Aeon Legion: Labyrinth

by Beaubien, J. P.

  Isra kept her back to the tirones as she walked in front of them. She raised her shieldwatch arm into the air. “For those who remain ignorant, this is a shieldwatch. This is the real secret behind the Aeon Legion's power. Time is fundamental to experience. To control time allows one to control any combat situation. Today's lesson requires mastery one of its most basic functions.”

  They stopped in front of a fast flowing river. Large chunks of ice floated downstream. The others shivered from the cold though Terra was not that frigid yet. As cold as it was, it did not compare to the scorching heat this morning.

  Isra turned, crouching and scooped a handful of water before flinging it into the air. She froze it in place, the droplets hanging in the air with a faint outline of a grainy sphere around them. A few tirones gasped in amazement.

  Isra gestured to the hovering water. “Within this small sphere of energy, the water is trapped in stasis. Most of the energy fields in Saturn City are actually stasis fields. Time is Stopped within. Stopping time is an easier ability, but this is half the lesson. The other is range. A shieldwatch can only affect an area that you can reach to at any moment, the range of your core causal field, but with concentration you can project twice that distance. Remember, though, that it is more costly to do so. This makes the shieldwatch's effective range nine paces for most.”

  One tiro yawned.

  Isra's gaze darted to the young man. “Is there a problem, tiro?”

  “It's cold!” he whined. “Get to the point!”

  Isra appeared in front of the tiro. Terra only saw a blur. Isra grabbed him and dragged him to the river's edge. “What did you mean to say, tiro?” Isra asked, her tone calm as she dangled him above the ice cold water.

  “Get to the point, centurion!” he whimpered.

  “Good. Minus one point for disrespecting a superior officer,” she said before dropping him into the river. He screamed as the ice cold water washed him away.

  The other tirones stared in amazement at Isra. “How did you do that, centurion?” one asked.

  Terra didn't find Isra's speed surprising after having witnessed Alya at the library.

  Isra dusted off her hands. “You mean that burst of speed? To me it appeared as though everything had slowed. I Sped time around me. That is one of the four fundamental abilities of a shieldwatch. With a shieldwatch, time can be Sped, Slowed, Stopped, or Reversed. Most of you first time tirones can only manage Stopping with stasis. Now I have a task for you all to perform. Make it across the river to earn a point. Make it across the river first, you get a point and I'll let you stand by a warm fire I have prepared.”

  Everyone looked at the fast flowing river. After a moment, a tiro voiced what was on everyone's mind.

  “That's flowing way too fast, centurion,” he said. “No one can make it across.”

  The tiro who Isra had thrown into the water had just made it to shore again. He walked back to the others, shivering.

  Isra's expression remained unreadable. “A valid observation, tiro. Perhaps you should consider what I have just shown you,” she said before shoving the tiro who disrespected her back into the river. She then walked a short distance away to a burning camp fire.

  A few glanced at one another before shifting their gaze to their shieldwatch. A few swung it around, others pointed it at the water as if trying to stop the river from flowing. One even took her shieldwatch off, trying to get it to work. Terra hunted through menus, trying to find something that could help her get across the river. After a moment, one jumped in the river assuming the shieldwatch would work automatically. The flow swept them away and several optios collected them downstream. The optios then deposited them, still shivering and wet, right back with the rest of the tirones.

  Then one pointed his hand out and placed some falling snow in stasis.

  “How did you do that?” asked another tiro.

  He shrugged. “Don't know. It just worked. I felt something strange, like I had another part of myself to control. Then it just happened.”

  After a moment and under the cheering of the other tirones, he attempted to swim to the other side of the river. He used his shieldwatch to slow the flow of water, but it stopped working before the halfway point and the flow swept him away. After a moment, the tirones returned to their own attempts with the shieldwatch. All except one, Terra noticed.

  Roland sat crouched on the ground with a thoughtful look.

  “Stuck? I bet you probably can't get your shieldwatch to work either?” Terra chided.

  Roland Stopped a bit of falling snow in stasis before releasing it.

  Terra's mouth hung open before clinching her jaw.

  Roland grinned. “I mastered that trick weeks ago. I was just waiting for someone else to try crossing the river first.”

  Terra frowned “You what?”

  Roland stood. “I have seen enough fools hasten to be first. I shall not repeat that folly. Besides, I think I see a way across now. Why make mistakes myself when I can learn from others?”

  Terra glared at Roland, speechless, as he walked to the river's edge. Roland waited for a large chunk of ice to drift near and Stopped it in stasis. He then jumped on it and waited for more ice to drift close.

  The others noticed and cheered. Roland leaped from one ice chunk to another. When he drew close to the other side, the ice ran out so he swam the rest of the way after casting aside his chain mail.

  Isra smiled while walking down to the river bank. “It has been a long time since one made it across the first try.”

  Terra shot a hate filled glare at Roland as he made his way back. Soon he stood next to the warm fire while Terra only her her hot anger to warm her.

