Mahon was walking towards the administrative district, following Yordar’s instructions to meet him. He felt less sore than usual as he had both not taken a beating nor properly fought during Slander’s training. He had even performed better during the running and gainage specialized lessons due to his forced rest. They would have to find a solution to this new problem with Zac or they would be left behind in no time if they didn’t practice duo fighting. But that was a problem for later.

Mahon entered the district and walked deeper inside towards what he believed was the professors’ residential area. He walked alone among the beautiful buildings and nice little gardens and he didn’t meet a single soul for the whole duration of his trip.

Do professors even live here?

Although the place was cute and beautiful, it didn’t seem very lively. Most of the houses were closed and so he easily found his destination as the only building in the area that looked inhabited.

Double checking with Yordar’s notes, Mahon concluded that it was indeed the meeting place. It was a two storey little house with a lovely garden circling it and so Mahon walked through before knocking at the door. He heard a bit of noise from inside and as the footsteps came closer and closer, the door opened to the familiar face of Yordar.

“Mahon! Right in time!”

“Professor Yordar.” Mahon said as he bowed slightly.

“I told you, Yordar is fine. Come on in, come on in.” The professor gestured for him to enter.

Mahon followed the professor inside and he led them to a vast room on the ground floor. As if an exact replica of the mess of the storage in the strategy classroom, the room was full of figurines, maps, drawings, books and papers with no proper organization.

There also was an old man reading a book with attention, his back leaning on the gigantic blackboard that fully covered one of the walls. He looked a bit like Yordar, with remnants of an once impressive musculature now mostly unused and gray eyes dripping with knowledge. His short white hair and sideburns added a strict touch to his face, that enhanced his serious demeanor. As they entered the room, he closed the tome and threw it in a nearby pile of books before looking at the newcomer.

“So it’s him?”

“Don’t be so rude, my friend. Introduce yourself.”

The man glared at Yordar before he did so.

“I’m Elmer. I used to be the duo of this old monster, but now I’m just his friend.”

The coincidence was too big for him to be someone else than that Last White Nightmare commander Mahon was familiar with. But he knew better than to ask and presented himself instead.

“Nice to meet you. My name’s Mahon, student of the Pine Hill Officer Institute.”

Elmer almost ignored him and threw an annoyed look at Yordar.

“Don’t tell me because his name is Mahon, you called me there. Don’t you know how many Nightmare soldiers choose their name after him?”

Yes, that’s definitely Elmer.

Yordar shrugged the remark off and grabbed a folder that looked like the same one he had used during the test with Mahon.

“Whatever. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. Test him yourself.”

Elmer took the folder and opened it. He looked at Mahon while moving through the documents before selecting one and giving it to Mahon. Mahon caught the paper and glanced at Yordar.

“In Nightmare?”

Yordar nodded. “Yes, that stubborn old fool would not believe anything about Nightmare coming from me. Just do the same as yesterday.”

Mahon acquiesced and read the paper aloud. It was a harder problem than the ones they had started with Yordar, but it was still simple enough for Mahon to come with a solution instantly.

“Hmph. At least you know something. Now, this one.”

Elmer handed him another problem which Mahon solved in the same fashion and soon both men were immersed in their little game. Elmer became more enthusiastic as Mahon resolved problem after problem, but at the same time, he was stubborn enough not to admit it and say that Yordar had been right about him.

However, this petty scheme played for long enough that Mahon got tired of it. Elmer was given him problems of the same difficulty. He hadn’t dared throw him a truly complicated one yet and find out if Mahon was able to solve it. But Yordar was an acute observer and saw through all of it.

“Elmer, stop beating around the bush. You’re really a child sometimes, I swear. Give him a real problem.”

Elmer grumbled but, having been caught, he executed and rummaged in his folder before handing a set of papers to Mahon. Mahon properly placed them on a somewhat clean desk nearby. This time, it was an exercise that would need his whole attention. They were not playing anymore and so he analyzed the documents with scrutiny.

But as soon as he started to dive in, he had to restrain a smile from creeping up.

You’re not going to like this, old man.

Mahon organized his thoughts for a minute before speaking. It was mainly to sort out what he would say, as there was no real need to ponder the problem. He already knew it very well. After taking a deep breath, he started his explanation.

“You chose an interesting problem. But let’s cut to the crap. We can skip most of the part happening here and there, it’s Last Green stuff. We all know what’s gonna happen and there are dozens of ways to counter it.” Mahon started as he pointed to some areas on the map he had pulled out.

“We could focus on that right flank where the situation might get out of control, but a deeper look easily reveals an inelegant but working solution. Anyway, I know at least three other prettier possibilities for this and I’m sure you do too. It’s Last Black stuff. Not very interesting.”

Elmer seemed ready to intervene at this point, but Yordar put an arm on his shoulder, preventing him from interrupting.

Perceptive man.

“The only truly interesting stuff we could discuss here is whether to sacrifice this man.”

Mahon placed his hand on the map and just above his finger it was elegantly written ‘Last Red’. This time, Elmer ignored Yordar and interrupted.

“You would consider sacrificing the Lone Wolf?!”

“It just says Last Red there, not Lone Wolf.”

Elmer threw him a bored look as if it was obvious one meant the other. Mahon decided to ignore him and continued.

“I admit whether sacrificing the commander or not can be hard to solve. On one hand, his sacrifice helps hundreds of soldiers, on the other, there is no Last Red anymore.”

