A Small Oversight

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“To think that all the rumors were true… Having a mage of your caliber in our party or not, it’s not worth nearly getting killed over.”

A lone girl wandered the Institute for Practical Magic’s grounds, fists clenched in frustration.

“Not interested, kid, find some other suckers and waste their time instead.”

After having been banished from yet another adventuring party, Fia Fuoco was at a loss. A talented mage, and a brilliant magical mind, one might think that she had it made in a society where arcane ability was put on a pedestal.

But she wasn’t.

Not because of her difficult and oftentimes awkward personality, or obsession with the fiery magical arts, but because her desperation to fit in had reached levels that caused even her to wince. She was trying way too hard to the detriment of her peers, and for what?

I just wanted to prove my worth… Isn’t that what I always tell myself?

Most of the “accidents” involving her powers had been due to inexperience, with a genuine desire to improve fueling her actions. They had earned her nicknames such as “Friendly Fire” or “Fiasco”, but she had always pushed back against being cast in such a light, but today…

“What am I even doing anymore…”

It had been pure recklessness that had nearly gotten two of her new party members injured, or worse, and in the training yard no less. What if we were out in the field and I had a meltdown like this? That thought kept crossing her mind in such frequency that it was no surprise that her self-confidence had reached a new low.

And to make matters worse, her crutch in such difficult times and the focus for her magical power, Fia’s wand, had been swiftly confiscated by a member of the faculty after she was seen in the act. Letting off a large-scale attack in the middle of campus was grounds for expulsion for most students, but her grades and skills offered her certain privileges that others didn’t have.

“Jeez kid, I know it’s tough to be the odd one out, but isn’t this overdoing it a little?”

She heard the voice of Headteacher Fury. Part of Fia wished she and the Institute had brought the hammer down on her to set an example, however…

“Well… just don’t let it happen again, ‘kay? You can have your wand back when you show a little discernment.”

The same as usual. Such special treatment wouldn’t win back the trust of her classmates, or stifle all the looks cast in her direction, or return her precious wand and the only source of joy in her school life. She held out her hand, and a small flame hovered just above her palm.

From the moment she entered this world, perhaps even before, she found comfort in the warm glow of fire. Red, pulsing, the physical embodiment of comfort and safety. She dreamed of summoning the purest fire, the kind that could melt away all her bad feelings, all self-doubts carried from the other world, and all that would infringe upon her happiness.

The happiness I fought so hard to find…

A tear fell to the ground, and then another. Fia had stopped walking at the edge of the courtyard, just before entering the girls dormitories. The campus had darkened and magic lanterns began to light up the pathways around the school, and she felt increasingly cold inside and out.

“I hate this world…” Fia sniffled, wiping her tears and snot away with her long sleeves. “I just want to go home to mama and papa, and have dinner together again…”

In front of the fireplace that was so warm, where everything made sense. If it weren’t for that damned storm, the one that took so many from around the planet and sent them to the world of Kai… she wouldn’t be in this mess.

“Oh, you poor girl. Taken from the world you loved and placed here to rot in this purgatory.”

A dark voice gave Fia a start, causing her to audibly gasp.

“W-who’s there!?” She said, panning her gaze around for the source, but there didn’t seem to be anyone around.

“I truly feel sorry for you, I do. Because I understand.”

“Show yourself!”

“Why, of course.” A man finally stepped out of the shadows wearing something that resembled a black cloak with a hood. White hair peeked out from underneath. “I’ve no reason to hide from you, Fia Fuoco.”

Fia took a half step back in fear, the figure stood between her and the dormitory, cutting off her main path of escape.

How does he… know my name?

She couldn’t estimate the danger this stranger posed, and without her wand, she couldn’t properly focus her attack magic in a way that wouldn’t cause damage to the surrounding area where other students were sleeping, blissfully unaware. In short, she was defenseless.

“Don’t come any closer, or—or I’ll fight back!” She tried to threaten the man with bravado while continuing to step backward, towards the path back to the courtyard and the school administrative buildings. She decided to bluff a bit more. “If you know who I am, t-then you know I can do that much. I’m super powerful, after all!”

