22 - Long-Overdue Explanations
Ever since Valrion began forming proper words around the age of two, he had been relentless in his mission to question his family about the terms he overheard. Naturally, at that age, constructing a sentence like, “Can you explain everything about Eru over the past millennium, and perhaps tell me where the Twelve Eidolons are?” was impossible.
Instead, his efforts consisted of fragmented words and enthusiastic gestures that only elicited amused chuckles from those around him.
His first deliberate attempt to inquire about the Liberators occurred roughly two months after his second birthday. Much to his dismay, his family dismissed it as nothing more than typical toddler gibberish.
In all fairness, the word “Liberators” emerged from his lips as a garbled “li-bla-blo”. When he tried “evokers”, it resulted in breathy “e-woo-hoo” as if he was blowing off on a hot spoonful of stew. As for “escapees”, the word was too complex for his young mouth that even the most experienced midwife in Eru wouldn’t understand it.
“Did you say ‘eidolons’?” his mother had asked once, startled as she watched him toddle around the side yard where a row of colorful flowers with small, delicate petals had been planted just a few months earlier.
His heart swelled with hope as he nodded vigorously, eager to finally learn more. However, his word came out as “ei-o-oh”, falling short of its intended meaning. He repeated it several times, but each effort was met with his mother’s lighthearted laughter. She ended up playfully tickling his stomach, completely oblivious to his growing frustration.
News of his father funding various missions related to the Liberatos surfaced from time to time, though it was always through hushed conversations among the maids as they went about their chores. Valrion even waited for a Liberators meeting to be held at his house or for Firmus to visit again, but it never happened. Deep down, he understood why it wouldn’t have been the safest choice.
He even tried pestering Octavia about why she hadn’t gone on another mission since that one time when he was three months old, tugging at her dress or trailing her through the house. Each attempt emerged as jumbled, strained syllables. Mistaking his efforts for choking, Octavia panicked and screamed for his mother’s help, sending the household into a frenzy.
The more Valrion tried to communicate, the more his family regarded him as an overjoyed toddler with too much energy. Every word he managed to say was always labeled “adorable” or “cute”.
Eventually, he gave up. Why bother when no one would take him seriously? Why try when everything he said was brushed off as meaningless babble? Though the exasperation tore at him, he resolved to channel his focus elsewhere—stabilizing his walk or refining his elemental power. Those, at least, he could control.
Today, the day after his third birthday, Valrion decided to find at least one satisfying answer to the questions that had lingered in his mind for years. His words were clearer now, and the timing felt right with what Octavia had shared the previous night.
After breakfast with his mother, he let her disappear into her study, leaving him free to venture into the backyard. The early winter air was crisp, and a thin layer of snow blanketed the ground, barely concealing the patches of green grass underneath. Dried leaves were scattered across the yard, framed by slender trees stripped bare for the season.
By the well, Fina sat surrounded by three baskets, diligently washing clothes. Nearby, Octavia hung freshly washed linens to dry. Her cheerful humming resonated through the yard with a new melody. As Valrion approached her, he couldn’t help but imagine her as a world-famous singer someday.
“Octavia,” Valrion called, stumbling over the “c” in her name, but he didn’t care. “Please answer.”
Startled, Octavia turned, a linen sheet half-pinned to the line. “Yes? Answer what, Valrion?”
“Promise you will,” he said, missing the “r”.
The maid chuckled, crouching slightly to meet his gaze. “All right. I promise. What’s your question?”
He took a deep breath, his tiny fists clenched at his sides. “What’s a fire eidolon? And fire summoner?”
The question hung in the air with a weight far beyond his three years. His pronunciation could use some work, but his gaze was unwavering. Surely, she would understand this time—he wasn’t making up words.
“Oh. The thing I mentioned last night, yes?” she asked.
He nodded.
“Eru has Twelve Eidolons. They’re like, uh, our guardians. Do you know what a guardian is?”
He nodded again. He didn’t need any explanation about who the Twelve Eidolons were— that much was already clear to him. What he truly wanted was to understand how the people of Eru now perceived them, but he couldn’t yet articulate such a complex thought.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
“All right,” Octavia began. “The Twelve Eidolons represent the twelve elements of Eru. Fire is one of them, and since you have a fire element, it means the Fire Eidolon has blessed you with her power.” She paused, tapping her chin as if searching for the right words. “How do I put this? Some eidolons belong to our kingdom. They fight alongside us. Summoners are chosen individuals who can call forth eidolons corresponding to their elemental power. Does that make sense? I’ve used some big words. I think I’m confusing you—”
“We own eidolons?” Valrion interrupted, face scrunching into a frown. So Octavia wasn’t spitting nonsense last night. Summoners were elemental wielders who could summon eidolons, but why was this necessary? How did this happen? With every revelation, his heartbeat quickened.
