“I’m glad everything is progressing smoothly, guess I ll go meet Elias! Please be smoother Elias, you’re the hidden gem of Eldoria. Why you chose the simple life of a salt maker, despite your strength is a mystery to me” thought Aldeen to himself, before riding the Model-XII.
Eldoria stands as an oasis of tranquility in a world fraught with turmoil. Nestled within the secure embrace of its natural geography, the town has become impervious to invasion and simple to defend. Situated between colossal mountain ranges shielding its flanks and a vast, awe-inspiring sea enveloping its rear, Eldoria finds itself safeguarded on all sides by nature's formidable barriers.
Facing the outer world, a towering, enigmatic 80-foot mystical wall, impervious to spells, stands ancient and imposing. Its origin shrouded in mystery, adventurers venture beyond seeking hidden cities and monuments, hoping to unveil the secrets of this enigmatic barrier that has stood the test of time, defying all attempts at understanding its purpose. The wall serves as the city's frontline guardian.
Entry and exit are governed strictly, with only those from the Capital Faurecia and the town's own residents granted the privilege of unrestricted passage. This meticulous control ensures that Eldoria remains a haven of peace, shielded not only by the might of its surroundings but also by the discerning vigilance at its gates.
Meanwhile in the beach of Eldoria.
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"Pass me the ball, pass me the ball!" Orion shouted with excitement to his teammates, the sun casting a warm glow on the beach of Eldoria where they played football. However, his plea went unnoticed as his teammate rushed with the ball but was intercepted by the opposing team, resulting in a loss of possession. Disappointed, Orion quickly shifted his focus to defense.
After a determined effort, Orion managed to regain control of the ball. He swiftly passed it to a teammate, executed a one-two play, dribbled past the first and second defenders, and skillfully shot the ball into the right side of the goal, scoring a point. Turning around to share his joy with his teammates, Orion's triumph was short-lived.
"Orion! Can you stop shouting when I have the ball? Shout one more time, and I'm going to kick your ass!" Grilly, the teammate who had lost the ball earlier, voiced his frustration. Orion's expression shifted from a smile to anger as he retorted, "What are you talking about? That was the third time you lost the ball, you bullheaded papera."
Frowning, Grilly's muscles tensed, and he threw a right cross at Orion, causing him to fall to the ground. Orion attempted to regain his balance and stand up, but Grilly, being slightly older and heavier, was already on top of him. Seizing the advantage, Grilly tightly grabbed Orion's clothes and pushed him into the sand.
"Say that one more time! Come on!" Grilly demanded, his fury evident. Orion smirked and provocatively repeated, "Papera." This further fueled Grilly's anger, prompting him to hurl fists at Orion. Overwhelmed, Orion tried to grab Grilly's hands, managing to hold on for a moment.
Other players intervened to defuse the escalating situation. Some urged, "Come on, guys, it's just a game," while others remarked, "Man, Grilly needs to calm down." Amidst the commotion, opinions were divided, with some suggesting that Orion should avoid provoking Grilly in the future.
After that fight the game was ended, and everyone went to their homes, except Orion, who had to go watch his clothes in the beach to avoid the scolding of his mother.
After watching his clothes, he decided to contemplate the sun as it was setting, and his brief contemplation, he sees a light tray that goes and dances with the ocean, he closes his eyes and he start seeing weird shapes and multicolored smokes.
He smiles, and then continues to his home
"If only I were a bit stronger, I could put Grilly in his place. Why can't he just be friendly? Must I always play second fiddle and let him bask in the spotlight for us to be friends? Can't we just be friends, even if I am better than him in some ways?" pondered Orion.
"If I could master some xeno-arcanery, maybe I wouldn't have to endure his bullying anymore," Orion mused, considering the possibility of leveling the playing field with a new skill.
“But how could I? First of all, if I leave to study xeno-arcanery, who would help my father in salt making? Plus, he hates xeno-arcanery, he said that power corrupts. And my clingy mother would be left alone with father, I’m sure boredom and my father’s nagging would take a toll on her!”
“Ahhhh! Man life is not fair!”
"Damn them! Even if they oppose it, I'll learn xeno-arcanery. I heard the admission contest is less than a month away!" Orion declared, but as the words left his lips, a deep sense of dread settled within him. Visions of his parents' disappointment flashed before his eyes. "I... I can't do it," he whispered, overwhelmed by conflicting emotions and uncertainty about his future.
