{I'm so sorry.} Roha said as she threw her arms around me once more, her eyes were on the verge of tearing up again.
Her eyes were red and underneath her eyes was a red mark from the amount of times she used her hand to wipe the tears away.
This meeting had been a roller coaster of emotions for her.
"You don't have to be sorry about anything," I replied as I place a hand on her back.
"Your don't seemed to be all that concerned about this boss." Said Tavish. "I would've expected your reaction to be more stunned, shocked and in disbelief. You aren't showing any of that. If I was told that I would never go back to my homeland or see my family again, I think I would lose all sense of myself."
What he said was true. I could feel myself not showing any of those emotions. I held Roha, the person who not only brought me back to life but also tethered myself to her. With her in my arms, I felt calm and collected. If my life was going to be like this, to live in this world, then I want to be by Roha's side. I have no idea what my future would be but at this moment in time, I have people here in this world that is also tethered to me.
"You're correct and in all honesty, I would indeed miss my family back in my home world." As I said that, Roha tighten her grip around me and I could feel wetness running down my neck. Before I would cause her to go into full blown cry, I continued, "I would miss them a lot and if I was the person before I died and got resurrected, then I would've displayed all those emotions. This life I have now was all thanks to this girl in my arms and not only that but all of you are in my life now so what's there to complain about? I am content whether or not I can return or not. That's how I feel about myself but… that being said, I do have concerns and those concerns are for my students."
"Your students are lucky to have you, you know that right?" Stated Marlos with a smile. "I've never seen a teacher until now who would think for them like you do. Don't get me wrong, those who haven't been desensitise by bad apples yet or those who have kids of their own would feel the same. But your young and have a lot to live, so I would've thought that your thoughts wouldn't have been placed on them first, but you proved me wrong."
"My students have gave me as much as I have gave them." It was true, they made me who I am today. To most of them, I was only their home room teacher and only saw them for a period in a six period school day. Those who are in my FTV classes, I get to see them for nine periods in a week. Two singles, a double and home room which we have everyday. With sport days, school assemblies, events and year level meetings, I have been at their side for their entire senior years.
I started my internship early on in their year 11 year. I was supposed to be there for about three to fours months to finally complete the last component to become a teacher, when the incident with the one who was supposed to mentor me happened. I wasn't sure what happened to him since the school had kept me in the dark on the matter.
I was offered a position to replace him not a few weeks later. Usually they would offer you work after you completed the training and graduated but with the circumstances being the way it was, I was given a job right away. I was still a student that needed to go to uni and complete my course but I also have work as an actual teacher which surprised me. The school even went out of it's to talk to the university for me, so I could continue my work at the school whilst completing my course. I graduated mid winter that year with my student at my graduation, showing their support.
I was probably the only graduate teacher who had twenty students in the audience that it created a stir, especially when some of them was so loud in their cheering when it was my turn to walk up and take the diploma, a uni representative had to ask my students to tonne down the cheering a bit. I could feel the whole hall had their eyes on me. To make it even more embarrassing was my mum.
If you haven't seen a little old Asian woman going out of her sit with her camera in hand and ended up at the front and kept calling me to look over when I was about to grab the diploma, then your missing out. Parents like mine whilst embarrassing, showed how much they cared.
All my students loves my mum but those who are in my FTV classes loved my dad. Whilst he wasn't an otaku like me, he loved media just as much. He loved the old-timey cartoons like Looney tunes and Tom and Jerry. He always told me how saddened he is about how he's beloved shows had turned out nowadays. He said and I quote, "it's like watching a different product with the same name. Everything is so tonne down, I bet the creator's who have watched the original, had burned their childhood when creating the 'money grab on nostalgia,' scam."
It was true since I grew up watching the shows, the new one just didn't feel the same. I think I didn't even laugh once when watching the new ones. My dad has a tone of VHS tapes of all the classics, so much so, he had half our study room turned into a mini theatre with a projector that can play VHS tapes. He even gotten all of them on DVD when they were given the digitised treatment.
Thinking about my parents, I hoped they are doing well right now. But knowing them, they might be, tirelessly trying to find me. I couldn't even fathom the emotions of my students families and I wouldn't even hold it against them if they blamed me for their child disappearance.
Even if it cost me my life, I will find a way for them to be reunited.
I smiled and gave Marlos my resolve.
"They could've been bad apples who would terrorised me out of being a teacher but none of them did and instead helped me grow as one." I continued as I chose my word carefully . "I am a teacher today because of them. So as their teacher, I would do everything in my power to give them the choice. Whether they want to return or not. It's not my decision to choose for them, it's their life after all. If they choose to stay then I would look over them here but if they want to go back home or even if they just wanted to be reunited with their families then I would try my best to find a way for that to happen."