  After another half hour of trying and failing to get her shieldwatch working, she along with the remaining tirones were forced to try to cross the river. She tried to wave her shieldwatch at the water as she jumped, but she missed one of the floating ice chunks before the river swept her downstream. Terra struggled to stay afloat, but managed to swim back ashore. She growled as she watched Roland stand by the warm fire while she shivered in ice cold water. Roland enjoyed his warmth while only Terra knew that he had succeeded by letting someone else fail for him.

  ∞

  Terra looked forward to academic classes as she walked through the Academy's hallways. It would be nice to have a break after the first two miserable lessons of the day. Terra stepped inside after checking the room number, confident her modern education would give her an edge here.

  The classroom was circular in design like an amphitheater and pearl white like most of Saturn City. One glass wall allowed a view of the grounds. Desks and chairs stood arranged in neat semi circular rows while a large holoface glowed on the central circular floor at the base. A few tirones already sat straight backed and staring ahead. Before Terra had time to find a seat, a centurion confronted her. She had three locks of silver in her hair.

  “Name?” She asked, her tone harsh.

  “Terra Mason,” Terra said without thinking.

  The centurion grimaced before moving closer to Terra. She looked Terra in the eyes, her face inches away. “I didn't see a salute, tiro! Also you will address yourself as tiro since I don't care about your worthless name! Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Ma'am!” Terra said, standing straighter and giving her best salute, placing her fist over her heart. Nikias had never been that insistent on ranks and saluting.

  The centurion moved closer to Terra, her nose almost touching Terra's face. “Do I look like a ma'am to you! I haven't suffered through Masada and the Faceless War just for some worthless tiro to call me ma'am! You will address me by my proper rank of centurion! Centurion Shani! Do you understand!”

  “Yes, ma– centurion!” Terra yelled as sweat beaded on her brow.

  The door faded again and Delphia walked inside. She spotted Terra and waved, smiling. “Hi Terra. Um, is this Alpha Civ one?”

  Shani turned to Delphia and smiled, speaking in a kind tone, �
��Oh no, timeborn. That's down the hall to the left in room one seventeen. Do you need help finding it?”

  Delphia shook her head. “Oh no. I think I can manage on my own. Thank you so much. Goodbye, Terra. Good luck,” she said and waved at Terra before leaving the room.

  Shani's smile disappeared with Delphia. “What are you doing you useless parasite! You stand at attention in the presence of an officer! Now sit down and remain silent!”

  Terra sat. Shani tore into most tirones when they entered. A few who saluted and addressed her as centurion escaped her wrath. When the class filled, Shani moved to the central circular floor at the base.

  “Let's begin,” she said as she pointed at Terra. “Tiro. Please describe the most common forms of time travel.”

  Terra sighed. Why did everyone pick on her? How could she possibly know that? “I'm sorry, centurion. I don't know.”

  Shani frowned. “Very well. Then can you explain the properties of temporal mechanics that make it impossible to meet yourself using time travel?”

  “I'm sorry, centurion. I don't know that either.”

  “Can you even name the historical event that formed the first nexus?”

  “I'm sorry, centurion. I don't kn–”

  “Of course you don’t!” Shani snapped. “Because you didn't read your assignments!”

  Terra scowled. “I assumed th–”

  “That this would be an introduction to the class? General Reva slaughtered several Legion cohorts during the Battle of Sighs. All because the Legion assumed the Kalians fang formation was a result of their lack of discipline. Instead it was a trap that had disastrous consequences almost costing the Legion the entire First Temporal War. Others ignored reports of disappearances in the Bleak, assuming it was pirate activity when really it was the first Faceless raids. Yet others assumed the first Manticore infestations isolated incidents. Assumptions cost lives, especially in war. Thankfully this one only cost you a point.”

  Terra would have felt upset if she actually had a point to lose.

  Shani glared at Terra. “If you had done some research, then you would have discovered the required reading list is posted on the same holoface as your schedule. It was not hidden. You should have found it.”

  She pointed to another tiro. “Tiro, can explain the branching nature of continua and why altering history destabilizes said branches?”

  The tiro scratched her chin. “Um...”

  Shani sighed. “Did anyone read their assignments? Why can't I have another student like Kairos? She was amazing.”

  Terra groaned, slouching in her seat. She had thought that this would be her area of expertise.

  Shani swept her gaze across the room, looking for another target. “I swear this group seems slower than last year's and I don't know how that's possible considering what a poor batch the last one was. Maybe I should eliminate a few more?”

  “Why are they trying so hard to eliminate us?” a tiro said under his breath.

  Shani glared at the tiro before turning to address the class. “Every weakness we introduce into the Legion brings us closer to obliteration at the hands of our enemies. Only those who are talented and utterly dedicated to saving history belong here. The Aeon Legion is the only thing standing between the horrors lurking beyond Time and humanity. Thieves, conquerors, assassins, monsters, and war machines, these are just a few of the enemies we have encountered. All of them pale in comparison to the Faceless. So when the next threat comes, and they will come, we will be ready.”

  Shani continued her lecture for another hour and a half. She covered how Time consisted of several alternate histories called continua. Each continuum had its own history that was often wildly different from the rest. Continua branched at an area called a nexus that appeared at turning points in history. Terra's home continuum, designated Lambda, branched at the Cuban Missile Crisis.

