CHAPTER 34 — DECISION

# THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

## CHAPTER 34 — DECISION

The next morning... Nobody was woken up by yelling. There was no aura. There was no explosion. There were no scorpions. There were no piranhas. Holar Jun was quiet. Eleanor was quiet. Elizabeth Olsen was quiet. Even Galahad was quiet. And for that exact reason... Arthur was terrified the moment he opened his eyes.

"Something is wrong."

Nathaniel's voice came from the neighboring bed.

"Percy didn't shout."

William opened his eyes.

"I noticed."

Charlotte sat up.

"This is worse."

Arthur:

"Definitely worse."

A calm voice came from outside.

"Good morning, friends."

Everyone looked at each other.

Nathaniel:

"We are screwed."

Percy:

"I heard that."

Nathaniel:

"I said it on purpose."

Minutes later... The entire class was outside. Percy was waiting, fully prepared. Behind him stood only a large blackboard. There was nothing else. Clara walked up beside Percy.

"What's on for today?"

Percy:

"Nothing."

Clara:

"Liar."

Percy:

"Why?"

Clara:

"Because I know you."

Percy:

"How well?"

Clara:

"Extremely."

Percy:

"Dangerous."

Clara:

"For you."

Percy smiled. Arthur pointed immediately.

"LOOK!"

Charlotte:

"He smiled."

Nathaniel:

"Devilish smile."

Percy:

"I just smiled normally."

William:

"No."

Percy:

"You too?"

William:

"Especially me."

Percy took a deep breath.

"Alright."

He pulled the cloth off the board. A single word was written on it.

DECISION

William's gaze shifted.

Arthur:

"What are we doing?"

Percy:

"Today..."

"I won't teach you anything."

Silence.

Nathaniel:

"Awesome."

Percy:

"Don't celebrate yet."

Nathaniel:

"I didn't."

Percy:

"You did."

Nathaniel:

"A little."

Percy:

"Today..."

"You will make a decision."

Arthur:

"About what?"

Percy pointed to the forest behind him.

"In there."

Everyone looked at the forest.

Percy:

"Fifteen different routes have been prepared."

"Each of you will start from a different point."

"Each of your tasks will be different."

William:

"Will we know each other's tasks?"

Percy:

"No."

Charlotte:

"Can we tell each other?"

Percy:

"If it's not forbidden on your paper, yes."

Arthur:

"So some of us won't be able to tell."

Percy:

"Yes."

William immediately added:

"The tasks conflict with each other."

Percy looked at him.

"Maybe."

William:

"Definitely."

Percy:

"Maybe."

William went silent. But it was obvious from his face. Definitely. Percy pulled out small envelopes. He distributed them one by one.

"Don't open them until I give the signal."

The last envelope went to Clara. Percy didn't pull his hand back.

Clara:

"What?"

Percy:

"Nothing."

Clara:

"You're up to something again."

Percy:

"Normal envelope."

Clara:

"You aren't normal."

Percy:

"Thank you."

Clara:

"It wasn't a compliment."

Percy:

"I took it as one."

Holar laughed from a distance. Eleanor looked at him.

"Sound familiar?"

Holar:

"Unfortunately."

Percy stepped up to the front.

"Rules."

Everyone fell silent.

"Your magic is permitted."

Shock.

Arthur:

"WHAT?"

Charlotte:

"Finally!"

Nathaniel looked at his hands.

"My magic is back."

Percy:

"Don't celebrate."

Nathaniel lowered his hands.

"Alright."

Percy:

"Impicting harm on each other is forbidden."

"There are no real monsters."

"There is no real threat of death."

"However..."

"Which of the things you see are real..."

"I will not tell you."

William's brows knitted.

Percy:

"After the start..."

"No instructions will come from me."

Arthur:

"None at all?"

Percy:

"None."

Charlotte:

"Help?"

Percy:

"You won't ask for it."

Nathaniel:

"Why?"

Percy:

"Because I won't be there."

Clara's eyes turned to Percy.

"Where are you going?"

Percy:

"Into the forest."

Clara:

"Why?"

Percy:

"A task."

Clara looked at her envelope.

Percy:

"Once we begin."

Then he looked at Holar.

"Grandfather."

Holar:

"The area is secure."

Eleanor:

"The illusions are ready."

Olsen:

"The injury scenarios are ready."

Galahad:

"The escape points are ready."

Percy nodded. Then he turned to his friends.

"One more thing."

"Today..."

"I am not your president."

Everyone went quiet.