“Hmm, fight back? Without your wand, you mean?”

Fia’s eyes widened in horror.

“But—how do you…?”

“Oh, that. Well, I saw everything. The explosion earlier, the admonishment by your headteacher. Please, be at ease though. I’m not here to harm you, far from it, in fact.” The figure pulled off his hood to reveal a young man that was only a little older than Fia was, perhaps just by a few years. “You and I are much more alike than you might think.”

He had white hair, and a face she could only describe as incredibly handsome. His voice also lost its dark edge, which allowed Fia to loosen up, if only slightly. Most alluring, however, were his glowing red eyes which quickly enamored Fia like the fire she adored so much.

“So warm… Ahem—I mean… If you’re not here to hurt me, then…” She narrowed her gaze, gaining back a bit of courage. “Then what are you here to do?”

“Like you, I too, am an otherworlder.” The handsome stranger explained. “With little choice of my own, I was torn from my home on Earth and the people I called my family, and sentenced here to serve the rest of my life in a land that was not my own, alone. Sound familiar?”

Fia’s brow furrowed before acknowledging the similarities.

“Mm…”

“I thought so.” He nodded. “Which is why I’ve come, bearing a proposition of sorts. One that could greatly stand to benefit us both. In addition to camaraderie, you have something else I need.”

“What sort of proposition… needs?” Fia’s face turned bright red as she eyed him up and down, squirming at a sudden thought. “Wait, wait, wait! You want to do that!? B-but this is so sudden, and I mean, I’ve never even had a boyfriend before, and—and…”

My older sister warned me about this phenomenon. This “friends with benefits” thing that had become popular amongst the youth. I guess even hot guys are wild beasts at heart.

”No, no, nothing of that sort, I assure you! ” The handsome stranger chuckled, bringing his hand to his mouth. “Though, I don’t mind petite women such as yourself, this is much more in the way of a business proposition. Many apologies for the misunderstanding."

Despite being pretty embarrassed by her assumption, Fia still sighed in relief. Her heart wasn’t ready for such an important event just yet.

“Then…?”

“Right.” The stranger nodded. “Tell me, first, what do you remember about the summoning? Please share all the details you can manage.”

“Everyone’s memories are still a bit fuzzy, but… I remember that it started with a bunch of weird stories on the news…” Fia rubbed her chin. “Once-in-a-generation natural disasters appearing all over Earth, like the storms, and then all the disappearances. No bodies were found either.”

“The summonings, yes.” The stranger smiled bitterly. “A one-way ticket into this world from ours with no hope of ever returning. At least, no one has been successful in sending an otherworlder back to Earth yet, from what I’ve gathered in my many travels.”

“Yeah…”

“However… What if I told you there exists a way?”

”A… way?” Fia’s ears perked up.

“A way for all to return to the way it was supposed to be, a way to send everyone back to the beginning.” The stranger explained. “You said you hated this world, right? So do I, I loathe the very thought of being here another minute, and I can sense that very same fire in your eyes as in my own.”

“That’s…”

Not entirely untrue.

“We aren’t supposed to be here, you and I, and the rest of the otherworlders. I have reason to believe that someone from this world brought us here against our will. And I seek to investigate it in the Akashic Records, where all of history—before and after—is kept.” He reasoned. “But to do so… I need your help, Fia.”

“My help? I don’t know…” Fia crossed her arms, looking down. “What can I hope to do?”

Many had come to Fia, hoping to make use of her magical abilities, but were often left disappointed by her lack of control, and willful attitude. She had been told countless times that she was needed, that she was irreplaceable to her party, but they all left her in the end. Would this time be any different? Or was this man exactly like all the rest?

“Besides, even if I could help you, I don’t even have my—“

The handsome man tossed something in her direction which Fia barely caught after fumbling around with it. It was wooden in feel, and about nine inches in length. Just by the grain alone, she could tell exactly what it was.

“M-my wand!?” Fia exclaimed. “But… how…?”

