CHAPTER 29 — LIFE

# THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

## CHAPTER 29 — LIFE

The eleventh lap was completed. This time was different. The effect of the potions was still ongoing. The wounds had not re-opened. Their muscles were still responding. Yet there was something more important than that. They were moving together now. When one fell, another caught them. When one slowed down, the tempo dropped for all. When one didn't see a scorpion, they were warned. Nobody was running alone.

The watch showed 07:21 AM. Percy arrived at the finish line. Yet this time he wasn't with the class. He had arrived a few minutes after them. William looked at his watch immediately. Then he looked at Percy.

"Twenty."

Everyone went quiet. Clara raised her head. Even Arthur looked on in disbelief. Percy dropped his bag to the ground. Thirty-nine kilograms met the sand. He rotated his shoulders. He took a deep breath. Then he smiled.

"Alright."

"My job is done."

Arthur:

"You actually completed twenty."

Percy:

"Yes."

Nathaniel lay flat on the ground.

"You son of a..."

Percy:

"Don't finish that."

Nathaniel:

"I wasn't going to."

William:

"You were going to."

Nathaniel:

"Shut your mouth."

Percy clapped his hands.

"Listen up."

Everyone turned to him. The smile on Percy's face vanished.

"That was my final lap."

"Twenty laps completed."

"However, you have one lap remaining."

Clara:

"The twelfth."

Percy nodded.

"Yes."

"And it will not be that easy."

Arthur:

"Was it easy before?"

Charlotte:

"I was thinking the exact same thing."

Percy ignored the two of them.

"This lap..."

"...is the lap where all of you will truly be tested."

Nathaniel straightened up.

"Why?"

Percy looked at him.

"Because I won't be running."

Silence. The expression on Clara's face changed. Arthur's eyebrows furrowed. William immediately looked at Percy. Percy continued.

"I have completed my twenty."

"I will not be beside you during this lap."

Clara:

"But you're the president."

Percy:

"That is precisely the point."

Clara went quiet.

Percy walked in front of the class.

"In a real war, I might not be beside you either."

"While one of you is under attack..."

"...I might be fighting somewhere else."

"While one of you falls..."

"...I might not be able to reach you."

"While one of you calls for help..."

"...I might not even hear your voice."

Percy paused for a moment.

"Though I will eradicate that possibility."

William raised an eyebrow.

Percy:

"Yet if there is a one percent chance..."

"...it's better to slay it now."

Galahad smiled from afar.

"One percent."

Olsen looked at him.

"For Percy, that's massive."

Galahad:

"Unfortunately."

Percy continued.

"I want you to know something well."

"Life is not comprised solely of human beings."

"Life is comprised of you."

"It is comprised of your feelings."

"It is comprised of the things you love."

Percy looked at Nathaniel. Nathaniel immediately grew suspicious.

Percy:

"For example, Nathaniel's..."

"...cat that he hides from everyone."

Nathaniel froze. Everyone turned to him. Percy continued.

"The cat he fought with and lost to last month."

Silence. Nathaniel's face turned beet-red.

Arthur:

"Hold on a second."

Charlotte:

"You lost to a cat?"

Nathaniel glared at Percy.

"How the hell do you know that?!"

Laughter erupted.

Nathaniel:

"DON'T LAUGH!"

William:

"How did you lose?"

Nathaniel:

"I didn't lose!"

Percy:

"He had three scratches on his eyebrow."

Nathaniel:

"Percy!"

Percy:

"The cat won."

Nathaniel:

"IT AMBUSHED ME!"

Arthur collapsed to the ground. Charlotte couldn't catch her breath from laughing. Clara was wiping her eyes. Even Galahad had turned his back to hide his laughter. Percy raised his hand.

"Alright."

"Moving on."

Nathaniel:

"Don't."

Percy:

"I will."

Then he looked at Arthur. Arthur's smile vanished.

Percy:

"Life..."

"...is Arthur crying in secret."

Arthur's eyes widened.

"Percy."

Percy:

"Don't interrupt me."

Arthur shut his mouth. Percy looked at him.

"You thought about what you did."

"You suffered."

"You regretted."

"And you cried."

Arthur looked away.

Percy:

"There is nothing to be ashamed of in that."

"Being someone who cries..."

"...is far better than who you were back then."

Arthur looked back at Percy. Percy nodded. Arthur didn't answer. But he didn't look away either.

Percy looked at Clara this time. Clara's face changed instantly.

