34 - The Call That Lingers

  Valrion and Sergius tread carefully through the deepening woods, their cautious movements weaving through the dense underbrush and protruding roots. Valrion’s breath remained uneven, the enigmatic voice from earlier ringing relentlessly in his mind. Had it been anything other than “Son of Heaven” he might have dismissed it as daylight hallucination, but the voice had undeniably called out to him.

  Every so often, Valrion cast a glance over his shoulder, searching the shadows among the trees for any sign of motion. He didn’t spot anything unusual—no figures lurking, no disturbances beyond the sway of branches, and the occasional murmur of leaves stirred by the breeze. The tranquil stillness only deepened the strangeness of the words that lingered in his thoughts, making its presence felt even more incongruous.

  Ahead, Sergius walked steadily, his eyes shifting over the terrain with careful attention. Breaking the quiet, he began, “What exactly did you hear back there?”

  Valrion glanced up. Several minutes had passed since the incident, the silence between them thick with unspoken questions and confusion. It was clear Sergius had been wrestling with his fear, hesitant to voice them until now.

  “Just someone calling my name,” Valrion admitted after a pause.

  “Maybe it was me?” Sergius guessed.

  “Did you call me?”

  “I did not.”

  Valrion heaved a sigh. He appreciated Sergius for wanting to lighten the mood, but he proceeded, “So, it was more like a title.”

  “A title?” Sergius asked. “What kind of title?”

  Valrion fell silent, grappling with how to convey the truth.

  “Like Cassius Martelli’s son?” Sergius continued, his tone holding a playful edge.

  Valrion chuckled, the tension easing ever so slightly. “Not exactly that.”

  To Valrion’s relief, Sergius halted before the conversation could go further. He raised a hand, signaling for Valrion to stop. “Another rabbit,” he announced quietly.

  Valrion straightened, clearing his wandering thoughts. He tightened his grip on the bow, its familiar weight offering reassurance. The rabbit Sergius had pointed out dashed through the ferns in a quick blur of white, heading northwest. Valrion nocked the arrow he had been holding since the previous kill, drew the string, and released it. The arrow flew straight, striking its target with precision. The rabbit dropped instantly, and Valrion heaved a long sigh, lowering his bow afterward.

  “Nice shot,” Sergius said as he approached the animal. He crouched, inspected the arrow briefly, and then removed it before placing the rabbit into the sack. “This one’s a good size. One more, and we’ll call it a day.”

  Valrion smiled. Though the voice still nagged at him, he had to admit that the hunt was progressing far better than he had expected, almost as if the forest itself had chosen to favor him. He forced himself to push the thought aside as Sergius handed back his arrow, and together, they went further into the woods.

  Moments later, Sergius stopped abruptly and pointed toward a spot where a rabbit stood alone, its ears twitching at the slightest noise. Valrion acknowledged the signal with a slight nod, his movements measured as he readied his shot. The arrow flew true, hitting its mark cleanly, and the rabbit collapsed to the ground.

  “Good job,” Sergius remarked as he stepped forward to retrieve the final rabbit. Removing Valrion’s arrow, he placed the animal in the sack and stood up. “You’re improving,” he added with a sidelong glance at Valrion.

  Valrion lowered his bow, a smirk tugging at his lips. “But I did all the work.”

  Sergius chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m the one carrying this sack. Unless you also plan to gut the rabbits later, I would say that I have it harder.”

  Valrion couldn’t help but grin, the lighthearted banter dispelling the worry that had hung in the air moments before. At least, that was how it felt for him.

  “I would usually take a moment to scout around—maybe find some wild mushrooms,” Sergius said. “But something feels off today. Is it okay if we head back now?”

  Valrion opened his mouth, intending to suggest they stay a little longer in hopes of hearing the mysterious call again, but Sergius had already started toward the forest’s entrance. With a resigned sigh, Valrion followed after him.

  As they walked, the muted rustle of leaves gave way to a reflective quiet. Sergius strode with purpose while Valrion trailed slightly behind, his thoughts circling back to the unresolved mystery. The silence must have caused him to worry again, but he couldn’t find the proper words to say without terrifying Sergius. It would be hilarious if this ended up being the reason Sergius didn’t want to bring him to the forest again.

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  When they reached Centurion, Sergius secured the sack of the three rabbits to the horse’s side. “You did really well for your first day,” he praised right after.

  Valrion managed a faint smile though his attention strayed once more to the wilderness behind them. Sergius tapped Valrion’s shoulder, urging him to focus. He then assisted Valrion onto Centurion before mounting the horse himself. With everything secured, they set off along the well-trodden trail.

  Their return was peaceful—Centurion’s movements mingled with the occasional crackle of twigs and dried leaves underfoot. The sunlight streamed between the branches, illuminating the uneven ground and casting patterns on the path as they retraced their steps back to the town.

  By the time they reached their house, the sun had climbed higher, bathing the yard in bright morning light. Centurion came to a halt, making clouds of dust with his hooves before Sergius dismounted first. He turned and extended a hand to Valrion, who took it and climbed down carefully.