“The details are not important right now.” The stranger gestured with one hand. “Your talent for fire magic is unparalleled, but what you lack is the control to obtain true mastery over it. I have witnessed countless mages overcome this hurdle on their path to greatness, and glory, but I can offer you a temporary fix in the meantime.”

“A temporary fix?” Fia repeated.

“I have made a minor modification to your wand, a light magic charm that sharpens your focus to prevent high level spells from going out of control. With it, you can conjure up as grand a summoning as your heart possibly desires.” The man smiled. “In fact, I’d only be asking you to do just that for the sake of our goals. You’d be positioning yourself closer to the zenith of the magic you care so much for.”

“Hmm…”

“In time, you’d even be able to win the hearts and minds of your peers. They’d have no choice but to accept you as the talented individual you are, and you and I would be able to unravel the mysteries of the summonings and set things right. You’d be Fia Fuoco, a hero of heroes.”

A far cry from “Fiasco”, that’s for sure…

If what the man was saying was genuine, then he was offering quite a chance at redemption for Fia, though she still couldn’t quite figure out what he was really after. But being able to pursue the purest flame, winning over the adoration of many, perhaps even finding a way home… She couldn’t help but admit it was all pretty enticing.

“However… if you don’t wish to help me after this gesture of good faith, I completely understand and will go peacefully on my way.”

The man turned to walk away, but Fia suddenly called out.

“Wait—! I… am interested.” She admitted. “But tell me, mister, will anyone get hurt?”

“By my honor, there will not be one innocent life taken by you—or I—as long as this partnership endures. If my word as a mage is not enough, then I would be more than happy to place a binding curse on myself if it would convince you…”

“No, no, that won’t be necessary!” Fia waved her hands before inhaling deeply in thought. “Then, I think I’ve decided.”

“Oh?” The man grinned.

“I’ll join you.”

“Very good!” The man pressed his hands together, still smiling. “You had me worried you might run off for a second there, I do hope I didn’t startle you too much by appearing so suddenly.”

“Well, the whole culty getup did give me the creeps at first… sorry to say.”

“So… refreshingly honest.” He smiled, shrugging. “But duly noted. I’ll have to find some other clothes to wear when conducting business matters in the future. You have my thanks for the suggestion.”

“So… not that I’m in a hurry or anything, but… what are we going to do first? You mentioned a bunch of secrets in a records thingie. Do you know where it is?”

“There exists an imposter within the city, a man who looks much like me, but shares very few of my charms. His associate is the keeper of the Akashic Records, and they both threaten to put this whole world in danger with their actions.” The man explained. “Now that they’ve begun meddling, I will need to confront them myself, but for your part I will need a sizable… distraction to draw away the attention of the guild and garrison. I doubt even I could fight them all off alone.”

“So we’d be up against the whole city… are you sure that’s the right way to go? Sounds a little…”

Fia was suddenly uneasy, but the warm look in the man’s red eyes did much to assuage her fears.

“Fear not, we’re doing Redrook a service. They don’t know the true dangers they’re up against yet. Part of our mission will be to convince them of the perils the imposter, and his entourage, present to the safety of the city.”

“I guess that makes sense… But where, and when should I spring the “distraction”?”

“Right away, of course. And just outside the institute should suffice, away from any settlements. We want to avoid collateral damage. Just summon something big, and imposing. Escape as soon as you're done, and that should be enough for your first task.”

“If you say so… I think I can do that.”

“Good. Let’s rendezvous in the sewer beneath the palace district afterward, the one closest to the border wall where sightlines are fewer.” The man said. “I expect great things, Fia Fuoco.”

. . .

The man maintained his smile until Fia was out of his line of sight before a dark look settled over his face.

“I’m surprised, I didn’t expect her to get directly involved with another variant after all this time. I suppose that means I’ve already failed to kill him once in this cycle… Time travel is a troublesome thing indeed.” The handsome stranger muttered to himself before smirking. “But—it doesn’t change the goal at hand, not in the slightest.“

He summoned a dagger from the shadow beneath him, The Ashen Fang, examining its sharp edge carefully.