Chapter 20
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia

Hey guys! Anyone else excited for winter break? Two weeks of freedom. I couldn't ask for much else. Hope you guys like the chapter!

"B-Buy me thirty seconds!" Matthew shouted over the snarls of the gathering Vernan. Ivan struggled to keep the field up and coughed as his magic began to buckle.

"I do not know why you are talking and not casting!" He shouted back.

His reply fell to deaf ears and Matthew was already busy writing runic commands. He flipped over his bracelet and his fingers flew across the air in front of him.

The written runes seemed to have minds of their own as they drifted off to the side to give him more space to write. The Myrlian prepared his magic for the spell and hurriedly recited the necessary incantations, this would take about half of his magic, but it would be worth it.

As soon as he finished his last incantation, the runes stretched out and all at once, seventy-three familiars appeared onto the field in a brilliant display of lights and dimensional distortion.

Ivan thought he was hallucinating when he saw every kind of familiar possible materialize right before him. Fairies, unicorns, dragons, centaurs, minotaurs, each branded with their caster's unique mark: a maple leaf. Ivan had truly befriended a terrifying teen.

The familiars were eerily silent when they were summoned. They first looked at each other, then at Matthew, and then at the shield protecting them from sudden death.

"I-I'm sorry t-to call you here on s-short notice. I-I need your guys's help." Matthew cut to the chase and ran over to support Ivan, who was staggering at the strain of maintaining an ancient level spell for more than four minutes.

The familiars didn't question him and many of them grinned as a few of them took to the sky, eager for some action at long last.

"We are your army Mathus! To glory!" A few of the centaurs billowed as their war blood began to pump through their veins.

"Lower the shields!" A black griffon urged.

Ivan needed no more convincing and immediately dispelled his barrier. Matthew dragged Ivan a few hundred feet away from the battle as his familiars clashed with the Vernan army. He trusted his familiars to make their own decisions and made getting his feverish friend as far away from the battle as possible.

Even in the freezing cold, Matthew could practically feel the heat radiating off of Ivan's body. Ivan shuddered and a bead of sweat dropped down his face. His breaths came in ragged intervals and his friend checked his temperature with his forehead.

Matthew immediately recoiled and swore under his breath, he could practically cook an egg on this man's forehead. It was a miracle that Ivan was able to move, let alone fend off an army of bloodthirsty creatures from hell.

What were these people thinking? Making Ivan fight when he was quite clearly sick.

Matthew took some snow from the ground and pressed it against Ivan's neck, who opened up his startling purple eyes.

"Ah, I have died and woken up to an angel da?" Ivan had it in him to joke.

Matthew blushed and thanked the gods that the cold already made his cheeks pink.

"T-this is no time to joke around Ivan. Can you stand?" Matthew's voice was like music to Ivan's ears.

He grunted in reply and somehow got onto his feet through sheer willpower. Matthew immediately slung Ivan's arm over his shoulder and the two somehow managed to find Nina, who was already treating a badly wounded soldier.

Never mind having four fighters, now only Nina and Matthew were fully functional. Nina checked over Ivan and gasped. The Russian was paler than snow and his platinum hair stuck to his head from his sweat.

"Who in their right mind would have you test today? Your temperature is well over 106º Fahrenheit!" Nina helped Matthew prop the feverish Russian up against a tree.

The tattoos on her body glowed through her robes as she hovered her hand all across Ivan's body.

"It is amazing that Matvey was able to summon such a large force." She remarked as she tried to bring Ivan's fever down through a series of written runes and small fairy familiars.

Matthew would've blushed if he wasn't so distracted by the fighting going on behind them.

"Toris was right in sending for you." Nina saw the young teen tense up in the corner of her eye. Matthew really needed to work on accepting compliments.

"Mathus!" A white griffon flying right towards them interrupted their conversation and powerfully landed right in front of them. Its orange eyes automatically lowered themselves to the ground in a submissive gesture before he talked.