"Man, I don't even know a thing about xeno-arcanery. I have no money for books, I'm physically average, can't afford Chrono-technology, and most of my friends are bullies. What am I supposed to do?" Orion pondered, feeling trapped by his circumstances and the daunting path ahead.
On his way home, Orion, a cheerful kid, paused in front of the chrono-technology store, its small glass windows. He spotted a child inside, adorned in fancy clothes, accompanied by their father, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. Glancing at his own reflection in the window, he observed his girly facial features, framed by black hair and piercing blue eyes.
"Just relax! It's going to be okay," Orion murmured, trying to uplift himself from the negative mood. He recalled the comforting words of his late grandfather, "Never give up, Orion! What's important is living with honor," echoed his grandfather's voice in his mind. "One day, like me, you will die, and you'll understand. Remember, worrying won't change a thing! Blaming others won’t change a thing! How does it help...? To make troubles heavier by bemoaning them “Orion repeated the wise words to himself, finding solace in the guidance of his beloved late grandfather.
As Orion made his way home, he encountered his neighbors, the cheerful residents of the quaint street where he lived. Mrs. Jenkins, the elderly widow with a warm smile, waved from her porch as she tended to her colorful garden of blooming flowers. Orion exchanged pleasantries with her, admiring the vibrant array of blossoms that adorned her yard.
Further down the street, he crossed paths with Mr. and Mrs. Patel, the friendly couple known for their delicious homemade sweets. They greeted Orion with hearty laughs and offered him a sample of their latest creation, a batch of freshly baked cookies that filled the air with a mouthwatering aroma.
While devouring the freshly baked cookies, Orion chuckled between mouthfuls. "See, all I had to do was relax! Now I've got cookies in my mouth," he exclaimed with a mischievous grin, savoring the sweet taste of victory over his worries.
With a renewed sense of spirit, Orion bid farewell to his neighbors, grateful for their uplifting presence in his life. As he reached his doorstep, he saw the Model-XII right in front of his home.
Crouching before the Model-XII, he scrutinizes its intricate designs, only to be startled by the Faurecia sigil—a mark of the mighty Archon-Aldeen. Shocked, he stumbles backward, realizing Aldeen is in his home.
His mouth agape, his mind freezes. Recollections of imaginative football games on the beach flood his thoughts.
Am I meant to spend my entire life on the beach, working, eating, sleeping, and interacting with ordinary people?
He dreamt of becoming an Archon, but his circumstances rendered it nothing more than a dream. Yet, with Aldeen now in his home, the heroic deeds attributed to the Archon, the tales whispered in taverns, the enigmatic spells, the mysteries of Xeno-arcanery, and chrono technology—all that seemed impossible to him is now in his home.
He slowly stood on his feet, then opened the door.
Archon Aldeen sat in a wooden chair, his legs crossed, and the chain of his pocket watch peeking from a pocket in his blue coat.
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His mother, adorned in a humble green robe, served tea to the Archon, while his father engaged in conversation with Aldeen, seated across from him.
"Thank you," replied Aldeen graciously to Orion's mother as she handed him the tea. Elias, Orion's father, noticed his son's presence. "Finally back from the beach?" he remarked. "By the way, this is my son, Orion."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Orion. I hope you're enjoying your time." Replied Aldeen.
The frozen Orion nodded awkwardly in agreement, his movements still sluggish as he struggled to fully regain his composure.
"What brings you here, Aldeen?" inquired Elias.
"Straight to the point, I see. You haven't changed much," remarked Aldeen with a hint of amusement.
"Well, I'd be lying if I said I only came to check up on the only man to ever escape from Vornvegr." He further added.
Orion stood frozen near the door, his mind struggling to comprehend the surreal scene unfolding before him. The realization that the High Archon was engaged in conversation with his father, a humble salt maker, was a reality his psyche struggled to accept.
"Escape from Vornvegr?! What?!" Orion in shock, in confusion and disbelief. Elias had never disclosed their origin to him, and now, hearing the Archon mention it to his father, Orion felt a wave of astonishment wash over him.
"That was a long time ago. Now, I'm simply a mere salt maker," Elias said with a hint of resignation, his voice carrying the weight of past struggles and secrets kept hidden.
"I find it hard to believe," remarked Aldeen, his tone tinged with skepticism as he regarded Elias with a penetrating gaze.