“Summoners make pacts with eidolons. That’s how they can summon them,” Octavia continued, sounding more patient than before. “Our kingdom has gathered four so far, radiance, wind, fire, and earth. That means we have four summoners in total. Summoners are high-ranked evokers. Evokers are elemental wielders who fight for the kingdom. They do all sorts of important things, like protecting us from the Empire and trying to locate the other eidolons.”
Valrion’s mind raced as he tried to process everything Octavia had said. The concepts of summoners, pacts, and ownership felt fundamentally wrong to him, stirring an uncomfortable dread within.
He hesitated before asking, “The Empire?”
“The Esperian Empire,” Octavia clarified. “They’re our enemies, I suppose. That’s the simplest way to explain it.”
Before Valrion could ask more, Fina appeared, carrying another basket of wet clothes, which she set down beside Octavia’s. “A history lesson, is it?” she chimed in. “It’s about time Valrion started learning about the world, especially since his family is always causing trouble.”
“But I think it’s still too much information for him,” Octavia remarked. “I’m sure he barely understood half of what I said.”
Fina chuckled. “Aren’t children curious about everything? If Valrion weren’t, he wouldn’t be asking all these questions.”
“How many eidolons does the Empire have?” Valrion interjected before the maids could continue their banter. It was the most complicated sentence he had ever managed, and somehow, it tired him a little.
“From what we know, three,” Octavia replied. “Darkness, lightning, and ice.”
Fina suddenly sighed heavily. “Without the Radiance and Earth Eidolons, our kingdom wouldn’t stand a chance. How else could we fend off the Empire’s relentless attacks?”
“Attack? Why?” Valrion went on.
“Because everyone is a bad person who wants to rule the world,” Octavia answered nonchalantly as if it was normal for two nations to wage war over collecting eidolons.
“But why summon the eidolons?” With each question, Valrion sounded even more desperate.
Fina shrugged. “I heard it’s because they love humans so much that they want to serve us.”
Octavia laughed. “Is that so? Not all of them seem particularly benevolent, though.”
It was obvious that neither Octavia nor Fina had the answers Valrion sought. Valrion’s thoughts whirled as he tried to assemble the bits and pieces of information.
Could Heaven have cursed the eidolons? Was it connected to his rebirth a thousand years later? Something must have happened— something lost to history, as humans likely wouldn’t have accurately preserved records from long ago. Whether it occurred right after his banishment or much later, it didn’t diminish the significance of the mystery.
“What about the escapees and the Liberators?” he let on another question. His pronunciation was still choppy but understandable.
Fina’s eyes widened briefly before narrowing playfully. “Oh my, Valrion has been eavesdropping, hasn’t he?”
Octavia’s expression darkened, and she hesitated before muttering under her breath, “How do we explain this one now?
“Let me try,” Fina offered, lowering herself to kneel at Valrion’s level. Her tone was calm as she spoke, “The Kingdom forces all elemental wielders to fight for them whether they like it or not. These people are called the evokers. The Liberators? They’re a group that opposes such a cruel rule. Your family is part of that. Do you understand?”
“Oh.” Valrion blinked, most of the answers already coming together in his mind “And escapees?”
Fina smiled again. “Escapees are people who managed to escape from the military force.”
[Main Quest updated: Capture the Twelve Eidolons]
[EXP +50]
[Main Quest updated: A New Era]
[EXP +175]
[Level 3 > Level 5]
[Health increased to 297]
[Mana increased to 31]
[Capture the Twelve Eidolons (0/12)
➤ Your enemies aren’t just the Twelve Eidolons but also the Kingdom of Luxellum and the Esperian Empire, both fighting to gain control over all eidolons. How will you navigate this volatile conflict?]
[A New Era
➤ There’s something off about how elemental wielders are treated in Eru. It seems your family is trying to protect them, including you, from the government, but you can’t put your finger on what it is. At least you know that’s why they don’t seem too thrilled about your power.]
By the end of it, years of his assumptions were correct, but he had also learned why his father rejected his elemental power. It all made sense now. No wonder Sergius had laughed that night, musing about how the kingdom might react if they discovered his ability. If they were desperate enough, they might have forced him into the military at an unnaturally young age.
While expected, the validation felt like a burden he hadn’t realized he was carrying had finally been lifted. Sunlight filtered through the fluttering clothes on the line, and a spark ignited within him. There was still one question left about the summoners, but the knowledge he had gained now served as a nudge, propelling him forward.
“Anything else, Valrion?” Octavia asked.
When Valrion remained silent, she let out a small scoff, smiling softly before turning to exchange a few quiet words with Fina. Together, they began wringing out the damp clothes and hanging them on the lines.
Valrion barely registered their conversation, his mind alight with newfound realizations that wouldn’t quiet down. His gaze fixed on Octavia’s face, studying the subtle shifts in her expression—the firmness in her jaw, the faint crease of concentration on her forehead.
“Octavia,” he said, his voice steady despite the sudden storm in his head. “Are you an escapee?”