Aeron returned to reality, his eyes adjusting as the vision faded. Standing before him was Segirus, his face clouded with sorrow—a deep, unshakable sadness. It was clear he too had witnessed the vision of Elira. Suddenly, agony and rage twisted across Segirus's expression. His memories surged back—of friends long gone, of laughter shared between him, Elira, and the others. All of it… now shattered.
He stood there—alone. No friends. No family. No cousin.
Except Aeron.
The boy standing before him was the last remnant of everything he once held dear. Elira's son. The child of her and Malik's love. Segirus knew that Aeron was not just family—he was all that remained.
And Aeron… Aeron knew that Segirus was the only family he had left too.
Breaking the silence, Aeron stepped forward.
"So… what is this rune, Segirus?"
Segirus gave him a soft smile.
"Call me 'Uncle.' After all… I am your mother's brother."
Aeron hesitated, then nodded.
"It's a bit weird… but okay. I'll call you Uncle."
Then, with a serious look in his eyes, he asked,
"But how do you know all this? About me. Who I really am. How did you find me? And how could you purify me from being a vessel of Xal'zyrath?"
Segirus chuckled softly, though his gaze remained heavy.
"It's a long story, kiddo. Are you sure you want to hear it?"
"I'm not a kid anymore," Aeron shot back, crossing his arms. "I'm sixteen. And yeah—I want to know everything."
Segirus raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Alright, alright. Let me tell you everything."
Aeron nodded, his eyes sharp with curiosity.
"Go on."
Segirus looked off into the distance, as if reaching into the past.
"You remember the vision? When Elira—your mother—used the last of her power to send me away?"
"Yeah," Aeron said, his voice low. He clenched his fist. "I remember."
"When I woke up," Segirus continued, "I found myself in a strange village... no, a different land. A land I now know exists within Vathis—but it was unlike anything I'd ever seen. Everything was green and alive. There were dawns, sunsets. A sun that shone golden and warm. A moon brighter than ours.
Nothing like the dead sun or faded moons of Vathis. No monsters, no horror lurking in the shadows. Just peace."
He paused.
"The villagers welcomed me like I was a miracle. Their eyes wide with awe. You see, I was the first Runeborn to set foot there in over a thousand years. The last one… was one of our ancestors. Alvor—the greatest of all Runeborn."
"Wait, Alvor? I've heard that name—" Aeron started.
Segirus nodded.
"Yes. The very same. As I looked closer, I saw their ears—long and pointed. Just like the forbidden species in the old books."
"Elves?" Aeron whispered.
Segirus smiled.
"Exactly. Real elves. And they told me the truth: this was a hidden realm—placed outside the eyes of the gods themselves. A world protected by ancient runes. Runes of creation, carved by Alvor himself."
Aeron's mind reeled.
"But... why would they hide? And what about the forbidden species?"
Segirus raised a hand.
"You'll learn more in time. But with your talent, I'd say we'll stay in this hidden library city for at least one or two years—just to build your foundation in Runic knowledge."
Aeron frowned.
"Two years? I don't have that long. I need to get strong enough to kill the gods."
Segirus burst out laughing.
"Kill the gods? Kid—none of us can do that. Not after the disappearance of the Great Runes…"
Aeron's voice hardened.
"What do you mean 'disappearance'?"
Segirus sighed.
"Exactly that. They vanished. No one could learn them. No one was born with the talent to even glimpse their power. No one… except Elira—your mother. She was the only scholar of the Forgotten Library who truly understood them. But she sacrificed it all—for me. And for you."
"Me?" Aeron asked. "Why me?"
"I remember," he said slowly, "when I was a kid… my mom sealed something inside me. I felt it—like it carved itself into my soul and my flesh."
Segirus's eyes narrowed.
"Really? And did you feel anything different after that?"
"Yeah. Before that, people said I was talented—blessed by Ozrath, my father said."
Segirus suddenly raised his hand, drawing a glowing symbol in the air: ᚨ (Ansuz) – The Rune of Knowledge. With a quick flick, he shot it into Aeron's chest.
"Ah—what the hell was that!?" Aeron winced.
Segirus's eyes glowed for a moment.
"Huh… So that's everything. I saw it all—your memories. Your suffering."
"You saw everything?" Aeron growled, his voice rising with anger. "You had no right—"
"I know. I'm sorry," Segirus said, lowering his head.
Aeron clenched his fists. "So you really know everything now, huh?"
Segirus nodded slowly.
"And from what I've seen, you still can't access all your talent."
"But I thought the seal was broken?"
Segirus shook his head.
"No. That was just the first layer of chains binding your true power. To break them fully, you'll need more knowledge—and more runes."
He stepped closer.
"That's why you're going to train here with me. In this library. In this city. You'll master the Basic Runes, the Elemental Runes, and everything in between."
Aeron nodded.
"So far, I've learned two: ᚱ (Velos) – Rune of Motion, and ᛁ (Stabilas) – Rune of Stability."
"Good," Segirus said. "Your next will be ᛒ (Bastion) – the Rune of Barriers. One of the most important defense runes you'll ever learn."
"But for now," Segirus said with a smile, "you need rest. Come. Let me take you to your mother's old house—where she lived when she was young."
He led Aeron through the winding streets of the hidden city, past ancient lanterns and stone-paved roads glowing faintly under moonlight. Eventually, they reached a small but beautiful house, covered in carved woodwork and rune-script along its frame.
Segirus turned to him.
"This is your mother's home. From now on, it's yours. My house is just next door—if you ever need anything."
Aeron stepped inside.
The scent of old wood and faded memories wrapped around him. He stood still in the entryway, as if the spirit of Elira lingered in the walls.
He whispered to himself,
"I'll make you proud, Mom…"
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