'I'm back in class..?' I couldn't figure out just what in the world was taking place.
Having used to reading some comics back on Earth, my first thought was if just somehow, time was turned back. I took a glance at the clock and guess what? Yes indeed, it was 2:59 pm, one minute before school ended.
If my intuition was correct, the man in black robes was sure to show up again, in front of the school gate, at around 3:05 pm.
"That is all for today, I'll see everyone tomorrow" Mr. Ayden said.
Right after hearing that, I rushed to the head's office, where Mr. Paul resided. I slammed open the door and Mr. Paul peered at me, surprised.
"What's wrong, Arthur?" he took the initiative and asked me.
I was running out of breathe and couldn't answer instantly, and he noticed this. He offered me some water and told me to sit on the couch, telling to relax a bit. I took another peep at the clock and it was already 3:04 pm.
"Mr. Paul, you have to believe what I'm about to say.." I told him with a serious look in the eye while huffing and panting.
"I see.. is it that serious?" Mr. Paul was dumbfounded.
"I.. came from the future. I don't know how it even happened, but I traveled back about five minutes into the past. Somehow, I just can't discern how but you have got to believe me! A mage in black robes with earth affinity killed me in the distant future. I prayed for a way back and here I am" I said, extremely serious.
Thinking back, it may have been one of the most crucial moments in my whole life.
"I see. You may have unintentionally activated another affinity in you - it sounds crazy but you might have the power to control time. Though, I cannot guarantee this, there's a high chance.. alright where did you get attacked?" Mr. Paul accepted to help me and a feeling of safety coursed through my veins.
"It was right at the gate" I guided Mr. Paul towards the school gate.
I peeked at the clock again and was horrified to find out it was already 3:07 pm.
"F##K!!" I screamed out loud and started sprinting with all my energy.
And to my terrific expectations, there she was, Charlotte, lying on the ground, right under a blood pool. It was just as I expected.
"TAKE THE GIRL AND RUN INSIDE" Mr. Paul yelled at me and then started attacking the man in black robes.
'Turn back time, turn back time, TURN BACK!!' I kept trying to think but it didn't work. Then I remembered - there had to be a real conscious mind to control mana. So I tried again.
'Go back in time and save Charlotte!' and just as predicted, I was back in class. A hasty glance over the clock and I could see it was still 3:02 pm; I was already darting towards Mr. Paul.
I once again slammed open the door and said as fast as I could "Mr. Paul, please follow me".
Mr. Paul stood up and asked me "I see.. what is it?".
"Follow me, fast!" and without further questioning, we both ran towards the gates.
Throughout running down the stairs I frequently checked the time before it hit 3:05 pm. At last, we got to the entrance and it was still 3:04 pm.
"Oh hey Arthur, come early tomorrow will you? I have a surprise for you! OH! If it isn't Sir Paul Erwin, nice to meet you!" Charlotte greeted straight away.
"Y-yeah sure, I'll come super early!" I replied, with a slight grin and an oblivious action of looking far and wide.
Mr. Paul suddenly entered into battle stance.
"Get back in the building.. there's a hideous mana approaching the school" he said, showing that he picked up the presence of the mage in black robes.
Just a few seconds after, the mage made its way through the gates of the school.
"Who the hell are you?" Mr. Paul asked.
I whispered to Mr. Paul "he tried killing me in the distant future, the future where you weren't here with me".
"..." Mr. Paul was speechless, but he didn't bother asking, at least not at that moment.
Mr. Paul formed a javelin of wind and struck it towards the mage with heavy force. The mage put up a wall of earth but it penetrated through easily and hit the mages' left arm, causing him to grovel on the ground. The javelin then dispersed into the wind and several swords of wind surrounded the mage; pointing at him.
"Give up. You stand no chance" Mr. Paul stated as he looked down at the mage with a cold face.
"Curse you.. hah.. you'll rot in hell that's for sure.. I AM A MIGHTY SERVANT OF THE PHENO-" before the mage could say the rest, his body started to burst and promptly died.