Matthew knew it was a habit formed from before Darius had been contracted to him, but that still didn't stop him from briefly reprimanding the action.

Nina took great interest in their interaction and the griffon breathlessly reported their current situation.

"Everyone's spread across the wall of Vernan. We've stopped their advances, no casualties but they're breaking through the center. We need support."

AKA, they needed Matthew back on the field ASAP. He hesitated though and glanced at Ivan, who wearily waved his hand and tapped him on the head.

"I will be fine da? After she makes me better I will return to the battlefield sober."

At least Ivan seemed to loosen up when he was feverish. He nodded and briefly gained Darius' consent to mount him before they flew into the battle.

Listen up everyone!

Matthew alerted his familiars telepathically as soon as they touched ground. He immediately dismounted the griffon and summoned dozens of elemental magic-type circles to blast into the deeper ranks of the Vernan.

If you even think you're going to die, break the link and head back to your plane. He firmly commanded. Matthew dodged a claw aimed for his neck and retreated a few meters behind his familiars.

Despite the common misconception by those who weren't practitioners of either disciplines, Summoning and Conjuration were two completely different practices. Summoners used familiars were were actual living beings who were summoned from another plane or dimension through a contract and unfortunately, die and never be replaced.

Conjuration was the magic of creating life, essentially creating puppets to do your bidding. The puppets had no mind of their own, perhaps a skilled practitioner could weave in commands into the creature's creation- but it took an immense amount of skill. Such creatures were never killed, only destroyed.

Breaking the link was a common condition of a contract between summoner and familiar to provide the familiars with some sort of leverage. It rendered summoner unable to call upon the familiar for 24 hours and was usually a fail safe for the exact purpose of preserving the lives of the summoned creatures.

There were a few mumbled replies back and that was enough to satisfy Matthew. As the battle dragged on and no reinforcements arrived, Matthew was forced to scale back the damage of his magic.

His spells at that point could only be described as debuffs. At their level, all they could do was momentarily stun or slow down the monsters, which was exactly what his familiars needed.

Matthew needed to maintain a careful balance between his magic reserves and his casting. If he ran out of magic, all of his familiars would be shoved back into their own plane and he would be royally screwed.

Of course he wouldn't have had to do all of this if he just had a damn weapon with him, namely a rifle. True, he could probably make one- but would it be as effective as its authentic counterparts? No. Alchemy and Tool-Crafting weren't exactly his strong suites and it just took way too much magic.

Back in the forest, Ivan was feeling much better after Nina worked her magic and was anxious to return to the battlefield. After a few minutes of rest, he was ready to fight.

"I am ready to go." Ivan declared and moved to get up. Only to be stopped by the tip of Nina's staff and was forced to sit back down.

"I don't think so." She said firmly as she continued to heal Ivan. Her glowing green hand remained firmly pressed against his neck underneath his scarf to fight whatever illness Ivan was plagued with.

"I can only treat the symptoms at the moment. Even if you don't feel it now, you're going to feel it later." She reprimanded, a tint of anger was evident in her voice.

Ivan grit his teeth and stubbornly stood back up.

"I am going."

Nina extended her staff out to halt any more movement.

"No you're not." She replied back, equally as stubborn.

The gods looked down in Ivan's favor and sent the head of a large Dragon-Vernan as bargaining leverage. The head landed just meters away from them and its glazed red eyes stared directly at the healer. Its steaming head seemed to have Nina reconsider her decision.

"I am going. Matvey cannot battle them alone. I will go, and when reinforcements come I will fall back." Ivan's tone left no room for compromise.

The Lycan just stared at this workaholic and agitatedly turned away to tend to the other wounded soldier.

"Do what you want." She snapped.

Ivan exploded onto the battlefield with his famous potency and startled many of the familiars with his brute strength as he killed a couple of Vernan by cutting straight through their tough hide and bone with just his saber.

