State of Affairs

It took a while for Uncle Robert to continue speaking. Looking outside the window, he was mesmerized by the night, and both of us basked in the moonlight. The wind, which had died down, began to slowly whisper once more, much colder than before.

"Before the day you were born, signs of distress and anticipation began to show near the Everthorn Wall. The Rangers, who are tasked to scout the surrounding area for possible complications, noticed unusual movement," Uncle Robert began, speaking in a low voice.

"During your birthday, it was a wondrous celebration that a new member of the family would be born. However, that madman appeared, causing a catastrophic event for the next two months, and undoubtedly went silent," he continued.

I could see concern on Uncle Robert's face, possibly considering if this information was too much for me to handle. Though I admit the information was shocking, I was deeply curious.

"You see, the forest of Everthorn stretches out from one side of the country to the other, wide and dangerous as it can be. Other kingdoms have their own way of dealing with the monsters. We, the lineage of Stele, are dubbed Sentinels, tasked with protecting the kingdom using the artificial chokepoint created by the past Mages of our time. And it all converges at Shattershire, where the rangers on the Everthorn Wall noticed unusual movement not long after the disappearance of that madman. They attacked, and an emergency action was put into motion."

In the silence of the room, only Uncle Robert's voice mattered. It was the only sound I could hear. Everything went through my head with pristine accuracy and clear articulation.

"For your circumstances, it's better if you find out the rest from others, in the right time and the right moment. Explanation from me won't do you better or make you feel better. Knowing something so early can affect how you see the world and how you will affect the world. I am merely here to guide you and help if you so desire," my uncle expressed his feelings regarding the situation.

"But... what can I do, Uncle Robert? I keep disappointing you, and I am just a six-year-old boy with barely any skills or talents... I don't know... I am confused," I replied, my gaze landing on the bed as I contemplated what I could do. I felt my body drain of energy and became discouraged by my weakness.

"What I have said still stands. Your uncle is here to guide you on how to handle the situation. I give you options; it is not in my liberty to choose what your answer will be. It is your decision that matters," Uncle Robert replied to my answer in a soft but strong voice that reverberated through my head.

"I suggest you sleep. Tonight will be an event that you would remember," he continued.

Abruptly standing up from the bed, he quickly went out of my room. In a hurry, he slammed the door shut, leaving behind the tense atmosphere in the room. The cold wind blew colder, and the light from the moon dwindled. I was left alone inside the room. It took me moments to realize what just happened. I was flabbergasted at how swiftly he left the room; however, his message was clear and fresh in my mind.

It was short, but it gave me a sense of freedom. For the first time, I have a major decision that can change my life. I felt my blood pumping, and excitement came over me. I knew what I needed to do, but for now, I needed to rest.

"Wait... wasn't he supposed to explain something else?"

I didn't think about it. I looked out my window, seeing the forest across the distance. I needed to strengthen my resolve for tomorrow.

Early in the morning, I woke up feeling refreshed and cool. I remembered the horrid encounter I had experienced last night, and I shivered as I shook off the memories.

I walked towards the usual corridor, going through the long and wide hallway. Along the way, I saw the window where everything happened last night. I remembered the fear and terror I experienced, the cold sweat that permeated through my skin, and the cold blood flowing through my body.

Outside, the sun brightly shone and glistered early in the morning, and the light gleamed on the window panes of the mansion.

Morning dew and a brand new day had come. I surveyed the area around the ranch, the dusty atmosphere reflecting the sunlight. The pure smell of the wind and the gentle feeling when it touched me guided me as I looked towards the corner where I saw my uncle sitting on the bench placed near the window, ruffling the heads of Aion and Ron, with Don at his side.

Taking a deep breath and firming my resolve, I trod lightly on the ground, approaching my uncle with steps filled with determination and a mission to find out about my parents, my circumstances, the monsters, and what I am meant to be.

"Good morning, Uncle!" I greeted him happily.

"Good morning to you, Enzo," he replied as he removed his hands from Aion, who was enjoying a belly rub.

"I believe you have made a decision. I can sense your determination and obstinate passion for truth. But before we start, we shall continue from where we left off," he added.

The dogs sat down beside Don and behaved themselves as Uncle stood up, walked a few paces, and faced me.

"Starting off with what you saw last, Keepers. They are usually situated near Everthorn Woods and Shattershire. They are a powerful force that occupies at least 10% of our firepower. They are hideous, revolting, and strong. A straggler from the group must have lost their way... or their entire group got disseminated. But to put into context how strong one would be, it would take at least 50 soldiers to 'capture' one of them, and at least a hundred or more to kill one," his face maintained a stern look as he passively explained.

I recalled the vivid scene of the long, hideous scarecrow-looking monster that stood there motionless, staring straight at me. It was a complete horror of an experience.

"To properly understand why we have confidence in stating that although there are thousands of keepers, they vary depending on many things such as materials and process. Not everyone can be equally strong and powerful as the other. Some are distinct but powerful, for the reason that our family sovereigns and mages can exert more power than other keepers," he said, making waving gestures and demonstrating the weaving of mana and sword stances.

"Sovereigns hold significant power, containing the powers of using souls that are contracted to them, manifesting them in the form of smoke. They can be in the form of animals, hounds, wolves, and birds. Possessing the soul of humans is difficult. Imagine controlling another body while you move. Another thing is, you would be severely damaged if your dominion were killed, causing things such as a severe headache that would last days to a near-death mental situation," he explained, summoning Aion to his side from thin air, covered in orange smoke.

"Mages, on the other hand, have the ability to conjure incantations and spells that alter the overworld through their mind. The more structured and dynamic the understanding of mages about certain principles of their mind, the more they can create spells that can do various things," he continued, his palm facing up towards the sky, which began to glow red and emitted a subtle warm intensity.

Waiting for my answer he looked at me with intense eyes expecting something like an answer.

Naturally, I responded, my eyes burning fiercely as I gave off an intense smile, showing my resolution and resolve to complete this task and hopefully improve myself.

I looked at him with amazement as he revealed these incredible powers and abilities. I believed that this was one step closer to achieving what I wanted—to do something that would allow me to change things for myself and free myself from this mystery.

"Uncle, please teach me everything"