The words hung in the air like a death sentence. Three of the most powerful people in the Academy stared at Rowan with expressions ranging from disbelief to outright alarm.
"Lived through it before," Master Wilhelm repeated slowly. "Boy, do you have any idea how that sounds?"
"Like the ravings of a madman," Rowan replied matter-of-factly. "But you asked for an explanation, and that's the truth."
Sir Alden leaned forward. "How exactly does one 'live through' events that haven't happened yet?"
"I don't know the how. I only know that I died—we all died—and then I woke up in my bed three days ago, seventeen years old again with all my memories intact."
Lady Seraphina's eyes narrowed. "What did you see in this future? Be specific."
The test had begun. Rowan knew vague prophecies would earn him a cell in the Academy's medical ward. He needed verifiable details.
"Prince Julian is already corrupted by demon influence. The 'study circles' he mentioned today are cult recruitment meetings. In two weeks, goblins will raid Brookhaven—not random, but orchestrated by cult infiltrators to test Academy response times."
Master Wilhelm's face went pale. "Brookhaven is classified information. Only Knight-Commanders and Royal Intelligence know—"
"Sir Garrett will lead the response force and arrive too late. Forty-three villagers will die, including children. My friend Thom's family lives there—his sister Emma, age eight, will be found in their bakery's ruins."
Lady Seraphina recoiled, her hand moving to a silver pendant. "How could you possibly know such details—"
"Because I lived through it!" Rowan's composure cracked. "Because I held Thom's broken body while he begged me to save a sister who was already dead! Because I watched this Academy burn while Julian personally executed students who refused to kneel!"
The raw emotion convinced them more than logic could. Sir Alden and Wilhelm exchanged glances while Seraphina's magical senses detected genuine trauma.
"The Demon King," Rowan continued, steadying his voice. "Malphas the Destroyer. He won't reveal himself for ten years, but his cult has prepared for decades. Julian isn't just a recruit—he's a high-ranking operative."
[QUEST UPDATE: Shadows and Whispers]Progress: Partial success - 3/5 authority figures convinced
Lady Seraphina stood and began pacing. "This is madness. Time travel, demon cults... And yet..." She faced Rowan. "Show me your sword arm."
Confused, Rowan rolled up his sleeve. Seraphina gasped.
"Battle scars," she whispered. "Old ones, perfectly healed, but... they're not there."
"What do you mean?" Wilhelm moved closer to examine unmarked skin.
"I can see their imprints in his magical aura. Dozens of them. Sword cuts, burns, bite wounds from large predators. His body remembers trauma that never happened—not in this timeline."
Sir Alden's expression shifted to grim calculation. "If true, we need to act immediately—"
"No." Rowan's interruption surprised them. "Move too quickly and we tip our hand to Julian. He's already suspicious after this morning. Any dramatic security changes will confirm someone has intelligence they shouldn't."
"Then what do you propose?" Wilhelm asked.
"Subtle preparations. Increase Brookhaven patrols without acknowledging threats. Position response teams closer through 'training exercises.' Most importantly, identify other cult members without alerting them."
Seraphina studied him intently. "You speak like a military commander. How much of your knowledge involves combat?"
The question pierced deep. How many friends had he watched die? How many times had he failed?
"All of it," he said quietly. "The war lasted eight years. I learned to fight, to lead, to make hard choices that kept people alive another day. It wasn't enough."
"But now you have a second chance," Sir Alden observed.
"We all do. But only if we're smart. The enemy has had years to plan. We can't match their organization overnight, but we can disrupt their timeline."
Wilhelm processed everything. "What's your assessment? How much time do we have?"
"Goblin raid? Two weeks. Julian's first major Academy move? Three months. Cult achieving critical mass?" Rowan paused. "Two years, if we do nothing."
"And if we do everything right?"
Rowan's smile held no warmth. "Then maybe we save the kingdom. Maybe we actually win instead of just surviving long enough to die heroically."
Seraphina resumed her seat. "There's one way to test your story. You mentioned specific goblin activity—"
"Thornwood, two miles northeast of Brookhaven," Rowan interrupted. "Twelve to fifteen scouts, led by a scarred veteran missing his left eye. They're mapping patrol routes. The attack comes at dawn on market day."
Either Rowan was the kingdom's most elaborate liar, or he was telling an impossible truth.
Sir Alden decided first. "Wilhelm, increase discrete patrols around border villages tomorrow. Training exercises only."
Wilhelm nodded grimly. "If his information proves accurate?"
"Then we're dealing with something beyond normal protocols." Alden turned to Seraphina. "Can you arrange reconnaissance without raising questions?"
"Already done," she replied, fingers tracing symbols. A sending spell to a trusted agent. "We'll have confirmation within two days."
Silence settled as the situation's enormity hit them. If Rowan was truthful, everything they knew about kingdom security was wrong.
"One more thing," Rowan said. "In my timeline, you three died defending this Academy. Sir Alden fell holding the main gate. Wilhelm was overwhelmed in the armory. Seraphina held them off long enough for students to escape, but it killed her."
Seraphina's expression was unreadable. "And you?"
"I survived long enough to fail everyone who mattered." Rowan stood. "This time will be different."
"See that it is," Sir Alden said grimly. "If this turns out to be fantasy, you'll wish the demons had gotten you first."
Rowan's smile was sharp as steel. "If this is fantasy, we'll all have bigger problems to worry about."