"Forward!" Ivan shouted as he locked his sword with the claws of a snarling dragon. The familiars around him took up his cries and pressed forward. Ivan unleashed fiery death from the sky and allowed Matthew to take a breather.

Ivan grinned as he exchanged blows with a werewolf-Vernan. He grabbed the creature's arm with his left hand, swung around to decapitate it with his saber. The old adrenaline of the battlefield was a glorious thing.

Ivan took a moment to assess their current situation. They had greatly reduced the Vernan's number and it seemed like they were more or less winning. Considering the strength of these Vernan, he was pretty impressed that they had reduced their numbers by about two hundred or so.

Matthew cast his ice magic onto the field and impaired the movement of a great many Vernan, which greatly helped Ivan.

Behind you Vanya!

Incoming attack on the left

Duck!

Ivan heeded his personality's warnings and took note of their commands. Boer, Hira, and Landark all acted as lookouts. While they were limited to Ivan's field of vision, they could at least focus on the man's other senses and the very edge of his eyesight.

Ivan watched Matthew struggle to dodge and attack a few Vernan while trying to conserve his magic and decided to help his friend.

"Matvey!" He called once he was in range.

Matthew immediately ducked at the mention of his name and sure enough, Ivan's now black blade swung right above him.

Matthew threw his hand in front of him and summoned a blue magical circle that promptly froze the Vernan in place, allowing the vicious steel of Ivan's saber to cut its torso in half. The two automatically stood back to back as the Vernan began to close in on them.

"This is a good test da?"

Matthew glanced behind him, why did Ivan always choose the worst places to crack a joke?

"General Bragninsky! Mage Williams!" A familiar voice called from behind them.

They swung around to see a force of two hundred Lycan soldiers pour in from the forest. Some of them on horses, some of them didn't need any. Matthew squinted at the werewolf who called his name and gasped, was that Howel?

Howel ran up to them and clapped him on the shoulder while he saluted Ivan.

"You two have done well. Our troops will finish off the rest, please take it easy from here on out." It wasn't a request- it was a command. And it was an order the both of them gladly obeyed.

Half an hour later, the fighting drew to a close. The remaining Vernan fled into the mountain and there were no casualties. Well, except for one.

Matthew's familiars returned with the tired soldiers in low conversation and occasional bouts of laughter.

They all tiredly grinned and wiped the black blood off of themselves, but there was a distinct air of sadness about them.

Ivan stood next to his friend as the large crowd of familiars bowed their heads and parted in the center so that Darius, the white griffon, could walk through with a body on his back.

Matthew's eyes widened, instantly recognizing the petite figure and froze on the spot with a mixture of disbelief and shock. It was Astrid.

She wasn't dead yet, but she was well on her way to eternal peace. Her wings were slightly bent and she was covered in Vernan blood. Matthew immediately walked towards them and made a distressed sound in the back of his throat.

His hands uncertainly hovered over the fairy. After mulling for a few minutes on how he should pick her up, he gently picked her up with both of his hands and let out a shuddering sigh.

"A-Astrid, y-you dummy. D-Disconnecting r-right before so I-I wouldn't know." Matthew couldn't fight back the tears. The light-fairy weakly grinned in response.

"Cry baby." She teased.

"Why didn't you break the link?" Matthew tearfully asked.

Astrid looked up into the sky and softly laughed. Her laughter was easily heard in the near silence of the clearing as every familiar, Lycan, and human stopped to watch the odd sight. It was very rare that a summoner would so heavily mourn the death of his/her creature.

"Mathus. I've lived for thousands of years." Astrid began. Everyone pressed in closer to hear her dying words.

"In that span of time, out of the hundreds of summoners who've contracted me, I've yet to meet one as kind as you. You are not our master, you're not family, you're our savior."

Matthew couldn't stop his tears any longer and had to place Astrid back onto Darius' back, he didn't want to be their savior. He just wanted them to be friends, she had no idea how much he loved them- how they were like family.