Arthur:

"What?"

Percy:

"Today, you will make your own decisions."

"And the consequences..."

"You will carry them yourselves."

Percy raised his hand.

"Open your envelopes."

The papers were unsealed. Arthur read his. DELIVER THE RED FLAG TO THE NORTH TOWER.

BEFORE 14:00.

Arthur:

"Easy."

Percy looked at him and smiled.

Arthur:

"Why did you smile?"

Percy:

"I didn't."

Charlotte opened hers. DO NOT LEAVE ARTHUR GREEN ALONE.

DO NOT HELP ANYONE ELSE. Charlotte's eyes widened.

Arthur:

"What did you get?"

Charlotte folded her paper.

"I can't tell you."

Arthur:

"Why?"

Charlotte:

"Because I don't want to."

Arthur:

"Suspicious."

Charlotte:

"Don't talk."

William opened his. KEEP AT LEAST EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE CLASS

ON THE SAME ROUTE.

William stared at it for a long time. Then at Percy.

Percy:

"What?"

William:

"I am starting to hate you."

Percy:

"Get in line."

Nathaniel opened his. DO NOT TELL YOUR TASK TO ANYONE. RING THE BELL ON THE EAST TOWER. Nathaniel folded the paper.

Ethan:

"What is it?"

Nathaniel:

"Son of a—"

Percy:

"Nathaniel."

Nathaniel:

"Nothing."

And Clara... Opened her envelope. It was a single line.

FIND PERCY GRANT.

Clara raised her head. Percy was gone.

Clara:

"..."

She looked around.

"Percy?"

Nobody answered.

Clara:

"PERCY?"

Galahad laughed. Clara turned to him.

"Where did he go?"

Galahad:

"I'm not the president."

Clara:

"Brother."

Galahad:

"I learned from Percy."

Clara:

"You guys are annoying."

Galahad:

"Thank you."

09:00 AM.

The task began. Arthur moved quickly toward the north. The red flag was strapped to his back. Charlotte... As if coincidentally walking in the same direction... Was ten meters behind him. Arthur stopped. Charlotte stopped. Arthur walked. Charlotte walked. Arthur stopped again.

Charlotte:

"What?"

Arthur:

"Are you following me?"

Charlotte:

"No."

Arthur:

"You are."

Charlotte:

"It's the same path."

Arthur:

"There are fifteen routes."

Charlotte:

"Coincidence."

Arthur:

"Charlotte."

Charlotte:

"Keep walking."

As for William... From the very first minute, he was on the verge of losing it.

"Marcus!"

Marcus:

"What?"

"Your route?"

"West."

William:

"Me too."

Marcus:

"Really?"

William:

"As of now, yes."

Marcus:

"What do you mean 'as of now'?"

William:

"Keep walking."

William found the next student. Then the next. Then the next. A short while later... Seven people were behind him.

William:

"One person left."

Sophia:

"What?"

William:

"Nothing."

Clara was running. Her task was very simple. Find Percy. Nothing else. Clara smiled.

"I will find you."

She began following the tracks. Percy's shoe prints. A tiny broken twig. An imprint in the dirt.

Clara:

"Dummy."

"You're still leaving tracks."

The path split into two. Clara stopped. Right side. Left side. She closed her eyes. If it were Percy... Which one would he choose? Clara turned right. And kept running.

An hour passed. The first cry... Came at 10:07 AM.

"HELP ME!"

Arthur stopped. So did Charlotte.

Arthur:

"Did you hear that?"

Charlotte:

"Yes."

Arthur looked at the flag. Looked at the tower. Then toward the direction of the voice.

Charlotte:

"Arthur."

Arthur:

"I have time."

He stepped off the route. Charlotte followed him. Beneath a tree... Sophia was lying on the ground. Her leg was trapped under a heavy log.

Arthur:

"Sophia!"

Sophia:

"It won't budge!"

Arthur set the flag on the ground.

Charlotte:

"Together."

The two of them lifted the log. Sophia pulled her leg free.

Arthur:

"Can you walk?"

Sophia tried to stand up. Collapsed back down. Arthur looked at his watch.

11:02 AM.

Charlotte saw his glance.

"Go."

Arthur:

"What?"

Charlotte:

"You have the flag."

Arthur:

"How do you know?"

Charlotte:

"It's on your back, Arthur."

Arthur:

"Right."

Charlotte:

"I'll stay with her."

Arthur picked up his flag. Took two steps. Stopped.

Charlotte:

"Arthur."