Percy:

"Life is Clara."

Clara froze. Arthur raised an eyebrow. Charlotte smirked slowly. Percy continued.

"There hasn't been a single night she went to sleep..."

"...without thinking about what she did."

Clara's eyes widened.

"Percy."

Percy:

"That's why I had the camp set up for two-person tents."

Clara was staring straight at him now.

Percy:

"She comes in after I fall asleep."

"She sits beside me."

"And she quietly apologizes."

Clara's mouth parted slightly.

"You knew?"

Percy looked at her.

"Clara."

Clara:

"Yes?"

Percy:

"Your silence spell is terrible."

A second of silence followed. Charlotte burst into laughter.

Clara:

"PERCY!"

Percy:

"Just kidding."

Clara:

"YOU IDIOT!"

Percy smiled. Then he grew serious.

"I knew."

Clara's face softened.

Percy:

"Every single time."

Clara:

"Why didn't you say anything?"

Percy:

"Because you weren't saying it to me."

Clara fell silent.

Percy:

"You were saying it to yourself."

"Why would I interrupt?"

Clara couldn't answer. A small smile touched Eleanor's face. Holar watched the two of them in silence.

Percy turned back to the class once more.

"But those things are not the point."

"The point is this."

"Not a single one of you..."

"...killed a single scorpion."

Everyone looked down. Thousands of scorpions were still moving about. Percy pointed to Ethan.

"Even this lazy bastard."

Ethan:

"Why me again?!"

Percy:

"He will run his thirteenth lap."

Ethan's face fell.

"You didn't have to remind me."

Percy:

"You obeyed my order."

"You thought about what I said."

"You didn't harm them."

Ethan didn't answer. Percy looked at the others.

"All of you did the same."

"Just as my grandpa showed me..."

"...I tried to show you."

"I didn't give you the answers."

"I only told you one thing."

"Protect life."

Percy spread his arms.

"And you protected it."

William's eyes widened slightly. Percy continued.

"I did not become a leader."

Arthur looked at him.

"I did not become a president."

Clara frowned.

Percy:

"You chose me."

Silence. William's face changed. Charlotte began to think. Arthur looked back. He remembered the first night. Percy had given an order. They had objected. Then they had run. Percy had done it himself first. He had carried their load. He had lifted them when they fell. He had protected the scorpions. He had suffered alongside them.

Clara slowly looked at Percy.

"That's true."

Arthur had realized it as well.

"Damn, really."

Charlotte:

"Nobody forced us."

Nathaniel:

"Except Ethan."

Ethan:

"I was thrown."

Percy:

"You are the exception."

Ethan:

"Thanks."

Galahad's expression had changed.

"Wait a minute."

Olsen looked at him.

Galahad:

"Holy shit."

Eleanor turned to him. Galahad looked at Percy.

"How didn't I see it?"

Olsen:

"What?"

Galahad:

"He was giving orders on the first night."

"Then his orders decreased."

Eleanor's eyes widened.

Galahad:

"Because there was no need anymore."

"They started following him on their own."

Olsen looked at Percy. Charlotte had taken Percy's load. Arthur had lifted his friends. Clara had shared stones. William had pointed out hazards. Nathaniel had set the tempo. None of it had been an order.

Holar spoke quietly.

"I saw it."

Everyone turned to him.

Percy:

"Monster grandpa."

Holar looked at Percy. Percy corrected himself instantly.

"Sweet grandpa."

Holar kept looking.

Percy:

"My beloved grandpa."

Holar smiled.

"Good boy."

Eleanor:

"What kind of relationship is this?"

Galahad:

"I don't know."

Olsen:

"I'm staying out of it."

Percy clapped his hands.

"Now."

"Twelfth lap."

Everyone grew serious.

Percy:

"The rules are changing."

Arthur:

"Of course they are."

Percy:

"You may drop the stones."

Everyone froze.

Nathaniel:

"What?"

Percy:

"No stones."

Charlotte:

"Really?"

Percy:

"Yes."

Arthur:

"There's definitely a catch."

Percy:

"Arthur."

Arthur:

"Yes?"

Percy:

"You've gotten smarter."

Arthur:

"Thank you."

Percy:

"You're welcome."

Percy continued.

"All of you will hold hands."

Clara raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Percy:

"A single line."

"Nobody will let go of their hand."

"Nobody will run."

"Nobody will jump."

"Nobody will evade."

William's face changed. Percy saw him. William looked back at Percy.

