Humanity's Hero Of Despair

The old noble library of Keeper Academy still looks as grand as ever, just different from before.

Dust and some debris are present around the bookshelves like unwelcome guests. There are attempts to make the library look neat, but there isn't enough time for that. It's a surprise the library is even intact, to begin with.

I stand by the library doors, observing the room.

King Grey is already present, leaning over the table in the center, staring at the map of Tarondar closely. His expression is unreadable as his eyes flicker from one location to the next. Beside him stands my sister, Maura Lotus, the newly appointed Knight Commander. She looks fierce, yet strangely calm. She has been preparing for this moment for a while.

Justus, the loyal light mage to the humans who made it possible to even get this far, paces in the far corner. His fingers tap against his chin as if in distant thought. When he spots me in the doorway, he gestures for me to walk in.

"Sorry for being late," I blurt out as I walk toward the table.

"I was taking care of some things in Mistfall."

"It's okay, brother. We are just glad you are safe," my sister replies.

Justus walks over from the corner to the table. He sighs as his brain thinks away at something.

"We have little time left. According to our scouts, they are much closer than expected. We may have at most a day left to prepare, and our defenses will not be fully ready."

"Then we must improvise," King Grey tells us reassuringly as he studies the map more closely.

"Mistfall is very hard to navigate, and we know to expect a good amount of forces there. If we let them think they are sneaky, we can plan a trap and pincer attack them when they get too confident. We know the Eradicators think of the HLH each time they see dark magic."

King Grey turns to face me.

"This also means inversely that anytime they see light magic, they think of other light mages. This means they think of allies. We can produce the illusion of light magic through precise fire magic. We also know that you, Nico, can use light magic."

"Besides that one time I fought the Keeper Principal, I've never used it. Plus, I don't even know how to use it…." I reply, my voice trailing off. These people really expect a lot out of me. Way more than I can offer.

The king is about to respond, but Justus intervenes and speaks for him.

"We know that. Which is why I am going to tell you really quickly how to manifest it. We don't need you to wield it even well for our trap to work. We just need you to summon it and make it noticeable from afar so that it looks like a light mage is fighting with someone."

"What's the secret to it?" I ask, my mind slowly understanding the plan.

"You read my book Magic and Emotions. As you know, all magic has a connection to emotions. From experience, you know that despair enhances your dark magic. The inverse is true as well. Hope can enhance your light magic. However, there is an emotion that the Eradicators use which is much more effective but damaging as well. That is the emotion of pride."

Justus sits down in one of the chairs around the table, and I follow suit.

"It's okay to have hope, and it's even okay to have some pride. It's very human to have some level of pride within yourself. The key is to not go overboard and turn yourself into something you don't even recognize. The Eradicators became way too greedy and prideful, and that is why their capacity for light magic is so strong."

He points at my heart again, just like he did the first time I met him.

"I can't help you much more with mastering the power because you and your sister are the only mages I know who can even wield light magic. Just know that when the time comes to summon it or practice it, have some hope and pride in yourself."

"I understand all of that. You know I will do my best," I tell him back with confidence.

In truth, I am not confident at all. The last thing I have ever felt is pride in myself for doing anything. Correction: the only time I ever felt prideful in my life was when I got rid of the Keeper Principal.

"Then it's settled. We will plot a gigantic trap in Mistfall. They will think they have snuck up on us successfully, but once they reach the edge of Mistfall and near the entrance of Stonelight, we will strike!" King Grey announces to all of us.

"That sounds good. My knights are guarding all around the Tarondar Palace. Our mage archers are already set up along the Palace walls. The citizens have already been evacuated into the safe areas within the Palace walls."

"Several knight squads are guarding all around the capital. Even if they attack us now, our defenses would hold them off for a bit until we can counterattack," my sister says as she double-checks the map. Maura glances at Justus who speaks up.

"Nico, for our trap, we want you to explode your light magic near the edge of Stonelight and Mistfall. Your light magic should lure some Eradicators to your location. If we manage to lure in enough Eradicators, then we can pounce on them."

"We will post many knights around other areas so it appears like we are barely defending Mistfall. We want them to think they won't go through Mistfall since it's too dangerous."

Justus stands up from his chair and moves to look out the window.

"I can manage that," I say in response as I move from my chair to look out the window as well.

The scenery is a lot prettier than it was last time I looked out this window. The remnants of the battle are mostly gone, give or take some random debris. Now, the Keeper Academy serves as the intelligence center for the humans in Tarondar. It is no longer the learning institution it used to be.

In some ways, I feel bad for the students who were happy under the illusion, and now many of them have ended up dead because of what we did. I can't help but think if there was a better way to go about this.

We all turn around as we hear footsteps come crashing up the staircase. One of the Shadow Squadron members bursts through the room, shouting, "Eradicator movement spotted a few miles out from Mistfall!"

"Let's move out!" my sister shouts as she whips out her purple wand and summons her dark magic to form her clothes into enchanted knight's armor.

That is pretty badass.

It's time to kick butt and show what humanity's last hope can really do.