A Promise and a Phone Call
772 Words
Chapter 7
His grandmother wiped her tears with the edge of her sleeve, the last streaks of silver liquid clinging to her cheeks like fragile threads of time. She took a long, steady breath. Though the pain of memory still lingered in her ancient eyes, something had shifted—something subtle, yet bright.
Hope.
When she looked at Elion now, she did not see just her grandson or the battle-worn commander of the realm. She saw a man pulled by the same force that had once nearly broken her family—a force that could ruin, but also redeem.
She smiled softly, and with a tenderness reserved only for him, cupped his cheek with her warm, wrinkled hand.
“Brighten up, my boy,” she said, voice rich with both sorrow and strength. “Win this war. Keep your heart steady. And when you return home victorious…”
She paused, her lips curving into a knowing smile, and her eyes twinkled with something mischievous and warm.
“I’ll show you how to speak to your Aria—voice to voice.”
Elion’s breath hitched. His ocean-blue eyes widened, and for a moment, he looked like the boy she once held in her arms, long before he became the warrior feared across realms. The weight in his chest, heavy and unmoving for days, lifted like mist at sunrise.
“Truly?” he whispered, unable to believe the words had escaped her lips. “You mean… hear her voice in my ear?”
“Yes,” she said, nodding with amusement at his stunned expression. “But only if you carry yourself like the commander you are. With strength… and joy. Not just steel and scars.”
He jumped up, laughter tumbling from him for the first time in what felt like years. It burst from his chest like something reborn. He leaned down and threw his arms around her, a rare embrace that caught her by surprise.
She chuckled as he hugged her tightly, and for a heartbeat, time melted.
“Grandma,” he said, pulling back, his face glowing, “if I hear her voice—just once—I’ll be the happiest man in all the realms.”
She touched his chin with a smirk. “Only once? That doesn’t sound like the Elion I know.”
His eyes lit with a blaze of purpose.
“I promise to brighten up,” he said, grinning. “I’ll fight this war in less than three hours! I know their kingdom’s weakness—every c***k in their defense. Just promise me… when I return, you’ll take me to the voice.”
His grandmother laughed—a full, rich, heart-deep laugh that echoed through the cottage walls and stirred the magic in the air.
“Oh, Elion,” she said, shaking her head in delight. “Always the dramatic one.”
“Is that a yes?” he pressed, still beaming.
“It is,” she said. “But you’ll need something called a phone.”
Elion tilted his head, confused. “A… phone? Is that a type of crystal?”
She burst into even louder laughter, nearly doubling over.
“No, child. It’s not magic. It’s… human nonsense. A little device they carry in their hands. It lets them speak across long distances. No spells, no mirrors. Just phones.”
Elion blinked. “So… it’s like a talking stone?”
She giggled. “Closer to a glowing box. But if it gets you to her—we’ll find one.”
He looked bewildered. “Does it need to be fed?”
“Only charged,” she replied.
“Charged with what? Lightning? Moonlight?”
She snorted. “Electricity. I’ll explain later.”
Elion shook his head with mock awe. “Their realm is wild.”
“Wild and wonderful,” she said, eyes dancing. “You’ll see.”
They stood there for a while, the fire between them rekindled. The shadows in Elion’s heart, the ache of helplessness he’d carried since the night of Aria’s pain, had thinned. He had no way of knowing what the next battle would bring—but now he had a promise to hold on to. A reason stronger than duty. A thread of joy waiting to be followed through the chaos.
“I’ll win, Grandma,” he said, serious now. “Not just the war. I’ll win a way to her. You’ll see.”
She nodded, pride swelling in her chest.
“I believe you,” she whispered.
And for the first time in centuries, Elion felt like the world wasn’t closing in—but opening wide.
- Writer
