EPISODE 7 — THE MISTAKE OF HIS LIFE

# THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

## CHAPTER 7 — THE MISTAKE OF HIS LIFE

"GOTCHA!"

Percy had finally caught up to Clara. Clara tried to change direction at the last second. Percy reached out his hand. His fingers caught in Clara's hair.

"LET GO OF MY HAIR!"

"SAY I'M THE BETTER MAGE FIRST!"

"NEVER!"

"SAY IT!"

"LET GO OF MY HAIR FIRST!"

Percy let go. Or rather... He tried to let go. Clara took a step forward. Something remained in Percy's hand. Both of them froze. Percy looked at his hand. Clara looked too. Between Percy's fingers... Was a small lock of light-colored hair. Silence. Percy looked at the hair. Clara looked at the hair. Percy looked back at Clara. Clara slowly touched her head where her hair had been. Then she looked at Percy. The look of triumph on Percy's face completely vanished.

"...It was an accident."

Clara's eyes widened.

"YOU PULLED OUT MY HAIR!"

"You ran away!"

"BECAUSE YOU WERE CHASING ME!"

"You started it!"

"YOU PULLED OUT MY HAIR!"

Percy looked down at the lock of hair in his hand. He had absolutely no idea how to fix this. Maybe he could put it back. He reached his hand out toward Clara's head. Clara yanked back.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"Putting it back."

"THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS!"

Percy paused.

"...Are you sure?"

"YES!"

Percy looked at the lock of hair again. The problem was escalating. And right at that moment... A voice came from behind him.

"Percy."

Percy's entire body froze. Clara fell silent. Percy closed his eyes. He knew that voice. He slowly turned around. Eleanor was standing there. Her gaze landed first on Percy's face. Then on his hand. Then... On the hair in his hand that belonged to Clara. Eleanor said nothing for a few seconds. Percy offered a smile. It was an extremely awful smile.

"Aunt Eleanor."

"Percy."

"Yes?"

"What is that in your hand?"

Percy looked at his hand. As if seeing it for the very first time.

"Hair."

"Whose hair?"

Percy looked at Clara. Clara had her arms crossed. Percy turned back to Eleanor.

"...I don't know."

Clara's mouth fell open.

"IT'S MINE!"

Percy closed his eyes. Treason. Eleanor held out her hand.

"Hand it over."

Percy dropped the lock of hair into her palm. Eleanor looked at it. Then she looked at Percy. Percy swallowed hard. Holar was standing a few meters behind her. Percy cast a desperate look toward him.

"Grandpa?"

Holar looked away. Percy's eyes widened.

"Grandpa."

Holar was intensely studying the sky. The clouds really were quite fascinating today. Percy whispered.

"Traitor."

Eleanor caught it.

"What did you say?"

"I said the clouds are pretty."

Eleanor took a step closer. Percy took a step back.

"Percy Grant."

Percy took a second step back.

"Yes, Aunt Eleanor?"

"Pulling..."

Eleanor raised the lock of hair in her hand.

"...a girl's hair out."

Percy backed away a bit more.

"Yes?"

A remarkably calm smile formed on Eleanor's face.

"Might just be the mistake of your life."

Percy's eyes widened. A devilish grin slowly spread across Clara's face. Percy caught sight of it.

"You're exaggerating."

Eleanor raised an eyebrow.

"Am I?"

Percy glanced at Holar. Holar was still offering zero assistance. Percy made up his mind. He bolted.

"I SAID I WAS SORRY!"

Eleanor called after him.

"NO YOU DIDN'T!"

Percy yelled back as he ran.

"NOW I DID!"

Clara burst out laughing. Even Eleanor had to turn her head away to keep from chuckling. Holar finally watched Percy's retreating back.

"Quite fast."

Eleanor turned to him.

"Aren't you going to protect him?"

"I don't get involved in this war."

"Wise."

"I've learned a thing or two in two thousand years."

Clara looked at her mother. Then at Holar.

"What if Grandpa had protected him?"

Holar's gaze shifted to Clara. Clara froze. A split second passed. Then she smiled sweetly.

"Uncle Holar."

Holar nodded.

"Much better."

A few weeks later, Percy's training began to change. **[Absolute Cancel]**... Had not appeared again. Percy kept trying. On rocks. On simple Orin spheres. On weak spells created by Holar. Nothing.

"**[Absolute Cancel]**."

Thud. The Orin sphere struck Percy right on the forehead. Percy staggered back. Clara laughed.

"Failed again."

Percy rubbed his forehead.

"Yeah."

"It hasn't worked for twelve days."

"I know."

"Maybe it was just a fluke that one time."

"Could be."

Clara stopped. It annoyed her that Percy was just accepting it.

"Maybe you'll never be able to do it again."

"Could be."

Clara frowned.

