As General Agane battled the forces of Warlord Halooween, I was being whisked away from the chaos by Eskapa soldiers, following their captain's orders to ensure my safety. They loaded me onto a beast-drawn carriage, a vehicle used by Eskapa that barreled forward without brakes, speeding us away from the battlefield.
Below, thousands of Eskapa soldiers raced toward the conflict to aid their general. Inside the carriage, the tension was palpable, etched into the faces of the soldiers around me. Fear and confusion hung heavy; no one dared speak.
Suddenly, a young soldier named Fero stood, slamming his fist in frustration. "Captain, why are we fleeing? We're the First Unit, the general's elite! Shouldn't we be fighting beside her?" he shouted.
His comrade yanked him back down, scolding, "Don't raise your voice at the captain! The general ordered us to escort this man to safety."
Fero refused to back down, questioning why their unit, Agane's strongest, was tasked with protecting me when other units could have done it. "It's a bad call to abandon the general when she needs us most!" he argued.
"Hey, Fero," another soldier snapped, "even if you're close to the general, you're just a rookie. You don't question the captain's orders."
The captain raised a hand, silencing the brewing argument. "I understand your frustration, Fero. The enemy is formidable, and even the general will struggle against them."
"Then why aren't we there?" Fero pressed, his voice thick with anger. "The First Unit was chosen to fight by her side!"
I felt the weight of his fury, but the captain only sighed, offering no answer. Then Fero's glare turned to me, his eyes burning with resentment. "I don't get why a human like him is more important than helping our general."
The captain's voice was firm. "The general's orders are clear. We take him to the next town, then return."
Fero clenched his fists, barely containing his rage. He stood again, storming toward me, grabbing my collar. "I don't care if you're some hero or miracle worker. If anything happens to our general, I'll make you pay," he growled.
His comrades restrained him, urging him to calm down. "This won't help," one said. "The general wouldn't prioritize his safety if he wasn't important."
A female soldier with long hair and fox-like ears spoke up, her sharp eyes fixed on me. "Important? Is he really special? I sense no great power in him. Earlier, he couldn't even protect himself."
The carriage fell silent. She toyed with a dagger, continuing, "If I recall, you're the rookie applicant General Ataparag pushed to join Eskapa, the one who supposedly saved us from Warlord Serenity. But you don't look like much—just an ordinary human."
Her words cut deep. "Our priority is defending our town with the general. If you're truly some miracle worker, don't be a burden. Prove it."
"Fumiko, enough," the captain barked, but she pressed on, insisting that if I had any hidden power, I should at least save myself so they could return to aid Agane. "Until we're sure you can fend for yourself, the captain won't let us go back," she said.
I understood her, but words failed me. My energy was drained from healing my wounds earlier. Everyone saw me as a hero with hidden powers, but even with Kula's abilities, I couldn't bring myself to claim I was capable. I was exhausted, my body on the verge of collapse. I needed help—someone to save *me*. My healing powers were useless without energy, and I feared I'd break any moment.
Shaking my head, I met their expectant gazes, including the captain's, and felt a wave of shame. "I'm sorry," I said, voice low. "You're right—I can't save myself. My power depends on energy, and I used it all earlier. I can't help the general defeat her enemy."
Silence followed, the soldiers' frustration palpable. The captain, Derovia, sighed and introduced himself as the leader of Agane's main force and her second-in-command. "The general mentioned you can see the future. It sounds unbelievable, but if true, it's a huge asset for Eskapa."
He explained that Agane valued my unique ability, making their sacrifice to protect me worthwhile for Galica and Eskapa. "No," I countered, "I'm not that important. I don't see the future clearly, and what I know doesn't always help the present."
I wondered why Agane had mentioned my foresight. Did she think I could use it now? Derovia denied it, saying he was merely curious because Agane admired my ability, especially after I saved Eskapa from Serenity.
I hesitated but admitted my visions weren't extraordinary. "The things I've seen from the past—like the deaths of others—aren't helpful. But if you're worried about General Agane, I can tell you she won't die here today."
The soldiers gasped, hope flickering in their eyes. "Is that true?" one asked.
"Yes," I said, "but I don't know what happens to you or how many soldiers below will survive."
Silence returned until Melon emerged from my hood, perching on my head. To my shock, his voice rang out for all to hear. "You can still help your general and save your comrades from certain death."
The soldiers stared, stunned by Melon's sudden appearance and words. He introduced himself as my spirit companion in battle. Sensing their skepticism due to his lack of aura, he continued, "The power I gave Nathaniel defeated Warlord Serenity. If you cooperate, he can defeat Halooween's child too."
I didn't know what Melon was planning, but he silenced my protests, urging me to let him fulfill his role. "You're wasting the power I gave you by doubting what's right or wrong," he said, explaining to the soldiers that I could absorb their energy to fuel my abilities. "The more energy he takes, the stronger he becomes."
"Nathaniel refuses to steal energy because of his morals," Melon added. "If you want to help, give him your energy willingly."
"Give him our energy?" a soldier echoed.
"Melon, I'm not sure about this," I interjected.
Ignoring me, Melon asked Derovia if they were willing. He explained their limited energy was no match for Halooween's child, who wielded level-3 magic, unlike my body's capacity. Derovia, intrigued, asked for details but admitted he was impressed if my ability was real. "If we give you our energy, can you promise to help our general?"
I froze, head bowed. I'd felt immense power before, but it drained protecting me, and I lacked combat skill. "I can hold energy from others, but I'm not a skilled fighter. I don't think I can defeat Halooween's child," I admitted. "If you give me your energy, you'll fall unconscious, drained."
Melon's wooden hammer shot out, smacking my head, forcing me to my knees. "Fool! How long will you stay so negative? It's not about being a skilled fighter—it's about saving lives!" he scolded. "You don't need to defeat Halooween's child, but the general needs help now, and that's what you must do."
He reminded me I didn't need to be perfect to be a hero—just useful. "Nothing changes if you don't act. Don't fear death; it won't come for you here, whether you flee or fight. To save lives in this battle, you must act." He invoked Koko's words: "You hold their fates. If you don't change their future, you'll fail your mission in Endoryo."
Memories of those who died before my eyes flooded back, my inaction haunting me. The only way forward was to seize Melon's offered chance to alter fate. "I don't know my limits, but I want to change what's destined, no matter what," I said, standing tall.
Facing Derovia, I raised my right hand. "Please, trust me. Lend me your power so I can save them."
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