At this point Elmer was eyeing Mahon suspiciously and so he had to wrap up his speech and conclude before the fun got away.

“But. The commander might not die. I believe he would survive such an encounter and so going with this false sacrifice is the best way to solve that situation. That’s my answer.”

Elmer deeply sighed at Mahon’s answer. “Bastard. It’s really you.”

Mahon grinned at him. “Hello, Elmer. How are you doing?”

Elmer didn’t hesitate another instant and opened his arms wide and went to hug Mahon. Surprised, Mahon accepted the display of affection and returned it warmly. As they let each other go under the satisfying smile of Yordar, Elmer pointed to the map.

“For the record, there is no way you would have survived that and you know it. It was the best decision.”

Mahon chuckled. “That old argument again? I must say I didn’t come empty-handed though. I have new information that could help you see the truth in that.”

“Do you really?” Elmer retorted with skepticism.

“Yes. I survived the general. And I can tell you this,” Mahon pointed at the map, “is nothing compared to it.”

There was a weird silence following Mahon's declaration as both men lost themselves in the painful memories of that day.

“To be honest, I wasn’t sure you were even alive.”

“Really? Didn’t the Council tell you?”

“When I reached your place, there was a monstrous dead Amentiae among bouts of humans scattered everywhere. But you were not there. The battle concluded, and you hadn’t reappeared. I was too busy the next few days to check and since then I didn’t go back to Nightmare. I wasn’t sure of anything.”

“Uh, sorry about that. Once the general dead, I was no longer useful. And I needed some time for myself.”

There was a small pause before Elmer spoke with a softer voice.

“I’m sorry for Margot. And the others.”

Mahon nodded but didn’t say anything. It was Yordar who again intervened in a timely manner.

“Let’s not look too long at the past. It’s good to see you training hard, Last Red Nightmare commander.”

Mahon chuckled sadly. “For what it’s worth… I’m not even capable of First Red in Ratho.”

“For now. But I believe our common friend Elmer might be able to help you.”

Mahon threw a suspicious glare at the man. “What’re you doing there, by the way?”

“Oh? Finally interested in something other than Nightmare?”

Their past relation was instantly restored and Mahon didn’t hesitate an instant before showing his respect to his elder.

“Shut up.”

Elmer chuckled happily.

I admit I had missed you a bit, old man.

“I’m a Last White.”

“They transferred your rank?!” Mahon asked, astonished.

“How can he be so smart and so dumb at the same time?” Elmer asked Yordar, but the professor shook his head and answered Mahon instead.

“He was a Last White commander in Ratho long before being one in Nightmare.”

“Hmm, ok… Yes, that makes sense. That’s why you constantly switched between both worlds?”

“Obviously. Also, I’m smart enough to know that staying too long in Nightmare is ill advised for your body, unlike some other people…”

“So why did you even go there, old fool?”

“In Nightmare? At first I was intrigued by how to move there, then by the strategy differences between both worlds and finally by the Lone Wolf... I tried to come more often as the end of the war approached.”

Mahon felt a bit ashamed never to have asked before. The only conversations he had had with the man was about battles. It had been the only person who could argue with him about Nightmare strategy, and they had spent long nights discussing it. Beside Margot, the man had been the closest to a friend he had had, but Mahon had never talked about anything else than strategy with him. Maybe it was not too late.

“You often pass at school?”

“Not really. But if you’re there, it might change.”

“We would like to offer you a deal.” Yordar intervened. “Elmer is probably both the best and only person who could help you sort out your Ratho-Nightmare problem. But although he was a Last White Nightmare commander, he didn’t spend that much time there. So in exchange for his teaching we would like you to write Nightmare battle scenarios.”

“Nightmare battle scenarios? But why? I’m pretty sure the Amentiae will not come back.”

“We never know… But consider it an old fool’s hobby that we would like to know more about Nightmare strategy and document it. You’re the person with the most battle experience in Nightmare and you’ve enough strategy understanding to help us. So what do you say?”

Mahon didn’t need to think twice about it. He needed someone to help him with Ratho strategy and Elmer was, without doubt, the perfect teacher for that. To draft some Nightmare scenarios in exchange was a small price to pay. And he might even like it.

“It’s a deal.”

“Great! Then let us meet every week at that time. Is that ok with you too, Elmer?”

“Yes, the boy is a monster. Even once a week, I'll soon have nothing to teach him anymore. At that point it’ll be your turn, Yordar.” Elemer then muttered to himself. “There are way too many monsters in this room for me.”

Yordar picked it up, however. “Say the man whose cumulated ranks in Ratho and Nightmare is the highest among all.”

“Don’t try this on me, old freak, you’re worth ten men like me.”

“You’re kidding. Don’t you remember the battle of…”

The men started squabbling like children and Mahon realized he had no idea what the professor’s rank actually was. As he watched them throw taunts and jests at each other, he decided to be the responsible one and put them back on track.

“Higher than Elmer? What rank are you exactly, Yordar?” Mahon interrupted.

“Oh? You don’t know?”

“The old monster is Last Blue, obviously. He is too shy to say it but he is leagues above us.” Elmer completed.

“You’re underestimating yourself! Don’t you recall that time whe…”

The two old strategists again started to bicker happily between themselves as a stunned Mahon sat on a nearby pile of books.

What did I get myself into?