But Astrid did know, and she weakly flitted her broken wings.

"That is your official position. Although I wouldn't be too surprised if you were more like a brother." She said in a lighter tone.

Matthew struggled to compose himself, but Astrid continued because she sensed her time was coming.

"Your kindness is unparalleled, and we all love you for that. The fact that for the first time in our lives, someone on this plane cares about us, it means more to us than you think. Oh Mathus, how much you've changed. You used to be so cute, and now you're such a handsome young man." Darius helped Astrid move onto Matthew's shoulder and leaned against his neck.

Astrid closed her eyes and contently sighed.

"So many of us die here, on this plane. And many summoners don't even bother to send their dead familiars back to their plane, but I know you're different. Wasn't that your first promise to us? That you would always send us home."

The familiars all murmured their confirmations and Matthew bitterly smiled. Of course he hadn't meant it like that. Astrid shuddered delivered her last message.

"Mathus, back when you summoned me in the crumbling halls of your castle, I felt the winds of change on my back. Our God has returned to our world, and with him he brings feelings of anger, age-old bitterness, and sentiments of war.

"You must be wary of what is to come, and I am afraid, Mathus, that war is coming.

"All I ask, is that you never lose faith in my fellow familiars. We have pledged our loyalty to you, and having your loyalty in return brings me such joy-" Astrid's voice broke in the middle and many of the familiars shed tears as Astrid's life force began to fade.

"Thank you, Mathus. I am glad that I died as your familiar." The fairy lightly hugged Matthew on the neck, and then she was gone. Matthew's mark, the maple leaf, faded from the skin of her thigh and as one, the large group uttered a prayer.

"Ga'ul Vectim Sem." Their voices were solemn and Matthew repeated the prayer after them.

The rest of the Lycans present watched with awe and puzzlement. It was unheard of for summoners to become so attached to their familiars. As strange as it was, it was undeniably beautiful and heart wrenching to see and everyone fell into respectful silence.

Ivan hesitantly approached Matthew after a minute or two and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

He didn't know what to say, he'd never seen someone mourn so heavily for a dead familiar. But it turned out he didn't need to say anything- the gesture was enough.

A group of fairies gently took Astrid's body after Matthew created a small ice sculpture in the shape of a delicate flower and placed it in Astrid's cold hands.

The familiars comforted Matthew, and Matthew comforted them for a good ten minutes before they decided they had to go.

The teen bestowed some of his magic onto the fairy's corpse and linked it to her friends, who were able to write a return spell with his magic and they each glowed a light blue before they faded into the background.

Matthew wordlessly turned into Ivan and silently cried.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry I-I n-need a m-moment." Matthew's voice was uneven and frequently cracked. The Russian deeply inhaled to calm his heart and reassuringly hugged his friend back while he lightly stroked his hair.

"It will be fine da? She went peacefully." Ivan's chest rumbled and Matthew closed his eyes.

So cute. Just admit it Vanya, you two should just go to bed already.

Landark interrupted the touching scene and Boer slapped him on the back of his head.

He is sad. He is my friend. Is it not my obligation to comfort him?

Ivan stiffly returned.

Landark snickered, undaunted by Boer's threatening paw he replied:

Nyet, it is your obligation. But when you use big words like that it normally means I am right da?

This time Hira kicked his shin and she scowled.

Don't mind him Vanya.

Ivan rolled his eyes and smiled.

Da, I know.

"Ivan Bragninsky! Get here this instant, you are heading straight for the infirmary!" Nina's normally kind voice turned shrill and burst onto the scene like some sort of crazed witch.

Ivan was about to give her a nasty reply when he felt Matthew smile into his coat. The puffy-eyed teen retracted himself from his friend's light hug and thanked him, effectively abandoning his friend to the mercy of the Arch-Healer.

And it was like this, that the first major battle of what would come to be known as the Great Vernan war had ended.

