The past is almost like another world

A class of mostly bored high school students watched their teacher write his lesson plan on the marker board. Most preferred Professor Patrick Riordan’s literature class over the comparatively harsh math teacher. He could bring history and literature to life, but few were interested in his long-winded lectures on a Friday afternoon.

Professor Riordan was a young man with an old soul who had plenty of fans. Plenty of women appreciated his kind demeanor and professional attire. They especially preferred his forgiving nature. He would be generous with grade revisions if the student put in their best effort when making up for failed assignments.

“As I’ve tried to impress upon you youngsters,” Professor Riordan began. “We must not forget the past. It is always there to teach us another lesson. “Our country, Ailinne, has a rich and fascinating history. We’re always discovering some new event that took place thousands of years ago, and it’s important that we document everything for future generations to reference.”

“With that said,” Professor Riordan continued. “Your weekly assignment is to choose an old text and write a report about it. Fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, take your pick and enjoy your walk through history.”

Not everyone was close to falling asleep, however. A young man with blazing red hair and eyes was excited about the upcoming assignment. He had an old fairy tale book ready in front of him. His mother read Twilight of Princess Aislinn to him when he was younger. He memorized almost every word in the book. Rowan enjoyed reading it whenever he felt sad, and if he didn’t have the physical book near him, he bought the e-book version for his phone.

The bell rang through the building, signaling the end of the school day. Students rose from their seats and funneled out of the classroom. Rowan followed the herd, but Professor Riordan called him back. “Mr. MacLeod, if you could join me for a moment.”

Curious, Rowan walked to the front of the class and stood before the teacher’s desk. “What’s up, sir?” He casually asked.

The good professor lightly chuckled. “I take it you’ve already chosen an old text. Would you mind telling me which book was lucky enough to catch your eye?”

Rowan gave a bright smile. He pulled his book out of his bag and presented it. “Twilight of Princess Aislinn. It’s one of my favorite fairy tales.”

Professor Riordan gingerly accepted the book and ran his hand over the cover. The ash-haired Danan princess stood bathed in light while demons were banished from the land. “A… fine choice, Rowan,” he returned the book with a smile. “The past is almost like another world. I hope you enjoy your journey.”

“I always do. Princess Aislinn’s battle always inspired me to never give up,” Rowan explained.

There was a hint of sadness in Professor Riordan’s smile. “Indeed. I know the story well. She never gives up, does she?”

Rowan shook Professor Riordan’s hand and departed the classroom. He wasn’t very interested in history, but he didn’t mention that. Rowan had more of an interest in engineering and architecture. Rowan helped his father as a mechanic. Sean was a retired soldier who poured his savings into opening a garage to repair all sorts of machines. It was a modest place, but they had a loyal customer base. They mostly tinkered with cars, but they repaired plenty of other vehicle types and the odd household device like a stove or a refrigerator. Rowan planned to get a degree in engineering and become his father’s partner.

He looked off in the distance as he walked over a bridge to his father’s garage. The mountains near Saoirsemer City held a massive dragon carving. It’s been there for well over fifteen hundred years. There were theories about who carved it, but no one was quite sure. It used to scare Rowan when he was younger. He was worried it would come to life and attack the city.

“Hey, Dad!” Rowan greeted his father at the garage. The smell of grease welcomed him right away.

“Hey, Rowan, right on time! Mrs. Ruiseal needs her car’s engine block repaired,” Sean announced. “It’ll take some time, but she’ll pay extra if we get it done before her trip.” He motioned to the worn engine block on his metal work table. Sean had already begun work on the engine block. He was already covered in grease that was as black as the hair on his head.

Rowan tossed his bag on a nearby chair and rolled his sleeves up. “I’ll grab the toolbox. Let’s get this thing disassembled and examined.”

“Sounds good. A book about ancient building projects was delivered today. Since when were you interested in stuff like that?” Sean asked.

Rowan set the toolbox on the work table near the engine block. “Colleges like that sort of stuff. I wrote a report about engineering marvels from antiquity. The dean gushed over it in a response letter.”

Sean patted his son on the shoulder. “That’s my boy.”

Rowan left the garage after a few hours of work and walked home. He would have stayed longer, but his father insisted he get his schoolwork done early so he could enjoy the weekend.

He returned home and found his mother going over files at the kitchen table. A new employee at her law firm had not been taking things seriously, and work piled up. She wanted to have everything perfect for when Rowan’s sister, Morgan, began her internship.

“Hey, Mom!” He greeted her.

“Hi, sweetie,” Fiona wearily replied. Her crimson hair was already tied in a loose bun as she poured over the documents before her.

Rowan joined her at the table and showed her the old book. “Remember this? I decided to write my literature report on it.” He knew she would be just as happy and nostalgic as he was.

Fiona brightened up and took the old fable from him. “Oh my gosh. I used to love reading this to you!” The two began to reminisce about their times reading the fairy tale.

Rowan submitted his report after the weekend. Professor Riordan gave him perfect marks and praised his work. He appreciated Rowan’s nostalgic sentiments from his childhood. “Your passion for the work rang through every sentence. It seems you stumbled upon an old issue: the title itself. The word ‘twilight' could have negative connotations in this context, so why would the author use it for a story with a happy ending?” The professor questioned him.

Rowan could only shrug. “I don’t know. I would have used something like ‘Dawn’ or even ‘Daybreak.’ Could this confusion be caused by a translation or reprinting error?”

Professor Riordan briefly chuckled. “If you figure that out, I’ll give you extra credit.”

Sounds of chaos and destruction interrupted their conversation. Terrified screams and explosions drew them to a nearby window. Strange creatures cloaked in dark auras flooded the city as far as the eye could see.

“Demons?” Rowan recognized them from Twilight of Princess Aislinn. Some resembled malformed beasts like dogs and cats, others seemed to be large insects. They traveled on either two or four legs. Over half of the monstrous army flew like birds and bats in the sky. There were a few humanoid demons, and they seemed to be the most vicious. The good professor ran out of the classroom with a concerned Rowan grabbing his bag and running right behind him.

Rowan and Professor Riordan watched the police mount some form of defense near the school. Their bullets proved somewhat effective, but they were quickly overwhelmed. Fear and horror coursed through Rowan’s trembling body. He quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket and began to call his family.

He nearly crumbled to the ground when he heard their voicemail messages.