"Why aren't you arguing with me?"

Percy looked at her.

"I'm practicing."

Then he turned back to what he was doing. Clara watched him for a few seconds. Percy really had changed. Not completely. He was still annoying. He still hated losing. He still secretly counted how long Clara could control her Orin. But when he failed, he didn't instantly fly into a rage anymore. He thought about why he failed. He tried again. And worst of all... When Clara was better at something, he could actually admit it. That made it exceedingly difficult for Clara to tease him.

One morning, Holar and Eleanor sat the two of them down. Holar spoke.

"We will be leaving the city today."

Percy looked up.

"Where to?"

"To the northern defense line."

The expression on Clara's face turned serious.

"Monsters?"

Eleanor nodded.

"A surge has begun."

Percy immediately asked:

"Are we coming too?"

"No."

"Why?"

Holar looked at Percy.

"You are six years old."

Percy opened his mouth to reply. Then he shut it. He still hadn't come up with a good rebuttal to that argument.

Clara asked:

"How long will it take?"

"Probably a few hours."

Eleanor straightened her daughter's hair.

"You will stay here."

Percy and Clara looked at each other. Holar noticed.

"And..."

The two turned back to him.

"...you will not destroy the house."

Percy frowned.

"We never destroyed the house."

Holar silently glanced at Clara's hair. Percy caught on.

"Hair isn't a house."

Clara turned to him.

"Still?"

"What?"

"You pulled out my hair."

"A single lock."

"HAIR IS HAIR."

Eleanor closed her eyes. Holar began walking toward the door.

"We had better get going."

Eleanor followed right behind him.

"definitely."

The northern defense line... Though located tens of kilometers away from Awakeners City, it was vital for the city's safety. Beyond the walls, the world was still wild. Lands unmastered by humanity. Ruined ancient cities. Mutated nature. And monsters. Thousands of them. Today's horde was by no means small. The horizon... Was moving. Green-skinned creatures. Massive quadrupeds charging forward. Winged beasts. Entities tunneling beneath the earth. The mages on the defense line stood prepared. Then, two figures descended from the sky. Holar Jun. Eleanor Leyvar. The visible tension in the soldiers' shoulders eased noticeably. A commander hurried over to them.

"Sir."

Holar looked out toward the horizon.

"How many?"

"Approximately fourteen thousand."

Eleanor tilted her head slightly.

"That's few."

The commander fell silent for a moment. Not many people would describe fourteen thousand monsters as "few."

Holar stepped forward.

"Take the left side."

Eleanor looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because I'm taking the right side."

"I want the right side."

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Holar paused.

"Why?"

"Wind direction."

"Wind direction doesn't matter."

"I am a Wind Mage."

"Which is precisely why it doesn't matter."

Eleanor raised an eyebrow.

"Are you trying to explain wind to me?"

Holar turned to her.

"No."

"Sounds like it."

"I'm taking the right."

"I'm taking it."

The commander of the defense line looked between the two of them. One soldier whispered to the man beside him:

"Are they arguing?"

The other didn't answer. Because he didn't know either. Holar sighed.

"Eleanor."

"Holar."

"Left."

"Right."

"Left."

"Right."

The monster horde continued to draw near. The commander was no longer sure which threat was more dangerous.

At that exact moment... Percy and Clara were at home. On the table sat a small projection crystal. One of the communication crystals used by the mages on the defense line. Holar had left it on. Percy was watching the monsters. Clara sat beside him. Then both of them heard Holar and Eleanor's argument.

"Left."

"Right."

"Left."

"Right."

Percy's face slowly shifted. Clara leaned a little closer to the screen. Holar's voice echoed through:

"Wind direction doesn't matter."

Eleanor retorted:

"Are you trying to explain wind to me?"

Percy stayed silent for a few seconds. Then he looked at Clara. Clara was looking at him too. Percy spoke up.

"I feel like I'm watching something familiar."

Clara nodded with utter seriousness.

"Absolutely."

They held it together for two more seconds. Then both of them burst out laughing. On the defense line, the argument had concluded. Eleanor had taken the right. Holar took the left. Holar was not pleased about it.

"I was going to take the right."

Eleanor looked down at him as she rose into the air.

"Except I took it."

"Because you dragged out the argument."

"Because I was right."

"You weren't."

Eleanor smiled.

"I'm on the right."

Holar stared at her for a few seconds. Then he turned toward his own side.

"You're acting like a child."

Eleanor hovered in place. She slowly looked down at him.

"Me?"

"Yes."

Eleanor narrowed her eyes.

"Now I understand much better who raised Percy."

Holar whipped his head around.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Eleanor didn't reply. She raised her hand. The wind... Instantly fell silent. Then the world roared. A massive surge of air blasted forward from the right side of the defense line. Hundreds of monsters were swept off the ground simultaneously. Flung high into the sky. Holar watched. Eleanor turned to him.

