Chapter Text
In the year 435 AD, the collection of armies formally combined and became known as 'Team Crafted'. They are to this day (5th January, 446 AD) the largest single army ever recorded. They occupy the east coast and are the first line warriors against any possible Un'jia nation attack from the other side of the sea. There are also reports of an ongoing war between Team Crafted the squids, but it is unclear whether these reports are true or not and whether 'squids' is the name of another nation. No comment on these reports has come from Team Crafted or any of their warriors. In the year 442AD, one of the members of Team Crafted disappeared, soon after the victory over a rebel army. It is alleged that the disappearance was suicide, however, this has not been confirmed. Others suggest murder, but the remaining members of the Team insist that Jason Probst, who found the missing member, had nothing to do with the disappe-
The male librarian shut the book with a snap and then quickly glanced over his shoulder, making sure that the sudden noise hadn't disturbed the female librarian who was reading a book to several children, all around the age of around 12 or so. The children were sitting on the floor, raptured, as the librarian read them the work of fiction in a low voice like she was sharing the best secret in the world. The male silently put the history book on the shelf in its place and then kept putting away other books that were in his trolley. He couldn't help but overhear the story as he worked.
"The battle was won and Team Crafted were victorious once more. They returned home, their hearts both full of pride and happiness from the success of the battle, and also grief for those who had lost their lives. Others were more fortunate, but they had lost the use of their arms or legs. But now was the time for cheer. They had won the war and now countless people were safer. The time for grief would come later.
But there was one member of the Team who couldn't feel happy. He saw the lost and the injured and he was constantly wondering if something could have been done differently; if something else could have happened; if more people could have come home to their family. One day, he quietly left the base, sneaking out to the forest that was on the top of the cliff, near the base. Jason saw him leave and, concerned for his friend, he followed. He caught up with him several metres from the forest edge, which ended with the cliff.
"Sky, what's wrong?" he asked, noting the slumped shoulders in his friend.
Sky turned and gave a small movement of his hands that was like a shrug. "We could have done something differently. Something to save more people."
"Don't think like that," Jason said. "You'll go crazy. We can't change what's happened, we can only remember what we've learned for the future."
Sy gave a slight shake of his head. "I can't do that Jason. You know I can't." He turned and started running in the opposite direction.
Jason suddenly had a very bad feeling and he ran after his friend, calling his name, telling him to stop. He broke through the trees just in time to see his friend run off the edge of the cliff and jump, for a moment silhouetted against the sky before falling and disappearing from view forever."
The female librarian closed the book with a snap and several children blinked and shook their heads like they were coming out of a daze.
"Wait, that's it?" one of them asked. As the librarian nodded, they all let out a groan.
"You can't end a story like that!" another protested. "What happened to Jason next? What did he tell the rest of the Team? Did anyone ever find Sky again?"
"You know the answer to your last question, Greg," the female librarian said. "Sky's disappearance is one of the greatest mysteries of our time."
"Come on Miss Alesa," a third child pleaded. "You know all of the history books, you know what happened to Sky!"
Miss Alesa shook her head apologetically and the children sighed. One of them huffed and crossed his arms.
"Why did he even throws himself off a cliff anyway?" the boy asked. "There was literally no point."
"We don't know what was going on in Sky's mind," Alesa said reasonably.
"It's a story, Alex," a girl said. "Just relax."
"It's probably time for you to all go and play outside," she said, distracting them from their conversation. "It's a sunny day, and if you run into the wind, it will feel as if you're running fast."
The children instantly sprang up and ran outside. The male librarian, who had turned to watch when he heard the story finish, gave a small smile as he saw them working out who was Bajan, the great warrior, and Seto the sorcerer and who was Sky, the leader of the whole Team. Alesa put the fictional book away on its shelf and then joined him to put away the rest of the history books, husband and wife working together in a small library in a small village.
"You had to read them that story, didn't you?" the male librarian said quietly, reading the number on the spine of one of the books that determined its place. The library was empty. "It's too intense for them."
"They asked for it," Alesa said, picking up a book out of his trolley. "I didn't have the heart to say no."
"They don't find it weird that the book doesn't have an author?"
"It adds to the mystery of the whole thing."
They were both silent for a little, putting away the books on the shelves.
"You need to tell people the truth, Adam," Alesa said finally.
"You know I can't do that Alesa. People would ask too many questions. It was risky enough to write that book."
"And it's not completely accurate, is it?"
Adam met his wife's piercing eyes for a moment before dropping them. "No, it isn't," he muttered, picking up another book.
"Will you be able to tell me the truth?"
He shook his head. "I'm sorry... but it's too...."
She put her soft hand on his. "It's okay," her voice said quietly. "You don't have to. I know enough from what you've already said."
Adam gave her a thankful smile which she returned and they put the rest of the books away in silence as the truth replayed in Adam's mind.
"Sky!"
Sky didn't want to stop, he didn't want to talk to Jason. But he did at the same time. He stopped walking without meaning to and Jason caught up to him, almost out of breath.
"Sky, what's wrong?" he asked. "You've been acting weird since we got back from the battle, what's the problem?"
Sky opened his mouth but no words came and he sighed, his hands moving pointlessly.
"Sky, you know you can tell me," Jason said, coming a step closer. "I'll keep it a secret if you want me to."
"No, it's just...." Sky sighed. "I just can't do this anymore Jason. Every time we come back from a battle and I see people hurt and crying... I just keep thinking that we could have done something differently. That... That I could have done something differently."
"I know that feeling Sky, I get the same thing, but you know that you can't change the past," Jason whispered .
"I know that, but I can't stop thinking it! And I feel like everyone looks at me, telling themselves the same thing. That I should have done something differently, something that would have saved their family."
"That's not true Sky."
"But it is!" Sky felt like he was close to crying but the words kept tumbling out of his mouth. "I'm supposed to be the leader. You guys do heaps of things, but I give the orders in war. I'm the one who gives the order that kills their family. I just can't take that anymore. I can't condemn more people to death. I can't stand seeing those who have been left behind, who are alone because of me, because of my orders."
"Sky, you just need to calm down," Jason said soothingly. "This is the stress of the battle talking."
"No, it isn't," Sky whispered. "I've thought this for years, years."
"Sky..." Jason said, his voice carrying a warning and worried tone in it.
Sky shook his head slightly. "I'm sorry Jason. But I can't just quit this job like a normal person. You do this gig until you die."
He turned and sprinted away. He heard Jason yell out his name behind him and heard him chasing after, but he didn't stop. He hated to do this, but this was the only way out of this. He hated doing this to his friends, to the army, but he would do it eventually either way, and he hated the idea of a squid taking him down. He could see flashes of the sky in front of him and he ran faster. The trees stopped but he didn't and he ran until only the air was under his feet. He turned in the air as he fell, hearing Jason give a drawn-out yell of his name, lying at the top of the cliff, his hand helplessly reaching down. Sky closed his eyes and the freezing sea water crashed in around him, hiding him from the world in seconds.
Adam felt a light hand on his shoulder and he blinked, meeting eyes with Alesa.
"You okay?" she asked worriedly.
Adam gave a small smile and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He pecked a light kiss on her forehead which was crowned with beautiful bright red hair.
"I am now," he said quietly.