Summoner's Second Chance

Prologue

He grunted and opened his eyes slowly. "I-- What? Where..." His question died out. He looked around and saw a familiar field. "This is...?" His brows tipped in confusion. Where he remembered ash and catastrophe, lay the field of his earliest memories. The Summoner's trainee field looked alive and he reminisced of his long stays under its sky.

He looked down at his hands and noticed they were smaller and smoother. They weren't scarred by the tough callouses he was used to looking at and all of the scars he acquired while he was fighting is nowhere to be found. "How... did it get smaller?" He looked to his legs and noticed he was shorter. He brought a hand to his face, but the feeling of his rough beard didn't greet him. "It's like I'm 15 again..." He whispered.

A small hand tugged at his wrist and he turned to face a young girl that only lived in his memories a couple of hours ago. Her long auburn hair drifted to her waist and her round, brown eyes gleamed at his. She had a much smaller stature and he found himself looking down at her.

"Brother, do you feel unwell?" Her smooth, soft voice sang out.

His eyes widened in disbelief and confusion and before he realized it, a single heated tear drop rolled down his cheek. "Melody?" He stretched his hands and rested them against her cheek. He was greeted by a familiar touch. Yes... this is her. This is my dear little sister Melody. Melody Redfate. He assured himself.

"B-Brother, is there something wrong? You're crying." She tilted her head for a bit before giving him a smile as warm as the spring sun. "Ah, no need to be so nervous. I am sure you will be fine. You should have more confidence in yourself!"

It finally felt as if all the loneliness and pain and sorrow had washed themselves away. He could finally see the bright sun clearly and taste the bliss in the air. A sudden urge washed over him like an itch: He wished to sit with his sister and complain the day away. Just like he always did. "You don't know how many sleepless nights I went through because of you." He whispered.

He pulled her hand and hugged her tightly. Her small frame was the same as he remembered it to be. I'm not dreaming. I am actually standing in front of her. Then does that mean...? He thought to himself. He released his hug and stared at his sister's eyes.

"Melody, stay here for a while. I have some pressing matters to attend to." He left the confused Melody and dashed through the fields. Looking around, he saw many children strewn about, mostly from the commoner and patrician class. The noble kids are hanging around at the center of the field. Though he himself was a noble, he never really blended in with those stuck up brats who clung to their names for power.

He stopped shortly after, eyeing his familiar target. He looked to a young man with short, slightly spiky brown hair and mossy green eyes. He sat at the edge of the field and looked uninterested of his surroundings. He approached him and gave him a not-so-dignified greeting.

"Hello there." He called out.

The man raised his head and looked at him. Yes, this is him. Gilbert Ironfist. The lovable slacker of the group. He smiled to himself.

"Hey." He looked at him from head to toe, confused by his undignified manners of speech. They were nobles after all. He took a seat next to him exactly 50 centimeters away.

"I don't favor formality, do you mind if I talk informally?"

The young man grinned and nodded. He knew him so well before and he knew that he didn't like anything formal or grand. He remembered his friend's face when he was dragged to a masquerade by his childhood friend. Though he couldn't quite remember her name because Gilbert is the only friend he knew in that party.