Percy:

"Your stride..."

"...will not be larger than your normal stride."

"You will not step over them."

"You will not dodge between them."

"You will not change direction."

"And of course..."

"You will not harm them."

Nathaniel:

"How are we supposed to pass?!"

Percy:

"How am I supposed to know?"

Nathaniel:

"IT'S YOUR PLAN!"

Percy:

"Life isn't my plan either."

Nathaniel shut his mouth.

Percy:

"Figure it out."

Then he turned to Eleanor.

"Anyone who fails gets expelled from class."

Eleanor's eyes widened.

Percy:

"Is that acceptable, Auntie dear?"

Eleanor froze.

Holar raised an eyebrow. Galahad turned his head away. Olsen bit her lip.

Eleanor:

"...Acceptable."

Percy:

"Thank you."

Eleanor waited for a few seconds. Then she muttered to herself:

"Why did I say 'Auntie dear'?"

Holar burst out laughing. Galahad laughed too. Olsen didn't bother hiding it anymore.

Eleanor:

"All three of you shut up."

Percy turned back to the class.

"One last thing."

Everyone looked at him. Percy smiled.

"When you complete this..."

"...you will see how powerful life truly is."

William's eyes narrowed.

Percy:

"Get to it, damn it."

They held hands. Arthur. Charlotte. William. Nathaniel. Clara. Ethan. The others. They became a single chain. Percy stayed behind. This time he truly wasn't coming along. Clara looked back. Percy nodded.

"Go."

Clara turned forward.

The first step was taken. Then the second. The first hundred meters were easy. The scorpions were sparsely scattered. Then the density increased. A scorpion came up to Arthur's foot. Arthur was about to pull back by reflex. Charlotte squeezed his hand.

"No running."

Arthur gritted his teeth. The scorpion stung. Arthur's face contorted.

"Keep going."

Charlotte:

"Are you alright?"

"Keep going."

Another scorpion stung Charlotte. Arthur held her hand tighter. Charlotte exhaled in pain. Yet she walked.

One attached itself to Clara's wrist. Tears welled in Clara's eyes.

Nathaniel:

"No stopping."

Clara:

"I know."

Steps continued. One kilometer. Two kilometers. Three kilometers. Stings increased.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Eleanor was no longer comfortable.

"Percy."

Percy didn't answer. Holar was watching the children. Olsen had stood up. The smile on Galahad's face was gone.

"This is too heavy."

Percy:

"I know."

Galahad:

"What are you waiting for?"

Percy:

"For them."

Galahad:

"For who?"

Percy didn't answer.

William looked around as he walked. He had noticed something. Again. The scorpions. Some of them were not attacking. Yet he wasn't sure yet.

After a while, the path narrowed. The sand ahead of them was completely blocked. Thousands of scorpions. There was no gap between them to take a single step. Arthur stopped. Charlotte was forced to stop as well. The entire chain came to a halt.

Nathaniel:

"Percy!"

Percy looked from afar.

Nathaniel:

"We can't get through here!"

Percy didn't answer.

Arthur looked ahead of him.

"We can't jump."

Charlotte:

"We can't evade."

William:

"We can't step over them."

Clara:

"Crushing them is forbidden."

Ethan:

"Then what the hell do we do?"

Nobody knew.

Holar moved forward. Eleanor grabbed his arm.

Holar:

"Enough."

Percy raised his hand. Holar stopped.

"Percy."

Percy:

"A little longer."

Holar looked at his grandson. There was no fear on Percy's face. There was expectation.

William saw this. Then he looked at the scorpions. One of them moved. Then another. William's eyes widened.

"No..."

Charlotte:

"What?"

William didn't answer. Because the sand was moving. Thousands of scorpions... Were slowly pulling back.

Arthur's eyes widened.

"What is happening?"

Charlotte:

"Why are they pulling back?"

Nathaniel:

"Percy, what did you do?"

Percy was smiling from afar. Yet he wasn't using any magic at all. The scorpions were parting to both sides. A path was forming between them. Slow. Clean. Straight.

Clara held her breath. Then Charlotte stopped.

"Wait."

Everyone looked. There was a scorpion with a red stinger. It stood right in front of Arthur. Charlotte recognized it.

"That's..."

Arthur remembered it as well. The eighth lap. Charlotte was about to fall. Arthur was going to step down. He had stopped at the last second. It was the exact same scorpion.

