War is coming. 

Oh, they tried to assure me that everything I did was going to remain done. But that's not how time travel works. I should know; this isn't the first time I've been through all this. 

I've been their weapon three times already. They've captured me three times, and they've done their horrible works on me. The first time around, I was nothing more than any other ordinary peasant. It took me a long time to become accustomed to everything. I wet myself, trying to beg and plead to go back home, like the frightened-out-of-her-wits little girl I was. I was so naive back then. And then, after everything was over, they sent me back, telling me that I'd forget everything, and that I wouldn't be captured again, and that I wouldn't have to fight again. 

Bollocks. 

The second time around, I was happy to be home. I actually had 30 seconds of peace before I realized that the men were there. I cried out, again my naivety getting the better of me. But instead of listening, the men immediately shot me with a tranquilizer, capturing me again. Again, I cried, but I didn't wet myself that time. Instead, I focused on getting through the "training" as quickly as possible. I remember how confused the staff were when they saw my rapidfire progress through the tests. They knew something was up, but they didn't care. They merely wanted their super soldier, and they were excited to see how I seemed to know everything. 

On the third time around, I knew that I only had a minute, so I decided to try to escape. But before I did, I figured out the positions of all the attackers. Of course, I didn't make it away; they just tranq'ed me again. 

I was pissed, to say the least. After being promised, TWICE, that everything would go back to normal, I found myself at the beginning of this hellhole, A-FREAKING-GAIN! That time, I vowed that I'd get it all over with as quickly as possible, because I had a plan. 

Now, here I am again, 52 seconds from being rushed. I've already remembered what I was doing the first time around; playing with some "random" sticks. So I pretend that I'm playing with them again. 

I know, of course, that the sticks aren't random at all. The Thenagainians place these sticks on every world, and whoever makes a certain symbol with them gets taken. Unfortunately, first-round me made the symbol two days ago...relative to the current day on this planet...stupid temporal mechanics...so I can't just "not make the symbol" to make these guys go away. (And believe me; I tried to beg the Thenagainians to send me back to before I made the symbol. But, they said they couldn't. Stupid temporal mechanics laws!)

42 seconds left before they charge. Instead of doing random childish things with the sticks, I'm crafting them into one of the "mass area of effect" weapons they taught me how to build. 

15 seconds left. I've finished the weapon. Now I just need to make a sword to mount it on. 

2 seconds left. This body is extremely fatigued. I hope it has enough magic left to activate this!

1 second left. I hear the rush of footsteps in my direction. I quickly spin around. 

"ACTIVAT–MMPHMH!?"

One of the captors has covered my mouth! NOOOOOOO! This is not supposed to happen! I don't wanna be TAKEN again!

But before I can punch the living daylights out of anyone, I hear a voice. 

"It's about freaking time, kid!"

I recoil, as best as I can, anyway. I know that voice! The hand is removed from my mouth. 

"Stephan? What the HELL is going on!?"

"We don't want this war any more than you want to fight it. But we always need weapons, and weapon crafters."

"Still," I say. "I really don't get this. How are you HERE? I didn't meet you until a month from now!"

"On your second and third go-arounds, I was here the whole time. But, you tried running away once, and you tried calling out the other time. So we didn't have the chance to change anything."

"Stephan, what in Buddha's name are you talking about?"

"Like I said, we need weapons, and we need crafters. Of course we need soldiers, too, but if you prove yourself a crafter right away, the rule is that you don't get taken."

"Rule? What rule?"

"Didn't anyone tell you? Good grief, I knew HQ was incompetent, but this is just ridiculous. Look; we know that you've been through everything three times before. But we don't have a way of telling whether you've retained any knowledge. Some do, and some don't. So, if someone crafts when they return, they don't get taken. I'm sorry that you weren't told this before."

"And what of all that BS about not having to fight again?"

"You won't have to fight again. And, since you're now considered a Crafter, you can just stay here, if you want. All the shrinks were killed during the war; that's why we couldn't give you anything then. But now, the war hasn't happened yet. You don't have to go fight, and there are still plenty of qualified people to help you. I'm one of them, if you remember."

I fall, first on my knees, and then I sink my head to the moss near this tree. I begin sobbing. Stephan approaches me and places a hand on my shoulders. 

"You're not the first super soldier we've trained, and you won't be the last. But we're not monsters. Every time a soldier becomes a Crafter, that soldier stays home. Eventually, we'll have enough Crafters that we won't need super soldiers anymore. We'll just be able to win with Crafting."

I look at Stephan. "How can you Thenagainians be so cruel? No one should have to go through what I did, but since I won't now, you're just going to make someone else do it? Thoughts of being a Crafter don't sound so appealing to me, now that I know someone else will be put through everything I went through."

Stephan looks at me with sadness. "Remember how we provided you with weapons and spells? Those were all Crafted by previous super soldiers. But the thing is, once you become a Crafter, you only go through the timeline once. No more repeats. In fact, it's only a few who get sent back, and it's not by choice. I don't know what HQ told you, but every super soldier ends the war in the exact same way, with the exact same spell. Even if we don't provide it or teach it, every super soldier figures it out on their own."

Stephan continues, "The final spell cast by the super soldiers tears a hole in the space time continuum. The super soldier, along with HQ and whoever is also nearby, gets pulled in. I want things to be different; we all do. That's why we keep bringing in Crafters."

I nod as Stephan talks, somehow understanding everything. After a few more minutes of discussion, I finally agree to be a Crafter. 

Then, home. Back to my family is where I go. For them, it has only been a few minutes, but for me it's been over a hundred years since I saw them. The only thing that kept me going this whole time was the hope of someday returning to them; somehow returning to my everyday, mundane life. Now that I've agreed to be a Crafter, I know my life won't quite be ordinary, but at least I know that I'll have the support I need. 

But just for tonight, the little girl has returned home, and is happy to drink in the love from Mommy, Daddy, and my three siblings.