Then Elias, notices his son still standing near the door, his head was down, and for a moment, it looks as if black smoke was coming out of him. Elias, couldn’t perceive it, however intuitively he knew something was off with his son. His attention shifted towards Orion, then he said;
"Orion, my son, it's not polite to linger near the door and listen in on private conversations. Could you please find something to occupy yourself elsewhere? Perhaps you could go to your room for a while."
Aldeen, glanced normally at Orion, his mouth slightly agape in shock. However, thanks to the constant inhaling of smoke he had to go through to meet sage Willow, he perceived the black smoke more accurately, realizing the significance of the situation.
Is that the smoke of Xelar?! He thought to himself.
Unconsciously, Aldeen rose to his feet and directed his gaze towards the spaced-out Orion. "Phew... there is some white and green in there too. This poor kid must be having a bad day!" he thought sympathetically, recognizing the various emotions swirling within Orion's aura.
"Is everything okay?" Elias inquired, noticing Aldeen's unconscious reaction and feeling concerned about the sudden shift in atmosphere.
"Yeah, don’t worry about it. Anyway, I’m about to ask you something, which I know you won’t like! But it has to be done!" Aldeen, stated with a stern expression, preparing Elias for a difficult conversation ahead.
Elias slightly leaned back before responding, "Sure, anything I can do for you. I will gladly do," his willingness to assist evident in his tone despite the anticipation of what Aldeen's request might entail.
“Before you say anything, please just listen until I finish, okay?” said Aldeen.
“Yes sure” said Elias.
“I want you to go back to Vornvegr and entice them to buy salt. Unless we expand our trade routes to the east, we won’t be able to pay the tribute in the near future. Also, the rebels from Jambodia…” Aldeen’s words were abruptly interrupted as Elias slammed his fist on the table, causing the cup of tea Aldeen was drinking from to fall and shatter on the ground.
"The nerve! You know better than anyone what sort of people the tyrants in Vornvegr are! I still have nightmares about the hell I went through to escape from there with my wife! And now you ask me to go back there! Get out of my house! Now!" Elias's voice rang with anger and pain as he vehemently rejected Aldeen's request.
"I know, just hear me out," Aldeen pleaded, attempting to soften the tension with a lighter tone.
"Get out now!" demanded Elias, his voice resolute and unwavering.
"What is wrong with you, Elias? Isn’t the comfortable life you are now living, the peace in Eldoria, a reason for you to go make this place prosper even more?" Aldeen tried to convince him, appealing to Elias's sense of duty and the potential benefits for their community.
"Get the fuck out!" Elias's words were sharp and final, expressing his vehement rejection of Aldeen's request.
"Ok, I will get out. But, know this! The peace you’re now enjoying won’t last for long! Even Vornvegr was once a peaceful place. But, people grew softer, and stopped challenging themselves, they stopped doing what is right, and it became the hell it became!" Aldeen's warning carried a weight of foreboding as he emphasized the potential consequences of complacency.
"Enjoy your monotonous life while you can. Our children won’t have the luxury of enjoying it, I guess!" Aldeen's words echoed with a sense of resignation and concern for the future.
“What did you say?” Elias, infused his right hand with energy and threw a right cross toward Aldeen in pure anger. Aldeen directed his energy toward his face and took the blow head on. The impact broke the windows and the wooden table split into two.
Orion collapsed on the stairs, stunned to realize that his father possessed the knowledge of xeno-arcanery. The revelation shook him to his core, shattering his perception of his father's identity.
"Does that satisfy you? Unlike you, Elias, I haven't stopped training. Your xeno-arcanery was once filled with courage, power, and duty. Now it's filled with fear, cowardice, and laziness!" Aldeen's words cut through the tension like a knife as he turned to leave the house.
"See you!" With that final remark, Aldeen departed, leaving behind a palpable atmosphere of tension and unresolved conflict.
As Aldeen, left the house. “I’m sorry!” a small tear came out of Aldeen’s face. As Aldeen left the house, a small tear escaped his eye. He couldn't help but feel remorseful, realizing that the task he asked of Elias was not an easy one.
Vornvegr is a land filled with horror and despair. Citizens were subjected to the cruel manipulation of xeno-arcanery, transforming them into slaves. Their ruler, rumored to be a non-human entity coming out of a portal, reveled in grotesque spectacles of violence and degradation. Escape attempts were futile, as the ruler possessed inhuman senses and employed guards equipped with xeno-arcanery rings to ensure compliance. The mere thought of the atrocities inflicted upon the people of Vornvegr weighed heavily on Aldeen's conscience.
