The Franco-British Union: The Trials of Time

Chapter 1: The First Encounter

An hour earlier...

24th of April 2024, 8:00

The Pais Magic Academy, Kingdom of Pais

     A figure walked down the halls of a prestigious magic academy, one of the few within this world. As he walked past students and teachers alike, everyone recognized him. He is Edium Aphetosh, one of the four arch-magicians, accompanied by his two disciples.

     Suddenly, he felt a great disturbance with enormous amounts of mana concentrated to the south. It was so unusual that even he, an arch-magician, nearly collapsed.

???: [C] "Master? Are you alright?"

(Author Note: [C] in this case is the Central Language)

    One of his disciples, Christine Grimsbane, asked worriedly. Edium regained his balance and looked at both of his disciples before nodding.

Edium: [C] "I felt a great disturbance to the south. There's no reason for so much mana to be concentrated there. We'll have to go investigate."

Christine: [C] "Where are we going exactly, Master?"

Edium: [C] "Tariq."

(Author Note: "Gibraltar" is the Spanish derivation of the Arabic name, "Jabal Ṭāriq" meaning the "Mountain of Tariq" which is named after Tariq ibn Ziyad who initiated the Muslim Umayyad conquest of Visigothic Hispania by crossing the Strait of Gibraltar at a point which is known today as "The Rock of Gibraltar".)

???: [C] "What about the remaining lectures and classes today, Master?"

     This time, it was Edium's other disciple, Igrazahl Onzopius, who spoke up. He was the one who organized lectures and classes for the arch-magician so it was rather common for him to ask such a thing.

Edium: [C] "Cancel the remaining sessions and inform the Royal Family and the Royal Court Mage Corps of my two-day journey."

Igrazahl: [C] "Wait, Master. Doesn't that mean I don't get to go with you?"

Edium: [C] "If you stay here, in the worst-case scenario, you could still send help to us especially in a state of war like this."

Igrazahl: [C] "As you wish, Master. I will go inform the Royal Palace immediately."

Edium: [C] "I am counting on you, Igrazahl."

     As soon as Edium finished talking, Igrazahl quickly walked away from the two while they continue on their way to Tariq (Gibraltar).

*        *        *        *        *

Present

In the village of Cantagon, to the north of Gibraltar

     Inside the relatively peaceful village with a population of just over 500 people, however, all that was to change with the arrival of the "Quistadoria Empire".

     The village elder, Forthri, quickly gathered all able-bodied males and gave them whatever they could use as weapons before the forward detachment of scouts from the Quistadoria Empire's Southern Imperial Army, comprising of mounted knights, reach the village.

???: [C] "Elder! I would like to fight too."

     A boy quickly ran up to Forthri with his sister. Forthri was horrified that both of them haven't yet prepared to evacuate the village.

Forthri: [C] "No. Brand, you shouldn't be here."

Brand: [C] "But I want to fight too, Elder!"