Sol's Shine and the Kingdom of Fire

Chapter 24 Memories From Days Long Gone

     Long ago before Elgria created the Shining Giant, there were four kingdoms at war with just one kingdom. Even though every one of the four kingdoms were at an advantage with numbers, the one kingdom they were up against had superior skill. The kingdom they were all up against was the Kingdom of Wood. Back then Magnora was a world brimming with chaos. If anyone in the Kingdom of Fire was suspected to be a traitor or a spy they would be executed on the spot.

Fear was the thing that ruled this land, not the king. Although fear may have been the thing that made the current king of the time make questionable laws, some of which still take effect in the present. There was one man in these chaotic times just trying to get by. This man went by the name of Ipos.

Ipos had never married but hoped he would be able to take care of a child one day. He was never one to get along with the ladies and seemed to always be rejected. Even still, he wanted to take up the responsibility of raising a child. He knew he could do it. Ipos was rich with gold and can bring plenty of food to the table. Thoughts such as these led the man to go down to an orphanage where he could adopt a child of his own.

The orphanage he went to was in another town. When he arrived, he was surprised to see the poor condition it was left in. Countless people were homeless, not being able to afford enough gold. Many buildings were corroded with mold. The ongoing war left many towns like this one without any funding.

Many children became orphans when their family got sent off to war and never came back. Ipos would soon learn that whatever life he lived before, he had it good. Making his way through the doors of the orphanage, he was greeted with another unpleasant site. A couple of kids were getting into a brutal fight over a moldy piece of bread. Some stayed quiet in the corner waiting for hunger to settle in and kill them.

He wanted to break up the fight but the old man who owned the orphanage got in his way. "You want a kid? Just take any one of them and leave! We have too many mouths to feed and not enough food to feed them with!" "Surely this orphanage will do much better if I paid! Please take as much as I have on me!" Ipos said, getting out his pouch full of golden coins.

The owner of the orphanage took the nearest kid by him and shoved him towards Ipos. "Just go! Don't keep wasting my time!" The owner led the two of them out the doors and slammed them shut. Ipos hardly noticed it but the kid that was led out with him started crying. When he got a good look at the young one, he could see that he had bright blonde hair and blue eyes. Ipos could only kneel down to his level in order to talk with him.

"What's the matter little one?" Ipos pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his face full of tears. "I'm scared!" The little boy cried out. "What's there to be scared about? I'm here now." Ipos tried to assure him but the little boy didn't seem to feel any better. From his own assessment the boy had to be at least four or five years old. He figured that the poor lad must have lost his parents in the war just like many others. If Ipos could, he would save every child in that orphanage but that would obviously be a pipe dream.

Ipos got up from kneeling and extended his hand out to the boy for him to hold. "I promise to never leave you. You're safer with me." The boy dried his eyes and eventually accepted his hand. "Do you by any chance have a name? My name is Ipos and I'll be your new guardian starting today." He could hear the child mutter something under his breath. "Hmm? What was it you said?" Ipos asked kindly.

"S-Solas..." The little boy responded. "Oh that's a wonderful name! Shall we get going then?" Together both Ipos and Solas left that terrible town behind and made their way back to Luminar. Luminar was the very place Ipos lived in. It was also home to the royal family. Solas tried avoiding eye contact with Ipos as much as possible but had a strong grip on his hand.