Luna rushed to check on her husband Elias, finding him collapsed on his knees and overcome with tears. ”It’s going to be okay, Elias. Don’t mind him. I have been with you for 30 years, you have many weaknesses, but a coward was never one of them,” she comforted him, her voice filled with reassurance and love.
He grabs the hand of his wife, and his tears started to slowly dry out.
He then goes near a water bowl and tries to wash his face. He finally washes his face and gathers his composure only to hear his wife screaming.
"Orion! Orion! Ahhh…!" Luna cried out in panic, her voice filled with fear and distress. Rushing to her son's side, she gently shook him, trying to rouse him from his collapsed state. "My son! Orion! What is wrong with you?" she pleaded, her heart pounding with worry as she desperately sought to understand what had caused his sudden collapse.
Elias took notice of this and hurried to see his son. “Nooo! Orion! Nooo!”
With adrenaline coursing through his veins, Elias swiftly lifted his son onto his shoulder and hurried outside, his only thought to fetch a doctor as quickly as possible. Determination etched on his face, he sprinted through the streets, his heart pounding with urgency as he sought help for his beloved son.
The unusual sight of Elias rushing out of his house with his son on his shoulder drew curious glances from the neighbors. Whispers and murmurs filled the air as they speculated about what could be happening in the house of Elias. Some exchanged concerned looks, while others hesitated, unsure if they should intervene or offer assistance. The atmosphere was tense with uncertainty as they watched Elias disappear down the street, leaving behind a sense of unease lingering in the neighborhood.
With a sense of urgency, Elias finally reached a doctor's office. He burst through the door with force, startling the nurses occupying the front desk.
"Please, help my son! I don’t know what is wrong with him. He just collapsed. He is my only son!" Elias pleaded, his voice filled with desperation as he sought immediate assistance for his beloved child.
The doctor came out of his office.
The doctor, startled by Elias's urgency, quickly assesses the situation and springs into action.
Doctor: "Please, bring him over here. Let's lay him down on this examination table. What happened? Did he hit his head? Any recent illnesses or injuries?"
Elias: "No, he just collapsed suddenly at home. He's never had anything like this happen before. Please, you have to help him!"
Doctor: "Alright, we'll run some tests and see what's going on.” He pointed to the nurses “I need you to prepare the examination room and get the necessary equipment”
Nurse 1: "Yes, doctor!"
Nurse 2: "Right away, doctor!"
The nurses quickly spring into action, bustling around the examination room to prepare it for the doctor's assessment. They retrieve medical equipment, prepare the patient's chart, and ensure that everything is in place for the examination.
Meanwhile, the doctor begins to perform a thorough assessment of Orion's condition, carefully checking his vital signs and asking Elias more questions about his son's medical history.
During this moment, images of Orion’s questions about xeno-arcanery, his persistent curiousity about the adventures dawned upon Elias. Elias's thoughts raced as he grappled with the realization of his potential role in his son's collapse.
“I killed his ambition! The comfortable life I offered my son, filled with safety and security, was lacking in passion, adventure, and ambition—the very elements that give life its meaning. Even I had dreams before! Anytime he asks me about xeno arcanery, I would just brush it aside. I didn’t even tell him I used to live in Vornvegr! I never thought it would impact him this much. I guess I don’t even know who my son is!"
In his pursuit to shield Orion from the dangers of the world, Elias had inadvertently deprived him of the opportunity to truly live and thrive. It was a sobering revelation.
Each realization weighed heavily on Elias's conscience, flooding him with a mix of guilt, regret, and a newfound determination to make things right.
With tears streaming down his face, Elias clasped his collapsed son's hand tightly.
"I'm sorry, son. I'm so sorry. I only did it for your benefit," he sobbed, his voice choked with emotion.
To his surprise, Orion's hand slightly moved, and then his eyes fluttered open, meeting his father's tear-streaked face. Nearby, the doctor stood with an ampoule filled with vitamins, ready to administer the necessary care.
"It’s going to be okay, father! It’s okay! My grandfather told me it’s going to be okay!” Orion's reassurance filled the room with a glimmer of hope, offering solace to Elias in the midst of their shared turmoil.