  Once his feet landed on the ground, Valrion glanced beyond the hedges encircling his house, looking toward the west as if the forest he had just left was still within reach. The voice should have faded with the distance, but instead, it remained here. He wanted to let it go, but he couldn’t. Of course, he couldn’t.

  Following Sergius, who had just finished securing Centurion, Valrion stepped into the house. The door creaked as Sergius adjusted the sack of rabbits on his shoulder. Valrion’s mother, midway up the stairs to the second floor, stopped when she saw them and descended.

  “How was your day?” she asked warmly, running down the stairs.

  “We caught three. Valrion got them all. He’ll be a great hunter, not a blacksmith,” Sergius said, smirking as he walked past them.

  “Is that so?” Valrion’s mother said, smiling first at Sergius, then at Valrion. “Good job. Do you want to become a hunter when you grow up?”

  “Thank you. Maybe,” Valrion muttered, sitting down on the ground to remove his boots. Without saying anything further, he made his way upstairs to his room. Once inside, he removed his coat, placing it at the foot of the mattress. He then dropped onto the bed and closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the day throughout his body. Rest was what he needed most.

  “Are you okay?”

  Valrion opened his eyes to see his mother standing in the doorway, her silhouette outlined by the soft natural light. As she walked closer to him, a strange tightness gripped his chest—an urge to hug her and hide under her embrace, though he held himself back. She sat on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping slightly under her weight, and her warm smile sent comfort through him.

  This was expected. Naturally, she would be concerned when her son abruptly ran upstairs without saying much to her. Then, a long-standing question arose in his mind: would it harm him to share his secrets now?

  “I heard something,” he said, the words spilling out before he could stop himself. “Someone called me in that forest.”

  “Called you how? Like your name?” she asked, her brow furrowing with concern. Considering Sergius had reacted in a similar way, Valrion realized he should phrase his revelation better next time.

  “No. Something else,” Valrion corrected. The voice was so clear that recalling it was effortless.

  “What is it?” she pressed gently, her eyes searching his for answers.

  “Well—I don’t know,” he groaned, frustration creeping in. Should he say it? Should he reveal the truth about his identity?

  “You can’t tell me the specifics? Why not?” Her voice was tender, but Valrion could sense the urgency beneath it.

  “Just—I don’t even know where to start,” he said, rolling over to face away from her.

  “Are you scared?” she pressed.

  Yeah. Always. Ever since I came down here. The thought came unbidden. He clawed at the bed sheet near his stomach—he hadn’t even realized he was doing it. He opened the Handbook, hoping for some unseen exclamation mark or another clue, but there was nothing.

  These mortal feelings were unbearable sometimes. He had never felt anything like it as a god.

  “Yeah,” he eventually confessed. A heaviness squeezed his stomach, yet at the same time, his chest felt oddly lighter. How strange was that?

  “Why?” his mother continued.

  Because I am weak now, and I would do anything to be stronger, were the words in his mind, but he didn’t feel like uttering them. He didn’t want to admit something like this.

  “I’m too young,” he said instead, his voice a quiet mumble.

  His mother laughed. “What are you talking about? You’re five, so of course you’re young. Don’t be silly, Valrion. What are you even worrying about? Moreover, you’re not alone. You have us.”

  Valrion went still, letting her words sink in before responding, “Yeah.”

  “I’m not sure exactly what’s happening because you won’t be entirely honest with me, but go back to the forest soon with Sergius. Try to figure out what that voice means,” his mother encouraged.

  “Mama, don’t you think I’m weird?” he asked, uncertainty crawling back into his mind. It felt like a question he should have asked years ago, but only now could he bring himself to do it.

  “Weird?”

  He rolled back to meet her gaze. “I discovered my elemental power when I was a baby. Strange things have always found me. Don’t you think I’m weird? Aren’t you scared of me? Sergius was terrified when I told him about that voice.”

  “You are not weird,” his mother answered, rising from the bed. She straightened her back, her presence radiating strength. “Just special. Like an old soul.”

  “Octavia thinks I’m reincarnated,” he stated, half-joking but wishing for a laugh.

  His mother chuckled, a melodic sound that filled the space. “I don’t care. Whoever you are, I’ll always be by your side, my son. Go rest now. You’ll be all right, I promise.”

  “Thank you, Mama,” he said.

  She bent down to stroke his head before leaving the room, and Valrion closed his eyes once more. The worry remained, stuck in the corners of his mind, but gratitude took root within him, no matter how small it was in comparison. How beautiful was it that no matter where he was or who he had become, the soothing words of a caring mother always found a way to calm him?

  Whether it was a malicious fallen god or something else entirely, Valrion knew he had to place more trust in his family. He couldn’t face the road ahead alone, and the thought of leaning on them gave him a newfound courage. Perhaps he should have known it long ago, but in some strange way, he owed this realization to that mysterious voice.

  He exhaled deeply, easing back against the pillow. With the reassuring belief, his mind drifted to the forest until sleep quickly overtook him.