The scorpion had turned toward Arthur. Its tiny body was motionlessness. Arthur looked at it. The scorpion slowly pulled back. It opened the path. Arthur couldn't say a single word. Charlotte squeezed his hand. Arthur looked at her.

Charlotte:

"Walk."

Arthur took a step. The scorpions were pulling back. Clara walked. William walked. Nathaniel walked. The entire class moved forward. Not a single one stung them. Not a single one attacked. It was as if the entire course... Was watching them.

Olsen's mouth was slightly open.

"Is this possible?"

Galahad didn't answer. Because he had no answer either. Eleanor looked at Percy. Then at Holar.

"Holar?"

Holar was silent.

Eleanor:

"Are you doing this?"

Holar shook his head.

"No."

Eleanor:

"Is Percy doing it?"

Holar:

"No."

Galahad:

"Then..."

Holar was genuinely astonished for the first time.

"They are doing it themselves."

Silence. Percy heard this from afar. He smiled.

"Of course."

Holar turned to him.

"Of course?"

Percy:

"Yes."

Holar:

"Did you know this?"

Percy:

"Not entirely."

William heard this from a distance. And he looked at Percy. Percy continued.

"But I was expecting it."

William's face changed.

"You..."

Percy:

"Walk, William."

William:

"You planned this."

Percy:

"WALK."

William laughed involuntarily.

"Unbelievable."

The final kilometer began. No scorpions were attacking anymore. The children were walking hand in hand. The scorpions were clearing out from ahead of them. The corridor they formed... Stretched all the way to the finish line.

The time was 11:17 AM. Final hundred meters. Clara looked at Percy. Percy was waiting at the finish. Arthur didn't let go of Charlotte's hand. William was squeezing Nathaniel's hand. Even Ethan was smiling.

Final ten meters. Percy said nothing. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

All of them crossed.

11:18 AM.

The twelfth lap was complete. Four hundred twenty kilometers.

Nobody cheered. Not yet. Because all of them had turned back around. They were looking at the scorpions. Thousands of scorpions... Had remained where they stood.

Percy stepped out in front of them.

"Now."

Everyone looked at him.

"Why life is precious..."

"...I hope you understand now."

Arthur was still looking at the scorpion with the red stinger. Charlotte's eyes were full of tears.

Nathaniel:

"Did you really plan this?"

William answered.

"He planned it."

Everyone turned to Percy.

Clara:

"Isn't that right?"

Percy smiled.

"Of course."

Arthur:

"How?"

Percy:

"Very simple."

"You protect life."

"You don't expect anything in return."

"In fact, you don't protect it for a reward in the first place."

Percy looked at the scorpions.

"But that..."

"...does not mean they won't give something in return."

Silence.

Percy:

"For twelve laps..."

"...so as not to harm them..."

"...you tore up your own feet."

"You altered your routes."

"You suffered pain."

"You carried loads."

"You fell."

"You got back up."

"You didn't step on a single one."

Percy looked at Arthur.

"It stung you."

Arthur nodded.

Percy:

"You didn't kill it."

He looked at Charlotte.

"It stung you too."

Charlotte:

"Yes."

Percy:

"You didn't kill it either."

Percy spread his hands.

"What did you think?"

"That they wouldn't notice?"

Nobody could speak. Holar was staring at his grandson. For a long time. Then he asked slowly.

"Percy."

Percy:

"Yes?"

Holar:

"When did you notice?"

William looked at Percy instantly. Percy smiled.

"Eighth lap."

William:

"I knew it."

Arthur:

"Knew what?"

William:

"They were pulling back."

Charlotte:

"What?"

William:

"Some of them were pulling back from ahead of us."

Clara turned to Percy.

"And you didn't tell us?"

Percy:

"No."

Nathaniel:

"Why?"

Percy:

"If I had told you..."

"...you would have continued to protect them."

"But your reason would have changed."

Silence. Galahad's eyes widened. Olsen raised her head. Eleanor looked at Percy. Percy continued.

"You would have expected something in return."

"I didn't want that."

"I wanted you to protect life."

"Not to win a reward."

Galahad whispered.

"Holy shit."

Olsen looked at him.

Galahad:

"This kid is seven years old."

Eleanor:

"Don't remind me."

Holar was still looking at Percy. Then he smiled.

"So that's why you kept quiet."

Percy:

"Yes."

William:

"I noticed it too."

Percy:

"I know."

William:

"You told me to keep my mouth shut."

Percy:

"Yes."

William:

"Why did you think I would trust you?"