Arthur turned and looked at Sophia. Then at the flag. Then at the tower. He set the flag on the ground.

Charlotte:

"What are you doing?"

Arthur lifted Sophia onto his back.

"All three of us are going."

Right at that moment... A bell rang out in the forest.

DING.

Then Percy's magic-amplified voice echoed.

"ARTHUR GREEN."

Arthur froze.

"TASK FAILED."

Silence. Arthur's face fell. Charlotte looked at him. Arthur said nothing for a few seconds. Then he adjusted Sophia on his back.

"Alright."

Charlotte:

"Arthur..."

Arthur:

"Keep walking."

"Let's get her out."

And he kept moving.

Clara was very close to Percy. She could feel it. On a tree trunk... She saw a small letter P carved in.

Clara:

"Found you."

She broke into a run. Then... She heard a groan. Clara stopped.

"Who's there?"

No answer. Clara looked at Percy's tracks again. Ahead of her. Extremely close. The groan came again. Clara gritted her teeth. Turned left. Pushed through the bushes. And... Nathaniel was on the ground. Blood was flowing from his shoulder.

Clara:

"Nathaniel!"

Nathaniel:

"Go."

Clara knelt beside him.

"What happened?"

Nathaniel:

"A trap."

Clara:

"Can you stand?"

Nathaniel:

"No."

Clara looked toward Percy's tracks. Nathaniel noticed.

"If your task is that way, go."

Clara:

"Shut your mouth."

Nathaniel:

"Clara."

Clara put his arm over her shoulder.

"Get up."

Nathaniel:

"You'll fail your task."

Clara:

"I don't care."

Nathaniel looked at her.

Clara:

"What good is finding Percy..."

"While you lie bleeding here?"

Nathaniel:

"Percy?"

Clara froze.

"...I didn't say that."

Nathaniel:

"You did."

Clara:

"Forget it."

Nathaniel:

"Alright."

Clara hauled him up. Right at that moment...

DING.

Clara closed her eyes. Percy's voice came through.

"CLARA."

Clara gritted her teeth.

"TASK FAILED."

Nathaniel:

"I'm sorry."

Clara looked at him.

"Did you write the task?"

Nathaniel:

"No."

Clara:

"Then shut up."

And she kept walking.

Hours passed. One by one... The bells rang. Charlotte. Failed. Ethan. Failed. Marcus. Failed. Sophia. Failed. Daniel. Failed. Nathaniel... Couldn't reach the East Tower. Failed. And William... Had gathered eight people. Then the path collapsed. There were two options. If he kept the eight people... An injured Ethan would be left behind. William stopped. Pulled out his task paper. Read it again. Eight members. He looked at Ethan for a moment. Then he tore the paper.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Disperse."

Marcus:

"What?"

William:

"We're getting Ethan out."

And...

DING.

"WILLIAM HART."

"TASK FAILED."

William closed his eyes. Then he smiled softly.

"More relieving than I expected."

17:00 PM.

Everyone returned to the starting area. They were exhausted. They were frustrated. And... Almost everyone had failed. Percy was waiting by the board. The moment Nathaniel saw him:

"Your training..."

Percy:

"Think before finishing that sentence."

Nathaniel:

"...is extremely creative, I think."

Percy:

"Good boy."

Arthur:

"We lost."

Percy:

"Yes."

Charlotte:

"All of us."

Percy:

"Almost."

William:

"Who won?"

Percy didn't answer. He turned to the board. He wrote the names down.

ARTHUR — FAILED

CHARLOTTE — FAILED

WILLIAM — FAILED

CLARA — FAILED

NATHANIEL — FAILED

ETHAN — FAILED

SOPHIA — FAILED

MARCUS — FAILED

DANIEL — FAILED

The names continued. In the end... The entire board was red.

Arthur:

"Great."

Charlotte:

"The whole class failed."

Nathaniel:

"First time we screwed up together."

William was looking at the board. Something wasn't right. Clara looked at Percy. On Percy's face... Was a tiny smile.

Clara:

"You..."

Percy:

"Me what?"

Clara:

"You're doing it again."

Percy:

"Doing what?"

Clara:

"That face."

Arthur:

"Devilish smile."

Percy:

"I just smiled normally."

Everyone:

"LIAR!"

Percy laughed. Then he walked over to the board. Grabbed it with both hands. And flipped it around. On the back side... Was a single sentence.

ALL OF YOU PASSED.

Silence.

Nathaniel:

"What?"

Arthur:

"How?"

Charlotte:

"We all failed."

Percy:

"No."

