Solar Mage

Chapter 27: A World Without War

After we ate, we threw a cloth over ourselves and slept. We were going to take turns keeping watch over the entrance. We drew sticks to determine who would be on guard duty. It was decided that the watcher for today is Tin, and the watcher tomorrow will be Sara. I was lucky enough to draw the longest stick, and would not have to do guard duty.

I lay on the rough, hard floor with my eyes open and a thin blanket over me.

It's cold...

I stare at the ceiling completely shrouded in darkness, no longer lit by Dawn.

Why? Why was I chosen for this task, to carry this burden? I've only recovered less than a week ago, and I have found out about an ancient transcendental being that, for all I know, wants to destroy the world and bring chaos along with his cult. I haven't seen my father, the headmaster, Isabella, or Sebastian since that day. When- Why did life have to become so difficult?

I turn my head to Tin who stares at the entrance, blocked by his tower shield and lit by a dim light of Dawn. His one eye open, the other, closed. He is completely focused on the entrance, ignoring everything else.

He is a true veteran, always taking his duty seriously, to the extreme, to stay alive, and keep the party alive. If I can't sleep, I might as well take watch for him and let him sleep.

I get up and walk over to him, sitting beside him and staring silently at the entrance, without exchanging any words.

What do I say? He's still completely focused on the entrance!!!

Then, he finally speaks.

"Oh, Nameless, when did you get here? What's the problem– Can't sleep?"

"Oh yeah– it's my first time in a dungeon, I just don't feel like it'd be safe for me to sleep right now. Haha..."

He stares at me intensely, trying to figure out my thoughts.

Did he find out? What am I saying? there's no way he could have.

"Nameless."

"Yes?"

I say while my body jumps up and stiffens from anxiety.

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"You seem to be hiding a lot, which is fine but– if you're going through a tough time, you don't have to go through it by yourself."

Was my depression that easy to notice? I thought I was hiding it pretty well.

We can help you– I can help you. You're a young kid. You shouldn't have to experience anything bad, you should be enjoying your short childhood while it lasts."

He gets up and points to himself while smiling.

"You should be at least be as old as me before having to see the evil in the world and in humans. I wish that the world could be without war, where all living things could live in peace, like the mythical era– when the gods were with us and evil would be immediately eradicated as it began to sprout."

He's wrong about one thing, the truth of what happened in the mythical era has not surfaced yet so there is no way he would know. He has a good dream though.

Monsters are dangerous and cause chaos and destruction, but humans cause even worse chaos and destruction. We delude ourselves into thinking monsters are the cause of all evil but we kill ourselves more than any monster ever could. We try to be like the gods but we cannot because our nature is evil. We are selfish and greedy. We envy what we don't have and kill other living things just like us to survive. Monsters weren't always monsters, it's just a label we slapped onto them to justify our cause for killing them. They are living beings like us who are just trying to survive, to them– we are like monsters. And I– am no different, in the same perspective, I could also be seen as evil. I guess I'm saying this to you because I want you to be better– the best, the most righteous that no human has ever come close to before, to create the world of my dreams–"

Suddenly, his one eye that's open, closes and he begins to snore.

He must have been tired, using all of his willpower to just barely stay awake. Let's move him to a more comfortable place and let him lie down, sleeping while in that position would be bad for his bones.

As I move him, he wakes up.

"Huh– what's happening?"

I lay him down and he speaks.

"I apologize for my rant, please ignore whatever I said, it was an impossible dream I had when I was young. I must have been tired and overcome by my old age. If you're not going to sleep, then I'll gladly let you take watch duty tonight."

"No, that's a fine dream you have, I wish for a world like that as well."

I stop for a second before continuing.

"Thank you for offering me your help. Your words are really deep and inspiring. I feel a lot better now. I'll take watch tonight, you can sleep."

There is no response.

Why isn't he saying anything?

"Tin?"

I glance over at him and see his eyes closed as he snores.

Wow, he fell asleep immediately...

What he said was correct though. Monsters and humans alike, are just trying to stay alive. Humans are intelligent but thats what makes us evil. Even if a monster does an evil act, they aren't evil because they don't know right from wrong and solely rely on instinct. Humans on the other hand, know right from wrong but still continue doing it. That's what makes us evil. A world without war, what a childish dream.

I look at my manaheart.

Should I form my circle right now?

Hmm... No, I have a duty to keep watch for danger besides–

I glance at the sleeping party.

I don't know if they can be trusted yet. I am most vulnerable when I am forming my circle and I have a duty to keep watch. I should stay focused.

I sit in the silence and darkness, trying to concentrate on the entrance as hard as I can.

I feel a little– tired

I yawn before looking at my pocketwatch

I regret not sleeping already. Well– nothing I can do about it anymore. Let's just hope this night passes quickly.

SIXTEEN HOURS LATER

Ugh– so tired

I slowly follow behind, at the back of the party, still carrying the bag full of survival materials.

Why am I even carrying this bag? They even made me help pack up the camp... I want to sleep...

Tin slows down and walks beside me showing a concerned face.

"You okay there nameless? You look terrible!"

I reply weakly.

"Yeah– I'm just– a little tired... yawn-"

"Perhaps it's because of you using your magic for so long? You've kept the fireball on for over a day and you even casted multiple of them during our battles and when we were eating!!!

What is he talking about? God I'm so tired... wait– I hadn't thought of that! They thought I was a second circle mage but there's no way a second circle mage would have so much mana!

"Oh you're right– now that you've reminded me, my mana reserve is quite low right now I don't think I can go on anymore..."

"Really!?! I'll tell Han to stop the party right now!"

He runs up to the front of the party to Han and whispers something into his ear.

Then Han stops and turns around.

"Well, nothing we can do about it then, guys, we're going to take a rest now."

Oh thank Pyro, I can finally rest and get this stupid bag off my back.

"This place should be good enough. Sara, you're on watch this time."

She nods while leaning on the wall. Next to her is Rachel.

They really are close. I guess it's because they're the only girls in the party.

He turns to me.

"You can rest now, but not for too long. Be up in six hours."

"Thank you!"

I say while I quickly pull the blanket over my head to sleep.

Han suddenly shouts.

"Hey, what are you doing? Get rid of the fireball! If you run out of mana when you wake up, what good will you be? I didn't hire you to just be a porter, I hired you to be a torch– I mean fire mage!!"

"Alright..."

I say, but it was not all right.

Well that was weird, I don't have time to care right now, I'm sleeping.

I release the orb of Dawn and drift away to sleep.