Percy looked at him.

"Because you're smart."

William raised an eyebrow.

Percy:

"And you're a good person."

William fell silent. That was not the answer he had expected.

Percy turned back to the class.

"On the first night..."

"...I prepared a hell for you."

Arthur:

"True."

Charlotte:

"Definitely."

Nathaniel:

"I agree."

Percy:

"Shut up, damn it."

Then he continued.

"You learned to run."

"You learned to evade."

"You learned to see your surroundings."

"You learned to share loads."

"You learned to help."

"You learned to accept help."

"You learned to walk with pain."

"You learned not to stop."

Percy paused for a moment. Then he placed his fist over his chest.

"But most importantly..."

"You learned Will."

Everyone was silent.

Percy:

"Your will is yours."

"Pain is not yours."

"Fear is not yours."

"Exhaustion is not yours."

"They only drop by to visit you."

"But the decision..."

"...belongs to you."

Arthur looked at Percy. Charlotte looked at Arthur. Clara came beside Percy. William thought silently. Nathaniel was thinking about his cat. And Galahad... Was smiling as he looked at Percy.

Percy looked at his class one final time.

"I did not choose you as leaders."

"You made me your leader."

"And today..."

"...I did not make you a team."

Percy nodded.

"You became one yourselves."

Silence. Then Arthur stepped forward. He looked at Percy.

"President."

Percy:

"Yes?"

Arthur extended his hand.

"On the first night, I wanted to kill you."

Percy looked at his hand.

"And now?"

Arthur:

"A little bit less."

Percy shook his hand.

"Progress."

Charlotte came over. She placed her hand atop theirs. William did as well. Nathaniel. Clara. Then the others. Ethan approached last. Percy looked at him.

Ethan:

"What?"

Percy:

"Thirteen laps."

Ethan:

"You didn't forget, did you?"

Percy:

"Never."

Ethan:

"I hate you."

Percy:

"Say it while running."

Ethan:

"MOTHERFUCKER."

Holar burst into laughter. Eleanor shook her head side to side. Olsen was completely relaxed for the first time. Galahad looked at the children. Then he turned to Holar.

"On the first night..."

"...they weren't a class."

Holar nodded.

"No."

Galahad:

"And now?"

Holar looked at the children. Percy was in their midst. Yet he wasn't ahead of them. He was among them. Holar smiled.

"Now they have found each other."

Percy suddenly raised his head.

"EVERYONE!"

Everyone looked at him. Percy pointed at his watch. 07:59 AM (or 11:18 AM). A second of silence. Then Percy shouted.

"BOOOOOOOOOOW YEEEEEAAAAAAH!"

Clara immediately shouted back.

"BOOOOOOOOOOW YEEEEEAAAAAAH!"

Percy froze. He slowly turned to Clara.

"You..."

Clara smirked.

Percy:

"Did you steal that too?!"

Clara:

"It's mine now."

Percy:

"Was 'FOR NOW' not enough?!"

Clara:

"No."

Percy:

"You stole holding hands."

Clara:

"Yes."

Percy:

"You stole 'for now'."

Clara:

"Yes."

Percy:

"You stole 'Bow Yeah'."

Clara:

"Yes."

Percy narrowed his eyes. Clara narrowed her eyes as well. Arthur intervened.

"Here they go."

Charlotte:

"I missed this."

William:

"I give it seven minutes."

Nathaniel:

"Three."

Galahad burst out laughing. Eleanor looked at Holar.

"You wanted him to stay a child."

Holar smiled.

"This is it."

Percy ran after Clara. Clara ran away.

"YOU CAN'T CATCH ME!"

Percy:

"GIVE ME MY HAND BACK TOO!"

Clara:

"HOW IS THAT EVEN GOING TO WORK, DAMN IT?!"

Arthur laughed out loud. Charlotte bumped his arm. Nathaniel lay back down in the sand. For the first time, William didn't calculate. Olsen watched the children. Galahad smiled quietly. Eleanor took a relieved breath. And Holar... Looked at his grandson. Percy was running. Yet this time it wasn't for war. It wasn't for training. It wasn't to save anyone. He was simply trying to catch Clara. Like a seven-year-old child. And that was all Holar had wanted. At least... For a little while longer.

The sun rose over the Lake District. The scorpions scattered back into the sand. And sixteen children... Were not yet aware of it. Yet the things they learned that night... Would remain with them for a very long time.

EPISODE 29 — END