Charlotte who just witnessed this was trembling.
"Who was that? Why did Sir Paul attack him? W-what's even happening?" Charlotte seemed to be losing her sanity as her bright smile slowly vanished.
"It was an unknown intruder, I'm sorry you had to witness this. Go wait in the chairs while I clean up this mess" Mr. Paul stated and soon after, he finished removing every trace of what took place.
Charlotte headed back home and Mr. Paul demanded an explanation to everything. I explained it from the start, from the first time I got killed, how I unconsciously turned back time; and it was a good thing he believed me.
"So who was that mage?" Mr. Paul asked.
"I, for one, don't know who that is. Before he died he did utter about being a 'mighty servant' of the Pheno something. Perhaps the Pheno god?" I replied, not knowing anything else.
"What would that have to do with the intrusion?" Mr. Paul wondered.
...
The day then passed by quickly, but one that was unforgettable. I headed out for school - on foot. I begged Mr. Paul to let me go alone; or at least without him. If someone had found out I live with him, news would spread like wildfire.
When I arrived, I was dumbstruck at the scene. Mages of all kinds were awaiting my arrival and bowed down.
"Welcome, sir Arthur" they all said in unison.
"U-uh, yes, hello" I replied.
Charlotte came running outside of the building and greeted me. She then commanded the mages to give her the 'thing'. They gave her a large object, covered in several foils of present wrapping.
"Here, this is yours" Charlotte said, and gave me the present-looking object.
"Ah, thank you!" I responded.
I carried it and it was phenomenally heavy. Second by second, I felt my mana being sucked by the object and it became surprisingly light.
"Can I open it?" I asked.
"Sure~!" Charlotte answered delightfully.
I opened it and there was a mage wand, which unexpectedly looked exactly like mage wands back on Earth. A funny shaped wooden rod of long length with a weird orb on the top. I wondered what magic would happen if I infused it with mana, but dare not risk as I was on school premises.
Seeing as there were many mages surrounding Charlotte, as if they were her servants or something, I knew she would be someone of utmost importance.
I quietly approached Mr. Paul's office and handed it over to him, telling him to keep it for me.
"What's this?" he asked.
"One of my classmates gave it to me as a gift" I replied.
Then to the class I went. It was going to be an exhilarating day as we were going to actually fight dummies with our mana.
"Off your seats, kids. We will start the day off with some real combat practice so ya'll better be ready. Follow me to the training grounds." Mr. Ayden said and marched outside the class.
Once we got there he started sorting us in groups "Emitters stay on the left block, Conjurers come to the right block".
There were 12 Emitters in the class and 17 Conjurers. I had no idea which one I was so I just stood in the middle not knowing what to do.
*Hmph* "Arthur? Do you not know whether you're a Conjurer or an Emitter?" Mr. Ayden asked.
"Yes.. I'm sorry" I replied while looking at the ground, showing self-disbelief.
"No problems son, hmm let's see. How about you cast a spell? I'll take a look" Mr. Ayden said as he scratched his barely-grown beard.
'Right.. I have to use aqua. Thy mana of water, respond and form a missile on the tip of my finger' I thought in my consciousness as I imitated a gun gesture with my hand towards one of the dummy targets.
*bloop* *dribble* Water started forming at the tip of my hand.
'Shoot forward!' the water missile launched forward at an incredible speed and hit the dummy's head, which accurately ripped the head off the body.
Everyone in the area stared with astonishment and started clapping.
"That's quite some mana you got there Arthur! I didn't know we have someone in the class who can chant non-verbally, wow! You're an emitter by the way" Mr. Ayden himself applauded me.
"Today we'll be creating some spells for you to use, and as we saw from Arthur's demonstration, once you get experienced enough you can make your own 'Key' which activates a spell in mere macro-seconds." Mr. Ayden started with the lecture.
Thus, that was the day I discovered I had a unique affinity, which I now call 'Tempus'. The power to manipulate time.. to be able to change the very sequence of existence.