The Fallen Light

THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

CHAPTER 49

Clara stayed by Percy’s side until he let go of her wrist in his sleep. She adjusted his blanket once more, then quietly stepped out of the tent to join the others. Nathaniel’s hope for a day off had long since burned out. Elizabeth stepped forward.

”Percy is resting today.”

Everyone looked at her hopefully. Elizabeth smiled too.

”We’re taking over.”

Silence.

Arthur:

”We?”

Galahad stepped beside Elizabeth.

”We.”

Nathaniel:

”No.”

Charlotte:

”Definitely no.”

William:

”We can wake Percy up.”

Clara:

”We won’t wake him up.”

Arthur:

”Clara...”

Clara looked at Percy’s tent. Then turned to Galahad.

”But we can protest.”

Galahad clapped his hands.

”We’re starting.”

Nathaniel:

”I miss Percy.”

By the end of the first hour... Nobody was missing Percy. They were worshipping Percy. Galahad was relentlessly increasing the tempo. Elizabeth was managing the magic control drills. Rest periods were virtually non-existent. One drill ended. Another began instantly. Arthur finally couldn’t take it anymore.

”I’m going to ask something.”

Galahad:

”Ask.”

Arthur caught his breath.

”Is it because we beat up your brother yesterday...”

”...that you’re beating the crap out of us today?”

Silence. Galahad’s eyebrow twitched. Elizabeth turned her head away. Nathaniel immediately backed Arthur up.

”I think that’s a logical question.”

Charlotte:

”I think so too.”

William:

”Data supports this.”

Galahad:

”Which data?”

William:

”Yesterday’s battle.”

Galahad:

”He wanted it himself.”

Arthur:

”We broke his leg.”

Galahad went silent.

Nathaniel:

”We pierced his arm too.”

Galahad’s expression changed. Charlotte looked at Arthur.

”I think we found it.”

Arthur:

”We definitely found it.”

Galahad:

”Twenty more laps.”

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Everyone:

”THERE IT IS!”

Galahad:

”WHAT THERE IT IS?!”

Nathaniel:

”Revenge!”

Galahad:

”IT’S NOT REVENGE!”

Elizabeth was laughing now. Galahad turned to her.

”Why are you laughing?”

Elizabeth:

”Because it’s a little bit of revenge.”

Galahad:

”Whose side are you on?”

Elizabeth:

”I’m on my own side.”

Then she turned to the students.

”Twenty laps.”

Everyone:

”TEACHER!”

Elizabeth:

”You beat up my student too.”

Arthur closed his eyes.

”Two of them showed up.”

Approaching noon... The camp had gone quiet. The reason for the silence wasn’t peace. There was simply no energy left to talk. Nathaniel lay on the ground. Charlotte was slumped beside him. Arthur had placed his hands on his knees. William was regulating his breathing. Clara pulled her hair back. Galahad was still standing. Elizabeth was also completely fine. Nathaniel raised his head.

”I hate both of you.”

Galahad:

”You have energy, I see.”

Nathaniel dropped his head immediately.

”Wrong person.”

After a while... Clara’s attention drifted. She looked toward the edge of the camp. And froze.

”Percy?”

Everyone turned their heads.

Percy was there. When he had come out... Nobody had noticed. He was sitting in a chair. His hair was a complete mess. His hair, which normally stayed neat... Seemed to have a mind of its own today. His left arm was completely bandaged. Bandages stretched from his shoulder down to his chest. His ribs were tightly wrapped. There was a bandage on his leg. A few small band-aids rested on his face. He had wrapped himself in a blanket. He wasn’t moving. Just... Watching them.

Nathaniel sat up straight.

”CHAIRMAN!”

Percy winced.

”Don’t yell, man.”

Even his voice sounded sleepy. Arthur looked at him.

”Why did you come out?”

Percy:

”I was bored.”

William:

”Can you walk?”

Percy:

”Technically?”

William:

”Yes.”

Percy:

”No.”

Silence.

Clara:

”How did you get here?”

Percy didn’t answer. Galahad looked at Percy. Then at the chair. Then back at Percy.

”Did you use [Absolute Teleport]?”

Percy:

”...Maybe.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened.

”JUST TO NOT GET OUT OF BED...”

”...YOU USED ABSOLUTE TELEPORT?!”

Percy shrugged his shoulder. Wincing instantly.

”Ah.”

Clara:

”Good for you.”

Percy:

”You’re supposed to say get well soon.”

Clara:

”You’re supposed to stay in bed.”

Arthur scanned Percy. Then looked at Galahad.

”Chairman.”

Percy:

”Yes?”

”Save us.”

Percy:

”Why?”

Nathaniel:

”Your brother is a psychopath.”

