The Last War (Book #9 of the Sage Saga) by Julius St. Clair Page A

Fear and death were his masters, looming over him and trying to impose their will on his being. Eventually, one of them would win, and he wouldn’t be himself anymore. It hurt too much to be an individual.
    James glanced at Catherine as they walked and he wondered if she already knew this. Perhaps this was why she focused so much on the people—she figured out a long time ago that her personal desires were nothing when weighed against the greater good. Sure, they took their time out for a little leisure, and occasionally they even had a year or two of peace, but it never lasted. It wasn’t in their nature…so what were they fighting for? If they were always fighting for peace, and peace never lasted, what was the point? Sure, others would be given peace—the non-fighters—but even they had their own wars to fight. It may not be a violent one, but it was conflict just the same, so what was the point? Why bother?
    “We can fight in a way that others can’t,” Catherine said, as if reading his thoughts. They continued to walk casually along the meadow’s grass, already beginning to frost over from a foreign winter season. “That’s why we have to do this. As bad as it is to shed another’s blood, it will be even worse should the bad guys win. We won’t even have a moment of peace then.”
    “Trying to justify what we’re doing?” James asked.
    “I am,” she replied. “I…I wish we didn’t have to leave them, but there’s no choice. Not if Kyran and Chloe are going to come after us like that.”
    “I wish we didn’t have to fight at all,” he said, but she shook her head.
    “I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for the Academy. Serving the people is what I live for, and that was my goal. Anything else was a lie. Sure, it was nice to become a Sage and unleash your eidolon for the first time and see the world through new lenses. It was even more awesome when we learned how to transform a bit, but even then, it was a superficial transformation. It’s not like the flaws within us changed, and our enemies keep on getting stronger to compensate for our increases in power. But we’ll get the upper hand at some point. This machine of the Ancient Knights truly sounds like their end game.”
    “What do you think they intend to do with it? Specifically?”
    “That’s the question,” Catherine said, cupping her chin. “If they can travel back in time to change something, what would it be exactly? Chaining Bastion to the machine?”
    “We’ve only met the Knights that were exiled so far, so it’s hard to say, but I think making sure the Great Collision didn’t happen won’t be good enough. With word of the Sorcerers looming over us, I’m sure that they will consider them in their plans.”
    “But we know so little about them…how are they going to do that?”
    “If it was us, what would we do?”
    “Lure them out somehow and study them, but it’s risky. They’re supposed to be all-powerful.”
    “No one is,” James scoffed. “Not after what we learned about Thorn all those years ago.”
    “Still, what he was able to acquire was impressive, and sometimes strategy is even more terrifying than brute strength.”
    “So where do we fit in? Besides dodging our friends back there, we have to figure out a way to end this war once and for all. It’s the only way I can get a nap in.”
    “Ugh,” Catherine laughed. “Whenever I hear you mention the word ‘nap,’ I cringe because I think of the boy you used to be.”
    “Dashingly handsome.”
    “Uh-huh. Now you’re all dead and peeling.”
    “What?!” he cried, rubbing his fingers across his cheek. “No, I’m not!”
    “No,” she giggled. “But I wouldn’t be surprised. I keep forgetting that you’re not technically alive. You’re a…what do they call you now? A Deja! That’s it.”
    “And you’re a Fleshy.”
    “That’s not a thing.”
    “I just made it up, and I’m going to spread it around.”
    “That’s a gross