Needless to say, both Ivan and Matthew had passed the placement test with flying colors according to the test-givers and Ivan was ordered to get some much due rest while Matthew depressingly laid his head down onto the table of the cafeteria.

The assessors told him to wait there until they had a more solid report for him and he had no problems with not moving. His body ached, his heart ached and his eyes were sore. There wasn't any part of him that didn't hurt.

His mind kept flashing back to Astrid's last words.

War was coming.

Did she mean an all out war with the familiars? Matthew couldn't even fathom how that was even possible.

Familiars needed a summoner's magic to enter their plane, and quite frankly, live. He understood that magic in the west was different to the magic in the east because they utilized different sources, different veins. The familiars were no different.

While they had their own magic, they couldn't produce enough of it to live out a fraction of their potential lifespan.

And so, the relationship between them and the summoners of this plane were forged. The Summoner formed a kind of medium by allowing its creatures to absorb the natural magic of the first plane in return for their service. Evidently the familiar's plane lacked natural magic.

A war was unthinkable, mainly because they wouldn't even be able to sustain their physical forms on this plane for more than half a second on their own.

But what about their God? If this God had a substantial amount of magic- he could technically form a contract with every single familiar on the plane- but there were millions of familiars present.

That would take an unthinkable amount of magical power- probably three-quarter's of King Fenris' total magic at the very least.

But their God had returned? Did that mean that he was gone before? There were just too many questions. He groaned and laid his head down on the table. He couldn't think about this anymore.

Toris watched Matthew from afar and worriedly looked at Nina, asking what had happened.

Nina never took her eyes off Matthew and crossed her arms.

"His familiar died. Apparently he takes these things very badly." Nina said in a low voice. Matthew was much too kind for his own good.

Toris frowned slightly and clutched a book to his chest.

"Perhaps it is good he is close with his familiars." Nina muttered under her breath and pulled Toris away so they could talk away from the prying ears of the cafeteria. The Chevolek- Lycan pulled her husband into their room and firmly locked the door before she began pacing on the dark green rug of their floor.

"Toris, is it possible for beings in the 2nd plane to start a war with us?" Nina's question alarmed Toris, who put his book on his desk and asked her where she had gotten such an idea.

"Matthew's fairy-familiar, Astrid I think her name was told him. When she was dying, she told Matthew that their God had returned, and apparently he's trying to convince all of the familiars to enter an all out war with this world."

Toris immediately went to his bookshelf and pulled out a thick book with a worn brown leather covering and opened up its yellowing pages. He scanned through the book and simply placed the book down on their bed, opening to the page that showed how it was possible- through the folklore of the second planers.

A God who called himself Borag, would manifest himself in the shape of a man- although his real form was actually different- and would create the path to their salvation. Borag was supposedly killed by the five great gods of their plane. As punishment for their god's treachery, Borag's body and his followers were banished to the harsh conditions of the second plane.

Eventually though, Borag would return and they would exact revenge for the injustices done by them.

"But that's just a story isn't it?" Nina asked quietly as she pushed the book away. Toris sharply shook his head. "It was the last prophecy Henriette, the god of the Unicorns told before she passed. The story has been recorded in several historical tablets as well. If they are true, then King Fenris would know who this god is."

The two stared at the book and a heavy silence enveloped them.

"It will take years for them to amass a sufficient amount of familiars and magic to invade our plane. In a month's time let's talk to King Fenris about this. I will research more." Toris quickly gathered his materials from his bed and already left to go to the library.

Nina sighed and sat down on the bed, everyone was a workaholic.

"Yes, if you take these pills and eat plenty of Borscht then you will be fine. I heavily advise against returning to combat for two days at the very least." A winged werewolf advised the restless Russian, who eagerly took the bag of pills and stood to leave.

"Thanks comrade. I will be out now." Ivan was gone faster than a child with a stolen cookie. His head still hurt, but he figured he could fix that with some borscht, or vodka.