"My side."

Holar's eyebrow twitched. He raised his hand. The ground on the left side shattered open. The crushing pressure of Orin surged forward like a tidal wave. The front line of monsters collapsed to the ground. Hundreds behind them were sent flying. Eleanor looked at him.

"Showing off."

Holar replied:

"Efficiency."

"Definitely showing off."

"You just launched hundreds of monsters into the air."

"I am a Wind Mage."

"Excuse."

On the other side of the communication crystal... Percy and Clara looked at each other. Percy pointed a finger at the crystal.

"That's you."

Clara's mouth gaped.

"WHAT?"

"Definitely you."

"You're Uncle Holar!"

"I am not."

"You're identical!"

"You're Aunt Eleanor."

"You're Uncle Holar!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

Both fell quiet at once. Then they looked back at the crystal simultaneously. Holar and Eleanor were still bickering. A faint look of terror appeared on Percy's face.

"Did we swap places or something?"

Clara pondered for a few seconds.

"Maybe they became us."

Percy looked at her.

"That's worse."

Clara nodded.

"Way worse."

Both of them broke into laughter again. The monster horde didn't even last an hour. By the time the last remaining beasts began to retreat, the defense line remained standing tall. Eleanor touched down on the ground. Holar joined her side. The commander ran over to them.

"The surge has ended."

Holar nodded.

"Casualties?"

"Three minor injuries. Zero deaths."

Eleanor let out a sigh of relief.

"Good."

The commander stepped away. Holar looked at Eleanor.

"The left side finished faster."

Eleanor slowly turned to him.

"What?"

"My side."

"My side had more monsters."

"One hundred and eighty-three more."

"You counted?"

"Yes."

Eleanor stared at him for a few seconds.

"You really are Percy's grandfather."

Holar's face froze. Eleanor realized what she had just said. Both of them went silent for a moment. Holar shifted his gaze elsewhere.

"...Let's head back."

A faint smile touched Eleanor's lips.

"Sure."

When the door opened, Percy and Clara were sitting at the table. Holar stepped inside. Eleanor right behind him. Both kids looked up at them at the same time. Then they looked at each other. Clara's lips trembled. So did Percy's. Holar stopped.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Nothing."

Percy said quickly. Clara nodded in agreement.

"Nothing at all."

Eleanor eyed them suspiciously.

"Did you two do something?"

"No."

"Definitely not."

Holar caught sight of the projection crystal on the table. He froze. Percy's grin broadened. Holar looked at the crystal. Then at Percy.

"...Did you watch?"

Percy couldn't hold it in any longer. He burst into roaring laughter. So did Clara. Eleanor's eyes widened.

"Holar."

"I didn't leave it open."

"It's your crystal."

"You could have checked it too."

"Why am I the one checking?"

"Because—"

Holar stopped. Eleanor stopped too. Both of them looked toward the kids at the same time. Percy and Clara were now laughing so hard they couldn't even speak. Holar's eyes narrowed slightly. Eleanor noticed it too. They exchanged a glance. Holar spoke up.

"...Did we swap places or something?"

An involuntary smile broke across Eleanor's face.

"I think so."

Percy slumped onto the table. Clara was wiping tears of laughter from eyes. Eleanor shook her head. Then her gaze fell upon Clara's hair. Right where a lock was missing. The smile on her face vanished. Percy saw it. His laughter cut off instantly. Eleanor slowly turned toward him. Percy stood up from his chair.

"Grandpa."

Holar answered before Percy could even speak:

"I am not getting involved."

Percy's face fell.

"Again?!"

Eleanor took a step forward. Percy backed away.

"Percy."

"Look, Aunt Eleanor, we can talk about this—"

Eleanor took another step. Percy looked toward the door. Clara smirked.

"Run."

Percy glared at her.

"Because of you!"

Clara shouted while laughing:

"RUN!"

Percy bolted for the door. Eleanor started walking right after him. Percy yelled from down the hallway:

"IT WAS JUST ONE LOCK!"

Eleanor's voice echoed back:

"ONE LOCK TOO MANY!"

Holar sat down at the table. Clara climbed onto the chair next to him. Both of them stared at the door for a few seconds. Percy's voice echoed from a distance:

"GRANDPAAAA!"

Holar picked up his tea. Clara looked at him.

"Are you really not going to help?"

Holar took a sip.

"No."

Clara thought about it. Then she nodded solemnly.

"Wise."

Holar glanced at her. Clara pretended to sip her tea. Both of them heard Percy's scream coming from down the corridor:

"AUNT ELEANOR, HAIR GROWS BACK!"

Holar set his teacup back down on the table.

"Mistake of his life."

Clara smirked.

"Definitely."