"Wasn't it the magic association's summoning circle that brought you here?" Asked Marlos rhetorically.
"You mean, wasn't it Faron who brought our boss and his students here…" Tavish recorrected.
"It wasn't just him who built it though if I thought about it, that guy probably just had his organisation build it whilst he just order them around."
"He may not have built the circle but I bet that he's the one that drew the enchantment himself. If he knows how to create an enchantment to summon people here, then he should know how send them back."
"Then we should get him to our side."
"You alright there little prince? This is Faron we are talking about. His dangerous."
"Which is why we should have him on our side. His knowledge about magic and the spiritual world is unparalleled to anyone in our kingdom. Our General should use the same skill he used on us, on him."
"You calling me general now?" I questioned.
"Of course. Your our general for the Knight's Order." Marlos stated without missing a beat. "Isn't that right men!"
"Yes. Sir! We salute our General!" The Knight's Order shouted in unison.
I scratched the back of my head as the roar of the Knight's Order gave me goosebumps. I've never been called a general before. Roha who still clung on to me, smiled as she beamed with pride.
"So you want boss to use his mind control skill on Faron? You would think a guy like him who is the leader of an organisation that deals with magic would have a trick or two to defend himself against any other magic."
"Right, which means, we need to do some reconnaissance on him."
"Like me spending the whole day tomorrow with him?"
"Yes like spending the whol… wait what?"
"The king had asked me to assist Faron with the investigation on the incidents that's been happening lately."
"You think your under observation?"
"I know I am. What should I do boss?" Tavish looked to me with concern.
I thought on that for a bit but couldn't think of anything, it was then Curlin spoke up.
"Master, if I may, I think my team should follow Mr Tavish on his day out with Faron. We are the best scouts in the Shadow Legion." Curlin appeared next to me, along with his merry family. Elise and Rosewood stood by his side. I have no doubt that Elise was in fact maid Marion in the Robin Hood tales but I never expected rosewood to be like little John as his other moniker was so much like the sheriff of Nottingham.
"Yes, your team will go with Tavish tomorrow when he meets up Faron. Thank you."
"With honour, master!"
"Finally, some action," said Rosewood with glee in his voice.
"Settle down brother. We need to concentrate tomorrow. We have to stay focus."
"Prfft. Since when have we not been focused? My attention is not that weak if that was what you are implying!"
"Of course not," retorted Elise with an eye roll. "And yet you've been caught several times getting distracted by the womanly wiles of some harlots when your supposed to be keeping track of the whereabouts of the Summer Duke."
"How many times have you got to bring that up? I said I was sorry…" Rosewood pouted.
"Just stay focused, Brother." Commanded Curlin with a raised eyebrow.
"Okay, okay, I won't try to ogle at some hot chicks whilst on a mission… you have my word," Rosewood said as he held up his hand as if he was giving an oath.
"So… you will be accompanying me to meet up with Faron?" Asked Tavish.
"That's correct." Curlin responded.
"And how are you going to do that?" Inquired Tavish as he looked at them with concern still etched on his brow.
"That's easy, we will be in your shadow."
"My shadow? Wouldn't Faron detect you guys if you are that close? I would imagine with his knowledge in magic, he could even detect shadow beings."
"He wouldn't. We are shadow beings but we're different and besides, our magic is Elven magic. I wouldn't believe this guy you call Faron would know about Elven magic."
"I dunno, he seemed to be the type of guy to know such thing…"
"He knows Dark Elven magic?"
"I don't know but we'll find out tomorrow. If he does then we're doomed either way."
"Well that's optimistic ," Said Marlos sarcastically.
"Everything is hypothetical until it happens," Tavish said with a shrug.
"I guess that's true…"
"So is there anything else we need to talk about?"
Marlos shook his head and then turned his head towards me.
I shook my head as well and so did Gambert and Roha.
"Well, I guess our first ever meeting has come to an end."
Roha leaned up and kissed my cheeks before getting out of her chair and stood in front of the table.
{Until our next meeting. Thank you all for being here.}
It was then her face became a blur as everything changed around me.
When my vision became normal again, I looked around and saw that I was in my room, along with the Knight's Order.
I heard a loud yawn that came from my side and when I turned my head, Marlos was sitting beside me.
He got up and gestured for someone to come over. He then whispered something into the guard's ear.
Once he finished, the guard rushed out the door.
I arched an eyebrow, wondering what Marlos had whispered about.
As if Marlos had picked up my wondering thought, he asked me, "would you like to come with me to see my mother?"
My eyes widened for a second before answering, "of course."