Vodka, how long it had been since he'd drank the splendid liquid that warmed him during the coldest nights.

Ivan's long legs carried him to the cafeteria in no time and for some strange reason, his eyes were automatically drawn to Matthew's hunched figure.

Ivan walked over to the kitchen and retrieved two bowls of Borscht before heading towards his friend. Only to be hampered by a large group of soldiers who were a little too excited by the sight of him.

"General Bragninsky! You were absolutely amazing, I heard about the battle! Even while feverish with no medication and outnumbered 3 to 600, and then when the fourth man got there you'd already reduced their numbers to 500! And then you summoned seventy-three familiars-" Ivan twitched and icily corrected him.

"Mage Williams summoned seventy-three familiars."

The soldiers paused and exchanged unsure glances.

"Yes of course…But…" And they went on to compliment him. While the Russian was sure most of it was sincere, he had a feeling they were sucking up to him and let out a low growl that instantly silenced them.

It was the first time they'd heard a human growl, and it was absolutely terrifying coming from Ivan.

"I am tired, I am on medication, I am sick, I am holding two bowls of Borscht, one of Mage Williams' familiars is dead and it would please me if you would all leave us alone." Ivan's smile remained firmly on his face as he said those icy words.

Those soldiers high-tailed out of the cafeteria as if the devil commanded them and the Russian happily took his seat right across from Matthew and pushed a bowl of soup towards the grieving summoner.

He tapped his friend on his lowered head and greeted the puffy eyes with his usual smile and stiffly friendly purple gaze.

"Vodka makes things better, but since you are underage Borscht will have to substitute."

Matthew rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and dutifully began to eat. Ivan laughed and rested his chin on his hand. Matthew seemed like a child at times.

"T-thanks." Matthew finished his bowl and moved it aside. Ivan shrugged and took a spoonful of his soup. "It is fine da? Have your results come out yet?"

Matthew shook his head. "T-they told me to w-wait here." He absently looked at the clock on the wall, he'd been waiting there for a good hour or so.

Ivan hummed and when Matthew inquired about his results, he merely shrugged and sat up a little straighter to pop a few bones.

"They apologized- they said they could not appoint me as General of the army again because there is already one in place. I am fine with that, I disliked the job in the later years of the war anyway.

"They said I could easily be the leader of a large platoon of soldiers, it appears that King Fenris has now employed two armies within the military. The Vernan army and the regular army. If I find that I have nothing to do I would not mind taking control of the Vernan army, I believe it would be fun." Ivan entertained the idea of wiping out those pests once and for all.

Matthew smiled, 'fun' was an interesting job description. That's right, he realized he would have to decide his own 'major' so to speak while he was here. He couldn't be a freeloader forever.

When presented the question to Ivan he just gave him a funny look before thoughtfully drumming his fingers on the table.

"Matvey could do anything. You like children da? Matvey could be a teacher, or a scholar like Toris. You are kind, you could apprentice to become a healer. Matvey is also very good at fighting, I would not mind if Matvey would join the military… You can do anything as long as you give it time."

For some reason Ivan's words made Matthew blush, and after realizing how flattering he sounded, Ivan just wanted to disappear into his scarf. Although he was able to hide his internal agony behind his smile, the only thing that gave him away was an ever so slight blush.

Landark could've puked at how sweet the scene before him was. Boer and Hira happily lazed around in the green field of grass. The dragon wanted to kill himself.

"We have to help them da? They are too awkward and formal, at this rate the children in the castle will get married faster than these two." The dragon growled.

Hira rolled her eyes and didn't move from her spot.

"It has to happen naturally Landark. Don't rush it or you will ruin everything." Hira drawled and closed her eyes to go to sleep.

Landark appealed to Boer, who merely shrugged. "I see no reason to interfere."

The dragon angrily huffed and took to the sky. Even if these guys were too lazy to get off their asses to help their friend in need, that didn't mean he had to be the same way.

