug from the cabinet. "Yes, I did. I don't need you hulking out at a recruit," he said. Unlike Jason, Sky is actually dressed and looks ready to go to work while Jason looks like he just got out of bed. Adam pours himself a cup of coffee. "Go get dress, get something to eat. I will go unlock the training arena for the recruits. I need you to get me the list of the potential candidates for the new captains since I finally finished all the retirement paperwork for the previous captains last night," he said not looking at the general.

Jason pointed at Sky. "Wait, you did paperwork? Willingly?" Jason asked him.

Sky nods at him. "Yes, contrary to popular belief, I can do paperwork. I hate it with every fiber of my being, but I would be a horrible leader if I didn't do it," he said. Jason watched Sky for a minute, the general set his coffee mug on the counter. He moved to the other side of the kitchen, making sure to not alarm Sky in away way.

Jason watched Sky turn away from his coffee for a moment to get sugar, Jason grabbed the cup and moved it to the left, letting it go further away from the commander and more towards Jason. Jason watched Sky move back and looked confused.

"Jason, where did you put my drink?" Sky asked. Jason looked at the coffee mug that sat four feet away from the commander. Jason watched him turn his head, almost having to turn around until he saw it. When Sky saw it, he froze, knowing what this was. Sky took his cup, pulling it back over to him. "What was that supposed to prove?" he mumbled as he put sugar into the drink.

Jason crossed his arms. "That you've been lying to me...again," he said. Jason looked at him. "Let me see your eyes, now," Jason demanded. Sky sighed and turned around, facing him before taking off his sunglasses. Jason's eyes widen a bit when he saw Sky's eyes. Sky's left eyes was turning glossy and cloudy while his right eye was on the way to becoming just like the left one.

Sky put his glasses back on. "I can still see by the way. It's just...hard sometimes to see through my left eye completely," he said. He knew Jason was worried, in fact, they all were worried. But Sky's been preparing himself for the day he goes completely blind, making sure that he will be able to defend himself even when he loses his vision. But no one knows that and Sky likes to keep it that way.

Jason shakes his head. "You would send me or Ian to Alamut City, I don't like that you--"

"That I was attacked in Alamut City by Light mages after my vision problems were leaked to the world?" he asked. Jason hesitated and nodded.

"You've been attacked twice already since the leak and you were almost killed in Alamut City. If the Fyre Brothers didn't step in to protect you, you would have been killed--"

Sky nods. "But I wasn't, the Fyre Brothers protected me. I can't start displaying fear, that's what our enemies want. They want me to be afraid and stay on base twenty-four seven. But it is like I told Ty, my vision problems are only a problem when someone comes at me from my left side, other than that, I'm fine," he said.

"For now...but what happens when your right eye starts to go?" Jason asked him. Sky looked away from Jason, not answering. Jason crossed his arms. "Sky, you can't depend on the Fyre Brothers to come to your rescue every time you are attacked, they have lives that can't be put on hold every time we need them. What did Seto say about your vision problems?" Jason asked him.

Sky looked at him. "That he would look into it during his travels. Would it make you feel better if I allow Ian to come along with me to Alamut?" Sky asked.

"Why not me?" Jason asked him.

Sky's expression dropped a bit. "Jason...you know why I don't want you in Alamut. Seto went to great lengths to ensure that the Magic Council would stay away from you. Besides...Seto said that he wants you to control your powers before you make an appearance in Alamut," he said. Sky leaned against the counter. "How's that going by the way? Your training?"

Jason looked away from him, not wanting to talk about it but knew Sky wanted answers. "Easier when Seto was here," he mumbled before he stood up straight. "I'm...gonna go get dressed," he said before walking up the steps.  Sky paused before he pulled out the com-link device from his pocket and looked at it, his eyes looking at Seto's light, seeing it is red.

He let out a shaky breath. 'Seto hasn't been in range for over a month...usually, he checks in at least once a month. But he was right last time we talked, something is going on with Jason and I have a bad feeling about it,' Sky thought before he presses on Ty's button before hooking the device onto his ear and waiting. After a few rings, he hears Ty pick up.

"What, Sky?" Ty's sleepy voice questioned making Sky smile. He sounds like he just woke up.

"Did you just wake up?" Sky asked him.

"Yes, now what do you need?" Ty asked again.

Sky's eyes look at the steps, staring at them for a moment. "Have you or Rosani heard from Seto?" he asked. He heard shuffling on Ty's end like he is getting out of bed.

"Umm, no. I'm starting to get worried. Normally he checks in and such but hasn't for over a month. He hasn't been in range of the com-links either," Ty said. Sky nods a bit, looking down at his mug. But before Sky could speak, Ty cut him off. "I wouldn't worry too much about Seto though, Sky. He can take care of himself after all. He doesn't exactly need us to protect him when he is one of the most powerful sorcerers in Astinan history," he said.

Sky shook his head. "With anti-magic items on the rise, I think we have a right to be worried about him. Just keep me posted if you get any news on Seto. For now, I need you and your sister to run a search in your kingdom's library about withers. I would do it myself but I can't read dragon tongue as well as I can speak it," Sky admitted it. Over the last few months, Rosani and Ty have been teaching Sky and the others dragon tongue so they can communicate better. Sky, Jason, Quentin, Mitch, and Ian can carry a conversation, but at least not an overly complicated one and still have some struggles constructed sentences. But they got the basics down while Jerome has been labeled as a hopeless case.

"Sure, Rosani has been complaining about having nothing to do. But can I ask why? Is it Jason?" Ty asked concerned.

Sky hesitated. "It might just be me being paranoid and such...but I rather be safe than sorry," he said.

Ty paused before he spoke, "Alright, I'll see what I can do."

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Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. Don't worry, things will start picking up soon.

Update day is Tuesday!

:)