Galahad:

”I can hear you.”

Nathaniel:

”I said it so you could hear.”

Percy looked at Galahad.

”Bro?”

Galahad:

”Yes, little brother?”

Percy:

”What are you doing to them?”

Galahad smiled innocently.

”Training.”

Percy looked at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth:

”Don’t look at me.”

Percy:

”You’re doing it too.”

Elizabeth:

”Yes.”

Percy thought for a few seconds. Then looked at the class.

”Good luck.”

Everyone:

”PERCYYYY!”

Percy adjusted his blanket.

”I’m on leave.”

Galahad smiled.

”Continue.”

Collective hatred arose. Percy watched from the chair. But... After a while, he began to smile.

Arthur lost his balance. Charlotte held his arm. When Marcus tired... Nathaniel stepped in front of him. William set the tempo. Clara waited for those falling behind. Without anyone speaking... They were completing each other. The expression on Percy’s face changed. Galahad noticed this. Elizabeth noticed too. Percy was no longer looking at the training. He was looking at the team.

Clara looked at him from a distance. Their eyes met. Percy raised his thumb. Clara smiled. Then... Percy’s head dropped to the side. Clara’s smile vanished.

”Percy?”

No reaction. Arthur turned.

”What happened?”

Clara started walking. Galahad spoke calmly.

”He fell asleep.”

Clara stopped.

”What?”

Galahad smiled. Pointed at Percy in the chair. He really was asleep.

Nathaniel:

”How, man?”

William:

”Exhausted.”

Nathaniel:

”We’re shouting.”

Arthur:

”You specifically are shouting.”

Nathaniel:

”What’s my fault?”

Charlotte:

”Your existence is a bit loud.”

Clara walked over to Percy. She looked at his hair. A tuft was standing straight up in the air. She tried to flatten it. It popped back up. She pressed down on it again. It popped up again.

Clara:

”What is this even?”

Percy murmured in his sleep.

”Don’t touch...”

Clara pulled her hand back.

Percy:

”...my hair.”

Clara’s eyes widened.

”YOU’RE ASLEEP.”

Percy didn’t answer. Galahad laughed from afar. Eleanor had approached as well. Holar Jun was beside her. Eleanor looked at Percy. Then at the class.

”Let’s leave it like this for today.”

Elizabeth:

”I agree.”

Galahad:

”I don’t agree.”

Arthur:

”We’re not surprised.”

Galahad:

”You specifically, keep going.”

Arthur:

”Look, it IS revenge!”

Galahad:

”RUN, GREEN!”

In the afternoon... Training continued. But the tempo had slowed. Percy was still in the chair. Sometimes he woke up. Watched for two minutes. Fell asleep again. At one point, he opened his eyes. Saw Nathaniel.

”Your form is bad.”

Nathaniel:

”GO BACK TO SLEEP!”

Percy closed his eyes again.

”Okay.”

As the sun began to sink low... Galahad finally raised his hand.

”Enough.”

Nobody celebrated. Because there was no energy left to celebrate.

Elizabeth:

”Finished for today.”

Nathaniel dropped to the ground.

”I’m alive.”

William:

”For now.”

Arthur looked at Percy.

”The chairman is still sleeping.”

Clara:

”Let him sleep.”

Everyone slowly gathered around. Nobody woke Percy up. They sat around his chair. Arthur stretched out on the ground. Charlotte sat beside him. William leaned against a tree. Nathaniel spread out directly on the grass. Marcus sat quietly. Clara was right beside Percy.

For a while... Nobody spoke. Sixteen children. Two teachers. One brother. One aunt. One grandfather. And for the first time... Nobody had anywhere they needed to rush off to.

Percy opened his eyes slightly. Looked around. Saw everyone.

”Why are you guys here?”

Arthur closed his eyes.

”We felt like it.”

Percy:

”Training?”

William:

”Finished.”

Percy looked at the clock.

”How long did I sleep?”

Clara:

”Not enough.”

Percy looked at her. Clara adjusted his blanket.

”Go back to sleep.”

Percy didn’t object. Leaned his head back again.

Galahad watched them from a distance. Elizabeth came beside him.

”Tomorrow?”

Galahad looked at the class. Then at Percy. He smiled.

”Tomorrow we’ll beat the crap out of them again.”

Arthur yelled without opening his eyes.

”I HEARD THAT!”

Galahad:

”Meant for you to hear.”

Percy spoke without opening his eyes.

”Bro.”

Galahad:

”Yes?”

”A little mercy.”

Galahad smiled.

”They broke your leg yesterday.”

Arthur:

”THAT IS REVENGE!”

This time... Even Percy laughed.

DAYS UNTIL END OF CAMP:

4 DAYS