The two had long finished their soup when a rather lanky looking werewolf came scampering up to them. He was dressed in the plane grey robes of a courier and he submissively handed Matthew a scroll that was tied up in a red ribbon.

He thanked the werewolf and waited for him to leave before he undid the ribbon and opened it up.

To Matthew De'mois Williams.

After much deliberation with our court members and King Fenris himself, we have decided to offer you a proposition. Your skill with our national ranged weapon, the rifle, is seemingly unparalleled and we believe it's a waste of talent should you choose to pursue a noncombatant career. Your knowledge and amiable personality with the children has also been noted and we have come to the conclusion. You are qualified to pursue any sort of army or civilian career. It is the request of the court that you become an instructor of the glorious Fenrican army and perhaps a permanent tutor. Both you and General Bragnisky's roles will be discussed at a later date. Please rest for the next week.

-Fenrican court

Matthew had to double check to make sure he translated the letter correctly and showed it to Ivan, who was surprised as well. "I can imagine Matvey as a teacher."

The teen laughed and pocketed the scroll. "Oui, I suppose I can too."

Yaaron, Myrle.

Alfred stubbornly sat down at the dinner table and refused to look his father in the eye. The castle had turned icy as a result of Matthew' departure, largely because of prince's sudden change in attitude.

The halls were no longer graced with his laughs of mischief and his brother's protests. He diligently did his studies and aside from the occasional ride out into the forest and meals, he rarely ventured out of the library and his room.

"Alfred, look at me when I talk to you." Gregory tiredly told his son. Alfred looked up from his meal and crossed his arms. He wasn't going to let Matthew's injustice be unfelt.

"Alfred, why didn't you tell us you are gifted with foresight?" Gregory repeated his question. He had discovered the purple pills in Alfred's room and discovered they were used to suppress his gift. Of course they were immediately confiscated.

The young man deeply inhaled before he looked away onto the ground.

"Uncle was a seer." Alfred said at a length. Gregory's fork cluttered onto his plate as he massaged his temples.

"Alfred, just because my brother was a traitor, it doesn't mean that all traits associated with him are bad. That doesn't make any sense." He said with fatherly love.

This love was ill-received and Alfred couldn't believe what he had just heard. He immediately rose to his feet and it took all of his will-power to not slam his fists onto the table. Instead, he placed them onto the table with force- but didn't break anything.

"You guys are all hypocrites, what about Mattie?" Alfred's voice was frosty and his father's response was equally so.

The King drank from his wine glass, "And what of him?" He asked dismissively.

Alfred pursed his lips and excused himself from the table. "Nothing. Not that my word matters."

The young man stormed into the library and pulled out a thick book that could've easily been half of Alfred's weight, and had to have thousands of pages in the smallest font imaginable.

It was a history book- of the entire world as they knew it.

Foresight was the ability to predict the future. Or that was what most people though. Alfred knew there was so much more to that.

It was ridiculous to think that the future was a set of predetermined paths. Oh no, he couldn't predict one future. He could predict seven or eight at a time. The future was full of endless possibilities, the best seers could see 70-80.

The paths were ever changing. Alfred bitterly laughed, who said he couldn't have a hand in determining the future of the world?

Of course this gift wasn't a miracle. His predictions heavily relied on the past, being able to make connections and trying to foretell future actions required extensive knowledge of, quite frankly, everything.

At the beginning he just found the gift tedious and time consuming. Now he saw it as an invaluable tool and had all the time in the world.

Just wait, he thought, he was going to help himself, this kingdom, and Matthew.

Wow guys, longest chapter so far. It's more than 5,800 words. How do you guys even get through such long chapters? You guys are great and your reviews are quite frankly, awesome. Read on!

As always, criticism and thoughts about the chapter are always appreciated. Make sure to favorite this story if you liked it and follow it to get regular updates :) Hope you guys liked the chapter!

~Preuss