20 years ago
Summary: Five years after Ultima’s defeat, those left behind have no choice but to push onward in a world still on the precipice of ruin. Left with all that remains of Clive—her twin boys—both Jill and Joshua do all that can be to ensure the world they grow up in is one of less strife and struggle than what came before. But the destruction of the crystals and the god that created them has left the aether and eikons in a state of chaotic distress that plagues the entirety of Valisthea. And now, to have received a letter from the north about stone bearers coming back to life, Jill has a new mystery to unfold.
At the same time, Clive finds himself waking on what he thinks must be the eastern Rosarian coast, though how he arrived there, he doesn’t know. Nor has he any idea how much time has passed since that final fight with Ultima. But as he begins to investigate, he sees a battle of eikonic proportions in the distance, one that revives old, bitter memories. Ifrit, perhaps, can make up for wrongs wrought so long ago.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, a shadow manipulates them all, his eyes set on those who would become dominants and tools both.
Chapter 2
Per Great Uncle Byron’s directions, they were taking a break for lunch. They’d found a nice bit of Rosarian countryside, where only a few monsters had skulked around until the shields had scared them off. Perfect for a meal and some “downtime.”
Humming to himself, Clive ever so delicately fingered the petals of what Sir Patrick had told him were “Firecone flowers.” They had black, bulbus middles and bright red petals that drooped down around them. Not wanting to disrupt the natural order or pick the flowers so they’d die, Clive stayed crouched in the tall grass and continued with his simple tune.
A few yards further down the hill, Onyx was pecking at the dirt, Clive smiling every time he happened to catch the big black bird out of the corners of his eyes. He knew Onyx hadn’t meant to step on him before, so he hadn’t held anything against him.
Some to the left, Elwin had drawn his wooden practice sword and was swinging at the weeds, shouting out a well-timed “hiya!” or “take that you plum-bellied geezard!” every time he sent some leaves splashing down around the ground. He tripped and fell once, only to pop back up and claim that “he wouldn’t be caught unawares again!”
Just to Clive’s left, Torgal lay panting in the grass, eyes drooping lazily as he stared out across the bank.
“Oh no,” Clive murmured quietly to himself upon finding a firecone that had somehow been severed from its base. Recently, by the look of it, as it seemed very much alive aside from being picked.
Twirling the flower around between his fingers, he kept humming as he flopped to the side, landing with his head in Torgal’s fur. Holding the flower up above his head, he managed to block out the sun, which was already saturated by clouds. One eye closing, he stared at the shadowed silhouette, as it looked much bigger held up before the sun than it actually was, and wondered what it was like to be a dominant.
He wondered about such things a lot. His father had been Ifrit, his mother was Shiva. Uncle Joshua was the phoenix. Even Elwin…
He was the only one that wasn’t. He didn’t quite get it either. Uncle Joshua had said something once, about how it was in their blood, being dominants. That it was why Elwin could be one even when other people couldn’t. That their family had always passed down the powers of the phoenix, and now they had Shiva too. And Ifrit.
Sometimes, it made Clive… really mad, being left out. Uncle Joshua said that the duchy used to only have the phoenix, and that the people from the north—where his mother was from—always had Shiva. But a second eikon of fire—his father—had been new, just like a second eikon of thunder—his brother—was also new.
Well, Elwin wasn’t the “second” eikon of thunder. Uncle Joshua had said he was… “remade,” after the fight with Ultima. But Clive didn’t know anything about that.
All he did know was that if new eikons, or remade ones, could happen, then why couldn’t he be one too?
His mother said that it was good he wasn’t a dominant—that being one wasn’t very nice all the time, and that it was a heavy burden to bear.
Clive didn’t know much about all that either. But even if it was true, it still didn’t feel very fair. Everyone in his family were dominants, but he’d never even seen an eikon before.
Even Torgal had powers…
Tune taking a downturn in tone, Clive allowed his flower to drop upon his face. One of the petals fell loose and attempted to sneak in between his lips, so he blew it away.
“Pup?”
Turning toward his brother, Clive brushed the rest of the flower from his face, while Torgal halted in his panting and turned Elwin’s way as well.
Elwin, who had desisted murdering weeds, wooden sword going limp at his side. Standing straight, he was staring down the bank behind Clive, mouth hanging just slightly open, head cocked in a curious manner.
“What?” Clive asked as he sat up. But Elwin didn’t reply, only kept staring.
Behind Clive, Torgal got to his feet and, tail held aloft and alert, faced the same direction as Elwin. Together, they stared, even as Clive glanced between them.
“What’s wrong?” Clive asked when the silence had gone on a little too long.
Eyebrows furrowing until a crease appeared, Elwin finally said, “I don’t know. I… feel something.”
silketara