William's eyes widened. He understood.

Percy:

"You failed the tasks on the papers."

He pointed at the board.

"Not MY task."

Arthur:

"What was your task?"

Percy:

"To make a decision."

Silence. Percy looked at Arthur.

"Arthur."

Arthur straightened up.

"Why did you leave the flag behind?"

Arthur:

"Sophia was injured."

Percy:

"Your order?"

Arthur:

"Deliver the flag."

Percy:

"You didn't do it."

Arthur:

"No."

Percy:

"If it happened again?"

Arthur didn't hesitate for a second.

"I'd leave it behind again."

Percy smiled.

"Passed."

Arthur went silent. Percy looked at Charlotte.

"Charlotte."

"You weren't supposed to leave Arthur or help anyone else."

Charlotte:

"Yes."

Percy:

"Yet you helped other students."

Charlotte:

"Yes."

Percy:

"If it happened again?"

Charlotte:

"I'd do it again."

Percy:

"Passed."

He turned to William.

"William."

William:

"There was no flawless solution."

Percy:

"Finally."

William:

"You did this on purpose."

Percy:

"Yes."

William:

"I calculated every single possibility."

Percy:

"I know."

William:

"In every scenario, someone lost."

Percy:

"Yes."

William was silent for a few seconds.

"You are annoying."

Percy:

"I know."

William smiled.

Percy:

"Passed."

Then... He looked at Clara. Clara was looking at him too.

Percy:

"Clara."

Clara:

"Yes?"

Percy:

"What was your task?"

Clara:

"To find you."

Percy:

"You were..."

"Three hundred meters away from finding me."

Clara was surprised.

"What?"

Percy:

"Three hundred and twelve."

Clara:

"You were there?"

Percy:

"Yes."

Clara:

"You saw me?"

Percy:

"Yes."

Clara:

"And Nathaniel too?"

Percy:

"Yes."

Clara:

"And you marked it as failed."

Percy:

"Yes."

Clara glared at him angrily. Percy smiled.

"If it happened again?"

Clara:

"I'd choose Nathaniel."

Percy:

"Again."

Clara:

"Nathaniel."

Percy:

"A hundred times?"

Clara:

"A hundred times Nathaniel."

Nathaniel looked at her.

Clara:

"Don't get cocky."

Nathaniel:

"I didn't say anything."

Percy:

"A thousand times?"

Clara:

"Percy."

Percy:

"What?"

Clara:

"You would find me anyway."

Percy went silent.

Clara:

"But Nathaniel was hurt."

The smile on Percy's face vanished. In its place... Came a proud expression.

"Passed."

Nathaniel:

"Me?"

Percy looked at him.

"You too."

Nathaniel:

"What did I do?"

Percy:

"Even though you were injured..."

"You told Clara to leave you."

Nathaniel went quiet.

Percy:

"You accepted losing your own task."

Nathaniel couldn't find an answer for the first time. Percy looked over the entire class. Then his voice turned serious.

"On the first day..."

"I told you my orders were absolute."

Everyone remembered.

Percy:

"You obeyed."

"You ran."

"You suffered."

"You protected life."

"You showed courage."

"You persisted under pressure."

Percy paused for a moment.

"However..."

"Obedience alone is not a virtue."

Holar's gaze shifted. Galahad smiled softly. Eleanor was now completely focused on Percy.

Percy:

"One day..."

"I might make a mistake."

Silence. Arthur looked at Percy.

Percy:

"Your president might make a mistake."

"Your teacher might make a mistake."

"Your commander might make a mistake."

"An order..."

"Just because it comes from the right person..."

"Does not make it right."

Olsen's face turned serious.

Percy:

"I taught you to obey."

He took a step forward.

"Today..."

"I taught you WHEN NOT to obey me."

Silence. Nobody moved. Percy pointed at the sentence on the board.

"An order is important."

"A task is important."

"Victory is important."

Then he pointed at his classmates.

"But if you forget why you fight..."

"Victory means nothing at all."

Arthur remembered the flag he left on the ground. William remembered the paper he tore up. Clara... Remembered the moment she picked up Nathaniel.

Percy:

"One day, you might be told..."

"To leave a friend behind."

"Maybe you will truly need to leave them behind."

"Sometimes..."

"The right decision can be terrible."

"I am not telling you today..."

"To always choose your friend."

William took note of that in particular.

Percy:

"I am telling you this."

"Think."

"Decide."

"And carry..."

"The responsibility of the decision you make."