  Shani dismissed the class once the lecture was done. Terra stood to go.

  Shani pointed to Terra. “Not you, tiro. I want a word with you.”

  Terra hesitated before facing Shani, but managed to face the centurion as straight backed as she could manage.

  Shani crossed her arms and spoke in a soft tone. “I don't know why Lycus let you in, but we always get a few weak ones every year. Have you considered quitting?”

  “I considered–”

  “Then you should quit,” Shani said without malice in her voice. “Those who have even a moment of doubt don't belong here. You lack talent and dedication, both essential for success in this program.”

  “I have enough dedication to make up for my lack of talent!”

  “Prove it. Otherwise don't waste my time.”

  ∞

  The training day was done and somehow Terra had made it to the end. Now the setting sun cast an orange hue on the main courtyard and the air turned cold. Terra rubbed her arms, trying to warm up while looking at the stone pillar. The growing collection of shieldwatches laying at the base now numbered in the hundreds. A few had thrown their own on the pile this evening. Terra wondered if she should join them.

  She turned away. The shieldwatch had Restored her body, but she felt mentally drained. Her discovery of the long reading list did not help her mood. No human could read that much in so short of time. She would need a three year head start. How could Shani expect that of Terra, or anyone for that matter. Sighing, she started to wander back to her dorm room.

  As Terra made her way through the Academy training areas, she watched the other tirones. Most returned to their own rooms while a few socialized with the others, drinking and having fun. Then she saw Roland. Despite being lazy, he practiced with his shieldwatch. An optio helped him. Terra paused, wondering why Roland would practice. She then remembered that Roland had used a shieldwatch before the others. He had practiced on his own before the training had even started.

  Terra then noticed a few familiar faces. One was the Roman legionnaire she saw the first day at the Academy. He practiced as well. Terra halted. All who attempted the training a second or even third time still worked.

  A shout sounded nearby. Terra looked for the disturbance and saw a large bonfire burning nearby. A circle of tirones had gathered around it, but they appeared unconcerned with the loud shouting.

  Terra made her way over to see Hikari fighting with another tiro. She knocked another tiro unconscious before glancing to her shieldwatch.

  “See the pattern,” a nearby tiro said to another standing next to him.

  “Yeah,” the other said. “She defeats three in a row and then uses a Restore. That nets her two points.”

  Terra watched the next challenger who fought Hikari. He approached and challenged her to a Trial of Blades. Hikari always accepted and always won.

  Terra watched two more matches before walking away. Hikari burned through challengers though Terra wondered how Hikari managed it given the day's grueling regimen. This made Terra confront one undeniable fact; the best tirones were still working hard.

  Terra searched and found an optio. He had two locks of silver hair. Terra approached. “Excuse me, optio.”

  “Can I help you, tiro?” he asked.

  Terra gestured to the others. “Is it required that the recruits... I mean tirones stay late?”

  The optio shook his head. “No, tiro. Training is officially done for the day.”

  Terra thought for a moment before shifting her attention back to him. “I would bet that most of the tirones who stay late make it through the training?”

  He grinned. “I'm not allowed to say, but you could be on to something.”

  “What do the others tend to focus on?”

  “Well in early parts of the training, most focus on their strengths to build confidence.”

  Terra thought for a moment. She was behind in everything. Then Terra remembered she had a strength. Something she could catch up on if she had the time. Surely a city beyond time could find her more. “I need to catch up on my reading, but I need more time.”r />
  He smiled. “So you noticed?”

  “With so many people from different times, there must be a few who don't have a good education. Even if they did, there is no time to read that much and still train with a full schedule. Is there something I'm missing?”

  The man gestured. “Follow me.”

  Terra followed as he led her to a circular room to the side of the Academy. Several of the rooms stood in a row. They looked like smaller indoor salients with a diameter of ten paces.

  “This,” the man said while gesturing to the room, “is a strategy study. Large timeships have one so officers have time to plan. When activated, it Speeds your mental faculties. It also has limited access to the Saturn City Archives.”

  Terra examined the room. The gray steel floor was devoid of any notable features. “So time passes differently in this room?”

  He shook his head. “No, tiro. As I said, it accelerates your thoughts. It will appear as though time slows down around you. When this chamber activates, one hour of study inside equals to five minutes of time outside.”

  “Wow. Is there a drawback?”

  He grinned. “Actually there is. A lot of newtimers miss that one.”

  Terra looked around, nervous. “Is it dangerous?”

  “No. But I wouldn't suggest coming here early in the morning. A shieldwatch can repair the body, but it cannot alleviate mental fatigue. This place accelerates your mind. It can give you more time to study, but your mind will tire at an accelerated rate as well. Just remember that,” he said before waving his hand. A multitude of holofaces appeared in his hand's wake.

  Terra walked forward. “Thank you.”

  The man nodded. “We can help you in any aspect of the training. Be polite. Those who make enemies of the optios never make it far. We don't waste time with those who will not listen to us.”

  The chamber hummed to life. The hum pulsed before it slowed and Terra's movements became sluggish. It took getting use to, but after a moment she was deep into reading the wealth of information in Saturn City's Archives.