Galahad nodded. That was the difference. Percy wasn't teaching them... Blind heroism. He was teaching them to take ownership of their choices.

Percy:

"Because on the battlefield..."

"Even making no decision..."

"Is a decision."

Silence. Then Arthur raised his hand.

Percy:

"Yes?"

Arthur:

"So..."

"Was there really no real task today?"

Percy:

"There was."

Arthur:

"What was it?"

Percy smiled.

"Remaining human."

Arthur stared at him for a few seconds. Then he nodded.

"Good task."

Percy:

"Thank you."

Nathaniel raised his hand.

Percy:

"Yes?"

Nathaniel:

"Is there food?"

Percy closed his eyes.

"Yes."

Nathaniel:

"BOOOOOOW YEAAAAAAH!"

Percy's eyes snapped open. Everyone froze. Clara slowly turned to Nathaniel.

Percy:

"..."

Nathaniel:

"What?"

Percy:

"That's mine."

Nathaniel:

"Not anymore."

Percy:

"GIVE IT BACK, DAMN IT!"

Nathaniel ran. Percy sprinted after him.

"GET BACK HERE!"

Nathaniel:

"YOU CAN'T CATCH ME!"

Percy:

"MY MAGIC IS SEALED, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Arthur erupted into laughter. Charlotte followed. Even William laughed. Clara watched them for a few seconds. Then she ran after Percy.

"PRESIDENT!"

Percy:

"WHAT?"

Clara:

"I THINK NATHANIEL IS RIGHT!"

Percy stopped dead in his tracks. Clara stopped too. Percy looked at her.

"You..."

Clara grinned. Then she yelled with all the lung power she had.

"BOOOOOOOW YEAAAAAAH!"

Percy's face dropped. Arthur fell to the ground laughing. Charlotte couldn't breathe. Nathaniel flashed a victory sign from a distance. Galahad started belly laughing. Eleanor rested her head on Holar's shoulder.

"They ruined the boy."

Holar:

"He deserved it."

Percy:

"GRANDFATHER!"

Holar:

"I HEARD THAT!"

Percy:

"I HATE ALL OF YOU!"

Clara came up beside Percy. She took his hand.

Percy:

"You especially."

Clara:

"For now?"

Percy went silent. Clara's grin widened.

Percy:

"Give that back too."

Clara:

"No."

Percy:

"Pain in my ass."

Clara:

"Your pain in my ass."

Percy was about to reply. But he stopped. Clara realized what she had just said too. The two of them stared at each other.

Arthur:

"OOOOOOOO—"

Percy and Clara at the exact same time:

"SHUT UP!"

Arthur started laughing all over again.

That night... The awesome foursome was by the fire once more. Holar Jun. Eleanor. Elizabeth Olsen. Galahad. But this time... Eleanor was the first to speak.

"I was scared today."

Olsen:

"Why?"

Eleanor looked at Percy. He was eating dinner with his class in the distance.

"Because he taught the right thing."

Galahad:

"Why did that scare you?"

Eleanor:

"Because I used to think wrong people..."

"Couldn't teach right things."

Holar looked at her.

Eleanor:

"Percy today..."

"Taught them to question even himself."

Olsen softly:

"That's rare."

Galahad:

"Extremely."

Holar looked into the fire.

"A leader's greatest fear..."

"Is not that people won't listen to him."

The three of them looked at him.

Holar:

"It's that they will listen to him without thinking."

Silence. Galahad smiled.

"Your grandson solved that at seven years old."

Holar:

"When I was seven..."

Eleanor immediately cut in:

"You were an idiot."

Holar:

"I hadn't finished my sentence."

Eleanor:

"No need."

Olsen laughed.

Galahad:

"Agreed."

Holar looked over the three of them.

"Why am I even here?"

Eleanor:

"Because you love us."

Holar went silent.

Eleanor:

"See? He couldn't answer."

Galahad:

"Busted."

Holar:

"Shut up."

But he was smiling too.

Percy... Returned to the board after dinner. He erased today's writing. DECISION vanished. He picked up the chalk. He wrote tomorrow's word. Nobody saw it. Only William... Looked at the board from a distance. He couldn't read the word. But he saw Percy's face. That smile... Was there again. William slowly turned around.

"Guys."

Arthur:

"What?"

William kept walking.

"Tomorrow we are screwed."

Arthur:

"Why?"

William:

"Percy is smiling again."

The camp went dead silent. Then from the entire class... A single word rose in unison.

"HOLY SHIT."

EPISODE 34 — DECISION

END